62 
FOOLISH SUPERSTITION. 
44 A man once told me of a favourite cat,” 
remarked Mr. Winston, “which he had 
killed, because he fancied it sucked his 
breath. It had been accustomed to sleep 
in his room; and one night he had a dread¬ 
ful nightmare, with an intolerable feeling 
of oppression, as though he could not breathe 
at all. It was some time before he waked ; 
and when he did he found the cat lying 
beside him and licking his neck. She had 
licked it with her rough tongue till she had 
almost drawn blood. 4 1 could not bear to 
have her killed,’ he said, in conclusion; 
4 but I felt as if I must after that.’ ” 
44 What a fool!” exclaimed Sidney. 
44 Gently, my boy! The man was not a 
fool, by any means; but he was under the 
dominion of a superstition which he had 
probably learned in the nursery, and acted 
accordingly. Fear and ignorance have been 
the parents of cruelty in all ages. The more 
people study the habits and instincts of 
animals, the more likely will they be to treat 
them kindly; and the more kindly they are 
treated the more reasonable will they be¬ 
come.” 
44 1 suppose you would not go so far as to 
