Evening star., 1925-11-29
This and That
Bv Charles E. TracetceH.

Cato. a large Maltese. was eating
out of a garbage can.
This article always fasCinates Cato.
although he lives with folks who feed
him Well The lure of the unknown
is what does il.
Cato sidled up to the big can, the
lid of which was put on firmly by
householders wise in their day. They
had seen Cato up to his tricks before.
The feline, however. had more tricks
up his paw than ever they knew of.
Rising up gently on his hind legs. the
blue cat peered at the lid with his
huge yellow eyes. that looked like
little fun moons showing through
bank of clouds.
cato is a handsome cat and knows
it, So that day. when he was unable
to get the lid off at first, he glanced
around haughtily, as much as If 10
say, who dared to do this?"
No answer coming. Cato realized
that the problem was his alone TO
solve or to leave unsolved. To quit
now not only would leave him with
out dinner. but would give him 4 sense
of failure that did not suit his tenn
/ perament.
A successful cat never gives up. He
may not succeed the first time. but he
IS the living embodiment of the old
copy-hook maxim about trying again.
: He will come back time after time
! until his objective is secured.
Cato paved nj the lid. 1t was no
20. He pushed it, Still there was no
hudCing it, He rubbed his head
against it. All. slight tremor With
/ a heave Of his whole body Cato got
under the edge and pried the lid off.
Clang,
The lid rolled across the walk while
| Cato held his ground. only pausing
to look at the house, as if expecting
some one to issue forth with a broom.
They often do.
The lid ouivered and lay still. upside
down. That was the way Cato liked
to see lids. He stood on his legs to
look down into the garbage can.
Chicken, Yum, yum. Cato flashed
yellow fire to left, TO right. then dived
down until only his latter half was
visible.
He soon came up with leg of
chicken. which he devoured at his
| leisure Further rummaging brought
forth bits of proVender not quite as
fine. but still quite acceptable to Cato.
over all was the sauce of theft. or
rather. securing ones own grub. Any
cat would rather forage for his fod
der than have ii handed to him on
| a china plate. A fellow gets tired
of being dependent. He wants to be
free. to run, to gallop. TO rustic up
his own grub. That is the life,
In this connection, / recall some
| charming lines by Carolyn Wells:
Rat Rat tat tat. tat.
opened up the door. and saw
little cat.
He said Il wish
A bit Of fish.
Nice and hot on Il china dish.
Come in" says l.
And I Will try
A BIZ of fish for you to fry.
If there is any reader who can
supply me with the remainder of those
lines, I will appreciate it very much
Finishing his impronpt meal, Cato
| Sauntered across the alley. Just Is he
emerged between the spread wires OF
! the fence. at the only point fat cat
| can get through, he spied Jack Spratt.
Jack was summing his tiger-striped
| length on the back porch. He saw
| Cato about the same time Cato saw
/ him. The two cats eyed each other
! quietly. Cato got down on his haunch-
| es, and crept slowly across the yard.
Evidently he was taking no chances.
Jack held his ground, tail fiuffed out
| ears pricked up, ready for anything
| Cato crept into the next yard.
AT this instant a saucer of tuna fish
| was placed on the sidewalk in full
| view Of the two cats. Jack, already
surfeited, arose and stood guard
| over it.
Cato wiggled his nostrils. and gave
/ Spratt several evil looks, but ventur
| ed no farther. He respected Jacks
ownership of the yard and all there
| in. Besides. probably he didn't like
/ the look of Jacks glaring green eyes