Brothers of Pity and Other Tales of Beasts and Men

very few people-cats or otherwise-are consulted about their own name

I have not to this hour a notion. I distinctly remember the stage o

uggestive tones, creeping after me as I would creep after a

to think, and I purred accordingly

e's fur. I followed the cook, it is true; but I did not follow the cook as a rule-not, for instance, when she went out to the coal-hole in the yard. I had slipped in under her dress. I was behind the potato-tub when she went out, shutting the door after her. For some mysterious reason I felt on the tip-claw of expectation. My nose twitched with agreeable sensations. An inward voice seemed to murmur, Toots! Regardle

y young mistress's voice

Toots!"

d I, lifting my head to

for she wasn't much quicker-w

ots for yourself, I advise you to come here for it." I thoug

the rest. "It's a shame to leave it, though," I thought, "when a few more laps will empty the dish." For I come of an ancient and rough-tongued cat fa

e family skill, when I became conscious that t

aked the housemaid,

wled the elderly bu

ots!" yelled that intole

ts!" snappe

am, and could speak now, though I confess

she did not find the cream, which she h

s seemed to me to mean cream; now it seemed to mean kicks, blows, flapping dish-cloths, wash-leathers and dusters, pokers, carpet brooms, and every instrument of torture with which a poor cat could be chased from garret to cellar.

earing him in the house. Every drop of that lovely cream gone, and hal

ng lady, and with every "Toots" she gave me a slap; but as h

wn mind, by which I came to understand that when people called "Toots" they meant me. And as-to do th

ing cats in the neighbourhood, who had been deserted by families leaving town, I said that really such cases were not much in my line. There is a great deal of imposition about-perhaps the cats had stolen the cream, and hadn't left off steal

ference to our own household, and I learnt that "the family" were going "to leave town," I felt a pang of conscience, and

egrets and caresses, which in the circumstances

t myself pretty comfortably to the ups and downs

possible. "I am so sorry! I don't know what we are to do with you! But we are going abroad, and we can't take you, you dear old thing!

it. They couldn't bear to see them die, so they didn't give them a dose of quick poison, but left them to die of starvation, when they weren't there to see. You're a heartless, selfish race, you human beings, and

cription list was getting on. I felt all the difference between a lady's interest in a Reduced Gentlewomen's Benevolent Institution or a Poor Annuitants' Home, when she is well and wealthy, and the same lady's interest

a gentleman got out and rang our front-door bell. As he got out of the cab, I j

ateful. His hat was set well on the back of his head, and I could clearly see the friendly expression of his countenance. Suddenly he tilted it ov

ity of thinking what's to become of you, when you are down in the world. Those tender-hearted soul

ntify myself with the needy classes of society? A cat of my stripes and style! Once more I thought of benevolent institutions from a patronizing point of view.

ng leap, and perched myself on the gentleman's shoulder. I could h

dwell on my grievance, though, if his legs had been shorter, his riding-boots would not have b

over one eye. But I have seen it so since then, and he made no complai