The James T. Callow Folklore Archive

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.

Date learned: 11-08-1963