CHAPTER VI.
MOUSER AND HER MISTRESS.
Soon after this, Minnie, was ill, and obliged to keep her bed forseveral days. One morning she lay bolstered up with pillows, Fidellekeeping her position close under the arm of her mistress, when aparticular friend of Mrs. Lee called, and was shown into the chamber.
She laughed as she saw kitty lying there, and tried to coax her away.
"I love kitties," she said, passing her hand softly over the glossy fur,"and kitties love me."
Minnie's pale cheek kindled with a glow, in her sympathy with the lady'sremark.
"I must tell you about my puss, Mouser," the visitor went on, seatingherself close by the couch. "I was ill in bed, as you are, and puss, whois a splendid great Maltese, was very anxious about me. She feared Imight be neglected, or that I should not take the right medicine, orthat every thing might not be done in the best manner, and thoughtproper to oversee the whole business. She was continually running fromthe shed to my chamber, as if she were half distracted, mewing andcrying in the most heart-rending manner."
"Why didn't she stay on your bed, as Fidelle does?" inquired Minnie, ingreat interest.
"I was just coming to that, my dear. Unfortunately for Mouser, she hadat that very time five kittens, a family large enough, one wouldsuppose, to occupy all her attention. But even with the care of herkittens on her mind, Mouser would not forsake her old friend. For atime, her distress and anxiety were so great, running here and therefifty times in a day, that it really began to wear upon her health, whenan expedient happily was suggested to her mind.
"I had provided a large box in the shed for the little family, with apiece of soft carpet doubled for their bed. Mouser paid me an earlyvisit one morning, and, having taken a rapid, eager survey of thepremises, hastened away again. But she presently returned with a kittenin her mouth, and made a bold jump with it on the bed.
"'I declare that great cat has brought her kitten up here,' exclaimed mynurse, astonished at her effrontery. 'I'll soon teach her to keep themat home;' and taking a broom, she was proceeding to drive the intrudersout in great wrath.
"'Let her stay,' I said, decidedly; 'she is a great pet of mine.'
"Mouser looked anxiously in my face, without dropping the kitten fromher mouth, as if her life depended on my words. She seemed instantly tounderstand that I had conquered, for she laid the kitten down, and wasgone in an instant.
"I understood the whole matter at once, but had hard work to make nursebelieve that I really meant to have the cat and all her family on mybed. It was with great reluctance she brought a foot blanket from thecloset, and spread it over the white counterpane, all the whilemuttering, 'Well, I never heard any thing like it. I don't believe it'shealthy. I won't be answerable for the consequences.'
"When Mouser had brought the last one, and laid it on the blanket at thefoot of the bed, she walked deliberately up to me, and began to lick myhand, while the look of gratitude and satisfaction she gave me amplyrepaid my interference in her behalf. It said, as plainly as possible,'Now I have all I love about me, and without distraction can attend toyou, my dear mistress, and not neglect my family. Now I am contented andhappy.'
"I was sick two days after this. At night, Mouser and her charge wereremoved to the corner of the room; but whenever I made any sound ofdistress, she was directly at my side, looking in my face, and mewingpiteously. I understood perfectly that she wished to express her sorrowand sympathy at my affliction.
"When I was able to be out of bed, her delight was so great that eventhe nurse was convinced of her affection. She frisked about, played withher kittens, which she had not once done while I was in bed, followedme around the room, leaping upon me, and rubbing her glossy fur againstmy dress. Do you wonder, Minnie, that I love Mouser; and other kittensfor her sake?"
The lady was somewhat surprised, when the enthusiastic child, instead ofanswering, started suddenly and gave her a kiss. From this time, a warmfriendship was established between them.
When she had gone, the child had a refreshing nap, and then asked hermother to get the book and read her a story.
"Here is an affecting one," remarked Mrs. Lee, after having looked overthe pages, "where puss loved her mistress as much as Mrs. Davis's Mouserdid.
"A lady named Madame Helvetius had a favorite kitten, which constantlylay at her feet, seemingly always ready to defend her. It never molestedthe birds which she kept; it would not take food from any hand but hers,and would not allow any one else to caress it.
"At the death of its mistress, the poor cat was removed from herchamber; but it made its way there the next morning, went on the bed,sat upon her chair, slowly and mournfully paced over her toilet, andcried most piteously, as if lamenting its poor mistress.
"After her funeral it was found stretched lifeless on her grave,apparently having died from excess of grief."
"I think Mouser would have died just so," said Minnie, softly, "sheloves her mistress so well."
"Here is another story, my dear, if you are not too tired."
"O, no, indeed! I think I should very soon be well if you would readall the time."
"Henry, Earl of Southampton, was long confined in the Tower of London,as a political prisoner. He had been already some time in confinement,when, one day, he was both delighted and surprised by receiving a visitfrom a favorite cat.
"The poor creature being distracted with grief at the cruel separationfrom her master, and not being able to gain access to him through thegates of the prison, was at last sagacious enough to plan a method ofvisiting him. She watched her chance, scaled the walls of the Tower, andfinally reached him by descending through the accumulated soot and smokeof his chimney. Whether instinct guided her aright the first time, orwhether she was obliged to descend many chimneys in her eager searchfor the one she loved, we cannot tell; but her delight at last infinding him seemed abundantly to repay her for all her perils."
"How very glad her master must have been to see her!" faltered thechild, her eyes moist with emotion. "I don't see how any body can helploving cats."