Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-03-18
This and That
By Charles T.. TraceweH.

Women are supposed to be the great
cat fanciers. but one commonly sees a
great manv more men STOPPING down
to pet wandering felines In the street.
The downtown Cat especially comes
in for its share OF these Establishments
There Is something about the cat OF
the busy sections that makes q big
appeal
Usually he or she Is q forlorn-looking
animal. dirty as q street urchin, either
too scared to greet its human friends
or pathetically grateful for any notice
whatsoever
1t is far cry from these down.
trodden cats to the sleek household
pets OF the residence neighborhoodS
The latter are clean as pins. through
much personal washing: their fur
fairly gliStens in the sunlight
The true house cat Is fat ano
healthy, with somewhat inSolent look
In his eyes. as If to say to the world
Well folks, I think pretty well OF
myself. of course. but then just look
who ami"
The poor wayfarer of the downtown
usually IS dirty despite his best efforts
To keep himself clean. He finds it an al
most impossible task. since too often he
Is forced to seek refuge in coal cellars
One has to like cats, OF course to
see them In the business districts,
Most persons who do not care for
them will say OF hand that they never
noticed one in the martS OF commerce,
but the friends OF cats will recall many
score, and will even remember the color
of their coats.
One does not consciously so along
looking for cats. A cat darting be-
tween the rolling wheels of automo-
bileS. however. will attract his atten-
ton where It would not that Of the
other type
Come to think OF 1t. one sees COM
paratively few animals In the down.
town streets, unless human beings can
be included In this category.
Even dogs are rarely seen on their
own four feet. except In automobiles.
or being dragged through department
stores on chains.
We have always felt sorry for the
poor dogs pulled into elevators in the
big stores Somehow or other We I'M
aginc a dog does not like that II We
were dog. We would StrenuouSly re-
S!St elevators
II N bad enough In an elevator for
human being. what With the crowd
ing. and the woman who pokeS you In
the eye with her umbrella, and the
young lady who crowds herself up
against YOU and then turns around and
glareS as II Il were your shrinking fault
To be little fellow. however. not
more than foot or So high. and To be
down there somewhere on the moor
and 10 be completely surrounded, not
only on all sides. but from above,
by large creatures milling In and out
we'll, now. that would be pretty tough,
would IL note
To set back 10 our iavorites OF the
animal world!
Friends Of cats always keep a look
out for them. at least notice them when
they run across them
An msiStent meow will come to the
ears.
HE will look around. to see a thin
creature standing there. u kitten per-
haps five months old, Its coat Is dap
Piled white and black. not striped In
neat patterns but sirnpiy Splotched.
Added to this comlcal lack Of design
Is coat OF coal dirt, which makes
the black spots rusty looking and the
white places gray.
The gentleman approaches with out
stretched hand To give the henedictlan
ot the cat lover 10 this little autcaSt
ut the gutter, this new~tound friend
this little thing that has harmed ne
one IN the world
The cat Jumps, starts to nee, taught
by experience to be afraid A soothing
word from the human being. however,
haltS IT,
The pat Is bestowed
tsew gratetll the dirty creature Is
for M littlel IL purts scientifically, h
msdly winds It's solled aides around the
mans legs
It's ancestors for thauAAnsss III years