50 
GRATITUDE OF CATS. 
time, we heard a most pitiful mewing in 
the cellar. We tried to discover from what 
place the sound came, for a long time with¬ 
out success. At last I looked into a pork- 
barrel, which had by some mischance been 
left uncovered; and there I found this kit¬ 
ten. It had climbed up on the only piece 
of pork that was left in the brine, and this 
kept its head out; and here it was clamouring 
for help. I took it out, and, after wiping the 
poor little creature as well as I could, it scam¬ 
pered away. The next day, as I was sitting 
upon the steps at the door, this kitten came 
running through the hall and jumped on 
my shoulder, and from that moment was my 
firm friend,—almost my shadow; for it fol¬ 
lowed me everywhere, in doors and out, 
though it would let no one else touch it, 
and scratched your aunt Priscilla severely 
one day for no other offence than wearing 
a dress like mine and sitting in my place. 
I became very much attached to the little 
creature, ugly and cross-grained as it un¬ 
deniably was; and I felt very sorry when an 
accident finally put an end to its life. 
“ There is this great difference between 
the affection of the dog and that of the cat: 
