Evening star., 1947-10-09
This and That
BIZ Charles E. TrGce1DeH

IN STREET.
Dear Sir: ...-
"An admirer Of Jack spratt. now living in
Newburgll, N Y, sent me the inclosed clippings
about Jack from The Star way back in 1925
"1 frequently send this person This and That
which she still enjoys as well as we do.
please do not discontinue the cat articles,
as we need more like them to lift us from the
sordidness OF the present-day world
Many good wishes for the years to come.
Sincerely, M. R. T"
Jack was just 10-pound cat but he has been
remembered better than many a human being,
evidently.
The cats go on in an endless stream, bring
ing grace and charm into world that at times
seems increasingly bereft of these qualities,
There is no animal, not even the dog, that
has as much written about it by cultured peo-
pie.
The better magazines and papers feature the
animal, while in millions of homes it proceeds
on it's quiet way winning friends and influence
ing people.
Part of this Is due to the modern realization
that the cat is great rodent destroyer.
AS science has shown the relationship of
many deadly diseases to the rat, as carrier, the
worth of the cat has become realization in
millions of minds that never before gave it a
thought.
ing to admit the correctness of the praise in the
encyclopedia, that American agriculture would
have been impossible without this animal, were
struck by the fact tnat but for the plain alley
cat, so-called, disease might come creeping into
their homes and strike at the precious john
nies and Maries
They realized, too, although perhaps not ex-
actly consciously, that the old wives tales about
how the cats carried disease germs in their
throats, and how they sat on babys chest and
sucked his breath" would not stand up in the
light of modern science.
1t was being increasingly shown by the men
with the test tubes and the microscopes that
millions of harmful throat germs, the now IA
nous "streps," were being carried at all hours
In the throats of most people.
1t was no longer possible to single out a
defenseless four-egged creature and point the
finger at him alone.
The masters of the world, men, the great,
carried more streptococcus and staphlycoccus
germs iE their throat and nasal tissues than all
the four-legged animals in all the world, and
they were much more dangerous.
And when they couldn't do these things, they
thought it necessary to stand close together
just to talk to each ether. And if perchance
one party to the conversation realized the danger
and backed away the other took it as an Of
fense, at the worst OF at the least came boring
in to stand s inches from the others nose
when feet would do Just as well and be much
better from every standpoint.
These are just few of the reasons why the
standing of the house cat is better today than
it was In 1925, when the writer here for the
first time put cat on paper week after week.
Today the cat has come into its own, as real
friend in world where humanity needs all the
friends it can get.
It may be that the sedate, circumspect be-
havior of this small animal will recall the jit-
terry world of human beings to the absurdity of
their own psychology.
There is nothing the matter with you crea-
tures," the cats try to tell us, except your
own minds.
There is something sick there.
''The human mind stinks to heaven, and all
the animals and all the birds and even the
poor fishes smell it.
There is nothing, however, that we can do
about it, We must wait in patience, along with
God. to watch what mess you are making Of
things.
1.-THE more you think, the worse things get for
you You think up terrible things, and then
think up even worse excuses for them.
You have proverb, Those whom the gods
wish to destroy, they first make mad
"You had better come have bowl Of milk and
calm down before 1t b too late"