LORD ROBERTS' PET AVERSION.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 5961, 28 August 1897, Page 7

LORD ROBERTS' PET AVERSION.

Strange to relate, the only living thing able to inspire that illustrious soldier, Lord Koberts, with terror is the domestic cat. The great general is, in fact, unable to be in the same room with a eat without undergoing severe physical discomfort. One of his lordship's officers is responsible for a curious instance 7 of ' this. When Commander-in-Chief of the Indian Army, Lord Roberts was on tour, and was putting up for a day or two, with the' General Officer Commanding a Division. This general had a cat, and Chief's A.D.C. impressed on the general's A.D.C. the imperative necessity of having this cat removed or carefully secured during the chief's stay. " All right," said the General's A.D.C. ; " I live in a detached Bungalow in the Compound, and the beast shall be tied up in my room until our visitors have gone." . So said, so done ; and all went well until the night before the Commander-in-Chief's departure. But at dinner as the two A.D.C.'s were sitting at the end of the table together, he of the headquarter staff said suddenly : "By jove ! that cat of yours has got loose, hasn't it ?" " No," said the other. " It's tied up safe enough. Why?" "I'm sure there's a cat in the room," said the other. "Look at the Chief, he's got quite pale. For goodness sake see if that cat is hot somewhere about." So the General's A.D.C. made a search', snd sure enough he found i;he cat had got loose, and having stolen into the - dining-room, had curled itself up under his chair. He made a grab at it and conveyed it away as swiftly as possible. As soon as the animal was out of the room the. Chief recovered his usual serenity and went on with his dinner. Everybody knows, or has heard of cases of this sort; but who is able to explain them?