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IASTOI?, LENOX
TTLDEN FOUNDATIONS

STARLIGHT- THF PRKSIDKNT

The
Cats' Convention

BY

EUNICE GIBBS ALLYN

Illustrations from life by the author

Cochrane Publishing Co.

Tribune Building

New York

1909

\

THE NEW YORK
PUBLIC LIBRARY

ASrrOR, LLNOX AMD

TILDEN FOUNDATION*

R lS2i L

Copyright, igog, by
Cochrane Publishing Co.

To all Good Cats

and Lovers of Cats this book

is affectionately dedicated

by

The Author.

PRBFACB.

I have had a great many indulgent friends
among animals, and by means of this book
shall try to pay some of the debts that I owe
them.

Horses and dogs have their lovers and de-
fenders, but cats are still suffering from being
misunderstood and consequently abused. I
shall present no arguments in this preface re-
garding their commendable endowments — let-
ting learned scientists tell the story by means
of the scholarly members of this convention as
here reported.

The artist and the writer find close com-
panionship in a loving cat.

To the pet cat every movement of its owner
is of interest. Every stroke of the pen or
brush is watched, and, when unable longer to
restrain his desire to help, the cat reaches out
and delicately touches that article, his touch
is so light and loving, it is not an annoyance
but an inspiration.

6 PREFACE.

The cat seems to know how far to go to be
companionable, how far to go without inter-
fering with the comfort of his owner. He
is cozy and responsive in a way only recog-
nized by those who are in sympathy with him.

In effect, all of the cats here recorded are
living or have lived.

So, in memory of those loving pets who
have looked beseechingly into my eyes as the
light of life was going out of their own, and
those who still bear me company, I inscribe
this volume. The Author.

THE CATS' CONVENTION.
CHAPTER I.

I am a cat, and my name is *'Gyp."

We, the cats, held a convention, and, as I
was made secretary, I have been ordered to
give to the world for the benefit of our race
the result of our proceedings.

We advertised, by our own "Wayside
Press," that we would meet some time in May
to discuss our grievances, and the ways and
means of bettering our condition.

One Tuesday morning, about six o'clock, I
was very busily employed watching a spot
under a board where I had seen a rat disap-
pear— for you know rats are restless at cer-
tain times of the day and are apt to reappear

7

8 THE CATS' CONVENTION.

within ten minutes of their departure from
any special place — when I saw Muggins, Mr.
Cady's black and white cat, approaching. I
felt very much like scolding him for disturb-
ing me and trespassing at that moment upon
my premises, but he sat down very quietly
upon all of his feet, and waited politely for
me to finish my work.

Just then a great red ice wagon came lum-
bering through the alley, and I knew the rat
would wait some time before he made his ap-
pearance, after all of that dreadful racket, so
I got up on the same woodshed with Mug-
gins and sat down on all of 7/^3; iouv feet, or,
rather, my paws and my feet, thinking I would
take a good look at him, and see whether or
not his intentions were friendly. I presume
he had like feelings with regard to me.

I knew, as he had come to my house, it was
my place to extend the welcome, and as I like
at all times to be friendly, I said that which
would have sounded to those unacquainted
with our language :

"Me-ew."

Muggins answered in the same strain; then
we knew everything was all right, and drew
nearer. If Muggins had said "Mo-ow," I
would have known that trouble was brewing.

My guest then informed me that the subject
of holding a convention had been agitated for
some time among the different coteries of our

THE CATS' CONVENTION. 9

race, and he wanted to know if I would at-
tend.

"For what purpose is the convention?" I
asked.

"To secure greater consideration for us,"
he answered, "and to eradicate as nearly as
possible the erroneous impression the human
race has of us."

Muggins lives with a highly intellectual
family and has acquired, as you will observe,
a very fine vocabulary. He has learned) also
to speak in quiet, pleasant toiies, and we often
have delightful visits together, for, although
my family is an ordinary one, and I am kept
just to catch mice, and receive only an occa-
sional petting, I enjoy the gentle refinements
of life, and like a conversation composed of
somethings more than commonplace remarks.

One cat I meet, Ho-ang-Ho, always spends
the time talking about what he has, and what
he has not, to eat, and the size, condition, and
taste of the last mouse he caught. Really such
talk is tedious and not at all elevating.

Well, to return to Muggins.

"Many cats," said he, "have signified their
intention of attending, and in order to include
the members we wish, the sessions necessarily
will be held mornings, because some of the
sleek and pampered pets of the neighborhood
are not allowed out at night, and afternoons
are kept within doors as parlor ornaments for

lO

THE CATS' CONVENTION.

the benefit of callers. It is very doubtful
about our obtaining the presence of the great
and wonderful 'Starlight,' as he is kept en-
tirely within doors. The only manner in
which an invitation could be extended to him
was by one of our number esconcing himself
in the centre of a tulip bed from which he
called to Starlight who sat in the parlor win-
dow. It was Mopsey
who delivered the mes-
sage, and when the
lady of the house dis-
covered her pet in con-
versation with an ordi-
nary cat, she made re-
pellent demonstrations,,
and Mopsey immedi-
ately wriggled himself
from his fragrant ren-
dezvous, from the vi-
cinity, and the unfavor-
able espionage."
I confess there are times when Muggins,
with the best intentions, uses a little more lan-
guage than is necessary.

"Where are we to meet?" I inquired, feel-
ing that my language was very poor when
compared with that of my caller.

"In Mr. Hoxie's barn," answered Muggins.
"He keeps his horses perambulating the ave-
nues and purlieus of the city the larger part of

THE CATS' CONVENTION. ii

the time, and not any of the human species are
permitted to accelerate the momentum of lei-
sure hours by partaking of the hospitality of
his barn, consequently there will be an agree-
able vacancy in that vicinity on that morning,
and thitherward we may bend our ready
steps."

I said: "Yes."

When I regained my breath I added:
"Please give me the exact hour."

"When the chimes ring out for nine on the
ambient air," said Muggins, "and the youth-
ful inhabitants have proceeded schoolward, we
expect to convene in solemn conclave."

I could only say, "I shall certainly be there."

I received two more invitations, but doubt-
less I would better reach the subject of this
report and omit a repetition of the conversa-
tions, as the parties will be introduced later on.

That bright May morning, nine o'clock,
found a goodly company assembled. I had
never seen so many cats together before, and
there were so many colors and such marked
contrasts that I thought of my mistress, who
always calls any motley array of colors a "cal-
ico ball."

Turvey called the meeting to order.

Turvey was a very large animal in clear
black and white, and used to having his own
way. Turvey lost his name mate, Topsey,
when both were young, and he never seemed

12 THE CATS' CONVENTION.

as cheerful afterward, although he had intelli-
gent ways that endeared him to his owners
and caused him to receive better treatment
than otherwise would have been given him.
Turvey's people had a gong to their front
door and it rang by pulling down a crank ; this
suited Turvey, and he would reach up his long-
length and pretty white paw, and, giving the
crank a good hard pull, would sound the gong,
and was always admitted and encouraged by
his owners to continue in his method of de-
manding entrance. My people have electric
bells.

We all liked Turvey, and accepted his tem-
porary assumption of the gavel with "sublime
equanimity," as Muggins said.

The rostrum was an upturned half barrel
over which, strangely enough, had been
thrown a gayly colored half-worn lap robe,
and from this position Turvey made his
speech,

"My dear friends," said he, "the greater
number of you have been informed briefly of
the object of our meeting, and that there may
be no delay I suggest that we dispense wirh
preliminaries and proceed at once to perma-
nent organization. If that meets with your
approval I ask that some one nominate a per-
manent chairman."

Cries went up from different parts of the
assembly room designating neighborhood

THE CATS' CONVENTION. 13

favorites: "Don," "Stephen," "Bounce,"
"Katrina," "Guy," "Gyp," "Purr-Purr,"
"Muggins," "Plato," "Romeo," "Puss," "Bus-
ter," "Banjo," "Bones," "Tom B.," "Yankee,"
"Bonnie," "Dixie," "Dolly Varden," "Amber,"
"Malteaser," "Starlight," "Starlight," "Star-
light."

Then I arose with all the dignity I could
assume and said:

"Mr. President, Ladies and Gentlemen:
The name I shall now pronounce is not a
strange one to you, nor to the public in gen-
eral. His mother came over the briny sea, his
forefathers sported in far off Asia. Before
him were many generations of cultivation, in
fact, his especial variety of our race is known
to have been the first to start upon the upward
grade of civilization, and the story of his in-
dividual qualities may well come before us at
the proper season. It is understood we are
here to discuss our grievances. The one whom
I shall name admits that as far as he is con-
cerned he has few abuses from the human
race to complain of, and, therefore, it seems
as if he would make a candid, unbiased chair-
man. Having been almost always within
doors, he has absorbed more of an education
than falls to the lot of most of us. I know I
shall be ably seconded when I pronounce to
you, Mr. Chairman and ladies and gentlemen^
the name of Starlight."

14 THE CATS' CONVENTION.

There was a chorus of cheers, and immedi-
ately Muggins sprang to his feet and said :

"Mr. Chairman : Could words be a thousand
time odoriferous of sentiment, could affections
and inspiration throb and pulsate, then would
this room quiver and vibrate with reiterations
of 'Starlight,' of which reiterations I now fur-
nish one, as I second my friend's nomination
of 'Starlight,' for President of this convention.

We began to think we were making a fine
start.

Turvey put the vote, and the election was
.unanimous.

At this opportune moment Starlight walked
into the room with a dignified, unobtrusive,
and self-contained manner that assured the
convention of the wisdom of its choice. He
had taken advantage of open doors to slip
away from his home.

The chairman delegated Muggins and my-
self to escort the newly elected President to
the platform — an office which we gladly ac-
cepted and performed to the best of our abil-
ity.

Upon taking the chair. Starlight said:

"The honor you have conferred upon me
I duly appreciate. My life has been a happy
one, but that has not blinded my eyes to the
misery of others. In the daytime the best of
food and drink is mine, and I sleep on ruffles
and laces in the sunshine or out of it as I de-

THE CATS' CONVENTION. 15

sire, and at night I sleep at my mistress' shoul-
der, and know very well that where there is
room for her there is room for me. Flowers
are brought to me for my own use. My pic-
ture has been painted and my photograph
taken. Twice only I have been struck by my
mistress, and afterward she said it was all her
fault and she was very, very sorry. No, I
could not do anything to offend her, I love her
too well. But all of my pleasures do not bal-
ance the unhappiness of the lot of many or
most of you. Were I less happily placed I
might suffer as you do, probably more than
most of you, for I have had enough unpleasant
experiences with strangers to know that I
should not be self-assentive enough for my
own good. I shall aim to be an impartial
chairman, and if I fail in any particular, I
trust your reprimand will be ready and hon-
est. Shall we now elect a secretary?"

There is no need of repeating the compli-
mentary things said about myself, in nominat-
ing and electing me to the desk, but I was suf-
ficiently flattered to accept with the feeling
that I was wanted. I am a pure Maltese, with
the extra Maltese toe, and, being one of the
largest cats in the city, fancy that Starlight
in his coat of dazzling whiteness and I made
a moderately good-looking couple with the sun
glinting in upon us from the east windows.

After thanking the convention for the honor

i6 THE CATS' CONVENTION.

bestowed upon me I asked for some instruc-
tions, hoping Muggins would not think me per-
sonal.

"Mr. President," said I, "I would like to
ask whether or not I am to report these pro-
ceedings and speeches verbatim, or shall I
simplify the language in order to make it come
within the comprehension of children as well
as grown people?"

"Mr. President," said Muggins, "I suggest
that the language of this convention be re-
tained in the reports. It is not our fault if
children cannot understand us. If parents
take due interest in the edu-
cation of their children they
will early instruct them in
the mysterties of English."
"Mr. President," said
Katrina, who ought to have
been named Richard, and
who belonged to a highly
literary family, and had
heard a great deal of lan-
guage, "I agree emphatically with my friend
Muggins. Children are fed too much on baby
talk. My mistress was brought up on Sir Wal-
ter Scott and never forgot language. I move,.
Mr. President, that the language of this con-
vention in form and sentiment be retained."

Plato seconded the motion, and it was
passed without a dissenting vote. I did not
vote.

THE CATS' COiW KNTIOX. 17

That point being settled, the President said :

"May we now learn from some one the ob-
ject of this meeting?"

In answer to numerous calls Romeo ap-
peared and addressed the company.

"Mr. President and Friends: Doubtless
many among you could place this matter more
ably before the convention, but none could feel
the necessity of meeting together and consider-
ing the affairs of our race more strongly than
I. Mr. President, briefly stated, our desire is so
to place our grievances before mankind that
it may understand the false light in which we
have been held by a majority of people; that
we are neither sly nor treacherous, that we are
neither thieves nor murderers of helpless in-
fants, the murdering, with rare exceptions, be-
ing the other way ; that we are made of dainty
flesh and blood with the most sensitive nerves
of all living things, and that we cannot en-
dure the hardships of cold, hunger, blows, and
all sorts. of abuse and live; that with proper
care we live to be twenty or twenty-five years
old, but with present treatment are considered
old when we have reached a quarter of that
age.

"We are well aware that in the best homes
and among the most cultivated people, and
especially among literary people and artists,
we are loved and honored, and accorded gentle
care, and in such cases we give accepta1)le com-

i8 THE CATS' CONVENTION.

panionship. That we are needed for the com-
fort and companionship of mankind, he proves
by keeping us, and by that token we have a
Divine right to a proper amount of comfort
and care. We know some of our abuses come
from ignorance and some from the natural
depravity of man and dogs. We claim to be
superior as pets to dogs, because we almost
never make an attack on anybody or anything
except to claim the food which nature seems
to have made for us and which man expects us
to take. We do not have to be muzzled, and
no ordinances are ever made to confine us
within prison doors. These things, Mr. Presi-
dent," comprise the central thought of this
meeting. Incidentally we expect to become
acquainted with each other, comfort those who
are in trouble, help to feed those who are hun-
gry, and secure homes for the homeless. Mr.
President, I have finished."

"In what manner will you have this conven-
tion conducted?" asked the President.

There were loud calls for Taciturn, and
presently a long, pale-gray cat marched to
the front and sat down. Taciturn had worked
his way to prominence by catching the water
as it dripped from the tap into the sink to wash
his face. His was also a literary home, his
mistress conducting a private school. Doubt-
less others of us could- have done the trick
had we been allowed the opportunity, but my

THE CATS' CONVENTION. 19

people, who are not literary and have not read
much, act as if I were going to poison the
whole household if I get up any higher than
the floor, and I often wonder how they would
like to go around looking up at something as
high as a steeple all of the time. You may be
sure there is no fun in always being down on
the floor with the ever present chance of being
trodden upon. We would have to be supplied
with numerous eyes to see just when we are
in somebody's path. When we are walked
upon and made to suffer tortures it is not
pleasant to hear: ''That cat is forever in the
way."

I did not think it my place to express these
sentiments aloud, for officers are prominent
enough anyway without appropriating the time
meant for the body of the convention. I once
heard of a club woman who, being President
of her club, used to call her meeting to order,
read an essay, and close the meeting without
another voice being heard except her own; I
hope we cats know better.

While these thoughts were passing through
my head, Taciturn sat arranging his subject
matter for presentation. I do not think he is
so taciturn as his name indicates, but he is de-
liberate and thorough.

"Mr. President, Friends:" said he, "Since
receiving the invitation to attend this, to me,
important convention, I have considered the

20 THE CATS' CONVENTION.

ways and means by which best to accompHsh
the object for which we have met. I would
suggest that this first session be devoted to des-
ultory conversation, wherein stories may be
told and the separate individuals of our or-
ganization brought to the front. I would sug-
gest that an Advisory Board be selected to
choose a Committee upon Resolutions. In this
attempt to ameliorate our condition, the only
method is to formulate resolutions bearing
upon the subject in hand, and spread those
resolutions broadcast over the land. There-
fore, great wisdom should be exercised in the
selection of that committee, and this will be the
duty of the Advisory Board. I would recom-
mend, Mr. President, that the qualifications of
the members of this convention be duly consid-
ered with reference to the important position
mentioned, and that the Advisory Board in-
quire into their ability, and that the names of
those selected be read before the convention
and duly voted upon."

"Mr. President, may I interrupt?"
The question was asked by Catfish, a very
nice gray and white cat, but possessed of a
mouth of such extraordinary proportions
as to secure for him the designation men-
tioned.

Having been recognized. Catfish said:
"Mr. Chairman, I would like to ask how
many members will be upon the Advisory

MAID OF W FNEL

K ATRINA. " SPOsE "

THE CATS' CONVENTION. 21

Board, and how many upon the Committee of
Resolutions ?"

"What is your suggestion, Taciturn?" said
the President.

"I think," was the answer, "that I would
make the Advisory Board large, because it will
have to be that which our masters might call
a 'smelling' committee, and I think three
upon the Committee of Resolutions
enough."

"Will you state the exact number. Taci-
turn, that you think best for the Advisory
Board?"

"Nine," answered Taciturn.

"Please put your suggestion in the form of
a motion in order to get it before the house."

"I therefore move, Mr. President, that an
Advisory Board of nine members of this con-
vention be appointed to select by careful con-
sideration a Committee upon Resolutions."

"I second the motion," said Flute.

The motion was carried and the question
arose as to how the Advisory Board should be
appointed. Fiddle, following the expressed
sentiment, moved that the President appoint
the Advisory Board.

Katrina gave a cordial second, and the mo-
tion carried unanimously.

Our Chairman chose with great wisdom,
for the names he mentioned were from widely
separated parts of the city.

22 THE CATS' CONVENTION.

"Then, according to your instructions," ^aid
he, "I suggest Taciturn, Banjo, Bones, Turn-
back, Columbus, EulaHe, Junior, Plato, and
Sweetness."

Columbus begged to be excused as he had
so much to attend to just now, but his talent at
discovering recommended him so highly that
he was retained despite his protestations.

As Chairman, Taciturn thanked the Presi-
dent for the honor conferred upon him, and
said: "I would like to make another sugges-
tion, Mr. President."

"Proceed," said our President.

"It is, that as a board we do not come to-
gether as a committee until after this meeting,
in order that we may miss nothing contained
in the speeches."

This was decided upon as the best plan, and
a meeting of the Board was called to take place
immediately after adjournment.

I might as well, right here, describe the per-
sonnel of the Board. Taciturn I have men-
tioned. Eulalie was pale Maltese color and
white. She had a good home and was sweet-
tempered, but had the peculiarity of purring
but little, and, however much she was petted,
seemed to be denied that pleasure of expres-
sion.

Turnback was a medium-sized cat, and his
master said he never attempted to do anything
but that something interrupted him and he

THE CATS' CONVENTION. 23

turned back. His peculiarity would have
caused him to starve to death if Jiis master
had not been very thoughtful, for Turnback
never ran for a mouse but that something
more enticing sprang
up near him and caused
him to turn back.
Turnback's master said
he was a good school-
ing for the household,
for his fruitless exer-
tions taught the chil-
dren the wisdom of not being diverted by trifles
from actual business.

Columbus was a great, soft, yellow cat, with
white throat and paws and golden eyes. He
kept himself spotlessly clean, was the chum
and idol of his owners, a great favorite w ith
visitors, and noted for his conversational
powers and restlessness, Columbus w^as also
a parlor cat, and not allowed to make himself
common by going upon the street.

Banjo and Bones were brothers, but had
been separated so long that they would not
have known each other had they not been in-
troduced by their mother, who also happened
to be present. They were black, of fair size
and intelligence, very talkative, and always an-
swered with a pretty purr when spoken to.

Junior had a miserable home,- was bright
and active but far from pretty, for his color

24 THE CATS' CONVENTION.

was a dull gray, his tail was frozen off, and
his ears split in several places.

Plato was a large, handsome, black and
gray striped cat with fine eyes, which seemed
bound in black velvet.

Sweetness was a little cuddling white
mamma kitty, and we all thought rightly
named.

Just as I was thinking over the tout en-
semble of the board, I heard Romeo say:

"I should like to ask, Mr. President, that
when the Committee of Resolutions is ap-
pointed, it be allowed as usual to have until
near the close of this convention to bring in
the resolutions, because, naturally, the sub-
jects for discussion will bring out the points
upon which the resolutions are to be made."

It was decided that the position was natural
and was well taken, and the convention in due
form acquiesced.

I find myself inclined to prose regarding the
personnel of the convention, but as a gen-
eral thing will stick closely to my text, de-
scribing only those who take some active
part.

At this point the President recognized Mug-
gins, who said:

"Now, that we have the machinery of our
convention in running order, I suggest, Mr.
President, that we resolve ourselves into a sort
of an experience meeting and listen to some

THE CATS' CONVENTION. 25

of the stories that I know are waiting to
be told. I should like to hear from our Presi-
dent."

This desire being expressed by others, our
Chairman graciously responded.

"My friends," said he, "you have all been
led to believe that I am possessed of superior
qualifications, because you have heard of the
exhibition of my acquirements. Some wise
human being has said : 'To be a wit you must
live among the witty,' and, my friends, many
of you may be much more intelligent than I
am, but if no one near you cares enough about
you to report it, how is it ever to be recog-
nized ? My people love me and have developed
my faculties. It is possible that I have in-
herited some qualities from my mother, who
was a bright representative of the Angora
tribe, but I am sure many of you could do as
much as I, and probably more, if you had been
as tenderly cared for, and pleasantly encour-
aged to cultivate and exhibit the qualities
which, I believe, are inherent in the majority
of the members of our race.

"We do not understand the language of hu-
man beings, neither do they understand ours.
My mistress professes herself unable to learn
Sanscrit, but I do not believe that even she. in
the kindness of her heart, has stopped to think
how much harder her language is to us than
Sanscrit to her. Mankind uses far more

26 THE CATS' CONVENTION.

words than we, but not so many wonderful in-
flections. A cat can express almost any sen-
timent in the tones of his voice. Cats in gen-
eral know far more than they are given credit
for knowing, but when one is encouraged to
let his light shine out he is regarded as a
marvel. Could we make our owners under-
stand, our lives would be happier. Sometimes
they doctor us for ailments entirely different
from those which are afflicting us, and, of
course, the medicine under those circumstances
often kills the innocent sufferer.

"When kittens are losing their first teeth
they often are afflicted with 'fits,' which more
than half of the time are simply spells of diz-
ziness which frighten them into trying to run
away from them, because they do not know
what else to do. This trouble often runs into
convulsions and often, oh, too often, the suf-
ferer is kicked out of doors or dashed with
water. After I had passed through one con-
vulsion I remember very well that my mistress
used to watch me, and when she saw the least
indication of approaching trouble, would hold
and smooth me until the dizziness and other
unpleasant sensations were gone. This gentle
treatment cured me entirely of this terror of
kittenhood. It is dreadful enough to go
through such sickness without being made to
suffer physical torture because of it. Babies
have fits from worms and from teething, but

THE CATS' CONVENTION. 27

they are not dashed with water and kicked out
of the house to add to their torment.

"When I first experienced the dreadful sen-
sations of which I have been speaking, I
thought the world was whirling around, or
that a mowing machine w^as running full tilt
in my head. Of course, when you treat a cat
as if he were a railroad accident or a cyclone,
he will be more and more frightened every
time his head begins to whirl. Just realize the
sources that are drawn upon for the benefit of
people when they are overtaken with weaken-
ing of the nerves. They have great physi-
cians, they go to sanitariums, to Europe or
the West Indies, but the more a cat needs gen-
tle treatment the less it has, and the less fitted
it is to endure cold, hunger, and fright. It is
thought by some that any place is good enough
for a cat. Did you ever notice how a cat will
seek the finest, softest, warmest, prettiest
place in the room for its couch? If discomfort
is as comfortable as comfort, why does the cat
seek the latter rather than the former? If a
cat has not the nerves to suffer, why is one
place better to him than another ? More often
than otherwise, cats are not only uncomfort-
able, but they suffer acute distress.

"Not only their nerves, but the very fibre of
their flesh suffers. Look at their frozen ears,
sore eyes, and broken and cut-off tails.

"They were not constructed to endure the

^8 THE CATS' CONVENTION.

hardships of the Northern winters, and yet
they are forced into kiUing surroundings by
subjection to man, and know of no other
course than that of submission. There is no
alternative but death, and to nineteen-twen-
tieths of us this comes prematurely. We are
made so nearly like human beings that we are
often dissected as a study for anatomy, and
when it comes to our aches and pains we have
to suffer unrelieved. In addition to having
'fits,' when shedding its first teeth, a kitten
often starves to death from lack of food that
it can chew, and is lucky if it is not thrown out
of doors for some dog to torture. When it
flattens out on the floor upon its little stomach
with the colic or whirls around in a dizzy spell,
it is treated as if it had committed the worst
of crimes. There is within the range of my
acquaintance a little waif kitten, whose story
may soon come before us, that has been sick
for some weeks from the various causes men-
tioned. Its protector takes it in her arms and
holds it tightly when it begins to suffer, and
it has learned to crawl to her upon the ap-
proach of its dreadful sensations and curl
tightly in her arms, with its head and eyes hid-
den. Who knows what its torments are, or
how great the comfort secured by the protect-
ing arms ? Of course, I remember the feeling
of restfulness and security I experienced
when the need and relief were mine, and I

THE CATS' CONVENTION

29

can sympathize with the Httle trembhng
waif.

"If mankind could only realize that words of
sympathy were not wasted upon us, our lot
w^ould be happier. Every unkind word or act
sinks deep into our hearts, and makes its mark
for all time upon our lives.

"I sometimes think part of our mission here
is to test human beings' hearts. My mistress
says she is afraid of people who do not like
cats, she always discovers something false
about them. I do not believe there is a race
that is as domestic as ours, and appreciates
love and cuddling as much; our soft, sleepy
purr which comes so readily with contentment
ought to be sufficient assurance of that. But,.

30 THE CATS' CONVENTION.

pussy cats assembled, I am afraid you will
think I am rambling and at the same time in-
trenching upon the ground that can be more
ably covered by others. Our deliberations will
doubtless bring out many points concerning
which each will be requested to give his experi-
ence, and this doubtless will cover ground
enough to form a substantial foundation for
our resolutions. I gladly yield the floor to an-
other."

"I am sure," said Romeo, "that we are glad,
Mr. President, to hear you discuss the subject
from your point of observation, and think you
are a broad philosopher, even if you are not a
sufferer. Yours is an exhibition of what a
pleasant life may be. We have one in the
room whose story is far different. It was with
great difficulty that I persuaded him to be one
of us to-day, and to give us his experience.
May I ask the President to call upon Tolly
Wog,' for his story ? "

''Will Polly Wog be good enough to give
us the story of his life," said the President
kindly.

All eyes were turned upon poor Polly Wog.
He was intended to be gray, but so unkindly
had fortune dealt with him that his color was
difficult to determine. His fur was in ragged
patches, one eye was entirely gone, he was
thin, his legs were crooked, his ears were in
shreds, and he seemed all angles.

THE CATS' CONVENTION. 31

At the first sound of his voice an audible
snicker went around the room, but our kind
President cast a reproving glance, and just
then managed to tumble from the rostrum to
give us some cause for laughing, and after
that we were able to control ourselves.

Polly Wog had been hunted and kicked all
his life; he never knew what comfort was. His
voice was made up of squeaks and moans. It
really would have been funny had it not been
so mournful. Just as we were ready to shed
tears over his misfortunes, his voice would
quaver off into two discordant tones, he would
give a fishy wriggle, thrust his head forward,
and suddenly stop — it might be in the middle
of a sentence or the middle of a word. Then
he would sit in an upright position, his eyelids
would droop, and he would remain perfectly
quiet in the repose of despair, until, without
premonitory movement, he would open his
mouth and commence again in the most mon-
otonous, joy-banishing tone I ever heard.
What most amused us was that Polly Wog
never was any more disconcerted by these en-
forced pauses than he would have been if sim-
ply making a comma for breath.

This is his story:

"I don't know where I was born, but the
first thing I can remember is that my mother
tried to keep me under an old board by the
corner of a barn, for she said boys and dogs

\ 32 THE CATS' CONVENTION.

\
had killed all of my brothers and sisters. I

asked her 'what for,' and she said she did not
know. She said she was sorry she was ever
born, and she often thought if she only knew
how suddenly to stop living she would do so.
Sometimes she would say she guessed she was
always alive, and never would die. Mother
was just a common little gray cat like me, but
she had two eyes, and you see I have only one.
I have been nearly killed so many times I look
upon the matter as almost an every-day occur-
rence. Mother had just commenced to teach
me to catch mice, and one day I had run a
little farther away from home than usual,
when mother rushed up and said:

"'Quick, now! Get under the barn; there
are some boys and a dog!'

"I rushed into a little place just big enough
for myself alone, and mother would not leave
me until she saw that I was safe, and before
she could find a shelter, oh ! my ! a snarling,
snapping, wolfish dog grabbed her in his jaws,
and I heard him crunching her poor bones.
Oh ! how poor mother did scream ! I cried, but
only mother heard me, and she managed to
scream out so that I could understand, 'Keep
still !' So I dared not say anything more. But
when mother was almost dead and could not
move the boys lifted her on a stick and threw
her at each other, and after they tired of that
they threw stones at her, then after a while

THE CATS' CONVI£N'lMON. 33

they went away, letting poor niotlier lie where
the wagons going through the alley wotild run
over her.

"] tell you what it is, 1 wouldn't be good-
looking and happy if 1 could. 1 should hate
myself to think I ever could be happy after I
saw my mother suffer like that. I am glad I
have only one eye, and that the other one runs,
and that my voice is cracked, and that no-
body pets me. I don't want anything that is
made in the shape of a human being to touch
me. If I should live a thousand years I could
see those boys throwing my mother around,
and I can tell you I think my mother had more
soul than all of them put together."

Of course, before Polly Wog got to this
point w-e were all crying, and we thought w-e
could never do enough for him, but we did not
see how we could help him, for he resented
anything comfortable or pleasant as something
he had no right to.

Polly Wog continued: "\\ hen all had gone
I crept out to mother and licked her all over, to
see if I could wake her up; she just moaned a
little. Then I tried to drag her out of the way
so she could not be run over, when I heard a
little girl say:

" 'Oh ! see that nasty little kitten trying to
eat that dead cat.'

'"Then I ran away. Presently a rough-look-
ing man came along and kicked the 'dead cat*
right tow^ard the barn, then with another kick

34 THE CATS' CONVENTION.

he sent her right under our board, and, ap-
parently not knowing anything more to do in
that hne, he walked on. Well, anyway, I was
g'lad she was where no one could see her poor
limp body, and I sat down beside her and
watched, and I managed after a while to catch
some mice, and I brought them to her as she
used to bring to me, but I never could make
her eat."

Then Polly Wog had a little choking spell,
and I guess that was what ailed all of us for
several minutes.

"By and by," Polly Wog resumed, "she sort
of dropped to pieces, and I heard people, as
they passed, say:

'''My! what a smell!'

"But I did not care, I wish the smell had
been bad enough to kill them. I wish every-
body would die, and when I die I hope it will
be just as my poor mother died. I want to suf-
fer just as she did."

"Poor Polly Wog," said Muggins.
"No, I don't want any sympathy," inter-
rupted Polly Wog. "My poor mother had
none. Well, I lived around our barn until
there was not a scrap of mother left. I was
thankful there was nothing for men, boys, and
dogs to vent their spite upon. 1 was getting to
be quite a cat, and other cats would come and
fight with me, and T presume we did make a
noise; so one day the woman that resided in

THE CATS' CONVENTION. 35

lf,%,

'f

^?t'.'^^

'%f^

the house to which the barn belonged came

out and laid some splendid-looking pieces of
meat right dovvu where ! could see them. I

never had a real nice piece

of meat besides mice and

rats, for I had eaten only

scraps I had found in the

garbage barrel, and I won-
dered what had come over

that woman to be so kind,

and was half-minded to go

out and make friends with

her, thinking, perhaps, it

would be worth while to try

to be cheerful, but then I
heard her say:

'' 'There, when that cat gets a good dose of
arsenic, I guess he won't fight around here
much more.'

"Then I knew what she was doing. She had
poisoned the meat. I was greatly tempted to
•eat it and have a good, full, satisfied stomach
for once, and die and be done with it, but I
concluded I would not accommodate her so
much, so I just walked away, roaming I did
not care where, and brought up in a woodshed.
I afterward heard from a cat living in the
neighborhood that the would-be poisoner said :
" 'I have finished up one cat. I put poisoned
meat out and have seen nothing more of it.
I presume it has crawled away and died.'

36 THE CATS' CONVENTION.

''Human beings tell about animals 'crawling
away and dying/ when really the animals know
all about the intentions regarding them, and
go away but don't die, not that time, at least.
"Well, it was cold weather," continued Polly
Wog, "and in the woodshed I curled up in a
corner as tightly as I could. I was close to
a stick of wood, and I had warmed the spot
until I was not shivering, when something
happened that made me jump, frightened al-
most to death, and there was a big boy point-
ing a revolver at me. He had shot once and
had not hit me, but I did not know whether I
was living or dead ; all I knew was that I was
scrambling to get away, and when I got intc
the street I ran and ran, not knowing where I
was going. I was so frightened that I ran
right into a house, and there I met with one of
my most serious troubles. Immediately upon
my entrance you would have thought that I
was a drove of wolves come to destroy a big
strong man and his equally big strong fam-
ily. The man picked up a poker and began
striking at me. The woman used a chair to
beat me, and, of course, I slipped around pretty
fast. I was almost out of my poor
little senses by this time, and I did
not know where I was going, and
'J0^^ they all screamed :

'"Oh! He's a mad cat!"
'If they had said 'crazy' cat, they would

THE CATS' CONVENTION. 37

have been correct. The first thing I knew the
man struck me with the point of the poker
right in the eye. Well, of course, you don't
want me to tell you of the horror of that hurt.
I felt myself lifted up by that reeking eye.

"The woman shouted: 'Run to the alley
with it!'

"I knew I was being borne along and then
hurled through the air, and then I came down
so hard upon the stony ground that I lay
stunned for a long time. For a while after I
recovered my senses I could not move, and
men, driving by on a wagon, said :

" 'There's a dead cat,' and the stinging end
of a whip lash sank into my hip and took a
piece out. Night came on at last, and in the
darkness I managed to crawl under a floor,
and there I lay perfectly still, I can't tell how
long. I hoped time and again that I would
stop living, but I just existed in awful torture.
Sometimes I must have lain unconscious for
nearl}^ or quite twenty-four hours — for I
would hear the children come home from
school at night, then sink away and know
nothing until I heard them coming the next
night. At last the pain left my hurts, but I
w^as so weak that I could move only a few
inches at a time, but by so doing I managed to
reach the garbage barrel. The cook had
dropped some bread and meat by the side of
the barrel, and you don't know how good they

38 THE CATS' CONVENTION.

tasted. I must have been without food eight
or nine days. I was pretty nearly starved,
but I was thankful I had found even a hole to
rest in, and I crawled back there and remained
quiet all day, coming out only at night. I
used to wish there never was such a thing as
day in the world. Then was when I was trou-
bled. When it was light, men, boys, and dogs
were on the street and in the alleys. Some-
times in the night men were prowling around,
and sometimes I knew they were dreadful men,
but they seemed to have something more on
their minds than torturing cats.

"Gradually I improved and became more
nearly comfortable. I hoped I would not have
to leave my quarters, but I will tell you pres-
ently how man's ingratitude caused me to do
so.

"There was a very nice pair of horses kept
in the barn under which I lay; one was called
Pochahontas and the other Bessie. In the
night, when the horses were quiet and there
was no danger of any one coming out, I used
to creep into the barn and catch the mice, and
once, when I lay under the barn, I heard the
coachman say to a caller:

" 'I keep everything so tight and nice here
no mice get in at all.'

" 'You are very lucky,' I heard him an-
swered once, 'if you can get along so easily
without a cat. We have two famous fellows

THE CATS' CONVENTION. 39

in our barn, they clear out the mice finely and
are lots of company. They go in the house
and anywhere and are as sleek and fat as you
please.'

" 'We don't need any cat here, and haven't
any,' said the old blow-hard that attended to
our barn. '1 can manage the mice. There
is a rusty old specimen of a cat here some-
where, but I'll shoot it some day, for it hain't
no use.'

" 'Don't you be so sure of that,' replied the
other voice. 'I'll bet it's the cat and not your
care that keeps the mice away. You don't
catch me killing a cat, I think too much of
them.'

"I really should like to have seen that man's
face to learn how he looked.

"Then the man that belonged to our barn
responded in a coarse voice:

" 'Ho, ho, I'd as soon kill a cat as to eat."

" 'Well,' returned the stranger, 'if you are
cruel to one animal you'll be cruel to another,
and that accounts for the sore lumps on your
horses' shoulders.'

"Our man did not reply to that, and I made
up my mind the visitor was some one he did
not care to offend.

"I guess he learned afterward whether or
not I kept the mice away, for as I shall tell
you, I soon left. That was the only place
where I felt companionship. The horses used

40 THE CATS' CONVENTION.

to like to have me around. In the dark I could
hear them 'sniffing,' and I would jump up on
the manger, and they would rub their noses
upon me and I would smooth myself against
them, and in the early morning of the summer-
time I would see them watching me, and then,
when I caught a mouse, they would whinny
a little, nod their heads, paw gently with their
forefeet, and keep their eyes upon me and
look interested until I had eaten the mouse all
up. I always used to eat near them when
there waS; no danger. Many a cold night I
have lain right on the horses, and I learned
how to stay on, even when they were getting
up. Of course, I used to listen to find out
when any one came, because I should probably
have been tortured to death had I been caught.

"Well, once when the roosters had just
ceased crowing for midnight, I heard stealthy
steps approaching, and, of course, I scrambled
away as fast as possible, but as I ran toward
my usual exit I found myself nearer the com-
ing footsteps. They ceased, and, listening to
find out which way to go, I heard, through a
crack in the barn, some whispering, and this
was the conversation :

" Tal, no mistake now where the boodle's
kep'?'

" 'Naw, do you take me for a fool ?'

" Tf any lark peeps shut him up, If you
can't do'tone way do't another. Knife safe?''

THE CATS' CONVENTION. 41

" 'Yes.'

" 'Gun's too loud.'

"Well, you may be sure I was all of a trem-
ble. I realized these were burglars. I had
heard stable boys tell any amount of blood-
curdling stories about them. I knew the peo-
ple who owned the barn where I stole my shel-
ter were very wealthy. I believed the house
was to be robbed, and by men of the most des-
perate character. I presume, in accordance
with my general feelings, I ought to have let
the whole matter alone. If it had been only
the stableman who was to suffer he might have
suffered for all of me, but I knew there were
others in the house, who might possibly be
kind-hearted, and so I commenced to think
what I could do to spoil their plans.

"The robbers crept nearer and nearer the
house; they kept in the shadow of the build-
ings as nearly as possible, and went to a
kitchen window, so I slipped under some steps
near by, and sent up the most unearthly howls
I was capable of. One man swore and said:

" 'That cat'll wake the town.'

'"Can't yuh stick it?'

"But I did not wait for that ; I ran to an-
other hiding place, and there I howled and
wailed. Presently the very door before which
the burglars was standing flew open, and out
rushed the stableman with a cocked revolver,
saying as he came :

42 THE CATS' CONVENTION.

" Til fix you this time.'
"Well, the stableman had been so still and
so sly in order to catch me, the house breakers
had not heard him, and the revolver was right
in the face of one of them before he realized
what had happened. The robbers dropped
everything and ran with the shots that had
been intended for me following after them.
One man fell and proved to be a desperate
character. He and his companion were both
caught and sent to the penitentiary for several
years. The next day I heard talking in the
barn, and Martin, one of the sons of the house-
hold, said :

" Well, we ought to bless a cat fight for
once. Those fellows meant mischief by their
commencement on the window and door and
the tools and the weapons they dropped. H
it's the shocking old cat I've seen around here
I should be for feeding it up for pay.'

" 'Don't give that cat any credit for it,' said
the coachman. 'You don't suppose that animal
made all of that noise to wake you up, do you?
Not smart enough for that. I'll make way
with him the first chance I get.'

" 'Martin is a little sentimental on the ani-
mal question,' said another brother.

" 'Well, we had a close call from two of the
worst desperadoes loose, and nothing saved us
but those enterprising yowls. I would like to
see the cat, anyway,' continued Martin.

SKOWHKG \\, WILL CAKLETOX'S CAT

"'^""cUBRA^i

,PBBUC

ASTOR, I^EJJOX

f*-

THE CATS' CONVENTION. 43

" 'Aw/ said the coachman, 'you don't know
what cat it was. It might have come from
blocks away.'

"/That is true,' said Martin, and there the
conversation ceased.

"Later in the day I heard the coachman,
speaking to another man, say:

" 'Let's get Ferguson's dogs and send them
under the barn after that old cat, and see how
quick they'll kill it.'

"I did not wait for their fun. I slipped out
as quietly as I could and ran down the alley.
Just then they spied me and one of them sent
a stone after me, that I thought broke my leg.
I had to run on three feet, and how they did
shout and laugh. I found at last a corner
under a sidewalk, and I managed to get into a

44 THE CATS' CONVENTION.

small hole, so small that I knew no one could
get me, and there I lay with no desire but to get
rest for my leg, which was making me almost
crazy with pain. But it did not kill me, oh, of
course, not. I just kept on Hving and suffer-
ing. It was a long time before I was able to
get out and hunt some scraps of food. The
only place where I feel at all safe is that little
spot under the sidewalk, and that is the only
home that I have.

''You see I am frozen all to pieces. You
could hardly find a homelier animal than I am.
I never had a human hand laid on me in ten-
derness. I never was spoken to other than
in a voice of scorn and anger. I never had
food given me intentionally. I never had a
drink of nice sweet milk but twice, and then it
was put out for another cat, and I stole it. I
never had any friends except Pocahontas and
Bessie, and I believe if their food had been
such that I could have eaten they would have
shared it with me.

''I don't expect any kindness from human
beings. I don't want any. My life is simply
an aimless existence, consisting mostly of an
involuntary struggle to live, just as one's eye-
lids close when the eye is in danger.

"Kindness would surprise and puzzle me.
I would not know how to act. I am willing to
suffer just as my poor mother suffered, and to
die just as she died. I feel impelled to realize

THE CATS' CUWEXTJOX,

45

all of her agony, and draw my latest breath in
the same cruel terror. To perdition with hu-
manity, I say!"

There was not a voice raised against the
poor sufferer's condemnation. His lot had been
hard; misjudged, abused, fretted, worried,
hunted, tortured all of his life.

We were in no mood to hear any more and
adjourned, silently and thoughtfully wending
our separate ways homeward.

e:nd of first day.

46 THE CATS' CONVENTION.

SECOND DAY.

After a brief report of the preceding day-
had been read and approved, the President
asked if the Advisory Board had anything to
report, whereupon Taciturn arose, and, with-
out any prehminary remarks, went directly to
the heart of the business.

''Mr. President," said he, "as chairman of
the Advisory Board, I am happy to announce
that the board has chosen to present to this
convention for acceptance as Committee upon
Resolutions the names of Bonnie, Turvey, and
Polly Wog."

"Mr. President," said Polly Wog immedi-
ately, "I must decline, for I know nothing
about anything that would be of assistance in
forming these resolutions. I have no educa-
tion, and never have lived with educated peo-
ple. I don't know that I want our miseries
lightened. I would not lift my toenail to be
happy. I don't want to know what comfort
is, and you see I am not the one to aid in this
business."

THE CATS' CONVENTION. 47

"Brother Polly Wog," said our President,
■"we should be glad of your assistance in this
most important matter, for your experience in
suffering has been so great you can sug-
gest many things of which others may not
think."

"Mr. President, there would be only one sug-
gestion which I could make," responded Polly
Wog, "and it would have to be a minority re-
port."

"Mr. President," said Katrina, rising grace-
fully, "if in order, may I ask Polly Wog what
that one suggestion is that he would make?
Perhaps it can be agreed to in general conven-
tion, or, at least, an expression upon it may be
^iven."

"Brother Polly Wog," said the President,
"we are here for the good of our kind, and no
valuable suggestion should be lost. While it
may not be according to strict parliamentary
rules to ask for that suggestion here and now,
we shall be glad to learn and pass our opin-
ions upon the merits of the suggestion, if you
are willing to make it before the convention.
Are you willing?"

"Certainly," moaned Polly \\'og, between a
squeak and a groan. "It is simply this, and
nothing more ; I would hang all the men, burn
all the women, drown all the babies, and smash
all the dogs."

Well, the cats couldn't help but laugh. At

48 THE CATS' CONVENTION.

the same time we remembered the tortures that
had so embittered Polly Wog, and we wanted
to cry, too. There was so much noise that the
President feared our meeting would be dis-
covered and called "Order!"

Polly Wog's sally was greeted with cries of
''That's so;" "I agree with you;" "Hit them
again;" "Oh, not all."

"I know some good people," said Johnny
Bear."

"I know a pretty good dog," said Buster.

"I know a nice little girl," said Eulahe.

"I know perfectly lovely good people," said
George.

"Oh, my mathter ith jutht too sweet for any-
thing," lisped Maida. "He buyth me liver,
and petth me and putth his nothe on my nothe
and callth me pet nameths. I don't want him
hung. I don't care much if my mithtreth ith
burnt, for the always turnth me out in the cold
kitchen, and takth the food away from me,
cawth theeth got a little thore-eyed dog. I
don't thee the uthe of thore-eyed dogth,
either."

"Oh, I don't want our baby drowned," said
Fiddle; "he lays his soft little face against
mine and says: 'Kichie, Kichie, pitty Kichie,'
and I sleep in the crib with him. He is never
the least bit rough with me, and I am afraid
if any one came to hurt our baby I would
scratch whoever came. But then," he added,

THE CATS' CONVENTION. 49

"T don't blame Polly Wog for his opinion, he
doesn't know our baby." *

"Well, that just proves what I say," said
Romeo, "about the necessity of children bein^-
taught by their parents what cruelty is, to say
nothing- of knowing what hurts. I heard a
lady, not long since, say that it made her shud-
der now to think of some of the cruelties she
witnessed with unconcern when she was a
child. She used to think it exceedingly funny
to see turtles run when boys put red hot coals
on their backs. She wondered why her
mother tried to keep boys from indulging in
the sport. She also supposed it was proper
when a kitten was not wanted to take it off
somewhere and drop it by somebody's door or
into the woods and leave it to shift for itself.
The ideas of right and wrong are very faint in
the minds of untaught human beings. Human
beings untaught would be lower in the scale
of animal kind than we are."

"Perhaps we would better proceed," said
the President, "to the regular order of busi-
ness, which is the consideration of the names
presented by the Advisory Board. Am I to
understand, Brother Polly Wog, that you must
absolutely refuse to act upon the Committee of
Resolutions?"

"With many thanks for the kindness meant,
1 must decline, Mr. President," said Polly
Wog, with unexpected politeness.

50 THE CATS' CONVENTION.

"Have you any name to suggest in place of
Polly Wog, Mr. Chairman of the Advisory
Broad?" said the President.

''The first name upon our list to fill vacan-
cies, Mr. President," said Taciturn, "is that of
Muggins."

At this Muggins arose, and, making a polite
bow in the direction of the sister cats,
said:

"Mr. President, the most serious and
really the only plausible objection I have
to accepting the honor so graciously ten-
dered is my positive and unremovable de-
cision, that a mother cat should constitute
the third member of the Committee upon Reso-
lutions."

"Make a motion to that effect," volunteered
Bonnie.

"Will it be in accordance with the order of
procedure, Mr. President?" queried Muggins,
who was very punctilious.
"I think so," said Starlight.
"Then I move, Mr. President," said Mug-
gins, "that the third member of the board be
chosen from the sex noted for the high de-
velopment of its intuitive, and perceptive facul-
ties, denominated the female sex."
"I second the motion," said Turvey.
Of course the motion was carried, and the
Advisory Board being immediately excused to
consider names, a desultory conversation was

THE CATS' CONVENTION. 51

carried on, in which many Httle grievances
were detailed.

The board was not long from the room, and
immediately upon its return Taciturn reported
as follows :

"It is not often, Mr. President, that we are
fortunate enough to present such a distin-
guished name in a convention as that which I
have the honor of presenting this morning.
The lovely puss I am to name is distinguished
in many ways. In one line her recorded pedi-
gree as a full-blooded Angora runs back
through many generations. She has had her
photograph taken for the public several times,
and at the St. Louis Fair her portrait painted
in oil colors attracted much attention. She
has been well and favorably noted in the press
of her adopted town, is owned by literary and
artistic people, and has every advantage of
culture and gentle care to make her give tone
to our deliberations. From this description it
hardly becomes necessary to give the name,
although to be in order I shall do so, Mr.
President. I am proud to name Dolly Var-
den."

Little Topaz seconded the nomination, and,
of course, there was not a dissenting vote, and
Dolly Varden was declared unanimously nomi-
nated to the third place upon the committee.

Dolly Varden was a beauty and had received
much admiration since comino- to the conven-

52 THE CATS' CON\^ENTION.

tion. She was a brilliant "tortoise shell" cat.
Her orange color, her black and white spots
were clear, bright, and shining like satin. She
was immaculately clean, and if any one touched
her fur in the least degree she turned instantly
to dress it over. Her dishes had to be posi-
tively clean, and if a piece of
her food touched the floor she
would not eat it.

All of the time that Taci-
turn was talking Dolly Var-
den sat "kneading bread" with
her pretty white feet, and
when it came time to accept^
she said:

"Mr. President, I thank the
Advisory Board for nominat-
ing me, and, if elected, I shall fill the position
named to the best of my ability."

She said no more than absolutely necessary,
but she looked so pretty that we felt we were
to have a distinguished Committee upon Reso-
lutions— one that would carry weight in the
presentation of the Resolutions from which
we hoped so much.

Although Topaz was very young, he was a
distinguished animal of well-known Angora
parentage, but he was very delicate in health,
and Dolly Varden had paid him much atten-
tion, so, although very young. Topaz realized
what honors meant, and was delighted at the

THE CATS' CONVENTION. 53

position assigned to Dolly Varden. The cats
had the same home, and nothing in the house
was considered too good for them. They were
good friends, although when Topaz first came
to her home Dolh' V^arden was backward about
sharing the love of her people with him. How-
ever, she found there was love enough for all,
and she became reconciled.

"Now, read again the names as you have
them, Taciturn,'' said the President.

"Bonnie. Turvey, and Dolly Varden," read
Taciturn.

"I move that we vote collectively," said
Pretty, a slow-moving, large, fine-looking
orange cat.

The convention adopted the suggestion.

'T move they be accepted, every one," said
Josephine. She felt that her voice was called
for on this occasion, and she wanted to show
that she was not jealous of Dolly Varden.
Josephine herself, although an ordinary gray
eat, was eminently worthy of notice. She had
raised several large families, and her kittens
were always so pretty and smart they were in
demand, with ]:)lenty of good homes waiting
for them.

"I second the motion," said Queenic, who,
as the mother of Plato and Columbus, had at-
tained distinction in the cat world and the
world at large.

It is needless to say that the committee, as
read, was accepted unanimously, and the newly

54 THE CATS' CONVENTION.

elected members made pretty little speeches of
acceptance.

As usual, Dolly Varden was brief but to the
point. "I thank you for the honor," said she,
"for I know it will please my mistress very
much."

Bonnie was a pure white, fine-looking cat,
but excessively retiring. He was, however,
very observing and knew whom to trust. The
greatest trial of his later life was when his
people took him camping. He never felt safe
then except when his people were holding him,
and at night his mistress slept with his lead-
ing string tied to her wrist, in order to be sure
of knowing his whereabouts at any minute.
He was quiet, but it was known that he thought
deeply and seriously.

In accepting, he said : "Many of the broth-
ers could have fihed the place with more abil-
ity, but none could have recognized more surely
the necessity for this convention. I have seen
enough suffering by cats of all degrees to cause
me to be glad to make the attempt, at least, to
aid in their betterment. Perhaps those of you
who know of my present home do not realize
that I was a waif, and that I hung around sev-
eral houses until I was over a year old, always
being kicked out. At last a family moved
into one of the houses and accepted me, and you
may be sure I was thankful to have plenty to
eat, a warm place to sleep, and, most of all,

THE CATS' COWEXTJON. 55

love and kindness. I did object to camping,
as some of you know, but if any one had been
homeless as I had, for any length of time, he
would be terrified with any semblance of a
change in home. The alley experiences of my
younger days are all I need to cause me to
give this convention the best of my time and
ability. I do not have to be in the house all
of the time, and, therefore, ought to be able
to be a constant attendant at these meetings. I
thank you for this expression of confidence.'*

Turvey accepted in polite and thoughtful
terms.

"We all agree," said the President, "that
we have a good committee, and if we were not
sure before of the intelligence of our members
we now have ample evidence of it. You will
remember," he continued, "that you have voted
that the committee shall not frame its resolu-
tions until near the close of our convention,
which may last some weeks, or perhaps,
months. That being the case, we have nothing
to do, but to continue with our stories — pleas-
ant and otherwise. This is the instruction our
committee asks, and I beg our talks may be
to the point, and that we try to cover the
ground in order to bring everything of note to
the attention of the convention. The members
of the committee wnll doubtless take notes and
be prepared at all points when the time comes
for framing the resolutions. I would suggest

56 THE CATS' CONVENTION.

that a position near your President and Secre-
tary be taken by the members of the commit-
tee, that any commmiication with them and
with each other may render easy the accom-
phshment of their task."

Right here Dolly Varden, who seemed to
have any amomit of aristocratic connections,
very quietly claimed the attention of the con-
vention by presenting- for inspection a beauti-
ful photograph of the famous Maid of Avenal
of Argyle. We were perfectly delighted with
it, and concluded she was well worth the fabu-
lous price at which she was held. She looked
like a gentle and kind cat, too, and she sent
w^ord that she would like very much to attend
our convention, but her distance from our town
Avould prevent. She, however, sent us her good
wishes, and we returned the compliment, and
thanked Dolly Varden for showing us the pic-
ture.

After due interchange of greetings, the com-
mittee became quiet in the positions designated.

"It remains now for us to continue our ex-
periences," said the President.

Immediately there were loud calls for
"Scrubby."

The President arose and said :

"If our friend 'Scrubby,' or 'Smiley,' as I
like to call him, is in the house, will he be kind
enough to give us the story of his life?"

Scrubbv was the joke of the convention.

THE CATS' CONVENTION

57

For obvious reasons, which will appear later,
his owner often called him "The Tramp."

In deference to our President's wishes I
shall call him "Smiley." Well, Smiley was
gray, striped with black, and was very short
and fat. His tail was only a third of its nat-
ural length, with the hair ahvays standing out
as if he were ready for combat. Both ears
had been torn until they were fringed, and
some of the fringes pointed one
way, some another. His fur
never w^as smooth, but stood in
little tags all over, just in the
Avay some artists paint cat's fur,
because they can't paint it in
the right way. His eyes were big and bright,
encircled by a black rim which gave them an
especially wide-awake look, and his mouth was
open most of the time with his tongue hang-
ing out, like that of a good-natured dog. The
last named peculiaritv gave him the name of
^'Smiley."

He was always welcome, and even the worst
•enemy of cats could not accuse him of being
sly. He was very comfortably situated, and
did not care what name he was called; but he
had not always been so happy.

This is Smiley's story:

*'I was one of live kittens," said he, "and
our owners were dreadfully poor, but the little
■children begged so hard for us to be kept to

58 THE CATS' CONVENTION.

play with that our Hves were spared for con-
tinued torture. I do say, dehver me mostly
from little children. Their liking for us is,
to us, a very painful kind of liking. Before my
eyes were opened I could feel myself dragged
around. In fact, the dragging around com-
menced so early in life that I supposed that
was the general condition of everybody. My
tail was broken in two places before I was
a month old. I was the one kitten that was
deemed especially worthless, and, whenever I
made my appearance, I was greeted with
shouts of laughter because of the kinks in my
tail and my rumpled look. I think my hair
started to grow the wrong way when I was a
baby, from the cruel banging around that I
had, for, dress it as much as I please, it will not
lie down. I have had the life nearly crushed
out of me more times than I can name. The
favorite pastime of the children used to be to
lie down upon me. I think, had I been fat,
I would have been killed, but, fortunately, it
was a good deal like lying upon a sheet of
paper, and my heart and lungs never seemed
to have a chance to grow very big. I think the
mother that gives a soft little innocent kitten
to a baby to pull and pinch, slap, bang, and lie
down upon, need never be surprised if in after
years her children walk in ways that lead to

the penitentiary "

"May I interrupt?" asked George.

THE CATS' COW'EXTION. 59

"With Smiley's permission," said the Presi-
dent.

Smiley very graciously consented, and
George said:

*'I want to remark, Mr. President, that such
treatment is not confined to the families of the
poor, for I have seen it in many places. There
are people who think cats have no feeling, and
that it is perfectly proper to abuse them all one
pleases, if it simply 'amuses the baby.' I knew
one family where no kitten could live longer
than three or four weeks."

There arose such a general desire to speak
on this subject that our President thought best
to say:

"As this subject is of so much importance, I
suggest that we defer until another time its
consideration, and listen now to the remainder
of Smiley's story."

Then the speaker continued:

"After a while," said he, "I learned that I
was to be disposed of somehow, and the discus-
sion arose as to the manner of my taking off.
Some said, 'Tie a stone to his neck, and throw
him in the river.' You may be sure I was
frightened, and what I would have done, had
I had strength and time to do it, I do not know.
I had got pretty weak and every one was call-
ing me a 'nasty sick kitten,' and I could hardly
drag myself around.

"Almost immediately after the drowning

6o THE CATS' CONVENTION,

suggestion, the man of the house said to one
of the larger boys : 'J^^^' ^'^^ S'^^^ you a nickel
if you'll take that sick kitten down to the river
and drown him!'

" 'Done/ said Jim, and he caught me up be-
fore I had time to think, and away we went.
He did not hurt me as he
carried me, and presently I
heard him say :

" 'I ain't a-goin' to kill
no cat for nobody, but I
don't know what to do with
it. Such a poor little thing,
too, with its life all kicked out of it. It never
did have enough to eat, and it can't get enough
now, unless some one will take care of it. It's
too little and weak to help itself.'

"Really, I never knew Jim had so much
heart, and it was a great relief to me, for I
had no strength to scramble aw^ay from him. I
just thought I would take what came. I saw
no river, so I concluded that Jim was taking
me to a more thickly populated part of the city.
Presently we came to a nice-looking house
where a short, good-natured-looking lady was
standing in the door, and she did look as if she
would not like to see anything suffer, and Jim
said:

" 'There, I believe that lady will g'ive this
poor little rag something to eat.'

*'Just then the lady turned to enter the house,

THE CATS' CONVENTION. 6i

and Jim poked me through the fence and ran
away. I was sorry then to part with Jim, for
he had been holding me gently, and in our
walk, which had lasted half an hour, I had
learned to like him. Poor fellow, when he
went back I suppose he had to tell a lie and
say that I was drowned "

" 'No, he didn't,' here interrupted a little
black cat. 'My name is Dora, and I am your
sister, but I didn't know it until just now. Jim
told all about it when he came home, and he
wouldn't take the five cents, either, and he
hung around until he saw the lady take you
in the house.'

" 'Well, well, Dora, is that you?" said Smi-
ley; 'I wouldn't have known you. You look
well.'

"Yes, I'm pretty comfortable. After Jim
came home he said he'd seen enough of the kit-
tens being abused, and he'd take the chances of
their being better treated where there were not
so many children. I don't know where he took
Joe-Bob, Leon, and So-So, but he took me oflf
one day and gave me to a pretty good family,
where I have plenty to eat, but not as much
petting as I should like, and as I see you have
by your expression."

"I am glad you have a good home," said
Smiley; "come and see me some day."

"I shall," said Dora. "Pardon the interrup-
tion."

62 THE CATS' CONVENTION.

"Only too happy for the interruption, I am
sure," said Smiley, smiling more broadly than
before. ''Well, then, to continue; after Jim
left me and the lady entered the house, I
crouched down by the fence for a while, and
then I thought I would see if I could possibly
make my own way, and I went to the door and
huddled my little cold feet under me. Then I
mewed a little, then I mewed louder, then I
kept on mewing. Presently the door opened
again, and the plump lady appeared, and, look-
ing down at me, said:

" 'Why, you forlorn, scrubby midget. Why,
you poor little thing, a breath would blow you
away. Well, well, I suppose I ought to send
you off.'

"Then I looked her right in the face,
and I suppose I mewed just as I felt, for she
said:

" 'What a piteous mew ! You poor little
thing ! Some one has thrown you in here, and
you shall have one good meal if you never
have another one, and be nice and warm and
rested.'

"And then I stood up and rubbed against
her dress, and she said:

" 'My ! what a tail ! Is it a brush heap or a
study of angles ?'

"Then she stooped down and picked me up,
and oh, how nice and soft and warm her hands
were! Then she took me into the house, and.

THE CATS' CONVENTION.

6z

dear me! I could have lain down and died in
comfort, everything was so clean and cozy and
soft and warm."

"Then she took me through into the kitchen,
where there was a clean painted
floor, and said:

" 'Nora, bring me some milk.
Here is a little waif.'

"Nora was a big, broad-faced
Irish girl.

'' 'Oh, it's always finding
waifs ye are,' she said, 'and I
don't see how ye are goin' to
keep thim all, I don't know.
Ye've two tramp cats now.'

" 'Well,' said my lady, 'we shall make this
forlorn bit comfortable, now. See its ragged
ears, its broken tail, and its bones ready to
prick through the skin. Now, warm the milk
a little, Nora.'

"Then in a minute a clean, white saucer
of milk was put on the floor under my nose,
and I never wnll forget how good it tasted. I
just had to stop and rub against my lady and
lick her hand.

" 'What an afifectionate little puss !' she said.
'You know w^hen you are well treated, don't
you ?'

" 'It manes good luck, mum, you know,' said
Nora. 'It's a dretful poor little body.'

" 'Oh, you're all right, Nora. You don't

64 THE CATS' CONVENTION.

want anything to sufifer/ said my lady, for she
saw Nora was softening toward me.

" Thwat kind of a tail do you call it, mum ?'
asked Nora.

" 'I think T should call it a geometrical tail,'
said my b.d}-, 'it has plenty of angles. Dear
me, T don't believe the little thing weighs over
two ounces. I don't see where it has a place
big enough for a heart.'

"I drank every drop of that milk.

" 'Now give us some more warm milk, Nora,
and some meat cut fine,' said my lady. 'I'm
going to feed this little animal all it wants
once, anyway.'

"And she did. I never will forget the taste
of that meat and how my teeth sank into it.
Woo-oo-oow ! I was really satisfied. I washed
my face and bathed all over, and my lady
laughed and said:

" 'Poor Scrubby, you never can be good-
looking, except in your bright eyes.'

"I think I commenced my habit of smiling
right then and there, for, as she talked, I
looked at her with my mouth open and my
tongue hanging out, and she said: 'Well, he
is cute, anyhow. Look at that little pink
tongue. He is a good listener.'

"She would just touch my tongue with the
tip of her finger, and the more she touched me
the better I liked it, so I got in the habit of
hanging it out all ready.

WHKN MV MlSl KF..-> IS AWAY KKO.M HOMK

WHIN .M^■ .Mi>iKi:ss IS \r homi:

THE CATS' CONX'KNTION. 65

"After a while my lady said:

" Xet poor little Scrubby lie here under the
stove a while. I shall come back and see what
we shall do with him.'

"But I tell you, pussy cats assembled, i did
not care to lose sight of such a friend as that,
and, wdien she started for the other room, 1
started, too, and kept right against her. Then
they both laughed, and Nora said :

" 'There's good luck for- you sure, mum ; all
you do with that cat in the house will be in
good luck.'

" 'Why, you little thing,' said my lady, 'you
certainly ought to be petted, such an affection-
ate little midget as you are. I guess you are
big enough to have a heart. Come right along.
Let us see if he will follow me.'

"You would better believe I did trot right
along and close to her until she sat down in
the sitting room, where the carpet was so soft
I did not know at first what I was walking on,
and where pretty flowers and sunlight and
warmth were lovelier than the whole world.

" 'Now, we will let you do just what you
wish,' said my lady, 'and see what it will be.'

"Of course, I jumped into her lap, that was
exactly what I thought I wanted to do all of
the time, and I cuddled down the happiest cat
in the whole world. The last thing I knew I
heard her say :

" 'Well, there is one little thing happy in this

66 THE CATS' CONVENTION.

world. 'Tnasmuch as ye have done it unto
the least of one of these ye have done it unto
me." '

'How long I slept I do not know, but sud-
denly some one touched me, and I jumped and
sprang to get away, for I forgot where I was,
and thought it was going to be the same old
hurt, but a soft hand came down upon me and
a gentle voice said:

" 'There, little Dot, don't be so frightened, I
guess you are not in the habit of having even
decent treatment.'

''Then I knew where I was, and I felt so
good I commenced to work my paws and some-
thing commenced to rattle in my throat. I
did not know at first what it was, but my lady
said:

" 'Really, I believe the midget never has
known how to purr and is making its first at-
tempt.'

"Then I heard another voice, and I jumped
again, but my lady smoothed me gently, and
said : 'Now, don't be frightened, you poor lit-
tle tramp.'

"Then I tried hard not to be, but there was a
great big man looking down at me, and I
looked straight up at him. wondering what he
was going to do with me.

" 'Well, Margy,' said he, 'if you haven't an-
other tramp cat to take care of ! What do you
intend doing with that forlorn bit of a scare-

THE CATS' CONVENTION. (,y

crow? I should think he was halt, lame, and
bruised.'

*' 'He is all of that,' answered my lady,
'but see his bright eyes! 1 guess I'll keep
him.'

"And oh, oh, oh, how happy I w^as at that.
I tried to look her hard enough in the eyes to
tell her so. 1 worked my paws and the rattle
came again in my throat.

" 'I believe it knows w^hat I am saying,'
said my lady.

"I was sure / knew, and I knew by this time
what it all meant."

All the cats were so interested in Smiley's
story by this time there were many indications
of tears and a soft buzzing, as if they were all
trying to talk away their emotions. But if we
were crying, we were crying for joy, and we
wished there were tw^o or three millions of
^'my ladies" in the world.

When we were composed, Smiley con-
tinued :

" 'Well, Margy,' said her husband — for
that was who it was — 'you are your own boss,
but how^ will the other two cats and Rover
treat him ?'

"'Oh, they will have to treat him well;
they w'ill learn.'

"Then I thought from my lady's voice that
she could be as firm and just as she was gentle
and sweet; and I felt perfectly safe.

68 THE CATS' CONVENTION.

''That was five years ago. The only pain
I have suffered since was the result of an acci-
dent. I was sitting near my lady as she sat
in a rocking chair sewing, and I was not
thinking about my geometrical tail, when
down came the rocker, crushing my kinky
member flat. Of course, I could not help
screaming, and my lady jumped and picked
me up, and petted me. There were tears in

her dear eyes, and she said: *To think that
the mistress you came to of your own accord
should hurt you, ''little sweetness." She's so
sorry, so sorry.'

"Then she did all she could to save the poor
little tail, but it had to go, and the last two
links of my tail were cut off, and I was left
with this fuzzy little stump.

" 'Nixie' and 'Spunk,' the other two cats in

THE CATS' CONVENTION. 69

the house, and Rover, were early taught to
treat me with consideration ; but I visit mostly
with my lady and with Rover, who has been
taught, as any dog may be, to be good to cats.

"I never stay away from my lady a minute
longer than necessary, and often she says :

" 'Well, bright eyes, I guess they will have
to call us the "inseparables." There never was
such a constant companion.'

"I tell you I am so happy I don't wonder
they call me Smiley. I know there is not a
happier nor a homelier cat in the Republic.
With such food as I have, any other cat would
have a slick, clean coat. I am clean, but my
fur was rubbed the wrong way so much when
I was young, and I had such a blighted kitten-
hood, I never can be put in shape. My life,
however, is just a happy dream; and I don't
mind being homely and having a funny tail
and ragged ears, for every one says : What an
odd cat !' People ask my lady if I am not an
imported animal, and you will be surprised
when I tell you that I have heard people insist
that I must be a new and strange variety of
cat, and assert their intention of finding one
like me.

"Ha, ha! Think of that, you sleek, smooth-
eared, long-haired, long-tailed pussies! I am
happy in spite of looks."

Of course, we all laughed, but at the same
time some of us envied him his lovely mistress,

70 THE CATS' CONVENTION.

nice home, and beautiful eyes, and thought that
with all of these accompaniments it was not so
dreadful to be "odd."

"In conclusion," said Smiley, "let me say
we are not here to listen to long stories of hap-
piness, or I could continue indefinitely. I
would like to state, as I have once before in
my narrative, that my complaint is especially
against allowing children to abuse their kitten
pets."

There were gentle murmurs of approbation
when Smiley ceased, and we were having a
quiet little informal conversation, making
pleased comments upon the happy ending of
all of Smiley's troubles, when we were sud-
denly interrupted in a manner that will require
a little preliminary explanation.

F. O. Fowl is a very wise cat, but possessed
of a temper that rather, as Muggins says,
"deteriorates from the calmness of his vicin-
ity." His advice is good when not governed
by his hot temper, and even then there is most
always right on his side.

He is so peculiar his people call him "Fine
Old Fowl," which we abbreviated to "F. O.
Fowl."

Like most of us, he does not like cold
weather, but every night he is banished to the
barn. He never suggests bedtime, for the
warm house is more to his liking and to his
judgment as the proper thing for cats. He

THE CATS' CONVENTION. 71

knows there would be trouble for him if he
resisted and scratched, so he says nothing until
he is rolled out from the apron upon the barn
floor, when he stands up and ''spits" with all
the vigor he can command, as, for communica-
tion with human beings, he knows that is the
most expressive language he can use.

Not being allowed to eat at table, he sig-
nifies his desire for nutriment by tapping with
his paw the elbows of the diners. As he is
often rewarded for the trick, he does not allow
himself to forget it. He has an exceedingly
long and large tail, and resents with unneces-
sary and vigorous eloquence any interference
with it, although one would suppose he would
be glad to have it attract attention. Also he
abhors petting when he is not in the humor
for it, and growls with zeal worthy of a better
cause when subjected to it. However, he is
occasionally so conciliatory as to be forgiven
past rudeness, for often, when invited to re-
ceive caresses, he rises upon his feet and places
both paws in the hands outstretched to him.
\\'e believe that, in a large measure, his ex-
pression of temper comes from his involuntary
resistance to the generally received opinion of
the mental and physical status of cats. \\'e
would be glad, however, if F. O. Fowl were
less inclined to resent supposed infringement
upon his rights, because in this effort for the
amelioration of the condition of our kind, we

72 THE CATS' CONVENTION.

desire to be the cause of no unpleasantness, but
to let the blame of our mistreatment rest en-
tirely and justly with human kind. We aim
not to be aggressors.

Under all the circumstances we were not un-
prepared this day to see F. O. Fowl spring
into the midst of our assembly, with his long-
tail three times its usual width, and "spitting"
for dear life. He turned toward the door by
which he entered, as if he thought some one
were following him, and we were really afraid
he would explode, he was so mad. His back
was all humped and fire seemed to fly from
his eyes. A motion from our president gave
us to understand we must remain quiet while
F. O. Fowl recovered himself.

Gradually some of his vertical fur drooped
to horizontal lines, and he said :

" I thought I'd never, never, never, NEVER
get away. I had to run. They wanted to
hold me, and pet me, and show off my long
tail. One girl is bound to stroke it and say
in baby tongue: 'Se-e what a ni-i-ice lo-o-ong
tail our cat's got,' and I don't like it, it makes
me mad. Then, too, just as I v^as ready to
come, one young lady was bound to give me
my music lesson."

"Music lesson!" said half a dozen voices in
different tones of elevation and surprise.

"Ye-e-es, music lesson," snapped F. O. Fowl,
drawling out the "yes" unnecessarily and glar-

THE CATS' CONVENTION. ji

ing around. "I said 'music lesson' plainly
enough, didn't I?"

"Why, yes,; anybody could tell that," cooed
Pinkie sweetly.

*'If it were on the violin or guitar," croaked
Polly Wog, *'I suppose you were afraid of
hurting some of your ancestors' feelings."

"Ffsst! Ffsst!" said F. O. Fowl. He was
a little past words.

"I presume, of course, it was upon the
piano," cooed Pinkie again ; "most of our own-
ers have pianos, but mine never take enough
pains with me to give me music lessons. I
wish they would. I know I should like to
sing."

"Pains!" snapped F. O. Fowl. "That's just
it. I have all the pains and they have all the
fun. Any one can take music lessons that
wants to. I don't, and that's just the reason
that I have to take them. They grab me be-
hind the arms, and told me up to the old piano,
and with my paws they pound out Teter,
Peter, pumpkin eater,' or 'Greenville,' and all
the time I kick and would scratch if 1 could,
and I yowl and yowl, and the worst of it is
they call that 'singing,' and say Pm an opera
singer. Then they let me down upon the
floor, and I tell them what I think of it. I spit
hard enough to put out a furnace fire, and that
only makes them laugh the harder, and I tell
you I just get madder and madder."

74 THE CATS' CONVENTION.

"So it seems," squeaked Polly Wog.
Then F. O. Fowl humped himself, and we
all expected trouble, but Pinkie, with a show
of S3'mpalhctic spirit, said:

"I should think \'0U would be disturbed. I
am sure T would not like to be forced to take
lessons in that manner, although I still think
I should like to be a musician."

Polly Wog turned up his nose a lit-
tle at Pinkie's conciliatory manoeu-
vres, and remained quietly hovering
over his paws, as if it did not amount
^ "/"/^T vv^ to anything anyway, and the bellig-

'W^^/ji^' erent cat, after staring hard all

around a few minutes, looking to see if there
were not something to raise his ire, went over
and sat down by Pinkie. The little peacemaker
moved one side, to accommodate him, purred to
smooth him down, and all was serene again.

It may seem strange that the President did
not quickly quiet our turbulent friend with a
command for "Order"; that he did not was
only another proof of his qualifications for the
office he held. After the meeting closed for
the day and in private conversation on our way
home, I unthinkingly asked him w^hy he had
not checked F. O. Fowl.

"For many reasons," said he, "chief among
which is that most of us are untrained and un-
tamed. Like uncultivated man, we act our
natures. I knew if we gave F. O. Fowl time

THE CATS' CONVENTION. 75

enough, he would exhaust his temper for the
time being, and if I had checked him we could
not tell what would be the result. It is best to
remain upon the side that one is sure of, espe-
cially when the sure side is one of peace and
order."

"Are you not afraid it will make him over-
bearing," I asked, "and that he will be more
apt to exhibit his temper in the future if we
are so lenient with him now?"

"No. I think he will, if our meetings are
extended enough, gradually compare his ac-
tions with those of others and see that he does
not appear to advantage."

"Aren't you afraid his example will encour-
age others to show a like temper ?"

"Oh, no !" answered Starlight, laughing. "I
think his exhibition of feeling did not enhance
him in the estimation of others. He did not
seem exactly pretty, and placed himself in a
position to be laughed at, which, you know, is
not an enviable condition. Neither people nor
cats care to be ridiculous, and a mad individual
is almost always amusing to people in the or-
dinary frame of mind. F. O. Fowl is sympa-
thetic and kind, and no one may ask for a bet-
ter friend than he, when the friendship is de-
served."

Just then, from about a block behind us,
came a whizzing rush, accompanied by the ter-
rified yelps of a dog and sharp, fizzing sounds.

76 THE CATS' CONVENTION.

like the spits of escaping steam from an en-
gine, and instantly two streaks shot past us,
which even in that flash we recognized as a big
white dog and F. O. Fowl, but the dog was
about two steps ahead.

"Yes," said Starlight, laughing, for we were
both greatly amused, "F. O. Fowl is rather op-
posed to dogs."

Here Starlight bade me good-by, and I
passed on, curious to know the outcome of
F. O, Fowl's exploit. I had not far to go,
for about the middle of the next block a
white dog with a torn and bleeding ear
was crouching behind two women, who
were flourishing brooms at our fighting
cat.

F. O. Fowl had sense enough to retire, but
his explosions of wrath were so vigorous all
the way home that I could obtain nothing
coherent from his talk except something like
this:

'Tfsst! Ffsst! Ffsst! I'll go for that,
ffsst! ffsst! dog, every, ft'sst! ffsst! time he
comes out, for he bit ffsst! ffsst! a sweet little
kitten a month ago, ffsst! ffsst! till it couldn't
crawl, ffsst! ffsst!"

I told you there was always a reason for
F. O. Fowl's temper, and when we parted I
said:

"Well, F. O. Fowl, you are right in being

THE CATS' COXA^EXTION. yy

angry; it does you credit, but keep on the safe
side."

"Ffsst! Ffsst! Safe side be hanged!" he
answered.

END OF SECOND DAY.

78 THE CATS' CONVENTION,

W^^

THIRD DAY.

The interval between our second meeting
and our third was one of continual visiting be-
tween the cats of the city. Reports were being
spread far and wide of our proceedings, and
there were noticeable upon the members of our
race a more sedate expression and a more dig-
nified carriage.

An eagerness quite in keeping with the im-
portance of our subject prevailed among those
already enrolled as members, and a pleased
expectancy marked those intending to become
so.

As secretary, I may as well say right here
that later consideration upon the subject of
verbatim reports resulted in omitting uninter-
esting details. I felt that Muggins would be
satisfied if I did not omit his speeches, and I
have been proceeding according to the method
later indicated.

THE CATS' COWEXTION. 79

When the day and hour arrived for our
third meeting there were many new faces be-
fore us, but the bells had long ceased ringing
for nine o'clock, and the President's chair was
still vacant.

I thought it incumbent upon me to suggest
that the meeting proceed, so I said :

"Evidently our President finds his exit from
his home prevented by his owners, and I know
it would be his wish that we attend to the
regular order of the day. He wall certainly
be wath us at the first opportunity, for he con-
siders the breaking of his
word entirely foreign to
his principles. I therefore
move that Taciturn be
elected President pro tem."

Josephine seconded my ^^^^^^S^^ \f"S^
motion, and, all assenting,
Taciturn mounted the ros-
trum.

"I thank you," said he, "for the honor con-
ferred upon me, and now ask if there are any
suggestions regarding the order of our pro-
ceedings? Shall we commence with the read-
ing of the minutes of the last meeting?"

"It occurs to me, Mr. President," said Mug-
gins, rising, "that this w^ould be a good time
to hear the history of our President. Those of
us who know him would like to have the other
members of the convention become accfuainted

8o THE CATS' CONVENTION.

with the character of our leader, and some of
his lovable traits, and one of our number has
been so situated as to hear and know about
him. Starlight is altogether too modest to tell
his own good qualities, his memory, and so
forth, and should he approach during the rela-
tion thereof, we can cease conversing upon
that subject and change to another. It will be
something in the line of deception, of course,
but under the circumstances perfectly excus-
able. I move that Dolly Varden be asked to
relate the story of Starlight."

This was immediately acted upon, and our
beautiful belle took the place assigned her upon
the floor. She was perfectly unassuming,
and so oblivious of self that she might have
been talking from behind a veil, from all indi-
cation she gave of a realization of her own
beauty. Her tale, therefore, was simply and
effectively told.

"I should have been glad," said she, ''if some
one with a wiser head than mine had been pro-
posed to relate the anticipated story, but cheer-
fully comply with your request, for I presume
that I am more familiar with the subject than
any one here.

"Starlight was born in a small but charm-
ing city upon the banks of the Thames River,
in Connecticut. His beautiful Angora mother
came over the sea, and when Starlight was
about two months old he was given to his pres-

THE CATS' CONVENTION. 8i

ent owners, because of tlieir well-known tender
care of animals; for the kitten was noted for
his beauty and sought for by many. His peo-
ple took him home in their carriage and he
acted as if he had ridden in carriages all his
life, showing no nervousness, but playing with
his new mistress' gloves and going to sleep
while riding as if he had come to his very own.
And he had, for no cat ever fitted into a house-
hold so well or had better care. He acquired
the name of 'Starlight' from his love of
romping on the lawn just as the stars were
coming out, his snowy coat gleaming while
against the grass and shrubbery. He early
developed great persistency in hunting and
catching mice, and once, to the terror and dis-
may of his mistress, even brought into the din-
ing room a snake about two feet and a half
long. Human beings regard birds as very
dainty members of the animal kingdom, and
are opposed to having them slaughtered "

"Unless they want the feathers for their
hats," interrupted F. O. Fowl.

"Unless they want their feathers for their
hats," repeated Dolly Varden pleasantly.

"Or they want them for their own appe-
tites," squeaked Polly Wog.

"Or they want them for their own appe-
tites," politely repeated Dolly, "and except for
these purposes, the animal or man that de-
stroys birds is a fit subject for the condemna-

82 THE CATS' CONVENTION.

tion of the human race. Starlight did kill
birds, and once set the whole sky in an uproar
by bringing home a 'highhole,' as they call
them in New England. Starlight held the
bird by the breast, and the wings spread out
so far on either side that he looked as if he
were flying. The bird was screaming, and all
the birds within a mile were sailing above the
captor and the captive and swooping as near as
they dared, and also screaming.

"The bird was taken from Starlight and
doctored to seeming health and set free, and
he never brought home any more birds. Star-
light secured a great deal of amusement from
playing with the chickens. He never hurt one
intentionally, but he played several tricks with
them that perhaps the chickens would not have

asked for. When the
flock was clustered to-
gether, eating corn.
Starlight would spring
from a height into
their midst and,
crouching down, laugh
to see them scatter. He
used to take delight in
catching the most
formidable- look-
ing rooster by the tail
and holding fast, while the rooster ran howl-
ing and dragging Starlight, as a horse would

THE CATS' CONVENTION. 83

a carriage. Another practical joke that seemed
to add to StarHght's amusement was to visit
the hennery, where, reaching up, he would pull
the tails, one by one, of the Brahma fowls that,
because of their size, were obliged to perch
low. Each fowl would squawk, and as no
two squawked in the same key, it was very
amusing, not only to Starlight, but to the
members of the family and visitors who used
to slip out to see the fun. No one ever thought
to inquire how the poultry enjoyed the show,
but if they did not get used to it it was their
own fault, for they had plenty of opportunity
to do so. He is denied that pleasure now, for
his people keep no fowls in their city home.

"During Starlight's first winter he was put
to bed in the kitchen, and he realized so well
what was for his comfort that he remained
under cover in his box until the rooms were
warmed in the morning. W'hen his mistress
said 'good night' to him, he always put his
paws around her neck and gently bit her chin ;
his way of kissing. Now he does not have to
say 'good night,' for he always sleeps with his
owners.

"While his people lived in their home just
outside of the city. Starlight used to hunt field
mice, and would often spring into the air, and,
coming down, turn a somersault, but come up
smiling with his prey.

"As he has told vou, he suffered from that

84 THE CATS' CONVENTION.

unfortunate terror of kittenhood — fits, or con-
vulsions— btit only for two or three times, for
his mistress held him tightly and petted him,
curing him by that simple means.

"He is very timid and hides in the darkest
corner possible during a thunderstorm. When
living in the country a steam threshing ma-
chine started one time within his hearing, and
from where he was standing when the direful
sound smote his ear, there was 'just a white
streak,' his mistress said, and the streak ended
in the darkest corner in her bedroom. Star-
light has heard a great many jokes about the
threshing-machine scare, but not upon the sub-
ject of thunderstorms, for there his mistress
sympathizes with him.

"When Starlight was a little less than a year
old, his people moved to another state, leav-
ing him in the care of friends, who, when the
new house was arranged, sent him in a box
by express, his beauty and good sense securing
him the kindest treatment upon the cars and
at the stations. He found a warm welcome.
The house was not entirely furnished upon his
arrival, and Starlight wandered around, look-
ing in vain for the tassels that decorated the
windows, as he had been especially addicted
to striking them with his paw to see how far
they would fly; and when they were in place,
everything seemed to be arranged to his en-
tire satisfaction.

THE CATS' CONVENTION.

85

"This, however, did not last long, and then
came the saddest day of our loved President's
life. The locality being strange, he went too
far in one direction and was lost ! His mis-
tress called in vain for her ])et, and no answer
came. He was heard of at a distant house,
crying as if there were nothing in the world
for him. He wandered on, and seemed to
vanish. In the meantime, his mistress was
taken sick, and could not prosecute her search
for him. Over three months after he was
lost he was seen in the 'chestnut' woods, but
would permit no one to approach him, and
, later came word that he occasionally
appeared at nightfall at a house about
a mile distant. As he had then been
away from home and civilization
three months and a half, no one but
his mistress believed that he would
remember his people; the lady was
sure that he would come if he heard
he/ call, but all others said, 'No use;
he is a wild cat, you cannot get him.'
However, she went alone and called.
'Kittie Starlight, Kittie Starlight,'
and presently she spied him where he
had started to run, but at the sound
of her voice turned, stopped, and,
standing erect, with one front paw
lifted in expectant attitude, was listening to the
voice that he had longed for so many months

86 THE CATS' CONVENTION.

"He came like one in a happy dream to meet
his mistress, and she clasped him in her arms.
But approaching children frightened our timid
friend, and he fled again, but only ran up an
apple tree, down which he seemed afraid to
come, because of the presence of others. But
when his master, whose voice he knew, ap-
proached with a stepladder, he was not fright-
ened; and when his mistress went up the lad-
der to get him, he reached down his hands,
just like a human child, to be taken. You may
be sure he was taken and held in loving em-
brace while his owners drove home.

"Although his food had been meagre and
he was half famished, he cared more for love
than he cared for food, and however tempted
with the choicest morsels of beefsteak, would
leave them to spring into his mistress' lap, put
both arms around her neck, and gently bite
her face. His mistress was so affected by his
demonstrations of love that she said: 'Star-
light, my pet, only death shall separate you
and me.'

"Starlight had howled so much for home
that he had a hoarse, crying voice, and when
his mistress went out of his sight he cried
strangely for her. He had also forgotten how
to purr. His pretty voice and purr, however,
came back to him, and he gladly dropped into
the ways of his own dear home. He had
taken delight in following his people when

THE CATS' COWKXTIUX. 87

they visited their friends, Inil after he had
been lost there was one hill, supposedly the
one down which he went that mournful time
that he had gone astray, wdiere he always
howled and down w^hich he refused to go.
This objection became a permanent fixture in
the list of his prejudices. Starlight says he
never will forget the feeling that came over
him when he realized that he was lost. He says
he could not ask for his worst enemy such ter-
ror-stricken sensations. He said many a time,
when he was asleep in the woods, he had wak-
ened with a start of joy, thinking he heard his
mistress call, and w^hen at last he did hear her,
it seemed too beautiful to be true.

"Starlight has been taught a number of
tricks; he runs through a paper tube from
three rooms away when he hears the paper
shaken, but stops when at the end and thrusts
out his paw^s for play. When the tube is un-
rolled he dashes away, and, crouching down,
waits for the roll to be made again. He shakes
hands with whichever paw designated, and is
very expert in the trick of jumping, assuming
the proper preparatory position when re-
quested. He understands a word of command
and does not have to submit to the undignified
proceeding of being chased back; he also
comes when whistled for, but objects to the
continuation of the whistle, for he climbs up
and puts his paw on the offending mouth.

88 THE CATS' CONVENTION.

"His owners say that he plays hide and seek
Hke a human being, and he varies it by trying
to scare his pursuers by hiding behind a door,
when, after springing suddenly upon them, he
dashes away to be pursued again.

"He is very fond of flowers and trees, perch-
ing in a tree whenever one is accessible. Star-
light has taken two trips by express, the sec-
ond trip as successful as the first. He is very
fond of carriage or sleigh riding, and is al-
ways ready to go, often getting into the vehicle
first and waiting for his owners. A crowded
street does not frighten him, which is singu-
lar, because he is so timid, l)ut he seems to dis-
cover so many interesting objects at such a
time that he has no chance for the emotion of
fear. He has taken various trips upon the
cars, which he also seems to enjoy, sitting with
his paws upon the window sill and catching
swift glances at the flying landscape. His
mistress says that the nicer the hotel, the home,
the house, the more welcome is Starlight, and
that the only homes where he was ever re-
pulsed were those that were so untidy that he
would not leave his basket and step on the
floor, and would not eat from the dishes there
provided.

"He is exceedingly dainty, and all of his
dishes for food are kept scrupulously clean. He
is only obstinate about one thing, and that is
his bath. He has a deep-rooted prejudice

THE CATS' COWENTIOX. 89

against that, and his actions al such limes are
so foreign to himself that I will not pursue the
subject. His skin is like the finest of white
silk, and his fur so absolutely clean that the
bath hardly seems necessary, while it is so
thick and fine it is almost impossible to dry it,
so he reasons that it is wrong to get it wet.

"Once, after being washed, wrapped in
blankets, and groomed until finally he was dry
and l(X3ked like a great ball of white cotton,
he went down into the cellar and rolled in the
coal, and when he came upstairs was all black,
exce])t his face, looking for all the world as if
he were wrapped in a dark blanket with just
his white face peeping out."

"Good joke !" said Columbus.

"Served them right," groaned Polly W'og.

"He, however, enjoys the brushing and
-combing given him," continued Dolly Varden,
"and becomes so happily excited during the
operation that he afterward starts upon a keen
run. When he sees the brush and comb ready
for him, he goes immediately to the place
where his toilet is made.

"Starlight, as you see, weighs between fif-
teen and sixteen pounds, and is more than
snow white. His ears, nose, and the bottom
of his feet are like the finest of pink silk. It
is a little strange that, no matter where he
walks, the bottom of his feet is soft, clean, and
claintv. He alwavs was within call, even when

90 THE CATS' CONVENTION.

he was permitted the privilege of roaming, but
since his people have lived in the more thickly
populated portion of the city, he is not allowed
outside, except in rare instances, and we have
the benefit of those instances. His people say
that there are too many diseases to be caught
in the alleys for them to risk their pet in the
danger.

"The facts I have told you are really the
least interesting of all that might be said
concerning him, but it is difficult to describe
him fully in the time we have at command. He
seems to have learned the language human be-
ings use, for he is never at fault in understand-
ing, and responds to what may be said to him
in a manner that shows he understands, what-

THE CATS' C()X\7{XTlON. 91

ever the tone in which the words are uttered.
He falls in with the moods of his owners, is
sympathetic, sad, or merry, as most desired.
He is keener as 9. house watcher than a dog,
and has a way of telling" his owners when they
return if any one has been to the house dur-
ing their absence. He attends thoroughly to
his business, and will search for a mouse
whenever told to do so, although he really
never needs telling when one is in the vicinity.
When certain things are done at certain hours
and the time has passed by. Starlight reminds
his people of the fact by looking at the clock
and at them, until they start to do that which
he reminds them of. That he can tell the time
by the clock his people are convinced. He re-
members and greets people after years of ab-
sence.

''He never quarrels with cat or dog, unless
forced to do so, and then he never comes out
second best."

"Good," said F. O. Fowl.
"That's so," said Columbus.
"At one time there was a cat that was the
terror of the neighborhood," continued Dolly
Varden; "he was a big fellow and the sur-
rounding cats were afraid of him. He was
dreadfully bad, just like some human beings.
He and Starlight met one night ; the fight was
long, and Starlight was pretty well bruised, but
the other cat had one eye taken out, and was

92 THE CATS' CONVENTION.

so nearly demolished that he never again
pounced upon innocent and unsuspecting kit-
tens. He was decidedly upon the retired list."

"Whoop la !" said Columbus, and he actually
turned a somersault, while F. O. Fowl looked
on complacently, and said to him :

**I guess that will do for both of us."

"Starlight has not had many fights," said
Dolly Varden, "but he never gives up when he
gets started, and unless taken away by main
force he continues the combat until the other
•cat is a sorry-looking specimen."

"I'll take a turn this time," said F. O. Fowl,
and so we had another somersault in our
midst.

Dolly Varden smiled, as if she were pleased
that so much interest was taken in her story,
and continued:

"Starlight is known all over the State as one
•of the prettiest, if not the prettiest, cat in the
United States. Perfect strangers hear of him
and come to visit him, but none except those
who Hve with him can understand his intelli-
gence. His mistress says he never did a wrong
thing in his life, never a thing that required
rebuke. He is absolutely honest, and the
choicest dainties may be left near him when he
is alone in the room, without his disturbing
them. His hearing is so acute that the softest
step is audible to him, and no watch dog is
necessary in his abode. He submits with quiet

THE CATS' CONVEiNTlON. 93

and dignified grace to being tied, never at-
tempting to get away when finding himself
fast. He also leads quietly, and will stay un-
complainingly in a basket when placed there^
for he has perfect confidence in the good in-
tentions of his people regarding him.

''Our friend submits only to kind treatment
and can endure no other. A cross look, word,
or action and he hies him out of sight, and does
not make his appearance until all is serene.
His voice is all for peace. I hope," said Dolly
Varden, "that I have given you a faint idea
of the character and quality of our President,
and I know you will love him better because of
the narration, and love him more and more as
your acquaintance with him increases."

Just as the last sentence was spoken, our
President walked slowly in.

"Hello ! Here you are !" shouted our incor-
rigible Columbus. "We've just been talking
good about you."

"Perhaps I had better retire and let you con-
tinue your conversation," said Starlight, "for
I am very glad to be thought well of."

"Oh, no!" said Columbus. "Get right up
on the platform. Taciturn, you get down
quick! Nobody but Starlight on that barrel
when Starlight is here."

Columbus was talking so fast that Taciturn
had no chance to retire gracefully, nor Star-
light to protest against his retiring, and in

94 THE CATS' CONVENTION.

order to smooth things out, I interrupted
quickly, saying:

"We are glad of the presence of our Presi-
dent, and I move a vote of thanks to our tem-
porary chairman for his kindness in assuming
the gavel when necessary."

"I second that motion," said F. O. Fowl.

The motion was carried, and Starhght said
immediately: "I should like to have Taciturn
continue in the duty he has begun." But Taci-
turn was already descending from the ros-
trum, and Columbus marched Starlight im-
mediately into position.

"How far. Taciturn," asked Starlight, "had
you proceeded with business ?"

"We had not even commenced the regular
order, and were engaged in listening to sto-
ries."

"All right, then," was the answer, "w^e shall
now listen to the report."

After my report had been accepted we were
startled to hear Plum's high-pitched voice pro-
pound this conundrum: "Why are cats most
always called 'slie'?"

"Because they are pretty," answered Pinkie,
looking conscious

"Because they are soft," answered Polly
Wog.

"In what way?" queried Annette sharply.

"In the head," squeaked Polly W^og.

Then there might have been trouble, for

THE CATS' CONVENTION. 95

there was general spitting and growling, and
menacing looks were cast at the offender, not
only by the sisters, but by the chivalrous
brothers; but our President arose and, bring-
ing down the gavel, said :

"Order! I depend upon the happy cats of
this convention to quiet all unpleasantness, and
especially to forgive one who has suffered as
Polly Wog has."

"I don't care whether they forgive me or
not. Pm not hunting forgiveness," groaned
Polly Wog, his voice quavering into
a subdued screech.

Then we all laughed, and Polly
Wog did not seem to be disturbed
about that, either ; and, as if to bring
peace, little Rose, Mrs. Chase's cat,
purred out :

"I guess it's because females are
the cream of all creation; cats are the cream
of all physical creation, and so, naturally, they
are called 'she.' "

"Because they are graceful," said gallant
Turvey.

Then it was very funny to see all of our
sisters pose, arise and change positions, and
discover unpleasant unevennesses in their rest-
ing places; for a while it was like the figure in
the old quadrille called "Do-ci-do."

Presently these gliding pussies caught sight
of each other, and of the amused looks upon

96 THE CATS' CONVENTION.

their brothers' faces, and suddenly became
quiet. Then we all laughed again.

''Well, you are so brilliant with your conun-
drums. Plum," said Pinkie, "tell us the an-
swer. We give it up."

"Oh, I don't know," answered Plum uncon-
cernedly. "T just asked for information."

Then Polly Wog almost laughed, and, of
course, we had various concatenations. It
was some time before we were quiet. Finally
the President said:

"The chair chooses to consider that Pinkie,
Rose, and Turvey have answered the question
correctly."

There was a little interchange of remarks
after this, and I was congratulating the Presi-
dent upon settling the conundrum subject so
nicely, when I heard Columbus give a purring
call and saw him start for the door, without
asking to be excused and without even saying :
'Good-by.'

"Must you go, Columbus?" said Starlight.

"Yes, I'm hungry," was the answer, and
without more ado away he went.

The oddities of this unique friend of ours
gradually became the subject of conversation,
and I here record his story and characteristics,
as brought out by his indulgent mother,
Queenie, and other intimate friends. Queenie
and Plato, Columbus' brother, had been given
away, but they could not quite reconcile them-

THE CATS' CONVENTION. 97

selves to the fact that Columbus should have
been chosen by his people as the favorite, and
retained at the old home.

Here is the story of Columbus.

Columbus is one of our peculiar friends, and
unlike most of our race, has more love and
petting than he knows what to do with, and
some of us think more than he deserves, for
he is very selfish. His personal appearance I
have already described; he is very beautiful
and attracts much attention. He has never
known anything but the extreme of kindness
and does not realize his selfishness.

He was born in the house that is still and
probably always will be his home. When
about three months old he was taken very sick,
and all sorts of cures were prescribed for him.
One person said to his owners : "You give him
too much fish." He never had touched fish.
Another said: "You give him too much raw
meat." He never had tasted raw meat.

Weeks passed on, and Columbus grew worse
and worse, and was just a crying little shadow,
and his owners were importuned time and
again to chloroform him, and upon advice he
was dosed with all kinds of medicines until he
was given up to die.

The chloroform was ready, but his mistress
could not let him go in that way. At last she
said:

"Well, we have starved that cat to please

98 TH^ CATS' CONVENTION.

people, now I am going to please myself and
please Columbus once." And at her request
the man of the house brought a pound of beef-
steak, cut it up fine, and placed it before the
sick one. The kitten stayed not in his going
for it, but he went at once, and when he ceased
eating he looked like a snake that had swal-
lowed a chicken. But best of all, he began at
that moment to get well,
and with the exception of a
few dizzy spells, never has
been sick since. In some of
his dizzy spells he was per-
fectly blind, and once, if he
had not been discovered, he
might have suffered; for,
having slipped out of the
house, he was found sitting
motionless where he would
have been attacked by dogs,
and was powerless to get away. His owners
took him in the house and held him closely un-
til he was all right.

When Columbus was about four months old
he was taken with his mother and brother
Plato to their new home, and left with them
for a two weeks' visit, while his people were
away. He understood why he was a guest,
and never attempted to stray. Later, while
his owners were absent a month. Columbus
visited at the house of a friend of the familv,

THE CATS' CONVENTION. 99

and although human beings thought it was
strange he could know enough not to roam
from his temporary home, any one who knew
Columbus even then realized his wisdom was
equal to knowing what was wanted of
him.

After the visit just mentioned, he was at
home five months, then again visited five
months with his owner's friend. By constant
association with human beings he has learned
to attach himself strictly to them, going to pic-
nics with his owners, following them closely
to and from neighboring houses, answering
and coming quickly when summoned by name,
and always choosing his resting places in close
proximity to his friends. He likes to get into
boxes and bureau drawers, and when he was
very small he would play all day on a bed, if
a pitcher were placed there for him to run in
and out of.

When he was a tiny kitten he slept upon his
mistress' desk when she wrote, or in her hair
when she reclined, and now his weight and
size make such affectionate advances some-
what oppressive, although he never receives a
repulse. In fact, he never is driven from the
desk, his mistress accepting for her use the
smallest possible corner, and when he would
cozy in her hair, she lets him rest upon her
shoulder.

Of course we are not asking for such baby-

100 THE CATS' CONVENTION.

ing as that, but we would all like it, and would
not be slow in showing our appreciation.

If Columbus were turned out in the cold
world to search for a living, I cannot imagine
what would become of him.

Since his sickness he has had the most per-
fect of foods — sweet, fresh milk and fresh
meat, with any other dainty he may happen
to desire. As I have already intimated, he is
inordinately selfish. When he is sleepy he
must be permitted to sleep; when he wants to
eat, he is so positive about it, makes his de-
mands in such vigorous tones of voice, that he
is attended to for the sake of peace. If he is
in the humor for petting, he is very sweet and
gentle, but if his inclinations are averse, he un-
mistakably announces the fact by growls and
scratches. If he wants to go out of doors, he
tries persistently to turn knobs, but, of course,
they are not made for the manipulation of cats'
paws, and he rarely succeeds; but he rattles
the door attachments until his wishes are com-
plied with. He often tries to let in callers,
especially when his people are not there to
answer the call to the door.

If in the morning the people of the house do
not arise at a certain time, Columbus takes it
upon himself to waken them, and if they do
not respond readily, he repeats the demand —
becoming more and more vigorous until, if the
delay is too much extended, he flies to the bed

THE CATS' CONVENTION. loi

of his owners, and attacks them with so much
ferocity that they heed his request in a hurry.
Because Columbus is so much loved by his
people, these pranks amuse them, but most of
us would receive a lasting lesson for such an
exhibition of peculiarities that would suppress
all originality for all time. Columbus is now
learning to sit up while he is eating, and to
shake hands ; he already jumps over the clasped
hands and adds one trick which some of us
may, because of natural antipathy, find difficult
of attainment — he plays in the water, paddling
it about with all the abandonment of a child,
and sometimes he sits down by a wash bowl
and washes his face like human beings. He
very readily plunges his arm in water up to
his shoulder, to fish out anything he desires.

Of course, our repugnance to water is
caused mainly by our dislike of getting our
fur wet, as it dries so slowy.

Coumbus is an expert in getting into a ham-
mock, and whenever he wants to
go to sleep and a hammock is
convenient, he monopolizes it.
Our friend is very fond of flow-
ers and trees, and when shut up
in his own home drags the flow-
ers from the vases and tears the
potted plants, and no amount of
persuasion or punishment can check him in his
pursuit of happiness. He forgives, however,

102 THE CATS' CONVENTION.

as he hopes to be forgiven, for he comes up
smiHng and ready for play after each punish-
ment— as if none had been administered.

Columbus gives promise of being very large,
as he is not yet two years old, and weighs fif-
teen pounds, and we cats believe it is entirely
through his bountiful and wise supply of food.

Not any of us expect the care and caresses
showered upon this pampered pet. Not any of
us expect to be forgiven should we persistently
infringe upon the comfort of our owners, al-
though it might not be an unremunerative ex-
periment for human beings to try such treat-
ment with some of us, especially with those of
us who have good pedigrees for a foundation.
Perhaps had our owners made us such inti-
mate friends as Columbus' people have made
him, we too might be just as closely attached,
just as ready to follow every step indoors or
out, just as ready to learn tricks and be beauti-
ful enough to attract attention, just as is the
friend in consideration. Another point is this,
and I hope it will form an important part of
our resolutions: All animals should be talked
to. Columbus is addressed as if he were a
human being, and he has learned to respond
whenever spoken to. In fact, his conversa-
tions are often too loud and continuous to
please people.

Although he does not speak in the language
of his owners, they learn his sentiments al-

THE CATS' COXVENTION. 103

most entirely by the tones of his voice. There
are many races of human beings who suppl\-
the })lace of words by inflections, making one
word serve thirty or more purposes, according
to inflection, and if our language is formed
uj^on that plan I do not see that it makes our
race as much below others as many of our
owners continually assert.

The remarks concerning Columbus were
concluded at an opportune moment, for imme-
diately after Columbus re-entered in a most
leisurely manner, his long, large tail held high
and waving slowly back and forth, his golden
eyes looking intelligently from one to another,
and his musical greetings audible in all parts
of the room. Evidently his lunch had put him
in good humor.

He came over and sat down by me. While
this position upon his part would ordinarily
ha\'e added to my pleasure, it was a serious
menace to the composure of mind which T felt
necessary fittingly to bear in mind and clearly
to report proceedings, for Columbus kept up a
running fire of comment upon the ap])earance
of the sj^eakers, and T laughed so much that T
ofl"ended several, and received a reproving
glance from the President.

! nnist have suddenlv become grave, for
Columbus gurgled :

"IIcllo! W'liat's the matter with you? Got
a bone in vour throat? Just lK)ld your head

104 THE CATS' CONVENTION.

low, and I will spat you on the back, or run
my paw down your throat. I am very apt to
get them in my throat, too, when I eat fish, but
always after I have had a bone in my throat
my mistress is very careful to look over the fish
before she gives it to me, and take out the
bones. Sometimes she gets a little careless,
and as I think it too much trouble to pick out
the bones myself, I pretend to choke, whether
I do or not, and then she is a little more care-
ful again. Oh, these human beings need jack-
ing Up to our level once in a while; they like

to fofget their duty, and become slipshod in
their maimer of hatidlitig Us and of handling
themselves. I don't allow my mistress to for-
get her duty one minute. Sometimes she gets
out of sight, and I don't intend to allow her
to do that. If it ever happens, I just yell this

way: W-o-o-u-u-ow, and "

But dear me, Columbus did let otit such a
horrible, ear-splitting yowl that we all jumped

THE CATS' CONVENTION. 105

to our feet, thinking that he had a fit, or had
gone mad, or that some one had stuck a p'm in
him, but he never noticed anything wrong and
kept on gurgHng to me :

"And I tell you that fetches her. She either
comes for me or calls out, 'Here, Columbus!'
and I go to her, and she learns that it is not
the proper thing to leave me alone. It is just
as well to teach our attendants their duty first
as last ; it won't do to be slack, or to allow them
the least liberty; they will take advantage of it.
Of course, with our claws and our teeth we
have them at a disadvantage, and I have given
my master some great, deep gashes that w^ill
cause him to look out how he brushes my coat
after this. If he don't prove a gentler valet,
I am afraid I shall have to discharge him, al-
though I confess to being very much attached
to him."

"The house will come to order," said the
President, by way of c|uieting the monologue.

"Oh, yes, certainly, Mr. President," gurgled
Columbus. "T think order is a very good
thing; it is absolutelv necessary for human
beings. The}- seem to have no way of accom-
plishing anything unless they are tied to or-
der."

Just then our little peacemaker, Pinkie,
walked over to our talkative friend, and said;

"Columbus, won't you come and sit by
me a w^hile? I want to ask you some ques-
tions."

io6 THE CATS' CONVENTION,

"Oh, certainly," answered our spoiled friend.
*'Tf you don't ask too many."

So the two went to some distance from us.
and Pinkie told me afterward that she had a
good talk with Columbus, telling him how
many cats were suffering, and that if he lis-
tened well he would hear some dreadful
stories, and perhaps he would be able to give
some good advice regarding the manner in
which cats could direct the deportment of the
people who kept house for them.

When Columbus had sufficiently subsided,
our President said :

"We shall be glad to hear now^ any histories,
complaints, or suggestions."

At this point I asked permission to speak,
and after gaining it, I said :

"W^e descendants of Grandpa Thomas, of
Bushville, persuaded the wise patriarch to have
his picture taken, and I here present it for in-
spection."

Everybody seemed delighted with it, and
said that I resembled my honored ancestor.

Thomas of Bushville is very proud, for his
people are old settlers, and the master of the
house is wealthy, and has been mavor of his
town, and has a great reputation for honesty —
which is said to be a grace that is fast dying
out in the human race. Grandpa Thomas is
Maltese, like myself, and we don't know how^
old he is, but he ha.s things pretty much his own

THE CATS' CONVENTION. 107

way at the suburban home of his owners. I
told of his crood quaHties, his attachment to his
people, and that he was well along in years,
and I received the thanks of the convention for
bringing the picture.

"I think that others of us ought to have our
pictures taken," said Turvey. ''Starlight has
had both photographs and an oil painting made
of himself, and his owners would not part with
them for anything. Then Dolly Varden, as
you have heard, has had photographs and an
oil painting made of herself. Dolly Varden,
did not that oil painting of you that was at the
St. Louis Fair have a funny name?"

In response to the question, our beautiful
belle came near the front and answered.

"At first thought, it would seem so," she an-
swered. "My mistress, however, who painted
the picture, said that if she called the portrait
'Have I a Soul?' it might set people thinking
more about animals and the way they were
abused. She believed that animals had souls,
and she thought perhaps other people might
come to the same conclusion if they only
stopped to think a minute. She said that
if science proved that nothing was wasted
upon earth, the brain power and instincts of
animals, being of so much more conse-
quence than a grain of dust, must be pre-
served somewhere, in congenial surround-
ings."

io8 THE CATS' CONVENTION.

"Did the name of the picture cause com-
ment at the Fair?" asked Katrina Rogers.

"It is reported that it did," answered Dolly
Varden modestly.

"The soul question," said the President, "is
something that must come before us at no dis-
tant day. Meanwhile I am glad that it is
brought before the convention now, in order
that we may be thinking and securing proof
for our opinions upon the subject."

"How did you manage to keep still enough
to have your picture painted?" inquired Col-
umbus irreverently.

"The photographer came to the house and
caught a snapshot of me; in fact, caught sev-
eral. But my mistress liked one pose the best,
and used that for the broad study, and then
her maid held me for the detail work. I was
only five months old then, and I had not
learned to be as distrustful of mankind as I
became later. The photographer came three
times, but the last time I had grown in knowl-
edge of human nature, and I would not let him
come near me. Besides that," she added, "no
human beings wash themselves eight or nine
times a day, the way I do."

Then Dolly Varden went back to her place
and brushed off a little before she could feel
contented to quiet down. She did not realize
that she was so much more particular than
most cats, and was unconscious of the half-

DOLLIK S. "MKDITATION"

TOM'S. "MCi: AFTKKNOON "

THZ

'P^fiUclffi^^ly

^'^^

SfiHj

tEP»03f

fgQKDATrn

K'S!

THE CATS' CONVENTION. ioi>

amused and wholly interested looks cast upon
her during her cleansing process.

At this point Peek-a-Boo, a fine-looking yel-
low cat, gaining permission, arose and said :

"For a long time I lived near a family that
seemed perennially composed of small children,
and kittens were procured for pets with about
the same feeling that rubber balls would have
been, and they were as heartlessly handled. A
dainty bright kitten would not be bright more
than a week when it would commence to look
thin and dragged out. In two weeks it would
have no strength to mew or get away from its
tormentors, and in a month, if it had strength
enough to do so, it would drag its poor little
emaciated self into an out-of-the-way corner,
and breathe its troubled life away. Another
'dead kitten,' and that w^as all. Kitten after
kitten shared the same fate. I say 'kitten
after kitten' because no kitten ever grew to be
a cat, and neighbors who knew the ways of
the house, and themselves had any sensitive-
ness, would rather kill a pet any time than let
it go into such a cruel home. I always think
fathers and mothers who allow such cruelties
must have had no decent bringing up, and must
have had parents of low morality; although I
am ashamed and sorry to say that in affluent
and presumably cultivated homes I have seen
children allowed to ill treat their pets."

"Yes," interrupted Skeezicks, who was white

no THE CATS' CONVENTION.

and gray in color and very gentle and retiring,
"I, too, have been in families where I have
been pulled and hauled about, and the life al-
most crushed out of me, and my legs twisted
until it seemed as if everything were solid pain.
Accidentally scratching the 'little dear' when
I tried to get away, the mother would come
and slap my tender, weary head until I was
crazy with pain and fright, cringing almost
into nothing to shrink from the cruel blows;
then she would say :

" 'Naughty cat, nasty thing, to scratch my
petsy so. There (slap), see (slap), mama
whips the bad cat,' (slap, slap, slap). In about
a week 'Petsy' would learn the trick. The
only reason that I am living now is that I
ran away from those places, preferring to
trust myself to the tender mercies of the street
rather than to brutes who were manufactured
into the shapes of such human beings."

Similar instances were given by several
members of the convention, and as the subject
seemed endless, Peek-a-Boo was asked to re-
sume.

"It is very seldom," said he, "that children
under five years of age hold a kitten properly.
They have no idea of petting a kitten, but they
slap, and pinch it, and pull its tail, lie upon it,
punch its eyes with their fingers, force rough
things into its mouth — mamas looking on com-
placently, if only the baby is amused. When

THE CATS' CONVENTION. iii

these children are men and women, the
mothers and fathers are woefully shocked at
their heartlessness, and still later, when the
useless old men and women are sent by the
well-to-do son and daughter 'over the hill to
the poor house,' they learn that the seeds of
■cruelty sown in babyhood bear full fruitage."
"Cats have more brain power than human
beings," added Skeezicks, still smarting under
the thought of the cruel injustice he had suf-
fered, "to recover from such blows upon the
head as I have received. I wonder cats do not
iDecome idiots just as some of their owners."

Here George interrupted. George was small
and black, with breast and feet as white as
snow.

"I want to protest," said he, "against the
•dirty dishes given us to eat out of. Every one
Icnows the cat is by choice the cleanest animal
■on earth in its personal habits, and if any ani-
mal needs clean water and clean receptacles
for food, I am sure we do. We never touch
■dirty food if we can avoid it. We would
starve to death, and many of us do starve to
death, right in the midst of food that
chickens eat. Yet chickens are taken into
dainty stomachs of dainty invalids as
dainty morsels. Bah ! Think of it ! I
am glad, how^ever, we are not considered
in this country an edible creation, for we
have another chance for life."

112 THE CATS' CONVENTION.

''Yet, brother George, you must acknowl-
edge," said staid Josephine, "that were we con-
sidered of value as food, we, with the excep-
tion of a favored few, would receive care in a
degree of which now we know nothing. We
should be provided with food to make us large
and fat, we should be given cozy, nice, clean
places to sleep, we should never be worried,
we should be given plenty of water to drink,
and we should not be allowed to suffer from
cold. Are the lazy, dirty pigs ever starved or
frozen? Do the cows have to hide under
boards to protect themselves from boys and
dogs? Do fat oxen ever have any annoy-
ances? Look at them in their green pastures,
simply munching, and sleeping, and drinking
all day long. Cats and horses are about the
only domestic animals expected to earn their
living. Cows give milk because they can't help
it, and hens lay because they are made that
way. Horses are expected to work, although
their necks are raw, their legs in bunches, and
their breath comes in gasps. I have known of
horses being made to pull until they pulled
themselves blind. They are driven until they
drop dead. Can an}^ one imagine what a
horse suffers before he drops in his tracks?
And with most of us, if we do not find plenty
of mice, we may starve. I am comfortable
and happy with all the good things of life, but
it hurts me to know how little other cats are

' theUew York"
PUBLIC LIBRARY

PRINCE CONNORK

FRANK BOLOTIE. " WHO ARE YOU

THE CATS' CONVENTION. 113

appreciated, especially when I know they de-
serve just as good treatment as I do."

Prince Connore here manifested a desire to
speak. This cat was one of our aristocratic
felines, and we were glad to hear from him.
He was of noted Prince Orange stock, was
a full-blooded Angora of strong orange
color, large collar and tail, and a pathetic
appealing face that made everybody love
him. He was related to sweet little Topaz
and looked like him, but was large and full
grown.

"Your point is well taken. Sister Josephine,"
said he. "At the same time I confess my in-
ability to overcome a great repugnance to be-
ing eaten; however, I am willing to accept the
place in the economy of nature in which I am
most needed."

"Provided it is a clean place," suggested
Dolly Varden.

"Always provided it is a clean place," ac-
quiesced Prince Connore graciously. "Do you
remember the little fable," he continued,
"which accounts for the cat washing its face
after eating?"

"No, tell it," cried several voices.

"Once upon a time," commenced the Prince,
"when conversation between animals of differ-
ent kinds was more general than now, and con-
sequently better understood, a cat in response
to her natural instinct captured a sparrow for

114 THE CATS' CONVENTION.

supper. Then, as now, the sparrow was cun-
ning, and thus bamboozled the cat:

" 'Dear cat,' said he, 'of course you have me
in your power, and I may as well succumb to
the inevitable. I know my days, my minutes,
yea, my seconds are numbered, since once with-
in the power of your masterful claws there
is no escape. I have one favor, one boon, that
I crave at your hands. Like the cat tribe I, too,

am neat. I have my preferences, besides which
I have a very delicate stomach, and upon your
paws and face I notice the odor, bah! of the
last unfragrant mouse you caught. Will you,
good cat, may I beg that you will grant the
little boon that I ask, since I am entirely within
your power? Will you? Will you, dear, good
cat, please wash your face and paws before
you eat me ? Let me go to my death in as un-
repulsive a manner as possible.' "

"Of course, the request appealed to the well-
known cleanliness of the cat, and, releasing the

THE CATS' CONVENTION. 115

sparrow, the cat proceeded to cleanse her face
and paws. In a flash away flew the sparrow,
and puss went supperless to bed, but then and
there she made this resohition :

" 'Be it resolved for myself in particular,
and for as many cats as care to take my advice,
that I never again will wash my face until I
am through eating. Thereunto I bind myself,
even as I hope to keep from starvation.'

"Since then all cats have performed their
ablutions immediately after refreshments, and
especially after they feel that they have had
a 'bountiful sufliciency.' "

Some of us had heard the story before, but
those who had not were delighted with it, and
we all thanked Prince Connore for repeating
it, and then adjourned because the clocks were
warning us of the noon hour.

END OF THIRD DAY,

ii6 THE CATS' CONVENTION.

FOURTH DAY.

This fourth day of the convention opened
with the usual number of cats in attendance.
As one might naturally suppose, all of our
members may not be in attendance at every
meeting; some are kept in the house by their
people, and some have family cares, while
others are timid and become frightened on the
way here.

We had not seen Johnnie Bear for some
time; he walked in to-day looking well and
happy.

"Well, where have you been?" said Colum-
bus, before anybody could say anything.

"Oh!" said Johnny Bear, sitting down with
a sigh, "I have been frightened almost to
death."

"How? How? How?" asked half a dozen
members at a time.

THE CATS' CONVENTION. 117

"Here is a cleaner place," said Dolly Var-
den, who had sometimes seen Johnny Bear
from her back porch and felt enough interest
in him to wish him to have a tidy place from
which to tell his story.

"Well, about two weeks ago," said he, ac-
cepting Dolly Varden's ofifer, "my people com-
menced to take up the carpets and clean house
in general. Two of the young ladies are school
teachers, and as they like to assist in the an-
nual cleaning they delay it until their vacation.
The tearing-up process kept on, but nothing
seemed to be put back in place, and I felt that
something was entirely wrong. No one told
me anything, so I went to ask Tige, a gray
cat and a near neighbor, what he thought about
it, but he would not listen to me and just kept
on scolding. Some of his people came out to
watch us and hear our conversation, and while
I held my ground without budging an inch,
Tige backed out and went into the house. So
you see I got no consolation there, and all that
I could do was to wait and watch develop-
ments. Then what do you think they did?
They commenced taking the furniture out of
the house, first one thing then another, and
soon everything was gone, even old dog Dick,
and there I was alone. You don't know how
I felt. What I was going to do I could not tell.
It seemed like the end of the world. I don't
make up with people easily, even having my

ii8 THE CATS' CONVENTION.

favorites in my own home, and because of my
peculiarities, thought I would have to be home-
less like Polly Wog.

"Nights, oh! it was so lonesome, so dreary,
with no one to call me in for the night where
it was comfortable. Of course, all I could do
was to sit humped up and have
the blues, and I got lonelier and
more lonely. Even the bushes
and the grass did not seem the
same; the wild cucumber vine
over the back porch withered
and died for want of water, and
everything seemed coming to an
end. I moved from one place to
another, but no place seemed
right. My people are church
members and some of them are
very active in church work, and
it did not seem possible that they
would forsake me. They belong,
also, to the Society for the Pre-
"vention of Cruelty to Animals, and I actually
felt like reporting them.

"My ! how I felt ! It makes me shudder now
when I think of it. Well, I came to the point
where I almost gave up and wanted to com-
mit suicide. There was one thing which I
could not understand at the time, although it
has since been made clear to me, and that was
that occasionally I would find meat and milk

THE CATS' CONVENTIOX. 119

placed where I could get them; of course, I
took the food, and by that means I kept from
getting- thin, but 1 really had no appetite. 1
did not feel like ever doing anything again
for pleasure.

"Then all of a sudden, toward dark one
evening, I heard one of my people calling me.
You may be sure that I was glad, but I was
always a little timid and backward about going
to people that I feared did not want me, so I
held back, all the time that I hoped she would
come and get me. Then I heard her telling
another lady, who seemed very much inter-
ested in me, that the had left food for me,
and had been trying to find me to take me
home. Like a flash it came to me that they had
not forgotten me and did not intend to leave
me, and then I became dreadfully afraid that
I was holding back too long, and I let her
catch me. Oh ! how good it felt to have the
hands on me again of some one that belonged
to me. Still, I was awfully frightened when
she started to take me away off in a direction
which I had known nothing about, and I be-
came so nervous that I scratched away from
her and ran back to the only place that 1 knew
anything about. However, she came next day
and took me home in a basket to make sure of
me.

"I was without a home just as long as I
want to be. So, boys and girls, I am all right

120 THE CATS' CONVENTION.

now, and should be glad to see any of you at
my home. We live on the hill where the air is
pure, and it may not always be convenient for
me to come to these meetings, but rest assured,
I shall come whenever possible."

When Johnny Bear finished his story, we
congratulated him upon the happy termination
of his troubles, and assured him that we should
take pleasure in meeting him in his new home.

Dolly Varden was not very talkative, but
seemed to feel deeply concerning Johnny
Bear's story, and, gaining recognition, ad-
dressed herself to the President.

"Mr. President," said she, "this is one of the
most important questions to come before the
Committee upon Resolutions. A very strange
superstition has gained ground among the un-
educated, that it is unlucky to move a cat.
Where right and luck conflict, my mistress al-
ways takes the right and trusts to Providence.
How can people expect good luck or good re-
sults to attend their efforts if they do wrong?
Johnny Bear has described vividly to you the
awful sensation of being left alone. His ex-
perience had a happy ending, but what if it
had continued indefinitely? Many cats lose
their appetites entirely when forsaken and
starve to death. Some cats are not demonstra-
tive, but 'love their owners just as much as if
they were. I know that I do not show as much
aft'ection as I feel, and I know if I were left

THE CATS' COXVENTION. 121

alone I should just huddle myself in a corner
and stay there until I died."

Bonnie was recognized and repeated Dolly
Varden's views, as did several of the members,
in terms of positive conviction.

Immediately after this our hearts were
sorely touched by the pathetic story of a mid-
get which, unseen by all except Pinkie, had
•crept into our hall.

At the proper time Pinkie, gaining attention,
said :

"Mr. President, w^e have in our midst a
stranger who is diffident about announcing
herself. Have I your permission to bring her
near my position?"

"Pinkie, you are sure to have the right in-
stincts," said the President, "and if you ask
this privilege it is certainly granted."

Pinkie arose and tripped over to a little dark
•corner, where only the most penetrating eyes
and the kindest heart could have discovered
anything, and, after purring and using many
■coaxing words of encouragement, she walked
slowly back with her little protegee, who leaned
closely by her side and cast frightened but
wistful glances at the many strange and inquir-
ing faces.

It was a sad-looking midget thus taken under
the protecting care of our sweet Pinkie. It
was no larger than a two months old kitten.
It was intended to be black, but the under fur

122 THE CATS' CONVENTION.

was gray or Maltese in tone, and it was all so
ragged and tossed that the gray showed almost
as much as the tarnished black, making the kit-
ten look as if it were denuded in patches. It
was so thin that it looked like a little crooked
stick on four lead pencils. Its eyes were pale
blue, and there was such a pathetic appeal in
their upward glances that we all seemed to
hold our breaths for fear of hurting its feel-
ings or frightening it away.

When Pinkie reached her place she cuddled
close to the stranger, and said :

"Mr. President, I have persuaded our little
sister to become one of us and to tell her story,
as we are all trying to help each other, and she
may be of assistance in enabling us to arrive
at proper conclusions."

"We are very much obliged to you, Pinkie,
for bringing forward your friend," said our
President. "Will you introduce her to the con-
vention?"

But the visitor refused to go forward unless
Pinkie was by her side, and as they were ad-
vancing we heard Pinkie say:

"What is your name?"

"I don't know," answered the thinnest, weak-
est little voice we ever heard.

"Don't people call you anything?" said Pin-
kie, with motherly anxiety.

"They always say, 'Scat' to me, so maybe
that's my name," was the answer.

THE CATS' CONVENTION. 123

With never a smile nor a word to indicate
the opprobrious nature of the exclamation,
Pinkie very gravely and tenderly said:

''Allow me to introduce our new member,
'Scat.' Now, dear little Scat, you can tell our
friends where you were born."

"What's 'born' ?" said Scat, looking up into
Pinkie's face w^ith childlike simplicity.

"Well, never mind telling us that, then," said
her self-appointed guardian. "Do you remem-
ber your mother?"

"Yes, I can just remember her, but I was
so little when they took me away that I can
hardly know that I had a mother."

"Who took you away?" asked Pinkie, by
way of encouragement, and feeling assured
of the convention's kindly sympathy in her
magnanimous exertions.

"Why, Tommie," answered Scat.

"Who was Tommie?" asked the mentor.

"He was one of the little boys in the home
where my mother belonged."

"What did he take you away for?"

"Oh, because."

Well, that was not very lucid, and Pinkie
commenced to look a little confused.

"Why didn't you scratch him if you didn't
want to go?" asked Columbus.

"I never thought of it," whined Scat.

"Perhaps you wanted to go," suggested Jose-
phine.

124 THE CATS' CONVENTION.

"I guess I wasn't old enough to think any-
thing about it," answered Scat.

We all concluded it was quite reasonable to
suppose that must have been the case.

"Weren't you lonesome without your "
mother?" asked Josephine.

"Oh, yes, I was so lonesome and so fright-
ened I cried all the time."

"Where did Tommie take you?" croaked
Polly Wog.

Scat gave a startled jump at the harsh voice
and put up her little back in a funny crook, but
Pinkie krrrrrrd her down, and Scat, in a
fainter voice than ever, said :

"He drownded me."

"Drowned you?" came in a dozen surprised
voices.

"Yes," said Scat, and then as the others be-
came excited she seemed to secure composure,
and, sitting down, looked with weak and wit-
less wonder upon the astonished faces around
her.

"Well, you are not very lively," said F. O.
Fowl, "but you are pretty lively for a corpse."

"Oh! I didn't get drownded dead entirely,"
said Scat.

"So it seems," squeaked Polly Wog.

And that brought Scat to her feet again, only
to be smoothed down by Pinkie.

"Now, Scat," said the helpful friend, "you
know none of us has been drowned, and we

THE CATS' CONVENTION. 125

would like to know how it feels, and what you
thought of, and how you escaped."

Then Scat sat directly facing Pinkie and
very near her, so that in looking into Pinkie's
eyes she was obliged to bend her head back a
little. With Pinkie looking
encouragingly down, the
two made a funny picture.
In this manner, as if she
were talking to Pinkie
alone, Scat, with little in-
terruptions by way of en-
couragement, told her story.

''No, I didn't think any-
thing about anything, I
guess. When Tommy threw me into the wa-
ter I didn't know it was to kill me, and I com-
menced scratching to get where it was dry,
and as soon as I got on the shore of the river
he picked me up and threw me in again, and
then I was so tired I went down to the bottom,
but I held my breath, and after a while I came
up again, and then he was gone. When I came
out nobody was near, and it was so cold and I
was so wet that I shook pretty hard, and I
couldn't find anything to eat. I kept crawling
around, and after a while, when it had been
dark six or seven times, I came to a house and
was going to walk into a door, but they all said,
'Scat, you fright !' and threw things at me, and,
of course, I ran away.

126 THE CATS' CONVENTION.

"And I have been going and going and going
ever since, and am old enough now to know
that there are lots of cats that have nice homes
and plenty to eat. But nobody wants me. I
never had much to eat, and I guess I don't
know how to grow. I have often thought that
I did not. All I get is something occasionally
from some one's garbage pail, and most of the
time I am driven away from that chance of
getting something to eat. I am so little, you
know."

"Let them try it before me," snorted F. O.
Fowl.

Pinkie gave the last speaker a melting look,
and we were all clearing our throats to say
something in the same line, when Scat's little
voice continued:

"I never had a friend. I wouldn't know how
to act if I had a friend. I don't think I would
want a friend."

"Why, not?" said F. O. Fowl, evidently net-
tled.

"Well, you see," answered the little inno-
cent, "I couldn't do anything for a friend. I
just couldn't be of any use at all."

"No," said Josephine thoughtfully, "you
could be of but little use now, but suppose a
friend secured a good home for you where you
could get plenty to eat and could get well and
strong and large, wouldn't you fight for that
friend?"

THE CATS' CONVENTION. 127

"Well, I guess I would," said little Scat,
standing up and glancing bravely around as if
she already felt the swelling brawn and muscle
and revivifying glow.

Then we all cheered. Pinkie looked happy,
and poor little Scat seemed to be walking on
the tips of her toes.

"And you have no home yet?" asked I'inkie,
by way of urging her on.

"No, nobody wants me. You don't know
how many people I have asked to take me. The
other day a lady passed me and said: 'Poor
little kitty!' and I trotted after her, and just
then another lady crossed the street and said
the same thing and I started to follow her, and
then she walked too fast, and I sat down in the
street trying to make up my mind which one
I should follow, when both of them got away
from me."

"It would not have been of any use for you
to follow them," said Queenie, "for if they had
wanted you they would have picked you up and
have carried you home."

"Oh, dear!" sighed the little waif, "how nice
that would have been ! I would be so glad to
have something to eat and some one to hold
me."

Just then we heard a slight noise in the cor-
ner of the barn ; we all knew what it was, but
the only one who did not preserve his com-
pany manners was F. O. Fowl, who sprang

128 THE CATS' CONVENTION.

away like a flash and in a second was back with
a mouse, which he laid down before Scat and
then returned to his position. Scat was so sur-
prised that she simply put her paw on the
mouse which F. O. Fowl had killed and looked
around, when from all sides arose the cry:
"Eat it! Eat it!"

"You see when F. O. Fowl is a friend, he is
in earnest," said Pinkie.

"Oh! Oh!" ejaculated Scat.

Then she had that
mouse down her throat
in about a minute, and,^
smacking her lips, she
looked at F. O. Fowl
and said:

"My! isn't he a good
cat?"

"He was once, any-
way," said poor Polly
Wog.

There was a little in-
dication of rising
wrath upon the part of
F. O. Fowl, but the general cordiality of senti-
ment then pervading the session unconsciously
smoothed him down. Then, with a sudden in-
spiration, Dolly Varden took the floor.

"Mr. President," said she, "human beings
often enliven their deliberative assemblies by
the introduction of refreshments, and I hereby

DOLIA VARRON-"HAVE I A SOUL]

DOI.LV VARDON- " HOW DO VOL' UO?

DOLLY VARDON—" AIN'T I CUTE?'

DOl.I.V VARDON — " WHAT ARE YOf TAI.KINC ABOl I

THE CATS' CONVENTION. 129

move that our proceedings hereafter be bright-
ened by such a social innovation."

Immediately the older heads saw the chari-
table intent of the motion, and after a hearty
second by Muggins, the motion was carried
unanimously.

In announcing the vote there was a little
twinkle adorning the corner of the eye of our
President, and he pronounced "unanimously,"
"unani-mouse-ly."

"It is meet it should be so," added Columbus,
who was exceedingly quick to understand a
joke and always ready to talk.

By this time Scat was so much at home that
our President asked her to give some more of
her experiences.

"Was anybody kind to you?" he asked.

"No; well, yes. I think two or three little
girls would have been kind to me if their
parents had permitted. When the children
were coming home from school one day I was
crouching in a corner by some stone steps hop-
ing to see some one that looked pleasant, when
two little girls, with their dinner baskets, came
along.

" 'See what an ugly kitten,' said one

" 'I guess you'd be ugly, too, if you were
starved and had no home,' answered the other.

" 'Yes, but I ain't starved and I've got a
home,' said the first little girl.

" 'I didn't eat all of my dinner, and I shall

I30 THE CATS' CONVENTION.

give this poor little thing some, and if you
don't want to wait, Bertha, you may just go
along.'

" 'Well, I declare, Almeda, if you do, I'll go
right to your mother and tell her that you are
playing with a dirty little cat."

" 'I don't care if you do. Good-by. I'm go-
ing to feed this kitten right away.'

"Bertha ran away and Almeda sat down on
the step, opened her basket, and gave me some
cake and meat and bread and butter.

" 'You eat just as if you were half starved,'
she said.

"I was more than half starved, you may be
sure.

" 'I wish I had some milk for you,' said Al-
meda, 'but I haven't, and I know what I'll do.
I'll take you home with me.'

"I was so glad that I just trembled all over.
She put me in her dinner basket, and I went to
washing my face and hands so I would look bet-
ter. Then I heard her talking to herself.

" 'I don't suppose mamma will be pleased. I
shouldn't think she would like poor little things
to be hungry. I know just what I'll do. I'll
take my dinner basket to my room and get her
some milk,'

"We went up the steps of a residence. I had
never dared go near so fine a one, and Almeda's
mother, with Bertha at her side, was standing
right at the door.

THE CATS' CONVENTION. 131

" 'Bertha says you stopped to play with a
dirty Httle cat and fed it from your dinner
basket,' said her mother. 'Now, let me take
your basket. You shall not take any dinner
to-morrow.'

" 'Oh, mamma, please let me take my basket
to my room. I will be good.'

*' 'No, indeed,' said her mamma.

"Then she took the basket, opened it, and
there I was, of course, right on the white nap-
kin.

" 'Oh, mamma !' cried Almeda, 'dear mam-
ma, don't hurt the kitten, poor, poor starved
kitten. Oh! mamma! strike me all you want
to, but don't hurt that poor little thing. See
how its weak little eyes look up at you. Oh,
mamma! what if I was lost and some
great big man should throw me away to
starve?'

"I did not know what to do except to lie still
and take what came, just as I had been obliged
to do all of my life. But the mamma went out
on the steps, shook me out of the basket, and
kicked me downstairs. Then she called to some
one in the house, and said: 'John, bring Fido
here and set him on this nasty cat.' Well, I did
not wait for that. I had learned all about boys
and dogs together."

"You knew the combination," interrupted F.
O. Fowl.

"Yes, and I ran away as fast as I could, but

132 THE CATS' CONVENTION.

I heard my little Almeda screaming at the top
of her voice.

" 'Mamma, you are wicked. Mamma, God
will punish you,' and the slaps came down on
poor Almeda. I could not do anything, so I
ran away so frightened 1 did not know where
I ran. I have seen Almeda since, but I would
not show myself to her for fear
she would get into trouble on
my account."

We were so interested in
Scat's story we had not noticed
F. O. Fowl, but when we finally
looked at him he was the per-
sonification of rage. Every
hair was standing out as if he
were charged with electricity, and he
glared and snorted with his lips drawn
back from his teeth as if ready for a
spring.

''Show me that woman," he said; "show me
that woman ! I'll scratch her eyes out. Ff sst !

Ffsst! ssssss "

The room didn't seem large enough to con-
tain the enraged explosive, and he shot down
the stairs and out into the street, where we
heard some boys shout : "A mad cat ! A mad
cat!" We knew, however, that F. O. Fowl
could take care of himself and did not worry
ourselves about him.
Little Scat said:

THE CATS' CONVENTION. 133

"My! did he have all of that mad because
I was treated so mean ?"

"Yes, indeed," said Pinkie, "he has an awful
warm heart."

"My ! what a good friend he would be," said
Scat, with a sigh,

"Little Scat," said Muggins, "come home
with me. My people may not want you, but
you may stay quietly in the woodhouse, and I
shall bring you plenty of food, for I always
have more than I can eat, then when vou s:et
fat and good-looking some one will like you
and give you a home."

"Oh! I wish I had a home!" said the little
waif.

"Well, I would choose my home if I were in
your place. Scat," said spoiled Columbus, "for
it is not every one who will know enough to
take care of you properly."

"I guess most any home would be gooder
than what I have had," said the sorrowful in-
nocent.

"Cats are not independent enough," retorted
Columbusj holding his pink nose in the air and
waving on high his great yellow tail.

"It is natural to see life from the standpoint
of our own experience," said our President,
who had descended from the rostrum and now
joined us in our informal conversation. "I
dare say Scat would endure many rebuffs for
the sake of feeling that she had a right to some

134 THE CATS' CONVENTION.

place, and that she could rest at night in com-
fort, knowing that the next night would find
her in the same place, or, at least, with the
same people. My master tells of an ordinary-
looking kitten belonging to the wife of a rail-
road employee that was as much at home on
the cars as we are in our own homes. It had
traveled continuously since its birth, and knew
wherever its people were it was safe. I know,
too, of a whole family of kittens which have
been brought up on a railroad drawbridge.
The mother had found her way to the draw
when a little kitten — dropped, perhaps, by
some one — and grew to maturity, a great fa-
vorite with everybody. She loved fish, and
would eat one whole, and raw, and her kittens
were the same kind of sailors. The whole fam-
ily play near the cars as they run past, and
only one has met with sorrow, and that re-
sulted in his death. The mother has just been
given to a family on shore, and adapts herself
kindly to her new surroundings. Friends, it is
the care we get that secures our love. I wish
everybody were as happily situated as I am,"
Starlight concluded, with an all-embracing
sigh.

After a short intermission, during which we
endeavored to increase the sociability of the
members, and especially to assure Scat of our
desire to aid her, our President called us to
order and asked for more experiences.

THE CATS' CONVENTION. 135

Just at this moment Cozy, a young, beauti-
ful, snow-white Angora mamma kitten, walked
in, looking especially happy and as proud as a
queen. She had not attended since the first
meeting, and, of course, she received a warm
greeting.

"Cozy looks as if she had some good news
to tell," said Pinkie.

"Indeed I have, my friends," said Cozy.
"I am happy now, but I have been rather blue
since I last saw you, but it is all gone now. My
especial mistress went
away, and it seemed as if
she must have stayed a year,
although I understand that
it was only a little over a
week. Anyway, I lost my
appetite because I wanted
her so much that I could
think of nothing else. But
she came back the other
day, and what do you think
I gave her for a present ?"

No one seemed to be able to answer the ques-
tion, and Cozy was so proud she could not wait
for much guessing, so she said:

"Well, when my mistress came into the par-
lor from the cars in the evening, there I was,
right under the brightly burning chandelier,
in a snow-white basket, and I had two little
snow-white baby kittens for my mistress. How

136 THE CATS' CONVENTION.

surprised she did look, and how she did hug
and pet me! She said she was almost afraid
to touch the little kittens, for they looked like
little snow wreaths, and she was afraid that
the}^ would melt away. She said it wasn't often
that people who went away visiting found such
nice presents for them when they returned.
One thing bothers me dreadfully, although I
have said nothing about it to my people, and so
far they don't seem to know it; at least, they
have made no remarks upon the subject to me.
What troubles me is that they have no eyes.
They cannot see. I have one yellow eye and
one blue one, so I am well supplied both in
color and number. I suppose I ought not to
feel badly about it if my mistress does not.
Still, I wish they had eyes."

Queenie and Josephine both assured Cozy
that it would be all right, and all of the others
congratulated her upon making such a nice
present to her people.

*'It is to be hoped," said Muggins, "that
when your family reaches maturity, human be-
ings will have acquired a better knowledge of
the domestic feline race, and that your kittens
may benefit by the deliberations of this assem-
bly."

"Yes, I think so, too," said sweet little Cozy,
who by reason of her youth and home duties
was hardly prepared to understand the lan-
guage and meaning of Muggins.

c;kandha. ki tkosimxtion

COZY A\n HF.K HABIKS. "WHO'S tOMINC;

'^ii Jii'tty.-

.^._ HEW YORK
PUBLIC LIBRARY

TILDEN FOUNDATTOT>JS |

THE CATS' CONVENTION. 137

Then Cozy looked very sweetly at Starlight,
and said: "There is some talk of calling one
of them after the renowned President of this
convention."

Starlight actually blushed with embarrass-
ment and pleasure.

"Indeed," said he, "that would be an honor
for which I should be very proud."

"Well, I must run home," said Cozy, "for I
promised not to stay long. The Deaconess is
somewhat jealous of my kittens, and I had bet-
ter watch out for the little ones."

"The Deaconess? Who is she and what
would she do?" queried Turvey.

"Oh, she lives where I do, and she thinks
her blood is better than mine, and she always
scolds me. She is a full-blooded Angora, and
her hair stands right out, while mine hangs,
and she is black, with a white tie and white
feet, and that is why they call her the Deacon-
ess. I have confidence that my people will see
that no harm comes to my little ones, but it is
just as well for me to be near in case of trou-
ble."

"Why don't you bring the Deaconess with
you?" said Columbus.

"Oh," said Cozy, "I think I should never try
to make the Deaconess do anything. She won't
look at anybody but her people. She is dread-
fully exclusive. Good-by, folks," she said, as
she slipped quietly out of the door.

138 THE CATS' CONVENTION.

"Thinks they haven't any eyes!" laughed
Smiley, with his mouth open in the broadest
kind of a grin. "Don't tell her any differ-
ent.'*

Smiley always seemed ready for a joke.
During a short intermission, we regaled our-
selves with refreshments
and endeavored to in-
crease the sociability of
our members, and espe-
cially assure Scat of our
determination to aid her
in securing a home. The
happy and well-fed cats
endeavored to show a
ravenous appetite in or-
der to encourage the hun-
gry friends.

After being called to
order, Posey, who was a handsome black and
white animal, secured recognition.

"Mr. President," said he, "I have a com-
plaint to make. We are accused of being quar-
relsome, and that is very unjust. We are
brought up to follow human beings. We are
supposed under the best of circumstances to
be members of the family, and all of our train-
ing, when we have any, is in that direction.
Human beings are understood to be the ones
to whom we are most attached. We are dis-
tinctly informed that is our business. We are

THE CATS' CONVENTION. 139

taught to look upon other cats as interlopers,
then how are we expected to assume toward
them the jolly sentiments that human beings
do to each other?

"We are not as deceptive as they," continued
Posey. 'T will give you an example of just
one afternoon at home, and I assure you it is
only one of many. When my mistress arose
from her siesta that day, she said: 'Well, I
have something to accomplish before dark, and
I do hope no one will come in. The house is
all torn up, too, and I look like Sancho. Oh,
dear ! There's the bell. I'd like to know what
fool of a woman is coming out this rainy day.
I should think she would know enough to stay
at home. Oh! my dear Mrs. Perly, how de-
lighted I am. Indeed, you were kind to brave
such a storm to make this poor little, lonesome
woman a visit. I hope you have brought your
work, some of your lovely fancy work that I
admire so much. Now do take your hat off
and let us make a business of having a real
nice visit. There now, let me take your wraps.
It's just perfectly lovely of you to think of
me; some sort of mental telepathy, you know,
for I was just saying, "Oh, I do wish Mrs.
Perly would come." '

"Then they sat down, and each told the other
how much she had been dissipating during the
week, and also the invitations she had been
obliged to decline. My mistress said she had

140 THE CATS' CONVENTION.

a dreadful headache the night of the Topping-
ton ball, and could not attend — her husband
would not hear of it ; and it was too late to send
regrets, for she hoped up to a late hour to be
able to go.

''The truth of it is, she was not invited, and I
never shall forget that night, for she scolded
her husband because he had not made himself
intimate with Mr. Toppington, and he berated
her because she had not exchanged courtesies
with Mrs. Toppington. He said it would have
been thousands of dollars in his pocket to have
been seen at that ball. And she said : 'I don't
see how in the world I am to explain to my
friends my not being there.' 'I don't see,' said
he, 'how your not being there is going to trou-
ble you as much as my not being there troubles
me.'

"Then they made the front of the house all
dark except the hall, so that neighbors would
think that they were away, and when the door-
bell rang, the servant was obliged to say that
they were not at home. Two of the would-be
callers that night were men my master was es-
pecially anxious to see upon business; then
he blamed his wife because she had not honesty
enough to acknowledge that they had been left
out, and to make themselves as comfortable as
they could at home. He had lost a good busi-
ness opportunity by not being able to see the
men who called.

THE CATS' COxW'ENTlON. 141

"Yes, my friends, you may be sure that was
an uncomfortable night, and when my mistress
told the headache story to Mrs. Perly, I must
say that I was surprised; but, you see, it would
never do for a so-
ciety woman to ac-
knowledge herself
slighted. I knew my
mistress was dying
to get to her work.
It was a dress she
wanted to arrange
for a dinner party,
and would have no
other time when she could comfortably attend
to it, and did not care to employ a dressmaker
for so small a task, but to hear the way she
talked you would have thought that afternoon
the one bright spot in her existence.

''Now, you know, my friends, we are not de-
ceitful in that way, especially with those we
love. Our deceitfulness is only in appearance.
We are timid, and well we may be, from the
abuse to which so many of us are subjected.
We are obliged to get around quickly some-
times, or get a kick, and when we have had a
few kicks we learn to watch for them, and to
slip quietly out of the way, and then we are
called *sly.' People do not seem to realize that
their blows cause intense pain. Our flesh is
as easily hurt and bruised as that of the ten-

142 THE CATS' CONVENTION.

derest baby in the land. Because we are quiet
witli a jammed foot or a bruised side is no rea-
son we are not suffering.

"Neither do we always quarrel when people
think they hear us doing so. I will leave it to
human beings themselves, if, when they look
out of the window to throw boots and shoes at
us, they find us fighting one time in ten. No,
we are sitting still and getting off our own
jargon. They cannot understand our lan-
guage, of course, and I dare say that if some
people were listening now, they would say we
were having a cat fight. Ours is not the only
language composed largely of inflections, and
I wager we do not slap each other half as often
as would so many children engaged in what
they call play. We seem to be intelligent
enough to understand their language, but they
cannot understand ours.

"I have sat and talked with another cat a
whole hour, and have been enjoying a lovely
time, particularly when the night was warm
and bright, when there would come a stick of
wood. It's a wise, protecting care that directs
a man's arm at such a time and prevents him
from throwing straight. We have many things
to talk about. It does no one any harm if we
do gossip a little. Our stories are never trans-
lated into another language, and consequently
never reach any place where harm could come
from them. It is a little amusing sometimes

THE CATS' CONVENTION. 143

to discuss the peculiarities of our owners, be-
cause they act themselves before us, thinking
we do not know the difference."

"What did your mistress say when Mrs.
Perly left?" asked Dolly Varden, who was anx-
ious to turn Posey back to his story.

Dolly Varden's mistress writes stories, and
our pretty belle seems to have acquired a very
active taste in the same direction.

"Well," answ^ered Posey, "when the door w^as
finally closed upon Mrs. Perly, my mistress
threw herself upon a sofa, and said:

" 'Oh, what a sacrifice this afternoon has

144 THE CATS' CONVENTION.

been for me ! I am tired to death. It seemed as
if I could find nothing to say, and I feel as if
I never wanted to see another visitor, or an-
other bit of fancy work, with its "new stitches,
new stitches,." I thought she would never
go.'

"I did not like to hear my mistress talk that
way, when she had striven so hard to detain
her visitor. Presently she spied me, and, tak-
ing me in her arms, she said :

" 'Come, Pussy Posey, let us lie down and
be comfortable. I won't have to talk to you,*
and she cuddled me in her arms; it was nice,
and soft, and warm, and I purred her to sleep,
and then went to sleep myself.

"I heard my master when he came to the
door, and had my eyes upon him when he stood
by the sofa.

" 'Well, puss,' he whispered, Vou've a soft
snap. You look comfortable, and so does the
little wife, but she looks all tired out, too.'

"Just then my mistress woke up.

" 'Why, Harry,' she said, 'when did you
come?'

" 'Oh, just a minute ago,' he said. 'What
makes you look so tired?'

" 'Visited too hard,' answered my mistress.
'Mrs. Perly came this afternoon with that
everlasting fancy work of hers, and it's "new
stitches," just as I was preparing to engage
upon some especial work for myself, and she

THE CATS' CONVENTION. 145

remained all the afternoon. I thought she
never would go. It was such hard work to as-
sume so much and pretend I was so glad to
see her, and to find something to talk about,
that I was tired out long before she went away.
Everybody else had sense enough to stay home
such a day as this, consequently there was no
break in the long afternoon. She could not
stay to dinner. She casually remarked when
she arrived that she must be home in time to
have dinner properly served, for her husband
expected to bring home a non-resident partner
and wanted everything shipshape. After that,
of course, I urged her very hard to stay to din-
ner.'

" 'Oh, puss !' said my master, bending over
and smoothing me, 'aren't you glad you are
not men and women folk, to have to be so de-
ceitful?'

"I looked up in his face and said ']\Iieow,'
and my mistress hugged me, and said : 'Pussy
Posey actually talks as if he could understand
you.'

"You see, I did understand him. \Miy is it
that people skilled in all the arts that human
beings are capable of, cultured to a degree that
causes their kind to look up to them as superior
beings, make use of their thousand and one
deceptions? Why is it when necessity compels
us to slip around quietly, both to obtain food
and to keep away from unjust kicks and cuffs,

146 THE CATS' CONVENTION.

we are called 'sly,' and 'deceitful'? That
which may seem sly in us is simply born of
necessity, and I am sure human beings have no
such excuse."

"My mistress," said Dolly Varden, "is very
busy always, but she is not deceitful, and she
does not put on airs. She always treats every-
body well, just as long as possible. I wish she
had more time to play with me. She often stops
when she is very busy with her writing or
painting to play with me just to make me hap-
py, but I could play hide and seek much longer
than she can. No, my mistress is not deceit-
ful."

There were several who gave like accounts
of their people, and some who had unpleasant
remembrances of experiences such as Posey
told.

"I was very much interested in one exhibi-
tion of deceit which I witnessed," said Banjo.
"It was not my mistress who was deceitful, but
a relative who was calling upon her. The
young lady in question came with the young
man whom she was anxious to secure for a
husband, and she resorted to all sorts of wiles
to make him believe that she was a better edu-
cated person that she was. My mistress sang
beautifully, and understood music, and, hav-
ing just purchased a new song, gave it to the
lady guest to read the words, knowing that the
relative could not read music ; but my mistress

THE CATS' CONVENTION. 147

was surprised to see the lady nod her head, and
hum, and go through the motions of reading
and singing the music, as if she were an expert.
Then she handed back the music, and said with
enthusiasm: 'Yes, it is very pretty.' "

"Say, sisters," said Columbus, "that is one
way to catch a fellow, isn't it? Did she get
him?"

"Yes, and that is not the only thing in which
she deceived her husband," answered Banjo
mysteriously, but he would give no information
as to what he meant.

"I tell you what it is," said Do-Si-Do.
"Young ladies are the limit in deceitfulness.
If some of the young men could see my mis-
tress when she gets up in the morning, scowl-
ing and fretting, and mad about getting up,
and putting on any old thing, with her hair
looking forty ways for Sunday, they wouldn't
think her so charming as they do. She hasn't
got much hair, and she has to pin all sorts of
wigs upon her head, and she powders, and
paints, and pads all over, and has her dresses
made to hide her defects in such a way that she
does not seem like the same woman in the par-
lor and on the street that dragged her sloppy
self out of bed in the morning."

"Well," said Tartar, who belonged to a
young man w^ho kept bachelor's apartments,
"I think that the young ladies are no worse
than the young men. Our rooms smell like a

148 THE OATS' COW'ENTION.

tobacco factory, and my master's face is all
scowled up until it looks like a nutmeg melon.
He grunts, and swears, and throws things
around, and jaws at everybody and everything.
I usually pretend to be sound asleep, and I
never make much of an appearance until he is
dressed and has had his breakfast. Then he
seems inclined to pet me a little, and get him-
self in order to go out and look up some rich
girl to marry. But no one would marry him
if she knew what I know about him. Then it
is awfully funny how the tailors change a
man's looks.

"My master is thin and scrawny, with no
shoulders to speak of, and by the time he has
all of the padding on in the shape of coat and
vest, you wouldn't know him. Men will en-
dure any amount of heat in order to have their
shoulders seem broad. Dear me, if human be-
ings were born with their clothes all on the way
we are, what a lot of labor it would save
them !"

"Well, I don't know," said George, "it's an
awful bother to launder your clothes on you
the way we have to. I think if I had my way,
I would like to get my clothes in the tub once
in a while. It is such dreadful work to get
at my back."

"There is some truth in George's complaint,"
said Leon. "Our people ought to comb us, for
we cannot help ourselves in some particulars,

THE CATS' CONVENTION. 149

especially in the matter of keeping our backs
clean. That is the reason that cats get the
mange; they cannot keep their backs from
touching places where diseased dogs and cats
have been, and they must suffer because of
some one's carelessness. We like to be clean,
and I should think our people would help
us enough to give us a good combing every
day."

We were ha^'ing a real gossipy time when
Carmine gained recognition. Carmine is large
and fine-looking, deep yellow in color, turning
almost to red upon his back. He was deeply
interested and had attended all of the meet-
ings.

"T wish to raise my voice," said he, "against
the way some cats are fed, or, rather, not fed.
I have suffered all the pangs of starvation.
Yes, I am aware that I am not exceedingly thin
now, but with me most of the time it is feast
or famine. Generally the only time that I am
comfortable is when my mistress is doing her
own work."

"Why, how is that?" asked Eulalie?

"Just this way," answered Carmine. "The
majority of house servants do not care to
bother with us, they have their work to man-
age, think we are a nuisance, and the mandate,
'Don't forget to feed the kittie,' goes in one
■ear and out of the other. The minute my mis-
tress leaves the kitchen, most kitchen girls

150 THE CATS' CONVENTION.

give me a kick, open the door, and say, 'Scat,'
as if I had the smallpox."

"May I interrupt?" asked Sundown.

"Certainly," said Carmine sarcastically. "I
know it is a joke, so I shall sit down and en-
joy it."

"When you said 'Scat,' " said Sundown, "it
put me in mind of a joke I once heard, and I
wish all who have the hateful word so pat upon
their tongue had the affliction of the man I
mention. This is the story :

"A store cat in a small town was in the habit
of resting upon papers, bags, or beans, just as
she found the most comfortable, and from be-
ing teased forty or fifty times a day came to
develop a hasty temper. She did not enjoy a
slap, or a pinch, or to have her hair pulled, any
more than anybody else. A man who stam-
mered very badly lounged into the store one
day, and, standing up by pussy, commenced to
pull her tail and tease her generally. Puss had
had enough of this harlequin work, and, con-
cluding to give one man a lesson, she curled
herself over his hand, and with the nails of
paws and feet made in it some incisions deep
and strong, and sprang away.

"The afflicted man commenced to say 'S-s-s-
s_s-s-s-s-s-s-scat,' while the cat kept going, and
by the time he had finished the hateful word
and added, 'You demon,' the cat was two blocks
away."

THE CATS' CONVENTION.

i=;i

Sundown was very dramatic in his delivery,
and we all enjoyed the story. ,

"Served him right," squeaked Polly Wog.

"He will know better next time," said Pinkie.

"Know better," piped little Scat, who
thought it her duty to agree with all the state-
ments of her friends.

It w'as some time before we were quieted and
Carmine allowed to resume his remarks.

"How can anybody thrive," he continued,
"when he has no meals one day, one meal next
day, nothing the next, and three meals the day
after?"

"That is better than no meals for a week at
a time," groaned Polly Wog.

"Better than no meals," whined little Scat
weakly.

There was much desultory con-
versation before Carmine was al-
lowed to proceed.

"Then probably no human being
knows what we suffer for want of
water. We require water just as much as
other animals, and probably we get the least.
Dogs have their revenge upon the human fam-
ily by going mad. Even the press has come
to the relief of canines by urging their need of
water, and favoring low basins at the foun-
tains for their use. Of course, we are agile
enough to climb any place that a dog can, but
we are often shut in storerooms and cellars, to

152 THE CATS' CONVENTION.

catch mice, and we get so thirsty that we can-
not think of mice or anything else. We also
need occasionally a little salt meat ; at least, we
require a little salt, all animals do, and some-
times the human hand is licked by dogs and
cats for the salt that exudes therefrom. This
seems to me a point to be considered in the care
of cats. There are cat books to be had, but the
trouble is that, as a general thing, only owners
of high-bred cats take the trouble to read a
book regarding the well-being of our race."

"Doubtless your mistress has been withoui
a servant lately," said Smiley.

"Indeed she has," said Carmine, with a broad
grin, "and if it were not that she gets so tired,
I would rejoice. Brother Smiley, you are judg-
ing by my good condition, I perceive."

"Yes," said Smiley, in a still broader grin,
his bright eyes redeeming his plain general ex-
terior.

"Well," continued Carmine, "we shall have
a new kitchen servant come to-morrow, and
one week from now you just see what I look
like. Still, I have a little hope, for yesterday
my mistress said to her husband:

" *I don't believe my domestics half feed
Carmine; see how sleek and fat he is when I
care for him. Always, too, when I am alone
he is around with me and follows me, but it is
seldom that I can find him when I have house-
hold help.'

THE CATS' CONVENTION.

■DO

"Well, I rubbed around her and arched my
T^ack and looked just as cheerful and pretty as
I could, and then she said:

" 'You dear old fellow, I shall try and see
that you are not abused. I wish you could talk
and tell me what they do to you when I am
not with you.'

" I hope she w^ill keep her word, but, with all
her kindness, she does not give me the water
that I need and that I sometimes suffer for."

"I agree with Carmine," said Muggins, "re-
garding the universal forgetfulness or igno-
rance continuously present with the dominant
race, with reference to the necessity co-existent
^'ith all animals for the best, purest, and most
•satisfying refreshment of all time, water."

"I want water two or three times a day,"
said Pinkie modestly.

"So do I," acquiesced Columbus, "and you
would better believe that I have it, too."

"I could drink more than I get," said Turvey.

"And I, too," added Smiley, "although in
my condition I feel as if it were almost disloyal
to say even that much against the care that T
have."

"It is one of the least remembered of our
wants," said Josephine, "although at our house
we have a dog, and, as a basin of water is al-
ways kept for him, I need not suffer in that
particular. To tell you the truth, however, T
would rather have my own clean little dish, for

154 THE CATS' CONVENTION.

I don't enjoy drinking after a dirty dog, that
chews overripe bones and bites other dogs,
and because human beings do not regard
Still, because of the general comfort of my life,
cleanliness as much as we do, and do not un-
derstand how extremely dainty we are in that
direction, we may be thankful if we get water
in any way."

"I cannot tell how much I have suffered for
water," said Stand-Pat. "We cannot drink
when we are not thirsty, and because we refuse
sometimes, people think that we never want
it."

"Only when it is raining and I go out in the
street and drink from the freshly formed pools
is my thirst satisfied," said Eulalie. "I cannot

THE CATS' CONVENTION. 155

drink the dirty water that stands long in the
street or that lodges in the various receptacles
about the place. Often I could drink milk and
eat my solid food better if I had water at first
to quench my thirst."

"It is too bad," said Gold-Bug, "that even
the kindest of our owners do not think of this
necessity of every created thing. My mistress
will ask her stupid, insensate geraniums if
they are thirsty, and give them a drink, when
my tongue is almost creaking, and she changes
the water for the gold fish with scrupulous
regularity."

"Why don't you eat the gold fish and drink
the water they are in, too ?" asked Polly Wog.

"Oh," laughed Gold-Bug, "my people do not
trust me alone with them. I dare say the fish
would be good, but I don't want to drink the
water they have slipped around in."

"It is better than none," squeaked Polly
Wog.

"Oh, yes," answered Gold-Bug, "and if oc-
casion offered when I was very, very thirsty, I
would take the water, but I guess it would not
be just right to steal the fish."

"Huh," growled Polly Wog contemptuously.

It was understood at the convention that the
"happy cats," as our President called those who
were prosperous and well cared for, were not
to pursue an argument with the unfortunate
ones, and were not to take umbrage at any of

156 THE CATS' CONVENTION.

their unhappy exhibitions of temper, so Gold-
Bug, without noticing Polly Wog's exclama-
tion, said :

"Surely nothing takes the place of water,
and human beings seem to recognize that fact
for all animals with which they are brought in
contact, except cats."

*'My mistress often gives me remnants of the
salt mackerel that have been left upon the
breakfast table," said Tyrol, "and about half-
past ten I am so thirsty I would be glad of even
a pool of water in the street, but I am shut in
the store room to catch mice, and really am so
thirsty I can't think of mice. Even if I should
catch and eat one, the blood would only increase
my thirst."

"It seems to me," I said, "that the present
conversation points very strongly to one im-
portant subject for a resolution."

"Seems to me, too," said weak little Scat.

"Our Secretary and little Scat are right,"
said Bonnie kindly, "and as one of the commit-
tee upon resolutions I think that I can assure
them that the subject will certainly find place in
the list."

"I now have the pleasure of announcing to
you," said our President, rising in his place,
"that we have among us one, who, although
he has seldom been heard from in our consul-
tations, is a student and a thinker, and some
time ago I asked him to prepare a scientific pa-

THE CATS' CONVENTION. 157

per upon the status of the cat in the physical
and mental world. This paper, I am glad to
announce, will be in readiness for hearing at
our next meeting. At that time I shall present
to your kind attention Leslie, our student. Les-
lie's home is in a minister's family, and the
head of the house is a broad student and a
highly cultured man. He is a man of most
gentle mstincts, and nothing is allowed to suf-
fer under his care. The minister is deeply read,
and Leslie may have access to many books that
are in few homes. A motion to adjourn will
now be in order, for the clocks announce the
near approach of twelve."

The motion was carried, and we departed
full of curiosity as to the coming paper.

END OF THE FOURTH SESSION.

158 THE CATS' CONVENTION.

y'/"

FIFTH DAY.

When repairing to our fifth meeting,
StarHght and I met upon the way, and
after the usual interchange of greetings, he
said :

*'I think all of us are receiving much benefit
from this convention. I should be glad could
we add a little more to the comfort of our un-
fortunate ones. It has been a serious question
with me how we could reach Polly Wog to
better his condition. He seems to feel insulted
when we profTer assistance. There are many
other cats present also who, I know, are suf-
fering, but who have been suppressed so long
they dare not advance an opinion even with
us. My hope is, that they may presently learn
to know their own importance, and, learning

THE CATS' CONVENTION. 159

the importance, assert and conduct themselves
in such a manner as to secure kindher recogni-
tion. I have great hopes from the paper to be
read before us to-day. I am acquainted with
the sources of Leshe's knowledge, and know
he has made good use of them. I predict that
you will all be delighted. He asked me as to
the language to use, and said the natural lan-
guage might be above the heads of some of our
cats, but I assured him that I thought one style
of language would be
understood as well as
the other."

Starlight has such a
dry way of saying
things sometimes that
one cannot tell whether
or not he knows that
he is perpetrating a
joke. He looked unconscious, and the best
thing for me under the circumstances was to
look the same way.

"It is strange," said I, "that I have not no-
ticed Leslie among the members. I do not even
know him by sight."

"Not at all strange," answered Starlight.
"Your duties are such that you cannot be think-
ing of every one in the convention, cats, too,
that are perhaps as bright as many we have
heard from. Leslie is white, with large pale
yellow or pinkish spots. He is soft, slow,

i6o THE CATS' CONVENTION.

graceful, and has not been present at all of our
meetings."

Just then we arrived at our destination, and
found nearly all of our friends assembled and
eagerly asking each other: "Who is Leslie?"
and, "Where is Leslie?"

Starlight was delighted that there was so
much interest expressed, and we commenced
the session in a joyful mood, but we were so-
bered by a little episode that, while it made us
sad, furnished the subject of another resolu-
tion for us to give to the world.

Tige, a soft, gray, friendly, affectionate cat,
and one who made friends wherever he was if
he wished to, came in and sat down, looking
very disconsolate.

"Tige, you look unhappy," said Sweetness.
"Is anything the matter ?"

"Yes," said he, "I'm given away." Then he
held his head down and we noticed that he was
very thin.

"What for?" said Sweetness.

"Nothing. Just nothing at all," said Tige.
"I had fleas, but I couldn't help it. I had no
way of getting rid of them. I heard them talk-
ing about the fleas, but I thought they liked me
too well to give me away just for a few old
fleas, when they could have combed them off
from me just as well as not. I was always
loving to them all, and to the neighbors, and I
always answered when they spoke to me. I

THE CATS' CONVENTION. 161

couldn't have helped it anyway. T always tried
to do just right. And now they have turned
me away from home. No other place will ever
seem like home, and no people will be to me like
my own people. Some way or other it makes
me feel as if I had been guilty of some crime.
You see I loved my people, and I have not eaten
a bite since I was given away."

"What made you let them give you away?"
said our independent Columbus. "If any one
should try to take me away from my people I
would scratch his e3^es out. They are the best
people in the world."

There were some objections to his statement
as to superiority, but Starlight, Dolly Varden
and some of the others said nothing for rea-
sons known to themselves, while each had the
"best owners in the world."

"Well," said Tige, in answer to Columbus,
"how did I know what they were going to do
with me? My! how I would like to see Elta."

"Who is Elta?" asked Eulalie.

"The little girl of our house," answered poor
Tige, and he drew a long sigh, as if there were
nothing in the w^orld for him but misery.

"Try to like the people you are with now,"
said Josephine ; "perhaps they may be so good
to you they will not give you away."

"I don't know how I shall like my home yet.
I have not eaten anything since I was taken
there. It seems as if I could never eat again.

i62 THE CATS' CONVENTION.

I want to see my folks again so bad. Even the
neighbors there used to talk to me, and one
lady who loved cats used to plant catnip in her
yard especially for me, and I always visited
with her when she was in her garden. Oh ! if
I just could see any of them!"

Poor Tige humped down on the floor with
his head hanging, and he looked as if his heart
was broken.

"You. just tell me where the folk live that
gave you avv'ay, and I will go and howl under
their window until they find something worse
than fleas to keep them awake," said F. O.
Fowl.

Everybody looked encouragingly at F. O.
Fowl as if he had said the right thing.

"I tell you what it is," said Columbus, "if
my people had served me such a trick as that I
should think I was in luck to get rid of them."

"I agree with Columbus," said Bonnie.

"Tige," said our President, "try it a little
while, eat if possible, then let us know how you
feel in two weeks. If you don't feel better then,
we will lead you back to your old home."

"No, siree," said F. O. Fowl, "don't do that,
because if they don't want him they might kill
him.':

A shudder went around the room at that,
and we were glad of a pleasant interruption.

Tom and Dottie, who had attended several
of our meetings and were plump and well-fed

THE CATS' CONVENTION. 163

cats, and seemed to enjoy life to the full, just
then made their appearance, and were proud
of the fact that they had just had their pictures
taken. We crowded around to see them, and
we were delighted with them, and pleased to
think more of our number were gaining recog-
nition in the photographic world, and were of
enough consequence in their families to have
their pictures taken. I have noticed that it is
in the nice homes that these things are done.

"Dottie, what's the matter with your fur?" |
asked Columbus, in his outspoken way. We j
had all noticed something unusual in her coat,
but did not think it polite to say anything
about it.

Dottie laughed a little; she is always good-
natured, and then she explained:

''Well, when my mistress, my especial mis-
tress— for I have eight or nine of them — heard
that the photographer was coming she wanted
me nice and white, and she washed me, and,"
here Dottie laughed again, "my coat would not
dry in time. She rubbed me in blankets and
tried to dry me in every way possible, but it
was no use. Don't I look like a little sheep?"
she asked with a giggle.

"That would be a lamb, you know, Dottie,"
said Tom indulgently.

"Yes, that is right," said Dottie. "Tom
knows language."

The two were great friends, and enjoyed

i64 THE CATS' CONVENTION.

i^in

their home. The man of the house had trav-
eled extensively and could speak all sorts of
languages, and gave everybody that he had
anything to do with plenty to eat and wear.
The family was large and Tom and Dottie al-
ways had a good time.

Then Tom, looking at the photographs, said :

"Don't you think that Dottie makes a pretty
picture?"

"Not half as pretty as Tom," insisted Dottie
kindly and earnestly. "Tom poses so well," she
continued.

"My people helped me to pose, and I am glad
that everybody likes the pictures," said Tom.
"I think, Mr. President, that we have taken up
enough time from the paper we are to have."

But just then sweet Topaz had something to
show and to talk about.

"Here, dear ones," said he, "is a picture that
my mistress let me take. She has had it about
a year. It is a picture of my beautiful mother,
Lady Plume, and of my full brother. Buster,
who is a year older. He is a splendid big cat
now, and people say that I look like him. I
have not been very well, and it seems as if I
did not grow very fast, but my mistress is only
waiting for me to get in good condition, when
she will have several photographs taken of me.
Aren't my mother and my brother pretty? Of
course, they do not live here, and they, cannot
come to this convention, and will miss very

i.\i>>' I'l.rMi \\n iii>'ii:K. ' \\h.\i"s that

COZVS HAHV. "WHIKI.S MAMMA?'

LIBftARYl

THE CATS' CONVENTION. 165

much, but they may read the report, perhaps."

Of course, we crowded around and admired
the pictures, and we did not blame Topaz for
being proud of them. We conversed about
them some time, and asked w^iere they Hved,
and heard about their dispositions, and then
Topaz, w4io was very thoughtful for one so
young, said:

"Now that we are to have that paper, I shall
have the pictures here so you may see them
after Leslie has finished."

Topaz was a little darling. His eyes looked
right into ours with such an appealing, pathetic
look that he won all of our hearts. He sat
down quietly near Dolly Varden, and our Pres-
ident immediately introduced the speaker.

"My friends," said he, "I am happy to intro-
duce to your good graces my friend, Leslie, of
Browning Square."

Leslie came forward and immediately pro-
ceeded with his paper, which, for obvious rea-
sons, was a talk.

"I am greatly indebted," said he, "to St.
George Mivart for facts relating to our race.
This scientist has seen fit to write fully upon
this subject, and, although previous to my
search among the archives of literature in this
line I felt we were much superior to the gen-
erally received opinion in this country concern-
ing us, after studying the book from which the
greater part of my notes are taken, I felt my

i66 THE CATS' CONVENTION.

self-respect growing to such an alarming de-
gree that, to restore my so-called normal con-
dition, I ran into the kitchen and stole some
meat, and was chased out of doors by the cook.
My mistress is very good, and was so aston-
ished at my audacity she did not have presence
of mind to interfere immediately. At length
she said:

*' 'Why, my Leslie, you never did such a
thing before, and I know you must be hungry.
Katy, see that puss is well fed with good food,
meat and milk, and whatever else he wants,
whether I am here or not.' There was already
one good result, you see. Well, the chasing
out of doors took a little of the conceit out of
me, and I hope I am in a suitable frame of
mind to talk to you without showing how large
my bump of self-esteem has been.

"I have gleaned from the book I have men-
tioned and from various leaflets and magazine
articles of undoubted authority, and now give
a brief resume with the quotations.

"The domestic cat of the present age is not,
as usually supposed, the tamed cat of the forest
and jungle, but a descendant of the Egyptian
cat, whose liberty was protected and whose
freedom was royal.

"To the Eg3^ptians the cat was an emblem of
the sun. Its eyes were supposed to vary in
appearance with the course of that luminary,
and to undergo a change each lunar month.

THE CATS' CONVENTION. 167

on which account the animal was also sacred to
the moon. In Egypt it was an object of
worship and the venerated inmate of certain
temples. At Beni Hassan, a temple of 1500 B.
C. is dedicated to Pasht, the Goddess of Cats.
At this place there are thousands of cat mum-
mies, which proves that ancient civilization be-
lieved in a spiritual and material resurrection
for cats. Herodotus says: 'When a cat dies a
natural death in a home, the Egyptians shave
their eyebrows, and when a fire occurs they are
more anxious to save the cats than to extin-
guish the conflagration.'

"It is supposed that from Egypt the domestic
cat was introduced into Greece, and thence into
Rome. The ruins of Pompeii disclose a fresco
painting of a cat. Although known in India
three thousand years ago, the Hebrews did not
know it as a domestic animal. However, it was
a household pet in Europe before the Christian
era. During the middle ages heavy fines were
imposed upon cat killers in Wales, Switzerland,
Saxony and other European countries."

"In that particular, then," said Muggins,
"the boasted civilization of the twentieth cen-
tury is an unmitigated farce."

"Not entirely," said Leslie, "because some of
the members of this convention give proof that
civilization still lives."

"In spots," snapped F. O. Fowl.
. "I told you so," said Columbus. "I told you

i68 THE CATS' CONVENTION.

that we ought to stand up for our rights. I
remember very well, in Egypt, three or four
thousand years ago, when I had a temple all to
myself, and one hundred men and women to
wait upon me. I had pale blue satin cushions
stuffed with thistledown and embroidered with
silver and precious stones, and changed every
day, and they used to cultivate birds and white
mice for mv food."

During this astounding assertion half of our
members had been partly rising to their feet,
and F. O. Fowl was actually humping his back
a little, and he emitted a long-drawn —

"Whe-e-e-e-e-e-w !" which would have called
forth Columbus' ire had he cared for anything
or anybody.

"My!" said Scat, dropping her little under-
jaw and forgetting to bring it up again.

THE CATS' CONVENTION. 169

*'0h, dear ! Oh, dear !" Pinkie sighed.

"That is an unheard of assertion!" ex-
claimed Bonnie.

Dolly Varden looked wise, as if the state-
ment were in accordance with her intuitions all
along. She felt the inward consciousness of
having been worshiped at some time in the past.
She looked every inch a queen, anyway.

"Sometimes it comes to me in a dim, uncer-
tain way," said Muggins majestically, "that I
have lived other lives and have seen the light
of other days remote from this in time and in
environments, that warm winds have sought
me out under waving palms, and no hands were
lifted against me, my days and nights were full
of independence, soft repose and wondrous
beauty; tha_J, music of harp, and cymbal,
and-^— "

"Starlight remembers it, too," said Colum-
bus, nonchalantly interrupting Muggins' grow-
ing rhapsody. "His temple was next to mine;
it was white within and without, and decorated
almost entirely with pearls and opals. He had
a diamond necklace."

"Huh," groaned Polly Wog.

No one minded poor Polly Wog.

"Oh, my!" peeped Httle Scat.

"Well, I never," said Smiley.

Then silent amazement took the place of
ejaculations, and inquiring glances were cast
at tlie President.

170 THE CATS' CONVENTION.

"Perhaps, just now," he said, "we would bet-
ter not pursue this theory any further, but Hs-
ten to the paper which is before us. The sub-
ject opened by our friend, Columbus, presents
a field too wide, I am afraid, for our discussion,
and one which the world in general is not ready
to accept."

"The Angora breed," continued Leslie, "to
which belong our worthy President and several
other members in a more or less degree, is sup-
posed to be Asiatic, and, indeed, is also called
Persian. This breed has furnished the pets of
luxurious homes for ages. Domestic cats,
while differing in color, do not differ in anatom-
ical construction."

"We differ in size materially, do we not?"
asked Plato.

"Our difference in size is almost entirely the
result of cultivation, of the care — including
food and so forth — which we receive. Abso-
lutely intelligent care for a few generations
will produce cats of large size, fine instincts
and active intelligence. With our cousins, the
lion, the tiger, leopard, and many other species
to the number of forty, we have nothing to do.
They are at liberty to take care of themselves,
we are not. Long habitation with man has so
attached us to the human family that we
never, in all probability, will live away from it.

"We domestic cats are called Angora, Per-
sian and common cats, and are of various col-

THE CATS' CONVENTION. 171

ors, as you may well see here in our conven-
tion hall. We are judged by our sizes, coats,
capacities for hunting and especial dullness or
general brilliancy.

"Let us see what position we occupy in the
animal world. The animal kingdom is
divided into two great divisions, the
vertebrate and the invertebrate. We
belong to the vertebrate, because we
have a backbone, and it is a good,
strong, flexible one, too. Of that di-
vision we belong to the great class mammalia,
because we give birth to our young and nour-
ish them from our bodies. Of the great class
mammalia we belong to the order carnivora,
because we eat flesh, or meat. Of this order
carnivora we belong to the genus 'Felis,' a
name which I take the liberty of believing
comes from the Latin for 'happy.' The word
'cat' comes originally from the Greek katta,
Latin catus, old German chazza, and lastly the
softer French, chat. In old English it is
spelled with two t's, catt.

"The ordinary wild cat, the inhabitant of
woods in this country and elsewhere, is the
Felis catus, while w^e are the Pells maniculata. .

"If our owners should try to domesticate a
wildcat from the woods of America, they
would not be pleased with the result, for the
animal would be a wildcat still, though held in
captivity to the third and fourth generation."

172 THE CATS' CONVENTION.

"I knew they were no relatives of ours," said
Columbus. "They are not our style."

"Not our style," piped little Scat, turning
her thin mite of a nose toward Leslie, and not
seeing the smile that flickered over the kind
faces around.

"I'd like to see that woman that kicked poor
little Scat downstairs get a wildcat after her
once," said F. O. Fowl. "And I wish the man
that put out Polly Wog's eye had a wildcat on
his back this minute," he continued.

Polly Wog moved a little uneasily, as if he
did not know what to do with sympathy, while
Scat sighed confidentially, "My ain't he good !"

"After mentioning some of the physical per-
fections of the race," continued Leslie, "our
author says : 'Cats, then, are carnivora par ex-
cellence, and they carry out the type of their
order to the highest known and most perfectly
harmonious expression. But cats are not only
such highly developed carnivora, something
may be said in favor of their being the highest
of mammals.' "

"Of course," said Columbus, in a matter of
fact voice.

"Course," whispered Scat, whose head had
commenced to nod over the long words.

" 'Involuntary activity and sensitiveness are
the especial characteristics of animal life, and
with both of these powers cats are largely en-
dowed.' Continuing, our author saj^s, 'We have

THE CATS' CONVENTION. 173

recognized the perfection of their organs of
movement, and that of the very substance of
their bones and muscles, as well as the great
perfection of their especial senses. The organ-
ism of the cat tribe may then be deemed supe-
rior, because it is not only excellent in itself,
but because it is fitted to dominate the excel-
lence of other beasts.' "

"Get out of the way, you dogs," interrupted
F. O. Fowl.

Scat had sunk down in sleep almost upon
Pinkie's paws, but at the word, "dogs," she
partly raised her head, whined "Dogs," saw
none of her natural enemies present, closed her
half-opened waterv blue eyes, and drawing a
little comfortable sigh composed herself to ,^
sleep again.

"Thus considered," continued the speaker,
"the carnivora would rank first among mam-
mals, and the cats would rank first among car-
nivora. Our author says, in effect, that man
must be viewed in the light of an intellectual
being, and as an animal with a certain organi-
zation.

"Considered merely in his capacity as an
animal, man has a very definite place, but it is
by no means certain that his place is at the sum-
mit. 'No more complete example of a perfectly
organized living being can well be formed than
that supplied by a member of what has
no inconsiderable claim to be regarded as

174 I'HE CATS' CONVENTION.

the highest mammaHan family, the family of
Felid^.' "

"Better, and more of it," said Columbus,
really interested.

"It is well for all cats to hear that," said
Dolly Varden.

"It's the human beings who need to hear it,"
said Columbus ; "they have been densely igno-
rant of our superiority. Go on, speaker."

"Allow me again to quote directly from the
author," continued Leslie. " 'We cannot, of
course, without becoming cats, understand the
cat mind. Yet common sense abundantly suf-
fices to assure us that it really has certain af-
finities of its own. Indeed, the cat seems to be
a much more intelligent animal than is com-
monly supposed. That it has very distinct feel-
ings of pleasure or pain and keen, especial
senses will probably be disputed by none. Its
sense of touch is verv delicate; its eves are
highly organized, and can serve it almost in the
dark, and its hearing is extremely acute.' "

"Well, rather," said F. O. Fowl.

"Certainly," said Pinkie.

Renewing his talk, Leslie said:

" 'It is obvious,' continued our author, 'that
-external and internal sensations, more or less
similar to those external and internal sensa-
tions of ours by which we instinctively move
from place to place, judge of distance and di-
rection, and perceive resistance and pressure,

THE CATS' CONVENTION. 175

must be possessed by the cat also. Were it
otherwise trees could not be readily ascended
and descended by dexterous combinations of
vigorous, yet delicately adjusted springs and
grapplings, nor could small apertures be passed
through, in the admirable way in which all
these complexly coordinated movements are
effected by the animal in question.' "

"Fine language," said jMuggins.

*'Too much language," protested Pinkie.

"It suits me, it is what I am used to," said
Katrina.

"Used to," sighed Scat, as she cuddled her
Hose more closely under her little paws.

" 'The ease and grace of motion of the cat,' "
continued Leslie, quoting, " 'and its neat dex-
terity are common subjects of praise. Who
has not observed how cleverly a cat will avoid
■objects in its path, walking perhaps on a table
set with glasses and ornaments in a very un-
stable equilibrim, without overturning any of
them?'"

"No trick at all," said Carmine.

"Certainly not," remarked Dolly Varden
disdainfully.

" 'Every one knows, also,' " continued Les-
lie, still quoting, " 'the great facility with which
a cat so turns in falling as almost always to
alight safely upon its feet."

"Ha, ha, ha !" laughed Columbus. "I guess
we do. My master put me up one time where it

176 THE CATS' CONVENTION.

was too narrow for me to stand, and when I
fell, I alighted on my feet, and one foot with
all the nails out was on his nose, ha, ha ! And
you would better believe there was a good big
gash there, and he had to wear a plaster on it
for some time. He didn't try the same trick
again. You may believe
I give them lessons, I do."
"I would like to see
you try that in some
houses," said Peek-a-
Boo.

"I guess you would
come out of the little end
of the horn," said F. O.
Fowl.

"I guess you would
take a walk out in the
cold, cold world," said
Stand-Pat.

*'The animal's ordinary locomotion," con-
tinued Leslie, "is a walk or spring. It rarely
runs, save when it is pursued, or alarmed, and
then it progresses by a series of bounds. When
driven to it, it can swim, though it takes to
water, or even endures a mere wetting, with the
greatest reluctance. Yet a cat has been seen
voluntarily to enter a small stream several
times, in order to rescue its kittens which have
fallen into it."

"No trick at all," said our incorrigible Co-

THE CATS' CONVENTION. 177

lumbus. *'I like water, I play in it, but I propose
to get in it when I please, not when others
please."

Leslie smiled in the direction of Columbus,
but continued his talk.

"Our author," said he, ''distinctly asserts the
possession by our race of memory, imagina-
tion, a power of perception and of drawing
conclusions. They are credited by various au-
thors with a highly developed sense of direc-
tion."

"I guess your author would think so, if he
could realize to how great a distance we cats
wander some evenings," said Pretty.

"1 have returned to my home three times
when my people have given me away," said
Darling, *'and each time from a different direc-
tion, and from a distance of not less than two
miles."

"What did they give you away for?" asked
Pinkie sympathetically.

"Oh, I ate chickens, little fellows; they're
good. Our people were suburbanites, until
they exhausted themselves in trips to and from
the city. Then chickens didn't pay, you know,"
here Darling laughed knowingly, "and our peo-
ple concluded to move back to civilization. That
suited me well enough, for I have any amount
of friends in my old neighborhood, and as there
are no chickens to catch, I am their own darling
puss again, and so w'onderful, 'because T came

178 THE CATS' CONVENTION.

back to them three times.' No funning, how-
ever, my dear cats, I was very much attached to
my family, and it seems as if it would have
broken my heart to stay away from them."

"Could you not have corrected the appetite
for chickens?" asked Josephine in a calm, judi-
cial tone.

"Possibly, but it would have been hard work,
especially when they kept Plymouth Rocks. I
don't care for black Spanish, their meat don't
look good. Still, had I learned in time that
they objected to my taking the chickens, I
might have tried to break myself of the habit;
at least, I could have been more careful as to
letting them find out about it. Youthful poultry
is very alluring. But no one argued with me or
showed me the error of my way, or even ap-
prised me of the nature of the charge against
me, but simply said : 'Kittie, you must go,' and
put me in a bag and took me to unknown fields.
It was after we had moved back to the city
that I heard them say : 'We have no chickens
now for Darling to kill, and we may let him
stay.'

"I felt like saying. Why didn't you explain
the difficulty to me sooner ?' Sometimes I had
been many days finding my way back, and
would be pretty nearly starved before I reached
home. Once I was such a forlorn looking ob-
ject that they did not recognize me at first, and
endeavored to drive me from the yard, but little

THE CATS' CONVENTION. 179

Lois, the five-year-old girl, knew me, and in-
sisted upon having her 'klippie.' "

"I guess you love Lois," said Pinkie.

"Love Lois?" asked Darling. "Why
shouldn't I ? She's the sweetest child on earth."

There was a general disagreement with the
statement, and there were cries of "No, she is
not;" "I know a sweeter," "My Mossie is love-
lier," "My Dorothy knows more," "My Evetta
is handsomer."

Columbus and Polly Wog both looked on in-
differently, but F. O. Fowl was humping his
back, all ready to protect the weakest.

Starlight smiled, and finally said:

"My friends, it seems with all of your
troubles there are many human beings that you
love. Your exhibition of
warmth in the matter of
love for your own people
amuses me much but
pleases me more. It
shows, too, that good-
hearted, refined children,
are more apt than others to be tender of ani-
mals dependent upon them, for I recognize the
names you mention, and know the homes from
which you come. This diversion ought to put
us in good humor with each other and with the
world. I see in F. O. Fowl's erect fur simply
a desire to protect the weakest. I read in Polly
Wog's indifference the hopeless story of his

i8o THE CATS' CONVENTION.

life, while Columbus' indifference is still the
story of his happy, petted, and care-free ex-
istence. Will Leslie continue?"

Leslie bowed acquiescence and continued:

" 'In addition to all of these recognitions of
objects and of the relation between them, cats
possess strong passions, and often at least, af-
fectionate feelings of personal attachment.' "

"I should think so," said Darling.

''Think so," mimicked sleepy Scat, who by
this time had opened one eye, and was stretch-
ing out one little paw as an accompaniment to a
tiny yawn.

"I guess we never forget those whom we
have reason to know as our friends," inter-
posed Eulalie.

"And we don't forget our enemies, either,"
said F. O. Fowl, "and the enemy of one of our
race is the enemy of all."

"He is a dear," commented Pinkie kindly.

"Dear," piped Scat.

"It will be unnecessary for me to go into a
technical description of our anatomy," said Les-
lie. "Suffice it to say, that no animal, except
man, has as complete command of his body
as we have, and man excels us only in the use
of his hands. We are handicapped in that par-
ticular with stubby finger tips, and long nails
that do not allow us to exhibit the dexterity
our brains suggest.

"As long as we are obliged to defend our-

THE CATS' CONVENTION. i8i

selves from enemies, and procure our food by
hunting, I presume we must submit to our use-
ful claws, although they are very much in the
way of our advancing in civilization. Our long
so-called 'tushes' will also disappear when we
do not have to rend large portions of food ; and
with claws and tushes gone, we can drink from
cups as human beings do."

"I try it occasionally now," said Columbus,
"but it won't work."

"We ought to be glad if w^e get enough to
lap," said Smiley.

"Get enough to lap," whispered Scat.

"Huh ! I forgot," said F. O. Fowl, darting
away, returning in a minute and laying a nice
piece of fresh beef between Scat's forepaws,
"I brought this for you," said he, "and then
forgot all about it."

We would have felt like rebuking F. O. Fow4
for interrupting proceedings, but Scat needed
all she could get to cover her little bones, even
though a slight improvement had taken place
since her first appearance. We indulged in a
little general conversation until Scat finished
her lunch, and were about to proceed with the
paper, when the waif stepped out from Pinkie's
protecting care, sat down near the rostrum,
and looking up at our President, said:

"Lonesome, so lonesome, not even a home,
Nothing to eat, not even a bone ;

Here in a barn, with cats all agreed.
I find some good friends.

And a first-class s:ood feed."

i82 THE CATS' CONVENTION.

*'Hoop la !" said Columbus, turning a somer-
sault, "entertaining poets unawares. Poetry-
is just what I like. I think I'll ask you to call
on me after this. Scat."

We often wonder if the conceit ever will be
taken out of Columbus.

But Scat was too comical. She sat there
waiting for a word from Starlight, while
Growler actually wagged his tail, gave a kit-
tenish jump to the round of a ladder and com-
posed himself to listen. We thought right
away that our convention was conducive of
some good if Growler could spread his grim
visage into a smile.

*'We are delighted with you. Scat," said
Starlight, for she was still waiting for the word
of commendation, "and I am positive that with
your talent and sweet disposition it will not be
long before you have a nice home."

"A nice home," echoed Scat weakly, and re-
turning to Pinkie, she cuddled down by that in-
dulgent friend.

"If it were not for consuming too much of
your time," resumed Leslie, "I would like to
give you Mivart's proof of the nearness of our
construction in bone, muscle, and nerves to that
of man. I would like to quote more largely,
that you might learn from his own language
the decisions of himself and brother scientists
regarding the high order, not only of our phys-

THE CATS' CONVENTION. 183

ical, but of our mental endowments. It would
be a poor type of human being that would be
evolved, were he subjected to the course of
treatment from which we suffer.

"It would seem as if I were trying to make
my position ridiculous, by what I am to say,
w^ere I not able to assure you that it is gleaned
from Mivart, Herbert Spencer, and Mr. Lewes.
Acording to Mr. Spencer, instinct is a higher
development of reason, which it has replaced,
owing to a more perfect connection between in-
ner relations and outer relations than exists
where more reason is concerned. Mr. Lewes
regards it as a lapsed intelligence brought
about by the logic of feeling.

"All of this from such good authority ought
to arouse wnthin our minds a more earnest de-
sire to learn our place in nature, and to learn
our possibilities. Most human beings recog-
nize our possession of wonderful instinct, but
they have never paused to investigate the
amount of intelligence w^e possess nor to de-
velop that intelligence.

"We are supposed to be remarkably well
cared for when we are simply housed and fed,
and it has occurred to me that the exhibition of
so-called 'trick cats' may eventually arouse the
lagging intellects of our masters to a consid-
eration of our now latent powers, and the need
of care in connection with those powers.

i84 THE CATS' CONVENTION.

*'Mr. President, while this is the briefest pos-
sible summary regarding our material exist-
ence, it is, perhaps, as much as may be digested
at one meeting. I am very thankful that I was
appointed to make this study, for it has opened
my eyes to much which before was obscure,
and I mean to exert myself for my own im-
provement and that of my kind, and I hope to
have the cooperation of those who claim me as
their property. It seems there is an under-
standing in this convention that a permanent
organization will be effected, and I suggest, if
this comes about, we have a committee ap-
pointed to collate and bring forward facts
which may be found in the best writings of the
best scientists regarding our race.

"The theme is inexhaustible, and I feel as if
my few remarks and quotations had only
touched lightly and not at all efficiently upon
the subject. I should
like to have mentioned
our psychic relations to
man, and the probabili-
ties of our having a soul,
but felt if I confined my-
self to facts upon the high
state of our physical be-
ing and mental status, it
would save us from the criticism of those who
think that only those who have marriage cere-
monies have souls. Mr. President, I am done.

THE CATS' CONVENTION. 185

During the recital of the paper there had
been gradually increasing interest. As point
after point was brought out, and the position
in nature's economy to which our race was en-
titled announced, a feeling of dignity seemed
to pervade the assembled company.

The President and Columbus seemed to say :
"I told you so."

Dolly Varden was elegant and reserved, as
if she had known these things all along.

"I wonder what we should all be," said she,
''if we could study and learn as human beings
do?"

Then there commenced a regular expression
of opinions as to the line of life preferred by
each.

I remember that Dolly Varden wanted to be
a painter, Columbus thought he would like to be
an author, Starlight would like to be a min-
ister, Bonnie said he wouldn't be a milliner or
a photographer because he knew some who did
not like cats. Katrina Rogers said he would be
an orator ; he had studied it for ten years, any-
way.

"I think," said Josephine, "that I should like
to be a trained nurse."

"Oh, no," said Johnnie Bear, "don't say that,
for I want to like you. and I couldn't if you
were a trained nurse."

We all looked in astonishment at his denun-
ciation of the trade.

i86 THE CATS' CONVENTION.

"Well," said he, "some trained nurses are all
right. If a woman is hateful she is hateful, no
matter what she is doing, but they have a
chance to be hatefuUer in that profession than
any other. Yes, I'm bitter. I had a little
namesake, a little black darling who was so
loving that he always put his paws on any one's
face and licked it whenever he had a chance,
and a cantankerous old trained nurse chloro-
formed him. She didn't like cats or anything
else. Then some more trained nurses in a big
city threw a nice cat from a sixth story window
of a well-known hospital. No, I don't like
trained nurses, they have too good an opinion
of themselves. Oh, there are good women in
the trade, and they would be good in whatever
business they were."

"Well," said Josephine, "I would not do any
business where I could not be a good cat."

The remarks seemed to be in danger of spin-
ning out until we forgot to give credit to Les-
lie for our awakening, and I thought it was
time to remember him.

"Mr. President," said I, "I move a vote of
thanks to Leslie, of Browning Square, for the
very able paper with which he has favored us
this morning."

"It is with unmitigated pleasure," said Mug-
gins, "that I second the motion."

Of course, when the motion was put every-
bodv voted in the affirmative.

THE CATS' CONVENTION. 187

'The motion is carried unanimously," said
the President. "I want to add the assurance of
my own personal pleasure that Leslie accepted
so willingly the mission, and so thoroughly and
beautifully presented the subject to us. You
may be interested in knowing the
principal fact received in a letter
from my birthplace by my people this
morning, as it bears directly upon
the treatment of cats and what their
possibilities of long life are, under
wise treatment."

We hastened to assure our Presi-
dent of our interest.

"Well," he said, "the letter con-
tained the announcement that Beauty
Belden had just died at the age of twenty-five
years, near the Thames River in Connecticut.
Beauty was born right on the banks of that
beautiful river. I knew him when we lived
there. He used to go in the river fishing, and
was a smart and handsome cat in every way.
His people were farmers, and gave him the
tenderest care and most wholesome food. He
never had to stay out of doors when it was
cold, and never did anything that he did not
want to. Beauty's last years were made a
dream of comfort. This helps to prove, my
friends, that we cats seldom live out half our
lives. We are dependent upon human beings
for everything, and cannot help ourselves

i88 THE CATS' CONVENTION.

when we are not properly cared for. Tfiank-
ing you for your attention to me, I now intro-
duce Marcus, of Pine Grove."

We recognized in the tall, pale gray, schol-
arly looking cat, that came forward one who
had occasionally been heard in general conver-
sation, and always in a manner to give us an
exalted opinion of him.

"Why should we not have a soul," said he,
"when even a grain of sand is not lost ?"

"You think your 'think' is of more conse-
quence than the dust that the housemaid jerks
off from the back of a chair, don't you?" inter-
rupted Columbus, with complacent composure.

"I don't believe," said Marcus, "that the feel-
ings, the sentiments, that actuate us, the affec-
tion we bear our good masters and mistresses,
our own inherent ideas of right and wrong,
are all going to perish, when science says that
not one atom of even the commonest material
becomes extinct. Human beings see and under-
stand things that we do not, and it is reasonable
to suppose that even human beings have not
reached the highest stage of development.
They look backward to a lower stage of exist-
ence, and how can they be conceited enough to
think that all progress has stopped with them ?
It is said that God made man in his image, but
we have not learned that man, as we behold
him, was thus made. How does a man know
when he mistreats one of us but that he mis-

THE CATS' CONVENTION. 189

treats the soul that will animate a remote de-
scendant of himself? There are more things
in heaven and earth than man's small philos-
ophy has dreamed of ! Mark my words, human
beings will be called to account sometime for all
of their ill-treatment of us. However, any
time I would rather suffer than be the cause of
suffering. I would rath-
er, too, take my punish-
ment here than in eter-
nity."

"You like to get
through with a bad job,"
said Columbus flippantly.

"Yes," said Marcus.
"If any pimishment is to
fall upon me, the sooner
it is over the better."

"I guess the man that
tore Polly Wog's eye out
would feel rather uncomfortable if he and
Polly Wog should meet in the better world,"
said Pinkie softly.

Polly Wog looked at Pinkie as if he were
touched with the thought that perhaps sym-
pathy might not, after all, be such an uncom-
fortable thing to accept from another. He cer-
tainly refrained this time from any of the con-
temptuous expressions with which he was apt
to favor the pitying speeches of the convention
members.

I90 THE CATS' CONVENTION.

"I guess the boy that tried to drown Httle
Scat will feel sick when they meet in heaven,"
said Eulalie.

"Yes, zuhen that boy and man go there," said
F. O. Fowl, ''just tell me and I'll stay out.
Fffs-s-s-s-t! Fff s-s-s-s-t !"

I think that Polly Wog then and there made
up his mind not to snarl any more at F. O.
Fowl, for his sentiments were largely in line
with his own, and his sympathy so warm and
impulsive as to be genuine.

"I hope it will be clean in heaven," said
Dolly Varden, looking down at her snow-white
feet, and licking a spot where a fly touched her.

"So do I," said Topaz, who was apt to carry
along pieces of paper and straw, which caught
upon his long, soft, yellow fur.

"According to ^sop," said Marcus, "cats
have had a great many experiences, some of
which he has included in his fables.

"He says, too:

" 'The Cat from man his grave demeanor took,
The measured stalk, fixed eye and solemn look.' "

"More likely man copied from us," said Co-
lumbus. "I think it is not necessary for us to
imitate any one. If I am not very much mis-
taken, we are sufficient unto ourselves. I give
TEsop credit for knowing enough to write 'cat'
with a capital 'C People were more intelli-
gent two and three thousand years ago than
now. We have, unfortunately, permitted them

THE CATS' CONVENTION. 191

to retrograde. I move we adjourn," Columbus
added suddenly. *'I am hungry and I would
rather the meeting stopped than to go away and
leave the rest of you here."

Without thought the motion was carried, al-
though we had not expressed ourselves as fully
upon the paper as we had intended, but Colum-
bus had a carrying way that was hard to re-
sist.

END OF FIFTH DAY.

192 THE CATS' CONVENTION.

i^

SIXTH DAY.

All members of the convention were in their
places when the nine o'clock bells ceased ring-
ing. It seemed to me that every face we had
seen and many strange ones made up the as-
semblage upon which we looked.

The understanding had spread abroad that
this was to be the eventful morning when our
life histories, experiences, and sentiments were
to be crystallized in abiding resolutions. A buzz
of expectancy pervaded the room.

As usual, there were little incidents preced-
ing the business of the day.

We were very much pleased when we en-
tered to see two photographs on the rostrum,
and the immediate question was: "Whose are
they?"

We were made to guess a while, and as we
were not successful, Goldie, who had been a
silent and interested listener during the meet-
ings, but had said little, smiled as he came for-

THE CATS' CONVENTION. 193

ward and acknowledged the photographs were
of him.

"I thought I would give you an ocular dem-
onstration " he said, "of how it hurts us to be
left alone. JMy people were home when the
first picture was taken, and I was happy, but
after they had been gone a week, and I thought
that I was deserted, the second picture was
taken by a neighboring photographer. I don't
look happy, do I ? I was not happy. I was
perfectly miserable, I can tell you. The neigh- '
bors brought me food, but as others have said
here, there was no appetite. Yes, as you may
imgaine by my looks now,
my people are home, but I
don't believe that I would
have lived very long with
them away. I wish our
people could realize how we
sufifer in their absence. I
knew a lovely gray mamma
kittie W'ho belonged to a minister's family.
Every summer her owners went away, and at
last she cried so hard for them that she could
not get well when they came back, and pined
away and died."

''Well," said Muggins, 'Sve are delighted
that you are looking so w'ell now, and we hope
that your people will read our report and reso-
lutions w^ien they come out. Then, perhaps,
they will not leave you alone again."

194 THE CATS' CONVENTION.

''Why in the world don't people have board-
ing houses for cats to which they may go when
left alone?" said Columbus. "They are talking
of having such a place in our town, but they
never will get at it. Of course, it would not be
like home, but for some cats it would be better
than home."

"I should not like to go to a boarding house
lunless it was very clean," said Dolly Varden.

"Oh, no," said little Scat, continuing to dupli-
cate the sentiments of our prominent members.

Beautiful Cozy next attracted attention.

"My friends," said she, "you know I thought
that my kittens did not have eyes, but they have,
and beautiful bright eyes, too, and here is a pic-
ture of myself and my family. My mistress is
right up with the times, you may be sure, and
she had our photographs taken."

No one could help but admire the lovely rep-
resentations of the dainty snow-white family,
and we gave the pictures much thought and at-
tention.

After a while the importance of this special
meeting appeared to impress itself upon our
cats. A constant change of position evinced a
desire upon the part of our numerous members
to secure agreeable companionship during the
reading and important discussion which might
follow.

Polly Wog sat by himself, bedraggled, indif-
ferent, and quiet. Columbus insisted upon sit-

COZY AM) III:K H.\lill>. " LF.TS WATCH.

>\vi:i:thk NKT. " rr> i.iici' lo sinc; uki- ■\i{\y hikd

THE CATS' CONVENTION. 195

ting near the President, and upon the opposite
side from my position.

Eulalie sat at the left of Polly Wog, and F.
O. Fowl at his right. Between F. O. Fowl and
Pinkie was little Scat. This was all as it should
be, F. O. Fowl, the fighting protector of the un-
fortunate, and the mamma kittie, the consoler.

The members of the committee of reso-
lutions were at my right — Dolly Varden
sitting next to me, then came Turvey and last
Bonnie.

Muggins was near the front, maintaining an
air of aristocratic repose, but ever on the alert
to secure a clear understanding. Taciturn was
at Muggins' right, Josephine was near Pinkie,
and other cats graduall}^ became placed as
pleased them best.

It seemed to me that there was every shade
of pussie present except green.

The INIaltese cats ranged in color from pur-
ple to silver gray; the yellow pets from pale
salmon pink, through clear yellow, to orange
red. Our gray friends were tinted all the way
from dark cold gray to brown. There were
pure white cats of ordinary blood, while Star-
light gleamed like freshly fallen snow. We
had black cats by the half dozen ; we called them
"witch cats." There were white pussies with
black spots, and black pussies with white spots,
while many were mingled white and other col-
ors. The tortoise shell cats were few in num-

196 THE CATS' CONVENTION.

ber, and none approached Dolly Varden in
beauty.

Sweet little Topaz, Amber, an invalid ; Cozy
and a few others, were full-blooded Angora
cats, but were so soft and dainty with such baby
expressions that no one was the least particle
jealous of them.

Prince and Confidence had been of so much
assistance to the committee that they deserve
especial mention. Confidence is a tiger cat,
with white face, breast and feet, and very
thoughtful and attends strictly to business. He
is very large and quite fleshy, and seems re-
markably healthy and strong, for his home is a
butcher shop. Although he has not established
enough communication between himself and
his owners for them to learn the quality of his
intellect, he is very observant, and from the
customers who throng the shop has acquired a
fund of useful information, and a power of
reasoning to conclusions that has enabled him
to give good advice upon several important
matters.

Prince is black and white, large, and has had
a life untrammeled and free. His people live
in the suburbs in a large house, surrounded by
extensive grounds. His mistress is a poet, and
he points with pride to some of her work.
Nothing has confined his powers. Plis has been
a spontaneous, free, happy growth, but he has
not been unobservant of the conditions of his

THE CATS' CONVENTION. 197

race, and he brought a clean and unbiased
judgment to bear when his advice was soHcited.

After the proceedings of the last meeting
were recited and accepted, an unwonted hush
pervaded the room. After looking quietly
around as if to assure himself that all were
present and ready, our President said:

"Friends you are aware of the important
character of the business arranged for this
afternoon. Mr. Chairman of the committee
upon Resolutions, are you ready with your re-
port?"

When Bonnie commenced in a quiet, digfri^
fied and forceful manner and tone to speak the
words w^hich to us might mean
weal or woe, we felt that the Ad-
visory Board had chosen wisely,
and that we should be represented
in a manner to command the re-
spect and attention of human kind,
even if we were not fortunate
enough to revolutionize its senti-
ment regarding us,

"Mr. President," said Bonnie, "we have
chosen to precede each resolution with the
cause of the resolution. Cause and effect then
are not so widely separated as to bewilder the
minds of our members, and do not leave ob-
scure to the reading public the reason for the
appeal we hereby make."

"If anv one has anv objections to this man-

198 THE CATS' CONVENTION.

ner of forming the preambles and resolutions
will he now express them?" said our Presi-
dent.

Perfect silence reigned; even Columbus was
so intent upon watching to see if any one of-
fered an objection that he forgot to make any
remarks.

"You see," said the President smilingly,
"that we have perfect confidence in our commit-
tee, and are ready to listen.

Then Bonnie recited as follows :

"Whereas, We sufifer from all sorts of
slander, are denominated witches, are said to
be possessed of demons, are called treacherous,
sly, and are accused of sucking the breath of in-
fants and killing them, therefore,

"Resolved, We implore man to investigate
thoroughly the subject, and learn if one hun-
dred times as many babies have not been
smothered through the carelessness and igno-
rance of mothers as through the afifectioriate
but ignorant instincts of cats.

"Whereas, Children are allowed to handle us
as if we were made of wood, pinch us as if
we had no feeling, and inflict upon us all sorts
of tortures, therefore,

"Resolved, We beg man to try to realize
what his sufferings would be if a monster five
or six times as large and as heavy as he were
to pinch him, lie down upon him, stick pins into
him, and pound his head until he was crazy.

THE CATS' CONVENTION. 199

We beg man to make a study of our highly or-
ganized nervous system, that he may learn that
whatever tortures him tortures us, and that he
suffers no agony that we do not, except that of
certain mental conditions.

"Whereas, All have seen the trusting animal
awaiting, or rather hoping for, the grateful
caress — for we love caresses — and have seen
the hopeful look changed to one of agony, fear
and mortal hurt, as the heavy blow from hand,
foot or stick came crashing down, be it there-
fore,

"Resolved, We implore man to meditate
upon his agony when he has suffered even in
purse or sentiment, to say nothing of blows,
from a trusted friend.

"Whereas, Cats are given to children to
play with, regardless of the torture the chil-
dren inflict, and if to protect its life, or invol-
untarily to ease its sufferings or get away, it
happens to scratch its tormentor, it is called all
sorts of names, beaten until pain is past telling,
and thrust out to the mercy of alley dogs and
boys to die; therefore,

"Resolved, We beg that when kittens are
given to children to play with, children be
taught not to give them pain, and that they who
are guilty of giving pain be punished.

"Whereas, If the order of things were re-
versed and a great cat used a baby as a play-
thing, jumping upon it, biting it, striking it.

200 THE CATS' CONVENTION.

and torturing- it continually there would be im-
mediate annihilation of that cat, and reason for
it, but no more reason for complaint than cats
now have upon their side — it having- been a
one-sided business too long, therefore,

"Resolved, We implore man to study the in-
justice of the matter of our treatment, and
think of us from the standpoint of a Christian
and a humanitarian.

"Whereas, Nothing is lost upon earth, and
if so small a thing as the point of a gas flame
enter into the great conservatory of nature,
why not the more important essence of soul as
connected with animals? therefore,

"Resolved, We ask man still further to in-
vestigate and learn if mayhap his stunting of
our bodies and intellects, and the consequent be-
littling of our souls, is not at variance with the

THE CATS' CONVENTION. 201

universal plan of progress plainly designed
by the Maker of men and animals.

"Whereas, Even those people who deny in us
the existence of a soul acknowledge — most of
them — their own^ possession of one, and must
know they are surrounded with many tempta-
tions upon earth, and impair their own chances
of future happiness by yielding thereto, there-
fore,

"Resolved, We ask man to beware, lest by
his abuse of animals within his power, he for-
feit his own right to the kingdom of heaven.

"Whereas, All other animals are allowed
their ailments and are nursed out of them, cats
seem to be allowed no right to be ill, and when
suffering from ailments that in a dog would
secure for it sympathy, medicine and care are
treated as if they were criminals and thrust
out to cold and torment, therefore,

"Resolved, That we beg human beings to en-
deavor to realize that cats are no more to blame
for their sickness than are dogs, not as much
to blame as g^rown human beings, suffer just
as keenly from pain and weakness, are tor-
tured mentally as well as physically, appreciate
good care, understand the meaning of averted,
unkind and threatening looks, are shocked to
the verge of insanity by sudden hostile demon-
strations, and are susceptible to gentle cura-
tive methods and means, and are grateful for
the same.

202 THE CATS' CONVENTION.

"Whereas, It seems to be generally under-
stood by human beings that so-called 'fits' in
cats rightfully bring down upon us the collect-
ive explosive power of the household, there-
fore,

"Resolved, That we ask man to understand
that 'fits' are an involuntary exhibition of nerv-
ousness, just as in human beings ; that it is no
more disgusting than nervous prostration,
which is supposed to be the prerogative of man ;
that not having the full reasoning power of
man, we are frightened at our dreadful sensa-
tions, and that throwing water upon us and
hurling us out of doors only makes us worse,,
and that gentle treatment, such as rubbing,
smoothing, petting, and regular massage will
banish immediately the nervous sensations and
speedily effect a cure."

"Everybody in the land ought to hear that,"
said Tottie.

It was the first time Tottie had spoken, and
we looked at her in surprise. She was a pretty
gray kitten with remarkably large, bright eyes,
and lately had felt a little aggrieved because of
a new pet in the shape of a little daughter of
the house, who had come to divide the caresses
of the household. Tottie, in her young days,
inadvertently attained distinction by falling
from a fourth-story window upon ,a paved
courtway, and coming through the ordeal with-
out other indication of the mishap than a dis-

THE CATS' CONVENTION. 203

trust of window sills as a safe place for a
siesta.

"We are glad to hear an expression of opin-
ion from our members," said Bonnie.

"I think we are all indorsing the resolutions,
as you read," said Johnnie Bear.

''They could not be improved upon," said
Pinkie, looking directly at Dolly Varden, as if
she wished it distinctly understood that she
realized the benefit of her sex in the consulta-
tions.

Dolly Varden bowed politely and said:
"Thank you."

Then Bonnie continued :

"Whereas, Long years ago our ancestors
were taken from the beauty and warmth of
their ancestral home in opposition to their
wishes, forced to live in a climate for which
they were not intended by nature, and the con-
stitutions of the members of our race have
never been reconstructed to accommodate the
change, therefore the rigors of a northern win-
ter are as severe for us as for our ancestors,
and it is not unusual to see cats with fozen ears
and tails and see them wither away and die
from exposure, and this is proof that we have
been subjected to surroundings for which we
were not made, that we are not responsible for
these surroundings, that we thrive and give
better service when prosperous and well, there-
fore,

204 THE CATS' CONVENTION.

"Resolved, That we implore man to provide
comfortable shelter for us from the rigors of
the winter, from rain and snow, and from
many discomforts with which we are assailed
and which make us miserable and shorten our
lives.

"Whereas, The Providence that made us in-
habitants of congenial climates also made us
carnivorous, and by that token it means that
we are meat eaters, but many of our owners
literally starve us by denying us proper food,
therefore,

"Resolved, That we implore man either to
experiment with different members of our race
and learn the nutriment best suited to us, or
gather statistics as to how cats have been most
successfully reared to secure health, beauty,
usefulness and long life.

"Whereas, The blundering part of humanity
claims we are better mousers when half
starved, but we know that if we are half
starved we have neither time, patience nor
strength to hunt for mice, therefore,

"Resolved, That we implore mankind to
make a test upon this subject or gather sta-
tistics and be satisfied that the best- fed cats are
the best hunters and that nothing destroys the
taste for game with our carnivorous race.

"Whereas, In our kittenhood we sometimes
suffer greatly while our first teeth are falling
out, and our second set growing in, and at such

THE CATS' CONVENTION. 205

times our teeth are often twisted in our
mouths, our jaws sore and swollen, and we
lose our appetites, and it is almost impossible
for us to chew, and we necessarily go without
food, become emaciated, and sometimes dizzy,
in which case it is said we are in convulsions

and no care is taken of us, and at such times we
die, therefore,

"Resolved, That we ask our owners to pay
us a little attention at such times in the way
of giving us finely chopped meat and perhaps
pulling a tooth that is twisted in such a manner
that it tortures our lips and tongue.

2o6 THE CATS' CONVENTION.

"Whereas, Many rude jokes and much un-
seemly anger is expended upon our so-called
'howling-,' or 'fighting,' when the truth is, we
are not fighting half of the time when we are
accused of it, but are conversing in our own
language; sometimes talking about other cats,
sometimes rehearsing scenes of torture
through which we have passed, and,

"Whereas, A noted man of science lately af-
firmed that even flies have a language, we as-
sert that zue have a language, and if human
beings do not understand it we are not to
blame, therefore,

"Resolved, That we ask mankind to study a
little more mto the mysteries of nature before
he exposes his ignorance by hurling boots and
brickbats at innocent animals.

"Whereas, Every living thing, plant or ani-
mal, requires water, and, as our hearts beat at
a rate that sends our blood coursing through
our veins at a fast, consuming pace, water is al-
most more of a necessity to us than to any
animal of our size not amphibious, and, where-
as, cats often beg piteously for drink and yet
it is rarely the cry is answered, therefore,

"Resolved, That we implore man to remem-
ber the suffering that deprivation of water
causes him and not to forget to provide means
both in the house and outside for satisfying
our thirst.

"Whereas, All animals require a certain

THE CATS' CONVENTION. 207

quantity of salt, and although we require it
seldom, yet the demand and need at the time
are great, and should be satisfied, therefore,

"Resolved, That we beg man to provide oc-
casionally a little salt meat for us, only a little,
it is all we require.

"Whereas, It has been proved that cats eas-
ily attain the age of twenty or thirty years with
proper care, and if our lives are shorter, it is
because we are robbed of our natural rights,
and man who assumes to be our protector be-
comes our murderer, for all life taken unneces-
sarily is murder, therefore,

'■Resolved, That we implore man to make
more of a study of our condition, and learn not
only something of the needs of our physical
being, but also of our mental capacity, and find
out if we may not be of more use in the econ-
omy of nature than he lias yet discovered.

"Whereas, Cats are affectionate and domes-
tic, and when they are kindly treated become
closely attached to their owners, but a super-
stition indulged in more largely by the ignorant
than the better class, exists against moving
cats; it is said to bring bad luck, and the petted
puss is left in an empty house to starve, mourn,
freeze or submit to the mercies of hostile
strangers, and,

"Whereas, Cats have been known to die of
grief from this cause, therefore,

"Resolved, That we implore man to investi-

2o8 THE CATS' CONVENTION.

gate this matter, and see if more misfortune
does not come to the one who commits such
cruehy than to the one who exercises the im-
pulses of a tender heart.

"Whereas, We are ruthlessly given from
one person to another, even though we have
been domiciled for years with one family, and
we so love the voice and touch of our real
friends that separation is next to death, there-
fore,

"Resolved, That we ask mankind to meditate
upon this matter, and see if our griefs in this
line may not be lessened.

"Whereas, In case of a supposed superfluity
of cats we are carried off or 'dropped' by the
way, to be picked up or killed, mercifully or
otherwise, therefore,

"Resolved, That we ask man to remember
that the former method is more apt than other-
wise to bring untold suffering, and the latter
method is taking a risk with his own soul,
which, perhaps, he would better not attempt.

"Whereas, A half-starved, beaten, bruised,
frozen little mother cat can never give you
large, beautiful kittens, therefore,

"Resolved, That mother cats be well fed at
all times, and kept comfortable and happy.

"Whereas, Cats generally have too much
sense to overeat, and may be trusted to use'
good judgment upon that subject, therefore,

"Resolved, That we, in the majority of cases,.

THE CATS' CONVENTION. 209

be allowed to eat all we wish of wholesome
food, as a preventive of disease and a help to
strength, activity and beauty.

"Whereas, Dogs originate a very loathsome
disease called 'mange,' and, as it leaves no visi-
ble trace where the dogs pass or have lain, we
are apt to be brought in contact with it. It
first attacks the top of our heads, and then, as
we endeavor to remove it from that place, our
feet become affected. Our hair comes off in
patches, we are scaly and repulsive. We suffer
dreadfully from the horrible, burning pain,
itching, and prostration, and because of our
looks and disease people very naturally avoid
us, and often cruelly abuse us. We become a
burden to ourselves, and unless we are cured
we die a lingering, dreadful, offensive death
from a cause for which we are entirely inno-
cent. Also we are turned out in the cold at
such times to die, therefore,

"Resolved, That we ask human beings to re-
lieve us of our sufferings by some of the many
means within their power, for any cat fancier
will gladly give advice as to the best curatives
for the disease, which, if taken in time, may
be cured with a little patience. The same may
be said of eczema, for which it is often mis-
taken.

"Whereas, Prominent cat fanciers assert
that, in the absence of other directions, a cat
should be treated in the same way as a small

210 THE CATS' CONVENTION.

baby, because of the delicacy of its construc-
tion, therefore,

''Resolved, That we urge upon mankind that
thought, and that they banish some of the
strong medicines with which well-meaning peo-
ple have sought to cure our ills.

"Whereas, We are accused of carrying dis-
ease from one house to another, and we assert
that if we were not exposed to the disease we
could not carry it, and that parents sometimes,
to please their children, give those children
who are suffering from contagious diseases
the kittens they wish to play with, and that
children in other houses take us to play with,
and that we are helpless in the matter, there-
fore,

"Resolved, That we beg our owners both for
their own good and ours, and for that of the
citizens in general, they keep us away from
children who have contagious diseases, remem-
bering that w^e cannot help ourselves.

"Whereas, In view of the vast superiority
in body and brain of those of our race who
have received kind and appreciative care over
those who have not received such, it proves the
beneficial effects of intelligent treatment, there-
fore,

"Resolved, We implore man to make a note
of this fact and let it tell whether or not we
are being used as we deserve, and whether the
trust we are to mankind is worthily bestowed.

THE CATS' CONVENTION. 211

"Whereas, In addition to the above pre-
amble, we may also state that cats for one rea-
son or another are left out in the cold of win-
ter, and that there are some people who are
kind enough to keep in their yards warm boxes
in which are straw and other articles, to make
stray cats and stray dogs comfortable, there-
fore,

"Resolved, That we ask man to remember
the blessing of this kind provision and not be
backward about imitating it.

"Whereas, In view of many facts developed
in our convention, and stated in our preambles,
it is true that cats in general and upon an aver-
age do not live one-tenth of their days because
of unintelligent and bad-hearted treatment,
therefore,

"Resolved, That we implore man to correct
this crying evil both for the good of his own
soul and for our well-being, by according us
the treatment for w^hich nature has made us."

"True! True! Every word of it!" cried
Columbus, his animation "enthusing" the rest
of the members and eliciting words of cheerful
indorsement.

"Oh, if people will only see things in that
light !" exclaimed Josephine.

"I don't see how they can help it," volun-
teered Pinkie.

"Huh ! they won't try very hard to see,"
growled Polly Wog.

212 THE CATS' CONVENTION.

"Oh, my, no!" whined httle Scat, who had
taken several naps while the reading was go-
ing on.

Then Katrina Rogers attracted attention as
he thought of something, and pleased us with
a quotation:

"Forward, brave champions to the fight !
Sound trumpets !

God defend the right !
Then Teviot how thine echoes rang,
When bugle sound and trumpet clang

Let loose the martial foes,
And in mid-list, with shield poised high.
And measured step and wary eye,
The combatants did close !'

"There is no harm in invoking the muse of
Sir Walter Scott to stimulate us," he said.

We agreed with him, and hoped he would
quote some more, but, as he did not, the resolu-
tions were continued.

"Whereas, We are taken as kittens, one by
one, from our kith and kin, are taught to con-
fine our interests to our own households, to look
upon outside animals as intruders, are de-
pendent upon our owners for all that we have
— when, if left in our native country and na-
tive conditions, we would be independent —
have become part and parcel of this later civ-
ilization, of the homes in which we live, in some
of which we are a necessity, and in some of
which we are a luxury, w^e are not our own
masters, and, as we have said, we are held in

THE CATS' CONVENTION. 213

trust, and in many cases the trust is abused,
therefore,

"Resolved, That we ask mankind if it may
not be true that if a sparrow may not fall to
the ground without the knowledge of Divinity,
how much more will our sufferings and our un-
provoked abuse be known.

"Whereas, Cats are not naturally antag-
onistic to dogs, and would usually allow them
to pass in peace if not first attacked, and,

"Whereas, Dogs are beasts of prey gener-
ally, and the majority of them are inclined to
savagery, therefore,

"Resolved, That any human being found
teaching, or encouraging, or even allowing,
dogs to torture, mutilate, or kill cats, be se-
verely punished.

"Whereas, There are many homes wherC'
members of our race continually suffer abuse,
are dragged around, beaten, frozen, starved;
and as one who is cognizant of a wrong and
does nothing to prevent that wrong is also
responsible for that wrong, therefore,

"Resolved, That people who are aware of
the tendency of a family habitually to mistreat
animals induce that family to mend its ways
or prevent it from having animals in its pos-
session.

"Whereas, We are sociable beings and enjoy
the society of our owners if they are at all kind,
enjoy caresses, kind looks, and words, and un-

214 THE CATS' CONVENTION.

"^fy^,

derstand them far better than our owners real-
ize, therefore,

"Resolved, That we ask that such welcome
attentions be not withheld from us, for it is
well said that 'animals and people suffer ac-
cording to their capacity for suffering.'
''Whereas, We are essentially the domestic
animal of civilization, no
rude tribes assimilate
with us, and we are not
at home with them; the
ancient Egyptians in
their advanced civiliza-
tion worshiped us and
built temples for us ; when one of our race died,
the city in which he died mourned for a stated
time, and,

"Whereas, It is a well-known fact that the
more cultivated the people as a whole, or as in-
dividuals, the more tender consideration our
race receives, therefore,

"Resolved, That ill treatment of us is an in-
dication of savage, brutal natures, and good
and gentle care an indication of refinement and
cultivation, both in the nation and in the indi-
vidual.

"Whereas, We believe that in the great sum-
ming up, our wrongs will all be righted, and
that our communication between us and our
Maker is never interrupted, yet we believe our
suffering here is needless, and, therefore.

THE CATS' CONVENTION. 215

"Resolved, That we promulgate these reso-
lutions, hoping- that they will appeal to the Di-
vinity in the heart of man and result in our
release from neglect and persecution, and se-
cure greater development and happiness for
ourselves, and, as a result, more good and more
happiness for mankind.

"Respectfully submitted by your Committee
upon Resolutions, with thanks for being al-
lowed the honor of serving you.
Signed, "Bonnie, Turvey, Doli^y Varde:n."

Profound silence reigned upon the conclu-
sion of the reading of the resolutions.

The members of the convention looked
interested, wide awake, thoughtful, obser-
vant.

Even Columbus appeared meditative, and
seemed to commence to realize that there were
cats in the world that had to submit to the fate
of unmerited abuse and destruction.

It was fully five minutes before Starlight
arose, and, speaking most gently, said:

"You have heard the resolutions, what will
you do with them?"

"I move that they be adopted as read, in the
order in which they were read, every last one
of them all together," said Columbus with
emphasis, showing that his eyes were opening.

"I second the motion," said F. O. Fowl.

"I motion, too," piped little Scat.

Pinkie looked around at Scat indulgently,

2i6 THE CATS' CONVENTION. -

and a little smile broke over the faces of the
members, relieving the general intensity of
feeling.

"Ditto here," said Smiley.

"I ditto, too," added the little voice, and then
everybody laughed outright.

"Gently, my friends, gently," said the Presi-
dent. "We have escaped interruption so far
in this memorable convention, and we desire
nothing to mar its close."

"Question," said Taciturn.

"Question," added Agamemnon.

"Question," called Blitz.

"Question," said Orlando, Docile, Cozy,
White Sultan, Katrina Rogers, Tottie, Smiley,
Buster, Johnny Bear, Tige, Tom, Dottie, Do-
ci-do, Stand-Pat, Pinkie, Eulalie, Josephine,
Prit, and dozens more.

Of course. Scat said in her slim little voice.
"I question, too," then the President smiled,
and said :

"You have all heard the motion, and it is
not necessary for me to repeat it. All in
favor of the motion, please hold up your right
paws."

Well, if I am a cat, I must say that it was a
pretty sight. Every cat except Polly Wog
voted in the affirmative, and he remained hud-
dled over his feet, as usual. Cats are acknowl-
edged to be the most gjaceful creatures in the
world, and they all held up their-paws, palms

THE CATS' CONVENTION. 217

outward, as they had seen human beings hold
their hands in their several lodges and women's
clubs.

I think Columbus took delight in exhibiting
his plump, well-cared-for proportions.

"All opposed," said our President.

The only one left to vote in the negative was
Polly Wog, but he kept perfectly quiet, as if it
were all one to him whichever way it w^ent.
None of us criticised him, we just said to our-
selves: "Poor Polly Wog."

"You see," said Starlight, turning to the con-
mittee, "that your work has been done in such
a thorough, exhaustive, and sympathetic man-
ner as to receive the api)roval of the conven-
tion. Allow me to add that I think our initial
Advisory Board sho\\cd a keen perception of

2i8 THE CATS' CONVENTION.

personal qualifications when it selected the
Committee upon Resolutions. And the Com-
mittee upon Resolutions has in every way
proved that it was entitled to the trust reposed
in it."

"I move," said Flute, "that the thanks of
this convention be extended to the Committee
upon Resolutions for the very able manner in
which it has presented to the world our griefs,
and its wise suggestions regarding relief there-
from."

"I move to amend," said our little black and
white Buster, "by adding, 'and to the Advisory
Board for its wise selection of said commit-
tee.' "

"I move to amend the amendment," added
Teddy, "by adding, 'and to our worthy Presi-
dent for his good judgment in selecting so sen-
sible an Advisory Board.' "

By this time we were hilarious, and ready to
thank everybody and everything that had any-
thing to do in bringing about these resolu-
tions, to say nothing of the members mentioned
in the motion and amendments, and everything
went through with a buzz, and was adopted
unanimously.

"I should think that would make people take
a different view of our race," said Columbus
soberly.

"I should think that would make human be-
ings feel for the woes of animals so long de-

THE CATS' CONVENTION. 219

pendent upon them for happiness and hfe,"
said Eulalie.

"Yes," croaked Polly Wog, "make them feel
for a club to knock our brains out with."

"Let them try it on you when I am around,"
said F. O. Fowl, looking as belligerent as if
he momentarily expected the club to make its
appearance.

Polly Wog looked at F. O. Fowl, moved his
fore paws uneasily, then curled one under his
chest in a half-restful position, as if, without
realizing it, he felt a little of the repose that
results from a sense of being protected.

F. O. Fowl's explosiveness had come to be
looked upon by us as rude, perhaps, but chival-
rous care for the weak and suffering, and we
accepted it with no displeasure, for we knew
that as long as we were kind and gentle to oth-
ers we should not suffer from his high temper.
His unceasing championship of Polly Wog
was very agreeable to us. He seemed deter-
mined to win the heart of our sufferer, and to
long to punish his persecutors.

"I am sure," said our President, "that we all
feel grateful to the framers of these resolu-
tions, and to each one of the members of this
convention for his or her attendance. We have
been brought face to face with much suffer-
ing, but most of the suffering of our race we
have not seen. The kittens that have been
frozen, starved, and tortured to death cannot

220 THE CATS' CONVENTION.

meet with us. The horrors of their hves and
deaths we can guess from what we have heard
here, and we know the unwritten histories are
sadder yet. I don't want to shock you, but I
must tell you an incident that I heard my mas-
ter tell that shows what brutality is in the
make-up of some human, or rather inhuman,
beings. He said that one day at the depot of
an Iowa town, some one spied a little family of

young kittens that the mother had placed in a
keg, having no other home for them. People
were standing around admiring and talking
about them, they were so pretty, when the fire-
man of an Illinois Central train joined the
crowd around the keg. Suddenly grasping the
keg, he said:

" 'I know what to do with them,' and shoved
the whole thing into the furnace of his en-
gine !"

There were cries of horror from all over the
room, and some of the mamma kitties cried
outright.

"Did they let that devil live?" asked F. O.
Fowl.

THE CATS' CONVENTION. 221

"They wouldn't have let him live if all of the
men there had been like my master," answered
Starlight. "He wanted to lynch him. You
may be sure that some bad will come to that
fireman, if it has not already done so, for this
was some years ago."

"Do you suppose such a man could ever go
to heaven?" asked Pinkie.

"Heaven?????" Of course it was F. O.
Fowl w^ho exploded in wrath.

The inference was easily understood, and all
grasped his meaning as to the most probable
place for the future home of the wretch.

After order was restored Starlight con-
tinued his remarks.

"In passing to other matters from the sub-
ject of our resolutions," said he, "I wish to
mention the thought of the permanent organ-
ization. The idea is not new to all of you, for
T have held several consultations with members
with whom I have been thrown in contact. The
thought is that we have a permanent organiza-
tion, meeting at stated intervals, say once a
month, for the consideration of such subjects
as may naturally come before us, and for the
protection and comfort of our weak and suf-
fering brothers and sisters."

Immediately there were expressions indica-
tive of the glad acceptance of this proposition.

Here little Scat's weak voice was heard to
say:

222 THE CATS' CONVENTION.

"I expect the happy cats could bring the hun-
gry cats something to eat then, once a month."

''Once a month !" said Pinkie, "you dear lit-
tle thing!"

Polly Wog's one eye turned thoughtfully to-
ward Scat, as if he felt a glimmer of calcula-
tion regarding the possibility of his power to
provide a little food for the waif.

"I wanted Scat to remain with me," said
Muggins, "but she insists that I am robbing
myself to give her food. Really, my propor-
tions lack considerable of indicating any with-
holding of the proper amount of nutriment"

All of the cats had been interested in pro-
viding food for our hungry kittens, and our
meetings were almost always interrupted by
lunches served by late-coming members to our
hungry ones, but when the meetings would be
so far apart a cat could easily starve between
times. There seemed to be many mental calcu;
lations as to how to reach our suffering broth-
ers and sisters during the intervening weeks,
and a resolution forming in each mind to take
personal interest in the well-being of our un-
happy friends.

"Some of us," said Starlight, "have found
that our frequent absences from home are oc-
casioning remark, and believe that before we
are interrupted we would better bring this con-
vention to a close, expecting to find but little
difficulty in meeting but once a month. You

THE CATS' CONVENTION. 223

know we have missed several weeks since com-
mencing, and that has made the time approach
the coming of cold w^eather, when some of us
are closely housed, and when we should find it
difficult to come. In conclusion for to-day, for
the time approaches noon, I want to say that
I have, we all have, missed several faces that
we were glad to see wath us when we com-
menced. Since I am worried about these cats,
I have asked some of our members to look
them up and report at the next meeting, which
may be our last of the convention proper."

After adjournment we gathered on the floor
for a little social conversation and to renew^ our
protestations of friendship.

I made Scat go home with me, that I might
carry her a little food, which I had made up my
mind that I would get for her, if I had to steal
it. Polly Wog croaked:

"Good-by, little Scat."

I don't know when we had heard anything
that pleased us so much, for it was the first time
he had ever said a word at parting.

We all said:

"Good-by, Polly Wog. Be sure and be on
time next week."

"I think we would miss you almost more than
any one else," said Starlight gently.

The last we saw of Polly Wog and F. O.
Fowl, the former was skulking along from one
dark spot to another, while onlv a short dis-

224 THE CATS' CONVENTION.

tance behind him E. O. Fowl followed, deter-
mined to protect the poor unfortunate.

Starlight smiled a little grimly, remarking as
we parted:

"I don't like disturbances, but really I be-
lieve it would please me to see one of poor
Polly Wog's tormentors attempt any hostile
demonstrations now."

e;nd of sixth day.

THF, CMS' TEA ]'.\K1 Y

AN IN 11 KKll'I 11) TKA PARTY

^LIC LIBRARY

THE CATS' CONVENTION. 225

SEVENTH DAY.

We were not a joyful assemblage as we
gathered for our last meeting, although we re-
alized that the approaching cold weather would
present insurmountable obstacles to frequent
sessions, even should the convention continue.

All were present when the bells rang for
nine except F. O. Fowl and Polly Wog, and we
felt that we did not wish to commence without
them.

About fifteen minutes past nine the President
said :

'T delay in calling our meeting to order be-
cause of the absence of two of our prominent
members. We have confidence that F. O. Fowl
can take care of himself, and his being late
may mean that he is settling some score with an
abuser of innocence, but I am anxious when
any of our homeless and suflfering cats are not
on time. I see many faces here that T hope
may brighten with tender care. Perhaps while
delaying the usual minutes we may hear the

226 THE CATS' CONVENTION.

reports regarding the absent cats for which
your chairman appointed a committee of in-
quiry."

At the commencement of our convention
there was in attendance a httle gray
kitten, which tlie casual observer would
say was simply that which its name in-
dicated, but it had an exceedingly beau-
tiful face, and was such a quiet, pa-
thetic little thing that w^e all grew to
love it. It never said anything, but it
looked with its big blue eyes at us in
such a tender, plaintive, and wondering
way, and it seemed so beseeching and
velvety, we called it "Pansy."

If it were brushed against, or
touched ever so lightly, it would lie over
on its side with its paws put palm to
palm, and close its eyes like a dying
bird, and it really seemed to hold its
breath; afterward reviving gradually and set-
tling itself over its paws and feet, only to drop
over again upon the first touch.

Belonging to the same family were two
cream-colored kittens like fluffs of yellow
down. I have always noticed that where there
is one 3^ellow kitten in a family, there are al-
most always two ; in fact, I have never known
an instance of one alone. Another peculiarity
of cats of this color is that they are rarely fe-
males, grow to be ver}- large, and are exceed-

THE CATS' CONVENTION. 227

ingly intelligent — our Columbus being a proof
of all these statements — his brother dying in
early kittenhood. We could not tell the two
kittens apart except by their dispositions, and
often imagined how fine they would be when
grown, and deprecated the thought of their be-
ing separated. One, Aileen Aroon, was as gen-
tle as Pansy, and had a trick when disturbed
of lying upon its side and pressing the palms of
its paws together something like Pansy, but
holding them close under its pink mouth and
chin, while its twin, Bonnie Dundee, would
really snarl and throw out its nails in a threat-
ening manner. Both kittens, however, seemed
to think exactly alike otherwise, and follow
each other as if indeed they were inseparable.

Wt had often wondered what had become of
these three sweet kittens, and the President had
appointed a committee to learn where they
lived, and endeavor to persuade them to con-
tinue in attendance, for they were like dainty
pictures and we wanted them with us. It was
not until the present session that we were in
the way of being enlighted upon their condi-
tion, and then. Sweetness, who learned, when
too late, that she was a distant relative of
theirs, made us sorrowful in answer to the
President's request that she make her report.

"Before I found their home," said she, "all
three of the kittens had sickened and died, and
sickened in such a way that their owners could

228 THE CATS' CONVENTION.

not understand their disease, and yet did ev-
erything in their power to save them. One
morning Pansy was found upon her side dead,
with her little paws, palm to palm in a be-
seeching way before her eyes. Aileen Aroon
died the following day, as gently and prettily
as he had lived, resisting nothing, but folding
his little paws under his pink mouth to take
whatever should come. But Bonnie Dundee
made a harder fight for life, lasting a day
longer and snarling his impatience at his suf-
fering and resisting death to the end. When
I learned all regarding them, they had been
dead two weeks and their bodies disposed of,
so I knew there was no use trying to honor
them by anything that we could do."

Their sweet faces, and especially that of
Pansy, haunted us, and we wondered if they
had not fulfilled for us some mission.

Anyway, I think we were more inclined to
be tender with each other, and we all said that
this emphasized the fact that our ailments
were not understood as well as they ought to
be, and if people generally valued us as we de-
served, they would support specialists for our
benefit, and not let us suffer and die needlessly.
We also had it borne in upon us that because of
our exquisitely sensitive nerves we often suffer
intense degrees of torture not realized by
casual observers, and not even by most of our
owners, kind and gentle as some of them are.

THE CATS' CONVENTION. 229

"I must add another sad story to the ones
ah'eady told," said our President. "Perhaps
you remember that I gave you a short account
of an affectionate waif
that my mistress was en-
deavoring to cure. She
could not succeed in her
kind efforts. The little
thing is dead. It had
been locked in a public
hall and was starving
when my people found it.
It was a little black kit-
ten, not more than two
months old, and my mistress did everything
she could for it, but it is gone. Of course, I
had no opportunity to attend to the disposal
of its body, but it is past being hurt now, and
I know that my people would care for it better
than we would have the privilege of doing."

We all expressed our sympathy, and just
here a pleasant episode relieved the tension
upon our hearts, for Dolly Varden called our
attention to Josephine.

"I think that Josephine has something that
you would all like to see," said our belle.

Our President asked for it, and Josephine
showed us two pictures of herself and of her
two almost grown children. Immediately we
called them "The Tea Party" and "The Inter-
rupted Tea Party."

230 THE CATS' CONVENTION.

Josephine and her two kittens were eating
supper and evidently had an interruption. Jo-
sephine's photograph was fine, and we thought
her kittens very much hke her, and had a long
talk about the subject of having our pictures
taken.

I presume that my picture never will be ta-
ken, because my people are not cultivated in
that line, and probably the only glory that will
ever be mine will be that of my connection with
this cats' convention.

Immediately after the picture episode a new-
comer was announced. At least it was said
that we were to have a new addition by the
name of "King Pet." We were all very anx-
ious for King Pet's appearance, for we thought
that bearing such a name he must be a very
superior being, and the inmate and favorite of
a luxurious home; so when the President an-
nounced "King Pet," of Locust Street, we all
commenced to look around and assume pleas-
ing attitudes. Eulalie, having a Grecian pro-
file, turned her face away, and pretended to
be talking with Taciturn. Josephine straight-
ened up in a most dignified manner, while Pin-
kie posed with her nose pointed to the rafters
and held it so until she detected slight little
quivers of laughter from the contiguous
brothers, when she, too, ceased posing, and
snififed the air in an audible manner when she
beheld the cause of so much curiosity.

THE CATS' CONVENTION. 231

King Pet was the most ordinary cat of us all.
He was small, black, and really had no points
upon which I can enlarge, especially with my
limited knowledge of his
acquirements, and I have
only mentioned him here to
show how little may be in
a name, and also the par-
donable desire to make a
good impression that actu-
ates even the members of
the little world to which we
cats belong.

King Pet had no remarks
to make.

"I would suggest," said our President, "that
we commence with our banquet which we
planned for this, perhaps, last meeting of the
regular convention. Human beings often cele-
brate the close of a series of meetings with a
banquet, so we have not ignoble precedent for
our proceedings, only I wish Polly Wog and
F. O. Fowl were with us. I ask Columbus, Con-
fidence, Eulalie, Pinkie, and Turvey to
bring in the refreshments. The sooner we
have them the less liable to interruptions
we shall be."

We who were always plentifully supplied
had quietly prepared this entertainment, with-
out the knowledge of our less fortunate friends.
The committee mentioned hastened to an ob-

232 THE CATS' CONVENTION.

scure corner of the barn, and soon had a bounti-
ful supply before us.

"I see our committee has made ample pro-
vision," said Starlight. "I am a little afraid
that we have an oversupply. It will not do to
leave any, for we do not want a hint of our
presence to remain, lest we be excluded from
the premises, which, so far, have proved quiet
and agreeable, thanks to the originators of this
meeting of the cats."

This our President said to encourage our
hungry cats to eat to repletion.

"I'll put this away for F. O. Fowl and Polly
Wog," said Columbus, selecting some of the
best pieces of meat and placing them again in
the larder.

As he was returning the last time he met
little Scat with all that she could possibly carry
going to the place where he had hidden the
food, and she dropped her burden a second to
quaver :

"I'll put this away for F. O. Fowl and Polly
Wog."

Then she picked up the piece and added it to
the collection that Columbus had made. Co-
lumbus stood and watched her, and his big
golden eyes seemed to lighten with condescend-
ing, but wondering amusement and admira-
tion.

This incident relieved our spirits a little,
and we fell to, happy cats with the others, as if

THE CATS' CONVENTION. 233

we were exceedingly hungry and for once were
going to have a comfortable repast. Of course,
we well-fed cats pretended to this hunger, in
order to persuade others to eat. As before in-
dicated, it was not the first time that we had
provided food and pretended to be hungry in
order to encourage others, but I have not re-
ported all matters of this kind, as I have en-
deavored to keep my report within pleasing
limits.

We were in no hurry with our banquet be-
cause we kept hoping for the coming of F. O.
Fowl and Polly Wog.

Dolly Varden had the hardest time of all to
pretend to eat, because nothing but the ex-
tremest hunger would tempt her to eat from
that w^hich was not absolutely clean.

At last, when no one could eat any more,
and a few remnants were added to the store
laid away for our absent ones. Starlight as-
cended the rostrum, called us to order, and
said:

"We cannot delay any longer for our friends.
Let us hope for the best regarding them. Will
our Secretary give us the report of the last
meeting?"

When I recited the minutes as requested,
there was a little choking sensation in my
throat, for I presumed that next Monday
morning would be a lonesome one for me, still,
the thought of the proposed permanent organ-

234 THE CATS' CONVENTION.

ization cheered me somewhat, and I went
through with my records, and they were duly
approved.

After this there was a slight pause, when we
noticed by Sun Down's mo^-ements that he w^as
ready with a story, conundrum or question of
some kind for our amusement.

"We shall listen to you. Sun Down," said
our President smiHngly anticipating the joker's
desire.

"I want to ask," said Sun Down, ''why a cat
invariably wants to go into a room or through
a door when it finds there are objections to its
doing so?"

"Now, Sun Down," said our President con-
sciously, "please do not air that especial per-
versity of our race. I acknowledge it in my-
self."

"I don't know that it is perversity," asserted
Columbus. "When I want to go into a room 1
generally go, or else my people are very sorry
they have thwarted my desires. You see I have
quite' a voice, and when I really let it out, it is
not only uncomfortable for them, but also for
the neighbors."

"Yes, we do know," said Pinkie, dreadfully
afraid that Columbus was intending to give us
an exhibition of his powers, then and there,
"and sometime we will all go to the woods to-
gether and just see how loudly you can h-h-how
—call."

THE CATS' CONVENTION. 235

Pinkie just caught herself as she commenced
to say '1iowl."

"I acknowledge the same curiosity that Sun
Down mentions," volun-
teered Muggins. ^-

''Well, I guess that I
feel the same way," said
Eulalie.

"I acknowledge, as
men say, 'the soft im-
peachment,' " added Con-
fidence.

"I peachment, too,"
piped Scat.

As usual, we a 1 1
laughed indulgently at Scat. She was
an innocent circus for us, and I presume
we should have laughed at anything she
said.

"I do not think," said Josephine, "that the
peculiarity belongs to us. Did you ever see a
man when a door was closed against him? I
have."

Josephine said this with an air that spoke
volumes.

''I have, too," called several pussies in tones
that convinced us all that at such times men
were not fair to see.

"Well, I never thought of that before, al-
though I might add some proof to Josephine's
assertion," said Starlight. "We may conclude

236 THE CATS' CONVENTION.

then," he continued, "that, according to Les-
He's paper, our curiosity is but another proof
of our near approach, biologically, to man."

This was acknowledged to be the reasonable
conclusion.

Here Muggins arose, and gaining recogni-
tion, said:

"Mr. President, my interest deepens in the
subject proposed at our last meeting, viz., that
of having a permanent organization. I recog-
nize the fact now that our resolutions are
formed and prepared for publication, the ne-
cessity for frequent meetings is eliminated.
Also that autumn is not very distant, and win-
ter in the near future, when some of us will be
more closely housed, and our facilities for at-
tending meetings fewer ; therefore, it seems the
logical conclusion of the convention that a per-
manent organization should be its outcome. I,
for one, subscribe my name for such an organ-
ization."

"I 'scribe, too," said our piping little mimic.

We were all expressing our cheerful in-
dorsement of the plan, when

There was a wild rush, and F. O. Fowl, in a
convulsion of agonized rage, fell, raved, and
exploded into the room. We thought he had
gone mad, and started to hide from him,
for he hissed and howled, but after a while
seemed trying to talk; at least, we heard him
say:

THE CATS' CONVENTION. 237

''Done it! Done it! Done it! They've done
it! Yow, yow, yow, yoow! They've done it!
The beasts! The beasts! I'll kill them! I'll
kill them! I'll kill them! They've done it!
They've killed him ! They've killed him ! The
beasts! The beasts! Oh! come, come, come!
Let's kill everybody ! Oh, oh, oh ! Our Polly
Wog! Our Polly Wog! They've done it!
They've done it! They've killed our Polly
Wog!"

F. O. Fowl tore around the room so that we
could not get near him until he lay pant-
ing and exhausted. Then Starlight went
and crouched down by him, resting his
head against that of the moaning cat, and
never uttering a word. We all crept
softly nearer and nearer. We hardly ^'"^^^'j^^^y^
breathed. Pinkie gradually stooped and ' W''r^

commenced licking F. O. Fowl's shoulder. We
all crowded around and got just as near as pos-
sible. I don't know how long we remained that
way.

Even Columbus commenced to lick the body
of the prostrate, broken hearted animal. In-
deed, we were all broken hearted. We knew
that there was no hope that Polly Wog was
living, for F. O. Fowl knew too much to be mis-
taken. There was not one glimmer of hope.

Human beings often say that mothers cling
most closely to the unfortunate ones in the
family. I presume that was the case in our

238 THE CATS' CONVENTION.

convention. We had all felt such an overpow-
ering pity for Polly Wog in his wretched life,
and hoped that sometime we might lead him to
pleasanter paths, that it seemed even more
dreadful to have him go than if he had known
a little happiness.

Our President's composure was all gone ; he
could not say a word. I think we would have
moved an adjournment, but we felt that there
was something we ought to know.

"Where is Polly Wog?" piped Scat, at last,
her little mouth close to F. O. Fowl's ear.

It was just what was needed to break the
spell.

F. O. Fowl sobbed : "In the alley, dead.
Boys threw him around. I saw them. I want
to kill them."

"There, there," whispered Pinkie, "it was
what our Polly Wog wanted."

"Well, zve didn't want it; we wanted him. I
would have taken care of him after a while.
I was coaxing around him, and now, oh ! now,
it is too late!"

"What killed him?" asked Dolly Varden,
both because we wanted to know and because
it was best to keep F. O. Fowl talking.

"A snapping, snarling cur with a boy tied to
him," answered F. O. Fowl.

"Tell us about it," said Topaz.

"Oh! it's just the story over again that he
told us about his mother. Just exactly, only

THE CATS' CONVENTION. 239

there was no little kitten for him to worry over.
I waited until the boys went away after throw-
ing Polly Wog at each other, and then I drew
him into an obscure corner, and licked him to
see if I could bring- him to life; but he was
gone! Our Polly Wog was gone!"

"We ought to bury him," said judicial and
thoughtful Katrina.

*'Yes, indeed," was the response in quiet and
sympathetic tones from many of our members.

"Where can we bury him and when?" asked
Muggins.

We all looked at Starlight, but he was lying
inert, and could not speak. We realized more
than ever how little prepared our President was
for the hardships which fall to the lot of most
of us, and we went on talking informally.

''Wc cannot bury him in the daylight,"
said I.

"No, no," moaned poor F. O. Fowl, "unless
we want to see our Polly Wog suffer still more
indignity. Oh ! we'll have to be 'sly' about it,
just as human beings say we are. We"ll have
to go in the evening, or we shall be inter-
rupted."

"Our people have a nice place for the pur-
pose," said Prince; "it is some distance from
"here, to be sure, but we have such nice clean
grounds, and shade trees, and plenty of room,
and we can ])lace him where he will not ])e dis-
turbed."

240 THE CATS' CONVENTION.

"We had better do so to-night," suggested
Bonnie, ''for the sooner it is done the less
opportunity there is for boys and dogs to in-
dulge in their congenial occupation,"

"You are right," answered numerous voices.

"Well, as some of us are invariably locked
in at night, suppose we make the hour as early
as possible," said Smiley.

"Just as it commences to get dark," added
Taciturn.

"That is a good hour," said Bonnie.

"Where shall we meet?" questioned Jo-
sephine.

"Where is he now?" asked LesHe.

"In a little corner, under the driveway into
Mr. Brownloe's barn, just about two blocks
from here. Polly Wog must have been coming
here. Oh! I wish I had been there, I'd have
killed that dog. I did chase him right out into
the public street, and the boy came after us,
but it was too late. By the time I returned
more boys had come; ragged, dirty, rough
hoodlums, and they were throwing him at each
other. I made a lot of fuss until the boys
thought that I was a mad cat, and then they
ran away. Then I pulled Polly Wog into the
little corner, and, oh, dear! I tried so hard to
bring him to life."

"We know you did," said Columbus, his big,
golden eyes full of sympathy and his head
drooping.

THE CATS' CONVENTION. 241

"Then shall we get together quietly, just as
the dark comes down?" asked Eulalie.

"Yes," answered several of the gentle
friends.

"Perhaps the best way w^ould be to collect
as near the place where he is hidden as pos-
sible, and w^atch our chances, for we can carry
him only a short distance at a time," said
Romeo. "We shall necessarily have an out-
lying band of watchers, to warn us of ap-
proaching danger, and why not, right here and
now, make these arrangements?"

"All right," said Prince, "I will lead the
way, with my friend, Frank, here, who never
says much, but is as good as gold."

"Who will carry him?" asked Queenie.

"I shall, of course," said F. O. Fowl.

"I shall help," added Columbus meekly.

"So shall I," said Leslie.

"And I," "And I," "And I," continued our
loving and sympathetic friends.

Muggins and Ho-ang-ho, were appointed
rear guards, and Leslie, Katrina, and Taci-
turn were to guard the right, while Eulalie,
Josephine, and Sun Down were at the left.

"I must help carry him," whispered Scat.

"Oh, no!" said Pinkie, "you had better stay
at home. You are too little, you know."

"No, indeed, Scat," said F. O. Fowl, "you
go right along with me. You will be ever so
much help."

242 THE CATS' CONVENTION.

Scat looked as pleased as she could under the
circumstahces, and no one offered objections
again to her accompanying us.

"It would be some comfort," said Dolly Var-
den, "if we could mark the place where we bury
him, but anything to distinguish the spot from

its surroundings would only invite disturbance
of his resting place."

This seemed reasonable, and we all necessar-
ily acquiesced in Dolly Varden's judgment.

"Who will dig the grave?" asked Turvey.

"I shall, of course," said F. O. Fowl. "I
would just like to, as long as it must be done.
Oh, oh! Our Polly Wog! I'll imagine it's
the faces of those who helped to make him mis-
erable and killed him, then won't I scratch!"

It was' agreed that all the other cats should
accompany us in a way least liable to attract
attention, but ready to warn of danger, and
give assistance as occasion required.

THE CATS' CONVENTION. 243

All arrang-ements seemed to have been made,
and Starlight had aroused himself sufficiently
to assume a less crouching attitude, but thus
far had said nothing.

Placing my head near his, I asked :

"Are you pleased with our arrangements?"

"Perfectly," he whispered, without looking
up.

"Do you think of anything more for us to
do now?"

"Nothing."

"Then shall we adjourn?"

"If you wish," he answered in the same
heartbroken voice.

After the motion to adjourn, Starlight with-
out looking up, and speaking almost inaudibly,
said:

"All those in favor of the motion may rise."

Most of the members went away silently,
leaving F. O. Fowl and myself with Starlight.
It was some time before we could get our Pres-
ident composed enough to leave for home, and
then we went with him to his gate, and watched
while his mistress picked him up and
said:

"Well, old sweetness, you came very nearly
being late for dinner."

"We may readily believe the story we heard
in one of our sessions regarding the whipping
once given to Starlight," said I. "\^ou may

244 'rHE CATS' COW ENTION,

remember his mistress was induced, against
her will, to whip him in
order to teach him to
shake hands, and after
the punishment was ad-
ministered he did not
come in the house for
three weeks, and then
had to be coaxed in and
shut in, until he became
reconciled. When any
unfortunate thing hap-
pens to him in his rela-
tion to human beings he
just keeps still and submits. He has plenty of
spunk and vim when it comes to a seemingly
necessary fight for himself or others, but any-
thing in the way of punishment, rebuke or
sorrow in the least, is too much for him."

"If he had not fallen in with his present
owners he long since would have ceased to ex-
ist," said F. O. Fowl. "Such sensitiveness is a
dreadfully unfortunate possession, and there
are hundreds of cats possessed of it, and the
consequence is, they become wrecks and die
when they are a year or two old. They are
nothing to human beings but 'sick kittens,' and
suflfer the usual consequences ; being killed out-
right or left to starve. If they did not realize
the whole thing, it would not seem so dreadful,
but their thoughts, indeed, are 'long, long

TliK CATS" CONVENTION. 245

thoughts'. I am glad that I am ugly instead of
sensitive."

Just then a dog came smelling along the
alley, and with a sound like an engine emitting
steam F. O. Fowl started for him.

The dog wheeled and rushed for help
through an open gate, and F. O. Fowl came
back saying:

"Fffssssss-ss-ss, that cur knows me."

"I think you will not have even as much pa-
tience with dogs as 3^ou used to have," said I,
"and you never had any to spare."

"Indeed, I shall not," he answered. "Dogs
are not necessarily cruel, it is easy enough to
teach them to let cats alone. St. Bernard and
Newfoundland dogs, being- high bred, are apt
to be friendly with us, and, of course, I am with
them. There are individual dogs in other
breeds that are decent. T have known dogs
and cats that were the best kind of friends.
The more of a mongrel the cur the more in-
clined he is to torture us."

"A rule," said I, "that seems to hold good
with the human race, as well, according to the
developments with which our convention has
been favored."

"You are right ; the dirtier the people and the
dirtier the house, the more ready to say, 'Nasty
cat.' Starlight has traveled, you remember,
and he asserts that the cleaner the house, the
warmer his welcome."

246 THE CATS' CONVENTION. .

Our little conversation seemed to have
quieted our feelings, and our parting injunction
each to the other was, "Do not fail to be on time
to-night."

The crescent moon was just descending be-
low the horizon when we commenced our sad
pilgrimage. We knew we had a severe task
before us, but I think we were all glad to ren-
der some service to all that was left of our poor
friend.

Starlight was present, and had somewhat re-
gained his composure.

"All has been so well arranged," said our
President, "that there is no necessity for any
formal business in connection with our sad
duty. You all know the parts that you are to
perform. Our sweet Topaz is lame, and I
would not let him come. He cried to come —
the darling. We love him so much, but he is
not strong. H you would let me help carry
poor Polly Wog, I should be glad."

Of course, this was objected to for various
reasons, most especially because Starlight was
too conspicuous by reason of his color and size
to risk observation. Necessarily, we should be
obliged to be very circumspect in our progress.

I presume to a thoughtless human being the
immediate cortege would have been mirth-pro-
voking, but to us it bore no resemblance to

THE CATS' CONVENTION. 247

anything but pathetic duty, fulfilled in
the dark, because of the persecution of our
race.

Columbus, with his head high, carried the
upper part of Polly Wog by the neck; F. O.
Fowl, in the same manner, held him by the
hips, and, something that at any other time
would have amused us. Scat had fastened her
teeth upon the tip of the tail and was carefully
walking by the side of F. O. Fowl and carrying
her little head as high as possible, to keep the
poor crumpled tail from dragging.

We were interrupted four or five times, and
those who were carrying our dear dead friend
were obliged to hide him in a corner and run
out of the way. Numerous rests were neces-
sary, but neither one of the burden bearers
would accept assistance.

At no time was Starlight far away; it seemed
as if he could not endure to lose sight of the un-
fortunate one for whom he had had so much
sympathy. Some of us involuntarily resolved
ourselves into a bodyguard for our President,,
to warn him of danger, for it was astonishing
how far his fair white proportions were visible^
even in the evening.

It was a lovely place that Prince had chosen.
It was beneath a large white lilac bush that had
been recently moved, and the earth around was
mellow and soft, and so freshly disturbed that
evidences of our work would not attract atten-

248 THE CATS' CONVENTION.

tion. It was also a secluded place because other
shrubbery was near, and we w^ere quite a little
distance from the house, which, the grounds be-
ing large, stood quite alone. A potted ivy was
resting in the shade of the bush,
and it seemed to us like an urn in
honor of Polly Wog.

We found considerable of an
excavation all ready, and Prince
explained :

''Frank and I," said he, "re-
moved part of the earth for F. O.
Fowl to finish, because we knew he would be
very tired.'*

Indeed F. O. Fowl, Columbus, and little Scat
were exhausted, and sat panting for some time.
When sufficiently recovered, F. O. Fowl
sprang to his feet and said :

"Well, we must proceed. Get out of the

way, and let me scratch. Oh ! how I wish it

was the faces of his persecutors ! Fffss-ss-sss !"

If you ever saw earth fly, it flew then.

I have seen dogs plowing for a woodchuck,

but I never saw any animal scratch as furiously

as did our F. O. Fowl. W^e appreciated his

emotions, his heart, and when a lump of earth

hit us in the face we were glad of it, and the

harder it hit, the more it satisfied our feelings.

At last the grave was made, it was large and

deep, for the grave digger said : "No one shall

disturb him."

THE CATS' CONVENTION. 249

We stood for some time looking down at the
bare, empty place.

"I wish," said Dolly Varden, "that we could
wash him before we bury him."

But Dolly Varden knew that was an impossi-
bility, and she did not press the point.

"I wish that we had something pretty to line
it with," said Starlight.

"Oh ! we have," said Frank. "Columbus and
Pinkie came up this afternoon with some rib-
bons, and here are two handkerchiefs that I —
I— took."

We did not question Frank's morality, we
wanted the handkerchiefs so much, but Star-
light looked a little sorry.

We spread the handkerchiefs nicely out in
the grave, and, as by one impulse, we scattered
through the grounds and came back bringing
red salvia blossoms, China asters and pansies,
and of these we made a soft bed, and then we
placed our dead friend upon it. Starlight had
a beautiful blue ribbon around his neck, and
Columbus a pink one ; both pulled them off and
dropped them upon Polly Wog. Every cat that
had a ribbon on then pulled it off and added it
to the offerings.

Thus far we had left his face uncovered.
Then we all circled around, and each one
reached way down and touched poor Pollv
Wog's head and said :

"Good-bv, Pollv \\^oo-."

250 THE CATS' CONVENTION.

When it was Starlight's turn he held his
white paw on Polly Wog's head a while and
said :

"Good-by, our Polly Wog, not, poor Polly
Wog."

Then we folded the white handkerchiefs
down over "our Polly Wog," and over his face.
We threw more flowers down, and all of us
helped to replace the earth.

We made it as smooth as possible, spreading
it around, that there might be no indications of
recent disturbance.

Then we all sat down, drawing close to-
gether, and Starlight spoke as follows:

"Dear friends, a sufferer has gone. Some
time we may be permitted to meditate upon the
possibility that he is not entirely obliterated,
that there is something about us that still lives
on. In our honest endeavor this summer to
elevate our condition by enlightening the world
concerning us, we have learned the value of
cooperation. We have already decided upon
the benefits that may be derived from a per-
manent organization, and what time and place
are more appropriate than the present for its
initial movement?"

"Not any time and no place so appropriate,"
we said.

"Polly Wog was with us all of the time,"
continued Starlight. "During his life he never

THE CATS' COXX'EXTION. 251

missed a meeting, and we did for him as much
as we dared, continually hoping we could
change the sadness of his lot. That privilege
has been denied us. As the breath has left his
body, the will has left it, and we may honor him
if we please. Here, and now, then, in memory
of him if it meet your approval, I suggest that
we form a permanent society,
and ask that you elect officers
for the same."

Not one cat present would
hear of anything else but that
the present officers be reelected,
which was done in a subdued
and quiet manner.

"What shall be the name of our society?"
asked our President.

"Let it be 'The Polly Wog,' " said Columbus.

"My thought exactly," responded Starlight ;
"and to avoid the danger of making too much
noise we shall consider that the name, unless
there is an objection."

There w^as not one dissenting voice.

"We may call ourselves the 'P. W's.," sug-
gested Dolly Varden.

W^e all accepted the idea with pleasure.

"How often shall me meet?" asked our Pres-
ident.

"I move that we meet the morning of every
fourth Monday," said Romeo.

252 THE CATS' CONVENTION.

This was agreed to and then it came time to
return to our homes.

We walked three times around Polly Wog's
grave, each time saying:

"Good-by, our Polly Wog," and then cast-
ing sorrowful looks behind us, we hastened
away to our respective homes.

Starlight, Columbus, Dolly Varden, F. O.
Fowl, Scat, and I were close together, and had
proceeded quite a long distance in the dark,
when I suddenly discovered that Scat was car-
rying something in her mouth.

"What in the world have you there, little
one?" said I.

Dropping the object for a minute, she said:

"Oh, that is an ivy leaf that fell from the
plant upon Polly Wog's grave. I am going to
hide it to remember him by."

Then she picked it up and trotted along.

Almost immediately a lady and gentleman
made their appearance, and as it was near a
light, we large cats moved quickly out of sight,
while Scat stopped and looked the lady directly
in the face.

"Oh, see that cunning little kitten carrying
something in its mouth," said the lady, who
was pretty and had golden hair and pink
cheeks.

"It's a forlorn little thing," said her friend.

"Yes, but I believe it is intelligent, or it

THE CATS' CONVENTION. 253

would not be carrying anything that way. See
her hold on to it and look at me. I have half a
mind to take it home. I
don't believe it has a home,
it looks so thin."

"Oh, you can find a pret-
tier one than that," said the
gentleman.

"I don't want a prettier
one. I shall take delight in
making something com-
fortable that needs com-
fort, and if I am not very
much mistaken I shall have
a sleek, fat, cunning, wise pussie here that will
surprise you."

In the meantime she stooped, and lifted Scat,
cuddled her down with hands that looked soft
and white, and we were so happy that Scat
had found a home that we could hardly keep
still.

The lady, I suppose, thought that Scat was
emitting purring mews, but this was what she
was saying to us:

"Oh! I'm so happy! So happy! I wonder
if it is wrong to be so happy so soon after
burying our Polly Wog!"

"You are right to be happy, dear, little Scat,
we are happy for you," we answered.

"I shall call it 'Ivy,' " said Scat's new-found
mistress. "See how it holds the ivy leaf. Little

254 THE CATS' CONVENTION.

Ivy, I shall put that leaf away for you, it seems
so precious to you, and perhaps I should not
have noticed you if you had not been carrying
the leaf."

"Oh ! her hands are so soft and warm, and
she smells like roses. I believe she'll even give
me cream," Scat gurgled to us.

"How it purrs and talks!" exclaimed the
lady. "You little darling, I love you already."

"Hear that? Hear that?" murmured Scat
to us. "Come and see me some time soon."

"Good night, little Scat," we said, "we shall
certainly come and make you a visit."

"So happy, so happy!" were the last words
we heard from Scat that night.

We were so glad that Scat was pleasantly
provided for that we went home with happier
hearts than we would have thought possible
this sorrowful evening.

"If Scat had not been carrying that leaf as a
remembrance of Polly Wog, the lady would not
have noticed her," said Starlight. "I am glad
it was through her own faithfulness and ten-
der heart that she was rescued from discom-
fort."

"And evidently introduced to luxury," I
added.

With a few kind words and a promise from
F. O. Fowl to call soon, we left him at his gate.

When within a block of Starlight's home, we
heard anxious calls for:

THE CATS' CONVENTION. 255

"Kittie Starlight! Kittie Starlight."

*'I must not let my mistress get anxious
about me," said our President. "I am never out
so late."

So we ran for the house, and I saw his
mistress take him up in her arms and heard her
say:

"Why, old sweetness, I thought you were
lost."

I believe I wish I were Starlight.

Here ends my report of "The Cats' Conven-
tion." May it win for us a recognition that
will make happier and better our race, and the
one that holds us in subjection.

Signed, Gyp,

Secretary of tlie Cats^ Convention.

P. S. — I am informed that the publishers are
going to have my picture taken and placed at
the beginning of the first chapter. I feel very
much flattered. Gyp.

'-5^5.

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