ody is talking about him. He has the handsomest whiskers I ever
saw. I do hope I shall be well enough to see him before long, but I
wouldn't have him see me now for any thing.

Your affectionate Pussy.

[Illustration: "They have brought with them a splendid black cat
whose name is Caesar, and everybody is talking about him. He has the
handsomest whiskers I ever saw."--Page 46.]

IV.

My Dear Helen:

There is one thing that cats don't like any better than men and women
do, and that is to make fools of themselves. But a precious fool I made
of myself when I wrote you that long letter about Mary's moving out all
the furniture, and taking the house down. It is very mortifying to have
to tell you how it all turned out, but I know you love me enough to be
sorry that I should have had such a terrible fright for nothing.

It went on from bad to worse for three more days after I wrote you. Your
mother did not come home; and the awful Irishwoman was here all the
time. I did not dare to go near the house, and I do assure you I nearly
starved: I used to lie under the rose-bushes, and watch as well as I
could what was going on: now and then I caught a rat in the barn, but
that sort of hearty food never has agreed with me since I came to live
with you, and became accustomed to a lighter diet. By the third day I
felt too weak and sick to stir: so I lay still all day on the straw in
Charlie's stall; and I really thought, between the hunger and the
anxiety, that I should die. About noon I heard Mary say in the shed, "I
do believe that everlasting cat has taken herself off: it's a good
riddance anyhow, but I should like to know what has become of the plaguy
thing!"

I trembled all over, for if she had come into the barn I know one kick
from her heavy foot would have killed me, and I was quite too weak to
run away. Towards night I heard your dear mother's voice calling, "Poor
pussy, why, poor pussy, where are you?"

I assure you, my dear Helen, people are very much mistaken who say, as I
have often overheard them, that cats have no feeling. If they could only
know how I felt at that moment, they would change their minds. I was
almost too glad to make a sound. It seemed to me that my feet were
fastened to the floor, and that I never could get to her. She took me up
in her arms, and carried me through the kitchen into the sitting-room.
Mary was frying cakes in the kitchen, and as your mother passed by th