THE CAT TO-DAY 245 



self to the shrubbery path. It only remains to be 

 told that he first baked the bread, and this veracious 

 chronicle will be complete. 



Still more astounding is another story related of 

 a New England cat named June, who hid her four 

 kittens in a hole under the garret floor. After the 

 first week she ceased going to the garret, and the 

 family, fearing the kittens were dead, felt some not 

 unnatural annoyance at the thought of the trouble 

 it would be to disinter them. The matter was dis- 

 cussed in the presence of June, who lay on the sofa, 

 apparently asleep ; and her mistress observed with 

 asperity, — "I would give ten dollars this minute 

 if those kittens were out from under the floor." 

 Immediately the cat jumped down and left the 

 room, the door being shut after her. In a few min- 

 utes she was heard mewing in the hall ; and, when 

 the door was opened, there on the floor lay three 

 of the dead kittens. Her mistress — who tells the 

 tale in the " Spectator " — said, " Well done, June. 

 Go now and fetch the other one ; " whereupon she 

 made a fourth trip, and returned with the last little 

 corpse, laying it alongside of its brothers. It is to 

 be hoped the ten dollars were promptly paid ; but 

 one fears that a cat of such cupidity would be capa- 

 ble of killing her innocent offspring for the sake of 

 the promised reward. 



" I am extremely distrustful of interesting or 



