The daily morning journal and courier., 1898-11-11
FINE CATS IN HIGH FAVOR,

|
 Clean of Habit, Too, and Many of the
 the Rare Breeds are Beautiful. | In the show window of a bright little establishment in Sixth avenue. just on the border of one of the busiest shop ping districts, there is usually to be 1 found dozing in the rays of Indian summers distant sun a lazy Brazilian monkey in whose long, motlonless arms IS ahectionately squeezed or cuddled a slumbering tabby cat. The floor of the show window, being covered with saw aust, affords an excellent surface for the gymnastic antics of dozen kittens, foolish, absurd little clowns of all sorts and conditions in the feline social scale and part of the stock in trade of the bright little establishment, which, as designated by a golden sign above the 1 door, is "Cat Emporium
 Once inside the visitor is readily con- vinced of the signs sincerity and ap- propriateness, for the walls are lined from floor to ceiling with small cages through the bars of which peer blink ing, yellow slits of eyes, surveying one with that disdainful and altogether su- perciliousair which only cats of high degree or assured position in the feline
 world can assume Surging over the floor, the old-fashioned counter, and the proprletor's narrow desk in the one shadowy corner of the shop is flood of furry juveniles, and the well1in rings from morning to night with a pande- mon1um of splitting, walls, yowls, me- ows, love means and the stentorian howls of beligerent challenge. Three or four monkeys, brothers and sisters, perhaps, of the sleepy chap in the show window from larger edge gaze out upon the turbulent felines and exert themselves desperately to capture the | disporting kittens as they fly past the bars.
 The visitors entrance is usually the signal for a mad, concentrated kitten charge. Pell-mell they rush upon him, | investing him from every strategic point They assault his boots. They l chamber up his trousers legs. They catapult him from the counter hurling themselves upon his neck and shoulders with frantic energy which soft purrs | convince the visitor is meant as a friendsly welcome. But 1t is the work of some moments for the proprietor of the emporium to divest the visitor of his l numerous little membranes.
 Seat, little pestsl" he orders, switch- ! ing here and there with his hands among the clinging kittens. Twill you never learn good manners in spite of | your training?'
 | "so you train cats, do you?" The proprietor answers the question with a stare of mingled surprise and re- proach. ''Of course,'' says he, "else l why should I call this place cat en- 1 porium A cat is the easiest thing in | the world to teach parlor manners, 1 tricks and odd things in general" he | continues, sweeping the kittens out of the shop with broom and into an ad | joining room, the privacy of which is guarded by faded tapestry hanging. | Talk of dogs--they haven't one-tenth 1 the sense of cats, when rightfully l taught and developed. And it's too bad folks have neglected and despised the poor cat so long He or she's an intelli- gent creature, and when eat learns anything it is never forgotten. People are gradually waking up to the fact of cat being so smart, and as a house. hold pet it bids fair to oust the dog in short order
 "Is there a demand for cats at pres ent?" asked the visitor.
 Course, otherwise the emporium would be failure" returns the propri- etor. Everybody is buying cats nowa | days, and you might think the odd folks | would spend money for such things when they are to be had for the asking, but it is the high-class, well-bred and trained animal they want and are will ling to pay good price for, Common cats are just like mongre dogs. You can get bunch of them for nothing at any time. But cats of superior breeds cost money, and some of them scrape close to the fifty and even the one hun dred dollar mark.
 Here is q beauty the like of which you probably never saw before" says the proprietor, unlocking one of the cages and stepping to the middle of the shop Just you watch him when I call his name Come, Ivan
 Instantly the unbolted door flies back, there is the swift shadow of body in transit, soft thud, and singular looking cat rests upon one shoulder of the proprietor and rubs it's head against his elevated chin. The cat 4as a large body and short legs, but it's most dis tinguishing characteristics~&re an inn mense woolly mane and tufted frill.
 This fellow is a Russian cat" ex- plains the proprietor, placing the ani- nal on the counter and running his fingers through it's mane, "and there are very few like him in this country. He is most affectionate fellow, too, despite the common story that such cats never show any affection for peo- pie. It's all nonsense. anyway, to say that cats are not as affectionate as dogs They seldom exhibit as much love for person, because 1t is just as seldom they receive any betting or at tention.
 But just to show you some more of the things this Russian cat can do, species, mind you, which people who profess to knowSall sorts of scientific things about them, say can do nothing" the proprietor continues indignantly, "just keep an eye on him as I speak. Ivan, what do you do when you want milk?'
 The big cat bricks up it's ears as the
 proprietor addresses it and replies by vigorously licking it's chops
 "There!" excaims the cat man tri- umphantly. "what do you think of that for stupid cat, eh?'' He gives the Russian a small saucer of milk, which