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."