KAT-CATCHERS. 
193 
riglits, why then, common necessity oft compels him to take 
to that which is less legal and less desirable. Therefore let 
the rat-catcher be fairly employed and justly paid; then he 
will refrain from poaching, &c., and be as honest as any other 
man. Be sure of this, that whatever you pay him, within 
reason, will be infinitely more than a thousand per cent, 
profit to you. Therefore earn this man's respect and good- 
will by kind treatment and generous pay. It Avill be to 
your best interest to do so. Kemember that a willing, con- 
fidential servant will run far and wide, and do more, much 
more than he is paid for, to serve a kind and generous 
master ; while, on the other hand, a dissatisfied, unwilling 
man will think his money hard earned by laziness, and will 
scarce thank you when you pay him. 
Now, when the rat-catcher calls for his salary, see you do 
not find some insulting excuse for not paying him his fair 
demand. Do not tell him that you have no rats now, 
consequently have no more call for his services ; because, if 
you do, and he is a man who well understands his pro- 
fession, he will take care that before six months are past 
you shall have plenty ; and if you be a dilatory farmer, 
and create this man's revenge, he can eat you nearly out 
of house and home in twelve months. He can bring them 
far and near to your estate, and lure the rats from all 
the farms round about on to yours : so that in six months 
you will be swarming alive ; and at the end of twelve months 
you will scarcely have a grain of corn left to feed either 
them or yourselves. 
In speaking of the rat-catcher's imaginary powers of 
bewitching rats, allow me to present the following anecdote. 
A well-known rat-catcher of Mid -Lothian was, during the 
last long war with the French, caught by a press-gang, and 
taken on board one of the king's ships. At first he feigned 
madness ; but finding that would not do, he betook himself 
quietly to work. However, it appears that the ship was 
overrun with rats ; and one day he happened to overhear 
the captain and one of his mates consulting together as to 
the best means of getting rid of them. What's all this 
about rats, when I'm on board," said the rat-catcher. 
" You on board," cried the captain ; and what can you do ?" 
— " Do," said he, " why I can make them cut their own 
