64 FIFTIT EVENING.

that was very near killing me. At another time, I
chanced to set my foot in a rat-trap, and reccived so
many deep wounds from its teeth, that though I was
loosened as gently as possible by the people who heard
_ me cry, I was rendered lame for some weeks after.

“Teme went on, and I arrived at my full growth; and
forming an acquaintance with a he-cat about my own
age, we made a match of it. I became a mother in
due time, and had the mortification of seeing several
broods of my kittens disposed of in the same manner
as my brothers and sisters had been. I shall mention
two or three more adventures in the order I remember
them. I was once prowling for birds along a hedge,
at some distance from home, when the squire’s grey-
hounds came that way a-coursing. As soon as they
spied me, they set off at full speed, and running much
faster than I could do, were just at my tail, when I
reached a tree, and saved myself by climbing up it.
But a greater danger befel me on meeting with a
parcel of boys returning from school. They sur-
rounded me before I was aware, and obliged me to
take refuge inatree; but I soon found that a poor
defence against such enemies; for they assembled about
it, and threw stones on all sides, so that I could not
avoid receiving many hard blows, one of which brought
me senseless to the ground. The biggest boy now
seized me, and proposed to the rest making what he
called rare sport with me. This sport was to tie me
to a board, and, launching me on a pond, to set some
water-dogs at me, who were to duck and half-drown
me, while I was to defend myself by biting their
noses, and scratching their eyes. Already was I
bound, and just ready to be set a-sailmg, when the
schoolmaster, taking a walk that way, and seeing the
bustle, came up, and obliged the boys to set me at
liberty, severely reprimanding them for their cruel
rotentions.

“The next remarkable incident of my life was the
occasion of my removal from the country. My mis-