Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-11-29
9YNwAS indeed happy family. Cats, "a
II mice and hirda all on finn. mt ~ Xho %,

| ~ 'VAo mueeu happy family. C0U, r6D,
Il mice and birds all eating out Of the same
plate. This was the sight that greeted the eyes
of a STAR reporter few nights ago as he en-
tered the room of Prof Leoni Clarke, who has
been styled "The Cat King" and who recently
appeared at Kernan's Theater. The rats and
mice were white, the birds the regular canary
and the cats were black, white and tortoise
shell. They ranged from an eight-pounder to
| kitten of as many ounces, and all were az
happy as could be. One very large white rat,
| who, by the way, glories in the name of Uncle
Sam, showed his pugnacity by attempting to
| ceived slap for his trouble which sent him
rolling. This was the only misbehavior the re-
porter noticed during the meal.
MAKING THEIR TOILET.
After breakfast Prof. Clarke told one Of his
| assistants to get ready for the toilet, and
taking his coat off he entered an adjoining
room with this strange heterogeneous assem-
blage at his heels. Here large tin tub stood
| on box and one by one the cats took their
position on chair near by and waited for a
wash. The professor took each one separately
and after washing it with patent soap Of his
own he passed them to one of his assistants
for drying and combing. After the professor
had finished making the cats additions he
| turned his attention to the rats and they
1
old rodent appeared to enjoy his bath hugely,
and when he was over with it he ran u race
about the room, while the kittens looked on with
| apparent establishment. The birds were al
lowed to make their own toilet.
FULL-DREss REHEARSAL.
After the morning toilet had been completed
the party adjourned to the other room and
were put through a full-dress rehearsal First
| came the cats. Chicago was announced and
| climbed ladder vi
This cat was born in Chicago and glories in
| eXtra-slzed feet having eight toes on each paw.
The others were made to do the same thing and
when one hesitated the professor waited n rea-
sonaDie length of time and then if it still hesi-
| tated he pushed 1t over and continued to do SO
until poor Tom or Maria thought it best to
obey. A number Of other acts were rehearsed
and then tue tight rope was stretched. There
| was a lively awakening in the rat cage Just
| then and its occupants seemed to understand it
was their time. The professor Owed his hands
down and brought up dozen rats, some cling
| ing TO his sleeves, and placed them on the rope.
He continued to do this until the rope was fairly
alive with rats with not enough space between
| them apparently for fly to light ''All right, ~
shouted the professor, and the procession of
| cats commenced to move across the rope.
| Slowly came the cats, picking their way care
| fully, fearing lest they hurt poor ratty. What's
| this! Why here comes cat with a couple of
| rats hanging on to her collar Yet puss never
/
emily az uncOncerned as though she were walk
| ing fence at g.m. with boot-iacks fying
| about her. After this act had been completed
the mice were placed on the rope and the per-
formance was completed. 1t looked blue for
mousey at one time. for a cat named Tom Reed
grabbed it by the nape of tho neck and dropped
| 1t on the hoo-. A sharp slap from the pro-
lessor brought Tom to his senses and he con-
! tinued his walk with high head. merry
| song from half a hundred little throats was the
hQ To 4 he
ries to walk over. This was one of the most
| pleasing things the reporter witnessed. cat
would approach little songster and the latter
| would stoop while tabby passed over. Then
| raising would continue its song with renewed
force.
SULLIVAN AND JACKSON.
Snow, Jackson and Sullivan, we are ready for
you," calls ont the professor, and gray and
white cat and tortoise-shell cat came bound
| ing up. The gray and white one is Jackson,
the Australian prize fighter, and the other John
l.. Sullivan, the Boston boy. The cats take their
position on a table and face each other At the
word time both stand on their hind legs and
commence to paw at each other. They spar a
few minutes and the professor calls time and
| both stop at once. Another round is fought
| and each cat is given a drink from bottle.
"Alice, Rose, Minnie" called the professor.
and three beautiful white cats came
running out. These were the parachute cats.
| an interested observer Of his next act. min
| iature parachute was attached to the ceiling and
| a large heavy rope hung perpendicularly from
beside it. Up this rope went Rose and Minnie
and took their positions on either side of the
small horizontal bar which ran across the
| handle of the parachute. Then at word from
| the professor up climbed Alice and Selling a
| string in her mouth pulled the trigger and the
parachute with its feline burden sailed grace
fully to the floor. 1t was the last act of the re-
hearsa1 and the cats seemed to know it, for thew
/ scampered off at a great rate.
ABOUT TRAINING THE ANIMALS.
"Are cats easy to train?" asked the reporter.
"There is no animal know of half so hard to
| train as a cat" replied the professor. 81 have
been training animals nearly fifteen years now, ="
he added, 'and while my experience has been
| that cats are harder to teach, vet I'd rather
handle them than anything else. Ny first ex-
perience with cats, b" continued the professor as
| he deity caught a canary and put IL in a cage.
happened in India about five years ago. l Be,
came very much infatuated with a kitten and
| carried 1t home with me. Here it was first
conceived the idea Of training cats The even
inss were especially lonely, 80 amused myself
teaching Bosey chat was her nancy tricks.
The very first trick taught her was to
jump through my hands. Now anybody can
train cat to do that Patience is the
main thing. Sometimes q lady who has wit
messed my cat performance calls upon me after
| INC suoW anu WaHts 10 Duy one OF the cats,
Offering a large sum. Why they don't train
them themselves is a mystery to me. Woman
has all the patience, some one has said. and
with this the case all they need is subject,
| and dare say Washington has many subject.
| But there, am wandering away from my story.
After Bosey could jump through my arms
| Taught her other tricks and MANY q time she
furnished the boys with the means of passing
an agreeable evening indoors when the
| weather outside was inclement. 1t was not
until BOsey came to me one morning and took
me to see half q dozen kittens of hers that ]
conceived the idea Of training cats for profit.
| and mice and put the kittens in cage with
them. Bosey cleaned me out one night, but
started in afresh and sent her to a friend to
keep for me. The cats and rats grew up TO-
gether and never fought. That is the secret OF
| the two performing together"
/ CATS ARE scARY.
'sBut cats are very scary. How do Won man,
age to accustom them to the audience?'
"Why, that's easy enough" replied the pro-
fessor. 81 rehearse them at first before a gang
of hoodlums with orchestra accompaniment
The boys make noise enough, and after a
few months the cats don't mind an audience
any more than do"
"Do cats need much cafe?"
''Indeed they do. They have 10 BE- watched
every moment in the day."
show do they stand the show life?'
''Not very well. They are continually dying
and there are times when the whole troupe
will get the sulks, no doubt longing for mid
night strolls."
"Are they subject to sickness?" asked the re.
porter.
fNo, SIR" emphasized the professor. INV
cats are properly fed, and no animal will gel