The Washington herald., 1908-07-16

| According 10 the traditions OF a coun-
/ try known as the United States Of Amer
ica, freedom IS sweet. and according 10
various alleged nature takers. freedom is
/ as sweet to a cat as 70 a man
! Minnie agrees with the nature fax
/ ers. and as Minnie is a cat. she should
know She has had an abundance OF
I time IN which TO taste the bitters Of
servitude, and could she talk. she would
say that the sweets OF freedom make a
delightful contrast
For nine long, cruel years Minnie has
been in bondage, but her emancipation
proclamation was signed when the law
went into effect TO muzzle all dogs in
the streets OF Washington.
Minnie's masters-for she had not one
but many-were cruel. overbearing. and
inhuman to an extent that would have
made one Simon Legree. whose deeds
have thrilled melodrama audiences for
half century. blush with shame for
his lack Of knowledge OF the proper and
most soul-rending methods OF torture
Was Slave of Fish wharf.
During the aforementioned nine Year,
every dog. OF rather every cur and
A--@--5- - MAAtSE AAatLAaA Is hlEF1n as the
fish wharf. had used every method known
among lower class CANNES 70 make Min
ME miserable, and when It Is known
these same ours and ulongreIs 1--we By
their dog wits. therefore possessing more
than ordinary intelligence. some idea
may be gained Of the extreme way IN
which Minnie suffered
Then came the law whereby every
lgood-for-something. good-for-nothfng. OF
caJ-killing dog was muzzled And with
The adoption Of muZzies as a canine
fashion their teeth were rendered prac-
ucalIy useless, at least in the pursuit Of
their hereditary prey. the feline tribe.
Minnie learned this about five seconds
after she spied the first dog she had
seen wearing a muzzIe He was a large
yellow dog. and vicious, having IN his
veins bulldog blood
Seeing Minnie. Spike. the yellow cr,r
IN accordance with a custom OF years
standing. made a rush for the cat. Ac-
cordlng 10 custom. Minnie should have
made a hole in the atmosphere BY bolt
ing. leaving q little trail OF fire behind
here where her rapid exit burned the air
but Minnie, being possessed OF q certain
amount OF curiosity. waited. and ran the
risk % being maUled n the desire to
learn about the funny-looklng straps
about the dogs mouth
Minnie stands Her Ground.
Minnie waited The dog came on and
as he ran toward the cat her back rose
her tai assumed a perpendicular posf- I
ton. and grew large. snd the hair On I
her back and neck stood upright. She
was picture OF fury incarnate- On
came Spike and as he rushed Minnie 4
grew more angry.
When the dog was ten feet away Min
lie ieaped straight upward. her paws
extended and ready for action.
AS the dog passed beneath. Minnie
anne down twenty claws digging into
he hide OF the yellow dog. Snil-a's
momentum carried him some distance
md before he could stop Minnie had
Used her opportunity to the best sdvsu-
age Spike, barking. howling. and
sFoWling al one and the same time. Law
loWn and rolled over. disl0dging Minnie.
! ne cat should have run trusting 10 her
limbleness TO elude the big. clumsy dog
'ut her fighting blood. dormant nine
-ears- had ar last been stirred. and II vs.
10 OF uie now She rushed Spike before
le understood what was happening. Dur
Hg the meIee Minnie fully. expected IN ba I
'itten in two pieces by the large rows of
seth in the dogs mouth. but the EXPECT
d did not happen
MTzzle Handicaps spike.
Spikes mUzzie was new and strong. and
spite Of his desperate efforts. il held
rs closed Jaws together. Cessaing cour-
&c as the fight went on. Minnie renewed
er efforts. and soon Spike beat q ha-ytv
etreat leaving the field TO the cat He
tarted. but Minnie landed on his back
.ith al fours and ciuug. clawing and J
itlng- Spike hOwled with raEe and pafn-
nd increased his speed. but Minnie held (
n until far away from the field OF hat
-e and then shs jumped lightly TO the
round and was up tree before Spike
Missed her weight on his back
Minnie returned 10 the fish wharf. and !
hat same day vsnQUished three other !
ogs who tried TO disturb her peace Since
hen she has beaten every dog on the :
MARI, and to-day she IS free. free as anv
IL that ever caught a rat, and as happy Y
the felines who were vvorshiped and } ,
onored by the ancient Egyptians.
And now Minnie wonders II the dogs 7
III always be muzzled. :