Life — July 31, 1902 — page 14: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

98 advice. And so you are really going on the stage with the Gadsbys. She was such a dreadful goose, but J dare say she was drawn from life. An author who is married has such an advantage.” “Well, as all the world’s a stage, and I intend to have the earth, it had to come to the drama.” “I suppose Bernhardt will take the part of Captain Gadsby?” “She's too much of a rag and a bone and a hank of hair for the part of a Pink Hussar. But it’s all in the day's work—or, rather, play. And do you really get out here?” My cousin Mary, who was happy in the sinecure posi- tion of chaperon, said to me, languidly, “That must be a very rude man who brought you here.” “Don't be a Sherlock Holmes in a bicycle skirt! do you know?” “He went away singing, How “‘Down to Gehenna or up to the Throne, He rides the fastest who rides alone,’ IG. rs | [Rime 9 times Her warty, MR. AND MRS. HAYSEEO AT THE CITY POINT HOTEL. “NOW, MARIA, YOU HOLD THE BOWL UP NEAR, $0 49 TO CATCH IT WHEN It comes.”” I A Request. USBAND: I've been looking over your engagement book, dear. Wire: Well? **Can’t you postpone that quarrel you are going to have with me to-morrow for another week?’ '[ HERE aro lots of things one likes to look at from the ~ window, but without coming down. » LIFE * Man's Friend, the Dog. F any of us be disposed to doubt the demoralization of the dog through too close an intercourse with man, we have but to consider how in every land he apes his master’s national peculiarities, and how in every great city of the world he assumes the especial characteristics ofacitizen, John Knox and Francis the First were not more distinctly unlike than are the self-righteous collie of Edinburgh and the libertine poodle of Paris. Jt is sad to see an animal surrender its broad and splendid freedom to become a little four-footed Scotchman or Celt, but this malleability explains the affection which man, the egotist, feels for his imitator. A dog in Paris is so busy being a Parisian that he quite forgets to be a dog. He conscientiously adds his share of noise to the noisiest city of the world, but he does this in unison with the infernal cracking of whips, and the multitudinous cries which ascend in a triumphant discord to Heaven. He loves to be driven rapidly through the brilliant strects, he quivers with excite- ment over the throbbing intensity of life, he yelps sbrilly at all passers-by in the exuberance of his emotions, and anything like a collision thrills his heart with joy. When he is indoors, he lives in a nervous tremor lest he should miss something that is going on outside. A shop dog rushes to the door every few minutes, looking anxiously up and down the street to assure himself that nothing unwonted is occurring. The responsibility of being well informed on every point enfeebles his constitution ; but, like the cavalier, he covets only a few tumultuous years, “ Not long life by the fire.” When he sits at his master’s feet in front ofa café in the golden afternoon, he watches the crowd with quick appreciation, and with an air which is at once dissipated and intelligent. When hedrives in the Bois, no point of interest escapes him. He is of the world worldly, and of fashion fashionable. But take him to church, and he is instantly aware of his devout surroundings. I have seen a fox terrier left on the broad steps of the Madeleine, while his mis- tress recruited her piety within. At once he composed himself into an attitude of respectful attention, his head turned to the great closed doors, his back to the alluring streets beyond. He looked like a little Christian dog couchant on an old knightly tomb, and he never stirred from that admirable pose until his owner came out and reclaimed him. He knew what was due to the sanctified nature of the spot. In sharp contrast to this amiable ddaptability is the superb indifference of the Pa in cat who is as unmoved by frivolity as by piety, and who never appears conscious of her entourage. She drowses for hours in the glittering shop windows, unmindful of the beautiful things about her, and uninterested in the crowd out- ce. Caresses and cajolery she endures with scornful composure. She plays no part in the turmoil of Paris life; she does not even seem aware that it is going on about her; she is untouched by its startling and dominant characteris Her spirit may be sojourn- ing in Arabia or Hindoostan. She is never French for a moment, and never bonne Catholique. Notre Dame possesses a cat which dwells perpetually within the sacred walls, The Madeleine has a superb resident Angora. Both these beasts are as purely Pagan as were Pasht's pussies by the Nile. There is at least one animal able to resist the insidious influence of humanity, -.- Agnes Kepplier. 7 HEN a man is beside himself, he has good grounds for laying an information against his neighbor. 1 comicbooks.com