Some time ago the present writer (his identity being discovered, as must happen in small communities) incurred the ridicule of his friends for asserting that a favourite black cat recognized him perfectly on his (the owner's) return from eight months in England, miaowed in precisely the same tone that it uses when coming into the bedroom with the early morning tea and performed the tricks he had taught it as if he had never been away. Anybody can tell a "big dog story." But it is the little things which prove sagacity. This particular cat has a totally different miaow for different things; there is one in which it asks for milk, another one which calls for a door to be opened and, on_ this being done, another in which it says "thank you" quite plainly, as it never fails to do. Though portly and of mature age it loves playing with holly berries, but, having discovered that holly pricks, it
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.