Concerning Cats 



except when she had an infant on her hands. At 

 first she invariably kept him in a lower drawer of my 

 bureau. When he was large enough, she removed 

 him to the foot of the bed, where for a week or two 

 her maternal solicitude and sociable habits of noctur- 

 nal conversation with her progeny interfered seri- 

 ously with my night's rest. If my friends used to 

 notice a wild and haggard appearance of unrest 

 about me at certain periods of the year, the reason 

 stands here confessed. 



I was ill when black Bobbie was two weeks old. 

 The Pretty Lady waited until breakfast was over, 

 and as I did not appear, came up and jumped on the 

 bed, where she manifested some curiosity as to my 

 lack of active interest in the world's affairs. 



" Now, pussy," I said, putting out my hand and 

 stroking her back, " I'm sick this morning. When 

 you were sick, I went and got you a kitten. Can't 

 you get me one ? " 



This was all. My sister came in then and spoke 

 to me, and the Pretty Lady left us at once ; but in 

 less than two minutes she came back with her cher- 

 ished kitten in her mouth. Depositing him in my 

 neck, she stood and looked at me, as much as to 

 say: — 



"There, you can take him awhile. He cured me 

 • and I won't be selfish ; I will share him with you." 



I was ill for three days, and all that time the kitten 

 was kept with me. When his mother wanted him, 



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