The Portland daily press., 1874-06-05
Cats and Cat People.

]'"'' Inv Songs Of she San-LGnds,
Cats and Cat People.
II is rather surprising, says the Liberal Re-
yieu that such an unlovable animal as the
cat ever came to be tolerated 1t has really
nothing to recommend il, except, perhaps, a
pretty coat and fairly graceful carriage. In
disposition it is treacherous, cunning, and
suspicious to the last degree. 1t is the re-
verse of intelligent except in the entrapping,
tormenting, and devouring of unfortunate
birds and mice. Though often melodiously
inclined, those who know most about its vo
cal endeavQrs are not backward in declaring
that, though they evince considerable power,
they display little musical ability. Certainly,
it has talent for looking after itself. Ii there
is anything to be gained it will likely rub up
against you, leaving numerous hairs on your
coat, and purr meanwhile; if, on the other
hand, it imagines there is nothing to be got
by wheedling, il will spit and claw you upon
the slightest provocation. 1t is constantly
demonstrating that it cares not a jot for those
who nurture it-that it entertaips much more
regard Tor its home than for the amiable per-
son who provides it with the same. So far
we have been speaking of cats with four legs,
but the craftiness, treachery, and cruelty of
these are excelled by the craftiness, treachery,
and cruelty of the cats with two legs, with
whom the world has good reason for being
sufficiently familiar. There may be some
natural affinity between cats with four legs
and cats with two. At any rate, they fire.
quently take kindly to each other-that is to
say, as kindly as it is in their natures to do
80.
One of the most disagreeable representa-
tives of the cat tribe is the female who, as
rule, has cold gray eye, with just tinge of
green in it. not always palpable, but plainly
discernible in certain light There is gen.
orally a pinched look about her features,
somewhat out Of harmony with the sleek
way which she adopts when DESTROYS of adj
vancing herself in your good graces. She is
great mistress of the art of polteness, and
when she wants to be civil, her politeness be-
comes OF the excruciating kind. Nothing ca
drive away the sweet smile which hOvers
about her lips, and which would be simply
captivating If it were not accompanied, when
anything occurs to displease her, by certain
suggestive cleaning and half-disguised grind
ing of her teeth. Not that the dear creature
is addicted to openly owning at such times that
she is vexed. On the contrary, when she does
60 in for the angelic business she goes in for it
thoroughly. Her servants may smash her
crockery ware, her children may eat just what
they are not wanted to, and her husband may
say hundred things unpleasant for her to
hear, and she will make no sign that you, be-
ing visitor at her table. can detect. At the
same time the objects of her wrath know that,
as soon as you have departed, they will get
talked to in manner calculated to ruff1e the
equanimity of the strongest. 1t is when you
ale out Of the way that she becomes thor
oughly vicious, and that her company smile
changes to dreadful scoWl. As we have
Implied, she will become perfectly seraphc
for season in her endeavors to conciliate
your favor, if she imagines it is worth secur-
ing. But the seraphic mood does not easily
sit on her for very long together, and she in
variably ends by falling out with you and Civ
ing you taste of her claws. Not only will
she, after having come out in her true char
acter, stigmatize you rs a scoundrel and what
not to every one who will patiently listen to
her, but she will make APPOINT of speaking her
mind to you with more than sufficient plain
ness. She is continually in state of I'M
measured fury with some one or other, and
the number of disagreeable things which she
has to say of those against whom her dignity
is excited may well be matter for wonder.
Her unreasonable bitterness in regard to those
who have incurred her displeasure is not
more repulsiVe than her abiect sycophancy
toward those who may, for the time being.
stand well in her estimation. 1t may be re-
marked that no one ever yet continued to do
SO for any length of time.
Though cats, such as those described above,
are mischievous and disagreeable. they are
not so dangerous as cats OF a younger age and
more attractive appearance. Young men
would do well to beware of those unless they
wish TO be compelled to put In an appearance
at the breach of promise court, to b. made
laughing-stock of, to be mulctet in heavy
damages, and to be forced IL nav formidable
bills of costs. 1t is the ain, Of these cats to
get hold on map and when thew have
There l. pe" e to cause him to know it.
them al ~ certain feline prettiness about
! ttraes. mes, which, perhaps, renders them
mo I've in the eyes OF some males. But
ii had better lose all his money upon the
turf ere he becomes enamored OF one OF
them. By the way, if he does squander
fortune in this fashion, and, it the TACT De
comes known, he is not likely to be placed in
much danger, for maidens of the order un-
der notice fight rather shy of SWANS who
are penniless. The damsels are apt to lead
their lovers rather hard life, jealousy being
one of their strongest characteristics. A poor
fellow runs very good chance of being taxed
with the basest perfidy if he is anything more
than merely coldly civil to the various ladies
with whom he is brought in contact. Even
when they are billing and cooling together his
love will show that she is haunted by doubts
as to his constancy, and succession OF the
ardent kisses and endearing caresses will not
always succeed in allaying her suspicious.
She does not tell him so in plain terms that if
she discovers he is false and is making tool
of her he will be called upon to answer for
his iniquity; but, nevertheless, he has not
much difficulty in discerning that such is the
case. The watch which she keeps upon him
is keener than the riveted gaze which her
four-legged namesake is wont to regard
mouse-hole. The avidity with which she
seizes upon information relating to his past
career, and the manner which she prizes into
all that concerns him, would warn any but
an infatuated fool of what he may have to
expect in the future. Lovers, as rnle, how
ever, being both infatuated and foolish, do
not always discover what she is ere they
have gone too far 10 draw back with honor
and safety. They may, perhaps, see that
there is something fierce and treacherous
about her, but when they are in a state of
infatuation the evidence of their own senses
is practically useless. Attracted at first by
her overpowering sweetness (she would as
soon think of attempting to fly as contradict-s
ing victim ere she imagines she has got him
thoroughly in her clutches; you might con-
clude from her demeauor that he was to her
kind of idol who contained, bottled up
within himself, all the virtues and common
sense that the most exacting could expect to
find in a man)-he does not detect her
sheathed talons, and when he does is I'M
sophisticated enough to imagine that she will
not use them. Perhaps, if he is becomingly
submissive, she fails to do so before marriage;
but, after the Gordian knot has been tied,
she quickly makes amends for lost time
her independence and spirit are alarming,
ana the manner in which she demonstrates
.nae sne possesses these things is still more
30. with all her other faults. however, it is
not not always that she forgets to be prudent.
her nuspand may offend her when disnter-
es i., oniookers are by, and she will smile
he knows the meaning of the smile and what
is to follow 1t, and nouns ACCORDINGLY.
The Pyramids and the Sphynx.
Rayard TAYLOR thus snaa,- r. i, s =.