Evening star., 1938-01-01
Too Much Bother to Turn
Over and So the Cat Died

AZ tic IultoI VI AHc oval
When was very young boy I was
New Dealer; didn't know it at the time,
but do now. And the reason that am
convinced, at this late date. that I was
New Dealer is because I had a kitten
given me, and few weeks after it came
into my possession the ungrateful ami
NAL died.
In the beginning I remember dis
tinctly that fed my cat very conscien-
tiously at stated intervals. OF course, it
was new and fascinating, and appeared
to be very much attached to me. Per-
haps I even coddled it little at the
start. But only at the start. Pretty
soon I discovered that it surpassed all
other toys as means of entertaining
companions. found after little prac-
tice. just how to twist its tail to get the
maximum of plaintive protest. I dis
covered, quite by accident, that my pet
did not like water, SO it was no end of
a treat for myself and friends to throw
him in a puddle and watch him shake
his feet daintily as he Waded ashore. I
think my croWning achievement was
when l learned that a cat always lands
on his feet. I was never too occupied
to demonstrate this feat to my friends
or upon rare occasions to indulgent elders,
AS time passed I was surprised, even
disguised, to see that my sleek kitty
was taking on moth-eaten appearance.
I fed him, when I thought about it.,
scraps from the table; of course, we
couldn't be expected to buy milk for him
endlessly. He did have, must admit
now as look back, an amazing vitality.
Despite the mauling, the kicking, the
hair pulling, and the periodic thrashinps
that he was subjected to he managed to
exist. He even. 1 am certain, grew
slightly, in frame if not in flesh.
l didn't know it at the time but know
now that had with continual malicious
persecution broken his spirit. He ap-
parently concluded-if cats conclude any-
thing-that he had nothing to live for
once when l was driven to the point
OF exhibiting new tricks or losing the
respect of my companions, 1 took the
kitten to the second-story window and
with feet suspended upward released
him to fall II or IS feet to the ground
below. He just didn't bother to turn in
midalr and by the time I had Joined NV
friends on the ground he was dead.
1t was tragic end, you will admit.
perhaps in keeping with the primitive
spirit OF boyhood. But for years after
my disgust was not at myself for the
ABUSIVE treatment, but at the cat for
not making struggle to right himself
and land on his feet. He had done it
before. Perhaps he thought, Whats
the use?"
On the above facts I lay claim to being
New Dealer. Not the finished sppci-
men as We know it today. Not stream
Nned and soundproofed, III admit, hut
the groundwork was the same. I didn't
nave any Dig business to play with. but
mao peen so fortunate, or unfortunate
II all depends on how you look at it
thlnK that even with my Kindergarten
experience could not have devised new
methods of torture.
1he point to all this is this: Big b,lsi-
ness isn't going to bother to turn over
IN mloalr many more times perhaps not
any more. He's been the goat so long
ne IS groggy-punch drunk. to use a cur
rent term, perhaps describes his condi-
ton better.
In past years he was fed little. pam
pered even upon rare occasions. and his
frame developed even if his body didn't
iolIoW along, but that was some time
pacK. lake look al him now. beset on
all sides by strikes and taxes; antitrust
laws and anti-profit laws have become
perpetual nightmares to him. He can't
set his own prices for either labor or
material and judging the future by the
present ne can't see any hope of improve
ment
Well he was a good cat while we had
hlm but If the present super de luxe New
Dealers will take warning from one who
was mere amateur in the business the
cat is going to be missed when he's gone.
r W COCHRAN