The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1909-12-16
FED $1,000 CATS
AT HER BREAD LINE
Strange Procession Founded ut Md
night Is Cnder Absolute Ten
troll of Its Patron.

NEW YORK.-"The bread line for
cats" is what they call the unostenta-
tious charity that for twelve years
has been conducted within half mile
of that other bread line-the one that
spells pity, suffering and heartbreaks.
Miss Anne D. Butler who came to
New York from Utica and who has
been a resident of Manhattan for rs
years, is responsible for the cat bread
line. She has a kindly face, with rosy
cheeks, that would be envied by young
women many years her junior. She
has a natural, welcoming smile and a
ture and refinement. A woman of rare
good breeding, she has devoted much
time to music and art, and now occu-
pies almost her entire time with art.
How did l come to start bread
line for cats? Well, it was queer"
replied Miss Butler, when questioned
at her home, No. A West Twenty-sec
ond street, the scene of the bread line.
Il never had been fond of cats until
one morning l awoke and found cud
died up at the foot of my bed tiny
black kitten.
Neither my sister nor myself cared
for cats. We were going to put the
little stranger out, but the weather
was wintry and the waif Struggled up
so close to me and was so playful and
affectionate that | couldn't call myself
human if l turned the poor thing into
the street.
I'VE lived across the street then
and there were countless rats and mice
in the building. The kitten seemed to
know Immediately that they annoyed
us and set to work to exterminate
them. Then it become a case of hav-
ing rats Or cat, and we chose the lat
ter. That was eighteen years ago.
Ever since then l have been a lover
of CATS"
Her First Cat.
By the time Miss Buffers first cat
was six years old her interest in cats
had increased wonderfully. 1t was
then that the cat bread line was
started.
Il used to go downstairs every
night" she said, land feed two or
three stray cats that had gathered on
i the sidewalk. That was always early
in the evening. AS I continued the
practice, more cats came and noticed
that If l wanted to feed all the hun
cry ones l would have to wait until
late at night. I went a little later
each succeeding night, until now the
hour is midnight"
Asked to estimate how many cats
she had fed in the course of twelve
| years in which the cat bread line had
been in existence, Miss Butler de-
clared the task too much. Taking as
an average twenty cats a night, the
total number in the cat bread line for
the twelve years would be $1,000.
The assembling of the cat bread line
is not one whit different from that
procession Of unfortunate humans just
| eleven blocks to the south. There Ia
no great dash when the clock an
nounces midnight. If the kind-heart-
ed woman who feeds these nocturnal
wanderers comes down to the stree,
early in the evening they rush for
ward eagerly, but orderly, to greet
her. But they raise no outcry. A
word from her and back they go to
the shelter OF a store door or to the
dark passages. But at midnight all
are again near their protectors home
The bread line for cats never has
been disappointed. 1t never has known
any other benefactor than the one who
established it. No other hand has
ever handed out the welcome food
In summers sitting heat, in springs
balmy nights, in the heaviest rains, in
thunder and lightning, in the sleet and
snow of the clustering Eastern winter
Miss Butler has gone into the stree,
and given warm food and gentle
strokes and kind words to the I'm.
fortunates from whom no words OF
gratitude or thanks ever come.
Often Miss Butler has been obliged
to go to the mail box, almost a bloch
away, early in the morning to post ar
important city letter. On such occa
siens she is sure to have an escor
of cats who assemble almost as Il
by magic, even though it be only {
half hour after they have been fed
home the cats disappear as Quickly,
and mysteriously as they came.
A Rare Study.
The cat line itself is a rare study
AT the call of Miss Butler the cat,
assemble and, with heads lifted. the,
wait patiently until she has CAREFUL,
arranged their table cloth. which Il
always clean newspaper. Next Dor
tons OF warm. carefully prepared
fresh meat are placed on the table
which is, of course, the sidewalk
One word from Miss Butler and tn.
bread line is in motion. There are n,
subdivisions of this army into Red,
and Blues. No plans of attack ar,
drawn by leaders. but. instead, there
Is an immediate, concerted mass for
nation, and with solid front the at
tack is made or the base of supplies
At first there was some sharing