Evening star., 1915-06-26
SMALL CAT IN A TREE
ENTERTA|NS PASSERSBy
Owner Gets Many Suggestions to
Free Feline From It's Peril
GUS Perch.
Summer Day Idyl of Franklin Park
Draws Crowd of Curious Until
Man With Idea Happens Along.


kitten, to be exact, of the Maltese
variety.
He was sitting out on a limb about
ten feet above the path. \ man with a
long curtain pole was urging the small
feline to climb down the rod and once
more come back to those who loved
him. But the cat refused to bulge. He
| had been up there ever since Wednes-
day night. and he wasn't to be enticed
down by any man. no matter now NICE
a shoot-the-shoot curtain pole was pro-
vided for a swift descent.
The crowd was having a very nice
time, enjoying itself Immensely. Wom-
en- sat on the benches, while men OF all
ages and colors stood around in groups
and offered suggestions as to the best
ways of getting cats out OF trees. 1he
park policeman was also there
Clung to Limb Tenaciously.
How did he get up there asked
one spectator of the man with the cur
| tain pole.
He was chasing BIRDS, came the in
formation.
We'll, he seems to be enjoying him
self. Why don't you let him stay up
| there?"
| Hes been up there ever since yes
|
| pole volunteered.
| And he won't come down." asked
| the queStioner.
! The owner of the cat-for such the
man with the pole proved to be-look-
ed very much disguised.
! "Oh, yes, he'll come down-next
Christmas.
| With which sentiment all seemed to
agree. including the cat. He was a lit
tie bit of a fellow, with bright eyes
| looking out over his large mustaches.
! He clung to the limb most resolutely,
disdaining to even so much as glance
| at the curtain pole which was Seduc-
lively placed for him to slide down:
There he sat on the limb. where he had
sat all night, musins, no doubt, on the
| ease with which birds may be chased
lup tree, and upon the va2aries of
| life which render the descent a SEEM
ingly impossible thing.
| The constantly growing audience
seemed absolutely unable to fathom
the kinks in "a cats brain: The spec
tators of the cats tragic fate likewise
seemed unable to help the man with
the pole. No one volunteered to climb
the tree and bring the kitten down.
All they did was to offer suggestions.
Hears Suggestions Galore.
"Throw turpentine on him." suggest
ed one.
Smear the pole with cream and set
the foot of it in saucer OF milk,
! offered another
! Get the hook commanded one
youthful spectator.
| Let him stay heartlessly suggest
| ed a mddle-aged man He can come
down when he wants to.
| II beg your pardon, sir. spoke up
another middle-ag ged man standing
close by. He cannot.
! "Why can't he?' bristled the first
| middle-aged man.
! That limb sticking straight up is in
| the way
How do You know: You haven't
been up there, have you"" retorted
| the first speaker.
! No l haven't. but l spent all this
morning trying to get him to come
down. and l know he can't get around
| that limb
| Which settled the matter, OF course
| The cat couldn't get around the limb.
| AS for the cat himself, he wouldn't
| go around the limb. no matter how
he got out on the limb on which he
| was. and so that did settle the matter.
| The owner of the recalcitrant animal
| again proffered the curtain pole, Sc
ductiveyy juggling it to and fro be-
meath it's nose, saying the while:
kitty, kitty, come on down. now.
| But kitty, looking wildly around in
the leaves. seemed to say:
why. l never climbed down cur
tain pole in all my life, SO there
Man of the Hour Arrives.
At this juncture the Won Hndenberg
of the situation arrived upon the
scene. He surveyed the cat, the man
with the pole. the crowd; then he
| looked at the cat once more.
III tell you how to get him down,
he said.
ri of
with the pole and all the spectators
was Immediately fastened upon the
new arrival
down." asked the man with the pole.
incredulously. even bit scornfully.
Yes" came the calm response. Al
least, it will be worth trying: You
say YOU have been coaNing him to
and here it is the close of another
nerfect day. and he is still there.
In confirmation of d fact evident to
all. the cat mee-owed vigorously.
The man with the pole leaned Tor
"Well, what shall ! do?" he asked,
hopefully. 49,,
direction.
Pole Work Is Effective.
The man looked at his pole. then he
looked at MS cat l Eeii iS S'ai 'eo "
punch. Amid the cheers of the crowd
and the heartfelt .'mea-ows" of the
kitten. the man punched vigorously.
Sometimes he would raise the kitten
clear up in the air. but the little feline
would cling TO the limb with all four
feet. his back bowed into the air.
The more the man punched the cat,
the angrier the kitten got. 1t began
TO get real mad. 1t spit like regular
cat But it began to move Inch by
inch the man poked it along the limb.
With tremendous effort he polSed it
around the outstanding limb.
The crowd cheered.
..-rhought you said he couldn't get
around that limb" asked one elderly
gentleman of another.
The pole was doing terrible execu-
tion now.
Wielder Showed No Mercy.
It's wielder showed no mercy. The
more the kitten spat and mee-owad,
the more he punched it. He poked it,
he punched it, he jabbed it, he prod
ded it, At every poke, at every jab,
at every punch. at every prod, the kit
ron moved toward the trunk of the
tree. When it reached there the spec
Itators held their breath
Would it climb on up?
"punch it," yelled the originator of
the successful scheme. The man with
the mole punched, and with the final
thrust all four legs of the kitten
swung free. Then it was all over,
Except the shouting.
The man gathered the kitten up, and