HISTORY OF A Cat. GO

tress’s brother had a tame linnet, of which he wag
very fond; for it would come and alight on his
shoulder when he called it, and feed out of his hand;
and it sang well besides. This bird was usually either
in its cage or upona high perch; but ono unlucky
day, when he and I were alone in the room together,
he came down on the table, to pick up crumbs. I spied
him, and, not being able to resist the temptation,
sprang at him, and, catching him in my claws, soon
began to devour him. I had almost finished, when his
master came into the room; and secing me with the
remains of the poor linnet in my mouth, he ran to me in
the greatest fury, and after chasing me several times
round the room, at length caught me. Je was pro-
ceeding instantly to hang me, when his sister, by many
entreaties and tears, persuaded him, after a good
whipping, to forgive me, upon the premise that T
should be sent away. Accordingly, the next market-
day J was despatched in the cart to arelation of theirs
in this town, who wanted a good cat, as the house wag
overrun with mice.

‘In the service of this family I continuee a good
while, performing my duty as a mouser extremely
well, so that IT was in high esteem. I scon became
acquainted with all the particulars of a town life, and
distinguished my activity in climbing up walls and
houses, and jumping from roof to roof, either in pur-
suit of prey, or upon gossiping parties with my com-
panions. Once, however, L had like to have suffered
for my venturing; for having made a great jump from
one house to another, [ ahehted on a loose tile, which
giving way with me, I fell from a vast height into the
street, and should certainly have been lalied, had I
not had the luck to fall mto a dung-cart, whence I
escaped with no other mjury but being halrstifled
with filth.

“ Notwithstanding the danger T had run from killing
the linnet, [ am sorry to confess that I Was again
guilty of a similar offence. I contrived one mght to