The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1904-12-18
WOMEN'S STRANGE PETS.

The prevailing craze for unusual pets
was exemplified at the opera at Covent
Garden the other night, says the Lon
don Daily Mail, when a we'll known
lady brought with her a chameleon
with a delicate chain around it's neck,
which enabled it to run up and down
the curtains of the box.
This love of animals of an eccentric
description is by no means a modern
innovation; it may be traced back
as far as the time of the Pharaohs.
Quaint interest doubtless attaches to
the juxtaposition of a beautiful woman
and wild beast. Nine. Bernhard
and her tame leopard were the sensa-
ton of couple of decades ago. Mrs.
Arthur Cadogan, Lord Cadogan's sis
ter-in-law, had a fancy for poisonous
snakes. One small snake she fire.
quently wore on her arm as a brace
let, but to the relief of her friends
these strange pets died off one by one
and have not been replaced.
More pleasant as a companion was
the tame otter which used to follow
Lord Linlithgow's sisters, Lady Doro-
thea and Lady Estella Hope, like a
dog. This was a really intelligent and
lovable creature, which has since been
replaced by a tame hare, whose fam
lily name is Mr.. Juggins." This in
teresting little animal is much in re-
quest at country house parties, to
which 1t is often taken by its mis-
tresses, for whom it has a great affec-
ton.
mongoose or monkey is quite an
ordinary domestic animal lust now.
and of the latter a pretty specimen
is often to be seen coiled round the
neck of its owner. A well known West
End tradesman received a terrible
shock one morning when this lady ex-
TENDED her patronage to his shop.
while settling for her purchase some
thing looking like a fur boa suddenly
snatched up the change and examined
1t with two bright little eyes, chatter
ing volubly the while The poor man
was heard appealing to the assistants
as to whether it was real.
A specimen of the green Egyptian
beetle, which really seemed to know
lts owner, and never took fight when
let loose to crawl about her hand. was
selected as pet by another well known
lady. The history of the creature
reached the court, and an appointment
was made for the beetle and its owner
TO nave audience of the Queen. but
a brutal friend, ignorant or thought
less, fiicked the poor beastie off its
mistress hand, where it was taking a
quiet walk, and thereby administered
a death blow alike to the beetle and
the high hopes of the lady.
Lady Anglesey possesses a marmoset
no bigger than a mouse, which she
used TO carry about with her, but 1t
has not been seen of late, so some evil
has doubtless befallen 1t. Lady Con-
stance Standardization has given
up her snakes. Another lady kept a
hedgehog, which followed her about
with great intelligence, but 1t had its
drawbacks as a companion.
The Rothschild goat was part of the
decoration of Piccadilly at one time,
put has never been replaced more's
the pity, as such touches add to the
gayety OF our London streets
The African meercat came much into
favor during the war, and the little
creatures are even now sometimes TO
be encountered in the park, led about
like dog by string. They are pref
~. intelligent little beasts, and very
affectionate.
II seems hard to get up a friendly
interest IN a lizard or a chameleon,
but each has its lover in the London
world. Gen. ST. Leger's daughter. Mrs.
Holland, has several chameleons,
which spring about like crickets and
know her voice quite well, coming at
her call. A tame green lizard, tied up
with bright hued ribbons, loves to
creep 10 Its mistress shoulder. where
ment.