28 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST, 
[January, 
cow’s horn, and during the ceremony tlie boys 
rapped the trees with their sticks. We can imagine 
that “Apple Howling” was a very appropriate name. 
The girls meanwhile were also having their 
sport, going about from door to door, singing 
verses in honor of the season, and bearing the 
wassail bowl, a great bowl decked with garlands 
and ribbons, and filled with a composition of ale, 
nutmeg, sugar, aud roasted crabs or apples, called 
“Lamb's Wool." Those visited, drank each others 
health in this mixture, repeating Was-hails, or 
driiic-heil, which are the same as our “ Come, here’s 
The Soliloquy of a Tabby-Cat. 
Here I lie alone on the roof—where the warm 
sun feels very comfortable, this chill winter’s day ; 
—a poor, forlorn fence-cat; without a home in the 
world, and obliged to pick up what stray bits I can 
for a living. There was a time when the warmest 
nook by the fire was mine, and a plate of meat, 
with a dish of milk, stood always ready for my mid¬ 
day meal. My master was a college professor, and 
I was his dearest pet and companion. Many an 
evening he would read extracts aloud to me, from 
that a man who dared to kill a cat was forced to- 
pay a fine of as much wheat as would form a pile 
entirely covering the body of the auimal to the tip 
of its tail—the tail being held straight up in the 
air, with poor puss’s nose resting on the ground. 
I wish some of the boys in this neighborhood had 
to do the same. ’Tis said, too, we receive consid¬ 
erable honor among the Mohammedans, even to 
this day ; and a pretty story is told of Mohammed 
himself, that he once cut off the 6leeves of his 
robes, rather than disturb a cat that was sleeping. 
I am sure, too, that, in spite of my leanness, I 
THE SLY 
to you!” or “ I’ll pledge you! ” They generally be¬ 
stowed upon the maiden wassailers, a small coin, 
or little gift. An orange stuck with cloves, ap¬ 
pears to have been a favorite New Year’s gift in 
the olden time, as were also gilt nutmegs, and 
Kentish pippins. 
In Scotland, on the last day of the old year, the 
children go from house to house, asking for bread 
and cheese, which they call “ Wog-money.” They 
make their request in these words— 
“Get up, gude wife, and binno sweir (be not lazy), 
And deal your cakes and cheese while you are here. 
For the time will come, when ye’ll be dead, 
And neither need your cheese or bread.” 
It must be a hard-hearted person indeed, who can 
refuse a trifle to these bonny lads and lassies. 
In France New Year’s day is celebrated more as 
it is in this country, by a round of visits being made 
between relatives and friends, and an exchange of 
bon-bons, and sweet-meats. It is a contest of 
politeness, which shall start earliest, and make the 
first call, but sugar-plums must always be pre¬ 
sented either in fancy boxes or baskets, or simply 
wrapped in paper. A dinner is generally given by 
some member of the family, and the evening con¬ 
cludes with a social gathering. 
CAT AND THE UNSUSPECTING 
Engraved for the American Agriculturist. 
some of his favorite books, and say, “ What do 
you think of that, my cat ?” and I would purr ad¬ 
miration, or nod assent, as the case might be. I 
became quite learned for a feline, and w r as known 
as the “ wise pussy-cat ” for blocks around. 
After awhile, my master moved away, and his 
silly old housekeeper persuaded him that it was 
“unlucky to move a cat;” so I was left behind. 
Such nonsense! As though an inoffensive little 
animal could change the destiny of a man, either 
one way or the other. I am sure I ought to carry 
good luck with me if anything, for I come of a very 
old and honored race, being a descendant of the 
domestic cat of Egypt. In that country, cats were 
treated with respect, and in some parts even wor¬ 
shipped as gods. Why ! my old master once told 
| me that we were mentioned in inscriptions as early 
as the year 1831, B. C. But, ah me 1 the world has 
degenerated sadly since then, and'now, together 
with our royal cousins, the wild-cats and tigers of 
the jungle, we are hunted and chased until our 
lives are a burden, almost too heavy to be borne. 
My only pleasure, now, is dwelling upon our 
ancient splendor—the golden age of Catdom. We 
were domesticated in Europe at the time of the 
Christian Era, and in the middle ages were consid¬ 
ered of so high a value, in Switzerland and Saxony, 
PIGEONS. 
must be a very handsome specimen of my race, for 
I am marked much like a royal Bengal tiger. The 
white cats, with blue eyes, are pretty in an insipid 
sort of way; but they are generally deaf, although, 
strange to say, if their eyes happen to be yellow, 
they hear as well as I do. The Malay cat has am 
ugly twist in its tail, like a pig ; and a hot flat-iron 
would not straighten it out; while a Manx cat 
has no tail at all. Mine, however, is like a beauti¬ 
ful, long-shaded plume, and I am very proud of it. 
But oh ! dear me ! how hungry I am ! I missed 
a mouse I was in pursuit of this morning, so lost 
my breakfast. If I only knew the way, I would 
start for Egypt to-morrow, for I hear, near Cairo, 
the Humane Society has established an asylum for 
poor, homeless pussies, where they are well fed and 
cared for in fine style. 
But, ’sh ! what do I see down there under the- 
wall! It is one of the young and unsuspecting 
pigeons out of his house, and turning his foolish, 
vain little head right and left in the sun ! He- 
hasn’t an idea that I have my yellow eye upon- 
him. How he would fly if he knew I was 
near ! I should enjoy a fat squab for my dinner 
exceedingly ; so here goes ! I will crawl stealthily 
along the stone coping, and all at once pounce 
upon him when he is quite unawares. 
