The Bryan daily eagle. (Bryan, Tex.) 1895-1898, 1897-03-21
THE CATS OF THE sIENA.
A F.radiss of Fsiinss Il This Ola Italian
CITY.

A F.radiss Of Fsiines Il This Ola Italian
City.
Strangers IN siena often speak OF the
great quantities Of pet cats seen there.
Al each doorway opening directly on
the street sits a pet cat. staid and re-
spectacle. with ribbon or some piece
OF color tied about her neck to show
that she belongs 10 a human family.
Workmen In their little shops have a
cat 10 keep them company. sometimes
sitting on a low counter at the window.
All are In reach OF any teasing hand
but never saw a cat chased or leased
In any way. and II Is plain that they
felt perfectly secure and did not expect
any injury. Personally. found them
unsociable. and that when | spoke 10
them they took no notice and made
no reply, even when learned an ital-
ian word or two TO say to them. They
were happy at home. and did not need
o make new friends. In Naples there
are men whose business Il Is 10 feed
cats every day at noon. People with
economical tables subscribe a small
sum TO have their cats provided for by
he cats food men. The cats begin "a
feel quite hungry abou, noon. and stroll
out from the shops IN all those crowd.
ed streets TO watch tor dinner. l could
not imagine what was the excitement
among them that first day I was ouI
At that hour. Presently | saw a part
OF the daily distribution on bus,llnp
Chiaja There were cats there who
seemed 10 watch what was dealt out
TO them critically. as II they intended
to make a complaint n their dinner
was not as good as II ought TO be. In
Florence the cats enjoy the freedom
they love; and never did | see on,
chased, OF looking timid and anxloui
as II uncertain where 70 run to-
remember a cat used to pass near IN,
old Medicl Church Of San splrito. sh,
seemed TO live on one OF the uppei
hoors OF a tall house. and she coult
only look up 10 her window by sitting
In the middle OF the street. She woult
never answer my greeting but con
tinued TO look up as n watching hei
friends or perhaps signaling TO then
that she was ready 10 go home. Their,
Is a special cat church In Florence. Sar
Lorenzo. the church In which 10 many
Medicl are buried. don't know wheth
or that family was particularly fond o.
cats or how Il happened. but the clols
tiers Of San LORENZO are reserved fol
homeless cats. whether they com,
there by themselves or are brought b.
people who want TO dispose OF them
! had read IN my guide book that thosl
animals are fed every day at nooI
from scraps brought In by people II
the neighborhood 30 | was particular
10 time my visit AZ noon. and was die
appointed 90 hear that for some reason
the breakfast hour had been change,
70 ? a. m. There IL large. raise,
green center In the oloisters. on which
grow some shrubs and trees: and
asleep under the bushes or loiterinI
around the stone ledge that inclose,
the green were a dozen or two OF III
charity cats Legend says they mr.
witches. who have consented to TAX
this harmless shape. and 10 keep on
Of mischief They were rather a dilap
idatcd-looklng lot. but s,lll interesting
because all cats have a great deal Of In
dividuality. and. when possible Of In
dependence also. I cannot envy IN
horses and dogs Of Italy. and certainl
not the birds: but n I had TO
changed into an animal. I might choos
20 be an Italian cat.