The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1888-11-15
Performing Cats.

THINGS THEY 20 AND HOW IIIEY WE'RE
TAUGHT.
twelve cats con,pri,jpu the troune which
made their debut the other evening AT the CAN
terbury and Paragon Music Halls Are one more
instance of the extr,ordnarv rcsul,s that may
he achieved by a trainer who thoynuohly uu1rr-
stands his business: and when it i, mentioned
that in addition tn wal zinc. ,Iou,e , rn,y of cham
papne bottles the corks of which are S,1r,lant
ed by stoppers with a flat ,urfaca somewhat
Iarrer than a crown ,,iere iu,uninu tLrnu,h
lighted hoops. asceniinv and ,Ie,cendiu, !,
nood-sizeJ nole temror,rilv erected in thn
center of the stage. walking a tiyht-rope. first
without any ohstrnrtion thrrron and l,,,nr an
nirkina their way "in"ery acrnss th sme 1al
iny the greatest care nnr TO rut1lr The serenity
or alarm the ,u.centihlitirs of rertnin RATS nirc
and ranaries nlarr,I nj intervals alone tho same
to saw nothin.. of other minor effort, in yarions
directions. il will be admitted that th, Pro
fe,sorr has something TO he proul of
| found the Professor (says n corre.ponl.n,
who has interviewed him) in the small ward ar
the rear of the hall. engaged i'm supcryiSjno th,.
morning toilet and General comfort of tha f,lina
members of his troupe, ana at once announced
NV desire of learning AS much of his ..system"
a, he felt dispose,i to rommuniratr. ~ NAV tnll
Won at once ;, he s,id ..thot thr 1e, of tr,iin;n,
cats to perform in public AS mine do did not or
irjnate with myseif. althouuh | am. / believe
correct i'm Sayjnu that beyoud these vn,, sae
before Won there is nj nresrut onlv one other
similar 1roupe in existence. and If is inst now
bpjnm e> hibited ON thc Continent by Prof Ron
nctte. who came ont some twelve months a,rn
and if was from him some four months Later
that | cot the idea. and set about trainin~
similar trouue on nv own account, :,
"'These cats :. said. do NOT Give mo the i'm,
preston of being quite English. Won know"
..%o thev are nnt nnt nnn 81 thnm y,s ,y;tI,
a circus in Madrid when | formed the idea of
h,yin~ p, tronnn rs nm extra attr,'.t;nn ,n,
cot ali nv cats there. Most Of them ar. of the
Anyora breed but don't see why thc British
cat should not ,Ioa, well AS a FOREIGNER. and am
poin~ to experiment on one or twn verv shnrt
w."
..IJad Won any difficulty in pettino themp,
"Nnt thp SLIGHTEST couII have I,,ulIn III.
number if I wanted. and. as a matter of fiji
| have had inward of twenty ,Ito~ctber.
one or two have lird and the r,.st have NOV.
eI useless far tr,in;n,, INF all ,br.n tw,,Iyn,
are as GOOD AS can ,lr>ire.r
..Most Of them ,nncor vnIInu ~ ..Y.s. tbe o)d
eSt i. onlv two ve,r. oIl nv T,tb.r nonrn NIL
hans ami the yn,,nyest not ahnvn thran mnnihl
he does not do much vet hnt he viii he ~ ,no,
~ .;ths,. "f tln il, ana,," nn,h or w tr
..Wh,t ,oa ia van nr,.far ia hay, tha,,, n f,r
tr,inin,s nnrnoSes, y, .It rn,ll, Hoes nnt n,,ttnr
murh have had them ns yo,ing as eirht or
nina wenks ,nl aS old ~. ,,nn mi :. ha,f vn.,r,
Mat one there Inointino TO a wnll-cnndifionrd
liUht t,hhyl is one of nv hest Rnnet, I r,Il
him and naxt to him Minis Z, tnrtn;suvhnln
lie Inrs thr noe rick tho most ,lit,i'nlt thin,,
Of ali to trach and VET. ,lthomoh Ronet, ,y,S :.
ve,r older Than Minis when L,J Him ! Ln,,,t
know that lie wasn't the easier of liz two to
train. Taken ali rounI. l should saw about .iv
mnnths oij j. thn ho.t time tn In,im iri,;',r ~
nf rn,rsa # i. as wei tn Nv" Guam nn,,n,,"r
sn ,S to ,t,t thrm thoro,r,hiv welI a.,nstnmn,
tn Won
.:AnL how 1o Won ~et ,hout ,r,in,, ,h.,
may ask. ..kir>t of ali ! ,.et Them nseI f.
me- and ,s fond of no ,s they ara 'nnaI'l" of ~
'"'iN'
hei;nye ,.ats have ,ny ron, ,tfnctimn wh,t.vnr,
and hav;n,, dana Ills tho rn.t fnu"uS oosi,,
anourh h,, Ja~r..s va, ,nnstn., a,,,.t ~ i
if nh at once hut ,nv cat of AVERAGE intellsenre
.m ha tainaI tn 10 .lmoSt "n, thn'r in ,,i,,a W.
tom weels EaeJ;nG and cna Vino JG If ''I If yn',
attemut tn resort to harsh man.,'ras Il is iii IN
Then tmrn sulkv dirertJv 'i
..Wh.t i. tho irst ts;,l yo,, t..,h than, ~.
..To iii m ana hcr AMI then feel tbrm whnn
thev do if well. then crerninr throurh the
chairs and eraJu,IIv w,lkinJ over tbr 1arks
amL 90 ON When thev have onrc hagmn tn
learn and find thev rot Ills Of mnat When
they do trick neatly. they give yerv little
tronbln after,
"What about the rats mice. Ec.y DO your
oats annear ,ntanonistic to tbem at rir>t,,
Not bit. have had n rnt that has been
t,urbt tn walk thn rome thn tirs, timn tnn MIA
or r,ts have haen nut On inst t, knork them OF
with her feet 50 as TO oct them omt Of her wav.
hut not show the SLIGHTEST desire to hurt ,henl
and the same wav with birds. One Of the
greatest ditficulties | have to encounter is to
teach them (the cats) to lift their feet up so az
not to inset the rats or biris.''
Not a BIT. Ihey dont take lne slightest notice
OF OF the cats so lonS as they uoh trea" on lhehe
lhey are not the least aifa'u' III lact IL Is acas'
o. netltraiity on pom sides;
And the pole TRICK now 90 you manage that:
"W9i' as fule' that Is the most aifhtuit thihS
| OF an. lou see, cay may DE made TO go up
little way say anu there she stIcks-"ont go
up or come Gown; anu you eant 40 any lhinS