The Washington herald., 1914-02-21
WOMAN AND THE HOME
WHO'S UIHOAMONG WOMEN
OF BIG ACCOMPLISHMENT?
By MARY B. MuLLETT.

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AZ Greenwich. Conn.,, there Is poln,
OF land running out into Long Island
Sound. II Is densely wooded TO its very
tip. where II suddenly discloses a lovely
| italian villa, as IL a white rose blcomed
AT the end Of a leafy branch.
This Is the Indian Harbor home OF Com
modore L. c. Benedict. friend of Grover
Cleveland and of Richard Watson Glider.
famous as financier and yachtsman:
father-in-law of clifford Harmon (himseif
navigator Of the SKYE and. by the same
token. father Of Mrs. Clifford Harmon.
The Clifford Harmons spend much of
their time at the Indian Harbor estate.
where Mrs. Harmon maintains one of
the largest and most interesting families
on record. To avoid Misunderstanding,
let me hasten to explain that this particu-
lar family consists of cats dogs. monkeys,
goats, parrots. toucans. canaries and other
hotsam and 3etsam Of an animal nature
picked up In various quarters Of the
globe.
Commodore Benedict has two steam
yachts. In one or the other OF these he
and his daughter. Mrs. Harmon. have
cruised the seven seas: or at any rate,
most Of them. When they return from
these voyages, Bridgeport Is their port OF
entry. Now, Bridgeport farther along the
Sound than Indian Harbor, is celebrated
being the fact that 1t is the winter head
quarters of the Barnum and Bailey circus
Greeted with Calm.
For this reason. IL for no other. II would
be the very place for Mrs Harmon to
land. Probably nothing short of a dodo
or an ichthyosaurus would disturb the
composure OF Bridgeport deckhand.
And therefore Mrs Harmon's queer birds
and beasts are greeted with comparative
calm, which is most soothing to their ex-
citable temperaments.
Many Of these cruises have taken Mrs.
Harmon loo miles up the Amazon, and
the yacht on its return is fairly floating
menagerie. All these birds and beasts
find home on the Indian Harbor estate.
where there are aviaries and "monkeries'
in addition to batteries and kennels for
the less exotic creatures.
In the "monkeries'' Mrs Harmon has
many beautiful specimens OF her little
jungle friends. They are fed on choice
fruits and given the most scrupulous care.
They know their mistress perfectly and
run to her the minute she comes into
sight. holding out their arms and pleading
for caresses.
One of her pets Is a curious little South
American animal called a kinkajou. 1t Is
about as large as a monkey and. like that
animal. has a prehensile tail. but the head
and body are unlike the monkeys. II Is
an affectionate little creature-entirely
too much so IL one objects, as most per-
sons would, to having a long tail curled
tightly around ones neck.
No. the average woman probably won't
begrudge Mrs Harmon her kinkajou.
But when IL comes to the cats and dogs
It will be hard to remain entirely free
from envy. In the woods, which make
the point so beautiful and so remote from
the noisy outside world. a new 10000 cat
terry has Just been completed. And here
reside forty or fifty members of the high
est feline aristocracy in the world.
In charge OF them is Mrs F. Y.
Mathis. n recognized expert in the breed
ing and care of cats The cats. for their
part, do a good deal toward their own
support by furnishing supply of kittens
OF high degree Every kitten Is worth at
least SIS; and some of them bring as
much as 500 apiece. Since, as rule.
these little animal sristocrats are difficult
to raise. the position of manager OF the
cattery Is one of considerable response
bility.
All the cats that are old enough to
enter competitions have won prizes. Some
OF them have never known what II Is to
be defeated. There is. for instance.
Champion Petite X. a beautiful cream
colored, yellow-eyed Persian cat, who is
father OF other champions.
As for the kennels they are inhabited
by quite as aristocratic members of dog
dom in the persons Cwould you say per
sons?O OF the West Highland terriers that
have carried of the blue ribbons at re-
cent bench shows.
To speak OF this small menagerie as
family" is not to misrepresent it. For
while its members may not invariably
love one another. there is no doubt that
they are OF one mind when 1t comes to
Mrs. Harmon. 1t is a pretty sight to see
them all, from cats to kinkajou, try to
show their affection for her. each in its
own particular fashion. She has one
in which 4 goat is seen
on its hind legs, its fore feet
planted against her while IT eats out of
her hand. Right beside the goat Is a
bulldog soliciting his mistress attention:
while a helter-skelter OF white Highland
terrier puppies tries frantically to crowd
an inch closer to her. Any lover OF ami
mails cannot help a thrill Of warm ap-
probation that these little creatures have
been surrounded with so much care and
kindness. For all these animals. it must
be noted. are those which gladly respond
TO human companionship and affection.