truth what I am telling you, and pray don't interrupt me, though you may
not believe; by the time the story's done you'll have heard more wonderful
things than _that_,--and besides, remember you're a stranger in these
parts, and have no notion of the extraordinary things, physical,
metaphysical, and magical, which constitute the idiosyncrasy of rural
destiny."

The little man did not know the meaning of Murphy's last sentence--nor
Murphy either; but, having stopped the little man's throat with big words,
he proceeded--

"This cat, sir, you must know, was a great pet, and was so up to
everything, that Tom swore she was a'most like a Christian, only she
couldn't speak, and had so sensible a look in her eyes, that he was sartin
sure the cat knew every word that was said to her. Well, she used to sit
by him at breakfast every morning, and the eloquent cock of her tail, as
she used to rub against his leg, said, 'Give me some milk, Tom Connor,' as
plain as print, and the plenitude of her purr afterwards spoke a gratitude
beyond language. Well, one morning, Tom was going to the neighbouring town
to market, and he had promised the wife to bring home shoes to the
childre' out o' the price of the corn; and sure enough, before he sat down
to breakfast, there was Tom taking the measure of the children's feet, by
cutting notches on a bit of stick; and the wife gave him so many cautions
about getting a 'nate fit' for 'Billy's purty feet,' that Tom, in his
anxiety to nick the closest possible measure, cut off the child's toe.
That disturbed the harmony of the party, and Tom was obliged to breakfast
alone, while the mother was endeavouring to cure Billy; in short, trying
to make a _heal_ of his _toe_. Well, sir, all the time Tom was
taking measure for the shoes, the cat was observing him with that luminous
peculiarity of eye for which her tribe is remarkable; and when Tom sat