Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-09-15
A Wonderful Cat.

There was once upon time a very large
Maltese cat that, for want of better
name, We will call Major.
Major lived in a family where there were
plenty of children of all ages, and what
! tricks one of them didn't teacn him, the
| others did. till he became as accomplished
| as circus pig. But for all of his tricks
he was not one bit spoiled, but was just
| dear old cuddling, purring kitty-cat when
| he felt like being baby.
| To tell you about his tricks it will be best
| to begin with the head of the family, Father
| Doctor
| Father Doctor likes dogs, and could never
| bear cats until one day as he sat in his
| office a little gray kitten jumped to the
window sill and said "miaouw!'
| Now, Father Doctor was always polite,
fand not to be outdone by a cat. he respond
| ed politely, "Meeuww."
The cat must have understood. for In
| second it had jumped to Father Doctors
chair Not content with that. the kitten
| was restless and jumped back upon the
sill and cried until the doctor decided that
something was the matter outside. and
I that kitty had come for aid. y
So GU. he carried the -cat. and them put
| tsng it down. watched it seamper off to lead
| the way. The kitten guided him through
a gap in the hedge out into the road, where
a little boy lay crying, beside a broken
bicycle
The bicycle was not the only broken thing
|
badly broken. The doctor carried him
/ gently i'll the house and the kitten fol-
loved
That vas the first the family saw of the
| kitten, whom they called Ma or.''
1 The little boy recovered quickly, but the
| kitten did rot belong to him, so it stayed
| at the doctcrs house. the doctor being
| quite proud of his new pet.
| The kitten followed Father Doctor all
| about Ike Il dog and made himself such a
nuisance that he came very near being
killed. because he would play with the doc
| tors feet. ]hc Kittens special plaything
was the doc tors shoe laces. and late every
| afternoon w hen his calls were over there
/ was tn. kitten writing to help unite his
| shoes. II children were too busy think
ing of their twn g; cd times to get Father
| Doctors slippers. SO one day puss noticed
i this and running to the closet. carried
4 first one and then the other proudly to
| he was well petted for this. and every
| nig,,:. since for several years Father Doc
i to- has found his faithful little servant
tawaiting him. Then in the morning he is
always found sitting in Father Doctors
| chair waiting for some one to open the
front door so he can bring in the paper.
/ He rolls it up with his nose and paws
and ocrIies it proudly up to Father Doc
| tor. standing on his hind legs to deliver 1t.
His tricks are done as well as a dog can
do them. and Father Doctor Is now devoted
| to caLs
| Exactly at 6 every morning, when the
! clock strikes. Major goes up the back stairs
| and scratches at Bridgets door. This she
| taught him to do. and she likes 1t better
| than an alarm clock-apd SO do the rest OF
the family!
! After Bridget gets up Major goes down
| to the nursery and takes another nap with
| the children, being very careful not to favor
| one child with his company two. mornings
| in succession.
After they are dressed Major races down
with the first one and short game of
| hide-and-seek is always INDUCED i'll before
! breakfast.
| Major has outgrown high chair that
| belonged to the children, and he sits in 1t
at breakfast time with bib tied around
| his neck. He will not let any one tie his
| bib but the mother Of the family, and II
! she IS not downstairs on time he will carry
1t up to her. He would rather eat without
| little bowl Of milk and cream is set on his
| plate on the table. and he laps it like q
| gentleman, without putting his feet on the
| table. Ned taught him this ana wrestled
| with him long before persuading him that
| feet need not necessarily be on Ievel with
| ones food. Before he has any more food
he thoroughly understands that he must
! beg for It,
Ned has taught him to go three times
around the table for bit of meat and to
| rod over for a second lot.
Marjory taught Major to say his prayers
After breakfast when the family assemblies
in the hall for propers, Major is always
| there, listening intently, and when he hears
| Let US pray" he rises In dignihed way
| from MS place Oh the steps, aDoue,
and with his forepaws on the step above
reverently closes his eyes and rests his head
| on his paws. He is never restless during
| prayers, AXE the children. but he is among
the first to say his ''Miau" (Amen).
| Whenever Beth dresses, morning, after
noon or night, Major considers 1t is his
place to help. He sits on the bureau and
| watches every motion. He knows when
the proper time comes to use the comb or
| brush, and with one paw he will gently
push it toward Beth.
But his greatest delight is in little trick
| of his own, which is pulling the stopper
from the wash basin and watching the
| water run out.
Many times day he will jump on the
marble and beg for drink, just for the
pleasure of pulling the stopper out and
then letting 1t go back in place. and watch
ing the water swirl slowly away. He doesn't
mind getting his paws wet one bit.
Major jumps through hoop, sneezes.
| talks and dances to order Though he has
grown quite Old and weighs fifteen pounds,
he still learns new tricks, and Is valued
member Of the family.
Shoppiu1