TIIE DOMESTIC CAT. 
33 
each nation would naturally prefer their 
own tongue; and who would decide? I 
think this is an excellent plan of Aunt 
Louisa’s; and I hope you will he very at¬ 
tentive and learn all you can. What is 
your subject to-night?” he asked, as Miss 
Louisa entered the room with her arms full 
of books, closely followed by pussy, who 
had set herself about propitiating the heads 
of the house, as if she knew that her stay 
depended upon their pleasure. 
“ To begin with cats, in compliment to 
our little stranger here,” Miss Louisa said; 
“and the domestic cat and her relations 
form our subject this evening.” 
^When you get as far as panthers and 
wild-cats, I shall perhaps be able to give 
you some anecdotes,” said Mr. Winston. 
“ So far as cats go, I am sure you are fully 
equal to the subject. Meantime, I shall go 
into the library and read my newspaper.” 
“The domestic cat,” said Miss Louisa, as 
soon as her audience were comfortably 
settled, “ has been supposed by some natu¬ 
ralists to be descended from the common 
wild-cat of Great Britain and the West of 
Europe. This was for a long time the ge- 
