above-mentioned spot, close to the grave. Ever afterwards she was
treated with the utmost kindness by every person in the family. She
suffered herself to be played with by the younger children, although
without exhibiting a particular partiality for any of them.

"There is another story of the cat's attachment, of a somewhat less
melancholy cast, which I lately saw recorded in a provincial newspaper.

[Illustration: THE AFFECTIONATE CAT--Page 92.]

"A country gentleman of our acquaintance, who is neither a friend to
thieves nor poachers, has at this moment in his household a favourite
cat, whose honesty, he is sorry to say, there is but too much reason
to call in question. The animal, however, is far from being selfish in
her principles; for her acceptable gleanings she regularly shares among
the children of the family in which her lot is cast. It is the habit of
grimalkin to leave the kitchen or parlour, as often as hunger and an
opportunity may occur, and wend her way to a certain pastrycook's shop,
where, the better to conceal her purpose, she endeavours slily to
ingratiate herself into favour with the mistress of the house. As soon
as the shopkeeper's attention becomes engrossed in business, or
otherwise, puss contrives to pilfer a small pie or tart from the shelves
on which they are placed, speedily afterwards making the best of her way
home with her booty. She then carefully delivers her prize to some of
the little ones in the nursery. A division of the stolen property
quickly takes place; and here it is singularly amusing to observe the
cunning animal, not the least conspicuous among the numerous group,
thankfully mumping her share of the illegal traffic. We may add that
the pastrycook is by no means disposed to institute a legal process
against the delinquent, as the children of the gentleman to whom we