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!"