The Conservative. (M'connelsville, Ohio) 1866-1871, 1870-05-06
nnnnhnr ON Cats.

unrv Ward Beecher finds time among =
nen S- Iobors TO write some very pleas .
Us US nnJ Characteristic articles for the c
m n Union. of which he Is the cher a
o5itnr Here is one on cats, from last !
TaeG's Union, full of drollery and homeIy !
philosophy: ,rotoss O /
uo-m liking for cats, we don't wish TO De
;ndged bv too rigorous an ideal. We do
not IKE Them above all animals. but SIM
nly among other things. 1t folly TO COM
mare them with horses, dogs, blrds' anu
iudge them by qualities which they %ete
NOT sent into the world to possess. 4.N
as cats that we like them. Ihey holua
Mace in the series which nothing else can
IN. and in their place they are 10 ee ao-
mired. They are reproache9 Will .aLarC
ness with selfshness, with treacneIy'
~ the fierceness is ancestral. Zero
o;tv hos softened down them
70 mere official severity. Inc cat
= annointed of men to destroy Vefmin;
t. mnst match itself with the game II
80 Tn tbe battle of walnscots ana
cravices where rats do -harbor, and mice
cots must be fierce. Every litter OF rausI
a threat at the pantry and cupboard ano a
Snfance IN cats, What a cats normal
constitntion is. we nave no book that ais
oIooae But if there is a rudlmentary con-
on;oooa in q cat. without doubt this alleged
Saroonass is hut an irregular action OF the
moroI sense. It is eagerness ID perform
90 Of dutv. Do we not see like lnnec-
tjoneof conscience in the human race! LIS
tba cot ANYTHING but the inqulsltor OF the
cellar and the barn Is 1t not the heresy-
bnnfer of the feline sex With WhaI IN
orrino instinct does it suspect! HOW Keen
10 its eve. how stiff its bearing, ana now
[terrible its spring, when some IucKIess
hereto of the granary or cupboard ven
tures to publish himself nature Las
whispered to the cat, 'Lo, make theo
m Ter over all vermin, ought not every
conscientious cat to exercise JuStlce 10 INC
uttermostf oufnIlv
odmit that cats are not g~enerous-but we
see no evidence of a grasping, aVarlc1ous
c~eIfshness. They have s~elf-respect- Iney
low instinctively whether they are nked
~ hated. They hold themselves aloot from
( S-+ronoers. because they have had too much
I o~nerience of the worlds opinion OF cats.
, II ia said that a cat will court you, Iuo
s AGAINST YOUR knee, solicit your hano upon
e bor head for the mere sake OF Its oWn
= rIeesnre. AS this is an exhibition never
-narmittad.in human life, nc wonder you are
disonsted with it But our own experience
i ond observation teach us that cats are sus'
ce,1tibIe of attachments among themselves
Reward men. and even toward animals O
5ifarent species. If kindly treated. they
1r;IJ often manifest as much atectloI
,e os a doc. following. Last Summer, we saw
~ our foreman at Peeksklll every DAY VIII
m a troop of cats going forth with MIN 10 III
work. They followed behind like SO man.
s terriers. While he was hewIng, or other
n wise working, they would lie OH IN Tn
GRASS. or creep near the wall; u no sooR
er did Mr.. Turner start Tor some obne
as place, than they gathered behind MIN am
sant On one occasion, he wa
AZ sett;ng ont flowers in front of the cottage
One of the Maltas accompanied him. VINE
rs he stooped down to put in the plant, tn
y cat mounted his back. When MIR. Iurnf
= rose. Pussy would jump of. AS soon a
11e tbe master stopped down again, the cat re
39e sumed her place.
One; evening. after dark, fearing tina
be come cattle had broken in, Nh. Iurne
IN made a circuit of the whole farm. Althoug
be II was wet under foot and stormy above
Fl tbe Maltese cat set out Unbidden and az
dr comnanied Mr.. T. over the whole farm, an
" waited on him back to his OWN door. l
there not in such a cat something OF Tn
fdelitv of a dog? A cat is sooner taugt
tbe nroprieties of life than is a dog, an
when well grown, with half a chance,
far neater than dogs or horses. Only bro
are as neat as cats. Their power, grace
agility. and s~hrewdness, are known OF a.
If we were Obliged to choose which "
I would have, a cat or a dog, we should III
zIe hesitatingly say, Both of them
lsn The attachment which m oelne
r. AlonA 6nunnCf
hunters. The family cat is as much II
ne ioy of children as the family dog.
sh We have lust received frsm a town
Indiana a boys letter that IS too good
ose: no
son Mr.. BEEoHER: Dear Sri have a nice c
OF would like to send you, if l t~houghtlt won
he accountable. He is about two years old,
very large, and is a good cat: his coloT
al gray, with white feet and a white nose. D
ost father is going to move to Arkansas. l ask
ne linn If 7 could take nv cat. He sald he W
mot able to pay what it would cost to take hi
T then asked him if 1 could send him to 70
Urn He said he was not able. So Thought Wou
o nv write to YOU about it myself. know you'll
est pets. If you do not want the cat, L VIII 1
texpect to hear from you. And II you do wa
oa- him Won can let me know. l hope you v
nd not publish my name if you do not want ]
cat. Yours with respect
Here is a Hoosier boy, b has a favor
cat, and, being about to move to Arkansl
SIS he looks about to pick the man on Il
81 nj continent most likely to do justice to t
? Z cat; and, blessing on his head! he has
lected us 1t is the most fattering co
zeI pliment of our lives. The UniversItl
L that we're about to offer degrees can st
aside now-we have no need of them.
Yes. by all means, send the cat, in q b
as by express, directed to Peekskill, N. Y,
The expressmen are kind on such occasion
and no doubt will feed Pussy, and see IL
% she has fair play on the road. Ifthey v
Be be reasonable in charges, we shall not |
- grudge the bill for the sake of receiving
Hoosier boys cato whom we now rep
MY DEAR BoY-We accept the care of
cat. and will be as good to it as we can.
the was 8 humane thing in you to see that Y
cat had s good home.
10 With your leave, she shall be called
aHoosier Cat" God bless you in your u
you, home. Truly yours q. ". I