Soon after this, Minnie, was ill, and obliged to keep her bed for several days.  One morning she lay bolstered up with pillows, Fidelle keeping her position close under the arm of her mistress, when a particular 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’s remark.

“I must tell you about my puss, Mouser,” the visitor went on, seating herself close by the couch.  “I was ill in bed, as you are, and puss, who is a splendid great Maltese, was very anxious about me.  She feared I might be neglected, or that I should not take the right medicine, or that every thing might not be done in the best manner, and thought proper to oversee the whole business.  She was continually running from the shed to my chamber, as if she were half distracted, mewing and crying in the most heart-rending manner.”

“Why didn’t she stay on your bed, as Fidelle does?” inquired Minnie, in great interest.

“I was just coming to that, my dear.  Unfortunately for Mouser, she had at that very time five kittens, a family large enough, one would suppose, to occupy all her attention.  But even with the care of her kittens on her mind, Mouser would not forsake her old friend.  For a time, her distress and anxiety were so great, running here and there fifty times in a day, that it really began to wear upon her health, when an expedient happily was suggested to her mind.

“I had provided a large box in the shed for the little family, with a piece of soft carpet doubled for their bed.  Mouser paid me an early visit one morning, and, having taken a rapid, eager survey of the premises, hastened away again.  But she presently returned with a kitten in her mouth, and made a bold jump with it on the bed.

“‘I declare that great cat has brought her kitten up here,’ exclaimed my nurse, astonished at her effrontery.  ’I’ll soon teach her to keep them at home;’ and taking a broom, she was proceeding to drive the intruders out 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 from her mouth, as if her life depended on my words.  She seemed instantly to understand that I had conquered, for she laid the kitten down, and was gone in an instant.

“I understood the whole matter at once, but had hard work to make nurse believe that I really meant to have the cat and all her family on my bed.  It was with great reluctance she brought a foot blanket from the closet, and spread it over the white counterpane, all the while muttering, ’Well, I never heard any thing like it.  I don’t believe it’s healthy.  I won’t be answerable for the consequences.’

“When Mouser had brought the last one, and laid it on the blanket at the foot of the bed, she walked deliberately up to me, and began to lick my hand, while the look of gratitude and satisfaction she gave me amply repaid my interference in her behalf.  It said, as plainly as possible, ’Now I have all I love about me, and without distraction can attend to you, my dear mistress, and not neglect my family.  Now I am contented and happy.’

“I was sick two days after this.  At night, Mouser and her charge were removed to the corner of the room; but whenever I made any sound of distress, she was directly at my side, looking in my face, and mewing piteously.  I understood perfectly that she wished to express her sorrow and sympathy at my affliction.

“When I was able to be out of bed, her delight was so great that even the nurse was convinced of her affection.  She frisked about, played with her kittens, which she had not once done while I was in bed, followed me around the room, leaping upon me, and rubbing her glossy fur against my dress.  Do you wonder, Minnie, that I love Mouser; and other kittens for her sake?”

The lady was somewhat surprised, when the enthusiastic child, instead of answering, started suddenly and gave her a kiss.  From this time, a warm friendship was established between them.

When she had gone, the child had a refreshing nap, and then asked her mother to get the book and read her a story.

“Here is an affecting one,” remarked Mrs. Lee, after having looked over the pages, “where puss loved her mistress as much as Mrs. Davis’s Mouser did.

“A lady named Madame Helvetius had a favorite kitten, which constantly lay at her feet, seemingly always ready to defend her.  It never molested the 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 her chamber; but it made its way there the next morning, went on the bed, sat upon her chair, slowly and mournfully paced over her toilet, and cried 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, “she loves 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 read all 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 visit from a favorite cat.

“The poor creature being distracted with grief at the cruel separation from her master, and not being able to gain access to him through the gates of the prison, was at last sagacious enough to plan a method of visiting him.  She watched her chance, scaled the walls of the Tower, and finally reached him by descending through the accumulated soot and smoke of his chimney.  Whether instinct guided her aright the first time, or whether she was obliged to descend many chimneys in her eager search for the one she loved, we cannot tell; but her delight at last in finding him seemed abundantly to repay her for all her perils.”

“How very glad her master must have been to see her!” faltered the child, her eyes moist with emotion.  “I don’t see how any body can help loving cats.”