Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1932-03-23

doubt at the kitchen-we have forgot
tsn that detail. II we ever knew-would
have gone well either from inside or
Another feature OF that coon. and
nrobabIy of all his brothers and sisters
before and since, was his omnivorous
Soft coal and potato parings were
among his favorite edibles.
The coal came in large blocks, and
how the small raccoon managed to
nibble 1t memory does not serve. All we
recall is that he ate soft coal.
He would eat almost anything one
gave him. This probably was q result
Of his captivity often animals held
prisoner tend to develop queer tastes In
foods, probably through lnapliity 70 geV
their regular list of edioles.
Just what became OF that first pet
memory gives no answer.
No doubt it was spirited away as
many such things are. when 1t pc
came too much of a nuisance Tor Who
ever took care OF 1t.
Children are "let down IN Such cases
bv some plausible tale, which satlshes
them and really harms no one Soon
they forget the entire incident. Memo
nv holds for them only the pleasant
items.
And here we feel as Bernard Shaw
evidently did In his new play, when
he has one of the actors tell the audi
ence that the play is really over now,
but the actors will go on talking Tor
two more acts. Just the same
The tale Of Tom, the pet raccoon,
Is ended, but something yet remains to
be said about pets in general. and the
raccoon in particular.
The dog and the cat. one NAV think,
have come to have too much OF a
monopoly of the pet business.
They are the best, without doubt, but
there are other animals which, in the
right hands, would prove quite as in
teresting and companionabie.
One of these is the raccoon.
"Grayish- brown, furry, bushy tailed.
sharp-snouted, American nocturnal
carnivore." says the dictionary, utter
ing long mouthful.
The Algonquin Indians. unless we are
mistaken, gave this beast its name.
1t is said to be the only animal in the
world which washes its food in water
before eating. Our childhood memories
do not go this far; If we could depend
upon them. we would say that We never
once saw Tom wash his food in water,
but that might have been because there
was no water available
If the raccoon really does this 1t puts
him in a class with the house cat.
which solemnly washes face and paws
after a meal.
The coon is one of the most noe
iurnal Of all creatures, only exceeded in
this respect by bats and flying squirrels.
Therefore, If one wants to bring home
one Of these animals, it will be neces-
sary to 60 after him in the dark I'M
less some real woodsman knows where
they hibernate and can abstract one
from its lofty perch.
We imagine that coon would make
a very nice pet especially II secured
very Young. 1t would be clean and
friendly and would make a striking
adornment in the average yard
Only householders with large trees
should try this pet, however, for it is
distinctly arbor3al. as much so as a
squirrel. and probably would not linger
long in any vicinity where it could not
go aloft
It's bushy ringed tail is one of its
chief adorrments. 1t seems as II we
can see Tom yet, climbing up that
screen his great barred tail waving his
bright eyes peering down from his sharp
little face.