Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-08-11
This and That
By Charles r. Tracp,eeIl.

Perhaps no tomcat ever put on such
q campaign to win the affection Of an
other as has Capt. Boess toward his
host. Jack Spratt.
The evident desire Of the kitten to b.
on good terms with Jack il matched
only by the equally apparent wish of
the latter to have nothing at all to do
with Boggs.
Yet misses, slaps and even clawings
have not deferred Capt Boggs. who
day by day becomes more determined
to win over the green-eyed Spratt.
If you don't succeed the first time.
try, try again. This standard thought
is the one upon which the black land
Write cat proceeds in his daily en-
deavors to become the true friend of
the lord of the household.
In this wish It Is impossible for on
lockers to see anything selfish, any
thing savoring Of feline ambition.
Bosgsie just wants to be Jack Spratt's
chum. His little black eyes fairly glis-
ten when he springs out Of the base
ment in the morning and finds the
tiser-striped Jack sitting by the screen
door.
With bound he comes up to Jack,
and proceeds to wind himself around the
latter, bent on touching noses.
Jacks usual reply to this overture is
to hastily back away, and. If that does
not quench the ardor Of Boggs. to hiss
nightly.
This sound usually causes Boegs to
pause. If. however. he continues. and
Jack slaps at him. he will throw him.
self on his side and look At Spratt In
mildly amazed manner.
For several days We thought that
Jack would succumb to the lures Of the
sprightly Boges. but events since that
time have caused us to give up nope.
Boggs. however. will not give up.
He is As determined as ever to be
friends. and devotes about 5 minutes
every evening to Establishments pointed
in the direction of his would-be friend.
Just about dusk, when the living room
takes on the precise degree Of darkness
fancied by the cat tribe. Capt. Boggs
throws himself down on. the rug In
front OF Jack Spratt.
The latter fellow usually places him.
self in the position of a duck IN
pond, with only his body and head Wis
IDLE. His legs and paws are concealed
beneath him, and only his long tiger
striped tail floats on the rug sea.
Cspt Bosgs, turning over on his side.
stretches OUT MS Iiedu ooWnAN oPAunO
with q series of peculiar nleows. SOFT.
LIQUID, 0 veritable invitation to the
dance.
This is a special sound. made at no
other time Of the day. nor for any
other purpose It Ia part OF the uni
versal cat language. which, as every
fancier knows, is much larger than
others credit the creature with possess
ing.
The cats meow. to dog fancier. Is
inst A meow and nothing more. but 70
the cat fan" the meow Ia many and
various. ranging from growl which
would do credit to q bulldog to . soft.
throaty sound not unlike the best notes
of q great meaSo-soprano.
Even the walls on the back fence
properly heard. are not unpleasant, but
are musical as well as interesting and
amusing.
The cat Jack Spratt sees nothing
either amusing musical or interesting
In the prolonged gureles issuing from
the pink mouth Of Capt. Boges, as he
twists at his feet.
He regards the captain as a mild sort
of nuisance, at the best, and positive
one, at the worst. In the latter case,
he will raise white-eloved paw and
smite vigorously at the kitten.
Once he caught Bogss In the right
eye. which Is smaller than the left. and
slightly abraid the eyelid. Boggs
paused, shook his head. paved his eye,
then returned to his Establishments.
He has not yet given up hope OF winning
the friendship of Jack Spratt.