Rensselaer Union, Volume 6, Number 34, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 14 May 1874 — A Mystified Cat. [ARTICLE]

A Mystified Cat.

Thb floor of the County Clerk’s office was day before yesterday covered with a carpet. This carpet is of fanciful pattern and in it arc many high colors. About the office cat, raised in the place, and a stranger to anything but naked floors. After the upholsterer had finished his work the feline, u Maggie” by name, came from the office of the County Auditor, Sheriff, or some other room about the Court House, and, crying at the door, Mr. Thompson, the County Clerk, went and let her in. Upon the door being opened Maggie was about to walk in as usual, when her eyes fell upon the carpet. She instantly stopped and gazed upon it as though petrified with astonishment. All the coaxing and petting that could be done failed to induce the cat to put her feet upon the carpet She would smell of it and if a hair tickled the end of her nose would spring back, shake her head and prepare to elevate her back and thicken her tail, i At last she was caught and carried to the center of the room, and, after being soothed till (juiet was gently placed upon the oarpet

At first slie was afraid to move, but presently began slowly to walk about, smell lng at the flowers in the pattern and stepping high, like a horse with the stringhalt, and whirling about with a frightened look whenever the claws of her hind feet caught in the thread of the fabric. At length she got the better of her fears and began to examine the situation more critically. In the pattern at the carpet, at intervals of about four feet in all directions, is a large figure of a bright scarlet color. After cautiously smelling one of these spots, the cat lav d6wn upon it and rolled over and over, displaying much pleasure. She then went to the next red spot and rolled upon it, and so on all over the whole room, selecting the bright red spots and rolling upon them till thoroughly tired out She paid no attention to any color but red, though there are in the pattern of the carpet several other bright colors of various kinds. Thus it would seem that while red enrages the bulls, turkey-cocks, etc., it is a color with which cats are delighted.— Virginia City Bnterpriee. *; ,