Daisy: the autobiography of a catSwan, Miranda Eliot
General
Daisy: the autobiography of a cat
Swan, Miranda Eliot
Cats -- Fiction
Cats are sensitive to air, full of motion and electricity, which seems
to put them in good spirits; while a warm lifeless atmosphere makes them
languid.
Sailors are as a class very superstitious in regard to cats. Their
family, when the father, son, or brother has gone on a voyage, watch the
family cat to know about the absent one. If a cat sickens or disappears,
it is looked upon as an indication of the illness or death of the absent
one. A sailor's family will make a pet and companion of the family cat.
The cat that chances to go to sea is just worshipped by all on board the
ship and is the real captain.
There is another little story that comes to my mind just now, as
illustrating how much a cat notices and remembers. The cat in question
was called Ole. Why, or wherefore, I cannot say. Perhaps he was a
Norwegian, from the name, or his ancestors may have been Norwegians. He
lived in Syracuse, New York, perhaps he was named for that most perfect
musician and gentleman, Ole Bull, as people have a craze for naming
their children for celebrated people, and they often name their pets for
them. There is no doubt that animals do greater credit to their names
than pampered children.
The cat called Ole was a great favorite in the family where he belonged.
He had his place at the table and was very fond of his master, following
his every movement when carving, with great interest. Even though he
craved what was being carved, he never made a movement to hasten his
dinner. Subsequent events proved he had not watched in vain.
One day the daughter of the family was attracted to the dining room by
the loud and peremptory calls of Ole. She opened the door, and there sat
Ole in his master's place at the head of the table. The large mat for
the meat platter to rest on he had drawn in front of him, and on it lay
a large rat.
The satisfaction with which he greeted her was evident, and he purred
forth his delight at having provided and served up a game dinner. It
proved that he had thought about the etiquette of the table. Having no
platter, he had taken the next best thing, the mat, where the platter
usually rested.
It is needless to say Ole was more petted then ever, though people, when
told the story, would say, "How wonderful!" but behind their backs would
say they guessed it was a fish instead of a rat that Ole had caught. But
I believe in the rat. A cat detects and despises shams.
A friend of my mistress said that in a country house where she was
visiting they had an open fireplace in one of the rooms, and one of
those very absurd gas-logs.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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