Sweeps’ Tales Cite Hazards of Trade

It was a simple thing, really. The chimney sweep just wanted to try out his new vacuum cleaner, and aimed the nozzle at a homeowner’s sleeping cat to see if he could raise the fur.

The cat was not amused. Furry feline, tail and all, went whoooshing up the vacuum.

That was one of the professional bloopers descriped at a seminar at the annual convention of chimney sweeps attended by about 200 sweeps--many attired in traditional top hat and tails.

The convention kicked off Thursday with two-dozen sweeps parading around to the theme from the movie “Mary Poppins,” which co-starred Dick Van Dyke as a carefree chimney sweep.

The tale of the cat was told by Dick Meisinger of North Augusta, S.C., whose professional name is “Lucky Dale.” He said the animal came screeching and scratching out of the vacuum’s exhaust, highly indignant but alive.