Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1910-05-02
SOME SPOTTED CATS.
murphy Tells Why Roosevelt Didn,
Get Many Of Them.

was reading the list of Teddy;
shoo's. said Murphy, the "cat ma nj
of the Big Show. and | noticed tba
it was long on cheetahs, hut short III
leopards. Ought to be the other war
Leopards are pests and cheetab,
should be encouraged I don't tbinl
it's right 10 shoot cheetahs at all"
well. suppose it's different h,
Africa" said Turner. the assistant ele.
plant trainer. In Asia cheetab.
count just the same as house dosx
but in Africa they run wild. and 4
presume are nnisances. Still, | rssa
in Roosevelt's articles that the ches
tabs Kermit killed-Kermit was ~
fetal cheetah soaker-never even tria,
10 fight, but fiattened ont on IN.
ground and waited to be shot. Whar.
The use of killing that sort of animal..
"Cheetahs." resumed Murphy "a,.
the freakiest beasts in the whole crea.
ton. A cheetah has the shape Of !,
dog, the head of a cat. the skin of =,
! LEOPARD and the soul of erevhouns
I'd just as soon take the big chesab
out of yonder cage and let him sa.D
across the foot Of my bed as | womb
my pet bullpup. Look here."
Murphy walked over to cage wbse
a strangely formed animal, mounts,
on silt legs. but with black and val.
low spotted fur, was pacing I'D and
down. He spoke to the beast and III.
| cheetah came to the bars Ii 70.
ceived Murphy's caresses with evidep,
delight and even shook hands like
sociable st. Bernard.
ANY cheetah," said Murphy lis ths,
way Why kin them"
| I've seen them made very useful in
Persia and India" remarked Turner
Every prince has a lot of them
trained both as watchdOgs and 70,
hunting. They can run down dee,
and they never try to get away-na
more than so many house cats. Auy
time the Big Show gets tired of hsy.
ing this fellow around III take him
nome with me for a pet"
"Leopards, though said Murpbv
ARE tough proposition Do yOu
know that leopard has more brains
tldH any Tiger!
Sure Turner replied. and vet al
leopard mixes nerve and daring with
his thinking.
When ] was in East Africa thre,
years ago the natives would get wild.
~ excited about lion, but news of al
leopard would make them do some tall
hustling to protect their live stock. Al
lion can be bMffed and fooled Yw|
can't bluff a leopard and you can't
outguess him. Put 4 fence around
your cattle and lion won't try to gs
through or jump it, unless he can first
look inside from higher ground. Al
leopard will simply go over your fenc|
without even stopping to rubber at n
Foolish? No. He knows perfecly|
we'll that you won't have any traps in'|
side for fear of hurting your cattle
An Englishman who ranches neal
Nairobi told me about the brain wot|
of a leopard. He had been bothere
by one, nervy fellow. who stot|
calves and chickens, and he took a
couple of shots at Mr.. Spots, but miss
ed him. One night, as he was read.
ing, something raped on the windOE
He thought it was the wind. and paid
no attention. Again the rappins
quite loud and impatient this time. He
says he doesn't know what promptet
him, but, instead of going to the win
dow, he went to the door and looked
out on the veranda There under k
window sat the leopard. waiting fa|
him to put his head out in answer .
the Notwithstanding to hit the head
the instant it appeared. HOw's thaI
for the thinking powers of an ami
mal?"
Il can fully believe it," said Mnrpng
No wonder Roosevelt didn't get may
of them. New York Telegraph