A lady, nearly related to the writer, having a great partiality (though
married) for the feline race, particularly lavished favours upon a young
and beautiful cat, whom she constantly fed, taught to perform several
pleasing tricks, and in short made of the animal such a companion, that
she never liked it to be out of her sight. She had also in her service a
cook, who boasted not of partialities for any living creature, save a
village youth, for whom she cherished a flame that rivalled the bright and
ardent fire of her own kitchen; to him she generously assigned as a hiding
place and rendezvous, the corner of an out-house, to which she frequently
stole in order to enjoy a _téte à téte_ with her admirer. Thither also
stole puss, either in gratitude for past savoury benefactions, or in
anticipation of future. But the lady of the house, frequently missing her
favourite, and tracing her one day into the place of rendezvous, thus
unluckily effected the discovery of cook and her swain. The damsel
apprehending that such interruptions to their interviews might, from the
gourmandizing propensities of the favourite, be frequent, determined to
prevent them for ever; the very next time that puss, as usual, followed
her, seizing with savage exultation the harmless creature, she severed
with a huge carving knife, its head from its body! An exploit truly worthy
of the _tender_ passion, and the _gentle_ sex!