Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-04-21

who are fond of strange animal pets ana
because there is a popular notion that IL
is really a beneffcent animal and kfHs
snakes. DR.. Merriam of the Department
of Agriculture. in speaking OF the matter
the other day, said:
We catch up mongoose every now
and then. and the country had narrow
escape from one recently in San Fran
cisco. 1t was imported under the name of
a philippine Cat" and it got past the as
sistant inspector, and the family that mad
it went to a hotel. The suspicious or the
chief inspector were aroused from what
he heard of the animal. and he tracked
down It's owners. When he went to the
hotel the man of the family was out ne
explained to the gentleman's Wife that ne
was particularly interested In cats or all
sorts and more particularly in Philippine
cats. He would like, therefore. to see the
cat that he understood she had lrnpor teu-
The woman was a little shy but finally
produced the cage. and sure enough. IL
was a mongoose The inspector declared
himself then and there and nailed the
beast There was considerable row over
the matter. but the owners mad TO inaHs
give up and the mongooSe was kliled-
"The idea that the mongoose is snake
killer is right enough. 1t will kill all the
snakes in the vicinity and kill or chase OH
all the rats and mice. But then II goes LOT
the ground nesting birds and exterminates
all of them, and eats the lizards ana frogs
as well as the snakes. Now, as the piros,
the snakes the lizards and the frogs are
all among the best insect killers we nave
the determination of these lets loose a per-
feet pest of insects and results In untoio
damage to crops and fruits Inc mon
goose is as prolific as he is bloodtMrsty,
and II he once got start In TINS country
he would do millions of dollars worth or
damage annually through killing OUT the
very insect-devourng birds ana animals
that we want to keep. We have had q
sample of what he can do when introduced
into congenial surroundings in Jamaica,
and don't want any OF MIN mere.
* K +
Several American army officers were dis
eussing the relative merits and dement's
of the soldiers of the world the other even
ing when the little japanese fighting man
was brought into the limelight of their
talk.
He is a wonderful little fighter" said
one, "and some of the reasons for his sue
cess in battle are plain to me He is brave
TO a fault and being a fatalist does not
go into the fighting zone trembling in his
boots and as nervous as a idgetty woman
as many soldiers do. He is. too, like the
American soldier, an individual fighter aid
not a machine and for this reason If for
no other it was easy for. him to score vic
tory after victory over the bulky, clumsy
Russians whose movements in battle, when
not in stampede, were like those OF some
great cumbersome machine.
THE Russians fought bravely enough, y
said another, but under great disadvan-
tage. Their training and their tactics were
against them and they could not Withstand
the fighting of the athletic and tireless lit
tie Japs.
A tall, gray veteran who left one of his
arms on the bloody field of Antietam, and
who had been listening to the younger and
more up-to-date officers, finally said:
well, gentlemen, you may talk about
the Japs and the Beers and other soldiers
Of the old countries, but our American boys
In the little-big war we had with Spain
gave the world several salutary object
lessons in fighting. Their forthwithness and
their rushes were revelations to the old
world soldiers. Their individual fighting
was admirable and was afterward copied
by both the Beers and the Japs. In former
wars we had heard of the command fire.
quently given, Fire and fall back In the
campaign in Cuba and the Philippines 1t
was with the American fighters always
Fire and forward. Had the war with
involved in 1t our fellows in khaki and blue
would have fought battles that would have
made Mukden look like thirteen old-fash-
toned copper pennies"
x X
A story IS going the rounds about q
young high school boy who has a kindly
regard for automobiles because. he declares.
one of the red devil' variety saved him
from funking in a recent examination. He
was rather shaky in his Latin. 1t is said.
ana when he was called upon to decline
| chic haze, hoe" he got as far the &C
cusatlye case hume" and could go no fur
Their Visions Of going up in the air foatel
before him when the friendly auto horn in
the street sounded "honk! honk!' and he
was saved.