The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-11-01
EVENING CHAT
BY RUTH CAMERON.

We have family cat. She is an ex-
tremely gentle little ball of silver grey
fur with benevolent yelloweyes. Such
is the amiability of her disposition that
we call her Sweetness" Like the cat
of washing powder fame, ''she has new
er scratched yet
That doesn't sound particularly
alarming, does it?
And yet this inoffensive creature was
the cause of a tremendous scene yes
terday afternoon.
A visiting lady with a sturd'- little
boy of 5 or 6 years old was in the
living room with me when Sweetness
took into her head to stroll in and pay
her respects.
The youngster looked up, caught sight
of the little furry creature strolling
towards him, and with a series of blood
curdling shriekS, which must have con-
WINGED the neighborS we had gone in
sane and started numbering each other.
and leap which by no fault of his
just failed to upset the lamp, landed
in his mothers arms.
1t was sometime before grasped the
situation and left the room with the as
tonished Sweetness.
1t was some time longer before his
mother had ceased to murmur No, no,
the wicked old kitty wouldn't hurt him.
Was he frightened to death of the ter
rible kitty?' and similar courage-1nspir-
ing remarks.
w H0n II was pOSSlDl6 lOT n6T To SET
the boy down she Snioothed out her
dress, Strengthened her hat, and turn
ing to me with the same peculiar pride
with which women tell OF their illness,
explained, Yes, he is frightened to
death of cats. We have to be careful
not to let one get anywhere near him.
Does he inherit it? Oh no-you see,
when he was a baby a big cat jumped
upon him as he was lying in his car
riage and frightened him. and he has
never gotten over it. We have had
such a terrible time with him. Why
once
And for ten minutes the visiting lady
related occasions on which bold feline
had approached too near her unfort-
innate Harry.
During the recital Harry stood beside
her listening proudly and occasionally
prompting her with 'And I had to have
the doctor, didn't I, mamma? And I
tipped the table over, didn't L mann
map
He has never gotten over it," the
visiting lady had said.
OF course not.
Why should he, when he realizes the
pride his fond mother takes in his pc
culiarity?
performs he holds the center of the
stage for the next hour or two?
Why should he, when he is continu-
ally urged on by the fear-stimulating
suggestion of, 1.-THE terrible kitty won't
hurt you,'' and things of that sort?
Why should he, when every premium
is placed on fostering his terror, and
none on overcoming it?
Sensible boy-of course he will al
ways regard the appearance of a cat as
his cue to take the center of the stage
with a war whoop.
I don't criticize him one bit. I think
his course is the inevitable one.
NY only blame is for his mother and
| for any mother who, like her, encour-
ages a child to make fetish of his
/ fear instead of helping him to over
come it
| There are, of course, cases of Unborn
terror which cannot be entirely eradi-
| Gated.
! But such terror surely can be modi-
| fed and as far as possible hidden.
And even of such cases, / am afraid
L am bit apt to feel like the unsym-
| pathetic DR.. johnson when he says:
There is one species of terror which
those who are unwilling to suffer the
reproach of cowardice have wisely dig
nified with the name of 'antipathy.'