The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1904-07-13
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Theatres

I've always StooN very fnuCu III awe VI
Tom Katt, the Keith mascot. and al
though I'm a regular patron OF that thea
tire and am on excellent terms with all
the attaches. I've tried in vain to make
friends with Tommy often. Yesterday af-
ternoon I was moro than ever anxious to
conciliate him. for I went to Keith's pur-
posely to have a chat with him. He was
sitting in his customary place on the rail-
ing In back OF the last row in the orches-
ira floor / saw several ladies endeavor TO
pet him. but Tommy's tail bristled ex-
citedly and he did not respond 10 these
attempts at amiability 1 began TO fear
for my reception. particularly as I re-
membered my interview with Prince, the
Keith dog. last week, and as he and Tom
my are bitter enemies, l was afraid
Tommy would look upon me as from the
enemies line. Hello, Tommy i began
Nice Day" Then. without waiting for
reply. ! continued, in what considered
my most nonchalent manner and as IL
had never even heard OF Prince, Have
some catnip." Now felt positive the cat
nip would win him. but he crankily shook
his head, declining.
You're the seventh person who has Of
fered me catnip today. I.sbegins TO pail
on one after a while. Don't think I'm un-
grateful The fact is. I'm rather put out
To-Day. 0OT run dc riiipoihiy hoiN
as they did. / can't get any sleep night
I or dsy since that Deg came here to -five.-
During the day, he's hunting around.
Dragging OF his accomplishments and al
ways putting In; and at night, just as
| I'm about to drop OF to sleep. he'll begin
| his terrible barking and growing when
| he thinks someone Is going 10 break into
| the theatre Who asked him TO come here
| TO live anyway. / took care of this thea
| tire before he was thought OF, and for
| eleven years I've been one--mind, mod
estly say. 'one'-of its chief attractions
J and as its Mascot I've upheld its dignity.
| but now, things are changed. He runs
around here as If he owned the place,
fnds fault with everything and takes all
the petting due to me as " 1t belonged to
! him If don't eat up my meals just when
! they are served to me, he helps himselr'
| and then he complains that am given SO
much fish, and says he is getting sick OF
| 1t. He positively hasn't any manners. and
runs on and of the stage. interrupting
some Of the auietest scenes. in the rudest
/ kind OF a way. The other day / helped
| myself TO a big dish OF mayonaise hsh
| saw in Shedley's where / had sauntered,
| and a little while afterwards. had some
horrld pains in my underneath, SO 10 see
| ~ could wear them off, ] galloped round
| and round the Green Room at full pelt,
about twenty times, steering myself with
my tail. I was going 80 fast. the room
| began to look as II 1t were going around
| when all of a sudden became tangled IN
that awful dog welli We had 1t out ana
he kept away from me the rest or the
| day. I tried 20 have a nap, but was
| awakened by that Dog trying again 10
| XIII the rug in the Green Foyer.
IT felt bit hungry. but the only thing
! could find to eat were few bright
colored flowers in lady's hat In the
check room. but they tasted rather queer,
SO 1 settled down again TO sleep. Thls
time ] was awakened by bad attack
OF eczema. I caught one, and tried 10
sleep again, when I heard shout or
laughter and looking UP saw that dog
on the stage, trying to bury bono under
! the imitation grass mat which was being
used to represent grass in the play that
week. He was scratching away In the
most ridiculous fashion, and the harder
he scratched the moro the audience
laughed"
''Do YOU intend to let the dog stay
around here all the timer" asked.
Looks as II he would stay uninvited :"
said Tommy mournfully. And for ii
years ! protected this theatre from all
dogs and other cats. The minute they
saw me get my back UP and my eyes
blaze, they would get out. l remember
one night, 70 was during the hrst season
OF stock here. That cat of Shediey's, next
door. came prowlfng in. He waited for
the auietest scene OF Men and Women.
which the Albee company was playing
that week. and when the lights were
down low he came sneakinG In with
little meow. But was ready for him,
and. although I made considerable noise
doing H. and two or three ushers came
rushing up TO interfere and the actors
on the stage stopped dsite still, I finally
scared him out and ne never came In
again. Were they gratoful7 Not n bit
of H. They said had ruined a scene,
and lots OF other things. So nrawled
up on the piano, they've taken IL out
since and I've often wondered whether
was the cause OF its removal. to get out
OF the way in some inconspioucus place,
when Horrors! The cover was open, and
everytime my paws went down on the
keyboard they made. well, not exactly
music. but something like II. was in
distress FOR n long time with all the a.
taches OF the theatre, but | was pettsd
enough by the patrons TO make up for IL.
one OF the proudest moments or my life
was last summer. when my souvenir
photographs were given to the patrons
Nj Sardr and Mr. Brady said that they
were the hest likenesses they evar took
os anyone. and could hear all the ladies'
SAYING. Isn't he beautiful meaning me,
Thomas Katt Some of them wera really
mushy calling me. a dear. clean. sweet
smelling kitty But things are very
different now Ixe had TO take a Lack
sen. and share the attentions givc1 ms
with that beastly dog All. me, As the
story book says things which usel 10 be
aiwars amt Immediately such'
'r waited patiently for the eo,i old
summer time but now that 10 has Eaine.
nv despair continues. And that dog had
tho nerve this morning 10 propose 10 Ire
think of II. that he and should go into