The Durham daily globe. (Durham, N.C.) 1889-1894, 1893-01-03
CATS FOR COMPANY.
WATCHMAN HAS TWENTY-ThREt
AND HE LIKES THEM.

Vince, wheel! Vince, wheel.
1t was such a whistle as the Pied Piper |
Of Hamlin may have given when he |
called the rats from the famous old cit,
to a watery grave in the river Weser.
But instead Of rats there came from a |
little shanty in Alderman Duffy's coal |
yard at the foot of East Twentv-sixth
street the queerest colony, of cats to be |
found perhaps in Christendoln. They
gathered about the Waterman Of the
yard, Charles Melville, a short thick
set man with bristling brown mustache.
who walked with a slight limp and is
Familiarity known as doc" because of
his veterinary skill, in answer to his
whistle.
Great family, amt it, said the
Waterman after a moments pause, dur
ing which he counted them to see if the
cats were all there. "Ain't another like
it in the city. The black ones Mig. He's
: years old. and the most intelligent.
Larry, the brindle, is the same age, and
is the biggest of the lot. That black and
white small sized cat is Cinders.
Klinkcrs, over there, is black and white
TOO. She's the dead spit of her mother,
is Cinders. Most people can't tell them
apart. That staid looking old woman
over there is Minnie. She is 8 years
old, being the Oldest of all, and
the grandmother of most of the
babies. The lively little lady with the
five liver colored kits is Ginger. They
think they are going to get something to
eat. See how disappointed they look
when they find they amt"
Nothing today" he said sharply.
'.Trot back; the gentleman has seen
! YOU"
| The twenty-three cats were for a mo-
ment irresOlute. Then they blinked
their eyes as if to wipe away the tears,
and turned about and went with droop-
ing tails and bent heads into the shanty
whence they came. The Waterman
followed. leading the reporter to the
shed, which was built in the corner of
the coal yard. It was not more than a
dozen feet square and as many high, and
was built Of old boards. 1t stood at the
entrance to the yard. At the street end
was a door, in the bottom of which was
cut a hole about three inches square.
Hanging over the little hole was a flap
Of wood suspended from a piece OF
leather. Two windows lit up the inte-
rior of the shed. On one side was a
raised bunk, where the Waterman sleeps,
and on the other, under the windows,
was a long shelf. Coils Of rope, shovels,
picl- axes, tools, odds and ends Of iron,
pulleys and blocks, lanterns and empty
boxes Uttered up the rest Of the interior.
Upon the bunk, shelf and floor and in
hooks and corners the cats were max
ing themselves perfectly at home. The
Waterman picked up a small piece Of
meat from a closet and began to chop it
up. Instantly the cats were all atten-
ton and watched him intently. When
he threw down what he had cut each
cat picked up a piece and took it off to a
corner to eat it. There was no scram-
bling or fighting save among the kittens.
II keep the cats for company" said
their master. Mos of them | have
raised from kittens which friends gave
me. used to have tribes of them, but
a good many died of diste1nper. There
used to be SO many of them that when |
went through the yard at night with a
lantern | was almost afraid of stepping
on them. You can't teach them any
tricks except to jump over sticks and
through your hands and to come when
YOU call and to stick to you like a broth.
er. A dog has got more intelligence. A
cat lives about twelve years. The talk
about their having nine lives is rot
They are awfully delicate creatures ano
catch the distemper very easily. You
mustn't overfeed them. | don't believe
in giving them milk: it's too heating. A
little meat once a day Is all they need
They catch rats and mice enough tt
keep them from being hungry. Be kline
to them. Bob Ingersoll says "A kind wore
to A dumb animal is better than a KICK.
"Some of my cats are great fighters
Minnie is a perfect John l.. Sullivan
She will tackle anything i'll the shape O
a dog that comes along. \ big bull ter
riar chased Cinders the other day. L
was great to see Minnie go to her aid
Those two cats got that dog down am
I clawed him until he howled. Whel
they let him up he had hardly any hal
on him. He put his tail between HI
lers and ran away as if the old boy wa
after him. When a cat fights, you know
he lies on his back and paws with hi
hind feet. Wherever the claws strlk
the fur flies.
If a strange cat comes around the,
will chase him away if they don't Xix
him. If they think he is a pretty goo
fellow they will bring him in here whe'
: [ call them to feed. Cinders has almos
turned Protestant through kindness
She runs off to the female trainin
--l &ha ~ L
a great time over her and feed her.
have forbid her going there, but sh
won't pay any attention to my orders
, Then Melville went on to tell Wnat
comfort the cats were TO him the Ion
winter nights. When he reads l n nj
little home the cats climb on the benc
where the lamp stands and sit there, o
his shoulder and about the arms OF N