The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1907-02-19
STORIES or THE CAT.
Legends and Facts About the Still but
HALF Tanned Animal

Legends and Facts About the Still but
Half Tanned Animal.
"There are few tales of cat fidelity
and many of dog. yet one thinks no
worse Of the cat for this" says an OBJ
server. His very independence COM
pels respect. He walks by bis wild
lone, waving his wild tail, through the
wild woods as an inspired modern
writer has set forth All the genera
lions have not served to tame him.
and the most domestic of the race will
revert sooner to a wild life at the call
of the blood than any other friend Of
man. 1t Is thus scarcely surprising to
find that the most famous cat lovers
have been drawn from the ranks of
politicians and poets, those whom rea-
sons of state or a sensitive tempera-
ment have rendered averse from trust
sequently bestow all their affections
upon the fireside sphinx We are In
vited to believe that the most famous
Of all cats, he who brought fame and
fortune to his master, Dick Whiting
ton, was no four legged animal at all,
but merely the French word 'achat-
to buy and sell at proft-and that the
great merchant made pet only of his
merchandise from the very beginning.
Thus in later years do the idols Of our
youth topple about our heads.
But other legends-nay, facts-are
left us. Cardinal Wolsey. for instance,
when acting in his official capacity as
lord chancellor is said to have had his
favorite cat always seated beside him,
and another prince of the church, Rich
ellen, found his only relaxation In
keeping number of kittens in his prl-
vate cabinet and watching their gam
bols during his spare moments. We
cannot really reckon Richelieu as q
true lover of the race, however, for di.
rectly the kittens grew to three months
he had them sent away and replaced
by others Lord Chesterfield left In his
will life pensions to his favorite cats
and their kittens. Victor Hugos great
cat Chanoine always sat on large red
ottoman in the center of his salon and
received his guests In state, showing
marked displeasure If any one failed
to caress or praise her.
'Tasso wrote a sonnet to his favorite
cat, and Petrarch had one he loved as
dearly, we are told, as Laura. Nc
doubt she was the confldant Of many
Of his trials and consoled him for much
Of the fair lady's disdain, and when
pussy died the poet had her embalmed
in the Egyptian fashion and carried hes
mummy about with him everywhere
Baudelaire, the French poet, very
shy man, was always Ill at ease in any
new house he entered until the family
cat was brought up and introduced t.
him, after which, with the cat on his
knee, he was perfectly happy In his
silent poet fashion.
Traditions respecting cats are, o.
course, legion. From time immemoria
| they have been regarded as somewha
uncanny, omens Of veal or woe, being
| to be either conciliated or crushed
The cat worship Of ancient Egypt and
ihter, tne bOAHdu Creeu tndt Tue ca
was sacred to Diana speak of the one
the wild charges of witchcraft - O
concern In it-rife during the darl
ages of Europe will attest the latter
But there is another popular belief de
serving also of mention, that whicl
sets forth the old maid as the cat
only friend, legend arising in tn
medieval nunneries overrun witt
J mice, where one or more cats wer
always kept and were no doubt mucl
petted by the good nuns" - Chicag
| News.