Uncle Dick and Lisa's Old Time Animal Tales

While at the residence of Almon Webb in the township of Antioch the other day, we witnessed a somewhat novel spectacle, it being nothing less than the caressing of a pair of young coons by a cat which had adopted them. Some two or three weeks since someone in the neighborhood killed an old coon and, on looking around, found its nest of four young ones, apparently but a day or two old. Two of these he took to the house and attempted to raise “by hand,” but both died. The other two were given to Mr. Webb. As they looked very much like young kittens it occurred to him that possibly he might impose them upon the house cat, just then rejoicing in a newly born litter of kittens. Accordingly he disposed of all the kittens but one and placed the coons in the nest with the most satisfactory results, the old cat apparently never mistrusting but what they were a part of her family and giving them every possible attention. The adopted children are growing finely, being nearly half the size of their stepmother and as tame and docile as though they were by nature designed as domestic animals.