198 RECOLLECTIONS OF THE CAT, 



in all conscience there would really be no harm in tickling his palate with the 

 smallest quantity in the world; besides who would be the worse, even if he 

 took it all ; a piece of reasoning no way calculated to stop '^a watering o' the 

 mouth," What a misfortune! I cannot get my head into it. Must I upset 

 it? certainly not, I have suffered stripes innumerable for such clever perform- 

 ances, and since I cannot get my head within compass, I '11 e'en put my foot 

 into it. A clever expedient most assuredly, and what could have been daintier 

 than his own "^cat's paw" well saturated with such luxurious sauce. Another 

 little anecdote shews some amount of reasoning instinct in a cat belonging 

 to a small shopkeeper, which was regularly in the habit of opening the shop 

 door if it chanced to be shut against it. It generally managed to hang with 

 one foot to the iron loop while another was employed in pushing down the 

 ^^sneck"* or latch. In opening the door a bell was rung, which often brought 

 "master" into the shop, to welcome no better customer than his own cat. 

 Another cat had a mischievous propensity for opening the door of a clock 

 case, getting inside, and if the pendulum was in motion she would be sure 

 to stop it. One day the pendulum would stand it no longer, but came down 

 with a rattle, an affair which wound up the cat's fun for the time to come, 

 the door being carefully locked ever after. It is not often we hear of cats 

 taking a liking to eggs, but I know an instance of one that was passionately 

 fond of them, and it was dangerous to leave any exposed, the cat being almost 

 sure to break a few, and enjoy the contents, I think this habit had been 

 acquired from egg-shells being given it to play with when a kitten, I have 

 seen kittens devour great numbers of the Common Cockroach, although they 

 often appear to suffer considerably from such fare; yet, you rarely find an 

 adult cat touch them, although they hunt and devour crickets greedily. Cats 

 never seem to relish meat too hot, but will throw it about for some time, for 

 the purpose of giving it what I have heard termed a ^'keeling-clauk."f A 

 curious killing "clauk" was once witnessed by a friend of mine while on the 

 top of a stage- coach: they were changing horses at a little road-side inn, one 

 end of which was beautifully covered with a large pear tree in full blossom. 

 A Cat was observed nestling among the branches, evidently bent on mischief; 

 immediately after a company of pugilistic sparrows congregated beneath, totally 

 unaware of the presence of so powerful an enemy; the seconds were chirping 

 most vociferously in support of the amorous melee, and just as the battle 

 was raging most furiously, down dropped the Cat, with a sort of "how do ye 

 do" into the very thickest part of the noisy crew: for one brief moment all 



* "Sneck, old word for latch." 



"Tip-tae she tript o'er the floor, 

 She drew the har, unsnccWd the door." 



Jamieson's Ballads. 



"Sneckteck, Latch the 'heck' or half door, generally found about farm buildings, Ileck 

 means a manger as well. 



t Keeling-clauk, Cooling-scratch. Keel is a common north country word, signifying 'cool.' 

 Thus Shakspere says, "While greasy Joan doth heel the pot." It occurs in many local names, as 

 Kilbum, the cold burn or rivulet. Kildale— Killingbeck, the cold ing (or meadow;) beck, a stream. 



