The great West. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1889-18??, 1893-02-17
CATS BY THE HUNDRED.
MRS. ROBERT JOHNSON'S BIG
FAMILY OF PETS.
Aristocratic Toms and Tabbies--Angora
Beauties. Who Have Nothing to Do
Save to Look Pretty and
Eat Good Things.

ECU OOO0 AAAA6Ss
Mrs. Robert johnson has 200 cats,
and each one of them has pedigree
that extends back over many genera
tiOns.
AS Mrs. johnson has several mil
lions of dollars her patrician cats live
in style BETTING their long ped
igrees, says the San Francisco Exam
iner.
They live at Buena Vista, Mrs.
Johnson's country mansion near
Sonoma, and it takes three servants
to care for the pussies. Everyone of
these cats is a real Angora, and the
most exacting part of the duties of
the three Japanese who look after
them is to see that no wandering
nighthawk of common fence-haunt
ing, slumber-dis> Yrbing tom or tab
by shall gain torrance to this feline
paradise. There are fences high and
tight to keep these out and to re-
strain any vagrant tendencies that
may have descended to any of these
petted beauties from some outcast
ancestry.
There are about 5000 acres in the
grounds about Buena Vista, and the
residence stands in the center of ten
acres of flower pots and lawns. The
house is reached by a winding avenue
shaded with ornamental trees and is
seen to stand on the crest of slop-
i,oc knn11 Cnnr hn do
the beds of flowers and velvety lawns
vie with Golden Gate park on a small
scale. Here and there are built
short flights of stairs leading down
to tiny lakes, on which snowy swans
and ducks disport themselves in COM
mon tenancy with myriads of fancy
fish. Rustic bridges span many lit
tie brooks, and inviting seats abound
beneath sturdy oaks and towering
eucalypti. There is also pond of
warm mineral water, fringed with a
thicket of bamboo, and the fragrance
from lemon and orange trees abounds.
Such are the surroundings in which
these beautiful cats live in luxury.
They are fed three times day, not
on horse-fesh Or neck-beef, but on
nicely cooked meats, OR fowl or fish
or game, with the richest of cream.
Madame is ill and not allowed to
see anyone" says the housekeeper,
...but l will see if can gain her con-
sent for the cats to be brought out,
and will you please rest on the YER
anda until | return. Strangers, you
know, have never been allowed to see
them. Only intimate friends are
given that privilege, as rule; SO if
you succeed you must feel highly
complimented.
Madame was gracious. and the visi-
tor was introduced TO the favorites.
For though all these cats are of the
very highest, there is still among
them sort of ultra-aristocracy
There is no use trying to describe
those cats that lie around on rich
divans and stretch themselves on soft
rugs. In the first place the descrip-
ton would be too monotonous, for to
the casual eye there is a great SINH
larity between one Angora cat and
another. To the eye that knows them
and loves them. however, each has a
perfect individuality.
They seldom fight among them
selves, because as soon as their eyes
are opened they receive vigorous
lessons in the art of keeping the
peace. While they are yet kittens
and are rollicking ON the floor, the
Japanese, who have peculiar gift in
the art of instructing cats, teach the
kittens that they must keep their
claws sheathed in the velvet, else
they will go supperless to bed. So
when they grow older they learn they
must not fight.
The biggest cat in the collection is
Grandfather William. He is an old
white fellow, with all the dignity that
age and career of age and peace can
give a tomcat.
The Japanese boys say he knows
more than any other cat in the world
When he was a kitten he was taught
many things-to jump over stick at
the word of command, to lie on his
back with his four paws sticking up
WITCH UOlO uc was O0StO, To snake
hands and to chase his tail. So &C
complished was he that he was always
being put through. his tricks to en-
terrain people.
This went on for long time. One
day, however. William ate too much
and was very sick. When somebody
came to order him to do his tricks he
could only lie on his side and cry
piteously.
SO they did not make him perform.
That taught him something, and
whenever he got the notion that he
was going to be called upon, over he
went on his side, his fur turned the
wrong way. and he meowed like a
dying cat.
They soon found out that he was
malingering, but his cleverness so
impressed his mistress that she
would not permit him to be disci-
plined, and William has enjoyed a
holiday from that day to this.
A essen for Lawyers.
No lawyer has any right to say any
thing against the opposite party or