Concerning my Other Cats 



and uncommonly frisky kittens annoyed him so that 

 his place was transferred to the top of an old table. 

 When he got hungry in those days, however, he used 

 to go and crowd close up in his corner and look so 

 pathetically famished that food was generally forth- 

 coming at once. Thomas was formerly very much 

 devoted to the lady who lived next door, and was as 

 much at home in her house as in ours. Her family 

 rose an hour or two earlier than ours in the morning, 

 and their breakfast hour came first. I should attribute 

 Thomas's devotion to Mrs. T. to this fact, since he 

 invariably presented himself at her dining-room win- 

 dow and wheedled her into feeding him, were it not 

 that his affection seemed just as strong throughout 

 the day. It was interesting to see him go over and 

 rattle her screen doors, front, back, or side, knowing 

 perfectly well that he would bring some one to open 

 and let him in. 



Thomas has a really paternal air toward the rest 

 of the family. One spring night, as usual on retiring, 

 I went to the back door to call in the cats. Thomas 

 Erastus was in my sister's room, but none of the 

 others were to be seen ; nor did they come at once, 

 evidently having strayed in their play beyond the 

 sound of my voice. Thomas, upstairs, heard my con- 

 tinued call and tried for some time to get out. M. 

 had shut her door, thinking to keep in the one already 

 safe. But the more I, called, the more persistently 

 determined he became to get out. At last M. opened 



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