Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1948-07-14
This and That
BIZ Charles Z. TracetueH

Smokey, the Persian, was out for an evening
promenade.
nice rat, or even bird, would do.
Smokey was determined to get something.
Persian cats are great hunters. They never
miss a chance to get live prey.
Smokey evidently wanted rat this evening,
because he kept shifting along the ivy by the
driveway.
That is where the rats come out to play.
Much has been said about these creatures, and
most of it is true. but the fact remains that
they are, basically, animals, the same as
rabbits and squirrels.
This means that their habits are under
standable, if watched with fair eyes. The
young rat, in particular is interesting. 1t Is
pleasing to look at, and plays in very fetch
ing manner The way it uses its legs is
entirely different from the way the squirrel
runs.
Baby rats may be said to trundle themselves
over the ground, rather than run.
We watched one once, for half an hour,
as 1t ran from the feeding station TO q
tunnel beneath the garage.
The rat was as regular a. clockwork, taking
8 seconds to make the trip, two to seize a
sunflower seed, and 8 seconds to 60 back.
This went on with precision so that 1t
finally made one dizzy to look.
One of these fellows, then, was what Smokey,
the cat, was determined to CATCH
You could tell 1t by looking at his clear
green eyes.
The Persian eye is rounder than that Of the
common cat
eye, others feel that the slanted eye Of the
common short-haired cat reveals more affec-
ton
Perhaps we should say simply that cats are
affectionate. They have different ways Of
showing their fondness.
Did you know that yawn, among humans
q sign of impoliteness, in cats is distinctly .
sign of friendship?
Or that stretching out Of the toes Of the
front feet is, with them, a greeting?
But old Smokey, that evening, was not
interested in greeting any one-except rat.
After he got the scent of a rat in his nose,
he lost all interest in birds.
And there. of course, was where he made
his big mistake.
For, at that moment, pair of blue jays
spotted him.
It was still light, very light, although the
clock said 8 PIN.
The jays knew better.
Its only o'clock" smiled one jay.
Look at that cat" said his wife.
II don't see any cat" replied Papa Jay. Il
things, as humans say. Now don't worry. Our
three babies are safe in the nest"
Look over there by that ivy!"
"Why-why-well look at that nasty cat!
The fend! The brute! The outrageous son
of a Persian! Watch mel"
And with mighty squawk. the father Jay
flew through the air straight at old Smokey
Smokey saw-and felt-the bird at the same
time
The jay struck him in the middle of the back.
Smokey jumped high, skunk down as low as
possible, ana hot footed it to the back porch.
Before he got there, he had been struck
three more times, each blow def and sharp
pointed
The mother jay joined in. flying in circles
and screaming her head of.
You are rot wanted here!" her cries seemed
to say. What Old Man Jay said is unprintable.
Smokey ventured out again. just at dusk but
the vigilant jays were after him Immediately.
They were Joined by a large shepherd dog.
a stranger In the neighborhood, that gamboled
after Smokey as If knowing in advance that
he had no chance of catching him.
All in all, 1t was an evening that Smokey,
If he could have talked, would have called
! hectic, ws believe.