NOT GIVEN

AN EAST SIDE SIAMESE CAT WHOSE DEATH PROVED MORE CAPTIVATING THAN
ALL ITS LIVES HAS FOUND IMMORTALITY, ALTHOUGH AN ANONYMOUS ONE.
THE SIAMESE WAS THE LOVING PET OF A KNDLY LADY WHO--AS THE EVENTS
THAT FOLLOW SHOW--ALSO DESERVES ANONYMITY AND IMMORTALITY.
THE CAT REACHED ITS NATURAL END RECENTLY, AND THE OWNER WAS PER-
PLEXED ABOUT WHAT TO DO WITH THE REMAINS. SHE LIVES IN AN APART-
MENT.
"BRING IT OVER HERE AND WE'LL BURY IT IN MY YARD," A FRIEND WHO
LIVES IN BIRMINGHAM TOLD HER OVER THE PHONE.
A SMALL BOX WAS READIED AND THE SIAMESE PLACED REVERENTLY IN IT.
THEN, BOX UNDER ARM, THE SWEET OLD LADY BOARDED A BUS AND HEADED
ACROSS THE CITY.
BUT WHILE BETWEEN BUSES, SHE DECIDED TO DO SOME SHOPPING DOWNTOWN.
WHILE RUMMAGING THROUGH GOODS, SHE LAID THE WRAPPED SIAMESE ON
THE COUNTER IN A DEPARTMENT STORE.
WHEN SHE LOOKED UP MOMENTS LATER, THE BOX WAS GONE. THE LADY WAS
DUMBFOUNDED AT THE THOUGHT OF REPORTING THE DISAPPEARANCE OF A
DEAD CAT TO STORE OFFICIALS.
AS SHE COLLECTED HER THOUGHTS, SHE NOTICED A LARGE CROWD GATHERING
ON THE OPPOSITE SIDE OF THE FLOOR. SHE WENT TO INVESTIGATE AND
FOUND EXCITED SHOPPERS GATHERED AROUND A PROSTRATE FORM NEXT TO A
TELEPHONE BOOTH.
PEEKING THROUGH THE CROWD, SHE SAW A WOMAN SPRAWLED OUT UNCON-
SCIOUS. NEXT TO HER WAS THE BOX WITH THE DEAD SIAMESE.
THE KINDLY LADY TURNED AROUND AND QUIETLY LEFT THE STORE, A TEAR
IN HER EYE. BUT SHE COULDN'T KEEP A SMILE OFF HER FACE.

Submitter comment: NEWSPAPER'S SOURCE UNKNOWN.