Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-08-25
This and That
Ry Charles z. TrdcetEell.

Jack Spratt dashed down the from
steps in the early morning sunlight
Above his head the sky shone clear ane
blue. green leaves of trees waved light!
in the cool Summer breeze.
It was a glorious morning for cal
to be out. fine morning for any
creature to be out. Jack did not pay
much attention to other creatures. He
was intent on finding for himself
nice mess of grass.
Grass. as every one knows. is the cats
medicine. Just how these four-leggee
animals ever got it into their furr!
heads that grass was what they. should
eat when Ill is unknown to this day:
Cats have been eating grass wher
off their feed" ever since the firSi
mysterious-eyed ancestor strobe out Of
the Nile grass into an Egyptian temple
and made himself at home there.
Ordinarily a house cat pays little, Il
any attention to grass. except as some
thing to walk through or roll in. He
would not eat it on a bet. Let him
become slightly i'll, however, and i'm
mediately he turns to 1t.
"A cat is either his own physician
or a fool by the age of one" SO runs
the feline maxim. as every cat knows
This intuitive knowledge Is what lee
Jack Spratt out into the sunshine tina;
fine August morning.
X x%
Jack never had a thought about dogs
He had gone out that door more OF
less every morning for six years, and
dogs had seldom bothered him. .
Nor is Spratt afraid of dogs. When
he was kitten he braved many a dog
Z n hi sd hn r.
regard the whole tribe with positive
scorn, mixed with some contempt, and
Just a little fear. But not enough fear
it may be stated, for his own good.
It Is well for a cat IL 1t Is afraid Of
dogs. The cat which does not have a
wholesome regard for the dog Is taking
his life in his paws unnecessarily. The
smallest dog is stronger than the largest
domestic cat.
When Jack Spratt issued forth from
his front door the subject Of dogs was
farthest from his mind. Grass was
what occupied his thoughts. There was
q fine clump of rank grass growing
behind q small fir-graSs fit for the
sweeping action which the blades must
administer to the feline insides.
Just as Jack began to chaw on his
tall-growing grass. Fido, the Airedale,
spied the gray-and-black stripes Of our
furry friend.
without so much as an attempt ut a
bark, because he was properly muzzled,
Fido started across the street at lope.
AS he did so, Rover. another Airedale.
also muzzled, saw Fido INDUCING in his
burst of speed Rover did not see Jack,
nor did Jack see Rover. 1t Is question
able whether Rover was intent on any
thing but a gambol with Fido.
What Jack Spratt saw, however, was
one large creature heading for him IN
front, and another bearing down on his
left at top speed.
When Fido and Rover got TO within
ten feet Of Jack Spratt, the cat turned
and made for the protection OF the
shrubbery, into which the two dogs
dashed with but q single thought-cat.
X \
Jacks entire thought was Of trees.
The tree Is the time-honored refuge
from the dog. Taking advantage OF q
lull in the proceedings, Spratt dashed
out and away, followed by both Aire-
dales.
His tail pulled to twice its size and
his fur standing on end, Spratt reached
the tree one jump ahead Of the dogs.
Up 1t he went. and rs the dogs leaped
into the air he was good foot in ad-
vance.
Jack seated himself on q branch q
dozen feet in the air and calmly sur
veyed the frantic dogs leaping below
him. His eyes were large, round and