Concerning Cats 



mony. His dog, Cerberus, is a great diver, and to 

 this fact is owing all his success as a showman. 

 When Arniotis was a student in Paris, he took the 

 dog out one day for a walk. He had already taught 

 Cerberus several tricks for pastime, and on this occa- 

 sion, as they stood on a bridge across the Seine, they 

 saw a man throw a cat into the river. A wink from 

 the master, and the dog was in the water, struggling 

 to get near the cat. He was soon able to seize the 

 cat by the nape of the neck, and swim back to his 

 master, and deposit the poor half-dead creature at 

 his feet. Then and there a deep affection sprang up 

 between the two animals. (Who says cats are inca- 

 pable of gratitude .') 



The two became inseparable, and when the master 

 put the dog through his tricks, the cat sat by and 

 watched intently for a time; but after a while he 

 joined in the exercises, and their performances, under- 

 taken as a mere pastime for the master, were the nucleus 

 of a now celebrated company. Mr. Arniotis now has 

 five dogs and two cats, who not only live together in per- 

 fect peace, but whose performances are quite unique. 



The cats ride on the dogs' backs, and are not un- 

 seated when the latter jump over chairs or through 

 hoops. One of their best tricks is done by a cat who 

 climbs up a rope to a considerable height and jumps 

 on a little platform, suspended from a parachute, on 

 which he sails comfortably around the stage as if he 

 enjoyed the experience. 



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