IN FEATHERS AND FUR. 39 
To begin with, I must tell you about a man who was as fond 
of cats as any little girl in America. He was even called the 
"Raphael of Cats," because — though he was an artist — he never 
painted any thing but cats and kittens. Of course, loving them so 
much, and painting so many, in all attitudes and of all expressions, 
from the innocent frolicsome kitten to the dignified head of the 
Cat Family, who has outgrown kittenhood as thoroughly as some 
people outgrow childhood, he came to paint them remarkably well. 
His pictures were sought for everywhere. People would hunt him 
up in his garret, and pay large prices for them. He was so kind to 
them that if a kitten went to sleep cuddled up on his shoulder, or 
on the back of his neck when he was leaning over his desk, — as 
they often did — he would sit for hours without moving, so as not 
to disturb them. 
His favorite cat's name was Minette. In the long winter 
evenings he amused himself carving tiny, tiny cats out of chest- 
nuts, and he could not make them fast enough for the people who 
wanted to buy. 
The Egyptians reverenced their cats, and called them by the 
name of Maou. But remember what immense granaries they 
used to have, and how fond mice are of grain, and that nobody but 
Pussy can keep them all out, and it won't seem so strange. Those 
people had hospitals for sick kittens, and when they died they were 
embalmed — if you know what that is — and buried with great 
ceremony. If Pussy died in a private family, John was not told to 
sling her body into the alley ; but besides the grand funeral, the 
family went into mourning, not by wearing black, but by shaving 
off their eyebrows! There is another nice thing about cat life 
among these same Egyptians at this very day. They have — I 
mean their great-great-great grandchildren have — a high officer 
who is called " Father of Cats," and there is a building near Cairo, 
where every day a feast is spread, to which are invited all the cats 
of the city, if they choose to come. 
They do choose and come in crowds, and I'm sorry to say they 
act naughty sometimes, and quarrel over their food. It is said that 
Cambyses (do you know who he was?) when he went to fight the 
Egyptians, fastened before every soldier's breast, a live cat. Of 
course the Egyptians dared not run the risk of hurting the pussies 
— so they were conquered. It must have been a droll looking 
army. 
