The Book of Cats. 121 



ment was strong, her attachment was equally so, 

 and she took a singular mode of showing it. All 

 the tit-bits she could steal from the pantry, and all 

 the dainty mice she could catch, she invariably 

 brought and laid at her mistress's feet. She has 

 been known to bring a mouse to her door in the 

 middle of the night, and mew till it was opened, 

 when she would present it to her mistress. After 

 doing this she was quiet and contented. 



Just before the earthquake at Messina, a mer- 

 chant of that town noticed that his Cats were 

 scratching at the door of his room, in a state of 

 great excitement. He opened the door for them, 

 and they flew down-stairs and began to scratch 

 more violently still at the street-door. Filled with 

 wonder, the master let them out and followed them 

 through the town out of the gates, and into the 

 fields beyond, but, even then, they seemed half mad 

 with fright, and scratched and tore at the grass. 

 Very shortly the first shock of the earthquake was 

 felt, and many houses (the merchant's among them) 

 came thundering in ruins to the ground. 



A family in Callander had in their possession 

 a favourite Tom Cat, which had, upon several occa- 

 sions, exhibited more than ordinary sagacity. One 

 day, Tom made off with a piece of beef, and the 



