The Republican journal., 1915-10-21
Fritz-The COOn-Cat.

What | remember best about dear lit.
tie Fritz was his beauty, and that he
came as a tiny kitten, with his grey
brother. from an island near Camden,
where his kind were known as "coon-
CATS" This was popular fallacy, how
ever, as 1t Is we'll known the coon and the
cat do not interbreed.
The truth of the matter is that the
State of Maine, U. S. A., in the old DAYS
was great shipping centre, and her sea-
captains sailed away to all the known
parts OF the globe, and coming in touch
with Persia and Angora, brought back
with them the silky long haired cats of
those countries. These and their descen-
oantS hecame the popular breed, ana the
common or garden" variety soon
disappeared almost entirely. and when
found were considered rarity!
Fritz was beautiful yellow. with
deeper AM tawnier shades, and with
glorious large eyes of liquid amber. He
grew to an enormous size, and was ex-
tremely fastldious about his personal ap-
pearance. He would spe d the better
part OF an hour over his morning toilet.
until 1t almost seemed as if each indivi.
oual hair had received appropriate at
Ientlon. lie was very intelligent, too,
he would open any door in the house by
lifting the latch with his paw. An ex-
cellent mouser also. At the swapping of
my fingers he would leap from the
ground on to my shoulder.
But alas and alack! naughty little Fritz
had one cherished and besetting sin. He
would catch the tiny fluffy chickens and
KIN them tor the mere pleasure of it,.
Many times when playing crounet the
game would be suddenly Interrupted by
the meteor like passage of Fritz with a
small yellow chicken in his mouth.
we tried everything to cure him of
this disastrous habit. We even tied a
wee dead chicken around his neck for a
whole day, thinking to either terrify or
shame him. Not bit of it! AS soon as
he was released he celebrated the oc-
caslon by actually killing about half a
dozen more!
This naturally could not continue, de-
spite my sobs and protestations. We
locked the delinquent in room by him
self, and he was taken out to walk igno-
mlnlously on a chain. A single minute
OF lnattentlon and there were few
chickens less at Lelgraden Farm!
The edlct for his death went forth.
Then, at my wits end, l appealed by
telegram to my lifelong poet-friend in
Auburndale. She had just published her
buoyant, brilliant volume of verse, "Songs
at the Start, and all literary Boston as
singing her praise. She found time,
nevertheless, to wire me the consoling
reply:
"Send me Fritz.-LoUIsE IMoGEN
Quincy"
The horses were ordered, Fritz was
duly Grated, and carried on the knees Of
his heart broken little mistress to the
railroad station ten miles away. There,
with many last sad pats and shower OF
kisses, dear little Fritz went out a new
| world.
He was subsequently given to Mr.
Fred Day, the well-known American
artist, who loved and cherished him t.
the end OF his days. Strange to say, he
never again showed the slightest DISPOSE
ton to even look at chicken!
He was funny little fellow, and usec
to walk with Fred Days old nurse to hel
Baptist chapel-meeting each Friday
evening, play the fields at Norwood
until she came out, and then escort he
home.
One happy day his photograph wa
| sent me, with his new name written il
full across the back, ''Fritz Quincy Day.
What stab of jealousy experience,
that l, who knew and loved him the frs
was not even remembered in his changed
surroundings. 1t was all part of tn
discipline of life; and wherever animal
were concerned it was the more poignan
to me.
He looked so plump, so sleek, so selfsat
listed, could, after all, only be Thankful
that he had Jared SO we'll, and that hi
"lot had indeed fallen in pleasant places.
He was simply adored in his new home
i He lived to be over fourteen. When h
died mis-. m aster and mistress'grieved yer
much, and said they could never find hi
like again.
Who among us could have bette
epitaph?
! GRACE C. D. FAvRE
in The Animals Friend, London.