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Lida Choate's Maine Coon Cats part 3
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My mother used to tell me, where there is a will, there is a way. So Tom Coon decided that tomorrow would be the day he would go to Captain Snow with his big problem. When he awakened, he was excited and his heart was pounding. He said a prayer asking God?s guidance and help. This was Sunday, and on the Glen Laurie Sunday was a special day. Captain Snow held services, which the sailors were welcome to attend. Tom Coon sat silently in the corner until Captain Snow had finished reading from the Bible and announced, Here endeth the services, then repeated the benediction. Tom Coon prayed for God?s help and walked up to the captain. In his most mature voice he said, Captain Snow. Captain Snow replied, Yes, Tom Coon. Then Tom said, I need your help. Captain Snow said, I am ready to help you, what is your problem Then Tom Coon poured out his whole story, how he had stowed h is beautiful cat in his cabin, and about her kittens born in his footlocker. As Tom Coon talked he was so engrossed that he hardly noticed that Captain Enoch Snow, who was looking down on him, was such a giant of a man. He was about six feet three inches tall, his kind face was lined as if etched by the salt sea spray, and his brown eyes were like bottomless pools that seemed to penetrate into the very soul of mankind. When Tom Coon had finished, Captain Enoch Snow gently laid his large hand on Tom Coons shoulder and softy said, it's OK, Tom Coon. You see, in a couple of weeks we will be sailing into Winter Harbor; that is in Biddeford Pool, Maine . Maine is a new state. It used to be part of Massachusetts , but in 1820 Maine became a state. In 1639, all territory as we know Maine today was given over by a Royal charter to Sir Ferdinand Gorges. The wording of the charter reads that this land shall forever be called the Province and Country of Maine , and not by any other name whatsoever. That was the first time that Maine was ever officially used anywhere. Captain Snow continued, where this pool makes up it borders farm property owned by Joseph Tarbox, and he is a friend. He has a big warm barn and the mows are stacked with new mown hay and the tie-up has many cows. They have a son Jonathan who is about your age. We will lay over for a week or two so we can replenish our stock of supplies at the Cutts store at Biddeford Pool. I will leave you with the Tarbox family while we trade down the coast and pick you up when we return. Tom Coon was so happy that he almost cried with joy. So Captain Snow helped Tom Coon transport his mother cat and her kittens to the Tarbox Barn. The mother cat and kittens seemed so pleased to have the freedom of the big barn to romp and hunt in. Tom Coon told Jonathan and Molly all about getting his cat in the most minute detail. Well, these cats were called Coon Cats and Coon Kittens for Tom Coon. The orange kitten and the silver kitten were boy kittens. Jonathan called them Tom and Tommy, and I sometimes wonder if that is why a boy cat is called a Tom cat today. Well, my father went on to tell me that Tom Coon gave his beautiful cat and her kittens to Jonathan. For many years Tom Coon came back to visit with the Tarbox family, and he was the captain of many ships over the years. Captain Coon always brought with him a longhaired kitten as a gift for Jonathan and Molly who were married and had a son Joseph who was Papa's grandfather. Well, do you know Papa said, as Tom and Tommy Coon cats visited the neighboring farms and long-haired kittens were born, these long-haired kittens were called Coon Kittens for Tom Coon. The three colored Coon Kittens or Coon Cats became a much-desired kitten or cat, so much that the farmers would trade a bag of grain or a bag of vegetables to get a three colored Coon Kitten or Cat. So, they were called Money Kittens or cats. Then, as time went on, the barn with the three colored Coon Cat in it seemed to bring the farmer luck, so they were also called lucky Coon Cats. That still seems to be true today. As my father talked on, my child?s mind saw a picture of Tom Coon giving his beautiful long-haired cat and her three kittens to him, and the Coon Cat and her three half-grown kittens sitting waiting for a zip of milk were the coon cat and Coon Kittens he was telling me about. Now while I am telling you this, Papa's story of the Maine Coon Cat and Kittens, he told it to me sixty years ago. And, while I am reminiscing, sitting watching me is my Maine Coon Cat, a beautiful large orange male with a bright pink nose and a flowing white bib, with large double paws. He must be a descendant of the Tom Coon Kittens born on the Glen Laurie. Pine Point , Maine April 1979.
Article continues on Linda Choate's Maine Coon Cats part 4
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