I am sorry to say that cats are not always so amiable as those I have
described, but will occasionally play all sorts of tricks, like some
dishonest boys and girls, to obtain what they want.
An Angora cat, which lived in a large establishment in France, had
discovered that when a certain bell rang the cook always left the
kitchen. Numerous niceties were scattered about, some on the tables and
dressers, others before the fire. Pussy crept towards them, and tasted
them; they exactly suited her palate. When she heard the cook's step
returning, off she ran to a corner and pretended to be sleeping soundly.
How she longed that the bell would ring again!
At last, like another cat I have mentioned, she thought that she would
try to ring it herself, and get cook out of the way; she could resist
her longing for those sweet creams no longer. Off she crept, jumped up
at the bell-rope, and succeeded in sounding the bell. Away hurried cook
to answer it. The coast was now clear, and Pussy revelled in the
delicacies left unguarded--being out of the kitchen, or apparently
asleep in her corner, before cook returned.
This trick continued to answer Pussy's object for some time, the cook
wondering what had become of her tarts and creams, till a watch was
wisely set to discover the thief, when the dishonest though sagacious
cat was seen to pull the bell, and then, when cook went out, to steal
into the kitchen and feast at her leisure.
There is a proverb--which pray condemn as a bad one, because the motive
offered is wrong--that "honesty is the best policy." Rather say, "Be
honest because it is right." Pussy, with her manoeuvres to steal the
creams, thought herself very clever, but she was found out.