Year: 1877

It is an old saying that "one-half of the
world don't know how the other half live
and the observation seemed to me to be very
true, as I read lately about q curious business
that men are engaged in, in the vast city OF
London, and which I wish to tell our little
folks about. This merchant is called the cat
and dog meat man. 1t is very funny to think
of men who make their living just by selling
meat for the household pets, isn't it But
when tell you there are 100000 cats and
half as many dogs in that city, you will see
that it will cost quite nice sum to provide
for them. Indeed, it is considered quite
"chance" to have a good run Of custom
among the cats and dogs-or their owners,
for of course, the dogs don't pay for their own
living.


The meat men get their meat at the "knack-
ers" These knackers are horse slaughterers.
There are twenty of these establishments in
London; and they buy live horses that are
too old or sick to work, and dead horses that
have perished through diseases or overwork |;
for even in England, where there are humane
societies, and the little children at school are
taught lessons of kindness to dumb creatures,
horses are sometimes driven to death, by cruel
and ill-tempered drivers.


These knackers slaughter the horse, and
after taking the hide of, they cut the flesh
from the bones in large pieces. The bones are
chopped up and boiled, so as to get all the fat
out, for greasing the commonest harness, and
cart wheels. The bones are used on land.
But after the meat is cut up it is boiled, and
then assorted in pieces which weigh from 112
pounds down to two and half Then it is
purchased by the cat and dog meat man, who
thinks he doesn't do any business at all, if he
can't dispose of at least fifty pounds in one
dayl These men are mostly those who can't
find work at their trades, and so they take
up this occupation; and, even if it does seem
a small business, it is more honorable than
idleness.


Sometimes women sell meat to the dogs,
and it is amusing to see the dogs and cats
flock round the carrier, as soon as he or she
makes an appearance in a neighborhood
where there are many of these animals.
Some people there who are quite poor, have
three or four mouths to feed, and there was
one woman who used to buy thirty cents
worth each day, and then she would 60 out
on the roof of the house, and throw this meat
on the tiles. All the cats around would gath
er there and fight viciously for the choice
morsels, and you may feel certain that the
nei yhbors didn't feel very friendly towards
either the cats or their protector, Fortunate.
ly she chose the forenoon for their feeding
time, and therefore the sleep of no one was
disturbed. Another woman at Islington,
whose mind was gone, made pets of thirty
cats her house was sort of hospital for
every sick and homeless cat that came her
way.


The men who follow this business all dress
alike-wearing shiny hats, black plush waist
coat (vest) and sleeves, blue apron, corduroy
rruusers and blue and white spotted hand
kerchief around the neck. They have Gus.
tom of meeting every Friday at the donkey
market at Smith6eld, and having a sociable
time together.


It is evident from these details that the
cats and dogs in London don't have very
hard life of it-indeed, they are many of
them better off than some of the little bare.
footed, halfstarved Children Western Rural.