THE BENEVOLENT CAT. 45

THE BENEVOLENT CAT.
Mrs. F

able to do acts of kindness.

 

gives me an anecdote to prove that cats are

A lady in the south of Ireland having lost a pet cat, and
searched for it in vain, after four days was delighted to hear
that it had returned. Hastening to welcome the truant with
a bowl of warm milk in the kitchen, she observed another
cat lurking timidly in a dark corner. The pet cat received
the caresses of its mistress with its usual pleasure, but, though
it circled round the bowl of milk with grateful purrings, it
declined to drink. It went up to the stranger instead, and,
with varied mewings, “like man’s own speech,” it invited it
to approach the tempting food. At length both came up to
the bowl, when the thirsty stranger feasted to its full content,
while the cat of the house stood by, in evident pleasure,
watching its guest; and-not until it would take no more
could the host be persuaded to wet its whiskers in the
tempting drink.

Ever think of others before yourself. Attend first to
their wants. Do not be outdone in true courtesy by a cat.

 

AFFECTION EXHIBITED BY A CAT.

I was one day calling in Dorsetshire on a clever, kind old
lady, who showed me a beautiful tabby cat coiled up before
. the fire. “Seventeen years ago,” said she, “ that cat’s mother
had a litter. They were all ordered to be drowned except

ae a t