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diff --git a/28682.txt b/28682.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..632971d --- /dev/null +++ b/28682.txt @@ -0,0 +1,1623 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of Minnie's Pet Cat, by Madeline Leslie + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Minnie's Pet Cat + +Author: Madeline Leslie + +Release Date: May 4, 2009 [EBook #28682] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK MINNIE'S PET CAT *** + + + + +Produced by Julia Miller and the Online Distributed +Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net (This book was +produced from scanned images of public domain material +from the Google Print project.) + + + + + +Transcriber's Note + +Obvious typographical errors have been corrected. A list of corrections +is found at the end of the text. Oe ligatures have been expanded. + + +[Illustration: MINNIE PLAYING WITH FIDELLE. Page 10.] + +[Illustration: MINNIE and her PETS. + +BY MRS MADELINE LESLIE + +MINNIE'S PET CAT.] + + + + + MINNIE'S PET HORSE. + + + BY + + MRS. MADELINE LESLIE, + AUTHOR OF "THE LESLIE STORIES," "TIM, THE SCISSORS-GRINDER," + ETC. + + + ILLUSTRATED. + + + BOSTON: + LEE AND SHEPARD, + SUCCESSORS TO PHILLIPS, SAMPSON & CO. + 1864. + + + + +Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year 1863, by + +A. R. BAKER, + +In the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the District of +Massachusetts. + +ELECTROTYPED AT THE BOSTON STEREOTYPE FOUNDRY. + + + + + TO MY YOUNG FRIEND, + + HENRY FOWLE DURANT, JR. + + =These Little Volumes= + + ARE AFFECTIONATELY INSCRIBED + + BY THE AUTHOR, + + IN THE EARNEST HOPE THAT THEY MAY INCREASE IN HIM THAT + LOVE OF NATURE AND OF RURAL LIFE WHICH HAS EVER + EXERTED SO SALUTARY AN INFLUENCE IN THE + FORMATION OF THE CHARACTERS OF + THE WISE AND GOOD. + + + + +MINNIE AND HER PETS. + + Minnie's Pet Parrot. + Minnie's Pet Cat. + Minnie's Pet Dog. + Minnie's Pet Horse. + Minnie's Pet Lamb. + Minnie's Pet Monkey. + + + + +MINNIE'S PET CAT. + + + + +CHAPTER I. + +THE LOVING PUSS. + + +Fidelle, Minnie's second pet, was a beautiful tortoise-shell cat. + +She was an elegant creature. Her fur was of moderate length, of pure +black, white, and reddish orange. Her eyes were large, bright, and +affectionate in expression. Her form was delicate, and her motions +active. In character, she was the most attached, graceful little puss I +ever knew. + +The moment Fidelle heard Minnie's voice, she walked to the door, and was +ready to welcome her, rubbing her glossy sides against the child's feet, +and making little soft notes of pleasure. + +Sometimes Minnie had the headache, or was tired, and lay upon the sofa; +when she did so, Fidelle loved to jump up and walk softly over the +little figure until she came to her mistress's face, when she quietly +lay down near by, or sometimes licked her hand lovingly. She never did +this to Mrs. Lee, or any other member of the family. + +Fidelle was an active puss, and often went bird-catching, or mousing +during the night; but generally, when Minnie opened the door of her +chamber in the morning, there was Fidelle ready to receive her. + +During the warm weather, it was Minnie's habit to take an early stroll +with her father through the grounds, or to accompany him to the nursery, +garden, and orchards, when he went to give orders to the men who worked +for him. + +On such occasions, Fidelle was always on hand, sometimes running along +by her side, and then skipping to the top of a tree, or gamboling on +before her. + +When Minnie was very small, she often used to hug the kitten so tightly +as, no doubt, to cause the little creature pain; and then, in running +around the room after it, the young miss used to catch it by the tail; +but Fidelle never resisted, nor, if hurt, revenged herself. She seemed +to understand that Minnie loved her, and that it was her duty to submit +quietly to all the caprices of her young mistress. + +One day, when the child was about four years old, a rude boy came, with +his mother, to visit her. Seeing Fidelle frolicking about the room, +highly delighted with a ball of thread, into which she had got her +dainty little feet entangled, Wallace caught the cat by the tail, and +held her by it in the air. + +Minnie screamed with all her might, as she flew to the rescue of her +pretty pet. + +"Go right away, you ugly boy!" she cried out. "Poor Fidelle! darling +kitty! I won't let you be hurt so." + +Puss remembered the insult and abuse. Whenever she saw Wallace coming +toward her, she hid herself behind the sofa; and once, when he came +suddenly upon her, she gave him a long, deep scratch on his hand. + +Minnie never after liked this boy; and once, when Mrs. Lee was intending +to invite his mother to repeat her visit, the child begged earnestly +that Wallace might be left at home, saying, "He is so cruel to Fidelle, +I can't bear to have him here." + +I told you, in the other book about Minnie's pet parrot, that she used +often to ride with her mother in the afternoon. There was nothing she +liked better than to take Fidelle and Tiney out with her. Sometimes +Mrs. Lee allowed this; but when she was intending to make calls she +feared the pets would be troublesome. + +Fidelle was greatly disappointed when she could not go. She would ask as +well as she knew how, and I dare say some of her mews were promises to +be good; but Mrs. Lee knew best when it was proper, and was obliged to +be firm. + +Kitty then used to stand at the door, watching her mistress, as she +jumped into the carriage, returning her "Good by, dear Fidelle," by +little soft purrs. + +When the carriage was out of sight, Puss seated herself at the window to +watch for their return. Whether it was one hour or two, she almost +always sat patiently, sometimes indulging herself with a nap, but never +getting so sound asleep that the first rumble of the wheels did not +awaken her. + +As soon as the carriage began to roll up the avenue, Kitty was all +excitement, looking from the window, and moving her tail back and forth, +then with a spring bounding to another window, where she could see them +alight. If the door happened to be shut, she cried piteously until let +out, when she ran quickly and jumped on Minnie's shoulder, purring as +loud as she could, to express her joy. + +A lady was once visiting at the house, who said she liked dogs, +especially such splendid great ones as Leo; but she couldn't see any +thing agreeable or intelligent in a cat. + +"There are some wonderful accounts of the sagacity of cats," remarked +Mr. Lee, smiling at Minnie's quick flush of indignation. "If my little +daughter will bring me that book we were looking at yesterday, I think +I can soon convince you that they are certainly not wanting in +intelligence." + +"They are capable of strong attachments," said Mrs. Lee, as the child +rose and left the room, followed closely by Fidelle. "I think none of +Minnie's pets show more real affection for her, nor more gratitude for +her kindness." + +"Is this the book, father?" inquired the little girl, putting a +handsomely bound volume into his hand, and looking very bright and rosy. + +"Yes, child, this is it." + +"I thought it was, by the picture of the cats." + +The lady looked surprised; and presently asked, earnestly, "Can't you +read, Minnie?" + +Vivid blushes spread all over the child's face, as she softly answered, +"No, ma'am." + +"We have our own views on that subject," said the gentleman, smiling, as +he drew his only daughter tenderly to his side. "She will learn fast +enough when we put her to her books. At present, our only desire is to +see her enjoy herself, and lay in a good stock of health." + +"Why not do both, Mr. Lee?" asked the lady. "My little Marie Louise is +only four, and she can read almost as well as I can. She is learning to +write, too, and really pens a letter very prettily." + +"I dare say," added the gentleman, gravely, after giving his wife a +comical look; "your daughters are all geniuses, which, I am happy to +say, Minnie is not. She is only an obedient, affectionate, practical +little girl," giving her a tender caress. + +"But come, we were discussing, not the child's merits, but the cat's." + +"True; and now for your account of them." + +Mr. Lee turned over the leaves of the book, thanking God that his dear, +conscientious, simple-hearted Minnie was not artful, disobedient, and +affected, like the child of their visitor, even though the latter might +be ever so learned a miss; and presently came to the chapter on domestic +cats, from which we shall quote a few incidents. + + + + +CHAPTER II. + +THE CAT AND CHICKEN. + + +"In the summer of 1792, a gentleman who lived near Portsmouth, in +England, had a favorite cat, with a family of kittens. As he did not +wish so large an increase to his family, he ordered all the kittens to +be drowned. + +"The same day, the cat was missing, and, on farther search, one chicken +also. + +"Diligent search was made in every place that could be thought of, but +in vain. Day after day passed, and at last the gentleman concluded some +accident had deprived them of life. + +"Nearly a week after the kittens had been drowned, a servant had +occasion to go to an unfrequented part of the cellar, where, to his +great astonishment, he saw the cat lying in one corner, with the chicken +hugged close to her body, and one paw laid over it as if to protect it +from injury. + +"Puss and her adopted chicken were brought into a closet in the kitchen, +where they continued some time, the cat treating her little charge in +every respect as a kitten. Whenever the chicken left the cat to eat the +soft dough provided for it, she appeared very uneasy, but on its return, +received it with the affection of a mother, purred, and presented the +appearance of being perfectly happy. + +"The gentleman, being curious to know whether the affection of puss was +returned by her protege, carried it to the hen, the cat following with +loud cries of distress. But on being released, the chicken at once +returned to her attached friend, who received her with enthusiastic +delight. + +"Some time after, the chicken was, by some accident, killed, and, +though another one was tendered her, the cat pined, and was inconsolable +for the loss of her favorite." + +"O, father," cried Minnie, her face glowing with excitement, "wasn't +that strange? I mean to try Fidelle, and see whether she likes +chickens." + +"More likely she'll make a meal of them," said the lady, laughing. "At +any rate, your story only proves my opinion of cats, as thieving, +mischievous creatures, to be true. Even she stole a chicken from the +hen, the rightful owner of it, and alienated its affections from its own +mother." + +"But all her kittens had been taken away from her, and pussies must have +something to love, as well as people," exclaimed Minnie, while her +quivering lip and flushed cheeks showed how much she was in earnest in +what she said. + +"My dear," remarked her father, "the lady is only joking, to carry out +her side of the argument, which, when I have read farther, I am sure she +will see is a weak one." + +"Here is a case just in point." + +"A lady had a tame bird which she was in the habit of letting out of its +cage every day. When at liberty, it would fly to the top of the mirror, +or on the picture frames, and then to the floor, to pick up crumbs. + +"One morning, as it was busily picking crumbs of bread from the carpet, +her cat, who had always before showed great kindness for the bird, +suddenly seized it, and jumped with it in her mouth upon the table. + +"The lady screamed, being greatly alarmed for the safety of her +favorite; but on turning about, instantly discovered the cause. The +door had been left open, and a strange cat had just come into the room. + +"After turning it out, her own cat came down from her place of safety, +and dropped the bird on the carpet without doing it the smallest injury; +for it commenced again picking crumbs, as if nothing alarming had +occurred." + +"What do you say to that, Mrs. Belcher?" inquired Mr. Lee, earnestly. + +"I must confess," she answered, "that was the most sensible puss I ever +heard of. She certainly did a good deed, and ought to have been +commended for it." + +"She showed presence of mind in danger," added the gentleman, "an +affection for the bird with which she daily associated, and gratitude +for the kindness of her mistress, who had, no doubt, treated her +tenderly." + +"Now here is another case." + +"In the parish of Stonington, Surrey, England, a man was passing through +a hay field in the month of September, 1793, when he was surprised to +see a cat and a hare playing together in the hay. He stood more than ten +minutes gratified at the unusual sight, when the hare, alarmed at seeing +a stranger approach, ran into a thicket of fern, and was followed by +the cat." + +"I'm sure, father, Fidelle and Tiney are good friends," cried Minnie, +exultingly. "They often play together." + +"Tiney is getting too fat and lazy to play much with any body," remarked +Mrs. Lee, smiling. + +"Will you please read more, father?" + +Mr. Lee was looking over the book, and laughed heartily. + +"Do please read it aloud, father," again urged Minnie. + +The gentleman commenced. + +"In 1806, Mr. Peter King, of Islington, had two large cats, which used +to sit at table with him. They were waited upon by servants, and partook +of the same dainties in which he indulged himself. + +"Mr. King was a great admirer of fine clothes, richly laced, and of +making a display. One day, as he sat eating, with his cats for company, +he thought, perhaps, they might like liveries, as well as he did. He +accordingly sent for the tailor, when he had them measured for their +suits. The clothes were speedily sent home, and the cats wore them for +the rest of their lives." + +"That doesn't prove much for you," remarked Mrs. Belcher, archly. + +"It only shows there are some foolish cats as well as some foolish men. +But whatever we may think on the subject, the king of Guinea, once +thought a cat so valuable that he gladly gave a man his weight in gold +if he would procure him one, and with it an ointment to kill flies. + +"A Portuguese, named Alphonse, was the happy individual; and he so well +improved the money he made by the trade, that after fifteen years of +traffic, he returned to Portugal, and became the third man in rank and +wealth in the kingdom. All that for the despised cat." + +"O, I don't despise them in their place!" urged the lady. "They are good +to keep the cellar and out buildings free from those troublesome +animals, rats and mice. But I never could make a pet of a cat." + +"Nor eat one, I suppose," he added, roguishly. + +"No, indeed," with an expression of contempt. + +"They are thought by some to make a delicious meal," he went on with +mock gravity. "A fricassee, for instance. Here is a recipe for the +cooking:-- + +"Skin the cat thoroughly, cut it in pieces, and soak twenty-four hours +in vinegar; then anoint it with garlic and honey, after which it is +fried like a young chicken." + +"Horrible!" exclaimed Mrs. Belcher; while Mrs. Lee confessed, much as +she esteemed cats, she could not relish such a meal. + +"Is it possible they are ever used for such a purpose?" she inquired +presently. + +"Certainly, my dear; among the negroes they are considered a great +dainty, and Goethe, in his 'Rifleman's Comrade,' said the soldiers at +Palmero ate them with a relish." + + + + +CHAPTER III. + +PUSS AND THE PARTRIDGE. + + +A few days later, as Minnie sat watching Fidelle washing herself, +licking her paws, and then putting them on her face and ears, her father +drove into the yard, accompanied by a niece, who had come to make them a +long visit. + +Ida Morris was the daughter of Mr. Lee's only sister. She was a lovely +girl of fourteen, having long been the companion and especial charge of +her widowed mother. + +Mrs. Morris had now gone to Europe with her son, who was an invalid, and +Ida had come to stay at her uncle's until their return. + +Minnie had not seen her cousin for a year; but she knew from her parents +that Ida was frank and good tempered, and very fond of pets. + +When she heard the carriage, therefore, she ran joyfully to meet and +welcome her visitor. + +Ida had grown very tall within the year, and this afternoon was +exceedingly sad from the parting with her mother and brother, the latter +of whom she might never see again; but when she felt Minnie's soft hand +pressed so lovingly in her own, and heard the eager tones of joy at her +arrival, she felt comforted. + +Wiping her tear-dimmed eyes, she said, "Uncle George has been telling me +about your pets; and you, dear Minnie, shall be mine." + +Fidelle presently came and jumped in Ida's lap, to the surprise of Mrs. +Lee and Minnie. + +"Why, here is the beautiful cat I saw last year," cried the young girl; +"can it be possible that she remembers me? You know I petted her a great +deal." + +"I have no doubt that is the case," answered her aunt; "otherwise I +should be at a loss to account for her sudden fondness. She is usually +very shy with strangers." + +Ida stroked the soft, silky hair, and seemed almost as much in love with +the puss as Minnie herself was, while Fidelle purred and purred, and +lovingly licked the hand that fondled her. + +"Oh, cousin!" cried Minnie, her cheeks glowing with animation, "we do +have such good times reading stories about birds and animals. We are +reading about the cat now. Father says there is something in his books +about every one of my pets." + +"I hope I may be a listener, then." + +"Oh, yes, indeed! While you are here, you are to be my ownty, downty +sister, and I shall try to make you happy." + +Ida kissed her; then they adjourned to the dining hall, where they had +been summoned to tea. Fidelle, knowing she was not allowed there at meal +times, reluctantly remained behind. + +In the evening, when the candles were lighted, Minnie begged her father +to go on with the stories, to which he willingly consented; but first he +said,-- + +"I suppose you know, Minnie, that the cat belongs to the same family as +the lion, the tiger, the panther, the leopard, and several other wild +animals. The tiger and cat are very similar in form and feature; they +have the same rounded head and pointed ears; the long, lithe body, +covered with fine, silky hair, often beautifully marked; the silent, +stealthy step, occasioned by treading on the fleshy ball of the foot; +the same sharp claws; the same large, lustrous eyes, capable, from the +expansive power of the pupil, of seeing in the dark; the whiskered lip; +the carnivorous teeth; and a tongue covered with bony prickers. + +"In many of their habits, too, they are alike. In their natural state, +they sleep a great part of the time, only rousing themselves when +pressed by hunger. Then they are alike in lying in wait for their prey, +not hunting it, like the wolf and dog; but after watching patiently for +it, as I have often seen Fidelle watch for a mouse, they steal along +with their supple joints and cushioned feet till within springing +distance of their victims, when they dart upon them with an angry growl. + +"Though cats are very plenty now, they were not always so. The Egyptians +venerated cats, as a type of one of their gods. To slay a cat was death +by law. When a cat died, the family to which it belonged mourned as for +a child. It was carried to a consecrated house, embalmed, and wrapped in +linen, and then buried with religious rites, at Bulastes, a city of +Lower Egypt, being placed in a sepulchre near the altar of the principal +temple. + +"The Mohammedans have an extraordinary reverence for them; and a +traveller, of whom I once read, saw at Damascus a hospital for cats, +which was a large building walled around, and said to be full of them. + +"This singular institution, well supported by public alms, originated in +the fact that Mahomet brought a cat to Damascus, which he kept carefully +in the sleeve of his gown, and fed with his own hands. He even preferred +cutting off the sleeve of his robe, rather than to disturb the repose +of his favorite, who had fallen asleep in it. + +"I remember a curious story, which is told of Cambyses, a Persian +general, who conquered Thebes by placing in front of the Persian army a +corps of cats, giving to each of his soldiers, employed in the attack, +instead of a buckler a live cat, and other animals venerated by the +Egyptians. + +"Not daring to advance upon these animals, the Theban garrison fell, as +the wily Persian commander anticipated, an unresisting prey to his +stratagem." + +"And do you remember," said Mrs. Lee, to her husband, "that Moncrieff +says an insult offered a cat by a Roman was the cause of an insurrection +among the Egyptians?" + +"Yes, and the same writer states that even after death, these animals +were held so sacred, that they were often deposited in the niches of +the catacombs. If they were killed, even by accident, the murderer was +given up to the rabble to be buffeted to death. + +"Now, Minnie, that I have made so long a speech, for your benefit, on +the high esteem with which cats have been regarded, I will read you a +most remarkable instance of the sagacity of one of them." + +"In the summer of 1800, a physician of Lyons was summoned to court, and +requested to inquire into a murder that had been committed on a woman in +that city. He accordingly went to the residence of the deceased, where +he found her extended on the floor, and weltering in her blood. + +"A large white cat was mounted on the cornice of the cupboard, at the +farther end of the apartment, where he seemed to have taken refuge. He +sat motionless, with his eyes fixed on the corpse, his attitude and +looks expressing horror and affright. + +"The next morning the room was filled with officers and soldiers; but +still the cat remained exactly in the same position, entirely +undisturbed by the clattering of the soldiers' arms, or the loud +conversation of the company. + +"But as soon as the suspected persons were brought in, his eyes glared +with fury, his hair bristled, he darted into the middle of the +apartment, where he stopped for a moment to gaze at them, and then +precipitately retreated. This he repeated three times, to the amazement +of the spectators. + +"The assassins returned his gaze with terror. They who had but a moment +before been so bold, now became confused; and all their wicked +effrontery left them. They were condemned, and afterwards acknowledged +that, in the presence of the cat, they, for the first time during the +whole course of the horrid business, felt their courage forsake them." + +"That was an awful story," remarked Mrs. Lee, having watched Minnie's +shudder of horror. "I hope you have something more lively." + +"Yes, here is an account of an attachment which was formed between a cat +and a dog. The story is quite amusing." + +"Mr. Weuzel, a writer on natural history, gives an account of a cat and +dog, which became so attached to each other that they would never +willingly be asunder. Whenever the dog got any choice morsel, he was +sure to divide it with his whiskered friend. They always ate sociably +out of one plate, slept in the same bed, and daily walked out together. + +"Wishing," continues Mr. Weuzel, "to put their friendship to the proof, +I one day took the cat by herself into my room, while I had the dog +guarded in another apartment. I entertained the cat in a most sumptuous +manner, wishing to see what sort of a meal she would make without her +friend. + +"She enjoyed the treat with great glee, and seemed to have entirely +forgotten her table companion. I had had a partridge for dinner, half of +which I intended to keep for my supper; my wife covered it with a plate, +and put it in a cupboard, the door of which she did not lock. + +"The cat left the room, and I walked out on business, my wife sitting at +work in an adjoining apartment. When I returned, she related to me the +following:-- + +"The cat, having hastily left the dining room, went to the dog, and +mewed uncommonly loud, and in different tones of voice, which the dog +from time to time answered with a short bark. Then they both went to the +door of the room where the cat had dined, and waited till it was opened. +One of my children opened the door, and the two friends entered the +apartment. The mewing of the cat excited my wife's attention. She rose +from her seat, and stepped softly up to the door, which stood ajar, to +observe what was going on. + +"The cat led the dog at once to the cupboard which contained the +partridge, pushed off the plate which covered it, and taking out my +intended supper, laid it before her canine friend, who devoured it +greedily. No doubt the cat, by her mewing, had made him understand what +an excellent meal she had made, and how sorry she was that he had not +participated in it; but at the same time had told him there was +something left for him in the cupboard, and persuaded him to follow her +there. + +"Since that time, I have paid particular attention to these animals, and +am convinced that they communicate to each other whatever seems +interesting to either." + + + + +CHAPTER IV. + +FIDELLE AT PRAYERS. + + +Mr. Lee was a religious man, accustomed to having morning and evening +devotions, at which all the family were present. Fidelle had for a long +time made it a point to be in the parlor on such occasions, and often +caused a smile by the eagerness with which she ran to join them on their +return from the table. + +One morning, Mrs. Lee was quite ill, and unable to leave her chamber. +The family, however, assembled as usual for prayers, and Fidelle among +them. She seemed instantly to notice that the lady was not in her +accustomed place, and, after an earnest gaze into Minnie's face, started +off to call her. + +Mrs. Lee was quite surprised to see the cat come walking quickly into +the room, up to the side of the sofa where she was lying. There she +stopped, and, gazing at her, cried, "Meow! meow!" Then she ran out to +the hall, and part way down the stairs. But finding the lady did not +follow, she returned again, and still more earnestly cried, "Meow! +meow!" trying to make her understand that, instead of lying there, she +ought to be below, attending prayers. + +This she did three times; after which she concluded, perhaps, that she +had better not abstain from the service because the lady did so, and she +therefore quietly took her usual place near Mr. Lee. + +It was invariably her custom to remain with her eyes tightly closed +while the gentleman read the Scriptures; then, when he closed the book, +and the family knelt for prayer, she arose, turned over, and sat down +again, which was the nearest approach she could make to imitating them. +In this position she remained quietly until the service was concluded, +when she at once began to caper and play as usual. + +Minnie had sometimes been disposed to smile to see Fidelle sitting +upright, with her eyes tightly closed; and Ida acknowledged that the +first time she saw her looking so demure, as though she understood and +appreciated every word that was said, she had to bite her lips to keep +from laughing outright. + +When Mrs. Lee told them what Fidelle had done, her husband was delighted +with this proof of her intelligence. He said her conduct while they were +engaged in devotion was an example to all of them, and wished Poll would +take a lesson of her. + +With this incident occurring under their own notice, their interest in +the stories was increased, and after tea, Mr. Lee read among others the +following:-- + +"A little black spaniel had five puppies, which were considered too many +for her to bring up. As, however, they were a rare kind of dog, her +mistress was unwilling that any of them should be destroyed; and she +asked the cook whether she thought it would be possible to bring a +portion of them up by hand, before the kitchen fire. The cook answered +that the cat had several kittens, and she had no doubt, if they were +taken away, the puppies might be substituted. + +"The cat made no objection, took to them kindly, and gradually all the +kittens were taken away, and she nursed the two puppies only. + +"Now, the first curious fact was, that the two puppies were in a +fortnight as active, forward, and playful as kittens would have been. +They had the use of their legs, barked, and gamboled about, while the +other three nursed by the mother were whining and rolling about like fat +slugs. + +"The cat gave them her tail to play with; and they were always in +motion. They soon ate meat, and long before the others, they were fit to +be removed. This was done; and the cat became inconsolable. She prowled +about the house, and on the second day of tribulation, fell in with the +little spaniel, who was nursing the other three puppies. + +"'O,' said puss, putting up her back, 'it is you who have stolen my +children.' + +"'No,' replied the spaniel, with a snarl, 'they are my own flesh and +blood.' + +"'That won't do,' said the cat. 'I'll take my oath before any justice +of the peace, that you have my two puppies.' Thereupon there was a +desperate combat, which ended in the defeat of the spaniel; and then the +cat walked off proudly with one of the puppies, which she took to her +own bed. + +"Having deposited this one, she returned, fought again, gained another +victory, and redeemed another puppy. + +"Now, it is very singular that she should have taken only two, the +exact number she had been deprived of." + +"Isn't that a nice story?" cried Minnie, joyfully clapping her hands. + +"I had no idea there were such pleasant things about cats," said Ida, +laughing at her cousin's enthusiasm. "Fidelle has risen wonderfully in +my estimation. But don't let me detain you, dear uncle." + +"I see here," he said, "a curious account of a cat, published by M. +Antoine in France." + +"In a French cloister, the hours of meals were announced by the ringing +of a bell. A favorite cat belonging to the establishment was accustomed, +as soon as she heard the summons, to run quickly to the dining hall, +that she might be fed. + +"One day it happened that puss was accidentally shut up in a room by +herself when the bell rang, and could not therefore obey the summons. +Some hours after, she was let out, and instantly ran to the spot where +dinner was always left for her; but no dinner was to be found. + +[Illustration: PUSS RINGING FOR HER DINNER. Page 82.] + +"In the afternoon, the bell was heard ringing at an unusual hour. The +inmates of the cloister ran quickly to see what was the cause of it, +when, to their surprise, they saw the cat clinging to the bell rope, +and setting it in motion as well as she was able, in order that she +might have her dinner served up to her." + +"I hope they gave her a good one," urged Minnie. "I'm sure she deserved +it for being so smart." + +"I have no doubt of it," remarked the gentleman, smiling. "Now, here is +a story of another French cat." + +"It was of a kind known as the Angora variety, a very beautiful +creature, with silvery hair of fine silky texture, generally longest on +the neck, but also long on the tail. Some of them are olive, the color +of the lion; but they are delicate creatures, and of gentle +dispositions. + +"This one belonged to a hotel in Paris, and having noticed that the cook +always left the kitchen upon the ringing of a certain bell, and thus +left the room clear for her to eat the dainties she had been preparing, +soon acquired the art of pulling the bell herself. + +"This trick she practised for some weeks, in the mean time growing plump +and sleek from her abundance of rich delicacies, until the thieving +became so extensive that a person was set to watch for the rogue. + +"Concealing himself, therefore, with fire-arms, ready to secure the +villain, the man had to wait but a short time before he saw puss steal +along near the wall, where she gently agitated the bell wire. + +"Cook obeyed the summons, and left the kitchen, when the cat sprang from +her hiding place, and catching a pigeon, just ready for the oven, in her +mouth, ran into the cellar to enjoy her plunder." + +This instance of intelligence caused a hearty laugh among the hearers, +which had not quite ceased when Mr. Lee said, "I have been told that a +garrison of disciplined cats was once kept on the island of Cyprus, for +the purpose of destroying the serpents with which it was infested. They +were so well trained that they came in to their meals at the sound of a +bell, and at a similar signal returned in order to the chase, where they +were equally zealous and successful." + + + + +CHAPTER V. + +KITTY AND THE FISH. + + +One morning, when Minnie went down stairs, she found Fidelle apparently +much distressed at having stepped into some water which the chamber girl +had accidentally spilled on the floor. + +Puss shook one foot and then another in the most dainty manner imaginable, +and then, going to a dry place, sat down to lick her paws. + +"What can be the reason cats don't like water?" Minnie asked her mother. +"Leo thinks a bath very refreshing, and I suppose Tiney would if Kate +did not scrub her so hard." + +"I don't know, my dear, why it is so; but they do almost always dread +the water. Though they are extremely fond of fish, they seldom venture +into the water after it, but wait for it to be brought to them. + +"But there are cases where they have become expert fishers. I remember +an account now which I think will interest you. + +"A widow woman by the name of Rogers had a large family of children +dependent on her for support. By practising the greatest economy, they +were able to live for several years. At last there came a famine, when +provision of every kind was so scarce that this poor family were reduced +to the verge of starvation. Twenty-four hours had passed without one +mouthful of food, and the widow knew not where to obtain any; when, +hearing a faint scratching at the door, she went to open it. She saw +there a sight which made tears of grateful joy stream from her eyes. The +cat, which had long been an inmate of the family, a sharer of their +prosperity and adversity, with whom one of the children had divided her +last crust,--this cat stood at the door, holding in her mouth a large +fish, which furnished all the household with a plentiful meal. + +"What was more remarkable, puss continued to do this for nearly three +weeks, until better times dawned upon them, when she suddenly ceased the +habit, and never was known to take to the water again." + +"Wasn't that a good kitty, mamma?" cried Minnie, giving Fidelle an extra +squeeze. "She was a useful cat." + +"Yes, my dear; and when your father comes home, I think he can find a +number of instances where cats have overcome their dislike of wet feet, +and have become expert fishers." + +In the evening, Minnie did not forget to remind her father that she +liked to hear stories. Running up on the steps, she took the volume from +its place, and playfully put it into his hands. + +After repeating to him the incident her mother had related in the +morning, he turned over the leaves, and presently found the following:-- + +"At Caverton Mill, in Roxburghshire, a beautiful spot on the Kale water, +there was a famous cat domesticated in the dwelling house, which stood +two or three hundred yards from the mill. When the mill work ceased, the +water was nearly stopped at the dam head, and below, therefore, ran +gradually more shallow, often leaving trout, which had ascended when it +was full, to struggle back with difficulty to the parent stream. + +"So well acquainted had puss become with this circumstance, and so fond +was she of fish, that the moment she heard the noise of the mill clapper +cease, she used to scamper off to the dam, and, up to her belly in +water, continue to catch fish like an otter." + +"That is really a curious instance," remarked Mrs. Lee, "where the +instinct of puss amounted almost to reason. She connected the stopping +of the wheel with the shutting off the water, and found by experience +that at such times the trout could be seen." + +"Here is another," added Mr. Lee, "related by the Plymouth Journal, in +England." + +"A cat who had for many years attached herself to the guard house, was +in the constant habit of diving into the sea, and bringing up the fish +alive in her mouth, for the use of the soldiers. At the time this +account was given, she was seven years old, and had long been a useful +caterer. It is supposed that she first ventured into the water, to which +cats have a natural aversion, in pursuit of the water rats, but at +length became as fond of it as a Newfoundland dog. She took her regular +walk along the rocks at the edge of the point, looking out for her prey, +and ready to dive in at a moment's notice." + +"We have a neighbor at home," said Ida, "who cannot endure the sight of +a cat. I wish she could hear some of these incidents; it is probable +that it might change her opinion of their intelligence." + +"They are really affectionate little creatures," rejoined Mr. Lee, "as +this story would convince any one." + +"A cat, which had been well treated in a family, became extremely +attached to the eldest child, a little boy who was very fond of playing +with her. She bore with patience all maltreatment which she received +from him without making any resistance. As the cat grew up, however, she +daily quitted her playfellow for a time, from whom she had before been +inseparable, in order to catch mice; but even when engaged in this +employment, she did not forget her friend; for as soon as she had +caught a mouse, she brought it alive to him. + +"If he showed any inclination to take her prey from her, she let the +mouse run, and waited to see whether he was able to catch it. If he did +not, the cat darted at it, seized it, and laid it again before him; and +in this manner the sport continued, as long as the child showed any +desire for the amusement. + +"At length, the boy was attacked by small pox, and during the early +stages of the disorder the cat never quitted his bedside; but as his +danger increased, it was found necessary, on account of her cries, to +remove the cat, and lock her up. The boy died. On the following day, +puss, having escaped from her confinement, immediately ran to the +chamber where she hoped to find her playmate. + +"Disappointed in this, she sought for him with great uneasiness, and +loud cries, all over the house, till she came to the door of the room +where the corpse had been placed. Here she lay down in silent melancholy +till she was again locked up. After the child was buried, the cat was +set at liberty, when she suddenly disappeared. It was not until a +fortnight later that she returned to the well-known apartment quite +emaciated. She refused nourishment, and soon ran away again with dismal +cries. At last, compelled by hunger, she made her appearance every day +at dinner time, but always left the house as soon as she had eaten the +food that was given her. No one knew where she spent the rest of her +time, till she was found one day under the wall of the burying ground, +close to the grave of her favorite. + +"So indelible was her attachment to her deceased friend, that till his +parents removed to another place, five years afterwards, she never, +except in the greatest severity of winter, passed the night any where +else than close to the grave. + +"Ever afterwards she was treated with the utmost kindness by every +person in the family, though she never exhibited partiality for any of +them." + + + + +CHAPTER VI. + +MOUSER AND HER MISTRESS. + + +Soon after this, Minnie, was ill, and obliged to keep her bed for +several days. One morning she lay bolstered up with pillows, Fidelle +keeping her position close under the arm of her mistress, when a +particular friend of Mrs. Lee called, and was shown into the chamber. + +She laughed as she saw kitty lying there, and tried to coax her away. + +"I love kitties," she said, passing her hand softly over the glossy fur, +"and kitties love me." + +Minnie's pale cheek kindled with a glow, in her sympathy with the lady's +remark. + +"I must tell you about my puss, Mouser," the visitor went on, seating +herself close by the couch. "I was ill in bed, as you are, and puss, who +is a splendid great Maltese, was very anxious about me. She feared I +might be neglected, or that I should not take the right medicine, or +that every thing might not be done in the best manner, and thought +proper to oversee the whole business. She was continually running from +the shed to my chamber, as if she were half distracted, mewing and +crying in the most heart-rending manner." + +"Why didn't she stay on your bed, as Fidelle does?" inquired Minnie, in +great interest. + +"I was just coming to that, my dear. Unfortunately for Mouser, she had +at that very time five kittens, a family large enough, one would +suppose, to occupy all her attention. But even with the care of her +kittens on her mind, Mouser would not forsake her old friend. For a +time, her distress and anxiety were so great, running here and there +fifty times in a day, that it really began to wear upon her health, when +an expedient happily was suggested to her mind. + +"I had provided a large box in the shed for the little family, with a +piece of soft carpet doubled for their bed. Mouser paid me an early +visit one morning, and, having taken a rapid, eager survey of the +premises, hastened away again. But she presently returned with a kitten +in her mouth, and made a bold jump with it on the bed. + +"'I declare that great cat has brought her kitten up here,' exclaimed my +nurse, astonished at her effrontery. 'I'll soon teach her to keep them +at home;' and taking a broom, she was proceeding to drive the intruders +out in great wrath. + +"'Let her stay,' I said, decidedly; 'she is a great pet of mine.' + +"Mouser looked anxiously in my face, without dropping the kitten from +her mouth, as if her life depended on my words. She seemed instantly to +understand that I had conquered, for she laid the kitten down, and was +gone in an instant. + +"I understood the whole matter at once, but had hard work to make nurse +believe that I really meant to have the cat and all her family on my +bed. It was with great reluctance she brought a foot blanket from the +closet, and spread it over the white counterpane, all the while +muttering, 'Well, I never heard any thing like it. I don't believe it's +healthy. I won't be answerable for the consequences.' + +"When Mouser had brought the last one, and laid it on the blanket at the +foot of the bed, she walked deliberately up to me, and began to lick my +hand, while the look of gratitude and satisfaction she gave me amply +repaid my interference in her behalf. It said, as plainly as possible, +'Now I have all I love about me, and without distraction can attend to +you, my dear mistress, and not neglect my family. Now I am contented and +happy.' + +"I was sick two days after this. At night, Mouser and her charge were +removed to the corner of the room; but whenever I made any sound of +distress, she was directly at my side, looking in my face, and mewing +piteously. I understood perfectly that she wished to express her sorrow +and sympathy at my affliction. + +"When I was able to be out of bed, her delight was so great that even +the nurse was convinced of her affection. She frisked about, played with +her kittens, which she had not once done while I was in bed, followed +me around the room, leaping upon me, and rubbing her glossy fur against +my dress. Do you wonder, Minnie, that I love Mouser; and other kittens +for her sake?" + +The lady was somewhat surprised, when the enthusiastic child, instead of +answering, started suddenly and gave her a kiss. From this time, a warm +friendship was established between them. + +When she had gone, the child had a refreshing nap, and then asked her +mother to get the book and read her a story. + +"Here is an affecting one," remarked Mrs. Lee, after having looked over +the pages, "where puss loved her mistress as much as Mrs. Davis's Mouser +did. + +"A lady named Madame Helvetius had a favorite kitten, which constantly +lay at her feet, seemingly always ready to defend her. It never molested +the birds which she kept; it would not take food from any hand but hers, +and would not allow any one else to caress it. + +"At the death of its mistress, the poor cat was removed from her +chamber; but it made its way there the next morning, went on the bed, +sat upon her chair, slowly and mournfully paced over her toilet, and +cried most piteously, as if lamenting its poor mistress. + +"After her funeral it was found stretched lifeless on her grave, +apparently having died from excess of grief." + +"I think Mouser would have died just so," said Minnie, softly, "she +loves her mistress so well." + +"Here is another story, my dear, if you are not too tired." + +"O, no, indeed! I think I should very soon be well if you would read +all the time." + +"Henry, Earl of Southampton, was long confined in the Tower of London, +as a political prisoner. He had been already some time in confinement, +when, one day, he was both delighted and surprised by receiving a visit +from a favorite cat. + +"The poor creature being distracted with grief at the cruel separation +from her master, and not being able to gain access to him through the +gates of the prison, was at last sagacious enough to plan a method of +visiting him. She watched her chance, scaled the walls of the Tower, and +finally reached him by descending through the accumulated soot and smoke +of his chimney. Whether instinct guided her aright the first time, or +whether she was obliged to descend many chimneys in her eager search +for the one she loved, we cannot tell; but her delight at last in +finding him seemed abundantly to repay her for all her perils." + +"How very glad her master must have been to see her!" faltered the +child, her eyes moist with emotion. "I don't see how any body can help +loving cats." + + + + +CHAPTER VII. + +PUSS TAKING A JOURNEY. + + +Fidelle had one singular habit which I have not yet noticed. She used to +take a solitary walk every evening at about dusk. The custom began in +the following manner. For a long time Mr. and Mrs. Lee, with Minnie, +were in the habit of taking a walk at sunset, and sometimes Fidelle went +with them; but finding the frolics of the kitten fatigued the child, +causing her to run up and down in pursuit, they ordered the cat to be +kept at home. + +As soon as they were out of sight, puss started off by herself, and +enjoyed it so much, that for years, except when the weather was very +stormy, the little creature might be seen walking demurely down the +avenue into the street, from which direction she usually returned in +the course of an hour, walking as quietly as she went. + +One day a gentleman from the neighboring city came to pass the night +with her father, and, knowing Minnie's fondness for animals, told her he +had heard a curious account of a cat, which he would relate to her if +she pleased. + +The little girl was delighted, and ran at once to call her cousin Ida. +They were presently seated in the parlor, Minnie having taken the +precaution to carry with her the favorite volume from the library, in +case it should be needed. + +"I am told this story is authentic," said the gentleman. "It occurred in +the summer of 1828, near Deniston, England. + +"A gentleman, by the name of Stankley, owned a cat, who was a great +favorite with the children, and was in the constant habit of going out +of doors to play with them. One day she returned to the house without +any of her usual company, and going directly to Mrs. Stankley, rubbed +herself against her feet, crying, to arrest attention. She then went to +the door and returned, which motions she repeated so long that the lady +suspected the little creature had something in view. She therefore put +on her bonnet, and followed her out. To her astonishment, it ran on +before her, turning continually, and apparently delighted that it had +gained its object, until they had gone some distance. Here the cat left +her, and darted forward, when, to her surprise, she saw her youngest +child stuck fast in the mud of a ditch, unable to move. + +"When the mother extricated the child, the cat testified her pleasure +in every possible way, jumping on the lady's dress, and purring as +loudly as possible." + +"I imagine," remarked Mr. Lee, "that the power of observation in the +inferior animals is greater than is generally supposed. Those who have +most carefully watched them, and noted their characters and habits, +think they not only come to know persons and events, but to distinguish +particular days, like the Sabbath, and to comprehend the meaning of +many words. + +"I saw, the other day, a curious proof that cats observe what is passing +around them. + +"There was a lady who lived at Potsdam with her children. One day, the +youngest ran a splinter into her little foot, which caused her to scream +out most violently. + +"At first, her cries were disregarded, as it was supposed they +proceeded, as they often did, from impatience. At last, the elder +sister, who had been asleep, was awakened by the screams, and as she was +just getting up to quiet the child, she observed a favorite cat, with +whom they were wont to play, and who was of a remarkably gentle +disposition, leave its place under the stove, go to the crying girl, and +strike her on the cheek with one of its paws so as to draw blood. + +"After this, the animal walked back with the greatest composure and +gravity to its place, as if satisfied with having chastised the child +for crying, and with the hope of indulging in a comfortable nap. She +had, no doubt, often seen the child punished in this way for crossness; +and as there was no one near to administer correction, puss had +determined to take the law into her own hand." + +This story occasioned a great laugh, though Minnie pitied the crying +girl, who not only had to bear the splinter, but the punishment of the +cat. + +"Another story, exhibiting the close observation of cats," rejoined Mr. +Lee, "relates to their habit of returning home from a long distance. A +most remarkable instance of this was given by a gentleman who removed +from the county of Sligo to Dublin, a distance of about ninety miles. + +"When about to change their residence, he and his children regretted +exceedingly being obliged to leave a favorite cat behind them, which had +endeared itself to them by its docility and affection. + +"They had not been settled many days in their new abode, when one +evening, as the family were sitting and chatting merrily at the tea +table, the servant came in, followed by a cat so precisely like the one +left behind that all the family repeated his name at once; the little +creature testifying great joy, in his own way, at the meeting. + +"The gentleman took the puss in his arms, while all gathered about to +examine him; but no difference could be found between their old favorite +and this one. Still it was difficult to believe it was their poor +deserted pet, for how could he have travelled after them? or how could +he have found them out? + +"Yet the exact resemblance, the satisfaction which the poor animal +evinced, as he walked about in all the confidence of being among +friends, with his tail erect, and purring with pleasure, left little +doubt that this was indeed their own cat. + +"At last, one of the family examined his claws, and found they were +actually worn down with travelling. This circumstance convinced them +that poor puss had really followed them the whole journey of ninety +miles. + +"As soon as they could believe it was their own, they gave the +faithfully attached creature an enthusiastic greeting and a sumptuous +repast." + +"I think that is the most remarkable case of which I ever heard," +responded the visitor, "though I know that cats are famous for returning +to their own homes. But here was a road over which puss had never +travelled, with nothing whatever to guide him in his difficult search +for those he loved." + + + + +CHAPTER VIII. + +THE SAGACIOUS CAT. + + +The next evening, when Mr. Lee returned home, he gave Minnie a small +parcel, which he told her was a present from their late visitor. It was +a beautifully bound book, containing many interesting stories on her +favorite subject. + +She could not rest until she had persuaded Ida to read it to her. Two +of the incidents are so remarkable, that I shall quote them to close my +book on Minnie's pet cat, hoping my young readers will be encouraged by +these stories to be kind to pussy, and indeed to all the creatures that +God has made. + +"De la Croix, a lecturer on experimental philosophy, was one day proving +to his class that no creature could live without air. For this purpose +he placed a cat in a large glass jar, under the receiver of an air +pump, and began to exhaust the air. + +"Puss flew about, feeling decidedly uncomfortable, but, after a quick +examination of her situation, saw a small aperture, upon which she +placed her paw. + +"The lecturer went on; but puss did not, as he expected, fall down +lifeless. She had discovered a method of preventing the air in the jar +from escaping. When he ceased pumping, she took her paw away; but the +instant he took hold of the handle, she put it there again. + +"Finding her too sagacious to be quietly killed, De la Croix was obliged +to send for a less intelligent cat before he could proceed with his +lecture." + +"In April, 1831, an exhibition of six cats was opened in Edinboro', by a +company of Italians, which gave astonishing proofs of their +intelligence. They were kept in a large box, and each came forth at the +command of the owner, seeming perfectly to understand its duty. They had +been taught to beat a drum, turn a spit, strike upon an anvil, turn a +coffee roaster, and ring bells. + +"Two of them, who seemed to be more sagacious than the rest, drew a +bucket suspended by a pulley, like a draw well. The length of the rope +was about six feet, and they perfectly understood when the bucket was +high enough to stop pulling. Most of the time they stood upright on +their hind legs. + +"One of them would turn a wheel when a piece of meat stuck on a spit was +put before it. But the instant the meat was removed, she stopped, +considering the labor needless till the meat was replaced." + + + + +Transcriber's Note + +The following typographical errors were corrected: + + 41 I suppose" changed to I suppose," + 95 So well changed to "So well + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Minnie's Pet Cat, by Madeline Leslie + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK MINNIE'S PET CAT *** + +***** This file should be named 28682.txt or 28682.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/2/8/6/8/28682/ + +Produced by Julia Miller and the Online Distributed +Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net (This book was +produced from scanned images of public domain material +from the Google Print project.) + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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