THE CAT TO-DAY 257 



A Boston puss, seeing the family preparing for 

 their summer exodus, deposited her kitten in one 

 of the open boxes, as a timely hint that it was not 

 to be left behind ; and another equally intelligent 

 animal, before engaging in combat with a rat, 

 dropped her kitten into a dresser drawer, determined 

 to have it out of danger. Mr. Lang tells the story 

 of a poor vagabond cat who, with her young son, 

 came daily to his door to beg. The kitten, being 

 pretty and vivacious, was adopted by a neighbour- 

 ing family, and reared in luxury ; but still the 

 mother, when any especial delicacy like a bit of fish 

 was accorded her in Christian charity, scaled the 

 dividing wall, and gave it to the greedy little lad, 

 who, 



" With every wish of cathood well fulfilled," 



was not ashamed to eat his parent's scanty rations. 

 Nothing can exceed the bravery and devotion of 

 the cat when any danger threatens her young. It 

 is then that her apparent timidity — that feline 

 instinct of flight which veils the resolute spirit 

 beneath — hardens into intrepidity. It is then that 

 she stands at bay, and shows the splendid courage 

 of desperation, defying fate, whether it takes the 

 form of dog, or children, or the destroying elements. 

 St. George Mivart tells us of a cat who plunged 

 into a swiftly running stream, and rescued her 

 three drowning kittens, bringing them one by, one 



