The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1890-08-03
FRESH-nRfUMD FOR CATS
Shocking Deterioration Of the City
Feline, Due to Very Bad
Air.
An Old Maid nom tho Rural Dis
tricts Enlists In Tahby's
Behalf

tr1ces Ennsts IN Tabby's
Behalf
Three Barrels Of Cass--Dinsrsnes Bstwsen
City and Country Cats--Ths Cat
Qusstion.
A number Of Brooklyn women have
talked moro or Less this summer about e.
tablishing Q Gresham Fund for Cats. y
The need for such fund has been persist
emily urged by a Brooklyn old maid Who
has just come back to the city after having
spent a period Of eight years in q rural
Pennsylvania town. One Of the women
who has been entreated to interest herself
in movement for the amelioration Of thu
condition of tho city cat consented to talk
with New York Times representative
after she had received assurance that her
name should not be associated with the
newspaper reproduction Of what she might
say. Said this lady:
''Our 'agitator,' for that il what We call
the woman who is doing her best to get
some of our Brooklyn old women into this
cat scheme Of hers, has been up in the ALLIE
gheny region ever since 1882, and / Judge
that she has associated to very large ex-
tent with cats. Her aunt, with whom she
lived, never allowed her stock of cats to get
below six, and of course there we're times
when, counting the kittens, she had many
more than six.
''But the aunt's cats were a mere baga-
telle to what another old lady had who
Sea- t~.. ~ - -
son seemed to run to cats. How many she
had Miss Agitator does not pretend to say,
but she does say that once when the old
woman was asked how many cats she had
she gravely answered.: The last time ]
measured 'em they was Just three barrels on
'em.'
II have no doubt that these Pennsylvania
cats were ell fine creatures-large, strong,
handsomely furred and well fed, and 1t Is
not at all strange that, coming direct from
the society of such animals as those. Miss
Agitator should be deeply penetrated with
feeling of pity for the cats which she saw
in Brooklyn.
''Jhere is certainly wide difference be-
tween the typical city cat and the typical
country cat. You know that Lamb used to
say that God made the country but man
made the towns. Do you know, some
times think, with all reverence, that while
God made the country cat. He should be
held responsible for the existence of the
horribly repulsive things which perambu-
late, in rusty, almost worn out catskins, the
roofs and fences which we view from our
back windows. Nv.
1T was years ago that I,came to NewYork
to live with my dear husband, but ! have
not forgotten how shocked was at the first
view had of city cat, The recollection
Of that cat vision came back to me when
Miss Agitator approached me and begged
me to interest myself in her Fresh Air Fund
movement. She did not have to say one
word to persuade me that the city cat was
regions, nor to point out to me that, in its
own CHASTITY way, it was continually petit
tioning for the sympathetic regard Of the
tender-hearted. Yes, sir: am good
friend Of the cat. and told Miss Agitator
that 1 was. But / also told her that Twas
not quite prepared to indorse her Judgment
that Z series Of excursions should be ar
ranged. for having for their object the pro-
vision Of a weeks sojourn in the country
for every Brooklyn cat. It is BY no means
clear in my mind that the excursion idea
is the correct one. 1t may not be the air of
Brooklyn which has caused the decline and
fall of the cat.
Brooklyn air does not disagree with me.
You willhardly find more robust woman
LOT my age anywhere, and all Of my chill
(oroue men. every one Of them living right
Ihere in Brooklyn. So, too, when I look at
(my friends at their children, / fail to note
that any one of them shows signs that the
air of Brooklyn IS not q desirable one to
i've in. And just look ut our Brooklyn
sweetest, wholesomest, most kissable girls
in America.
my argument is that air, which ID vita
LIKING when breathed by human beings cam
bot be facilitating when inhaled by cats,
end ! believe that my position is we'll taken.
FL own, though, that was almost COM
uasion of our enthusiastic agitator. She
aid plead the cats cause 90 we'll that she
lid not yield-'stood her off, as my boys
would say, over night, and when my hus-
band came home I put the case to him.
what do you think about it, William p
asked; Would you give her 800 or1
my husband gave me one of those sweet,
weet smiles which only q husband may
ive, and then he answered.: why, Sarah,
ne idea is perfectly absurd
But wait till the evening is over,' my
husband added. I've invited some Of my
I'D friends in to play whist tonight and
Pill hold a council and discuss the subject,
Ind You may get some light from what the
I'd dodgers say
''Slx men came in response to my hus-
and's invitation, every one of them we'll |
nown Brooklynite. and after we had |
laYed few rounds of whist my husband |
brew down his cards and said: Look |
ere, gentlemen, want your advice upon q |
batter OF supreme Importance
'"Then he went on and told the whole t
Tory and finally wound up by saying: Now |
Fll me, each one of you, what you consider |
the cause of the degeneracy of the city /
It as compared with the cat Of the country. I
wish to hear from every one of you.'
"A man whom will call Mr.. Smith was
10 first to respond.
"I think said Mr.. Smith. that hard
page explains the whole matter. The boot |
Ok, the brickbat, the billet of VOID. the
stOl ball have been used 60 much and 10
uelly against the cat that, physicailv. |
entally. and morally, the race has been
juriously affected. If when the fathers
e grapes they set the children's teeth on
Ice to the second and third generations.
BY, when the cat is dubbed and stoned I
Id perforated with bullet holes NAV we
bt reasonably expect to read the story Of |
wrongs in kittens which shall 90 about
til meiancholic features and with general |
bility pervading their entire corporal
stems?
There's something in what you say,
i'd the next speaker. whom will call Mr..
own. Yes, there is, of course, q great
al in 1t; but it seems to me that it 10
pre- the noise and jar of the city than in
luntary contact with prOjectilee, such AZ
have mentioned, which has caused the
cat to develope its nervous organization
the expense of its physical strength.
Is need quiet. repose, rest, and that is