The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1909-09-01
WASHINGTON LETTERS
OF INTERESTING FACTS
Poor Tabby Cat Called All Manner Of
Mean Names Because Of Her
Marauding Tendencies.

mouse killer are just few Of the low
down, mean, opprobrious epithets which
a learned scientific expert is now calling
that pet Of childhood and solace Of The
spinsterthe cat.
Tabby comes in for an awful muck
raking in the new year book Of the de
partment OF agriculture. Prof Al II
Fisher, Of the Biological Survey Is tbs
man who destroys those early idols AZ
to the lovely character OF the cat. HI
says the animal is a degenerate--a thiei
IA scoundrel-and oughtn't TO be toll
Grated IN respectable honsehold-oE
40 least not allowed the same liberty
as at present
1T Is safe 10 say that this maraud-
er" (the professor is referring to the
cat when ne uses this mean word)
(which enjoys all the comforts and pro.
lection Of a home, destroys in the ag-
gregate more wild birds and young
poultry than all the native natural enc.
mics combined A cat has been known
20 XIII a whole brood Of chickens in Il
day, feat unequalled by any preda-
ceous animal, with the possible exeep-
t'H W NHt AiAths AhHf an iuuuNtHl
hawk, skunk, owl, and weasel has been
shot for the deeds Of that sleek high.
wayman, the house cat.
"a well known naturalist estimates
that in the New England states alone
100000 birds are destroyed annually
by cats.
"The principal reason given for keep
ing cats are their attractiveness as
house pets, their usefulness as compan-
ions for children and their alleged value
as rat and mouse killers
Alleged mouse kiliers'-think Of
that insinuationi But the professor
does more than just sneer at Tabby's
rodent killing procliyities. lie says fur
ther;
1T is safe to say that few persons
during normal lifetime run across
more than half dozen cats that habit
ually attack rats. Ii has been the com
mon experience OF the writer TO find
premises that were well supplied with
cats oYerrun with rats and mice. In a
certain ranch house in the west be
trapped in his bedroom ~ mice a week,
eight cats had access TO the
place.
Lovers Of the cat should be content
with one, or at The most two. Of these
pets, and should see 10 IL that ontcasts
do not run At large on their premises.
Now that cats are known to carry IN
their fur the germs not only OF ring
worm, but also Of such dreaded diseases
as tuberculosis, diphtheria, scarlet
fever, and smallpox, the presence In the
Of Tabby is not without Its
dangers
Isn't that picture Of malignant
pestiierousness And then, too, think
81 these things Prof Fisher says about
the eat, while reading the pleasant
words, the little congTa tnlations, tho
pats Of encouragement. and the appre-
riative praise be gives to that migrant
ANIMAL the skunk. Here's what the
professor thinks about that smelly
beast.
The skunk Is another chicken thief
which renders important service bY de-
stroying immense numbers Of mice.
grubs, grasshoppers and other noxious
forms. Although il prefers this kind
81 food, ike the opossum il viii eat al
most any animal matter and also at
times certain wild fruits and berries.
It is said to be fond Of eggs and Young
chickens; but the writer has known 4
mother skunk to make her nest and
rear her young IL the inner walls Of
chicken yard and neither egg nor fowl
were molestedn
Probably Il Uncle Tama jim" VIII.
son, who is secretary of agriculture,
hadn't been watching closely. Prof.
Fisher would have aided to this euiogv
81 the skunk the recommendation that
that animal be adopted as household
pei instead Of the disgraced cat. Al
skunk S. 4 household pet, however.
would probably not be without its dam
gers.
Captain Bower. who came home with
the fleet after iourheying around the
world to take charge of the naval
academy at Annapolis. Il trying to.
father prohibition movement ii the
Maryland city X is to be a limited
prohibition movement with the cadets
IN the one side and the liquor buyers
~ the other and Captain Bowyer III the
middle.
AT the present time most 81 the IN
.hHsiasm Is in the middle. The middies
ind pupils Of the naval prep schools are
not called upon for an opinion
ID the matter but they are not To he Id
lored because Of their silence The re-
Ireshment puryeYors have Joined their
forces with the chamber OF commerce
Ion an adjustments Of the question and
The chamber Of commerce has put III
bid for the good eraces Of Captain Bow
yer as 1t Is wen understood that the
naval academy is most Of Annapolis
md they cannot well afford to be with
,ut H.
The problem, as developed N a recent
conference, hinges upon the question
whether or not the mddies and Others
Who are allowed the freedom of the
own now and then shall be allowed to
AIRY home packages. Heaven forbid
hat either Captain Bower Of the OH.
ials Of the Annapolis chamber Of com.
nerce should use this phrase flippantly
% not misinterpfet tt BY packages il
meant, packages, articles of ordinary
merchandise wrapped up in paper and
led with a pink string such as are
landed over the counters at the dry
foods emporiums There are those who
nay shamelessly corrupt the English
mother tongue BY misconstruing this
,hfase, TO mean something Of an entire.
y different naturs something which,
or the sake Of deceney and highmind.
dness, II not to be expressed
But for mevity's sake we may sav
hat Captain Bower, 8 superintendent
# the naval academy, objects To both
,inds Of packages He wants the cham
,er Of commerce Of Annapolis to cooper
tie with the academy authorities IN
traffic in packages Of the /