Evening star., 1925-01-25
Heard and Seen

Jack Spratt, jazz cat, had TO listen
TO a tremendous lecture from Big
Jim, an old tiger feline, who lives
down in the next alley, but who occa-
sionally crosses the street into
Spratt's alley. We could hear him
going on.
when | was kitten" growled
Big jim, "a cat was expected TO stay
at home O. nights, and not prowl
around like you young fellows. 1t
meant something then to be house
cat. We were freside ornaments. il
you get what 1 mean, and we orna-
mented.
Yes, sir. we put up good job OF
decoration, and we got plenty of real
cream and beefSteak as reward
Say. 1 would sit by a fire all day long
to get bit of beefsteak, I would"
"A bit" questioned Jack How
much?"
"oh, just the scraps left over from
the table"
Jack spratt laughed long and
hearty.
The scraps left over from the
| tablet" he howled, derisively. Say.
DO you know how much beefsteak l
get?"
How much?" queried Big Jim.
doubtfully
well. I used to get quarter of
pound a day
Gosh"
And when my physician came TO
treat me for a cold, he prescribed half
a pound per day. oh. yes, every day"
''Whew" was all Jim could say.
Notwithstanding this hearty fare,
Jack Spratt felt the call of the wild
one day last week and left his happy
home. His eyes cleaned He must
up and away!
Goodbye, folks" he purred, has
tily finishing his breakfast, and run
ming out the back door. See you
! later
That was the last we saw of Jack
| Spratt for many hours. The day went
| by. and night came, but no Jack. The
| family became worried. A lost ad
| finally was put in the paper. 1t read:
| CAT-TIger tom, small head, white
| breast and feet. Large reward for
return.
| In reality that ad should have read
something like this:
CAT-Tiger tom, has very aggrieved
| expression, as IL he hadn't a friend in
| the world but gets more grub than
| any cat in town; head is too small.
| he wouldn't place at all in a cat
| show; isn't worth a cent to anybody
else, but we will be glad to loosen
! up to- q. considerable extent to get
| him back, just the same.
, Pets are like that. They have a way
| of ingratiating themselves. 50 that
when they go they are missed.
The night wore on, and Still no
| Spratt. The little stars sprinkled the
cold sky, the milkman came and went
| on his rounds, but there was no cats
meow sounding out of the vast dark
ness.
Nobody will ever know wnere he
| was. 1t is one of the every-night
mysteries of Catland.
With the morning came the task Of
going down into the cellar to open
| up the furnace. Opening up the e.
mace consists of allowing the sn
| pipe damper to lie down fat
opening up the draft after peekin -
| the feed door to see how she looks"
| She looked very we'll: small blue
| flames just beginning to come up
! through the Goals used for banking
In few minutes the plant would be
roaring.
| All was well-except there was no
friendly feline greeting.
| Guess old Jack is conner this
| time. He never has been gone this
| long before"
| Dismal pictures OF what may hap
| pen to a Venturesome cat alone in
| great city came to mind. There was
| that poor black cat stretched cold
| and stiff in the street the other morn
ing. probably the victim of a speed
| ing motorist.
Meow! Meow"
| A white nose and chest appeared at
| the basement window. 1t was old
| Jack himself.
The cat had come back!
] And that was how Jack Spratt won
| his own reward
| C. E. TRACEWEIIL
| it's duties and responsibilities in be-
| half of the Government city.
! I'VE shall be very foolish if while
/ III F>w .