The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1872-03-21
PETS.
"Love ne, love my doc.n

!
tain small store of affection still left, which
seeks an outlet. The philanthropist ex-
tends 1t over the whole race; the miser be-
slows it upon the bag that holds his prec-
ious hoard, and the poor captive lavishes it
all on tame rat or sociable spider. Old
maids and authors, 1t seems, are famous all
over the world for similar predilections
the former to spite an ungrateful sex that
would not see their charms, the latter to
/ console themselves for bitter critiques and
an unappreciative public. Occasionally
only do we meet with man whom Provi-
dence has enriched with legitimate objects
/ of his love, and who still finds surplus of
affection to bestow upon pets. Such an
/ overfowing heart is owned by one of the
eleverest and brightest of French writers,
Theophile Gautier, who has lately pre-
sented his favorities, under the title of his
/ Domestic Menagerie, to the reading public
/ The tendency must have been deeply
rooted IN his heart, for his very first sorrow
| was caused by the absence of favorite
pet. He had been carried from his home
III the provinces to the capital, and sadly
missed amid the splendor of Paris. the ia
miliar faces, the patoiS of his friends, and
above all the, companion of his gam
bols, pet dog who, had been left
behind. Though only three years old, he
( became SO homesick that, one fine day, he
/ threw his leaden soldiers, his wooden vii
lage, and his bright-red violin out of the
window, and merrily trotted down the
/ street, on his way home. Fortunately, he
/ was overtaken in time, and, to comfort
him in his deep-felt exile, the nurse pur
chased Il dog for him, that looked enough
/ like his old tayorite to dry his tears. The
animal soon became gentle, and warmly at
tached to the boy, especially at mea-time;
but after while he seemed to
pine; he looked sad. moved with
difficulty, and refused to play and to run.
( One fine day, when the future author was
/ pulling him rather roughly, he felt some
/ thing strange in his hair, and the nurse was
called In to examine the matter. She took
u pair OF scissors, cut thread which she
| had discovered underneath, and relieved
the poor dog Of a warm oyercoat Of sheep s.
wool, which he had been compelled to wear
! for beauty's sake. 1t had fitted him well
enough when he was thin and lean, but, as
he tattcned under generous treatment, the
coat became too tight and threatened to
smother him. Now, relieved of his strait
jacket, he shook his ears, stretched his
limbs. and gambollei joyously around the
chamber, quite content to be ugly, if he
could only be easy.
With growing years the boy affections
were transferred to cats, as more quiet and
dignihed, and dynasty succeeded dynasty,
till lllldebrand ruled supreme in the house.
Hlldcbrand was 4 superb creature, with
tawny fur striped with black; large green
eyes, and majestic department, so us to
look all the world like Il miniature tiger,
and quite as blood thirsty But as his
, owner began to write poems, which gave
his name no small prestige, the pet also
began to give away to ambitious designs.
One fine day a friend brought to Gauticr n
parrot, which he wished to be taken care
Of during a short absence. The bird,
slightly frightened, climbed 70 the top of his
! pole and examined everything IN the room
with his bright big eyes. The cat had
never seen L parrot before, and returned
the compliment by fixing his green eyes
steadtastly upon the strange Bird lying all
/ the while, as motionless as a mummied cat
Of Egypt, on his soft cushion. All his
recollections of life in the garden, the court
/ yard, and on the roofs, failed to throw
any light OF the subject. At last he came
TO the conclusion: 1t must be green
chicken !"
Thereupon he coilcd himself up in ball
ready to spring upon his victim. The
I parrot followed ali his movements with
teversh anxiety; he shook his feathers out
he ratified his chain, he raised his claw,
snapped his fingers, and sharpeneI his beak
| on the edge of his cup. The eyes of the
cat became only more eloquent; they
said clearl Y "that green chicken must be
/ good to cat y
| Suddenly the arched back un-
| folded itself, and, with one magnificent
| bound the cat was on the perch. The par
rot, seeing his danger, in a solemn, deep
bass voice, suddenly cried out; 4" Had yolr
| breakfast, Jack 2"
These words frightened the cat beyond
anything he had ever heard. a trumpet
blast pile of plates falling with crash,
a pistol fired at his ear, could not have
startled him half as much. lie bounded
back and looked all CONSERVATION. "What
/ did you haye-roast meat continued tle
parrot enjoying his adversary's dlscomti-
ture. The cats eyes said clearly: at
cannot be a chicken, after all; it is gen
tlemah {. y" The poor creature crept under
the sofa, and did not venture out all day
long.
From cats to rats the transition was
sudden and violent. A couple of self
styled sailors offered the author some hand.
kerchiefs of pineapple fiber, and pair of
dlminutive white rats, with the prettiest
pink eyes in the world He bought them,
as he happened just then to have fancy
for white pets, and, from his horses in his
carriage to the chickens in his poultry yard,
all was white. A huge cage, with stair
cases leading from story to story, was built
for the tiny animals, and soon they became
marvelously tame. They not only suffered
themselves to be caressed, but would seize
their masters finger with their tiny pink
hands, and lick it most atfectionately
After dinner they were let out Of their
cage, and Immediately they began to race
with amazing swiftness and graceful agility
over the arms, the shoulders, and the head
of the author, passing under the wastco.t,
and reappearing through the sleeve out al
the wrist. Then they were put on the
table, and. in few moments, the merry
couple had disposed of nuts, flberts, raisns
and even the Jumps OF scgar left from tho
coffee The author had narrow plank
lad from the edge OF the table 10 then
cage, and on this they carried with anus
ing stealthiness, all their treasures to their
stOre-roOm. Soon they multiplied, and
some thirty snow white rats ran up and
down in the strange Ratopolis, as their
owner called their cage. At times he
would go to the uppermost story of hi.
house and whistle softly; instantly the
whole little people left the open cage, and
as they could not well ascend the .teps
they would climb up the balusters, and, in
single file, creep up On the railing, till they
reached their master. uttering low cries Of
delight. Their end was tragic. During
an oppresively hot summer day their cage
had been carried into the garden, under
vine clad bower. 4 thunderstorm broke
out. and, just as the author was leaving
the house with an umbrella, to look after
his pets, tremendous fash Of lightning
nearly hliodad aud deafaned him. whan he