Delaware state journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1870-1883, 1874-03-07
CATERING FOR THE CATS.
A Meat Route Among the Feline Pets Of New
York-The Mine that a Dry Goods CLERK is
WOrking--An Energetic PrOvider who is
Much Mewed After.

of the day, big tortUise-snell cat sat on
the steps of James 7. Powers' store, at
10l Murray street, with her son beside
her. The store had Just been opened,
aud porters were sweeping the a1or and
hustling away shutters but the cat and
kitten acted MS though anxiously waiting
for something. The big one, who wore
handsome leather collar with the name
g Tab " and her address on il, looked
frst up and then down the street with i'm
patient dignity. The kitten, less stiff and
formal iu bearing, mewed at every breath.
Suddenly a brisk young man dashed
around the corner In sight. He carr ed a
basket on his arm, with something In IL
so heavy that he had 10 lean fifteen de.
grees out of plumb to balance himself.
He was brisk, clerkish chap, with black
side whiskers and good clothes, The cat
and kitten saw him the instant he came
into visual range, and ran 10 meet him.
The ctt even lost her pDlse { dlz nifty,
aud Joined the kitten In solicitous yowls.
The brisk young man said something
petting To them, and lugged his basket
into the store, they following. A moment
later he darted ont again. A Sim re-
porter, who had watched the procedure,
asked him to explain.
"I'm feeding the cats" was the good
humored reply, as be pulled up one cor
ner Of the cloth that covered the contents
OF the basket. "You see I've got meat
here, and I'm going around on my morn
"You are a philanthropist 2" suggested
the reporter, anxious TO lead hlm into
conversation.
mo, l guess not. Pm earning a
living"
"Then you get pay for this 20
"Of course. l wouldn't be likely to
run my legs off feeding over a hundred
cats every day for fun"
Here be opened the door of Herder,
Hall d Co IS store at 90, and was met by
two bouncing cats-a black and a gray
who jumped ravenously at him and newed
plaintively. He took some Of the bits OF
meat from a basket and put them into a
corner, where the cats fell TO with a sho "
Of sharp appetiles.
They're always hungry ones, that
pair" said the caterer, as he came out.
''I leave them enough for four cats some
times, but they turn up Just as hungry
as ever the next morning"
"If you waut tn SEQ how ! conduct my
business he continued, " come around
with me for a while. Perhaps you'll gel
some cats yourself that you'd like to have
served after you see how well the thlnl
works"
The reporter assented, aud kept at the
side of the fast-walkiug caterer, who ex-
planned as he went how be got into The
odd business.
"I was clerk In a dry goods store, -
he said, " but lost my place, aud was
out OF work for good while. tried 10
/ get new place, but all kinds of buslnest
was 50 dull couldn't get anything 10 do.
wo weeks ago l found my money al
gone. | cudgelled my brains for a
scheme TO get an honest living with, aud
suddenly the idea Of feeding cats struck
me. Tue more | thought it over the
more it seemed as if it would pay.
knew that almost every downtown stor,
has a cat, and sometimes two or three
that is always bother to feed. They
have to send out for meat, or make tue
porters bring something from home, ant
half the time the cats 20 hungry. SO
went to work right away at canvass lug
for customers. | didn't make muc
headway at first, for every body laughed
at NE. | couldn't make them believe
that ! really intended to make bus ness
.
the iitst day, because I'd been laughed al
more than ever before iu all my life, anC
hadn't got a customer. The ntxt day
lhOugh, started out again, for l knew
ia got TO do something. Before night
by sticking TO it, l had ten customers
and on that | made Il start. Now I'vi
got over hundred cats on my list. Yot
see one customer brings another. They
see the cais next door getting feed regu
larly and without any trouble, aad il
isn't so much work to get their custom.
'Wnat do you feed them 20
"Wel, | give them a variety. Thi
morning l have cooked liver aud fish
Tomorrow In gong to serve Ta~ beef
as know where / can get a cheap Let.
"a damaged lot suppose.
"N0, Indeed. My customers watch toi
close for tha;. ! have to feed sound stun
whatever il is. l find that the cats liz,
cooked fsh about as we'll as anything
aud they don't turn up their nOses a
boiled liver"
"What are your terms %
"Thirty ceuts week for regular board
Where two or three cats are served iu on
store make a reduction. Every SatuI
day make an ezra round ia the after
noon aud leave enough for Sunday. VI
taat round collect for the week. That
the time hear the grdmbling. Some c
the cats are such pets that, their owner
are afraid they re not fed enough, or ar
ovprfed, or don't get the right kind q
fOui, or something. Ga the Who'll
though, / think my customers are preit
well satisfied with the new system
Well, here we are in Chambers street
Let me see"
The caterer consulted his book, an
then stopped at George Beck's, us Chan
bers str, et, where a great black cat wit
shining eyes ran out TO meet him.
"You see they all know me" he said
} as he put a handful of the food on q
empty plate that had been left in cornt
for the purpose, ''better than ! know th
route. Now we'll cross over to Entwistl
& Co.'s. They've got two Of the nicei
Maltese on my list. They're very pal
tieular, hut get eighty cents a week f'
the two"
! These two fat Toms wore fancy collars
! and porter watched the feeding, Car
fully inspecting the food. Two blac
fellows belonging j. Mott were next fy
at 1877. one of whom seized a chunk
tue liver and ran oil, while the olht
stayed with the original pile and got Il
best of II. Then came tabby at Henr
q W. Corot's, 1S9, two tortoise shells I
!. George Il. Stui uicke's, 1911, and "A white OF
70 with black spots at Wilson, Lockwood
+, Everett IL Co.'s, 81.
/. "Sone Of the stores are not open yet,
!. said the caterer, Sand I'll have TO =
tSice round. You see, they are 80 pa
ticular about the time that I can't va
/ ull all are open. Some want their ca
i fed very early, and I'd lose their ratrol
. age If wasn't on hand promptly.
D., makes me good deal OF trouble. Ov,
Z. there, and he Indicated the stores {
Palmer & Co., Frost & Co., Leddiugto
4 x Townsend, Jesse Oakley Il Co., au
Charles Voght Il Co., 81 have who
A row Of customers that are closed yet"
g DO you intend TO stick to this bus
r ness permanently 2" asked the reporle
n as they turued into Reade street.
Cettalnly. Why not 2 It's GROWN
every day. Why, I've got as many ca
nos as | can serve on foot. When g
a little more money saved shall buy
e horse and cart, and hire a boy 10 tai
,f the meat into the stores. Then I'll |
l. prepared to feed all the cats in New Yorl
4 and swing out blg sign somewhei
# with my name on il"
] "By the way, what is your name 2"
Z. William Sturn. Come, pussy, pussy
p The last KVnrda Wpra add ressad annt1