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THE 
 
 TORTOISESHELL KITTEN; 
 
 OR, THE 
 
 ADVENTURES OF PUSS FOR THREE MONTHS. 
 
 WITH A FINE FRONTISPIECE. 
 
 LONDON: 
 
 DEAN AND MUNDAY, THREADNEEDLE-STREET, 
 
 fi£ 
 
 
 1 
 
THE 
 
 TORTOISESHELL KITTEN. 
 
 One dark winter's evening, George and 
 Charles, and two of their cousins, were 
 amusing themselves by playing at for- 
 feits. In the midst of the game they 
 were startled by something rattling 
 against the casement. George instantly- 
 opened the window, and let in a poor 
 cat, half starved, and benumbed with 
 the cold. 
 
 To his great surprise he found out 
 that it was his own tortoiseshell-kitten, 
 that had been lost three months ago, 
 
6 
 
 and which it had been thought, was 
 worried to death by dogs. 
 
 He was astonished at seeing her again, 
 and ran to his father to ask how she 
 could have supported herself, and been 
 protected from the cold for so long a 
 time. 
 
 His father promised to tell him the 
 next evening; and told him to take poor 
 puss into the kitchen, and see that she 
 was properly taken care of. 
 
 George was surprised on going into 
 the study on the following day to see 
 puss sitting in a chair before his desk; 
 for he always put it away when he had 
 done with it. 
 
 Puss left the room; and George began 
 
to put the desk in its place; when he 
 saw a parcel he did not remember to 
 have put there; immediately took it to 
 his father, who desired him in the even- 
 ing to read its contents, which were ; 
 follows : — 
 
 THE ADVENTURES OF MYSELF, THE 
 TORTOISESHELL KITTEN. 
 
 My dear young Master, 
 With my parentage and education till 
 within the last three months you are well 
 acquainted; since I was bred in this 
 house, and was reared under your own 
 inspection: but as I heard you the even- 
 ing I returned express a wish that you 
 w T ere acquainted with the places that I 
 
8 
 
 visited, and the adventures that I passed 
 through, during my absence; you will 
 not be displeased by my endeavours to 
 gratify your curiosity. George looked 
 at Puss, who was laid quietly before 
 the fire. 
 
 One fine October morning I wandered 
 to some distance from home, prowling 
 about the hedges in search of mice and 
 birds, when, beneath a stack of corn, 
 where I had promised myself a plentiful 
 share of plunder, I saw the hoop of a 
 barrel laid. It was crossed, in various 
 places, with strings curiously looped and 
 twisted. These I did not then observe, 
 my attention being arrested by several 
 birds which I thought were busy pecking 
 
J 
 
 9 
 
 the corn that lay scattered around. In- 
 stantly determining to make one of them 
 my prey, I crept behind a little bush, 
 made a spring upon a luckless sparrow, 
 and, in the same instant, found myself 
 entangled in the strings, which I now 
 discovered to be snares for birds. In 
 the same predicament with myself were 
 two torn-tits, and three sparrows ; but I 
 was much too frightened to molest them, 
 and after struggling, in vain, to escape, 
 I was compelled to resign myself to my 
 fate. 
 
 After a few hours had elapsed, a troop 
 of school-boys came running up. The 
 moment that they saw me, they set up a 
 shout of laughter and exultation. The 
 
10 
 
 biggest of them instantly seized me, and 
 claimed me as his share of the spoil: 
 the others submitting with much mur- 
 muring and many discontented looks, 
 divided the birds among themselves, 
 though my new master would have a 
 share of these also ; and when one of the 
 boys attempted to dispute the fairness of 
 this proceeding, he silenced him with a 
 blow: yet I afterwards found that his 
 cowardice was equal to his cruelty and 
 oppression, that overbearing as he was 
 where he was master, he w r as meanly 
 submissive to those who were stronger 
 than himself; and that he sought to 
 over-reach by cunning where he could 
 not succeed by force. He now proposed, 
 
11 
 
 as he termed it, to make some sport. 
 This was to consist in fastening one of 
 the poor birds to a stick, and then in 
 letting me fly at it, but I was much too 
 intent on making my escape to attend 
 to any thing besides; therefore, the 
 moment he let me go, I ran away as 
 fast as I could, pursued by all these 
 cruel boys, who pelted me with stones, 
 till an unlucky hit upon the side stunned 
 me so much that I could run no longer, 
 and I was once more seized and con- 
 veyed away in triumph. 
 
 As I was recovered by another boy 
 who claimed me as his property, a quar- 
 rel ensued, which terminated in blows; 
 and I was relinquished into the hands of 
 
12 
 
 my former possessor; who, considering 
 me as the cause cf the dispute, declared 
 that as soon as he should get me home 
 he would have his revenge. 
 
 After a short walk, we arrived at a 
 large house, into which my master en- 
 tered, but the others dispersed in diffe- 
 rent directions. On entering the yard, 
 Master Dick, for this I now found was 
 his name, inquired for Bob the stable 
 boy, and walked along with him to the 
 stable, where they held a long consulta- 
 tion to determine how they could make 
 the most sport of me. To recount the 
 various wicked schemes that were pro- 
 posed of getting fun, as Bob called it, 
 out of me, would only serve to disgust 
 
13 
 
 you, who have been brought up in a just 
 abhorrence of all cruelty; suffice it to 
 say, many of them were such as must 
 have proved fatal to me, and the thoughts 
 of which made every hair upon me bris- 
 tle with terror. At length it was deter- 
 mined to set the great yard dog upon 
 me, that they might see us fight. The 
 dog was loosed; it was an immense mas- 
 tiff that was chained in the court. It 
 was led into the yard by master Dick, 
 who held it by the collar. On seeing 
 me, it snarled, it growled, and showed 
 its teeth, which in imagination I already 
 felt mangling me, and crushing my bones. 
 I then thought how often I had seized a 
 poor unfortunate mouse, and, in mere 
 
14 
 
 wantonness, played with my captive for 
 an hour together; and I inwardly re- 
 solved, that in future, should it be my 
 fortune to escape, I would never keep 
 any animal a single instant in suspense; 
 and, as it is my duty to destroy vermin, 
 that I would put them out of pain as 
 quickly as possible. Master Dick now 
 set the horrible animal upon me, whilst 
 Bob held me in his hands. I instantly 
 turned and bit him with all my strength 
 on the finger, on which he let me go 
 with a dreadful oath. I sprung upon the 
 manger, and from thence into the rack, 
 where I set both dog and Bob at defi- 
 ance, by striking with my claws between 
 the bars. These two abandoned boys 
 

 
 L> 
 
 15 
 
 swore at me in a most horrible manner, 
 and Bob went for a for a fork to displace 
 me with. During this interval of dread- 
 ful suspense as to the fate which awaited 
 me, master Dick's sister passed, and by 
 her tears and entreaties endeavoured to 
 persuade him to liberate me, but in 
 vain. 
 
 Wicked people, however clever they 
 think themselves, often meet with those 
 who are a match for them in cunning. 
 Thus, what Dick's sister could not obtain 
 by persuasion, she at length effected by 
 the threat of telling his father of his 
 cruelty. This was an argument which 
 there was no resisting, so he held the 
 dog while Bob, who had now returned, 
 
16 
 
 pulled me down, and I scampered across 
 the yard^ as fast as possible. Master 
 Dick, as I passed him, let go his hold of 
 the dog, pretending that he could not 
 restrain it. It instantly sprang upon me 
 with a tremendous growl, seized me by 
 the back, and shook me violently ; but I 
 know not how, it let me turn myself in 
 its mouth sufficiently, to allow me to 
 reach its eyes with my claws. It in- 
 stantly set up a most dreadful howl, and 
 I took the opportunity of escaping to the 
 roof of the barn. 
 
 At this moment, Master Dick's father 
 entered the yard, and, with the most 
 impudent effrontery his son advanced 
 to meet him, and told him a story, every 
 
^ 
 
 17 
 
 word of which was false, to account for 
 the dog's being loose, and the battle be- 
 tween the dog and me; the conclusion 
 of which, it was evidenf that his father 
 must have seen. 
 
 Wickedness may go unpunished for 
 some time, and a person may flatter 
 himself that he contrives matters so 
 cunningly as never to be detected. A liar 
 may devise his falsehoods so artfully, 
 that he may feel quite certain they can- 
 not be discovered: but such practices 
 will not always escape, and he who has 
 been successful for many times, will at 
 length meet with the reward he merits. 
 Thus it now proved, Bob confirmed what 
 Master Dick had said, and his sister 
 
18 
 
 would not betray her brother. Little 
 did they imagine, that their father had 
 been a silent auditor of all that had 
 passed, and that, unseen himself, he had 
 been a spectator of the whole affair. 
 
 I shall never forget the stern look of 
 anger with which he regarded the cul- 
 prits. Dick, conscience-struck, with a 
 look of terror, fell upon his knees ; his 
 sister, pale, and trembling, stood beside 
 him: while Bob. who read in his mas- 
 ter's countenance that he had nothing to 
 expect, with matchless impudence wished 
 him good morning, and walked out of 
 the yard. ' Let him go,' said his mas- 
 ter, as he cast a look of contempt after 
 him, ' but for you, sir, I have long had 
 
19 
 
 suspicions of your conduct ; kneel not to 
 me, it is too late to kneel. Did I not 
 blame myself for allowing you to go with 
 such associates, your punishment would 
 be severer; but, in future, I will endea- 
 vour to rectify my error. As I can place 
 no dependence on you after the false- 
 hoods you have just uttered, I will send 
 you where you shall have no opportu- 
 nity of doing ill, and no wicked asso- 
 ciates. To-morrow you leave home for 
 school, as a boarder, and I will take 
 care to give such directions as will pre- 
 vent your having the power to run into 
 error. Rise, sir, and follow me. 
 
 " I wonder," said George, " whether 
 puss has the marks of the dog's teeth 
 
20 
 
 remaining in her back." Puss was in- 
 stantly searched, and the incredulity of 
 the party, as to the authenticity of the 
 history, was almost shaken ; when, on 
 turning back her hair, the marks of teeth 
 were plainly visible. 
 
 The injuries that I had received pre- 
 vented me from travelling far, and with 
 difficulty I crawled to a neighbouring 
 rick, where I resigned myself to that 
 fate which seemed inevitably approach- 
 ing. Here, worn out with the fatigues 
 of that terrible day, notwithstanding the 
 pain I suffered from my bruises, I fell 
 asleep. How long I laid in this state I 
 do not know: when I awoke, the sun 
 was shining bright and warm, and the 
 
 
21 
 
 birds were singing sweetly in the hedge- 
 rows. I tried to rise, but found myself 
 unable, and I had no prospect but that 
 of being starved to death. In the even- 
 ing, however, the son of a neighbouring 
 farmer found me. I had now r , to my in- 
 expressible joy, fallen into the hands of 
 a very different person to my late pos- 
 sessor. He took me very gently up, 
 and, when the agony I suffered on being 
 moved, made me cry out, he put some 
 soft hay in his hat, and laid me in it. 
 He then placed me at the foot of the 
 stack till he had milked the cows — when 
 he poured a little milk into his hand, 
 and gave it me to drink. Thirsty and 
 famished as I was, I thought it the most 
 
22 
 
 delightful that I had ever tasted. I 
 thanked him as well as I was able, and 
 I think he understood me, for he stroked 
 my head, and said, c poor puss!' Ashe 
 carried me home, to my horror and sur- 
 prise, I heard the well remembered voice 
 of my late persecutor. c Hey Jem! what 
 have you got there, man, so carefully in 
 your hat? — a nest of young birds, I 
 suppose.'— ' No, Master Dick,' replied 
 Jem, ' I be not such a natural as to look 
 for nests in Autumn, or so wicked ak to 
 rob the poor birds of their nests at any 
 time; so let me pass on, Master Dick, 
 and dont hold me all day by the shoul- 
 der.' 'What,' answered Dick, c you can 
 never stop a moment to talk with one. 
 
23 
 
 I dare say, now, you have got some ap- 
 ples and pears, or something good in 
 your hat?' 'Not 1/ replied Jem, 'and 
 if I had, there would be none of 'em for 
 you/ ' I want none of your apples, but 
 I want to know why you keep your hat 
 so closely covered up?' 'Why,' said ho- 
 nest Jem, 'do you go so round about? 
 could you not ask one plump at once? 
 It's that poor cat, that I saw you and 
 your comrades chasing the other morn- 
 ing, and pelting with stones, and shamed 
 you might be, if any shame you have. 
 Look here at the poor beast — here she 
 lies, unable to stir a limb.' — ' I thought 
 as much,' answered Dick, ' and I tell 
 you, that cat is mine, and I desire you 
 
24 
 
 to give her to me; she cost me a flog- 
 gings and almost got me sent to school, 
 and I'll be revenged on her.' — 'Your 
 own ill ways got you a flogging/ replied 
 Jem, 'and I think it would not much 
 mend them to hurt the poor beast.' 'It 
 does not signify preaching/ answered 
 this wicked boy, ' the cat is mine, and 
 the cat I'll have/ 'Say you so,' said 
 Jem, ' then I say, the cat never was 
 yours, and I'll see no animal abused.' 
 ' Is that the way you talk to a gentle- 
 man,' said Dick, and relying on his su- 
 perior size and strength, he seized the 
 hat with one hand, and struck my pro- 
 tector with the other so furious a blow 
 upon the face, as to make him reel from 
 
25 
 
 its violence. Jem instantly set the hat 
 carefully clown, and returned the blow. 
 What followed I do not know, for I was 
 so terrified by the apprehension of falling 
 into the hands of my old foe, that I did 
 not dare to look up. The matter was at 
 length decided, and to my great relief, I 
 found myself carried off by Jem, who 
 had received some very severe blows in 
 my defence. c What!' said his father, 
 when he entered the door of his cottage, 
 ' what, Jem! thou surely hast not been 
 fighting. How came you by that black 
 eye?' ' Oh,' said Jem, ' but I have! and 
 with the squire's son, Master Dick; 9 and 
 he related the occasion of the battle. 
 6 Thou art a brave little fellow/ said his 
 
26 
 
 father, ' and next fair-day thou shalt 
 have a sixpence to spend. Jem pro- 
 ceeded to make a warm bed of hay by 
 the fire-side for me, and delivered me to 
 the care of his sister, who, by good nur- 
 sing, restored me to health. I could 
 not help remarking the difference be- 
 tween my late tyrant, and the kind per- 
 son to whom I owe my life. One lived 
 in a fine house, wore fine clothes, had 
 servants to wait on him, and play-fel- 
 lows to quarrel with, at command. He 
 spent his days in idleness, and feasting, 
 in playing and rioting; but, w 7 ith all this, 
 he was not happy. He was of a weak 
 constitution, from the manner in w T hich 
 he had been brought up; tyrannical and 
 
27 
 
 impatient, from never having been con- 
 tradicted; proud and overbearing, from 
 having no one to play with that had so 
 much money, and wore clothes so fine 
 as himself; he was indolent, because he 
 had nothing to do but to play, and was 
 continually sick with stuffing. Jem lived 
 in a cottage ; but he was active and in- 
 dustrious, because his father could not 
 afford to bring his children up in idle- 
 ness; his clothes were coarse, bat they 
 were warm and clean, which was all 
 Jem wanted ; his food was plain, but 
 Jem eat his brown bread and milk with 
 more pleasure than Dick feasted on his 
 dainties, because he had a good appetite, 
 with rising early and working hard. He 
 
28 
 
 had no servants to attend upon him, but 
 Jem did not want them, for he conld do 
 every thing for himself, and just as he 
 liked. In play, he was active and merry, 
 because he had so little of it that he en- 
 joyed it. Master Dick was disliked, and 
 Jem loved, by all the parish — but to 
 proceed: the day I returned home to 
 you, I had resumed my old habits, and 
 had prowled along the hedges in pursuit 
 of birds, till I had wandered out of my 
 knowledge. After several hours spent 
 in fruitless efforts to regain home, on 
 turning the corner of a wood, I unex- 
 pectedly found myself in sight of my 
 old habitation, to which I instantly pro- 
 ceeded, and arrived, as you know, at 
 
 
• 
 
 29 
 
 night -fall. Poor Jem, I am afraid, will 
 weep for the loss of me. — He knows not 
 what good fortune has befallen me, and 
 will suppose that I have fallen a prey to 
 the dogs, or that I have perished by the 
 hands of cruel boys. This reflection is 
 the only one that embitters my present 
 felicity, and could I give him an occa- 
 sional visit, nothing would be wanting to 
 complete my happiness. This ends ' The 
 Three Months' Adventures of the Tor- 
 toise-shell Kitten/ 
 
 I shall only add to the above, that 
 puss lived to a great age in the family of 
 Mr. Hervey, that Master Dick, in hunt 
 ing after birds' nests, fell from a stack 
 
30 
 
 of hay, and was severely injured, that as 
 soon as he had recovered, he was sent 
 to school, and that during his holidays, 
 having ridden a horse till it would run 
 no further, he alighted and flogged the 
 poor animal, till an unlucky kick cut 
 short his career of cruelty- Honest Jem 
 still lives, happy and respected, and had 
 the pleasure of discovering that puss was 
 not worried, but had found a happy 
 home. 
 
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