August 23, 1935
Red Persian Lives in Flower Shop and Has Friends All Over Southwest
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SUNSHINE-ls the town's pet.
He's the big red Persian cat who yawns insolently at the passersby who stop to talk to him
through the plate glass window of Hatfield's Florists, 212 Texas St.
He loves, to drape himself around a pot of tulips for his siesta in the window. He stretches his length, for night, in front of a potted geranium and for all the knocks on the glass, he won't open his
Oriental eyes.
Sunshine's real name on his family - papers is Pluto Baby. He is the 10-year-old grandson of the
blue-blooded $10,000 Admiral Vernon Vermilllon of Indiana.
Sunshine is friendly with everyone. But sometimes when he's out of'humor, if grown people annoy
him with too much petting or teasing, he swipes at them with his claws. He's crazy about children
and regardless of what they do to him he never tries to harm them, according to Karl Hatfield,
his owner.
When he was young the Hatfields entered him in the Cat Show, kitten class. "He was just beyond the kitten age limit and at the last minute, they transferred, him to the cat class," Mr. Hatfield said. "He won first and second prizes against the older El Paso and visiting Persians."
Sunshine stays day and night in the flower shop. He sniffs the roses when he gets a chance, is not interested in any other flower.
He has friends all over the Southwest.
"Wherever I go—New Mexico, Arizona, West Texas—people will say to me after introduction, 'Oh,
you have the shop with the cat', Mr. Hatfield said.
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