The herald., 1893-01-22

fence haunting, slumber disturbing Iom or
Tabby shall gain entrance TO this feline
paradise There are fences high and tight
to keep these out and to restrain any va
grant tendencies that may have descended
to any of these pettod beauties from some
outcast ancestor. for, as with most people
of gentle blood, somewhere the fair line OF
ancestry runs into marauders, products per-
haps Of the wild time in which they lived.
There are about s, GOO acres in the grounds
about Buena Vista, and the residence stands
in the center of ten acres of flowerpots ana
lawns. The house is reached by winding
avenue shaded with ornamental trees and
is seen to stand on the crest OF o sloping
knoll. Seen from the veranda 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 dispoit themselves in common ten
ancy with myriads Of fancy fish. Rustic
bridges span many little brooks, and invit-
ing seats abound beneath sturdy oaks and
towering eucalypti There is also pond
OF warm mineral water, fringed with
thicket OF bamboo and the fragrance from
lemon and Grange trees abounds.
Such are the surroundings in which these
beautiful cats live in luxury.
Besides the cats Mrs. johnson has lot
Of other pots. There are parrots from all
over the world Cockatoos and paroqueta
perch on huge stands or fly about the avi-
airy with mad glee until the place is a feath-
cred pandelnonium. Then in another huge
cage area large number of canary birds, who
sing to each other all the while Outside the
mansion arc Il Let of kennels in which dwell
some very well known prize winners among
the dogs These dogs are smooth or woolly,
large or tiny, and have two keepers IN
charge Of them.
Then there are lot Of japanese donkeys
and some splendid specimens Of Holstein
cattle and Jerseyaows with soft eyes. a
hundred horses and mares of Electioneer
stock complete Mrs. Johnson's menagerie.
1t is with the parrot tribe that the An
CORA cats maintain continual warfare.
Nothing pleases white Angora kitten so
much as to jump wildly into the air to
clutch the long tail Of the great white cock
atoo Samson. If the mother of this auda-
cious kitten is not in the room at the mo-
meut, tie chances are that the kitten will
be severely punished by the sharp claws
and huge beak of the furious cockatoo
However, should It happen that the Aioten
has good backing, there is a cat and parrot
circus for the next three minutes, which
always ends III a spoiled cockatoo.
The common green parrot, however, is
generally quicker than its lofty sister with
onions on its head and understands the
noble art of self defense much better. One
green parrot has been known to wiring Il
kittens neck before the sound of its cries
could reach the mother Tabby, and when
the mother Tabby arrived to find her off
spring dead an encounter ensued which was
fierce ard long and ended in the Tabby
beating q speedy ysretroat in order to save the
lives Of the rest OF her offspring. The green
parrot acted with great deal of strategy,
| for when the ether three kittens tried to
1 come to their mothers rescue the parrot
scattered them and kept the mother busy
endeavorng to save the lives of her chill
dren, for the green bird kept flying from
one to the other with terrifying shrieks and
fierce tweaks until the whole force was
routed AS punishment the murderous
bird was sent to San Francisco and sold tc
deep sea captain, who has since taught il
TO swear and also to drink Jamaica rum
which must be a source Of great humilia
ton to it if remorse, regret and memory
are among the attributes Of parrot who
was reared alaid such genteel surroundings