March 15, 1902, the date General T.T. Garrard died. The White and Baker feud was still pretty hot, at this time. There was a Missionary nurse in Clay County by the name of Caroline Smith. She had been so good to people and had helped so many people, most came to call her Aunt Caroline. She went to the old Garrard Family homeplace this night to set with Mr Garrard because most people were afraid someone might shoot threw the windows and kill him. So she let everyone know that she would be there, cause she didn't think think they would shoot her. Mr Garrard was a avid cat lover, he had several stray cats around the house. These cats would follow him everywhere he went around the house and on the homeplace, they would cry when he left and play when he would come home. The night he died, as Aunt Caroline sat in the large parlor lit by candles on the ledge, she heard a terrible noise in the hall like babies crying, she got up to see what the noise was, and as she peered into the hall where the steps were located, the noise seemed to be coming from the top of the stairs, she went back to get a candle so she could see better. When she returned she raised the light and she could see the cats all at the top of the stairs an they were standing on their hind feet and crying, then suddenly they started to dance down the stairs toward her, as she backed back into the room where Mr Garrard lay corpse, the cats danced right by her to the coffin, just as they reached it, they all fell onto all fours, ran by her and out the door. And none of the cats ever returned to the house. True of False, dream or an event of life and death, it doesn't really matter, It is a Part Of Clay County History!!!!!
