Evening star., 1924-07-09
THIS AND THAT.
BY C. f. TRACEWELL.

The dogs in our block belong in the
category of things that are a. joy
forever, IL one may be forgiven for
using word containing the combf-
hatlon cat" when speaking about
their eternal enemies.
feggy, Sammy, Vicious and Jo-
sephine are as much residents out our
way as the people at whose homes
they 1--we. Then there are any NUNS
Der of dogs that come along the side
walk and roam down the alley.
Dogs have such keen interest in
NE and exemplify optimism at it's
| pest without any ranting or bunk
| so that to be with them and have
them around is one of the true joys
of everyday living.
=, Ihose who think otherwise are
those unfortunate souls that have
other reason fail to appreciate properly
these four-legged friends Of man.
1t was Maeterlinck who wrote a
classic tribute to Our Friend the
Dog, as before him Senator Vest
made a great plea for the canine. one
that lives to this day in the memory
Of men.
Out our way four dogs, steady resi-
dents, recall the dogs place in the
affections of man, and sometimes
bring forth silent curses at the beasts
nabit of barking in the middle of the
night. But. all the same, dogs are
dogs, as men are men, and cats are
cats, and TO have dog neighborhoods
one must be willing to put up with a
few of their idiosyncracies At that.
no barking dog can make as much
noise as late leaver at q party who
insists on discoursing on the universe
at 2 am.
Peggy is a Boston bull whose chief
| occupation in life is chasing cats
Sturdy legged, with rs upstand-
ing. Peg patiently waits behind the
screen door until an unwary cat
prowls across the yard.
Then, with spring, she butts the
door open, leaps down the back steps,
and careenS after the cat The latter
sensing long before the screen door
banged open, that something radically
was wrong, by this time is streaking
it for the fence
The dog always imagines undoubt-
edly that she is going to catch the
cat, for she does her best each time.
But each time, no matter how often,
the cat escapes with all nine of its
lives, leaving Peggy to bark defiance
and stand baked at the fence. Some
day she is going to learn that it is
just as easy TO leap that fence as not.
Then the cats had better watch out
= x
Sammy is one of the low, squat
black fellows, with a solemn visage
incased in hair, mounted by two large
ears.
Just what kind of a dog he is
don't know, but probably some kind
of terrier, skye, or sommething like
that.
His greatest delight in life seems
to be escaping from his back yard,
judging from the daily trip down the
alley which he gives his master
Sammys OUT comes the cry.
NO sooner is Sammy out. than
shortly is his master out after him.
Nhere Sammy goes. the master of
the mouse must go, for the very pro-
sale reason that Sam must be gotten
back, or no telling where Samuel will
land.
two bright eyes cleaning. as he sidles
down the alley. His gait cannot be
called fast. but he manages to keep
well ahead of the pursuing master.
Sammy eases himself along, taking
in the world with all his senses. He
does not run. That would be too un-
dignified for Sammy. But he gets
there just the same.
Sammy. Sammy; here. Sammy"
calls his pursuer.
Sam cocks an ear. but is hard of
hearing in the other, evidently for he
keeps right on.
Soon the called name conveys
threat that Sammy seems to under
stand, for at the end of the alley he
turns and drifts back down the alley
to home.
Vicious is a little fellow, utterly
belying his great name.
What is his breed would be hard
to say. In appearance he is true
yellow dog, lemon and white. He.
too, is fast on his feet, and, like his
neighbor, Sammy, likes nothing bet
ter than to get out
Then, with the air of conQueror,
Vicious starts out to hunt cats. He
tears down upon some feline as if he
would tear it limb from limb
Vicious puts on the brakes, still
barking furiously.
The cat, its tail swelling, spits
capably.
Vicious appears tame.
Gathering courage, the cat ad-
vances with its teeth holding the
center, and its claws the right and
left.
Vicious beats retreat along all
fronts.
Josephine is a beautiful collie, with
a fine face and soft coat
Like all of this breed, she is de-
monstrative, noisy and full of pep"
That some of the latter has been
taken out of her, however, she de-
monstrates by covering, one of the
saddest sights in the world to those
who love dogs. No dog sinks unless
some man makes it
The appearance of a stray dog in
the alley turns Josephine, Peggy,
Sammy and Vicious into canine
quartet, whose song does not cease
for many minutes.
Every neighborhood has its own
dogs, with their own traits and
peculiarities. But. wherever you find
dogs you will find two things hold
true of them.
They like to ride in automobiles
and they like to bark.