CAT STORIES.
A "Symposium of Gat-Lovers and Cat-Fanciers," in the "Strand Magazine," agrees that the cat has not had half its due in anecdote. "For every story concerning a cat it is safe to say there ate ten relating to a dog." So these notable persons proceed to tell some stories (in talking of cats, you avoid the expression "tales"), illustrating feline intelligence or feline charm. Scoffers allege against cats that they are not "sportsmen," but "Little Black Sambo," a distinguished Persian, was so great at sparrow-hunting that under ordinary conditions the sport almost palled. His triumph was to wait till he found two sparrows fighting, then, by a deft spring, to catch both birds at once, one in each paw. "After despatching both, he stalked into the house .with the air of a champion revolver-shot who is able to bring down his prey with hot hands." Another good hunter used decoy. Getting hold of a piece o meat, he deliberately placed it har by a rat-hole, and then hid, to wai developments. Master Rat, thu tempted, soon emerged and began o the meat, with the result that he himself became meat for the master mind that had laid the snare. Mos dogs dislike musis, though they ma: learn to control their powers o; criticism. Cats, on the other ■ hand are often musical. Mrs Millar, a fre quent Crystal Palace exhibitor, owns an animal .who loves the ;piano, anc has even a favourite tune, "Braga's Serenada," which will at once bring her to climb on the player's shoulder and purr approval. It seems appropriate, too, that a cat's favourite should be a serenade! The cat crank may be discovered in tbe tabby that would never kill a mouse, but had two mouse friends who came out of their holes to play with him. The cat hero or heroine has some noble records. Mrs Western's story of the Siamese, that yelled and pawed a nursegirl to wake up and find the nursery on fire, may remind us of a New Zealand instance, in which the cat, after waking the family, was unfortunately left behind, and met its own death in the burning house. The cat of generous mind, who cannot enjoy a mouse witnout first offering a share to its mistress, is also a variety krowri the world all over. As for the best cat story, Mr G. R. Montagu chooses tha grim instance of a cat bearing witness to a murder by her intense horror and excitement when
the suspected criminal was brought near. Louis Wain prefers the anecdote of the monastery grimalkin who missel the dinner-hour, and, by climbing up and clinging to the bell-rope, contrived to summon the brethren, as for a second meal. "It was the soundest feline logic; there was never any dinner without bellringing, therefore one had only to ring the bell to produce dinner.
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Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10026, 23 April 1910, Page 4
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480CAT STORIES. Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10026, 23 April 1910, Page 4
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