Bryan morning eagle. [volume] (Bryan, Tex.) 1898-1909, 1907-04-20
STORIES OF THE CAT.
Lspends and Facts About the Still BIS
Half Tanned Animal.

Halt Tanned Animal.
There are few tales W -at fidelity
and many Of dog. yet o.. thinks NJ
worse OF tho cat for this" says an Oh.
server. Ills very independence com
pcls respect. He walks by his Wild
lone. waving his wild tail. through the
wild woods rs an inspired modern
writer has set forth. All the genera
tons have not served 10 tame him.
and the most domestic of the race viii
revert sooner 10 wild llfe at the call
OF the blood than any other friend 81
man. II Is thus scarcely surprising u
find that the most famous eat lovers
have been drawn from the ranks OF
politicians and poets. those whom rea-
sons of state o. sensitive temporal
ment have rendered averse from trust.
Ing their fellow creatures and who coli
seauently bestow all their affections
upon the 'ilreslde sphinx We are IN
vlted 10 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
10 buy and sell at prolt-and that the
great merchant made pet only OF hls
merchandise from the very beginning.
Thus In later years do the idols Of oui
youth topplc about our heads.
But other lcgends-nay. facts-are
left us. Cardinal wolsey. for Instance,
when acting in his official capacity o.
lord chancellor is said 10 have had hi
favorite cat always seated beside hlni,
and another prince OF the church. Rich
ellen. found his only relaxation Ia
keeping a number OF kittens In his phi
yate cabinet and watching their gam
bols during his spare moments. We
cannot really reckon Rlchclieu rs a
true lover OF the race. however. for d.
rectly the kittens grew 20 three months
he had them sent away and replaced
by others. Lord Chesterfield left In his
will life pensions TO his favorite cais
and their kittens. Victor Hugo's great
eat Chanolne always sat ON n large red
ottoman In the center OF his salon anl
received his guests In state. showing
marked dlsplcasurc II any one fallel
20 caress or praise her.
'Tasso wrote sonnet 60 his favoritc
cat. and Petrarch hid one he loved "a
dearly, we are told. as Laura. No
doubt she was the coniidant OF many
OF his trials and consolcd him for much
OF the fair lady's dlsdain. and when
pussy died the poet had her embalmed
In the Egyptian fashion and carried hcr
mummy about with him everywhere.
Baudelairc. the French poet. a very
shy man. was always III at ease In any
new house he entered until the family
cat was brought up and introduced q
him. after which. with the cat ON his
knee. he was perfectly happy In his
silent poet fashion.
Traditions respecting cats are. Of
course. legion. From time immemorlal
they have been regarded rs somewhat
uncanny. omens OF veal or woe. belns
TO be either concllinted OF crushed.
The eat worship OF ancient Egypt and
later. the Roman creed that the eat
was sacred 20 Diana speak OF the Que;
the wild charges OF witchcraft - or
concern In it-rife during the dark
ages OF Europe will attest the latter.
But there is another popular belief de-
serving also OF mention. that which
sets forth the old maid as the cats
only friend. n legend arising In the
medieval nuuncrics overrun with
mice. where one or more cats were
always keptend were no doubt much
petted by thu good nuns" = Chicago
News.