CAT IMAGES. 



Those with long memories will not have forgotten the 

 Italian with a board on his head, on which were tied 

 a number of plaster casts, and possibly still seem to hear, 

 in the far away time, the unforgotten cry of "Yah im- 

 a-gees." Notably, among these works of art, were models 

 of cats — such cats, such expressive faces ; and what forms I 

 How droll, too, were those with a moving head, wagging 

 and nodding, as it were, with a grave and thoughtful, semi- 

 reproachful, vacant gaze ! '' Yah im-a-gees " has passed on, 

 and the country pedlar, with his " crockery " cats, mostly 

 red and white. "Sure such cats alive were never seen ? " but 

 in burnt clay they existed, and often adorned the mantel- 

 shelves of the poor. What must the live cat sitting before 

 the fire have thought — if cats think — when it looked up 

 at the stolid, staring, stiff and stark new-comer? One 

 never sees these things now; nor the cats made of paste- 

 board covered with black velvet, and two large brass spangles 

 for eyes. These were put into dark corners with an 

 idea of deception, with the imbecile hope that visitors 

 would take them to be real flesh and bone every-day 



