The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1902-12-11
MAINE CATS.

| Mrs. +. X. Pierce writes from Cincin-
natl, Ohio, to the editor of Field and
| Fancy, New York: In an unsigned
article in Our Cats Oct II, headed
"A Letter from Across the Sea-" nv
attention has been called to the man
ner in which the writer discriminates
between the New England cats and
Name or coon cats" The writer
seems to be unaware that Maine is
quite an important New England
State: that She has furnished us emin-
| ent statesmen too numerous to men
| ton, also three Of our greatest prima
| donnas-Annie Louise Carey RAYMOND,
| MeSdameS Emma EameS and NOrdica.
| Oh literary lights | viii simply name
our late beloved Longfellow, and allow
readers chance TO name many others
at their leisure.
And lest some others with cattv in
terests may forget let me try to
, Gear up point which the writer tries
to make, | viii say that many not all
Maine people speak of all long-hared
cats as coon cats, as an easy nick
name, just as they speak of the child of
| Negro parentage as "a COON They do
not, III common speech. say an African
child any oftener than they say Persian
cat. They also often say 'Paddy'or
Mick when they should say son of
Erin or, at least, Irishman. 1t is a
localism and lubs off easy. Yes, and
with our beautiful cats is far forgotten
when the little dears begin to win in
the show pens. Therefore, don't be
alarmed or discouraged, dear reader, if
you find yourself the owner of fine
Maine cat, for the Old Pine Tree State
is still on the map as New England
State, and is still producing greatness,
apparently without effort. 1t is now,
and always has been, Gods country.
This is from one of her children
Z nder the caption Of Cincinnati Cat
Notes, Field and Fancy publishes the
following items of local interest:
Mrs. Pierce has some news for us,
and among which is: The Commodore
and Winnie are spending the summer
on the Maine coast and are improving
greatly on the bracing salt air that
seems particularly adapted to cats. By
the by, while at Northport one day had
the pleasure of seeing one of Prince
Rupert's offspring which is well, as the
| tabby stock is nearly run out there
| through the selling of their best No
longer ago than two years | bought
Maxine, the mother of the winner
Hamlet, from that same place for a
trlf1e, but they have nothing left there
| now that is AS good-nOt even the one
Just mentioned from Prince Rupert.
While in Maine my attention was
called to pair of short-haired cats,
neuters, that proved to me that much
of the beauty of tabbes is lost on the
long haired cats. This pair is simply
superb, viz: John and Demijohn, and
their undercolor being clear brown.
almost orange, with black markings.
John has perfect butterfly on his
shoulders, coming well down over each
shoulder blade, the exact centre of the
spine is very narrow line of the light
color, the two dark lines branching off
down the sides and around the breast
and legs. Demi has the solid, dark
STRIPE on the spine; otherwise they are
the same. Unfortunately for perfec-
ton they both have bit of white, cut
evenly on the breast, but which rather
sets them off as pet cats. These cats
nave no pedlgrees and are owned by J.
u. Paul OF Belfast, Me, who also has
beautiful black Angora neuter. This
gentleman is not a dealer, but his
house. stable and place of business are
all places OF refuge for lonely puss or
pup, and they all know that he under
stands their language, and that when
every other door is closed they can give
the loud wink which says: "Come on,
all you; there is always warm corner
for us at Paurs."
The Maine cats in orange, blues and
blacks seem to hold out better than the
tabby. There is great opportunity in
this locality for cat breeding if entered