174 MY FRIEND AND HIS CAT. 



master's character, that she was neither forgotten nor forsaken. 

 The vacant knee was offered to her, and on it she was placed, it 

 being her master's wish to reconcile the furry strangers. The 

 hope of friendly introduction was however vain, though it proved 

 remarkably pacific ; for the little cat was probably too young to 

 quarrel, and the greater too well-bred. Tabby left her master's 

 knee and disdained his attentions — loathed the food which was 

 placed before her — and walked off at a pace slow, and in a 

 manner the most dejected. Fancying this whim would wear 

 away, he took no farther notice, but " hied him to his labour," 

 and left the cats at their ease. When the shop was closed, and 

 supper ended, he drew his chair to the fire, as was his usual 

 custom ; an inquiry was then made after tabby ; but none having 

 seen her since the morning, no additional question was put ; so 

 that sleep soon followed, and thought was postponed till the 

 morrow. 



The morning arrived, but with it no tabby companion; neither 

 was the young cat to be seen. Breakfast time followed, but no 

 cats appeared. Dinner time approached, still unoccupied was 

 the hearth rug. " What can have become of the cats ? " was the 

 remark of both master and maid — and indeed, of all. Such a 

 circumstance was little short of a mystery to my sensitive friend, 

 and he began to feel a concern far greater than many stoical 

 souls would allow ; but he could not help it ; 



•' A man of feeling to his beast is kind : " 



And if ever a man lived deserving this epithet, he, in his sphere, 

 stood pre-eminently conspicuous. 



A grave consultation now took place, which decided that a 

 thorough search should be made for the cats, and so. great was 

 the interest of tlie household, .that the shop 'itself, in the mean 

 time, could find no better guardian than the youngest apprentice. 



To effect this "important discovery," their duties were thus 

 apportioned. Master took the closed warerooms, thinking, that 

 from Tabby's /br»2er fondness she might have followed him into 

 one, and he had shut the door upon her. , The maid took the bed- 

 rooms, and their appurtenances; and others, the outhouses, &c. 

 A quarter of an hour had elapsed without success, and the 

 matter began to grow yet more mysterious, till, at length, my 

 friend recollected the underground cellar, which in the earnestness 

 of search had been omitted ; and there, high on an empty tea 

 chest, he found poor Tabby, living it is true, but seated 



* " Like patience on a monument, 



" . Smiling at grief." 



