Page:Reading for winter evenings.pdf/4

4 "At this time I had another narrow escape. A man brought into the house a strange dog, who had been taught to worry all the cats that came in his way. My mother slunk away at his entrance; but I thinking that I was able to protect myself, stayed on the floor, growling, and setting up my back by way of defence. The dog instantly ran at me; and, before I could get my claws ready, seized me with his mouth, and began to gripe and shake me most terribly. I screamed out, and, by good luck, my mistress was within hearing. She ran to us, but was not able to disengage me: however, a servant, seeing her distress, took a stick, and gave the dog such a bang on the back, that he was forced to let me go. He had used me so roughly, that I was not able to stand for some time; but, by care, and a good constitution, I recovered.

"I was now running after every body's heels, by which means I got one day locked up in the dairy. I was not sorry for this accident, thinking to feast upon the cream and other good things. But, having climbed up a shelf to get at a bowl of cream, I unluckily fell backwards into a large vessel of buttermilk, where I should probably have been drowned, had not the maid heard the noise, and come to see what was the matter. She took me out, scolding bitterly; and after undergoing a severe discipline at the pump to clean me, I was dismissed with a good whipping. I took care not to follow her into the dairy again.

"After a while, I began to get into the yard, and my mother took me into the barn upon a mousing expedition. We sat by a hole, and presently out came a mouse with a brood of young ones. My mother darted among them, and first demolished the old one, and then pursued the little ones, who ran about squeaking in dreadful perplexity. I now thought it was time for me to do something; and accordingly ran after a straggler, and soon overtook it. Oh how proud was I, as I stood over my trembling captive, and patted him with my paws! My pride, however, soon met with a check; for seeing one day a large rat, I courageously flew at him; but, instead of turning tail, he gave me such a bite on the nose, that I ran away to my mother, mewing piteously, with my face all bloody and swelled. For some time, I did not meddle with rats again; but at length, growing stronger, and more skilful, I feared neither rats nor any other vermin, and acquired the reputation of an excellent hunter.

"I had some other escapes about this time. Once I happened to meet with some poisoned food laid for the rats; and, eating it, I was thrown into a disorder that was very near killing me. At another time, I chanced to set my foot in a