The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1909-02-03
Pets on Shipboard.

The American sailors had as queer
things on board the battleships at
Annoy, China, as would be seen on
land. But perhaps little boys and girls
would be just as much interested on
board the ships themselves, without
going on shore at all. You would be al
most sure to find some dear little ami
NAL pets on board any ship you might
choose to visit All sailors are fond
of animals, cats or dogs, or goats or
birds, or any kind of a living creature
at all, and almost all ships have GER
tain little animals which are the COM
rades of the sailor folk. They are
mascots, loved and petted and
scratched and fed by all their shipload
of admirers.
But the sailors on board the round
the world feet" or those ships which
are making the trip to foreign coun-
tries at the present time, have really
more than their share of pets, and the
little creatures which call the sea
their home are having, In their own
way, just as good a time as their two
legged friends, the sailors.
On each one of the ships you would
find at least one real live Teddy bear
"a little, soft-eyed, wise-faced little
creature, which is being trained to be
as gentle as a kitten. All the same,
they are real bears, those dear little
pets, and some day will be big Bruins
to make small visitors to the ships
afraid. But just now the sailors are
enjoying themselves by training the
baby bears, which were presented to
them at Seattle. What the bears have
jolly comrades has not been heard
yet, but perhaps when the fleet comes
back to American waters again some
body will make a book telling Of the
things those bears did and what they
say and all the tricks they learned
during their voyages.
Cats are always liked on ships. Per-
haps that Is because there are some
times rats and mice on the big boats
and the kitties help to keep them
away. Dogs are just as much beloved
on sea as they are on land and many
sailor has faithful friend in the
ship'sf dog. Parrots, especially on
ships which sail the southern seas,
are seen quite often. These birds
probably give the sailors more fun
than any other kind Of pet, for the
talking parrots seem to have gift
for adopting the curious language of
the sailors. Why 1t Is that sailors are
more given to using bad language
than other folks, when they have the
broad blue seas and the wide blue
skies to keep their minds clean and
fresh, it would be hard to say, but
parrots which come to port after a
long voyage with sailors for compan-
ions almost always have acquired the
habit of swearing at all times and In
all places.
Monkeys are almost too delicate to
stand the ocean life Besides, they
are subject to seasickness, which
would naturally spoil their own pleas
ure and that of their friends, who
would certainly not like to see the
poor creatures suffer. However, II
is said that a seasick monkey Is rath
er funny sight, and no matter how
much you may sympathize with its suf
ferings you cannot help laughing al
the spectacle which it presents. Goats
are often taken as sailor pets, but
these creatures have another value
than merely that of providing pleas
ure for the sailors during the LONG
trips at sea. For goats milk is
nourishing and wholesome, and some
people think it is very, very delicious
You know. in some countries it is USED
altogether, and goats are pastured
just as cows are here. In Switzerland
travellers often come upon herds o.
goats, and down in Italy little herds
of goats are driven through the street:
every day, supplying milk. So yor
see, when goats are taken as pets
on shipboard they are also valuable
for giving milk when the sailormer
are far away from the millkman' S
route. e.-Newark Call.