36 
HOW CATS CAME TO BE HERE. 
the same in all European languages, and all 
derived from the Latin, seems also to show 
that it was probably introduced into the 
West and South of Europe by the Romans.’’ 
“ Do you know whether there is any ac¬ 
count of cats being brought to this* country, 
aunt?” asked Sidney. 
“ I do not, my dear: I have never seen 
any. They are frequently brought over on 
board ships, to destroy the rats and mice 
which always abound in vessels. Perhaps 
some sea-captain imported two or three lit¬ 
ters of kittens as a venture, or some little 
girl in London or Bristol sent one as a pre¬ 
sent to her cousins in this country.” 
“How glad she must have been to see 
it!” said Daisy, with sparkling eyes. “I 
wonder what she said. I wish, aunt, you 
would write a story about the first kitten 
that came to America.” 
“ Perhaps I will some time; or you may 
ask Dick to do it. He is the story-writer, 
you know.” 
Dick blushed and smiled. He was ra¬ 
ther shy of having any one know that he 
wrote; but he had once or twice read stories 
to the children, who thought him equal to 
