OWNERSHIP OF A CAT.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LVI, Issue 17294, 18 October 1919, Page 2 (Supplement)

OWNERSHIP OF A CAT.

JUDGE ASKED TO DECIDE. It seemed a nice, fair dealing black cat. But when the judge at Boston (Lino) gave it a chance to decide which of two neighbours was its mistress there were complications. "Tim! Tim! !" called the woman who was claiming the cat or £5, and the animal followed as if they had been friends for years. But the other woman gave the game away. "It isn't fair," she said. " Look what's she got in kcr hand." When the hand was opened a piece of camphor was revealed. " Give me the camphor," said the judge, and the spell worked so marvellously that he said, " Why, it's my cat!" Meanwhile Tim was adding to the difficulty of deciding by making friends all round the court, whilst one woman called " Tim " and the other " Jack." But there was no camphor this time, and the question uf ownership remained open. A solicitor tried to work in the " historic precedent," but the woman who called the cat " Tim " knew the answer and declared indignantly that idle was not going to have her cat cut in half! Then the judge got down to more matter of fact tests, asking the woman how long she had had " Tim." " Six years," was the reply. There she overdid it. A veterinary surgeon in court examined the cat and said it was about two years old. And that was how it was decided that " Tim's " real name is " Jack."