TRIALS AND TRIBULATIONS. 375 



weaker are driven beyond the home borders to seek their 

 living, just exactly on the same principle that the crowded 

 European countries send their excess of population over to 

 the United States to seek new fields for their enterprise. 



And the enterprise of the flea family certainly exceeds 

 that of the majority of the human family: they believe 

 that the world owes them a living, aud they take it wher- 

 ever they find it. 



But though this is a true bill that dogs do scatter fleas 

 about the house, it is equally as true in other places as in 

 Florida. 



But as to the charge against cats in the household, we 

 must file a demurrer. Cats, without exception, are the 

 neatest and most cleanly of all animals, and one that is 

 made a pet of and allowed the run of the house, will give 

 its owner no trouble by importing fleas for general distri- 

 bution ; it will shelter very few in its clean, soft fur, and 

 those few will stay at home. We have proved this fact 

 thoroughly. 



But fleas do love kittens, we must confess ; nice, tender, 

 plump little kittens are tid-bits for their delectation, and 

 they make the most of their chance. 



But even here we can exclaim, "We have met the ene- 

 my and they are ours." 



During our residence in Florida we have "raised" sev- 

 eral kittens, and the flea problem soon attracted attention, 

 for the out-dwellers of the sands at once scented the little 

 furry lumps awaiting them, and flocked to the feast. 



We put our thinking-cap on our head, the kittens on a 

 blanket, the roughest, most fuzzy blanket we could find, 

 and then we puffed insect-powder over the kittens. How 

 they kicked and sneezed ! And how the wicked fleas fol- 

 lowed suit as to the kicking, and directly dropped off* on 

 the blanket, and crawled languidly into the midst of the 



