64 BLACK CATS. 



THE BLACK CAT. 



It is often said " What's in a name?" the object, whatever 

 it is, by any other would be the same, and yet there is much 

 in a name; but this is not the question at issue, which 

 is that of colour. Why should a black cat be thought so 

 widely different from all others by the foolish, unthinking, and 

 ignorant ? Why, simply on account of its colour being black, 

 should it have ascribed to it a numberless variety of bad omens, 

 besides having certain necromantic power ? In Germany, for 

 instance, black cats are kept away from children as omens 

 of evil, and if a black cat appeared in the room of one 

 lying ill it was said to portend death. To meet a black cat 

 in the twilight was held unlucky. In the "good old 

 times" a black cat was generally the only colour that 

 was favoured by men reported to be wizards, and 

 also were said to be the constant companions of reputed 

 witches, and in such horror and detestation were they 

 then held that when the unfortunate creatures were ill- 

 treated, drowned, or even burned, very frequently we 

 are told that their cats suffered martyrdom at the same 

 time. It is possible that one of the reasons for such 

 wild, savage superstition may have arisen from the 

 fact of the larger amount of electricity to be found by 

 friction in the coat of the black cat to any other ; experi- 

 ments prove there is but very little either in that of 

 the white or the red tabby cat. Be this as it may, still 

 the fact remains that, for some reason or other, the black 

 cat is held by the prejudiced ignorant as an animal most 

 foul and detestable, and wonderful stories are related 



