The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1883-03-15

CATS THAT ARETHE PRIDE OF BALTIMORE. AN
INEBRIATE, \ LADY. \ THREE-LEGGED SPY
AND 4 GENTLEMAN.
The cat is one Of the most maligned of
animals, but this is rather more the fault
OF prejudice or education in individual
cases than of inherent immortality. 1t
cannot be doubted that the moonlight or
any-night or all-night serenadng, Incl
dent to feline courtship, interspersed as
the soft, purring music is, Wi til agoniHiug
yowIs and howls, is eXasperating to
sensitive beings and rasping to nervous
organizations ; but It's but nature, any
how And what prettier pet could there
be than a well brought up eat Useful,
too, they are as mOusels and ratters and
as playthings for the little ones. But
there are. doubtless, some very dsreput-
able characters among them. Some turn
into thieves by evil instincts or bad
associations some degenerate into VERT
able tramps, they loaf around back alleys
and proWl over root tops, and, 5 I'd to say,
occasionally drunkard turns up among
the race.
This is very rarely the case though,
and the only one known in Baltimore has
been discovered at quiet saloon on the
east side of South street, near the Americ-
an office Every effort for reformation has
been made without avail, but pussy is
still kept in the house, for, as kitten,
she was a decent member of society and
made friends who Will not desert her.
Under the faucet of the constantly run
ming beer kegs is a pail, into which are
collected the drppngs. When business
is lively quite a lot OF beer accumulates
in the pan, and Tabby watches until il is
apparent the supply is sufficient and then
strolls up in a dcb0}lHNjFe way and drinks
to the last drop. She smiles for Il minute,
then yaWns and with unsteady steps
walks with preternatural solemnity to the
turthermost end Of The room, where is the
furnace, and, backing up against il, tries
to look as grave and reverend as possible.
1t only lasts for a moment over she
goes, and in a twtch Of a tail is slcepin.
the sleep OF the wicked and drunken
Her attitudes are something astonish-
ing. The tail gets twisted up into a
double bow knot the legs get so mixed it
is impossible to tell which is fore or aft.
sometimes, in dreaming, she turns oyer
on her back, with all four feet straight up
in the air and sometimes she sleeps on
her head. When the effects Of the beer
have Worn Oft sufficiently to enable her to
wake up, she staggers to her feet, sits
down suddenly with as much Of assumed
dignity as possible, glances around with
bleared eyes and says (as it Were) ''Thas-
aliri observation-disclosures After
winking and blinking and stretching her
self into consciousness. she meanQerS
nonchalantly back t. the pail, loads III
again and tackS 10 the furnace Con-
slant Indulgence has reduced what once
was a neat and charming tabby with
smooth coat and Nell-kept Whiskers into
a dirty, fur bedraggled old hummer.
In marked contrast is another cat at
the same place. Sleek, clean, polite and
decOrOusly pleasant to visitors. She is a
perfect little lady, drinks only cream,
eats only fried chicken, (or on Saturday
nights, stewed kidneys) and utterly scorns
the acquaintance Of her dissipated fellow
bOarder.
\ neighbor of hers is also worthy of
some mention-a three-legged black lady
who has divided allegiance between The
American and other papers. The missing
foot is due to the fact that she went to
bed one night in the press, oversight her
self, and had her paw taken of by the
sudden starting Of the machinery. Much
pity was expressed at first, bat she has
grown into distavor. 1t has been noticed
that night after night Just after one office
or the other starts in on Il supplement or
on the early edition, the eat looks at the
first papers thrown off, and, limping out,
ambles to d rival Office and "gIves away
all the big special items of neWs-such as
information abOuG cable controversies,
etc.
But the pride Of the neighborhood is a
big yellow gentleman cat, who runs the
American prGssroom, and seems TO main
tain constant and careful supervision Of
its most efficient foreman. This cat is a
man and gentleman, and knows more
about printing newspaper than a good
many OF the people up stairs. Stroke him
on the back and his two foot tail goes
straight pin the air as rigid as a Fourth
Of July flag pole. He's not exactly quar-
relsome, but it's dangerous for other fe-
lines to call him names. Baltimore
American.