December 21, 1872

Alfred Payson Terhune (born December 21, 1872) is famous (or used to be) as the author of dog books, collie dog books, wonderful collie dog books. Before the author of "Gray Dawn", "Lad, A Dog", and a pack of other books, became famous as a dog book author, Terhune published in 1916, a historian's account of certain scandalous women, and it is from his "Superwomen", that I quote this cat scene. (You need to remember first that Nelson was a famous military hero, and had philandered a bit before his triumphant return to England.)

"I once had a collie pup who had never chanced to be in close quarters with a cat. I was privileged to see him when he made his first gleefully fearless attack on one, ignorant of the potential anguish tucked away behind a feline's velvety paws. Somehow--with no disrespect to the great man--I always think of that poor, about-to-be-disillusioned puppy, when I try to visualize the picture of Nelson's homecoming."