Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1905-10-21
JOHN AND THE BIRDS.
a Lattie Story Of the Big Blu.-orax
Maltese and the Jaws.

| S~~aS VI tno big Blua~fenw
| Maltese and the Jays.
Jonn was most magniflcent-lookinr
specimen of the domestic cat--a Mai
tese. His blue-gray coat was liks the
finest, silkiest velvet aud he haa :
proper care in keeping 1t In the best
condition. He had the most fastidlous
haoits-eating nothing but the choic-
est OF morsels, and selecting the soft.
est, downiest pillows to repose upon
he was a much-pampered cat, says the
Philadelphia Record. His mistress had
INDUCED his whims to such a deerea
that he became intensely selfish and
exacdng, as spoiled children and pets
are apt to become.
| John lived In great house In the
middle OF a large square where there
were perhaps hundred or more nobls
trees You should see Johns supersti-
uous manner-how his nose went up
In the air when any stranger cat ven
tured upon his preserves. Every par
tcular hair seemed to culver and stand
on end because of injured dignity. He
seemed to say, why do these common
cats come betwixt the wind and my
nobihty"
lie feared, too, perhaps, that his
share Of birds would be materially les
sened. He himself played sad havoc
with the robins and the wrens. | am
not sure whether the jays, who had a
large colony on the grounds, were able
to hold their own against him.
One warm morning In early summer
as | sat on the piazza my attention
was attracted by the loud cries of the
jays, and there sat John at the foot
OF tree waving his tail In impotent
fury, for three jays were at his head,
first one and then another tweakinR
out with their bills great punches Of
beautiful fur. Take thatl Take that,
you murderous vlllainw they exclaim-
ed. or rather shrieked In unmistakable
tones of revenge. you have had your
way with our birdlings; now we have
you Take that, and thatr' and out
few great punches Of sllken, fluffy fur
that had been 30 carefully eombed and
cleaned only a few hourse earlier that
warm June morning. John glared at
his tormentors, CRASHED his teeth, but
to no avail.
At last, apparently satisfied with the
vengeance they had wreaked on their
enemy, the cat tho jays, with wild,
exultant cries, few off to their rookery
In the old trees back OF the house.
John, humbled and discounted, made
bis way of, too. Whether he pronted
by the drubbing the jays gave him, I
cannot tell
One more episode, In which John
was an actor must relate. 4 beauti-
full little black and tan had been given
to me some months after went TO i've
In the house where John seemed to
have such undisputed sway. was Ill
when the little creature was brought
to the house, and for q few days was
obliged to lie on the sofa much OF the
time Gyp, affecdonsts as It La the
nature Of dogs to be, would come to
me, put her paws on the sofa and look
into my face as much az TO say, why
do you lie heref Why don't you come
out for a run under the treesr
One day he sat on the side Of the
fire, John on the other. Instead of
coming to my sofa by the direct line,
Gyp, fearing John. went In a round
about way. John from bis place sprang
up to intercept Gyp and gave her re-
sounding whack on the side Of her
face with his open paw. He had seen
already that Gyp had won & place in
my affections and took this way of
showing his anger and jealousy. Dear
little Gyp, every one loved her. For
one friend that John had, she had
twenty. Indeed, am not quite sure
that John had one friend, while Gyp
had legions. Many admired him for his
beauty and grace, but handsome 10
that handsome does" you know.