davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-02-10
Tale Of a Cats Tail +
IN British Law Court
Special Correspondence Of the Star.

special Correspondence OF the Star.
LONDON, January 30.
THIS is the tale of the tail of a cat,
which for three days engaged the at
tention Of a judge and jury and
many learned counsel in the kings bench
division Of the law courts. AS a result T.
B. Mason, editor of Fur and Feathers, and
an expert on cats. has been adjudged guilty
Of libeling the cats tail, and is required to
pay her owner $3.50 damages.
There are cats and cats-common cats
that catch rats and mice, and aristocratic
cats that do nothing for their living. About
the former variety a man may say what he
pleases, but when 1t comes to talking and
writing about the latter, q. man must mind
his p's and as. The particular cat which
was the victim Of Mr.. Masons aspersions is
chinchilla and regular We're de We're of
the puss tribe, rejoicing in the name of
Evelyn Of Arundale and with a registered
pedigree to back up her claims to blue
blooded feline lineage. She belongs to Mrs.
Isabel Wilson, who keeps "cattery'' and
exhibits cats at cat shows. Last summer,
when Evelyn Of Arundale was a kitten she
was entered in the Southern Counties Cat
Clubs show at Bath. Mr.. Mason was the
judge of the class. He decided that the tip
Of Evelyn's fluffy tail did not come up to
the chinchilla standard Of perfection and
tempered with. Wherefore he affixed a la
BILE to the cat on which he wrote: Dis
quali1ed-cut tail"
AS far as the aristocratic Evelyn was con-
cerned, the tale of the tail would have end
ed then and there, for reposing in her silk
lined basket she did not worry bit over the
label which reflected SO gravely on her
caudal appendage. But Mrs. Wilson started
fuss about It an once. She said that
Evelyn, being too young to acquire that re-
pose Of manner which is characteristic OF
all full grown We're de Veres. had INDUCED
In an undignifed romp one day. and ventur-
ing too near a gas fire had singed the end
of her tail. She appealed to the committee
Of the show.
Ten ladies and gentlemen, each armed
with a magnifying glass inspected the tip
Of Evelyn's tail. They came to the con-
clusion that the hair had been singed-and
possibly trimmed afterward with scissors.
Not content with this, Mrs. Wilson took
Evelyn to an eminent veterinary surgeon
and cat doctor on her return to London.
There Evelyns tail was subjected to still
more searching scrutiny. Hairs from 1t
were placed under a powerful microscope.
The cat doctor reported that he found no
blunt hairs" which he would have found
had the tail been cut. but that some Of the
hairs were "crimped and bulbous'' as they
would have been II burned. Accordingly he
gave Mre Wilson certificate setting forth
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-02-10

that the tip of Evelyn's tail had been snged
and not cut.
Meanwhile Mr.. Mason has published an
account of the show in his journal, in which
he stated that the cat had been DISQUALIFIED
for alleged trimming of the tail and that
the committee, after listening to Mrs. Will
sons explanation, decided to uphold Mr.. !
Mason's disqualification" This. 1t was con-
tended, was unfair report conveying nj
lbelous insinuation" against Evelyn and
her mistress. The matter was brought be-
fore the National Cat Club subsequently and
that august body exonerated Mrs. Wilson
from the charge of being a cat trimmer
and Evelyn of Arundale from the charge of
having trimmed tail.
Evelyn was exhibited later at a cat show
IN Manchester, where she was judged by a
woman and awarded two first and two Sec
ond prizes. Mr.. Mason was there Judging
another class, but he paid some attention to
Evelyn all the same. Cant you see her
tail has been cut?" he said to Evelyn 8
judge. He was shown the certificate of thel
eminent cat DOCTOR but put II aside with
dfsdain, declaring that he cared nothing for
1t. or for Mrs. Wilson either. Then Mrs.
Wilson decided that the only way to put an
end to Mr.. Masons slanderous aspersions
on her cat was to have Evelyn of Arun-
dale's tail solemnly adjudicated upon by
court of law
1t was a great trial Evelyn herself was
there with her maligned tail and for pur-,
poses of comparison the tale of a defunct
cat was introduced among the exhibits.
Lady Decies was among the witnesses who
appeared on behalf of Mr. Mason. She owns
more prize cats than any other woman in
England, among them being a chinchlla
for which she has refused $500.
Has that cat ever been beaten" she
was asked.
Yes, once; and that was after II had
been rolling on some gravel and had got
some yellow on its coat"
And who was the owner OF the success.
full cat? Was 1t not Mrs. Wilson,"
Really, 1 have quite forgotten" replied
her ladyship.
Which left it to the jury to decide whether
or no her evidence was biased.
Now that the jury has recorded its verdict,
folk will have to be careful what they say
of Evelyn of Arundale's tail.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-02-10

have gone through with one of more SYM
pathetic nature than mine, besides l did
not happen to have loose dollar at the
moment. An interesting thing in connec-
ton with this case is that my client has
not since referred to the incident, although
he has called several times since. I may
have annexed all of the Dash money for
ought he knows.
II have in mind a regular borrower,
who has the city laid out for his purpose.
He has large number Of indulgent friends
whom he touches up in rotation. For in
stance, if you are requested to contribute a
quarter to his relief bureau this week, you
will escape it next week, when 1t will be
my turn to come up. In this way he
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-02-10

manages to get along and the Objectionable
expedient OF going to work is obviated.
The chronic borrower is an interesting
though expensive subject for study.
have in mind one whom friend OF mine
had been handing out to for some months.
Finally he asked the borrower why he all
ways came to him for assistance. The re-
ply was that when he got on his feet and
was In position to settle up he wanted to
pay it all to one person. 1t was much more
convenient, besides 1t was much simpler
bookkeeping. .. r D.,
III You get the reputation of being easy
money 1t soon becomes no!sed abroad and
you will find yourself the mecca of all the
financial cripples in your bailiwick After
you once begin to give up indiscrimina tely.
it is not easy to turn back, and nine times
out of ten your reputation will suffer more
at the hands of the man whom you have
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-02-10

become stoep shouldered in carrying, when
you finally drop him, than il you had re-
fused to be held up in the beginning.
There are times, Of course, when a man
is really worthy of assistance, but there
are so many persons in a chronic state OF
open-handed recipiency to whom continued
help does not benefit. AS President Roose-
welt puts 1.-THE man who demands or SUBJ
mits to be carried is not worth carrying,
and IL you make the experiment you will
find that 1t benefits neither him nor you
Charles Lamb once said that the world
was divided into two classes-those who
borrow and those who lend, and OF the
two he held the borrower in the greater es-
tenn" WILL II. CHANDLER
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-02-10

be in town for few days and will let me
have something on account even II it is
only a fifty.
He couldn't have appeared more radiant
If he had been showing me the real money.
III you don't mind, he continued, L
told him to leave it with you, am so hard
to find. He will probably be in tomorrow
morning. Just give him a receipt, will you?
I think 1 am playing in luck, because /
never expected to see a cent of that coin.
You can just keep a ten spot out of what
he pays and 1 will settle the balance of
our little account later =
Well, must be on the move; be good F;
don't take any counterfeit money. Oh! by
the way, let me have one buck until-no
| take 1t out of what Dash leaves. That will
make eleven for you. Sure thing =,
| "Of course Dash never materalized.S. But
/ it was a good scheme and would probably
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-02-10

istics of a capable ruler he has heretofore
most carefully concealed them. But whether
he turns out puppet or develops unsus-
pected ability will really make little differ
ence 50 far as the destinies Of Persia are
concerned. Though nominally an autocrat,
whose will is supreme law, the shah unless
he be one of those rare master spirits who
with high moral aims combines a powerful
intellect, an innexible will and tireless en-
ergy, can really accomplish very little. And
such q man by his efforts at reforms would
arouse against him such q swarm of un-
scrupulous enemies that the odds are over
whelming he would be assassinated before
he had more than made beginning.
1.-THE priests, or mullahs as they are
called, exercise vastly greater power than
the throne. The administration Of justice
is in their hands. 1t Is supposed to be based
and the Koran and fantastic book called
Shara, which Is more Nike q collection of
proverbs than a code Of laws. In reality 1t
is made a matter Of buying and selling.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-02-10

"a he had to sldestep in order to
= - avoid head-on collision with a
frazzled individual in an advanced
stage of alcoholic stimulation.
There goes a good dollar" said the art
manager, referring to the frazzled indi-
vidual just trailing
How SOP returned the writer, seating
himself on the corner of drawing table.
"A fellow craftsman out of job" said
the art man. I'VE see his like every once
in a while. Sometimes he is all in and
makes a straight touch of it. other times
he Is stranded and needs a boost to get
back to his paper. Whether he ever does
get back, or whether he has paper to get
back to. / don't know, but do know that
up to the present writing he has uniformly
omitted to remit.
But, you will say" continued the art
man, wiping his pen on his hair. that 1t is
hard to turn a man down when he works
the fellow-craft game. for you can never
yourself That you would rather chance
a little piece of money going wrong than
refuse to assist one who may really be
o. X
1.-The artist-toucher has got to be the real
thing now, when he strikes this shop. He
must give the high sign and take the thirty
third degree before he can get away with
anything of ours
Most of the grafters can always put up
a winning line of talk, rattle off list of
papers they have worked for and discuss
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-02-10

| morrow he will be under great obligations.
You just liable TO be gated as. not,
| because the familiar way in viii ii he
! talked of commission 'rake-offs' and quick
turns would lead one to wager that he usu-
| ally had ready money sticking all over
him. 80
"One of this kind hustled in few days
since with great and glorious ground floor
proposition. We let him talk in our deaf
ear while AMI when he discovered that
we were not strong. to invest. he just re-
:nembered that he had an important tele
gram to send. Breezily urging US to think
his golden offer over. he hustled out. But
not for long. He re-entered in the usual
furry. Just discovered that he had no
money. Would we kindly let him have fifty
cents, or better still, a dollar; he promised
to return 1t in an hour or
I'VE told him, which was the truth, that
the books Of the art department at that
moment showed a net surplus of forty
cents and three car tickets. But his motto
evidently was If you can't get what you
want get what You can He was willing to
accept twenty-five cents.
u suppose he figured that if he couldn't
afford a fifty-cent telegram he would send
one for two bits. Lacking the price of
wire to New York ne would compromise on
Alexandria. The chances are that if he
had gotten my quarter it would have found
investment in wireless message over the
counter of the nearest bar. A certain at
mosphere about him suggested such prob
ability.
Your ready borrower is usually man
Of imagination and can weave fanciful
pictures while you wait His tale Is fire.
quently intricate and always ingenious
and would be more convincing if one did
not know that its climax would involve an
application for a temporary loan without
security. AS a rule this type enters with a
smile, sits down in a comfortable chair,
inquiries after your health, says that's
good and follows it UP with the statement
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-02-10

Mussulmans. II they should attempt that
they would be expelled. Their religious ac-
tivities. therefore. are restricted to the Ar
menians and HISTORIANS, who don't count
for much.
THE career Of the late shah Chords a
striking illustration Of the limitations
which conditions In Persia impose on the
exercise of despotic power. He hated his
fathers grand vizier, who was in Office
when he succeeded to the throne, but he
dared not depose him Immediately. After
tolerating him for some til he ventured
to ask for his insignia, which signified that
he was dismissed. The dismissal of a grand
vizier in Persia Is usually accompanied by
an invitation to take drink. The drink
contains poison. This the deposed prime
minister Is expected to swallow and grace
fully retire to another world. where he can
no longer cause any embarrassment to his
royal master.
But the grand vizier had no desire to
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-02-10

that he happened to be in your. neighbor-
hood and just dropped in. At this stage II
you have had experience and your time Is
valuable you will either set your busy day
sign to working or get your small change
ready for it is surely DUE
81 had an experience with party last
week who never by any chance favors this
department with a visit or displays any
interest in regard to our health unless he
Is out of a job which is frequent, or unless
he is suffering some unexpected biff from
the hand of fate, which requires the APP
plication of pecuniary salve to relieve. He
started in with the usual formula and his
next move, according to all presidents.
should have been to hitch his chair closer
to mine as though suddenly inspired and
start in for touch. But this time he got
inside my guard and had me going. His
monologue was something after this man
ner. 1859
,:.'oh, by, the way! You remember Dash,
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-02-10

The verdict generally goes to the party
to suit who can pay the highest price for
it. To such an extent is this iniquitous
system carried that in some districts the
ton of their own to which they can appeal
to settle their. disputes without subjecting
themselves to blackmail. -.
The head of the church in Persia is the
Moujehid of Kerbea, a town near Bagdad
in Turkey. This man yields far greater
power than the occupant of the gorgeous
palace in Teheran. His orders meet with
quarters where those of the shah would
command scart1 respect. And as he lives
in Turkish territory the shah cannot get
hold of him to exercise upon him any of
those persuasive arts in which orientals
are adopts.
X
much has been heard of the reforms that
are to be accomplished by means of the
Persian duma. The new shah has declared
himself favorable to it's projected reforms
and has announced that he would not dis
miss 1t for two years. But I have little faith
that anything of real benefit to Persia VIII
come from 1t SO long as it Is in the hands
of the mullahs, who are themselves the
greatest obstacles in the land to sweeping
reforms. AS we'll might one expect the
wolves that prey a sheepfold to give up
eating mutton as to expect the mullahs to
do anything that would weaken their grip
on the people. Despite the fact that great
freedom is allowed missionaries in Persia,
and Americans have missionary schools in
Teheran itself, there is .Scant prospect of
enlightening the people by spreading Christ
ianity among them. The missionaries are
tolerated only on the understanding that
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-02-10

stranger, who kindly consents to let you
in on some scheme of more or less ques-.
tionable nature. He is the bog who wants
to put you onto good thing whereby you
can pull down maximum profit on mini
mum investment. When he finds that You
have already invested in as much of his
line of wares as you can conveniently ham
die, he just remembers that he has an en-
gageEo Mt to meet "A party at the other end
of town on a matter involving some Imply
thousand dollars or more. He glalces at
his watch, snaps it back into his pocket
and makes for the exit.
I'm a minute he is back covered with
confusion. 1t is most annoying. but he
finds that he has left his carfare in his
other clothes. and If you will accommodate
him to the extent of q quarter until the
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-02-10
Strictly Business.
From the Chicago Tribune.

From the Chicago Tribune.
"The graspin'est man ever knowed." said
Uncle Jerry PEBBLES, was an old chap
named Snoopins. Somebody told him once
that when he breathed he took in oxygen
and gave out carbon. He spent a whole
day tryin' to find out which of them two
gases cost the most IL you have to buy 'em.
He wanted to know whether he was maxim
or losin' money when he breathod."
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-02-10

who used to keep bucket shop on III
street? Without waiting for reply. Met
him on the street yesterday-looking fine
You know he borrowed $500 from me two
days before he went up. Il did not know
but that made no difference). He is in New
York now all to the mustard, says he will
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-02-10

language, and not at all the sort Of man
to adopt firm policy and WELD his power
with a strong hand for the benefit of his
country. He used to be completely sub
servient to Russian influence, and his son,
who Is the Persian minister at st. Peters
burg, was educated in Russia. But now
that Russia counts for so much less in the
political game. as played in Persia he has
probably this furnished further proof
Of his capacity to adapt himself to changed
conditions. ] have little doubt that he will
be able to hold his office under the new
shah, as will most of the members of the
cabinet.
There are some able men among them,
notably the minister of finance. Nasr Ell
Moulk, who was educated at Oxford and
and when Persian takes office, whatever
his training, his first consideration is usual
ly his own purse.
THAT is generally a shahs failing, too, as
has been well exemplified in the late shah S
reign. He used up big share of Russian
loan on his own household expenses and to
defray the cost of his European tours. His
extravagances has sadly depleted the great
horde of jewels and other treasures which
were stored in the palace when he became
the king of Kings. The new shah will
have such means Of raising the wind.
The Peacock Throne, which is literally stud
ded with precious stones and is estimated
to be worth several millions of pounds
would suffice to keep him going for many
years, but even a shah would not dare to
loot this most priced I the royal heirooms
of Persia E. Isle SMELL.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-02-10

to minimize far possible all risks of
struggle taking place for the throne that
the shah summoned the crown prince to
Teheran when he found that his end was
approaching.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-02-10
"SHADOW OF GOD ON EARTH
IS REALLY A ROYAL PUPPET

Copyright in the United States and Great Britain
by Curtis Brown. All rights strictly reserved)
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-02-10

n S the writer entered the passage
~ way leading to the art department
- he had to sdestep in order to
L ~ avoid a head-on collision with a
frazzled individual In an advanced
New-York tribune., 1907-06-17
TWO BILLION NEW TREES
P'ttsbarg 4gitates Scheme to Pre-
rent Recurrence OF Floods.

PlttsburG, June 16--Cnder the direction of tke:
Plttsburs Chamber Of Commerce, a movement
Is on loot here TO have the city, state and ma
uonal government take up the formidable task
OF relieving Western Pennsylvania. especially
this city, of the annual inundations from the
rivers in this neiShbOrhood.
The great flood of March this YEAR has
aroused lively interest in the project. The plaa
or the chamber is to plant trees on the water
sheds at the head waters. and rear immense for-
ests which will utilize large quantities of mols-
ture and prevent sudden thaws of vast areas of
snow. Millions of dollars Will be required 10
carry out the work. and a campaign will be be-
gun TO arouse interest and obtain the necessary
funds. UnOftiCially. it is announced by special
lists on rivers that at least 100000 10000 trees
must be planted The scheme entails an i'm
mense amount of labor. and even then will not
accomplish any material good for at least ff-
teen years, according to the experts. The COM
bined basins of the Monongahela and Allegheny
rivers cover nearly 10000 square miles in West
ern Pennsylvania West Virginia, Western New
York and Maryland.
During the last session of Congress So. 600
was appropriated to make the initial experiment
under the auspices of the forestry bureau Secre-
tary Wilson of the Department of Agriculture
has commissioned William l.. Hail. in charge Of
the Appalachian Mountain Forest Reserve. to
investigate the matter and report on the feast
bility of the experiment.
New-York tribune., 1907-06-17
DIR. M'L4URIN RESIGNS.
Strife in 10Th Street Baptist Church
1T In End.

The prolonged strife in the 10th Street Bap-
tist Church, il announced yesterday, is ut
an end. The Rev. DR.. Archibald McI.aurin, the
pastor. has resigned and the congregation has
a younger minister trial for the summer who
may be called in the fall The church was COM
fOrtably filled at all the services yesterday
about ten OF the old members who were ex-
PEELED in the heat of the controversy being
among the congregation.
1t was hinted yesterday that all those ex-
PEELED might be reinstated. DR.. AIcLaurin re-
signed voluntarily, but only, il was said. after
it became evident that the congregation was
steadily dwindling away.
In 1905 charges of misconduct were preferred
against the pastor. but We're not substantiatcd
and both the board of deacons and tie PerTna-
nent Council of the Baptist Church through Il
committee headed by the Rev Dr. MaCArthur
eXonerated him. The church retaliated by e2,-
peilinS those who made the charges In the
e course OF the quarrel 1t brought out that
Dr. McLaulin had some domestic trouble also