Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-12-24
The Boarders' Christmas Tree.
A True Cat Story.
BY E,AZABETH ROBINSON.

BY ELIZABETH ROBlNSoN.
Our .'boarders' are the stray cats and
kittens we have fed for over a year since
three tiny. wailing wild kittens appeared III
our yard. Now there are seven, coming
one at a time. Nearly all are very shy. out
come regularly night and morning TO De
fed at their dining ROOM" little distance
from the house.
Blackie is a slender young fellow, shining
black with white points; Sunny jim, his
brother, is a dull tiger with a saddle back
and perpetual grin truly 1.-The smile that
won't come off" Mouldy is yellow and
white with gray rubbed in; her appearance
is aptly indicated by her name. Fluffle
Gray is a dear little chinchlla. Butte Is
pale yellow, and a timid. gentle creature
but older than any of our boarders except
Ma. who must be many times a grand
mother. She has been seen running through
our yard for several years, never stopping,
but when she found where we fed the Kit
tens she began to come too. Tommy Is our
latest boarder; he has been with us only a
year. and is big and handsome. quite dr.
fercnt from the others, which are all OF the
thin-tailed. barn or back-alley type OF cat.
Evidently he was once pet kitten.
None of these stray cats comes into the
house. but they have free access to seVerai
nearby barns and sheds, where they can
sleep in comfort. In summer they lie about
the garden; on sunny days in winter they
lie out on carpet covered boxes provided for
them. good Bufie often acting as a pillow
for three or four of the younger ones.
The cats are all well fed twice day from
the scrapings of the table, with a little
warm milk and water added, and now and
then Decent can of salmon, a box OF
cheap sardines a beef kidney cut fine
and mixed with softened bread, to give
variety to the food
When we buy our fish the dealer gives us
fish heads; these boiled make fine dishes
for our little boarders. They also catch
all the rats and mice in the vicinity, and
look now in prime condition, though they
were a very sorry lot Of felines when they
first came
Last Christmas we gave them Christ
mas tree and we thought no real children
could have enjoyed a tree more than did
our bOardeTS.
a small pine tree about three feet tall
was set firmly in deep iron dish of sand
and bricks. and few bright ribbons and
flowers made it look very gay.
We could not at first think Of any fish
firm enough after being cooked to hang
upon the tree, when suddenly eelS came to
our mind. So nice fresh eels were slightly
boiled and cut into three-inch pieces and
hung upon the branches; and long. narrow
bits of raw meat were also hung, needle
and fine thread being used to put the loops
on both fish and meat.
The tree was carried to the usual feeding
place, and at the well-known call of kits,
kits all the little boarders came running,
and such fun as 1t was watching their an
tics. The tree was placed at about half
past four Christmas eve, this being the
usual supper hour, and also because we our
selves wished TO witness a daylight per-
formance. Not a cat showed the slightest
fear of the bright tree or evinced any Won
der whatever at the strange fruit it bore.
One and all rushed at once to the attack,
and such leaping and jumping as followed.
We shrieked with laughter. Ma went to
work fast and furiously, standing on her
hind legs, leaping into the air. and even
climbing upon the dish and up into the tree
itself. She set the younger ones a fine eX-
ample. which they were not slow to follow.
AS fast as cat got a bit of eel or meat