Rensselaer Union, Volume 2, Number 30, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 21 April 1870 — Rat-Catching in London. [ARTICLE]

Rat-Catching in London.

One- other character we have here, that I nevtr before heard of or met with. A most'novel sight he is to see, dressed in a hunting costume, with broad enamel leather band, passing from waist to shoulder, on which is fastened a huge brass rat and the “ royal coat of arms,” with this inscription beneath: “Rat-Catcher to Her Majesty I” Over his back, slung by a chain,is quite a large wire cage, well filled with rats; at his heels follow two or three terriers, who now and anon bark joyfully at their prey. Quite a ludicrous picture he makes, and one that always upsets Yankee gravity. We W-bhdef if this “ Rat-Catcher to Her Majesty” ever makes his presence known to members of Parliament in the House of Lords! • However, this same man can well afford the smiles of the incredulous as to the extent or necessity of bis business; for a most imperative necessity he is. Without him, London would literally swarm with the destructive pests. The extent of his business may be known from the fact that he is daily in receipt of large orders from all parts of the continent for supplies of his rats for glovemakers and sportsmen’s use. •

He owns a nice house in the fashionable quarter of London, and, as he drives about the park on Sunday afternoon, his stylish turnout is the object of much at* traction. He yearly pays a small sum for his license, and receives one hundred pounds per annum for keeping “St Catherine’s Docks ” alone free from rats. He visits all the shipping—his coming being ever looked for with pleasure. Our ship was sadly troubled with a kind of rat that he called the Norwegian rat, which he seemed to prize highly, their fur being sleek and black; and so proved the quality of skin as being the finest and most elastic for glovemakers' use. Turning to us with a laugh, he said, “ To-morrow these will go to Paris to the glove manufactory ; and who knows but that the lady will wear gloves made from, these self-same skins, and wonder at their fine texture and color." Shaking a cage of gray rats, he said: “ These go to a certain ‘pit’ where the people of quality will meet to give rec*tion to their dogs.’’ —Cor. Boston transcript.