The times., 1898-11-20
FASHION FAVORS FELINES
The Pug Family Is Therefore
in Deep Gloom.
WHY TABBY is POPULAR
Well-Bred, Educated Cats Bring
More Cleaniy, neHutifui and AGcc-
tionate Than Dog - Observations
Of a Professional Dealer.


Sixth Avenue, just ON the border of one
of the busiest shopping districts, there Is
usually to be found doing in the rays
of Indian summers distant sun lazy
Brazilian monkey in whose long. notion
less arms is affectionately squeezed or
cuddied slumbering tabby cat. The
floor of the show window, being covered
with sawdust, affords an excellent sur
face for the gymnastic antics of a dozen
kittens foolish. absurd little clowns of
all sorts and conditions in the feline So
cial scale and a part of the stock In
trade of the bright little establishment,
which. as designated by a golden sign
above the door, is Cat Emporium"
once inside the visitor is readily con-
vlnced of the signs sincerity and appro-
priateness, for the walls are lined from
floor to ceiling with small cages through
the bars of which peer blinking, yellow
Sits of eyes. surveying one with that
disdainful and altogether superciiious air
which only cats of high degree or assured
position in the feline world can assume.
Surging over the door, the old-fashioned
| counter. and the proprietor's narrow desk
| in the one shadowy corner of the shop Is
a brood of furry Juveniles, and the weikin
rings from morning to night with pan
| demonium of splitting, walls, yowis,
meows, love means, and the stentorian
| howls of beiligerent challenge. Three or
| four monkeys, brothers and sisters, per-
! haps. of the sleepy chap iii the show win
dow, from a larger cage gaze out upon
| the turbulent feiines and exert them
| selves desperately to capture the disport-
/ ing kittens as they fly pust the bars
The visitors entrance is usually the
| signal for a mad, concentrated kitten
charge. Pellmel they rush upon him, in
vesting him from every strategic point
| They assault his boots. They Chamber up
| his trousers legs. They catapult him
from the counter, hurting themselves up
| on his neck and shoulders with Il frantic
| energy which soft purrs convince the
visitor is meant as a friendly welcome.
| But il Is the work of some moments for
| the proprietor of the emporium to- divest
| the visitor of his numerous little incum-
| brances.
Scat. little pestsr he orders, switch
ing here and there with his hands among
the clinging kittens. "Wili you never learn
good manners. in spite of your training
so, you train cats. do your
| The proprietor answers the question
with a stare OF mingled surprise and re-
proach. ''Of course" he says. else why
| should call this place u cat emporium
A cat is the easiest thing in the world to
teach parlor manners. tricks and odd
things in general he continues sweep
ing the kittens out of the shop with a
broom and into an adjoining room, tine
privacy of which is guarded by faded
tapestry hanging. Talk of dogs-they
| haven't one-tenth the sense of cats.
when rightfully taught and developed.
And it's too bad folks have neglected and
despised the poor cat so long. He or she's
| an intellectual creature and when cat
| learns anything II is never forgotten. Peo-
pie are gradually waking up to the fact
OF a cats being SO smart, and as a
| household pet II bids fair to oust the dog
| in short order"
us there demand for cats at pres
ent?'' asked the visitor.
| "Of course; otherwise the emporium
would be a failure returns the proprie-
tor. Everybody is buying cats nova
days and you might think it's odd folks
would spend money for such things when
they are to be had for the asking. but
| 1t Is the high-class. well-bred and trained
animal they want, and are willing to pay
| a good price for. Common cats are just
like mongrel 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 $50 and
| even the 800 mark.
Here is a 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 1 call his
name. Come. Ivan
| Instantly the unbolted door flies back,
there is the swift shadow of body in
| transit, a soft thud, and a singular look
! ing cat rests upon one shoulder of the
proprietor and rubs its head against his
| elevated chin The cat has a large body
and short legs, but its most distinguish
ing characteristics are an immense wooIly
| name and tufted frill
This fellow is a Russian cat" explains
| the proprietor. placing the animal on the
| counter and running his fingers through
| its name, ''and there are very few like
| him in this country. He is a most affec-
| tionate fellow, too despite the common
| story that such cats never show any af-
lection for people. It's all nonsense, any
| way, to say that cats are not as affec-
| tionate as dogs. They seldom exhibit as
! much love for person, because IL is just
| as seldom they receive any petting or at
| tention.
| But Just to show you some more of the
| things this Russian cat can do, a species,
mind you, which people who profess TO
know all sorts of scientific things about
them, say can do nothing" the proprietor
continues Indignantly, Just keep an eye
| on him as l speak Ivan, what do you
| do when you want milk?"
The big cat prcks up it's ears as the
proprietor addresses it and replies by Wig
orously licking its chops.
There" exclaims the cat man. tri-
4,
for stupid cat, eh?' He gives the Rus
sian small saucer of milk, which it
| speedily drains and then returns to its
| cage
| Never neglect to reward cats for the
| proper performance of tricks" SAYS the
proprietor didactically. "It makes them
eager to learn and insures their constant
| Willingness and obedience.
"a cat soon learns to answer to its
| name and to come only when spoken to.
| I'll give you a satisfactory proof of this
if you will help unfasten a few of those
cages" The doors are soon unbolted and
| the cat man takes his position again in
the center of the shop.
LAS l call the pussies, they will answer
one by one-Bess,' A sleek weIl-cared-
for Maltese pushes open the door of its
cage, bounds upon the proprietors shoul-
ders. and then leaps aGilely to the floor
to disperse a pair of rebellious kittens
which have made their way back to the
shop. He calls a second. third. a
fourth, and all of them jump upon the
cat man before dropping to the floor for
a scamper and frolic. That they know
their names is fully demonstrated and the
proprietor is delighted at the visitors ex-
| carnations of wonder.
I'll tell you why / teach cats to jump
upon me from their cages he says. con.
| fidentially. 1T impresses them at once
4 with the idea nf fn.