Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1890-09-07

snouloer, anu, seated there, would ram
BILE with me all about the grounds, com
Ing down now and then to pick up som
stray bit Of food, but elm bing back agaIl
as soon as called, "Dioki Como here
Dick!" verify believe he thought M
merely walking tree, yielding a peren
NAL harvest OF almonds, hickory nut
and raisins.
From the very first he was on excellen
terms with Spotty aud his mother, and
as they became better acquainted 1t wa!
no uncommon thing to see the three
playing tag up tree, or gam boiling
together on the lawn, in blissful Ignor-
nnce OF the traditional hostility between
the cat and squirrel species. When
Spotty was little kitten just old enough
to venture out OF doors Dick took q great
liking TO him, aud after a few days. ac-
| Quaintance he followed him one morning
into my library, where SpotlY had hi.
| domicie in the alcove which now held
/ the younger members of the family
| Being unaccustomed TO indoor life he
was somewhat timid at first, but l soon
treasured him by sending for plate OF
nuts and raisius, and setting il on the
| floor near him. He munched away at
the food tor few moments; and then
approached me cautiously, as If to sat-
isfy himself whether or not l was that
nut-bearng tree he was accustomed to
walk with in the garden. Seeing this l
said TO him: 'Dicki Come here,
Dick, - and with one bound he was upon
my knee, and with another upon my
shoulder, chattering away with all speed =,
aud doubtless telling me that he had
found me out BY the nuts and raisins.
After that II did not appear upon the
grounds in the early hours of the morn
ing he was sure TO make me visit in my
room, where often he would remain for
an hour, playing with Spotty, Chamber
ing upon the book cases, or perched
upon my shoulder and chattering away In
language which may have some re-
semblance to the original speech OF the
human species. These were the rela-
tions between me and Dick and Spotty
when the kittens were taken down to my
library.
AS to how Dick would receive the kit
tens | was uncertain, SO, to make sure
that he would do them no harm, l took
them upon my knee when l sat down to
my writing table soon after breakfast.
Spotty had gone out to his daily conflict
with our rodent enemies, and the kittens
and l were alone together, when Master
Dick, with his tail aloft, hoped in at
the doorway. l had taught him to come
directly to me, and give me a shake of
his paw as morning greeting, and this
he always did, holding out one and then
the other paw for his walnut, which was
the reward for his good manners. This
he was proceeding TO do on this occasion,
but he came to sudden staudstill when
he turned the corner of my table and
ufCyhf nP hn lite
moment he stood silent, gazing at them
curiously; then he began to chatter, and
[ suppose his words correctly translated
would be, "Mr. Walnut and Raisins!
Who are these cats that are not much
buggy than l nm? Do you mean they
shall usurp Spotty's place and mine. and
eat up all my wainuts?''
To this relpied in my gentlest tone,
merely saying, 'Dick! come here,
Dickl" and the angry look went away
from his face, and he bounded upon my
knee and began to fondle the kittens
In another five minutes they were play
ing about the floor as il they had been |
members of the same species. From |
that time forward my library contained |
a happy family.
The kittens grew apace, and every day |
they became more friendly with Dick, |
who every day, rain or shine, paid them |
n visit directly after breakfast. He |
would enter the room whiskiug his tail,
and ohattsring "good morning. to the
kittens, and coming directly to me he
would give his usual salute, receive his
reward, and go for q while to
corner to devour his walnut. This done,
he would spring upon some chair near the
center of the room, utter a tempestuous
chatter, snd swing his tail defiantly at
the kittens. This was the signal for
them TO catch him, if they could, In u
race around the apartment. 1t took at
first the united efforts of my wife and
Spotty to get them into the race, but the
after had been thoroughly drilled to that
Ind other gymnastic exercises, and be-
ore long he made them understand what
vas wanted, and as soon as they did they
entered upon the races with great enjoy
nent. Dick needed no training. had
'uly to attempt to catch him myself
ew times to convince him of the fun OF
he thing, when with a loud chatter he
tarted off brandlshing his tail deflantly
t the kittens.
The feat being mastered others were
aught the kittens, such as turning
omersaults upon the floor, racing with !
Dick over piles of books ranged around
he room and chasing him to the tops of
he bookcases, and in flying leaps from
be top of one book case to another,
there, over some wide spaces, Dick
7ould actually fly through the air and it
las impossible for the kittens to follow. {
very day, indoors or out, had some {
UGH performance, and how the little
FEATURES enjoyed I'll Dick would scream
18th delight, and Spotty and the kittens, l
fter l had given them an approving
aress, would squat near me on the floor
nd purr their little soug, the happlest I
alta in creation. :
l know it may seem to persons who g
Ike serious view OF life that a man I
nd woman OF mature age might be more I
Toftably employed than in conducting :
cat circus for the entertainment of ,
animals. Something higher I
ian this, they think, was the object of 6
IT creation. I grant that. 1t was '
lat We should attain to high and I
'unded manhood, but how better can
Q do this than by contributing to the =,
lppiness of our fellow creatures, and :
lat these little folks are our fellows, :
Imbler children of the all-loying :,
ather, no one can doubt who studies =
cir ways with any degree of attention. 9
I future time l may relate the subse- ,
lent history of Dick, Spotty and the .
10 kittens.