The San Francisco call., 1910-12-18

land, horse to carry YOU over couns
try roads, a COW all red and white.
dog 70 follow aheld and cat to sit
comfortably by the fireside-if you pos
sess these and have not contentmeut
YOU do not deserve IT,
In regard Co the animals. I should
like to insist less upon ownership than
upon comradeship. Any one can own
animals. and precious little he will get
out Of it il he thinks only OF that side
As for me and my animals, we live on
terms of equality. or as nearly SO as
they will permit.
MY nearest and dearest are Hector
nfy horse; Sport, my dog, and Marty.
my own prize colt, yet think that frst
place in the annals Of somersthorpc be-
longs to Peter.
Yes. Peter is only a cat" but he pre-
vented our being burned alive. ana he
lost his eight lives in thrilling circum-
stances before foul murder was done,
which removed him from the sphere Of
his numerous adventures.
When Peter saved our lives l prom
ised him that | would save his if the
opportunity ever came my way / kept
my word, but in the end l was not able
to avert fatal disaster. He rests i'm
that great limbo of cats that have met
violent deaths, and for his sake 7 take
off my hat to the whole race of white
cats. | won't say may their tribe in
crease for ii is utterly unnecessary
and. besides. Peter was wise beyond
understanding. Not all white cats are
in his class
He came to us wee fluff of white
Iur, but already strange wisdom lay in
his wonderful eyes. We had expected
him to be a barn cat and comfortable
quarters were provided for him in the
best stable but Peter would have none
OF 1T. Time and again he escaped and
made for the house with loud protesta-
tions Then we shut him up in the
granary over the carriage house but
Peter craWled out OF an upper door to
pulley and there suspended cfied out
violently against his environment.
Fearing he would be dashed to the
ground, and not yet knowing his per-
tinacity in clinging to life. we rescued
him and. in pity. let him take up the
place in the house which he demanded
as his right. Thereafter he a1ways had
his way at Somersthorpe. and we do
not regret It,.
His way was not~that of the ordi-
nary cat He despised milk. Cold
boiled potatoes. he let it be known.
was his favored diet. These he wanted
The cook demonstrated at times but in
the end she always gave in.
Shure | was savin thin pertaties
fer fryin in the mornin'," she would
object when Peter walked to the ice
box and meowed imperativeIy for cold
potatoes
so HE GETS THEM
Meow, meow, meow" Peter would
reply, and threaten to say more.
We'll, thin. take 'em an begone wild
yes. i niver saw sich a catr'
Sometimes there were no cold pota-
toes left over from meal. Would
Peter do without potatoes then or be
put off with something else? Not at
all. Potatoes had to be cooked for
him. Peter descending to the cellar
and watching the complaining cook as
she selected small 'sMurphys" and go
ing back with her 10 the kitchen, where
he. watched them being washed pared
and put on the stove. He sat by with
sage content while they We're boiling,
and afterward, when they lay in the
air cooling to the proper temperature
he constantly kept his eyes on them.
The minute they were ready TO be
eaten he knew IL and insisted upon
having them instantly.
There was no putting him off. Every
member of the family tried it at one
time or another. and the most per-
sistent failed Peter was a masterful
cat.
Having gained the range of the house
he roamed IL at viii and was not 10
be dislodged from any position he saw
fit TO choose. For "A time he elected
to sleep on my bed. | would not have
objected. but 1 did think Il hard that
he would not permit me TO turn over
or to change my position.
Maybe you think | could have done II
in spite Of his objections. Little you
know of the determined character of
Peter. He would claw and sometimes
bite me, never bad enough TO be dan
gcrous, but quite severely enough TO
make me obedient to his desires. IL
threw him off the bed he would spring
back with increased savageness. If i
nut him outside my door a nd lockad A.