A LOST SUBJECT.

Thames Star, Volume VII, Issue 2559, 20 March 1877, Page 2

A LOST SUBJECT.

The writer of "Specialities" in vtlfo Queenslander has the following:—" Not many days ago the Courier called attention to an net of diabolical cruelty in which a cat was the victim, a salmon tin the engine ' of torture, and some miscreant unknown the perpetrator. The" Unknown,' in' the' devilish ingenuity of his device of salmon tin, -with aperture for breathing, 'securely fastened over the dumb creature's, head, its other parts being left freeanduriharmed, to wander in desolate darkness to a slow " death, seemed to have surpassed the sub* limity of cruelty attained by Poerillusjn his invention of the brazen bull, and for the, time we wished ourselves Nero, than we might, try the efficacy of his trap upon the inventor. We discussed the matter with several members of the.Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, and it was determined to keep an eye on Kangaroo Point. We ourselves, -to further the good cause, resolved upon-a 'leader' that should have a deterrent effect upon the inventiveness of the unknown monster, the notes for which' we find,' on reference, to run-'- thus:— ' Cruelty, sign of debased mind—Mr Squeers —Bashi-Bazouks, Morbid, .appetite increases with indulgence^—Roman amphitheatre —Spanish bull-fights. Ferocity not incompatible with highest culture— Nero—his fiddle—Kbman candles. JKilling cat and murdering man difference of degree not kind—look at quotation aboit crushed worm feeling same'pangal dying giant." Promising ourselves to work this up into a thriving article in: the evening, we strolled out to calm our vindictive feelings" fd('a properly reflective mood. The first man we met was an eminent philanthropist, a friend of ours, residing at Kangaroo Point, ifho- ;thu*^ accosted us:—'Did you read" that "para«" graph about, the -(Catj-.and the. salmon-tin? ' Well, ,yo?t"ate some of the salmon out of that very fin. A trifle was left at the bottom; and astray cat getting. into the larder—you know vrhat-a lot of stray cats we have about, for my wife will feed them, and upon my life, I r can't blame her, for' the 'poof thingif are awful lean. Well, this ,pne poked its head in -„ for the bit of salmon at thr bottom of the tin, which, having been opened at, the top, had a ragged fringe~of metal beat inwards, so that the poor creature could not pull it out again; My wife kind the #ohtan tried , all they could to. extricate, it, but the wretched thing fought'ahd'scfratohed with such fury that, after rubbing off .the ■ cuticle from the cook's arms like wefc blotting-paper," they "had t<Tiet~her go.'i^- •♦ The cook ?", we inquired. J'JNo, the cat," replied our friend grievously "Z 1 'f The cook's bad enough; arms as raw as Jialeak. ;The poor thingiigoin'gabout now> I expect, "The cook?" we again inquired^ !",Cook\ no { cat J". "retorted purangable: ■friend with mild exasperation.V r fj£ve. ,hardly< eaten ,9. thing ajnce.'”, T WJia£ \aa~ end for our embryotic article f t, Strangled, 'before its birth.: Choked, as'it.were,;by the philanthropy of our'distressed friend land his bleeding cook. /We wished.We had not met him till next day, andas thafc> was past wishing we almost hoped another* monster would arise, who should do some fell deed that afternoon, and' allow us to, utilise pur brilliant notes.' 1/ J--'"'' ".-