Evening star., 1925-06-11

Has the devil a cat?" inquiries l..
T. II. IF not. that is another point
In favor of our favorite.'
Interest in the animal friends of
mankind, especially the cat and dog.
continues unabated by the hot wealth
er, II may judge from letters sent me
by readers of this column.
IL Is pleasure to select three of
tnem Tor presentation here today, two
from friends of cats, one from a friend
Oh oogs. This interest in these furred
creatures is OF particular point at this
time or the year, when they should be
kept clean and cool, free from fleas
and given plenty of water.
=, nave often thought that 1 should
IKE TO tell you how very much l en-
Joy your articles in The Star, especial
above quoted. But 1t remained for
Ludwig, hero of This and That in The
sunday Star, May "a. to be the cata.
putt TO stir me to this long deferred
action.
Ihe taithfulness of dog is a won.
uerfui thing, and Senator Vests eu-
logy a masterpiece most convincing.
yet one cannot altogether admire a ma
ture so void of self-respect as to lick
the hand that smites; grovel and fawn
at the loot that kicks; follow persist
A cat is too proud and too sensitive
to stay where not wanted or well
treated, and is apt to scratch back
when Ill treated; all of which sounds
an answering chord in my own ma.
ture."
The cat Ludwig, it will be remem.
oered, was admitted to the John Dick
son Home, and when his former own
er came to visit him, refused to look
at htnn. The owner termed this base
ingratitude. But listen to L. T. H.:
80 IL Ludwig needs another excuse
Tor not killing the fatted mouse on the
occasion of the old mans visit, here
Is one:
Systematically speaking, the ques-
tion is, would any human being with
the category of reasoning at his
command-after sharing the bed and
board of a companion for 10 lone
years-be tickled at the catastrophe
OF being torn from old associations
ana LETT In a strange place among
strangers? Answer-He would not
How then could a poor cat--not even
a catechumen in the first principles
OF reasoning-be supposed to under
stand and purr politely Ca la human)
pleasure he did not feel?
Think, too, of the insult of a meat
offering when one is hungry only for
home and the old coma raderie
Meat, even though 1t were present in
the flesh but was not, is not a cata
plaSm for wounded feelings.
No wonder poor Ludwie-I presume
Beethoven Is his middle name-looked
past and beyond this erstwhile pal
without recognition. No doubt he
was In a sort of catelepsy trying to
recall a half-forgotten back fence
moonlight sonata to soothe his saw
age breast and prevent his heart
from breaking at what he thought
the old mans inhumanity to cats.
Meat, bah! A sop may be effec.
lively thrown to Cerbeus. the devils
dog, but not a self-respecting cat.
By the way, has the devil a cat? II
not. that is another point in favor
of our favorite."
c. K. H. Of Cincinnati, referring to
the article on the District dog pound
wrote:
Kind Friend Of Our Dumb Friends:
Please may I express to you my
grateful appreciation of the article
you had in The Star tonight. The
deep. underlying sense Of justice, the
protective instinct and the often la
tent love for our poor dumb friends
would be awakened to come to the
rescue of many a man, woman and
child's thoughtlessness and careless
ness If your excellent article could be
read by them. Would you give me
the privilege to send the article on
to our Sunday editor of the Enquirer
1t may encourage some of us who
have struggled so persistently to
start and maintain a shelter for the