Concerning Cats 



came back, and I were left to bring up the baby by 

 hand. 



" But as the days sped on, and Nero grew rapidly 

 in beauty and intelligence, Agrippina's affection for 

 him knew no bounds. She could hardly bear to 

 leave him even for a little while, and always came 

 hurrying back to him with a loud, frightened mew, as 

 if fearing he might have been stolen in her absence. 

 At night she purred over him for hours, or made little 

 gurgling noises expressive of ineffable content. She 

 resented the careless curiosity of strangers, and was 

 a trifle supercilious when the cook stole softly in to 

 give vent to her fervent admiration. But from first 

 to last she shared with me her pride and pleasure ; 

 and the joy in her beautiful eyes, as she raised them 

 to mine, was frankly confiding and sympathetic. 

 When the infant Claudius rolled for the first time 

 over the ledge of the closet and lay sprawling on the 

 bedroom floor, it would have been hard to say which 

 of us was the more elated at his prowess." 



What became of these most interesting cats, is 

 only hinted at ; Miss Repplier's sincere grief at their 

 loss is evident in the following : — 



" Every night they retired at the same time and 

 slept upon the same cushion, curled up inextricably 

 into one soft, furry ball. Many times I have knelt 

 by their chair to bid them both good night; and 

 always when I did so, Agrippina would lift her 

 charming head, purr drowsily for a few seconds, and 



78 



