raordinary instance of sagacity exemplified
by his cat? I was very much struck with it when I saw it a day or two
ago in his 'Book of Nature.' If you please, I will read it to you."

"Very well, Harry, I shall be glad to hear it; I dare say it is an old
acquaintance of mine. I have been such a diligent searcher after stories
of this description, that I think very few have escaped me."

"A favourite cat, that was accustomed from day to day to take her
station quietly at my elbow, on the writing table, sometimes for hour
after hour, whilst I was engaged in study, became at length less
constant in her attendance, as she had a kitten to take care of. One
morning she placed herself in the same spot, but seemed unquiet, and,
instead of seating herself as usual, continued to rub her furry sides
against my hand and pen, as though resolved to draw my attention, and
make me leave off. As soon as she had accomplished this point, she
leaped down on the carpet, and made towards the door, with a look of
great uneasiness. I opened the door for her, as she seemed to desire,
but, instead of going forward, she turned round, and looked earnestly at
me, as though she wished me to follow her, or had something to
communicate. I did not fully understand her meaning, and, being much
engaged at the time, shut the door upon her, that she might go where she
liked.

"In less than an hour afterwards, however, she had again found an
entrance into the room, and drawn close to me, but, instead of mounting
the table, and rubbing herself against my hand, as before, she was now
under the table, and continued to rub herself against my feet, on moving
which I struck them against a something which seemed to be in their way,
and, on looking down, beheld with equal grief and astonishment the dead
body of her little kitten which I supposed had been alive and in good
health, covered over with cinder dust. I now entered into the entire
train of this afflicted cat's feelings. She had suddenly lost the
nursling she doated on, and was resolved to make me acquainted with
it,--assuredly that I might know her grief, and probably also that I
might inquire into the cause, and, finding me too dull to understand her
expressive motioning that I would follow her to the cinder heap, on
which the dead kitten had been thrown, she took the great labour of
bringing it to me herself, from the area on the basement floor, and up a
whole flight of stairs, and laid it at my feet. I