42 LETTERS ON NATURAL MAGIC. 



yourself and the coal-scuttle." Mr. A., who had 

 still the poker in his hand, pushed it in the 

 direction mentioned : " Take care," cried Mrs. 

 A., "take care, you are hitting her with the 

 poker." Mr. A. again asked her to point out 

 exactly where she saw the cat. She replied, 

 " Why sitting up there close to your feet on the 

 rug. She is looking at me. It is Kitty come 

 here, Kitty ! " There were two cats in the house, 

 one of which went by this name, and they were 

 rarely if ever in the drawing-room. At this time 

 Mrs. A. had no idea that the sight of the cat was 

 an illusion. When she was asked .to touch it, 

 she got up for the purpose, and seemed as if she 

 were pursuing something which moved away. 

 She followed a few steps, and then said, " It has 

 gone under the chair." Mr. A. assured her it 

 was an illusion, but she would not believe it. He 

 then lifted up the chair, and Mrs. A. saw nothing 

 more of it. The room was then searched all 

 over, and nothing found in it. There was a dog 

 lying on the hearth, who would have betrayed 

 great uneasiness if a cat had been in the room, 

 but he lay perfectly quiet. In order to be quite 

 certain, Mr. A. rang the bell, and sent for the 

 two cats, both of which were found in the house- 

 keeper's room. 



4. About a month after this occurrence, Mrs. 

 A., who had taken a somewhat fatiguing drive 

 during the day, was preparing to go to bed about 

 eleven o'clock at night, and, sitting before the 

 dressing- glass, was occupied in arranging her 

 hair. She was in a listless and drowsy state of 

 mind, but fully awake. When her fingers were 

 in active motion among the papillotes, she was 

 suddenly startled by seeing in the mirror the 



