The Republican journal., 1900-08-16
SOME LITERARY CATS.

Helen NJ. Winslow writes of the pets
of some well-known literary folk in the
August st. Nicholas.
1t has often been said that poets and
artists, as we'll as the most refined
women, are cat-lovers. There is some
thing about the eats soft, quiet ways,
their diginfied reserve, their graceful
I curves, and their artistic poses that
; appeals to all lovers of the beautiful in
nature.
| Miss Sarah Orne Jewett is cat-lover
and the dear old country-women down
in Maine, whom one loves to encoun ter
i'll her stories, usually keep cat, though
theirs are only the farmers plain useful
cats.
Il look back over long line of cats" !"
says she; ''from certain poor 'Spotty'
who died in fit under the library
window when was less than five years
old, to a lawless, fluffy cOOn-cat now in
my possession. | shall tell you of two
| in particular; one the mortal enemy and
| the other the friend of my dog Joe !
may mention, by the way, that Joe and
| L grew up together, and were fond COM
panions until he died of far too early
| old age, and left me to take my country
walks alone.
" Polly the enemy, was far the best
mouser of all-quite the best business
cat we ever had, with an astonishing
intellect and shrewd way Of gaining her
ends. She caught birds and mice as If
she foraged for our whole family. She
had an air of responsibility, and GER
| tain impatience of interruption and
interference, such as have never seen
i'll any other cat, and scornful way of
sitting before person with fierce eyes
and quick ominous twitching Of the
| tail. She seemed t. be measuring ones
incompetence as nouSe-catcher.
Miss Mary T. Wilkins also is great
admirer of eats. Il adore cats" she
said to me. Il don't love them as we'll
as dogs. because my own nature is more
after the lines of a dogs; but | adore
them. No matter how tired OF wretch
ed | am. a pussy-cat sitting in door
way can divert my mind. Cats love
one so much-more than they will adj
nit: but they have so much wisdom,
they keep it to themselves.
Miss Wilkins ''Augustus'' was moved
with her from Brattleboro, Vermont,
after her fathers death. when she went
to Randolph, Massachusetts. to live.
He had been the pet of the family for
many years. but he came to an untlmely
"that peoples unintentional cruelty
will not be remembered against them ;"
At Randolph she has had two lovely
yellow-and-whit cats, punch and
Judy" The latter was cruelty shot
by a neighbor. but the right-hand cat,
with the angelic expression, still sur
wives. Il am sure says Miss Wilkins,
'he loves me better than anybody else,
although he is so very close about 1t.
! Punch Wilkins boasts one accomplish
ment. he can open a door having an old
fashioned latch: but he can not shut it.
MI, William Dean Howells says: Il
never had eat. pet or otherwise. l
like them on general principles. but
know nothing Of Them
Colonel Iligginson confesses to great
fondness and admiration for eats: While
those who are familiar with Charles
| Dudley Warmers My Summerin a Gar
dem need not be reminded of the cat
"Calvin'' and his interesting traits.
| Mr.. Edmund Clarence Stedman is a
genuine admirer of cats. and evidently
knows how to appreciate them at their
full value. At his home near New 1ork
he and Mrs. Stedman have ''Babylon,
a fine large Maltese who attracted a
great deal of attention at the New York
eat show of 1S95 Their ''kelpie" took
prize at that show, and is a handsome
long haired blue cat. Babylon, like
many other Maltese cats. is remarkably
intelligent, and is looked upon as quite
one of the family. He thinks he knows
as much as any of us, Mrs. Stedman
says. ''IIe despises our other cats, but
he is very friendly with human beings
and makes friends easily with strangers.
He is always near the dinner-table at
meal-times, and expects to have his share
handed to him carefully He has his
corner in the study. and has superin-
tended great deal of literary work. =