CONCERNING- CATS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2252, 29 April 1897, Page 44

CONCERNING- CATS.

By Tor Toi. , Jim says women are queer creatures, and I must say that some of their little peculiarities are almost as puzzling to me as the vagaries of the present Government. For instance, a woman, apparently sane in other respects, will try to impose upon a not too credulous public by wearing at the back of her head a knob of hair the colour o£ which makes it emphatically disclaim any relationship with the grey hair cavering the rest of her head. Shß might just as well pin a

bunch of millinery or other foreign matter on to the back of her head as hair that is so clearly hers by purchase and not by descent. Upon this strange practice I experience a good deal of mild wonder, but the sight before which I stand aghast is that of a woman fondling a cat. Like Lord Koberts, I have an aversion to cats, but his aversion ifl a grand sort of a thing. The hero of Candahar and proud possessor of the Victoria Cross turns pale, we are told, if a cat crosses his path. There's something fine and effective in thß contrast. Well, there's nothing of that kind about my aversion to cats : I just don't like them. The Bight of a cat stretching itself out long and going softly over the ground always makes me turn away in disgust, and the most horrible story I ever read was one that related how a boy strangled hie grandmother's white cat, and how, when he became a man, he fell in love with and married a beautiful white girl with green eyes, who afterwards developed many feline qualities — I remember she conld see in the dark — and who, after a great deal of prolonged agony, smothered him and then flew out of the window in the form of a soft white cat. Of all the two-faced animals under the sun, man not excepted, a cat is the most two-faced. She will arch her back, rub up against you in the most care3siog manner, mew plaintively, and look as if butter wouldn't molt in her mouth. Then, directly your back is turned, she will jump up on to . the table, pick her way on tiptoe over the j plates and dishes, with one eye on the door all the time, and, having approp:iatdd the choicest eatable, she will slip out of fas room and be nowhere to be seen by the time you come back. Of course we don't keep a cafe. Jim has brought home doga now ani then, ill-starred animals most of them, but even he thinks it's not advisabla to bring a cat. There's a strange irony in tho facb that no less than four cats have, after eating poisoned food elsewhere, elected to die in our washhouse. For this questionable preference we have had to pay four shillings burial fees and no end of disinfectant. When the first one was discovered Jim said quite jocularly, " I'il just go and bury that cat under a gooseberry bush. A few minutes affcerwardß he came back lookicg rather ill, and -he said, "The wretched thing ian'b dead yet ; I'll see about it when I come back." By-and-bye a small boy presented himself ; he had with him a shilling and strict instructions a\>oufc the burying of a cat. Then thero was " Chicken&'s " cat. " Chickens " is a neighbour, Rod one day he came home about 5 o'clock. His wife | is an advanced woman, and she was out. " Chickens " started cntting kindling wood as if his life depended upon getting through a lot. Evidently he was in a very bad temper, and when a man's like that he always casts round for something to hurt. A3 a rule he hurts some innocent person or thing, and " Chickeas " was no expeptiou to the rule, for while he was in this unholystate of mind be caugbt sight of two of our pullets which had got through the fence and were stealing insects in the piece of ground " Chickens " calls bis garden. Swooping down on them with fell intent, he screwed their necks and flung tham over the fence into our fowl yard. We disliked " Chickens " — and christened him — when he did this ; but we positively hated him when his cat, with a vindictiyeness equal to her master's, lay down for a 'last long sleep on the olean | straw in our stable.

! OC7* Descriptions of halls, &c, roust be endorsed by either the i Wittier correipondcnt for the district or by the secrutar.v to tlin ball committee The MS. of any corrmiioudeiUs wlto do not I oomply nith this rule ill he sent to the secretary for endorse- ' meut prior to appearing. — KMMKIjINK. [ To ensure publication in the forthcoming issue, letters should roach tin- Wltnpsi oniee if poiislhlo on StturdaT night, but on oo account lator tlmn Monti y nl.'lit. "WEDDING AT WAIKOUAITI. Dear Emmemne,— On Monday morning, the 10th, there took place at the Church of St. John, i Beach street, Waikouaiti, a very pretty and impressive little wedding, when Annie, only I daughter of Mr and Mis William Wilson, was united in the bonds of wedlock to James, elde3t i son of Mr James Peebles, the well-known Dunediu building contractor. The bride was married from her home at Brinn's Point, ReaclifFe, and a great number of the relations and friends of both I parties were present to do honour to tho ev<>nt. I The day was beautifully fine, and on peppinpr into the libtle church one was struck by the loveliness of the de .•oration*. Canon W. S. Lucas was ofticiat.ina clergyman, and as the bride entered the church O'i her father's arm, the choir, which had .mustered in good force, prefaced the ceremony by Winging an appropriate hymn. The bride entered the church attended by her two bridesmaids (the Mis«es Mary and Mirgaret Peeb'es), si<*tor3 of tho bridegroom, her father and iinmprUatfi relations bringing up the rear. The church was crowded with visitors, a great number hiving to stand. After tho parties wei'e duly married the sorvices I of the choir were again in requisition, and they I acquitted themselves very thoroughly and eflioiently. As the bridal party left the church Mr 3 Lucas, who presided throughout at the or»an, | played a wedding march. A procession was i formed from the church to Mrs Nelmes'a private ! boarding house, at the foot of Beach, street, where the wedding breakfast was laid, and at which over 60 persons were entertained. Everything passed ofif mo3t successfully and was a credit to I all concerned. During the breakfast the health | of the bride and bridegroom was propose! and I drunk with great enthusiasm. A great number ! of complimentary toasts wore given and honoured in the same manner. Iv the after.ioon the bridal party were photographed on the lawn. By the courtesy and good management of Mrs Nelmes everything passed off well. _ The I whole house wa«i thrown open to the visitors, | and one and all testified to tho completeness and good management d'splayed. One of the large rooms was cleared for dancing, and tho c e who had leanings in that direction had every opportunity to gratify their wishes. In the cone-rfc room several solos \vev-> rendered very nblv by the Mi«ses Jacobs, Maliock, Mundane, and Crawford, Dancing was kept up till 3 a.m. Among the I visitor^ from Dunedin may be mentioned Mes- | dames Peebles, Reynolds, Bsird, Kvans, Eaton, and >S r okes, Messrs Peebles, P^eynoldP, Baird, Stokes, Mundane, Misses Mary Peebles and Margaret PeeblciCbridesmaicisXandaßreat number of others. The costumes were both beautiful and varied. The bride was dressed in a rich biocndcof white satin, witli veil .and orange blossom wreath. The costume was a very pretty one, trimmed with chiffon and brides' blossom. Hai.d bouquets were carried by bride and bridesmaids. The bridesI maids were dressed in costumes of cream, trimI mings to match. The bride's mother wore a i costume of heliotrope and black; biidegroom's mother, black and gold ; Mrs William Baird, black satin and gold ; Mrs Reynolds, black eilk ; Mrs Stoke , grey, with sillc trimming. The bride and bridegroom arrived fiom tho north on Thurs- ( day eveniDg and were received by the bride- ' grooru's mother at her home, Ascotvale, North- ' East Va'ley, where a drawing-room reception was I held. The biidc entered the room on the brideI groom's aim in hei bridal costume, and received the congratulations of numerous friends. A very sociable evening wag spent, and the party brok« up at 1 a.m. The presents leccived were both numerous and valuable.— Wedding Guest. '

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