It was sometimes rather startling to find a large rat reposing in the middle of your parlor ; not always agreeable to have an excited cat bounce into your lap , lugging a half-dead rat in his mouth ; or to have visitors received by the Czar , tossing a mouse on the door-steps , like a playful child with its cup and ball . He was not fond of petting , but allowed one or two honored beings to cuddle him . My work-basket was his favorite bed , for a certain fat cushion suited him for a pillow , and , having coolly pulled out all the pins , the rascal would lay his handsome head on the red mound , and wink at me with an irresistibly saucy expression that made it impossible to scold . All summer we enjoyed his pranks and admired his manly virtues ; but in the winter we lost him , for , alas ! he found his victor in the end , and fell a victim to his own rash daring . One morning after a heavy snow-fall , Czar went out to take a turn up and down the path . As he sat with his back to the gate , meditatively watching some doves on the shed-roof , a big bull-dog entered the yard , and basely attacked him in the rear . Taken by surprise , the dear fellow did his best , and hit out bravely , till he was dragged into the deep snow where he could not fight , and there so cruelly maltreated that he would have been murdered outright , if I had not gone to the rescue . Catching up a broom , I belabored the dog so energetically that he was forced to turn from the poor Czar to me . What would have become of me I do n't know , for the dog was in a rage , and evidently meditating a grab at my ankles , when his master appeared and ordered him off . Never was a boy better scolded than that one , for I poured forth vials of wrath upon his head as I took up my bleeding pet , and pointed to his wounds as indignantly as Antony did to Cæsar 's . The boy fled affrighted , and I bore my poor Czar in to die . All day he lay on his cushion , patient and quiet , with his torn neck tied up in a soft bandage , a saucer of cream close by , and an afflicted mistress to tend and stroke him with tender lamentations . We had company in the evening , and my interesting patient was put into another room . Once , in the midst of conversation , I thought I heard a plaintive mew , but could not go to see , and soon forgot all about it ; but when the guests left , my heart was rent by finding Czar stretched out before the door quite dead . Feeling death approach , he had crept to say good-by , and with a farewell mew had died before the closed door , a brave and faithful cat to the end . He was buried with great pomp , and before his grave was green , little Blot came to take his place , though she never filled it . Blot 's career was a sad and brief one . Misfortune marked her for its own , and life was one too many for her . I saw some boys pelting a wretched object with mud .
I delivered a lecture on cruelty to animals , confiscated the victim , and , wrapping her in a newspaper , XXXXX the muddy little beast away in triumph .
Feeling attacked bore buried lost maltreated pelting received sat suited