Tuesday, February 18, 1947
Blue Boy wanted out after supper as usual so I let him out the front door. Was hardly back on the davenport until I heard a thud on the porch. Went out & Blue Boy was lying there with his back crippled. Wally brought him in and he died in about 5 minutes. The kids naturally saw all his final writhings and it was pretty hard for Kathy – me too.
Don’t know what happened unless a car hit him and threw him up or inconcievally some person did the same. Evidently his back was broken. Wally bured him across the street. We had had him since October 1944 & he had gotten very large and fluffy with a bick neck ruff. An even disposition & his only bad habit was sharpening his claws on the living room suit [sic]. Was glad he had had the trimmings from the steak just before he went out.
Played ping pong after walk & then went to see train wreck at 5 points east of town*. 21 freight cards piled up when a wheel went bad. No one hurt.
Wally played poker. I went to bed at 12. He got in at 3.0
[*Erie & NCY railroad crossing at state route 98 near then US 30S]