Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-07-19
VIrginia's Cats.

Some people think cats are a great null
sanca-"aIways getting under your feet or
jumping up on the table, they say, OF
course. some cats do these things, but if
they had been taught better manners when
they were young they would know how to
behave nicely when grown up. SO you see
it is not the cats fault at all.
Let me tell YOU about Virginia's cats. She
has five and calls them Smut, fiddle
winks Floss Svengaii and Fluff. and be-
sides so many kittens that / am afraid
she will have to number them, for she
cannot think of names enough to go
around.
Virginia has a large dolls house with
which she played when a very little girl
she is thirteen now-so she uses 1t as
home for her pets Each cat has a room
all to itself where it sleeps at night and
sometimes takes nap in the day time
Smut in the kitchen, Floss in the dining
room and the other three up stairs In bed
rooms. The kittens have large room on
the top floor it is really the attic, but Nir-
gnia calls 1t the nursery. There are also
two spare rooms for visitors.
Virginia looks after the cats herself She
buys quart of milk every morning and
gives them their breakfast in big, round
dish. 1t Is a very pretty sight TO see them
all eating from one dish Sometimes Smut
thinks ne is not getting his share, so he
growls at the others and tries to frighten
them away, but one word from his little
mistress makes him behave better; occa-
sionally too little kitten will get right in
the milk and Virginia has to lift it out and
hold 1t by the side of the dish.
After dinner at night all the cats are al
lowed to come into the dining room COZ
Virginia's house, and have romp with
her She pets and plays with each one and
they have jolly half hour together before
being put to bed. Each knows its own
| room and is soon curled up on its soft pill
| low. fast asleep.
Once Svengali paid a visit to the little
| girl who lives across the road; late in the
| afternoon she carried him back to Virginia
| and said: Here's BY Galy (SvengalD:
| brought him home to you Svengali was
| so glad to get home again that he did not
notice the little girls mistake In his name.
| but just purred and bumped up his back
| like all cats do when they are pleased. An
| other time Fluff was missing for several
| days Virginia hunted everywhere and was
very much worried. Finally she found her
| away up In the hay NOW with four little
baby kittens.
| One cold winter night Virginia heard a
| very sad me-aow outside the back door:
| she opened 1t quickly and there on the
| doorstep lay a poor little kitten lust about
| frozen stiff. She took the Walt into the
warm room and gave 1t a good rub and a
! saucer of warm milk. The kitten purred
| loudly while tapping 1t up. You shall
| sleep in one of the spare rooms tonight.
| Virginia told 1t. but I guess the little
| stranger was lonely for in the morning she
| found it cuddled up close to Tiddlewinks,
| who was giving II a thorough washing.
| Later in the day the kitten was returned
| to its owner who had given 1t UP as lost.
| All the cats in the neighborhood seem to
| know that Virginia loves them, for they
/ come to see her quite often and the spare
rooms of her old dolls house have many
visitors TOM WHITEHEAD.