was there except Deb, who at that moment leaped off the window-sill and
entered the house. Mary looked along the road, up and down on either
side, thinking that some person must have knocked and gone away; but no
one was in sight.

The following day the same thing happened, but it occurred several times
before any one suspected that Deb could possibly have lifted the
knocker. At length Mary told her mistress what she suspected, and one
of the family hid in the shrubbery to watch Deb's proceedings. Deb was
allowed to ran out in the garden, and the door was closed. After a time
the little creature was seen to climb up on the window-sill, and then to
rear herself on her hind-feet, in an oblique position at the full
stretch of her body, when, steadying herself with one front paw, with
the other she raised the knocker; and Mary, who was on the watch,
instantly ran to the door and let her in.

Miss Deb's knock now became as well-known to the servant as that of any
other member of the family, and, no doubt to her great satisfaction, it
usually met with prompt attention.

Could the celebrated cat of the renowned Marquis of Carrabas have done
more, or better? Not only must Deb have exercised reason and
reflection, as well as imitation, but a considerable amount of
perseverance; for probably she made many vain attempts before she was
rewarded with success.

Some Scotch ladies told me of a cat they had when young, brought by
their grandfather from Archangel, which, under the same circumstances,
used to reach up to the latch of the front door of a house in the
country, and to rattle away on it till admitted. I have seen a cat
which the same ladies now possess make a similar attempt.

Does it not occur to you that you may take a useful lesson from little
Pussy, and when you have an object to gain, a task to perform, think
over the matter, and exert yourself to the utmost till you have
accomplished it?

THE CAT AND THE RABBIT-TRAP.

An instance of the sagacity of a cat came under my own notice. I was
living, a few years ago, in a country place in Dorsetshire, when one day
a small tortoise-shell cat met my children on the road, and followed
them home. They, of course, petted and stroked her, and showed their
wish to make her their friend. She was one of the smallest, and yet the
most active of full-grown cats I ever saw. From the first she gave
evidence of being of a wild and predatory disposition, and made sad
havo