CAT BURGLAR

Manawatu Times, Volume 62, Issue 132, 5 June 1937, Page 13

CAT BURGLAR

(By Uncle Ropina). Bobbie sat up in bed. He was sure, absolutely certain, he had heard something—some noise in tho next room. What would it be? He listened. Yes, there it was again—rattle, rattle, some rustling of clothes, some form moving about stealthily. Bobbie was only a 1 small boy, but he was not a coward. He had better go and investigate. But 1 wait a minute. Tho noise grew louder las if it were approaching. Suppose it were a burglar, suppose he came into Bobbie’s Toom, suppose . . . Bobbie’s eyes nearly popped out of liis (head. Look! there it was moving slowly across the floor, two wicked eyes glowing like dull fires. Bobbie switched on the light. There, in the middle of the floor, crouched the thing, trailing behind it festoons of ribbon, cotton and silk stockings from [a needlework bag, gripped in its fangs, which at intervals discharged a miscellany of buttons, pins and sudh, which accounted for the peculiar rattling noise Bobbie had heard. The thing was a cat—a large Persian cat. Bobbie shouted. The cat instantly sprang to the window sill where it. paused a few seconds, still in possession of the bag, before vanishing into the darkness. Bobbie shivered and snuggled deep into his bed. Thank good ness it was only a cat, but even a cat is bad enough sometimes. The following morning, when a neighbour, a Mrs Smith, went to the doo’ opening onto a verandah, a curious sight met her eyes. Surely nobody would have any purpose in placing all that rubbish on her porch. Why, it. looked like a stall at a bazaar. Piled in untidy (heaps were a motlefr collection of shirts, undergarments, a pair of flannel trousers, various forms of hosiery, a hat or two and a needlework bag that looked as if it might have once contained the accessories for sewing, and a host of sundries scattered about the place. Mrs Smith was puzzled. It was not the first of April or the fifth of November, or anything like that, so wihv should anybody choose to play such a trick as disposing of their unwanted garments on her verandah. The only living creatufe there was her cat, a large silky Persian that delighted in tho name of Diddums. It rose from where it ihad been curled in the sun, yawned widely and stretched its furry limbs, before padding sedately across the verandah to where its mistress stood bewildered. It circled her feet, purring softly all the time, rubbed against her legs and looked up into her face as if to say, “Now look what Diddums has brought you.’ 1

A VISIT TO THE FLOWER SHOW It was all cold and blustery in the street And the wind blew the straws about my feet. But in the hall the daffodils were fair; Roses and lilies sweetened all the air. I saw the windmill, and the jonquils bowed To the tulips and hyacinths. There was such a crowd Of people and flowers! But I loved best of all, The little garden by the waterfall; Where bee skeps sat beneath the trees and where The ferns and herbs grew in the shadows here. Yes, I loved that the best; the water fell Drop upon drop: I listened: I coull tell, Although there were no bees, just what it should Be like in real summer in a wood. So we went out and in the March-cold street The wind blew blustery straws about my feet.

A CITY OF BEARS Bern, the capital of Switzerland, is a city of bears, not just three bears, like the fairy story, but dozens of bears of all sorts and sizes. You cannot walk a yard without seeing one of some kind or another. A statue of a bear in armour stands in one of the principal streets, and a- black bear on a red and orange ground forms the arms of the city.

Across the bridge and up the wide, cobbled street, we find more bears—stone ones this time—on the pillars at the entrance gate to one of the great nobles’ houses, and also wrought-iron-ones, forming part of the gates themselves. A little farther on we come across a huge wooden bear standing above the door of a shop. By this time we are on a regular bear hunt. Here are some carved, into the wooden shutters of an old house; here are more painted across the house front, while every auto has one on the number plate. Our hunt has taken up all the morning and it is now close on twelve. We must hurry to the centre of the city to see the wonderful old clock of Bern strike the hour.

Under the shelter of the clocktower stands a man selling hot chestnuts for us to eat while we wait. Do you see the tongs he uses when pulling the nuts from tho roaster? They are actually made in the form of bear claws! The chestnut seller is a very tidy man, and provides us with an extra paper bag to put the shells in.

As the hands of the clock draw near to twelve we turn our faces up to the little figures that perform every hour. First a gold and purple cock claps his wings and crows; then a string of bears —some mounted, some upright, and some on all fours—dance round a knight in gold armour, who turns his head proudly from side to side. And now let us say which of all the many bears we like the most. I know which I shall choose—one of the white sugar ones with red tongues on the flat gingerbread cakes. They are lovely to look at and even better to munch! MAKING AN APRON Palmerston North. Dear Hub, —I am glad to be back at school. I am making an apron. Last week I could not write because I had a cold. Mimi. I hope your cold is quite better now, Mimi. What kind of an apron are you

BEAUTIFUL DECORATIONS Palmerston North. Dear Hub, —I was not sorry when school started again as school lessons at home seemed rather dull to me. Mother has not been very well for some time now. I saw the decorations for Coronation week and I thought they were beautiful. At school the head master teaches me. I am in Std. 4. I am sending in a joke. Green Pen. I am sorry to hear your mother has not been well, Green Pen, and hope she will soon be quite better. Thank you for the joke. Johnny was very hopeful, wasn’t he? A HAPPY BIRTHDAY Palmerston North. Dear Hub, —It was my brother's birthday on May 24 and ho received an aeroplane, a daisy air gun, a beautiful annual and 4s 6d. Do you listen in to 2ZB on Mondays at 5.45 p.m. and hear the serial “Adventure Bound?” I suppose some of the Cogs have joined Bob's club, The Blue Mountain Bay or Carl's Club, The Death Cove Club. I have joined Bob’s club. Sleepy Head. What a wonderful birthday your brother had, Sleepy Head. The serial must be thrilling. TWO LITTLE COUSINS Palmerston North. Dear Hub, —I am sending iu the Skilltest. I was very pleased when school started as I did not like doing school work at home. I've had my aunty, uncle and two little cousins to stay with me. It was such fun playing with them. Every day I had to take Valda for a walk. My cousins names are Valda and Kelvin. I was quite sorry when they had to go back to Auckland as I enjoy their stay with us. Dahlia. I am sure you would miss your little cousins, Dahlia. It is lovely to be back at school again, isn’t it? COGS ALL Carnarvon. Dear Hub, —Mae West, my pal at school put my name in the paper. Nearly all my pals have joined with you, Hub. A new girl started school on Monday and she is lovely. We have a dog named Roy and he goes over and fights with the neighbour’s dogs. One morning when mum went to feed the hens a mouse ran up her arm. One day

LEARNING THE PIANO Carnarvon. Dear Hub, —I always rush for the paper on Saturday morning. Mae West and Pongo are learning to play the piano so do I, but I don't like practising. Mum and Dad are at a meeting about the burnt school. We hope a new one will be built, but we may have to go to Rongotea school and we don't like the thought of that. Mona Teague is my great pal at school. Jane Withers. Music is great fun, Jane Withers, but you must practise if you wont to play well. Is Rongotea school far from you? WHITE HEATHER’S PENFRIENDS Rangiotu. Dear Hub, —I am ten years of age and I’m in Std 4at school. Wo have seven cats now. I have a dog and so*have my brothers. Iris Grenfell and I are penfriends now. I have five penfriends and I'm waiting for a reply from Canada. I have just returned from my holidays which I spent in Wellington. We have a lamb each and dad has shorn them. We have a lovely Persian kitten and we call it Fluffy, White Heather. Thank you for the snap, white Heather, it is very good indeed. What a number of cats you have. Your pen-friends must be interesting. IN THE NAVY Palmerston North. Dear Hub, —My brother has been a fortnight in the Navy now. He sleeps in a hammock and thinks the Navy wonderful. I went to Tokomaru for n week during the holidays. It is lovely being back at school again. I have a penfriend in England. Have you been to see the Coronation picture yet. Ij hear it is very interesting. I like the stories about Brown Minor. Twinkletoes. Yes, the Coronation picture is very good, Twinkles. Your brother should be able to tell you some interesting things about sea life. when my grandmother was in our washhouse she called the cat but the mouse was too quick for her. I have a cow named Topsy. Jane Withers, my sister, is playing cards. I am in Std. 2. Our school was burnt down. Pongo. What a lovely long letter, Pongo. I think the mouse would have given me a fright, too.

BOUND TO RISE. (Sent in by Green Pen.) Johnny had often seen on his mothers baking tin “Sure to Rise.” One day he was given an ice cream and as soon as he had eaten half be put some baking powder on it- His friend asked him why he had done this. “Ah,'* he replied,” soon this will rise again.”

ANIMALS AS NEST-BUILDERS I wonder why it is that so many of us think of nests as being the special prerogative of birds? states an overseas writer). Maybe it is because the great majority of our feathered friends build a nest-like structure in which to rear their families. Maybe it is because most of us, in early youth, see a bird's nest long before we see any other kind and so, very naturally, come at an early age to think of birds as being the only nest-builders. The fact is, however, that many other creatures besides birds make nests. A number of animals make them, too, and a few of these fourfooted nest-builders bring their homes to a very high pitch of perfection. It would be hard to find a neater or more compact nest, for example, than that made by tho harvest mouse—Britain's smallest mammal, with the exception of the shrew. The peculiar thing is that, while many people have met this dainty little creature during a cross-

A FRIENDLY OPPOSSUM Halcombe. Dear Hub, —It is god fun puzzling out the Skilltest. I have just finished it. Verbina is a great friend of mine at school. Mr Puz is getting hard puzzles that take a bit of thinking out. We have an oppossum that comes inside nearly every night and eats out of our hands. Miss 1937. Mr Puz must be thinking harder to keep warm these cold days, Miss 1937. What a friendly little oppossum you have. A HARD SKILLTEST Feilding. Dear Hub, —I have tried the Skilltest again this week and it was rather hard. Patricia is my best friend at school and she sits with me. My auntie and uncle have been staying with us but they went away last week. Golden Sunlight. Most of the Cogs found the Skilltest harder than usual this week, Golden Sunlight. You would enjoy having your auntie and uncle to stay with you. CORONATION DECORATIONS Halcombe. Dear Hub, —During the Coronation there was a picture of the King and Queen and a crown at the station. The picture of tho King and Queen has been taken down now, but the crown is still there. The infantile paralysis did not come to Halcombe and it is to be hoped it wont. Hicketv. Your station would look quite gay, Hickety. It is nice to hear from you

country ramble, few have seen the neat ball-like nest which it makes, usually placed high up among the cornstalks, and this is a pity, for it is quite a work of art.

Made of straw, carefully plaited, the nest has no definite opening or “doorway,” and at first one wonders how the mother mouse can enter it. If you could watch quietly for a little while, you would probably learn her secret. A Nest That Expands I once surprised a harvest mouse near her home, and to my amazement the agitated mother seemed to take a flying leap clean through the wall of the nest. And indeed, so she had! For the nest-wall is plaited in such a loose way lhat it can be entered anywhere on its surface—top, bottom, or. . aides—with equal ease. «*•*«*«» Another rather wonderful point about the harvest mouse's nest is that it is adjustable. As the young mice luside grow, so does the nest expand in order to accommodate them comfortably. I know of no birds' nests which can do that.

Almost as expert in making a nest —-and certainly much more original—is the familiar house mouse. A harvest mouse builds a nest characteristic of its kind —you can’t mistake one when you see it. But the house mouse follows no plan. It can make its nest just as easily in the locker of an airplane as in a space behind the wainscot.

The nest of one of these resourceful animals was once found inside an old loaf of bread that had b#*n left, forgotten, on tho top shelf of ft. cupboard! The enterprising little creature —doubtless with onq eye on the foodsupply—had made a hole inside the loaf, and there, upon a layer of paper, hurriedly pulled into the new home and chewed into fragments by her teeth, she brought up her family. Apes Build Homes Too It is really quite extraordinary what a variety of materials the house mouse will choose as a “lining” for her nest, ranging from paper and straw, to dry leaves, wood chips, or even string. One nest which I saw in the elephant house at the Zoo some years ago was lined with camel hair (doubtless obtained locally!), the nest itself being built in the saddle of an old elephant howdah. There's originality for you! But we mustn’t run away with the idea that only certin small mammals, likß mice, are nest builders. Several quite large animals build them too, although their nests are usually very roughly-constructed affairs. The chimpanzee, the orangutan, and even the gorilla, make nests of & kind. The homes of these apes are all very similar. Sticks—and sometimes quite large branches—are placed on top of each other in some fork of a tree, until a kind of platform has been made, and on this the baby apes remain until they are strong enough to climb about like their parents. Many of the squirrels also build nests in trees, and occasionally one comes across a very neatly-built structure that would do credit to a bird. I have seen many squirrel nests from the ground. Once I had the opportunity of examining one at close quarters. A tree containing a nest had to be felled, and when it was down, I made for that nest without delay. It had in it two soft-furry-conted babies, both of which had survived the crash, and both of which were subsequently reared “on the bottle.” But it was the nest, I think, that interested me most, for bq,by squirrels I had seen before. Made of twigs, leaves, moss, and dried grass, the outer covering had been so cunningly fixed to its supports that, pull as one might, it was impossible to shift it from its moorings. The reason why the squirrels had taken so much care to fix their home securely became apparent when I questioned a gamekeeper on the subject. “Reckon they knew what they was up to,” he said. “We get 60-mile-an-hour gales blowin' up here sometimes, nn’ if a nest ain’t moored secure, ’t,would soon get blown down.’*

Each little lilac flowerlet Gives colour and perfume, Making all together The lovely lilac plume.