340 '-^^^^ Poets' Beasts. 



paddling with its paws, and then in an instant how it was 

 up and off, with its tail all crooked, its ears anyhow, and an 

 absurd affectation of being scared ! Or, when two are 

 together and one is lazy, with what adroitness will the other 

 beguile its companion into a romp, gradually coaxing it on 

 till it is in an equal frenzy of light-heartedness with itself. 



" What intenseness of desire 

 In lier upward eye of fire ! 

 With a tiger-leap half-way 

 Now she meets the coming prey, 

 Lets it go as fast, and then 

 Has it in her power again : 

 Now she works with three or four 

 Like an Indian conjurer ; 

 Quick as he in feats of art, 

 Far beyond in joy of lieart. 

 Were her antics played in the eye 

 Of a thousand standers-by, 

 Clapping hands with shout and stare, 

 What would little tabby care 

 For the plaudits of the crowd ? 

 Over happy to be proud." 



No wonder children love them so. Their faces are as 

 sweetly innocent as their own. Is it possible that these 

 winning little fliuffinesses could ever descend to the surrepti- 

 tious consumption of the family canary? or that such guile- 

 less faces could ever be stained with the purloined bloater? 

 Their delightful little cosy bodies seem made for a baby's 

 cuddling. Their natures are curiously alike. A kitten will 

 seldom take offence at what a little child does to it — and the 

 outrageous liberties taken with pussy are sometimes dreadful 

 to contemplate. I have seen a small boy go through a 

 meal with a kitten held in bagpipe fashion under his arm ; 

 and the poor animal stayed there with a half-squeezed look on 

 its face tliat was infinitely pathetic, but made no complaint. 

 Its confidence in the child carried it through the ordeal. 



