236 THE FIRESIDE SPHINX 



heart of the great Pontiff, and saw that it was de- 

 tached from all the splendours of his throne ; and 

 he knew that, fancying himself so poor in spirit, 

 he yet loved and valued his cat more than Gregory 

 loved and valued all his earthly possessions. The 

 Pope was the truer ascetic of the two. 



We need not wander so far afield to learn 

 of Pussy's sweet seductiveness. Instances of her 

 supremacy may be found much nearer home. Did 

 not Washington's father rival the forbearance of 

 Mohammed by sitting habitually and uneasily on the 

 extreme edge of his chair, rather than disturb his 

 cat who loved to lie curled up on the cushion back 

 of him ? Such a man deserved to have George for 

 a son. It is a common habit of cats, when their 

 rule is unquestioned, to behave in this way, espe- 

 cially in winter time, — draughts being abhorrent 

 to their souls. I knew a large black Baltimore puss 

 who used to drive both household and visitors like 

 sheep from chair to chair, by jumping up behind 

 each unfortunate in turn, and curling his huge bulk 

 in that narrow space. To make room for him was 

 impossible, to put him down was out of the ques- 

 tion ; there was nothing to do but move on, — like 

 the poor Indian, — in the hope that after a while 

 one might reach some place sufficiently undesirable 

 for permanent possession. 



Colonial records contain many pleasant allusions 



