Evening star., 1925-09-06
This and That
By Charles E. Tracei1eH.

Blackie, from the next alley, had
invaded Jack Spratt's territory.
Cats, as their friends know, are
jealous, solitary creatures. They toll
crate man because it is to their aJd-
vantage TO do so, and also because
they have worked up a kind of affec-
ton for him, after all these centuries.
No cat, however, has any use for
any other cat
Wherefore, the tom that goes into
another toms precinct, does so at his
own risk. He takes his life, as il
were, in his paw, and his blood is
upon his own head.
So when Blackie left his alley to
prowl in Spratt's alley, he knew ex-
seen Spratt before, the tiger-strtped
Spratt, the green-eyed Spratt with the
well fed body and strong limbs and
super sharp claws.
Was not this the terrible Spratt
that boasted of eating nothing but the
choisest veal outlet, round steak and
real cream, and all these foodstuffs in
the most enormous quantities?
Yes, this was he, a publicity
hound" if there ever was one, a
striped son-of-a-gun who dared any
alley!
Blackie, therefore, was determined
that Jack Spratt should not see hair
or hide of him, not even the white
mask of his face, cleaning with snow
white whiskers.
Blackie was a lean fellow. who got
along on scraps and q. bowl of milk
every day. Perhaps, in Spratt's alley,
he might find a few lpieces of veal ly-
ing around loose. He had never tast-
ed veal.
Stealthily down the alley skunk
Blackie, going ever so softly on the
velvet pads of his feet his claws re-
tracted TO their full depth.
This alley was interesting. Blackie
shifted at a delicious garbage can sit
ting by the fence, and recoiled sharp
ly from the too pungent odor of
rose that nodded over a gate.
The purposes of roses was a mys-
terry to Blackie. They were not good
to eat, had an intensely strong odor
that was almost suffocating, and in
addition were surrounded by claws.
Roses, as far as Blackie could see,
are distinctly good for nothing. A cat
with ordinary cat sense let's them
strictly alone.
Whist! What was that?
Blackie sank down into the grass,
only the tips of his black ears show
ing. All! 1t was only a bit of paper
blowing down the alley. If 1t had
been the Cat o. the Alley Blackie
knew he would have been in for 1t.
The adventure was fascinating. The
old haunts are good, but sallying
forth to new fields has it's charm, as
Blackie was finding out. In this alley
everything was new, there were many
new sights and many things to sniff
A white butterfly came winging
along. With wide sweep of his long
right foreleg, Blackie swung for the
butterfly, and missed it by quarter
of an inch. The insect f1uttered away.
"Shucksr meowed Blackie, his yell
low eyes cleaning.
With the infinite grace of his tribe,
the cat continued across a yard, down
a walk, across a fence, his ears stand
ing up, somewhat pointed forward.
Kitty, kitty, kitty" called a Wom-
an, standing in doorway.
"She means me, all right" said
Blackie, to himself. "Shall goa"
.'Kittie, kittie. kittie, kittie," called
the Woman, rolling out the universal
cat call.
Blaclie started forward, then stop
ped. Something warned him
sKittie, kittie, kittie." the Woman
continued to call. .tWhat pretty
kittiel''
Not so bad. Lady" meowed
Blackie, boldly starting up the steps.
"Oh. come see the pretty cat" the
Woman called to some one. "He is all
black except his face. Here, kitty,
kittie, kittie.''
The Woman opened the screen door,
and just as Blackie started across the
Threshold
Jack Spratt started out.
Jack had been eating a veal cut
let in the kitchen. AS he finished the
last crumb something warned him to
turn around.
Would you believe it-there was q