diff options
| author | Roger Frank <rfrank@pglaf.org> | 2025-10-15 02:14:13 -0700 |
|---|---|---|
| committer | Roger Frank <rfrank@pglaf.org> | 2025-10-15 02:14:13 -0700 |
| commit | 04891bffc7d9fd12bce15bda6388979d53c48bdf (patch) | |
| tree | e86fb26344734f4d881a64fa331a21f202c96824 | |
| -rw-r--r-- | .gitattributes | 3 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | 24751-h.zip | bin | 0 -> 34204 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 24751-h/24751-h.htm | 2223 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | 24751-page-images/f0001.png | bin | 0 -> 7863 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 24751-page-images/f0002.png | bin | 0 -> 5491 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 24751-page-images/f0003.png | bin | 0 -> 4080 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 24751-page-images/p0005.png | bin | 0 -> 25107 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 24751-page-images/p0006.png | bin | 0 -> 39989 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 24751-page-images/p0007.png | bin | 0 -> 39831 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 24751-page-images/p0008.png | bin | 0 -> 38813 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 24751-page-images/p0009.png | bin | 0 -> 40394 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 24751-page-images/p0010.png | bin | 0 -> 38627 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 24751-page-images/p0011.png | bin | 0 -> 37067 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 24751-page-images/p0012.png | bin | 0 -> 38494 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 24751-page-images/p0013.png | bin | 0 -> 37622 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 24751-page-images/p0014.png | bin | 0 -> 35978 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 24751-page-images/p0015.png | bin | 0 -> 37489 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 24751-page-images/p0016.png | bin | 0 -> 38281 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 24751-page-images/p0017.png | bin | 0 -> 39194 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 24751-page-images/p0018.png | bin | 0 -> 36306 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 24751-page-images/p0019.png | bin | 0 -> 38015 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 24751-page-images/p0020.png | bin | 0 -> 8602 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 24751-page-images/p0021.png | bin | 0 -> 26162 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 24751-page-images/p0022.png | bin | 0 -> 36294 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 24751-page-images/p0023.png | bin | 0 -> 38392 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 24751-page-images/p0024.png | bin | 0 -> 37153 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 24751-page-images/p0025.png | bin | 0 -> 41138 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 24751-page-images/p0026.png | bin | 0 -> 40658 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 24751-page-images/p0027.png | bin | 0 -> 36971 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 24751-page-images/p0028.png | bin | 0 -> 34765 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 24751-page-images/p0029.png | bin | 0 -> 38726 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 24751-page-images/p0030.png | bin | 0 -> 39266 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 24751-page-images/p0031.png | bin | 0 -> 37111 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 24751-page-images/p0032.png | bin | 0 -> 35027 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 24751-page-images/p0033.png | bin | 0 -> 38488 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 24751-page-images/p0034.png | bin | 0 -> 35677 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 24751-page-images/p0035.png | bin | 0 -> 34669 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 24751-page-images/p0036.png | bin | 0 -> 36137 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 24751-page-images/p0037.png | bin | 0 -> 40587 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 24751-page-images/p0038.png | bin | 0 -> 37208 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 24751-page-images/p0039.png | bin | 0 -> 38120 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 24751-page-images/p0040.png | bin | 0 -> 36836 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 24751-page-images/p0041.png | bin | 0 -> 14263 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 24751-page-images/p0042.png | bin | 0 -> 26177 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 24751-page-images/p0043.png | bin | 0 -> 38357 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 24751-page-images/p0044.png | bin | 0 -> 39522 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 24751-page-images/p0045.png | bin | 0 -> 37583 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 24751-page-images/p0046.png | bin | 0 -> 36691 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 24751-page-images/p0047.png | bin | 0 -> 37890 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 24751-page-images/p0048.png | bin | 0 -> 38435 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 24751-page-images/p0049.png | bin | 0 -> 39927 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 24751-page-images/p0050.png | bin | 0 -> 37413 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 24751-page-images/p0051.png | bin | 0 -> 33833 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 24751-page-images/p0052.png | bin | 0 -> 39277 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 24751-page-images/p0053.png | bin | 0 -> 40644 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 24751-page-images/p0054.png | bin | 0 -> 39445 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 24751-page-images/p0055.png | bin | 0 -> 18961 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 24751-page-images/p0056.png | bin | 0 -> 20906 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 24751-page-images/p0057.png | bin | 0 -> 39207 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 24751-page-images/p0058.png | bin | 0 -> 38572 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 24751-page-images/p0059.png | bin | 0 -> 36907 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 24751-page-images/p0060.png | bin | 0 -> 34259 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 24751-page-images/p0061.png | bin | 0 -> 38165 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 24751-page-images/p0062.png | bin | 0 -> 34824 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 24751-page-images/p0063.png | bin | 0 -> 35880 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 24751-page-images/p0064.png | bin | 0 -> 10391 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 24751.txt | 1690 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | 24751.zip | bin | 0 -> 31471 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | LICENSE.txt | 11 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | README.md | 2 |
70 files changed, 3929 insertions, 0 deletions
diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6833f05 --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,3 @@ +* text=auto +*.txt text +*.md text diff --git a/24751-h.zip b/24751-h.zip Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..3be3cea --- /dev/null +++ b/24751-h.zip diff --git a/24751-h/24751-h.htm b/24751-h/24751-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..c6e1a82 --- /dev/null +++ b/24751-h/24751-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,2223 @@ +<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Strict//EN" + "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-strict.dtd"> + +<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"> + <head> + <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html;charset=iso-8859-1" /> + <title> + The Project Gutenberg eBook of The Kitchen Cat and Other Stories, by Amy Walton + </title> + <style type="text/css"> +/*<![CDATA[ XML blockout */ +<!-- + p {margin-top: .75em; text-align: justify; margin-bottom: .75em;} + h2 {text-align: center; clear: both;} + h1 {text-align: center; clear: both; line-height: 2em; margin-bottom: 2em;} + h3 {text-align: center; clear: both; font-size: large; margin-top: 3em;} + h4 {text-align: center; clear: both; font-size: large;} + hr {width: 65%; margin: 2em auto; clear: both;} + .min {width: 45%; margin: 1em auto;} + table {margin: 2em auto 0;} + .td1 {text-align: left; padding-right: 6em;} + .td2 {text-align: right;} + body {margin-left: 10%; margin-right: 10%;} + .pagenum {position: absolute; right: 1%; font-size: small; font-style: normal; text-align: right; text-indent: 0em;} + .center {text-align: center;} + .smcap {font-variant: small-caps;} + .poem {margin: 1em auto; width: 13em; text-align: left;} + .poem br {display: none;} + .poem span.i0 {display: block; margin-left: 0em;} + .poem span.i2 {display: block; margin-left: 2em;} + .poem span.i4 {display: block; margin-left: 4em;} + a:link {text-decoration: none;} + a:visited {text-decoration: none;} + .hd1 {text-align: center; font-weight: bold;} + .hd2 {text-align: center; font-weight: bold; font-size: x-large; margin-top: 4em;} + .hd3 {text-align: center; font-weight: bold; font-size: small; margin-top: 6em;} + .pb1 {text-align: left; margin-left: 10%; padding-left: 2em; text-indent: -2em; font-size: small;} + .pb2 {text-align: left; margin-left: 10%; padding-left: 8em; text-indent: -8em; font-size: small;} + // --> + /* XML end ]]>*/ + </style> + </head> +<body> + + +<pre> + +Project Gutenberg's The Kitchen Cat and Other Stories, by Amy Walton + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: The Kitchen Cat and Other Stories + +Author: Amy Walton + +Release Date: March 4, 2008 [EBook #24751] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE KITCHEN CAT AND OTHER STORIES *** + + + + +Produced by David Edwards, Stephen Blundell and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This +file was produced from images generously made available +by The Internet Archive) + + + + + + +</pre> + + +<h1>THE KITCHEN CAT<br /> +<small>AND OTHER STORIES</small></h1> + +<p class="hd1">BY</p> + +<h2>AMY WALTON</h2> + +<p class="hd1">Author of "The Hawthorns" "Susan"<br /> +"A Pair of Clogs" &c.</p> + +<p class="hd2">BLACKIE & SON LIMITED<br /> +<small>LONDON AND GLASGOW</small></p> + +<hr /> + +<p class="pb1"><b><span class="smcap">Blackie & Son Limited</span><br /> +<i>50 Old Bailey, London<br /> +17 Stanhope Street, Glasgow</i></b></p> + +<p class="pb1"><b><span class="smcap">Blackie & Son (India) Limited</span><br /> +<i>Warwick House, Fort Street, Bombay</i></b></p> + +<p class="pb2"><b><span class="smcap">Blackie & Son (Canada) Limited</span><br /> +<i>Toronto</i></b></p> + +<p class="hd3"><i>Printed in Great Britain by Blackie & Son, Ltd., Glasgow</i></p> + +<hr /> +<h2>Contents</h2> + +<div class='center'> +<table border="0" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0" summary=""> +<tr><td class="td2" colspan="2"><small>Page</small></td></tr> +<tr><td class="td1">THE KITCHEN CAT</td><td class="td2"><a href="#Page_5">5</a></td></tr> +<tr><td class="td1">SARAH'S SUNDAY OUT</td><td class="td2"><a href="#Page_42">42</a></td></tr> +<tr><td class="td1">THE TOAD IN THE HOLE</td><td class="td2"><a href="#Page_56">56</a></td></tr> +</table></div> + +<hr /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_5" id="Page_5">[5]</a></span></p> +<h2>THE KITCHEN CAT</h2> + +<h3>CHAPTER I</h3> + +<h4>The Visitor from the Cellar</h4> + +<p>The whole house in London was dull and +gloomy, its lofty rooms and staircases were filled +with a sort of misty twilight all day, and the sun +very seldom looked in at its windows. Ruth +Lorimer thought, however, that the very dullest +room of all was the nursery, in which she had +to pass so much of her time. It was so high +up that the people and carts and horses in the +street below looked like toys. She could not +even see these properly, because there were +iron bars to prevent her from stretching her +head out too far, so that all she could do was +to look straight across to the row of tall houses +opposite, or up at the sky between the chimney-pots.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_6" id="Page_6">[6]</a></span> +How she longed for something different +to look at!</p> + +<p>The houses always looked the same, and +though the sky changed sometimes, it was often +of a dirty grey colour, and then Ruth gave a +little sigh and looked back from the window-seat +where she was kneeling, into the nursery, +for something to amuse her. It was full of all +sorts of toys—dolls, and dolls' houses elegantly +furnished, pictures and books and many pretty +things; but in spite of all these she often found +nothing to please her, for what she wanted more +than anything else was a companion of her own +age, and she had no brothers or sisters.</p> + +<p>The dolls, however much she pretended, were +never glad, or sorry, or happy, or miserable—they +could not answer her when she talked to +them, and their beautiful bright eyes had a hard +unfeeling look which became very tiring, for +it never changed.</p> + +<p>There was certainly Nurse Smith. She was +alive and real enough; there was no necessity +to "pretend" anything about her. She was +always there, sitting upright and flat-backed +beside her work-basket, frowning a little, not +because she was cross, but because she was<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_7" id="Page_7">[7]</a></span> +rather near-sighted. She had come when Ruth +was quite a baby, after Mrs. Lorimer's death, +and Aunt Clarkson often spoke of her as "a +treasure". However that might be, she was +not an amusing companion; though she did her +best to answer all Ruth's questions, and was +always careful of her comfort, and particular +about her being neatly dressed.</p> + +<p>Perhaps it was not her fault that she did not +understand games, and was quite unable to act +the part of any other character than her own. +If she did make the attempt, she failed so +miserably that Ruth had to tell her what to say, +which made it so flat and uninteresting that +she found it better to play alone. But she often +became weary of this; and there were times +when she was tired of her toys, and tired of +Nurse Smith, and did not know what in the +world to do with herself.</p> + +<p>Each day passed much in the same way. +Ruth's governess came to teach her for an hour +every morning, and then after her early dinner +there was a walk with Nurse, generally in one +direction. And after tea it was time to go and +see her father—quite a long journey, through +the silent house, down the long stairs to the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_8" id="Page_8">[8]</a></span> +dining-room where he sat alone at his dessert.</p> + +<p>Ruth could not remember her mother, and +she saw so little of her father that he seemed +almost a stranger to her. He was so wonderfully +busy, and the world he lived in was such +a great way off from hers in the nursery.</p> + +<p>In the morning he hurried away just as she +was at her breakfast, and all she knew of him +was the resounding slam of the hall door, which +came echoing up the staircase. Very often in +the evening he came hastily into the nursery to +say good-bye on his way out to some dinner-party, +and at night she woke up to hear his step +on the stairs as he came back late. But when +he dined at home Ruth always went downstairs +to dessert. Then, as she entered the large +sombre dining-room, where there were great +oil paintings on the walls and heavy hangings +to the windows, and serious-looking ponderous +furniture, her father would look up from his +book, or from papers spread on the table, and +nod kindly to her:</p> + +<p>"Ah! it's you, Ruth. Quite well, eh? There's +a good child. Have an orange? That's right."</p> + +<p>Then he would plunge into his reading again, +and Ruth would climb slowly on to a great<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_9" id="Page_9">[9]</a></span> +mahogany chair placed ready for her, and +watch him as she cut up her orange.</p> + +<p>She wondered very much why people wrote +him such long, long letters, all on blue paper +and tied up with pink tape. She felt sure they +were not nice letters, for his face always looked +worried over them; and when he had finished +he threw them on the floor, as though he were +glad. This made her so curious that she once +ventured to ask him what they were. They +were called "briefs", he told her. But she was +not much wiser; for, hearing from Nurse Smith +that "brief" was another word for short, she +felt sure there must be some mistake.</p> + +<p>Exactly as the clock struck eight Nurse's +knock came at the door, Ruth got down from +her chair and said good-night.</p> + +<p>Sometimes her father was so deeply engaged +in his reading that he stared at her with a far-away +look in his eyes, as if he scarcely knew +who she was. After a minute he said absently: +"Bed-time, eh? Good-night. Good-night, my +dear." Sometimes when he was a little less +absorbed he put a sixpence or a shilling into +her hand as he kissed her, and added: "There's +something to spend at the toy-shop."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_10" id="Page_10">[10]</a></span></p> + +<p>Ruth received these presents without much +surprise or joy. She was used to buying things, +and did not find it very interesting; for she +could not hope for any sign of pleasure from +her dolls when she brought them new clothes +or furniture.</p> + +<p>It is a little dull when all one's efforts for +people are received with a perfectly unmoved +face. She had once brought Nurse Smith a +small china image, hoping that it would be +an agreeable surprise; but that had not been +successful either. "Lor', my dear, don't you +go spending your money on me," she said. +"Chany ornaments ain't much good for anything, +to my thinking, 'cept to ketch the +dust."</p> + +<p>Thus it came to pass that Ruth never talked +much about what interested her either to her +father or to Nurse Smith, and as she had no +brothers and sisters she was obliged to amuse +herself with fancied conversations. Sometimes +these were carried on with her dolls, but her +chief friend was a picture which she passed +every night on the staircase. It was of a man +in a flat cap and a fur robe, and he had a pointed +smooth chin and narrow eyes, which seemed to<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_11" id="Page_11">[11]</a></span> +follow her slyly on her way. She did not like +him and she did not actually fear him, but she +had a feeling that he listened to what she said, +and that she must tell him any news she had. +There was never much except on "Aunt Clarkson's +day", as she called it.</p> + +<p>Aunt Clarkson was her father's sister. She +lived in the country, and had many little boys +and girls whom Ruth had seldom seen, though +she heard a great deal about them.</p> + +<p>Once every month this aunt came up to +London for the day, had long conversations +with Nurse, and looked carefully at all Ruth's +clothes.</p> + +<p>She was a sharp-eyed lady, and her visits +made a stir in the house which was like a cold +wind blowing, so that Ruth was glad when +they were over, though her aunt always spoke +kindly to her, and said: "Some day you must +come and see your little cousins in the +country."</p> + +<p>She had said this so often without its having +happened, however, that Ruth had come to +look upon it as a mere form of speech—part +of Aunt Clarkson's visit, like saying "How d'ye +do?" or "Good-bye."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_12" id="Page_12">[12]</a></span></p> + +<p>It was shortly after one of these occasions +that quite by chance Ruth found a new friend, +who was better than either the dolls or the man +in the picture, because, though it could not +answer her, it was really alive. She discovered +it in this way.</p> + +<p>One afternoon she and Nurse Smith had come +in from their usual walk, and were toiling +slowly up from the hall to the nursery. The +stairs got steeper at the last flight, and Nurse +went more slowly still, and panted a good deal, +for she was stouter than she need have been, +though Ruth would never have dreamed of +saying so. Ruth was in front, and she had +nearly reached the top when something came +hurrying towards her which surprised her very +much. It was a long, lean, grey cat. It had +a guilty look, as though it knew it had been +trespassing, and squeezed itself as close as it +could against the wall as it passed.</p> + +<p>"Pretty puss!" said Ruth softly, and put out +her hand to stop it.</p> + +<p>The cat at once arched up its back and gave +a friendly little answering mew. Ruth wondered +where it came from. It was ugly, she thought, +but it seemed a pleasant cat and glad to be<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_13" id="Page_13">[13]</a></span> +noticed. She rubbed its head gently. It felt +hard and rough like Nurse's old velvet bonnet; +there was indeed no sleekness about it anywhere, +and it was so thin that its sides nearly +met.</p> + +<p>"Poor puss!" said Ruth stroking it tenderly.</p> + +<p>The cat replied by pushing its head gently +against her arm, and presently began a low +purring song. Delighted, Ruth bent her ear to +listen.</p> + +<p>"Whoosh! Shish! Get along! Scat!" suddenly +sounded from a few steps below. Nurse's +umbrella was violently flourished, the cat flew +downstairs with a spit like an angry firework, +and Ruth turned round indignantly.</p> + +<p>"You <i>shouldn't</i> have done that," she said, +stamping her foot; "I wanted to talk to it. +Whose is it?"</p> + +<p>"It's that nasty kitchen cat," said Nurse, +much excited, and grasping her umbrella spitefully. +"I'm not going to have it prowling about +on <i>my</i> landing. An ugly thieving thing, as has +no business above stairs at all."</p> + +<p>Ruth pressed her face against the balusters. +In the distance below she could see the small +grey form of the kitchen cat making its way<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_14" id="Page_14">[14]</a></span> +swiftly and silently downstairs. It went so fast +that it seemed to float rather than to run, and +was soon out of sight.</p> + +<p>"I should like to have played with it up in +the nursery," she said, with a sigh, as she continued +her way. "I wish you hadn't frightened +it away."</p> + +<p>"Lor', Miss Ruth, my dear," answered Nurse, +"what can a little lady like you want with a +nasty, low, kitchen cat! Come up and play +with some of your beautiful toys, there's a +dear! Do."</p> + +<p>Nevertheless Ruth thought about the cat a +great deal that afternoon, and the toys seemed +even less interesting than usual. When tea was +over, and Nurse had taken up her sewing again, +she began to make a few inquiries.</p> + +<p>"Where does that cat live?" she asked.</p> + +<p>"In the kitchen, to be sure," said Nurse; +"and the cellar, and coal-hole, and such like. +Alonger the rats and mice—and the beadles," +she added, as an after-thought.</p> + +<p>"The beadles!" repeated Ruth doubtfully. +"<i>What</i> beadles?"</p> + +<p>"Why, the <i>black</i> beadles, to be sure," replied +Nurse cheerfully.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_15" id="Page_15">[15]</a></span></p> + +<p>Ruth was silent. It seemed dismal company +for the kitchen cat. Then she said:</p> + +<p>"Are there many of them?"</p> + +<p>"Swarms!" said Nurse, breaking off her +thread with a snap. "The kitchen's black with +'em at night."</p> + +<p>What a dreadful picture!</p> + +<p>"Who feeds the cat?" asked Ruth again.</p> + +<p>"Oh, I don't suppose nobody <i>feeds</i> it," answered +Nurse. "It lives on what it ketches +every now and then."</p> + +<p>No wonder it looked thin! Poor kitchen cat! +How very miserable and lonely it must be with +no one to take care of it, and how dreadful +for it to have such nasty things to eat! And +the supply even of these must be short sometimes, +Ruth went on to consider. What did +it do when it could find no more mice or rats? +Of the beetles she could not bear even to think. +As she turned these things seriously over in her +mind she began to wish she could do something +to alter them, to make the cat's life more comfortable +and pleasant. If she could have it to +live with her in the nursery for instance, she +could give it some of her own bread and milk, +and part of her own dinner; then it would get<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_16" id="Page_16">[16]</a></span> +fatter and perhaps prettier too. She would tie +a ribbon round its neck, and it should sleep in +a basket lined with red flannel, and never be +scolded or chased about or hungry any more. +All these pictures were suddenly destroyed by +Nurse's voice:</p> + +<p>"But I hope you'll not encourage it up here, +Miss Ruth, for I couldn't abide it, and I'm sure +your Aunt Clarkson wouldn't approve of it +neither. I've had a horror of cats myself from +a gal. They're that stealthy and treacherous, +you never know where they mayn't be hiding, +or when they won't spring out at you. If ever +I catch it up here I shall bannock it down +again."</p> + +<p>There was evidently no sympathy to be +looked for from Nurse Smith; but Ruth was +used to keeping her thoughts and plans to herself, +and did not miss it much. As she could not +talk about it, however, she thought of her new +acquaintance all the more; it was indeed seldom +out of her mind, and while she seemed to be +quietly amusing herself in her usual way, she +was occupied with all sorts of plans and arrangements +for the cat when it should come to live +in the nursery. Meanwhile it was widely<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_17" id="Page_17">[17]</a></span> +separated from her; how could she let it know +that she wanted to see it again? When she +went up and down stairs she peered and peeped +about to see if she could catch a glimpse of +its hurrying grey figure, and she never came +in from a walk without expecting to meet it +on her way to the nursery. But she never did. +The kitchen cat kept to its own quarters and +its own society. Perhaps it had been too often +"bannocked" down again to venture forth. +And yet Ruth felt sure that it had been glad +when she had spoken kindly to it. What a +pity that Nurse did not like cats!</p> + +<p>She confided all this as usual to the man in +the picture, who received it with his narrow +observant glance and seemed to give it serious +consideration. Perhaps it was he who at last +gave her a splendid idea, which she hastened +to carry out as well as she could, though remembering +Nurse's strong expression of dislike +she felt obliged to do so with the greatest +secrecy.</p> + +<p>As a first step, she examined the contents of +her little red purse. A whole shilling, a sixpence, +and a threepenny bit. That would be +more than enough. Might they go to some<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_18" id="Page_18">[18]</a></span> +shops that afternoon, she asked, when she and +Nurse were starting for their walk.</p> + +<p>"To be sure, Miss Ruth; and what sort +of shops do you want? Toy-shops, I suppose."</p> + +<p>"N-no," said Ruth; "I think not. It must +be somewhere where they sell note-paper, +and a baker's, I <i>think</i>; but I'm not quite +sure."</p> + +<p>Arrived at the stationer's, Ruth was a long +time before deciding on what she would have; +but at last, after the woman had turned over +a whole boxful, she came to some pink note-paper +with brightly painted heads of animals +upon it, and upon the envelopes also.</p> + +<p>"Oh!" cried Ruth when she saw it, clasping +her hands with delight. "<i>That</i> would do beautifully. +Only—<i>have</i> you any with a cat?"</p> + +<p>Yes, there <i>was</i> some with a nice fluffy cat +upon it, and she left the shop quite satisfied +with her first purchase.</p> + +<p>"And now," said Nurse briskly, whose patience +had been a good deal tried, "we must +make haste back, it's getting late."</p> + +<p>But Ruth had still something on her mind. +She <i>must</i> go to one more shop, she said, though<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_19" id="Page_19">[19]</a></span> +she did not know exactly which. At last she +fixed on a baker's.</p> + +<p>"What should you think," she asked on the +way, "that a cat likes to eat better than anything +in the world?"</p> + +<p>"Why, a mouse to be sure," answered Nurse +promptly.</p> + +<p>"Well, but <i>next</i> to mice?" persisted Ruth.</p> + +<p>"Fish," said Nurse Smith.</p> + +<p>"That would never do," thought Ruth to +herself as she looked at a fish-shop they were +passing, "It's so wet and slippery I couldn't +possibly carry it home. Perhaps Nurse doesn't +<i>really</i> know what cats like best. Anyhow, I'm +sure it's never tasted anything so nice as a Bath +bun." A Bath bun was accordingly bought, +carried home, and put carefully away in the +doll's house. And now Ruth felt that she had +an important piece of business before her. She +spread out a sheet of the new writing-paper on +the window-seat, knelt in front of it with a +pencil in her hand, and ruled some lines. She +could not write very well, and was often uncertain +how to spell even short words; so she +bit the end of her pencil and sighed a good +deal before the letter was finished. At last it<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_20" id="Page_20">[20]</a></span> +was done, and put into the envelope. But now +came a new difficulty: How should it be +addressed? After much thought she wrote the +following:</p> + +<div class="poem"> +<span class="i0"><span class="smcap">The Kitchen Cat</span>,<br /></span> +<span class="i2">The Kitchen,<br /></span> +<span class="i4">17 Gower Street.<br /></span> +</div> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_21" id="Page_21">[21]</a></span></p> +<h3>CHAPTER II</h3> + +<h4>Her Best Friend</h4> + +<p>After this letter had been dropped into the +pillar-box just in front of the house, Ruth +began to look out still more eagerly for the +kitchen cat, but days passed and she caught no +glimpse of it anywhere.</p> + +<p>It was disappointing, and troublesome too, +because she had to carry the Bath bun about +with her so long. Not only was it getting hard +and dry, but it was such an awkward thing +for her pocket that she had torn her frock in +the effort to force it in.</p> + +<p>"You might a' been carrying brick-bats +about with you, Miss Ruth," said Nurse, "by +the way you've slit your pocket open."</p> + +<p>This went on till Ruth began to despair. +"I'll try it one more evening," she said to herself, +"and if it doesn't come then I shall give +it up."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_22" id="Page_22">[22]</a></span></p> + +<p>Once more, therefore, when she was ready to +go downstairs, she took the bun out of the dolls' +house, where she kept it wrapped up in tissue +paper, and squeezed it into her pocket. Rather +hopelessly, but still keeping a careful look-out, +she proceeded slowly on her way, when behold, +just as she reached the top of the last flight, +a little cringing grey figure crossed the hall +below.</p> + +<p>"It's come!" she exclaimed in an excited +whisper. "It's come at last!"</p> + +<p>But though it had come, it seemed now the +cat's greatest desire to go, for it was hurrying +towards the kitchen stairs.</p> + +<p>"Puss! puss!" called out Ruth in an entreating +voice as she hastily ran down. "Stop a +minute! <i>Pretty</i> puss!"</p> + +<p>Startled at the noise and the patter of the +quick little feet, the cat paused in its flight +and turned its scared yellow-green eyes upon +Ruth.</p> + +<p>She had now reached the bottom step, where +she stood struggling to get the Bath bun out +of her small pocket, her face pink with the +effort and anxiety lest the cat should go before +she succeeded.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_23" id="Page_23">[23]</a></span></p> + +<p>"<i>Pretty</i> puss!" she repeated as she tugged at +the parcel. "Don't go away."</p> + +<p>One more desperate wrench, which gashed +open the corner of the pocket, and the bun was +out. The cat looked on with one paw raised, +ready to fly at the first sign of danger, as with +trembling fingers Ruth managed to break a +piece off the horny surface. She held it out. +The cat came nearer, sniffed at it suspiciously, +and then to her great joy took the morsel, +crouched down, and munched it up. "How +good it must taste," she thought, "after the +mice and rats."</p> + +<p>By degrees it was induced to make further +advances, and before long to come on to the +step where Ruth sat, and make a hearty meal +of the bun which she crumbled up for it.</p> + +<p>"I'm afraid it's dry," she said; "but I +couldn't bring any milk, you know, and you +must get some water afterwards."</p> + +<p>The cat seemed to understand, and replied +by pushing its head against her, and purred +loudly. How thin it was! Ruth wondered as +she looked gravely at it whether it would soon +be fatter if she fed it every day. She became +so interested in talking to it, and watching its<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_24" id="Page_24">[24]</a></span> +behaviour, that she nearly forgot she had to +go into the dining-room, and jumped up with +a start.</p> + +<p>"Good-night," she said. "If you'll come +again I'll bring you something else another +day." She looked back as she turned the +handle of the heavy door. The cat was sitting +primly upright on the step washing its face +after its meal. "I expect it doesn't feel so +hungry now," thought Ruth as she went into +the room.</p> + +<p>The acquaintance thus fairly begun was +soon followed by other meetings, and the cat +was often in the hall when Ruth came downstairs, +though it did not appear every evening. +The uncertainty of this was most exciting, +and "Will it be there to-night?" was her +frequent thought during the day. As time went +on, and they grew to know each other better, +she began to find the kitchen cat a far superior +companion to either her dolls or the man in +the picture. True, it could not answer her any +more than they did—in words, but it had a +language of its own which she understood +perfectly. She knew when it was pleased, and +when it said "Thank you" for some delicacy<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_25" id="Page_25">[25]</a></span> +she brought for it; its yellow eyes beamed +with sympathy and interest when she described +the delights of that beautiful life it would enjoy +in the nursery; and when she pitied it for the +darkness of its present dwelling below, she +knew it understood by the way it rubbed against +her and arched up its back. There were many +more pleasures in each day now that she had +made this acquaintance. Shopping became +interesting, because she could look forward to +the cat's surprise and enjoyment when the +parcel was opened in the evening; everything +that happened was treasured up to tell it when +they met, or, if it was not there, to write to it +on the pink note-paper; the very smartest sash +belonging to her best doll was taken to adorn +the cat's thin neck; and the secrecy which surrounded +all this made it doubly delightful. Ruth +had never been a greedy child, and if Nurse +Smith wondered sometimes that she now spent +all her money on cakes, she concluded that they +must be for a dolls' feast, and troubled herself +no further. Miss Ruth was always so fond of +"making believe". So things went on very +quietly and comfortably, and though Ruth +could not discover that the kitchen cat got any<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_26" id="Page_26">[26]</a></span> +fatter, it had certainly improved in some ways +since her attentions. Its face had lost its scared +look, and it no longer crept about as close to +the ground as possible, but walked with an +assured tread and its tail held high. It could +never be a pretty cat to the general eye, but +when it came trotting noiselessly to meet Ruth, +uttering its short mew of welcome, she thought +it beautiful, and would not have changed it for +the sleekest, handsomest cat in the kingdom.</p> + +<p>But it was the kitchen cat still. All this did +not bring it one step nearer to the nursery. It +must still live, Ruth often thought with sorrow, +amongst the rats and mice and beetles. Nothing +could ever happen which would induce Nurse +Smith to allow it to come upstairs. And yet +something did happen which brought this very +thing to pass in a strange way which would +never have entered her mind.</p> + +<p>The spring came on with a bright sun and cold +sharp winds, and one day Ruth came in from +her walk feeling shivery and tired. She could +not eat her dinner, and her head had a dull +ache in it, and she thought she would like to +go to bed. She did not feel ill, she said, but she +was first very hot and then very cold. Nurse<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_27" id="Page_27">[27]</a></span> +Smith sent for the doctor; and he came and +looked kindly at her, and felt her pulse and +said she must stay in bed and he would send +some medicine. And she went to sleep, and +had funny dreams in which she plainly saw +the kitchen cat dressed in Aunt Clarkson's +bonnet and cloak. It stood by her bed and +talked in Aunt Clarkson's voice, and she saw +its grey fur paws under the folds of the cloak. +She wished it would go away, and wondered +how she could have been so fond of it. When +Nurse came to give her something she said +feebly:</p> + +<p>"Send the cat away."</p> + +<p>"Bless you, my dear, there's no cat here," +she answered. "There's nobody been here but +me and Mrs. Clarkson."</p> + +<p>At last there came a day when she woke up +from a long sleep and found that the pain in +her head was gone, and that the things in the +room which had been taking all manner of +queer shapes looked all right again.</p> + +<p>"And how do you feel, Miss Ruth, my dear?" +asked Nurse, who sat sewing by the bedside.</p> + +<p>"I'm quite well, thank you," said Ruth. +"Why am I in bed in the middle of the day?"<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_28" id="Page_28">[28]</a></span></p> + +<p>"Well, you haven't been just quite well, you +know," said Nurse.</p> + +<p>"Haven't I?" said Ruth. She considered +this for some time, and when Nurse came to +her with some beef-tea in her hand, she asked:</p> + +<p>"Have I been in bed more than a day?"</p> + +<p>"You've been in bed a week," said Nurse. +"But you'll get along finely now, and be up +and about again in no time."</p> + +<p>Ruth drank her beef-tea and thought it over. +Suddenly she dropped her spoon into the cup. +The kitchen cat! How it must have missed +her if she had been in bed a week. Unable +to bear the idea in silence, she sat up in bed +with a flushed face and asked eagerly:</p> + +<p>"Have you seen the cat?"</p> + +<p>Nurse instantly rose with a concerned expression, +and patted her soothingly on the +shoulder.</p> + +<p>"There now, my dear, we won't have any +more fancies about cats and such. You drink +your beef-tea up and I'll tell you something +pretty."</p> + +<p>Ruth took up her spoon again. It was of +no use to talk to Nurse about it, but it was +dreadful to think how disappointed the cat<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_29" id="Page_29">[29]</a></span> +must have been evening after evening. Meanwhile +Nurse went on in a coaxing tone:</p> + +<p>"If so be as you make haste and get well, +you're to go alonger me and stay with your +Aunt Clarkson in the country. There now!"</p> + +<p>Ruth received the news calmly. It did not +seem a very pleasant prospect, or even a very +real one to her.</p> + +<p>"There'll be little boys and girls to play +with," pursued Nurse, trying to heighten the +picture; "and flowers—and birds and such—and +medders, and a garding, and all manner."</p> + +<p>But nothing could rouse Ruth to more than +a very languid interest in these delights. Her +thoughts were all with her little friend downstairs; +and she felt certain that it had often +been hungry, and no doubt thought very badly +of her for her neglect. If she could only see +it and explain that it had not been her fault!</p> + +<p>The next day Aunt Clarkson herself came. +She always had a great deal on her mind when +she came up to town, and liked to get through +her shopping in time to go back in the afternoon, +so she could never stay long with Ruth. +She came bustling in, looking very strong, and +speaking in a loud cheerful voice, and all the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_30" id="Page_30">[30]</a></span> +while she was there she gave quick glances +round her at everything in the room. Ruth +was well enough to be up, and was sitting in +a big chair by the nursery fire, with picture-books +and toys near; but she was not looking +at them. Her eyes were fixed thoughtfully on +the fire, and her mind was full of the kitchen +cat. She had tried to write to it, but the words +would not come, and her fingers trembled so +much that she could not hold the pencil straight. +The vexation and disappointment of this had +made her head ache, and altogether she presented +rather a mournful little figure.</p> + +<p>"Well, Nurse, and how are we going on?" +said Aunt Clarkson, sitting down in the chair +Nurse placed for her. Remembering her dream, +Ruth could not help giving a glance at Aunt +Clarkson's hands. They were fat, round hands, +and she kept them doubled up, so that they +really looked rather like a cat's paws.</p> + +<p>"Well, ma'am," replied Nurse, "Miss Ruth's +better; but she's not, so to say, as cheerful as I +could wish. Still a few <i>fancies</i> ma'am," she +added in an undertone, which Ruth heard +perfectly.</p> + +<p>"Fancies, eh?" repeated Aunt Clarkson in<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_31" id="Page_31">[31]</a></span> +her most cheerful voice. "Oh, we shall get +rid of them at Summerford. You'll have real +things to play with there, Ruth, you know. +Lucy, and Cissie, and Bobbie will be better +than fancies, won't they?"</p> + +<p>Ruth gave a faint little nod. She did not +know what her aunt meant by "fancies". The +cat was quite as real as Lucy, or Cissie, or +Bobbie. Should she ask her about it, or did +she hate cats like Nurse Smith? She gazed +wistfully at Mrs. Clarkson's face, who had now +drawn a list from her pocket, and was running +through the details half aloud with an absorbed +frown.</p> + +<p>"I shall wait and see the doctor, Nurse," +she said presently; "and if he comes soon I +shall <i>just</i> get through my business, and catch +the three o'clock express."</p> + +<p>No, it would be of no use, Ruth concluded, +as she let her head fall languidly back against +the pillow—Aunt Clarkson was far too busy to +think about the cat.</p> + +<p>Fortunately for her business, the doctor did +not keep her waiting long. Ruth was better, +he said, and all she wanted now was cheering +up a little—she looked dull and moped. "If<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_32" id="Page_32">[32]</a></span> +she could have a little friend, now, to see her, +or a cheerful companion," glancing at Nurse +Smith, "it would have a good effect."</p> + +<p>He withdrew with Mrs. Clarkson to the +door, and they continued the conversation in +low tones, so that only scraps of it reached +Ruth:</p> + +<p>"—excitable—fanciful—too much alone—children +of her own age—"</p> + +<p>Aunt Clarkson's last remark came loud and +clear:</p> + +<p>"We shall cure that at Summerford, Dr. +Short. We're not dull people there, and we've +no time for fancies."</p> + +<p>She smiled, the doctor smiled, they shook +hands and both soon went away. Ruth leant +her head on her hand. Was there no one who +would understand how much she wanted to +see the kitchen cat? Would they all talk about +fancies? What were Lucy and Cissie and +Bobbie to her?—strangers, and the cat was a +friend. She would rather stroke its rough +head, and listen to its purring song, than have +them all to play with. It was so sad to think +how it must have missed her, how much she +wanted to see it, and how badly her head<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_33" id="Page_33">[33]</a></span> +ached, that she felt obliged to shed a few tears. +Nurse discovered this with much concern.</p> + +<p>"And there was master coming up to see +you to-night and all, Miss Ruth. It'll never do +for him to find you crying, you know. I think +you'd better go to bed."</p> + +<p>Ruth looked up with a sudden gleam of hope, +and checked her tears.</p> + +<p>"When is he coming?" she asked. "I want +to see him."</p> + +<p>"Well, I s'pose directly he comes home—about +your tea-time. But if I let you sit up +we mustn't have no more tears, you know, else +he'll think you ain't getting well."</p> + +<p>Ruth sank quietly back among her shawls in +the big chair. An idea had darted suddenly +into her mind which comforted her very much, +and she was too busy with it to cry any more. +She would ask her father! True, it was hardly +likely that he would have any thoughts to +spare for such a small thing as the kitchen cat; +but still there was just a faint chance that he +would understand better than Nurse and Aunt +Clarkson. So she waited with patience, listening +anxiously for his knock and the slam of the +hall door, and at last, just as Nurse was getting<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_34" id="Page_34">[34]</a></span> +the tea ready, it came. Her heart beat fast. +Soon there was a hurried step on the stairs, +and her father entered the room. Ruth studied +his face earnestly. Was he tired? Was he +worried? Would he stay long enough to hear +the important question?</p> + +<p>He kissed her and sat down near her.</p> + +<p>"How is Miss Ruth to-day?" he said rather +wearily to Nurse.</p> + +<p>Standing stiffly erect behind Ruth's chair, +Nurse Smith repeated all that the doctor and +Mrs. Clarkson had said.</p> + +<p>"And I think myself, sir," she added, "that +Miss Ruth will be all the better of a cheerful +change. She worrits herself with fancies."</p> + +<p>Ruth looked earnestly up at her father's face, +but said nothing.</p> + +<p>"Worries herself?" repeated Mr. Lorimer, +with a puzzled frown. "What can she have +to worry about? Is there anything you want, +my dear?" he said, taking hold of Ruth's little +hot hand and bending over her.</p> + +<p>The moment had come. Ruth gathered all +her courage, sat upright, and fixing an entreating +gaze upon him said:</p> + +<p>"I want to see my best friend."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_35" id="Page_35">[35]</a></span></p> + +<p>"Your best friend, eh?" he answered, smiling +as if it were a very slight affair. "One of your +little cousins, I suppose? Well, you're going to +Summerford, you know, and then you'll see +them all. I forget their names. Tommie, Mary, +Carry, which is it?"</p> + +<p>Ruth gave a hopeless little sigh. She was so +tired of these cousins.</p> + +<p>"It's none of them," she said shaking her +head. "I don't want any of them."</p> + +<p>"Who is it, then?"</p> + +<p>"It's the kitchen cat."</p> + +<p>Mr. Lorimer started back with surprise at +the unexpected words.</p> + +<p>"The kitchen cat!" he repeated, looking distractedly +at Nurse. "Her best friend! What +does the child mean?"</p> + +<p>"Miss Ruth has fancies, sir," she began with +a superior smile. But she did not get far, for +at that word Ruth started to her feet in desperation.</p> + +<p>"It isn't a fancy!" she cried; "it's a <i>real</i> cat. +I know it very well and it knows me. And I +<i>do</i> want to see it so. <i>Please</i> let it come."</p> + +<p>The last words broke off in a sob.</p> + +<p>Mr. Lorimer lifted her gently on to his knee.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_36" id="Page_36">[36]</a></span></p> + +<p>"Where is this cat?" he said, turning to +Nurse with such a frown that Ruth thought +he must be angry. "Why hasn't Miss Ruth +had it before if she wanted it?"</p> + +<p>"Well, I believe there <i>is</i> a cat somewhere +below, sir," she replied in an injured tone; +"but I'd no idea, I'm sure, that Miss Ruth +was worritting after it. To the best of my +knowledge she's only seen it once. She's so +fond of making believe that it's hard to tell +when she <i>is</i> in earnest. I thought it was a kind +of a fancy she got in her head when she was +ill."</p> + +<p>"Fetch it here at once, if you please."</p> + +<p>Nurse hesitated.</p> + +<p>"It's hardly a fit pet for Miss Ruth, sir."</p> + +<p>"At once, if you please," repeated Mr. +Lorimer. And Nurse went.</p> + +<p>Ruth listened to this with her breath held, +almost frightened at her own success. Not only +was the kitchen cat to be admitted, but it was +to be brought by the very hands of Nurse herself. +It was wonderful—almost too wonderful +to be true.</p> + +<p>And now it seemed that her father wished +to know how the kitchen cat had become her<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_37" id="Page_37">[37]</a></span> +best friend. He was very much interested in it, +and she thought his face looked quite different +while he listened to her to what it looked when +he was reading his papers downstairs. Finding +that he asked sensible questions, and did not +once say anything about "fancies", she was +encouraged to tell him more and more, and at +last leant her head on his shoulder and closed +her eyes. It would be all right now. She had +found someone at last who understood.</p> + +<p>The entrance of the kitchen cat shortly afterwards +was neither dignified nor comfortable, +for it appeared dangling at the end of Nurse's +outstretched arm, held by the neck as far as +possible from her own person. When it was +first put down it was terrified at its new surroundings, +and it was a little painful to find +that it wanted to rush downstairs again at once, +in spite of Ruth's fondest caresses. It was +Mr. Lorimer who came to her help, and succeeded +at last in soothing its fears and coaxing +it to drink some milk, after which it settled +down placidly with her in the big chair and +began its usual song of contentment. She examined +it carefully with a grave face, and then +looked apologetically at her father.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_38" id="Page_38">[38]</a></span></p> + +<p>"It doesn't look its <i>best</i>," she said. "Its +paws are white <i>really</i>, but I think it's been in +the coal-hole."</p> + +<p>This seemed very likely, for not only its paws +but the smart ribbon Ruth had tied round its +neck was grimy and black.</p> + +<p>"It's not <i>exactually</i> pretty," she continued, +"but it's a <i>very</i> nice cat. You can't think how +well it knows me—generally."</p> + +<p>Mr. Lorimer studied the long lean form of +the cat curiously through his eye-glass.</p> + +<p>"You wouldn't like a white Persian kitten +better for a pet—or a nice little dog, now?" he +asked doubtfully.</p> + +<p>"Oh, <i>please</i> not," said Ruth with a shocked +expression on her face. "I shouldn't love it +half so well, and I'm sure the kitchen cat +wouldn't like it."</p> + +<p>That was a wonderful evening. Everything +seemed as suddenly changed as if a fairy had +touched them with her wand. Not only was +the kitchen cat actually there in the nursery, +drinking milk and eating toast, but there was +a still stranger alteration. This father was quite +different to the one she had known in the dining-room +downstairs, who was always reading and<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_39" id="Page_39">[39]</a></span> +had no time to talk. His very face had altered, +for instead of looking grave and far-away it was +full of smiles and interest. And how well he +understood about the kitchen cat! When her +bed-time came he seemed quite sorry to go +away, and his last words were:</p> + +<p>"Remember, Nurse, Miss Ruth is to have +the cat here whenever she likes and as long as +she likes."</p> + +<p>It was all so strange that Ruth woke up the +next morning with a feeling that she had had +a pleasant dream. The kitchen cat and the new +father would both vanish with daylight; they +were "fancies", as Nurse called them, and not +real things at all. But as the days passed and +she grew strong enough to go downstairs as +usual, it was delightful to find that this was not +the case. The new father was there still. The +cat was allowed to make a third in the party, +and soon learned to take its place with dignity +and composure. But though thus honoured, +it no longer received all Ruth's confidences. +She had found a better friend. Her difficulties, +her questions, her news were all saved up for +the evening to tell her father. It was the best +bit in the whole day.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_40" id="Page_40">[40]</a></span></p> + +<p>On one of these occasions they were all three +sitting happily together, and Ruth had just put +a new brass collar which her father had bought +round the cat's neck.</p> + +<p>"I don't want to go to Summerford," she +said suddenly. "I'd much rather stay here +with you."</p> + +<p>"And the cat," added Mr. Lorimer as he +kissed her. "Well, you must come back soon +and take care of us both, you know."</p> + +<p>"You'll be kind to it when I'm gone, won't +you?" said Ruth. "Because, you know, I don't +think the servants <i>understand</i> cats. They're +rather sharp to it."</p> + +<p>"It shall have dinner with me every night," +said Mr. Lorimer.</p> + +<p>In this way the kitchen cat was raised from +a lowly station to great honour, and its life +henceforth was one of peace and freedom. It +went where it would, no one questioned its +right of entrance to the nursery or dared to +slight it in any way. In spite, however, of +choice meals and luxury it never grew fat, and +never, except in Ruth's eyes, became pretty. +It also kept to many of its old habits, preferring +liberty and the chimney-pots at night<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_41" id="Page_41">[41]</a></span> +to the softly-lined basket prepared for its +repose.</p> + +<p>But with all its faults Ruth loved it faithfully +as long as it lived, for in her own mind she felt +that she owed it a great deal.</p> + +<p>She remembered that evening when, a lonely +little child, she had called it her "best friend". +Perhaps she would not have discovered so soon +that she had a better friend still, without the +kitchen cat.</p> + +<hr /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_42" id="Page_42">[42]</a></span></p> +<h2>SARAH'S SUNDAY OUT</h2> + +<p>"Who saw Sarah last?"</p> + +<p>It was Hester who had seen her last when +she had said good-bye to a friend at the hall +door. That was at eleven o'clock in the morning; +now it was one o'clock in the afternoon, and +there was no Sarah to be found anywhere. Not +in the nursery, not in any of the bedrooms, +not upstairs, not downstairs; every hole and +corner and crevice much too small to hide +Sarah was thoroughly searched. Her name was +called in the fondest tones by every member of +the family from father and mother down to +little Diana, and by all the servants, but there +was no answer. There could be no doubt +about it—Sarah was lost!</p> + +<p>Little Diana was heart-broken. It was +dreadful to think of Sarah out alone in the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_43" id="Page_43">[43]</a></span> +noisy London streets, where she knew no one +and no one would know her, where she would +soon get confused and lose her way, and where +all the houses looked so much alike that she +would never, never be able to find her home +again. Perhaps even some wicked person might +steal Sarah, or she might be run over by a +carriage, or bitten by a dog, or—there were no +end of misfortunes which might happen to her, +for it made it all the more sad to remember that +Sarah could not speak.</p> + +<p>Who was Sarah?</p> + +<p>Perhaps you may have been thinking that +she was a little girl. Nothing of the kind. +She was the dearest little dog in the world, +with a yellow and white silky coat, and a +very turned-up nose, and goggling, affectionate +dark eyes. She was a gay-tempered little +creature, full of playful coaxing ways, and a +great pet with everyone; but she was fondest +of her mistress, Diana. She went everywhere +with her, knew her step from that of any of the +other children, and would prick up her ears and +listen for it a long way off. Her whole name +was "Sarah, Duchess of Marlborough", and +she was a Blenheim spaniel.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_44" id="Page_44">[44]</a></span></p> + +<p>As befitted her rank, Sarah led a life of +luxury, and had a great many possessions of +her very own. Smart collars and bells, a box +full of different coloured ribbons, a travelling +trunk with her name upon it, a brush and +comb, a warm coat for cold weather, and a +comfortable basket to sleep in. Everything +that heart could desire for comfort or adornment +was hers. She had never been used to +the least roughness or hardship, and certainly +was too delicate to fight her own way in the +world.</p> + +<p>And now Sarah was lost! All through that +Sunday everyone was very much disturbed, +and talked of nothing but how they could find +her. If a visitor came in, the conversation was +all about Sarah; but no one seemed to be very +hopeful that she would be brought back. There +were dog-stealers about, they said, and such +a little dog would be easily picked up and +hidden. Poor Diana listened to all this, and got +more and more miserable as the day went on, +for she began to feel quite sure that she should +never see her dear little dog again. She moped +about, got very pale, would not eat her dinner, +and would have been in utter despair if Mother<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_45" id="Page_45">[45]</a></span> +had not given her some comfort. For Mother +was the only person who thought there was +a chance of Sarah's return, and this cheered +Diana, because she had a feeling that Mother +knew everything.</p> + +<p>Nevertheless when Monday morning came +and there was no Sarah, Diana went downstairs +in the lowest spirits.</p> + +<p>"Immediately after breakfast," said her +mother, "I shall put on my bonnet and go +out to look for Sarah."</p> + +<p>"Will you <i>promise</i> to bring her back?" asked +poor little Diana earnestly.</p> + +<p>Even Mother could not <i>promise</i>, but she +would do her very best, and when she had +started Diana went up to the nursery somewhat +comforted, to wait as patiently as she +could for her return.</p> + +<p>Long, long before that could possibly happen +she stationed herself at the window, and fixed +her eyes on the busy street below. Carts, carriages, +cabs, people, how they all went on and +on without a pause, full of their own business +or pleasure! So many ladies, but not Mother; +so many dogs, small and big, but not one quite +like Sarah. Diana's mouth began to droop more<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_46" id="Page_46">[46]</a></span> +and more with disappointment, and she was very +near crying. Even Mother could not bring +Sarah back!</p> + +<p>"A watched kettle never boils, Miss Diana," +said Nurse. "You'd much better come away +from the window and play, and then the time'd +pass quicker."</p> + +<p>But Diana would not move. Just as Nurse +spoke she caught sight of a bonnet in the +distance just like Mother's, but she had been +so often deceived that she hardly dared to hope. +It came nearer—it was opposite the house. Oh, +joy! Mother's face, with an expression of +triumphant satisfaction upon it, looked up to +the nursery window. No wonder it was triumphant, +for under her arm there appeared a +yellow and white head, with silky ears and large +dark eyes. Sarah was found! It seemed almost +too good to be true.</p> + +<hr class="min" /> + +<p>You may imagine how Diana rejoiced over +Sarah and petted her, and how interested she +and everyone else were to hear how the little +dog had been traced to a coachman's house in +a mews close by. Sarah, on her side, seemed +very glad to be with her dear little mistress<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_47" id="Page_47">[47]</a></span> +again, and after returning her caresses curled +herself up and went to sleep on the sofa, no +doubt tired with her adventures. How Diana +wished she could tell her all she had done and +seen on that Sunday when everyone had been +so unhappy about her!</p> + +<p>"Where did you go, you darling?" she asked +her over and over again, but Sarah never +answered. She only wagged her fringy tail, +and licked her mistress's hand, and goggled at +her with her full dark eyes. And yet Diana felt +quite sure that she had many strange and interesting +things to tell, if she only could.</p> + +<p>One afternoon she was lying on the school-room +sofa with Sarah by her side. It was a very +hot day, the blinds were down and the windows +wide open, so that the distant rumble of the +carts and carriages came up from the street +below. There was an organ playing too, and +as Diana listened dreamily to these noises, and +stroked Sarah's head with one hand, she began +to wonder again about those wonderful adventures.</p> + +<p>"Tell me where you went on Sunday," she +whispered once more.</p> + +<p>To her great surprise, she plainly heard,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_48" id="Page_48">[48]</a></span> +among all the other noises, the sound of a tiny +voice close to her. She listened eagerly, and +this is what it said:</p> + +<p>"You must know, my dear mistress, that I +have long had a great wish to see more of the +world. The park is pleasant enough, but after +all if you are led on a string and not allowed to +speak to other dogs, it soon becomes dull and +tiresome. I wanted to go out alone, into the +busy street, to stay as long as I liked, to take +whatever direction I fancied, and to join in the +amusements of other dogs. In short, I wanted +more freedom; and although I never gave way +to temper or became snappish, I grew more +and more discontented with my safe and pleasant +life. I was so closely watched, however, +that I could never get an opportunity for the +least little stroll alone, and I began to despair, +when, at last, on Sunday, the chance really +came. I was alone in the hall, Hester opened +the door, I slipped out unseen, and there I +was—free!</p> + +<p>"It was delightful to find myself alone on +the door-step, and to hear the door shut behind +me; not that I did not fully intend to go back, +for I love my mistress and am not ungrateful<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_49" id="Page_49">[49]</a></span> +for the kindness shown me, but it was so +pleasant to think that for a short time I could +do just as I liked. I soon found, however, that +this was very far from the case.</p> + +<p>"At first I trotted along the pavement in the +best spirits, meeting very few dogs, and those +of a very rough kind, so that I did not care to +speak to them. It was, as you remember, a +very hot day. The ground felt quite burning +under my feet, and soon I should have been +thankful to be carried a little while. I got +thirsty too, and I began to look about for a +shady place where I could lie down and rest +out of the sun. Presently I came to a narrow +turning, which looked dark and cool compared +to the bright hot streets. It was quiet too, for +there was only a man in the yard washing a cart, +and a rough-coated grey dog sitting near. I +made up my mind to try this, and trotting up +to the dog made a few remarks about the heat +of the weather. From his replies I soon perceived +that he was quite a common dog, though +very good-natured in manner, and he shortly +told me he belonged to the green-grocer and +that his name was 'Bob'.</p> + +<p>"We continued to talk, and before long I<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_50" id="Page_50">[50]</a></span> +learnt a good deal about his way of life, which +interested me extremely from its great contrast +to my own. In spite of its hardships there was +something attractive about it too, though quite +out of the question for anyone of delicacy and +refinement. For Bob was a working dog. He +had to be at Covent Garden by daybreak with +his master, to go on all his rounds with him, +and to take care of the vegetables in the cart +while he called at the different houses.</p> + +<p>"'And what do you get for all that?' I +asked.</p> + +<p>"'I get my food, and a good many kicks +sometimes,' he answered.</p> + +<p>"'Poor dog!' I exclaimed, for my heart was +filled with pity for him, and I no longer thought +his an attractive life. 'Why don't you run +away?'</p> + +<p>"Bob grinned. 'I'm not so stupid as that,' +he replied. 'Dogs that run away come to bad +ends. Besides, I'm happy enough. I get a +holiday sometimes, and a walk in the park, and +on Sunday I can do what I like.'</p> + +<p>"'Dear me!' I exclaimed languidly. 'What +a dreadful life! Now, <i>I</i> have nothing to do but +to please myself every day in the week, and as<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_51" id="Page_51">[51]</a></span> +for the park, I go there so often I'm perfectly +sick of it.'</p> + +<p>"'Do you get your Sundays out?' asked Bob.</p> + +<p>"I hesitated. 'This is really my first +Sunday out,' I replied at length, 'but I intend +in future——'</p> + +<p>"'What's your name?' rudely interrupted +Bob.</p> + +<p>"He certainly had no manners at all, but +what could you expect from a dog of low +degree?</p> + +<p>"'My name,' I replied, holding up my head +with a slight sniff of disdain, 'is—Sarah, +Duchess of Marlborough!'</p> + +<p>"I had no time to notice the effect of these +words, for they were hardly out of my mouth +when I felt myself seized by a large hand, +lifted into the air, and thrust into someone's +coat pocket. From this humiliating position +I heard the voice of the man washing the cart:</p> + +<p>"'That <i>your</i> dorg?' And someone answered, +'It belongs to the lady.'</p> + +<p>"You may judge, my dear mistress, how +frightened I felt. Here was a sudden end to +my freedom! Imprisoned in a strange man's +pocket, from which escape was impossible,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_52" id="Page_52">[52]</a></span> +nearly stifled with the smell of tobacco, and +filled with dread as to what would happen next. +I managed to wriggle my head out of the +corner, but saw at once that it would be useless +to think of jumping out, the distance from the +ground being far too great. I remained still +therefore, and as the man walked out of the +yard had a faint hope that he knew where I +lived and was taking me home. Alas! I was +soon disappointed. He turned down a mews, +went into a house I had never seen before, up +some narrow stairs without any carpet, and +entered a room where there sat a large fat man +in his shirt sleeves, smoking and reading a +newspaper. I was placed trembling on the +table by his side, and he took the pipe out of +his mouth and turned his head to look at me.</p> + +<p>"'Nice little sort of a fancy dorg,' he said at +last. 'What they call a "Blennum".'</p> + +<p>"'Strayed into the yard,' said the man who +had picked me up. 'I'm going to show it to +the missus presently.'</p> + +<p>"'Worth a tidy sum,' said the fat man, and +went on smoking.</p> + +<p>"Was ever a dog of my rank and position +brought down so low? No one took any more<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_53" id="Page_53">[53]</a></span> +notice of me, or seemed to think me of any +importance, and I remained shivering on the +table with large tears rolling down my cheeks. +How I repented my folly! I had wanted to +see the world, and here it was, a miserable +contrast to my happy life at home, where I +was fondled and admired by everyone. Foolish, +foolish little dog that I had been! I began to +think too how my dear little mistress would +miss me, and how they would search everywhere +and call for me in vain, and the more I +thought the more painful it all seemed. A +long and wretched time passed in this way, +during which the fat man, who was a coachman +I afterwards heard, puffed at his pipe +and read his newspaper, sometimes shaking +his head and talking to himself a little. He +hardly seemed to know I was there, and I +believe if the door had been open I could easily +have escaped, for the other man had gone out +of the room. But there was no chance of that; +by and by he came back, took me under his +arm and went out into the street again. Where +was he going, I wondered. He had talked of +the missus, but if the missus was any friend +of his I had no hope that she would prove<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_54" id="Page_54">[54]</a></span> +agreeable. It was a great surprise, therefore, +to find myself a little later in a large house +where there were soft carpets, and pictures, +and flowers, and everything I have been used +to see around me. Not only this, but I was +most warmly received by a lady, who called +me a duck, a darling, a love, and a beauty. +These familiar names, which I had been accustomed +to hear from my birth, made me +feel somewhat at home, and I began to take +comfort. At any rate, I was now with people +who knew how to behave to me, and would +treat me with consideration. I passed the rest +of the day, therefore, in peace, though I still +sighed for my own mistress, and had no appetite +for the new roll and cream offered me.</p> + +<p>"All my fears returned, however, for to my +distress I was sent back to sleep at the coachman's +house, where I passed the night full of +anxiety and the most dismal thoughts. How +would all this end? Who can picture my +ecstasy of delight the next morning when I +heard the sound of your mother's voice talking +to the coachman below? I need not tell you +how she had succeeded in tracing me through +the green-grocer, who had seen me picked up in<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_55" id="Page_55">[55]</a></span> +the yard, for that you know already. I cannot +help feeling that Bob may have had something +to do with my recovery, for I am sure though +rough in his manners he was a well-meaning +dog. If so, I am grateful to him. To end a +long story, my dear mistress, I must remark +that I have no longer any wish to know more +of the world. It is far too rough and noisy a +place for me, and you need have no fear, therefore, +that I shall try to repeat my experience, +or shall ever forget the lesson taught me by +'my Sunday out'."</p> + +<hr /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_56" id="Page_56">[56]</a></span></p> +<h2>THE TOAD IN THE HOLE</h2> + +<p>"When is she coming?"</p> + +<p>"To-morrow."</p> + +<p>"Are you glad?"</p> + +<p>"No. Are you?"</p> + +<p>"I don't care. I wonder how long she will +stay. I know Mother said a week, but I dare +say she'll ask her to stay longer as she did last +year."</p> + +<p>"Well, I know she'll be tiresome, and I shall +be glad when she goes away."</p> + +<p>"I'm going to sleep now."</p> + +<p>"Oh, Martha, how soon you always do go to +sleep! I'm not a bit sleepy yet."</p> + +<p>A snore from the other little bed soon showed +Betty that further talk was hopeless. She +would have liked to chatter longer, but Martha<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_57" id="Page_57">[57]</a></span> +had a way of falling asleep at the most interesting +points, and Betty knew it would be +useless to try and rouse her now.</p> + +<p>So she resigned herself to her own thoughts +with a sigh. Kitty was coming to-morrow! +Coming before Martha and she had had any +enjoyment of their country life together, for +the children had only just left London. Coming +to spoil all their plans and games with her +tiresome ways, just as she had done last year. +Of course she would insist on being first in +everything, on ruling everyone, and would be +as pushing and disagreeable as possible. It +was all very well to say that she was a visitor +and must do as she wished, but that did not +make it any the less provoking.</p> + +<p>And then Martha took it all so quietly. It +was almost impossible to rouse her to be angry, +and that was annoying too in its way. "I +suppose," thought Betty, very sleepily now, +"that I ought to try to be patient too, but +sometimes I really <i>can't</i>." She fell asleep +here, and dreamed that Kitty was an immense +"daddy-long-legs" flapping and buzzing about +in her hair.</p> + +<p>The next afternoon Kitty arrived, full of<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_58" id="Page_58">[58]</a></span> +excitement, and ready to be more than delighted +with everything.</p> + +<p>She was eleven years old, just Martha's age, +and Betty was two years younger. Fresh from +her life in London, where there always were +so many lessons to be learned and so little +"fun" of any kind, this beautiful country +home was a sort of paradise to her. To have +no one to scold her, no lessons to learn, no +tiresome straight walks with her governess, and +above all, to have two playfellows always ready +to join in pleasures and games! Kitty was an +only child, and her life was often dull for +want of companionship. Everything went on +very well at first, for there was so much to +do and see that there was no time for disputes. +True, Kitty commanded as much as +ever, and had a way of setting people to rights +which was distinctly trying; but she and Betty +did not come to any open disagreement until +she had been at Holmwood for nearly a week. +Nevertheless there had been many small occasions +on which Betty had felt fretted and +irritated; for Kitty, without the least intending +it, seemed often to choose just the wrong thing +to say and do.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_59" id="Page_59">[59]</a></span></p> + +<p>And then she always wished to do <i>exactly</i> +the same as Martha and herself, and that was +<i>so</i> tiresome.</p> + +<p>For instance, all the children were very fond +of dear Miss Grey. But now it was always +Kitty who must sit next to her, Kitty who +rushed to supply her with roses to wear and +strawberries to eat, Kitty who kissed her repeatedly +at the most awkward moments. Martha +and Betty, who naturally felt that Miss Grey +was their <i>own dear</i> Miss Grey, could hardly get +near her at all, and Betty resented this very +much. In fact, she gradually got to dwell so +entirely on these annoyances that she could not +think of Kitty's good qualities at all, and was +quite unable to remember that she was generous +and affectionate, and that her faults, though +tiresome, were partly the result of a longing to +be loved.</p> + +<p>At last, the clouds having gathered, the storm +came.</p> + +<p>One morning, almost as soon as she got up, +Betty felt that every single thing Kitty did or +said was silly. It did not occur to her that +perhaps she was a little bit cross herself, which +was the real explanation.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_60" id="Page_60">[60]</a></span></p> + +<p>After breakfast they all three went down to +the pond, and, dividing the water into shares, +began to fish for frogs and newts.</p> + +<p>"In a minute," said Betty to herself as she +watched Kitty, "she'll say Martha and I have +the best places."</p> + +<p>It happened just so.</p> + +<p>"I say," said Kitty, throwing down her net +and coming close up to Betty, "I've got the +worst place of all, there's nothing to catch in +this part!"</p> + +<p>"You haven't tried long enough," said +Martha.</p> + +<p>"Let's change," was Kitty's next suggestion +as she stood looking eagerly over Betty's +shoulder.</p> + +<p>"All right," said Betty moodily, and she went +round to the part of the pond Kitty had left, +where she almost immediately caught two tadpoles +and a newt.</p> + +<p>"Look there!" she cried, holding up her net +triumphantly.</p> + +<p>"Oh!" screamed Kitty, "you <i>are</i> lucky. <i>Do</i> +let me try," and she rushed up to Betty's side +and seized hold of the net. But this was too +much. Betty let go of the handle and said<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_61" id="Page_61">[61]</a></span> +indignantly, "I shan't fish any more. You're +so unfair; you always are!" And she walked +away in a rage. "Kitty is more tiresome than +ever," she said to herself. "She spoils everything. +I wish she would go away!"</p> + +<p>All that day she preserved an attitude of +dignified sulkiness in spite of Kitty's frequent +attempts to make it up. When she came and +threw her arm round her, Betty shook it off +impatiently.</p> + +<p>That evening the three little girls were in +the woods with dear Miss Grey and baby Susie, +who was just three years old. Betty was walking +a little behind the others with her eyes fixed +on the ground. It was damp and mossy, and +there was a thick growth of ferns and underwood +at the side of the path. Suddenly she +saw something move quickly through this, and +disappear down a hole. She stopped and +moved aside the ferns and moss. What do +you think she saw sitting comfortably in the +hole and staring at her with its moist bright +eyes?</p> + +<p>A large speckled toad!</p> + +<p>"Look, look, Miss Grey!" she cried, and +everyone gathered round to see what she had<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_62" id="Page_62">[62]</a></span> +found. Even Susie peered into the hole, and +poked a bit of fern gently at the toad, which +sat there gazing quietly at them.</p> + +<p>"What a jolly little home he's made for himself!" +said Martha. "All soft and moist, and +just exactly to fit him."</p> + +<p>"He can't see out much," said Betty as she +put back the moss gently over the top.</p> + +<p>"I don't think he wants to," said Miss Grey. +"He is quite satisfied, like many other people +who live in holes."</p> + +<p>The children ran on through the wood, +except Betty, who kept back and took hold of +Miss Grey's hand.</p> + +<p>"What do you mean about living in holes?" +she asked presently.</p> + +<p>"Well, you know, we all live in holes of one +kind or another. Some are rough and some +smooth, some fit us exactly, and some don't fit +us at all. Some are softly lined with all sorts +of comforts, and some are full of pricks and +troubles. And it is always very difficult to see +out of them."</p> + +<p>"Why?" asked Betty.</p> + +<p>"Because, like the toad's hole we saw just +now, our own lives are so near us and surround<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_63" id="Page_63">[63]</a></span> +us so closely, that it is only by making an +effort that we can get out of them and understand +other people's lives at all. The only +thing that can really make us do that is sympathy."</p> + +<p>"What does that mean?"</p> + +<p>"It is that which makes us able to put ourselves +in thought into other people's holes, and +feel what it is like to live there. When we do +that it makes us remember to be patient and +gentle with our friends and companions, for if +they live in uncomfortable holes it must be +difficult for them to be unselfish and amiable. +If we had their troubles and vexations we might +not be half so pleasant as they are."</p> + +<p>Betty was silent.</p> + +<p>"Do you think Martha's hole and mine is +nicer than Kitty's?" she said at last.</p> + +<p>"Well, I think in some ways it may be. At +any rate you know Kitty has no sisters to play +with, and very little of this country life you +all enjoy so much. While her holiday lasts I +should try to make it as pleasant as possible +for her, if I were you."</p> + +<p>"I do," said Betty, "generally. Only sometimes +she makes me feel so cross."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_64" id="Page_64">[64]</a></span></p> + +<p>At this moment up rushed Kitty, and elbowed +Betty away from Miss Grey's side.</p> + +<p>"You've had her long enough!" she shouted. +"It's my turn now!"</p> + +<p>And Betty was thinking so much about the +toad in the hole, that she did not even frown.</p> + + + + + + + + +<pre> + + + + + +End of Project Gutenberg's The Kitchen Cat and Other Stories, by Amy Walton + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE KITCHEN CAT AND OTHER STORIES *** + +***** This file should be named 24751-h.htm or 24751-h.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/2/4/7/5/24751/ + +Produced by David Edwards, Stephen Blundell and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This +file was produced from images generously made available +by The Internet Archive) + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. Special rules, +set forth in the General Terms of Use part of this license, apply to +copying and distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works to +protect the PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm concept and trademark. Project +Gutenberg is a registered trademark, and may not be used if you +charge for the eBooks, unless you receive specific permission. If you +do not charge anything for copies of this eBook, complying with the +rules is very easy. You may use this eBook for nearly any purpose +such as creation of derivative works, reports, performances and +research. They may be modified and printed and given away--you may do +practically ANYTHING with public domain eBooks. Redistribution is +subject to the trademark license, especially commercial +redistribution. + + + +*** START: FULL LICENSE *** + +THE FULL PROJECT GUTENBERG LICENSE +PLEASE READ THIS BEFORE YOU DISTRIBUTE OR USE THIS WORK + +To protect the Project Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting the free +distribution of electronic works, by using or distributing this work +(or any other work associated in any way with the phrase "Project +Gutenberg"), you agree to comply with all the terms of the Full Project +Gutenberg-tm License (available with this file or online at +http://gutenberg.org/license). + + +Section 1. General Terms of Use and Redistributing Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic works + +1.A. By reading or using any part of this Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic work, you indicate that you have read, understand, agree to +and accept all the terms of this license and intellectual property +(trademark/copyright) agreement. If you do not agree to abide by all +the terms of this agreement, you must cease using and return or destroy +all copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in your possession. +If you paid a fee for obtaining a copy of or access to a Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic work and you do not agree to be bound by the +terms of this agreement, you may obtain a refund from the person or +entity to whom you paid the fee as set forth in paragraph 1.E.8. + +1.B. "Project Gutenberg" is a registered trademark. It may only be +used on or associated in any way with an electronic work by people who +agree to be bound by the terms of this agreement. There are a few +things that you can do with most Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works +even without complying with the full terms of this agreement. See +paragraph 1.C below. There are a lot of things you can do with Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic works if you follow the terms of this agreement +and help preserve free future access to Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works. See paragraph 1.E below. + +1.C. The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation ("the Foundation" +or PGLAF), owns a compilation copyright in the collection of Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic works. Nearly all the individual works in the +collection are in the public domain in the United States. If an +individual work is in the public domain in the United States and you are +located in the United States, we do not claim a right to prevent you from +copying, distributing, performing, displaying or creating derivative +works based on the work as long as all references to Project Gutenberg +are removed. Of course, we hope that you will support the Project +Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting free access to electronic works by +freely sharing Project Gutenberg-tm works in compliance with the terms of +this agreement for keeping the Project Gutenberg-tm name associated with +the work. You can easily comply with the terms of this agreement by +keeping this work in the same format with its attached full Project +Gutenberg-tm License when you share it without charge with others. + +1.D. The copyright laws of the place where you are located also govern +what you can do with this work. Copyright laws in most countries are in +a constant state of change. If you are outside the United States, check +the laws of your country in addition to the terms of this agreement +before downloading, copying, displaying, performing, distributing or +creating derivative works based on this work or any other Project +Gutenberg-tm work. The Foundation makes no representations concerning +the copyright status of any work in any country outside the United +States. + +1.E. Unless you have removed all references to Project Gutenberg: + +1.E.1. The following sentence, with active links to, or other immediate +access to, the full Project Gutenberg-tm License must appear prominently +whenever any copy of a Project Gutenberg-tm work (any work on which the +phrase "Project Gutenberg" appears, or with which the phrase "Project +Gutenberg" is associated) is accessed, displayed, performed, viewed, +copied or distributed: + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + +1.E.2. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is derived +from the public domain (does not contain a notice indicating that it is +posted with permission of the copyright holder), the work can be copied +and distributed to anyone in the United States without paying any fees +or charges. If you are redistributing or providing access to a work +with the phrase "Project Gutenberg" associated with or appearing on the +work, you must comply either with the requirements of paragraphs 1.E.1 +through 1.E.7 or obtain permission for the use of the work and the +Project Gutenberg-tm trademark as set forth in paragraphs 1.E.8 or +1.E.9. + +1.E.3. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is posted +with the permission of the copyright holder, your use and distribution +must comply with both paragraphs 1.E.1 through 1.E.7 and any additional +terms imposed by the copyright holder. Additional terms will be linked +to the Project Gutenberg-tm License for all works posted with the +permission of the copyright holder found at the beginning of this work. + +1.E.4. Do not unlink or detach or remove the full Project Gutenberg-tm +License terms from this work, or any files containing a part of this +work or any other work associated with Project Gutenberg-tm. + +1.E.5. Do not copy, display, perform, distribute or redistribute this +electronic work, or any part of this electronic work, without +prominently displaying the sentence set forth in paragraph 1.E.1 with +active links or immediate access to the full terms of the Project +Gutenberg-tm License. + +1.E.6. You may convert to and distribute this work in any binary, +compressed, marked up, nonproprietary or proprietary form, including any +word processing or hypertext form. However, if you provide access to or +distribute copies of a Project Gutenberg-tm work in a format other than +"Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other format used in the official version +posted on the official Project Gutenberg-tm web site (www.gutenberg.org), +you must, at no additional cost, fee or expense to the user, provide a +copy, a means of exporting a copy, or a means of obtaining a copy upon +request, of the work in its original "Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other +form. Any alternate format must include the full Project Gutenberg-tm +License as specified in paragraph 1.E.1. + +1.E.7. Do not charge a fee for access to, viewing, displaying, +performing, copying or distributing any Project Gutenberg-tm works +unless you comply with paragraph 1.E.8 or 1.E.9. + +1.E.8. You may charge a reasonable fee for copies of or providing +access to or distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works provided +that + +- You pay a royalty fee of 20% of the gross profits you derive from + the use of Project Gutenberg-tm works calculated using the method + you already use to calculate your applicable taxes. The fee is + owed to the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark, but he + has agreed to donate royalties under this paragraph to the + Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation. Royalty payments + must be paid within 60 days following each date on which you + prepare (or are legally required to prepare) your periodic tax + returns. Royalty payments should be clearly marked as such and + sent to the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation at the + address specified in Section 4, "Information about donations to + the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation." + +- You provide a full refund of any money paid by a user who notifies + you in writing (or by e-mail) within 30 days of receipt that s/he + does not agree to the terms of the full Project Gutenberg-tm + License. You must require such a user to return or + destroy all copies of the works possessed in a physical medium + and discontinue all use of and all access to other copies of + Project Gutenberg-tm works. + +- You provide, in accordance with paragraph 1.F.3, a full refund of any + money paid for a work or a replacement copy, if a defect in the + electronic work is discovered and reported to you within 90 days + of receipt of the work. + +- You comply with all other terms of this agreement for free + distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm works. + +1.E.9. If you wish to charge a fee or distribute a Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic work or group of works on different terms than are set +forth in this agreement, you must obtain permission in writing from +both the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation and Michael +Hart, the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark. Contact the +Foundation as set forth in Section 3 below. + +1.F. + +1.F.1. Project Gutenberg volunteers and employees expend considerable +effort to identify, do copyright research on, transcribe and proofread +public domain works in creating the Project Gutenberg-tm +collection. Despite these efforts, Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works, and the medium on which they may be stored, may contain +"Defects," such as, but not limited to, incomplete, inaccurate or +corrupt data, transcription errors, a copyright or other intellectual +property infringement, a defective or damaged disk or other medium, a +computer virus, or computer codes that damage or cannot be read by +your equipment. + +1.F.2. LIMITED WARRANTY, DISCLAIMER OF DAMAGES - Except for the "Right +of Replacement or Refund" described in paragraph 1.F.3, the Project +Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation, the owner of the Project +Gutenberg-tm trademark, and any other party distributing a Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic work under this agreement, disclaim all +liability to you for damages, costs and expenses, including legal +fees. YOU AGREE THAT YOU HAVE NO REMEDIES FOR NEGLIGENCE, STRICT +LIABILITY, BREACH OF WARRANTY OR BREACH OF CONTRACT EXCEPT THOSE +PROVIDED IN PARAGRAPH F3. YOU AGREE THAT THE FOUNDATION, THE +TRADEMARK OWNER, AND ANY DISTRIBUTOR UNDER THIS AGREEMENT WILL NOT BE +LIABLE TO YOU FOR ACTUAL, DIRECT, INDIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL, PUNITIVE OR +INCIDENTAL DAMAGES EVEN IF YOU GIVE NOTICE OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH +DAMAGE. + +1.F.3. LIMITED RIGHT OF REPLACEMENT OR REFUND - If you discover a +defect in this electronic work within 90 days of receiving it, you can +receive a refund of the money (if any) you paid for it by sending a +written explanation to the person you received the work from. If you +received the work on a physical medium, you must return the medium with +your written explanation. The person or entity that provided you with +the defective work may elect to provide a replacement copy in lieu of a +refund. If you received the work electronically, the person or entity +providing it to you may choose to give you a second opportunity to +receive the work electronically in lieu of a refund. If the second copy +is also defective, you may demand a refund in writing without further +opportunities to fix the problem. + +1.F.4. Except for the limited right of replacement or refund set forth +in paragraph 1.F.3, this work is provided to you 'AS-IS' WITH NO OTHER +WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO +WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTIBILITY OR FITNESS FOR ANY PURPOSE. + +1.F.5. Some states do not allow disclaimers of certain implied +warranties or the exclusion or limitation of certain types of damages. +If any disclaimer or limitation set forth in this agreement violates the +law of the state applicable to this agreement, the agreement shall be +interpreted to make the maximum disclaimer or limitation permitted by +the applicable state law. The invalidity or unenforceability of any +provision of this agreement shall not void the remaining provisions. + +1.F.6. INDEMNITY - You agree to indemnify and hold the Foundation, the +trademark owner, any agent or employee of the Foundation, anyone +providing copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in accordance +with this agreement, and any volunteers associated with the production, +promotion and distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works, +harmless from all liability, costs and expenses, including legal fees, +that arise directly or indirectly from any of the following which you do +or cause to occur: (a) distribution of this or any Project Gutenberg-tm +work, (b) alteration, modification, or additions or deletions to any +Project Gutenberg-tm work, and (c) any Defect you cause. + + +Section 2. Information about the Mission of Project Gutenberg-tm + +Project Gutenberg-tm is synonymous with the free distribution of +electronic works in formats readable by the widest variety of computers +including obsolete, old, middle-aged and new computers. It exists +because of the efforts of hundreds of volunteers and donations from +people in all walks of life. + +Volunteers and financial support to provide volunteers with the +assistance they need, is critical to reaching Project Gutenberg-tm's +goals and ensuring that the Project Gutenberg-tm collection will +remain freely available for generations to come. In 2001, the Project +Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation was created to provide a secure +and permanent future for Project Gutenberg-tm and future generations. +To learn more about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation +and how your efforts and donations can help, see Sections 3 and 4 +and the Foundation web page at http://www.pglaf.org. + + +Section 3. Information about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive +Foundation + +The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation is a non profit +501(c)(3) educational corporation organized under the laws of the +state of Mississippi and granted tax exempt status by the Internal +Revenue Service. The Foundation's EIN or federal tax identification +number is 64-6221541. Its 501(c)(3) letter is posted at +http://pglaf.org/fundraising. Contributions to the Project Gutenberg +Literary Archive Foundation are tax deductible to the full extent +permitted by U.S. federal laws and your state's laws. + +The Foundation's principal office is located at 4557 Melan Dr. S. +Fairbanks, AK, 99712., but its volunteers and employees are scattered +throughout numerous locations. Its business office is located at +809 North 1500 West, Salt Lake City, UT 84116, (801) 596-1887, email +business@pglaf.org. Email contact links and up to date contact +information can be found at the Foundation's web site and official +page at http://pglaf.org + +For additional contact information: + Dr. Gregory B. Newby + Chief Executive and Director + gbnewby@pglaf.org + + +Section 4. Information about Donations to the Project Gutenberg +Literary Archive Foundation + +Project Gutenberg-tm depends upon and cannot survive without wide +spread public support and donations to carry out its mission of +increasing the number of public domain and licensed works that can be +freely distributed in machine readable form accessible by the widest +array of equipment including outdated equipment. Many small donations +($1 to $5,000) are particularly important to maintaining tax exempt +status with the IRS. + +The Foundation is committed to complying with the laws regulating +charities and charitable donations in all 50 states of the United +States. Compliance requirements are not uniform and it takes a +considerable effort, much paperwork and many fees to meet and keep up +with these requirements. We do not solicit donations in locations +where we have not received written confirmation of compliance. To +SEND DONATIONS or determine the status of compliance for any +particular state visit http://pglaf.org + +While we cannot and do not solicit contributions from states where we +have not met the solicitation requirements, we know of no prohibition +against accepting unsolicited donations from donors in such states who +approach us with offers to donate. + +International donations are gratefully accepted, but we cannot make +any statements concerning tax treatment of donations received from +outside the United States. U.S. laws alone swamp our small staff. + +Please check the Project Gutenberg Web pages for current donation +methods and addresses. Donations are accepted in a number of other +ways including checks, online payments and credit card donations. +To donate, please visit: http://pglaf.org/donate + + +Section 5. General Information About Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works. + +Professor Michael S. Hart is the originator of the Project Gutenberg-tm +concept of a library of electronic works that could be freely shared +with anyone. For thirty years, he produced and distributed Project +Gutenberg-tm eBooks with only a loose network of volunteer support. + + +Project Gutenberg-tm eBooks are often created from several printed +editions, all of which are confirmed as Public Domain in the U.S. +unless a copyright notice is included. Thus, we do not necessarily +keep eBooks in compliance with any particular paper edition. + + +Most people start at our Web site which has the main PG search facility: + + http://www.gutenberg.org + +This Web site includes information about Project Gutenberg-tm, +including how to make donations to the Project Gutenberg Literary +Archive Foundation, how to help produce our new eBooks, and how to +subscribe to our email newsletter to hear about new eBooks. + + +</pre> + +</body> +</html> diff --git a/24751-page-images/f0001.png b/24751-page-images/f0001.png Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..d888ac4 --- /dev/null +++ b/24751-page-images/f0001.png diff --git a/24751-page-images/f0002.png b/24751-page-images/f0002.png Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..e4c62c5 --- /dev/null +++ b/24751-page-images/f0002.png diff --git a/24751-page-images/f0003.png b/24751-page-images/f0003.png Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..b98fd2d --- /dev/null +++ b/24751-page-images/f0003.png diff --git a/24751-page-images/p0005.png b/24751-page-images/p0005.png Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..8f14847 --- /dev/null +++ b/24751-page-images/p0005.png diff --git a/24751-page-images/p0006.png b/24751-page-images/p0006.png Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..96eb2ab --- /dev/null +++ b/24751-page-images/p0006.png diff --git a/24751-page-images/p0007.png b/24751-page-images/p0007.png Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..aca5a9d --- /dev/null +++ b/24751-page-images/p0007.png diff --git a/24751-page-images/p0008.png b/24751-page-images/p0008.png Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..f33b5d5 --- /dev/null +++ b/24751-page-images/p0008.png diff --git a/24751-page-images/p0009.png b/24751-page-images/p0009.png Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..8dea8f4 --- /dev/null +++ b/24751-page-images/p0009.png diff --git a/24751-page-images/p0010.png b/24751-page-images/p0010.png Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..a21068d --- /dev/null +++ b/24751-page-images/p0010.png diff --git a/24751-page-images/p0011.png b/24751-page-images/p0011.png Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..4bfb8c5 --- /dev/null +++ b/24751-page-images/p0011.png diff --git a/24751-page-images/p0012.png b/24751-page-images/p0012.png Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..0b68b29 --- /dev/null +++ b/24751-page-images/p0012.png diff --git a/24751-page-images/p0013.png b/24751-page-images/p0013.png Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..14f6587 --- /dev/null +++ b/24751-page-images/p0013.png diff --git a/24751-page-images/p0014.png b/24751-page-images/p0014.png Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..94da2c9 --- /dev/null +++ b/24751-page-images/p0014.png diff --git a/24751-page-images/p0015.png b/24751-page-images/p0015.png Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..cc19eee --- /dev/null +++ b/24751-page-images/p0015.png diff --git a/24751-page-images/p0016.png b/24751-page-images/p0016.png Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..2eda3e2 --- /dev/null +++ b/24751-page-images/p0016.png diff --git a/24751-page-images/p0017.png b/24751-page-images/p0017.png Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..fcfd4ea --- /dev/null +++ b/24751-page-images/p0017.png diff --git a/24751-page-images/p0018.png b/24751-page-images/p0018.png Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..1028cb0 --- /dev/null +++ b/24751-page-images/p0018.png diff --git a/24751-page-images/p0019.png b/24751-page-images/p0019.png Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..61ade39 --- /dev/null +++ b/24751-page-images/p0019.png diff --git a/24751-page-images/p0020.png b/24751-page-images/p0020.png Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..dd35215 --- /dev/null +++ b/24751-page-images/p0020.png diff --git a/24751-page-images/p0021.png b/24751-page-images/p0021.png Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..2f2ce55 --- /dev/null +++ b/24751-page-images/p0021.png diff --git a/24751-page-images/p0022.png b/24751-page-images/p0022.png Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..4a41870 --- /dev/null +++ b/24751-page-images/p0022.png diff --git a/24751-page-images/p0023.png b/24751-page-images/p0023.png Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..0f7675e --- /dev/null +++ b/24751-page-images/p0023.png diff --git a/24751-page-images/p0024.png b/24751-page-images/p0024.png Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..6162457 --- /dev/null +++ b/24751-page-images/p0024.png diff --git a/24751-page-images/p0025.png b/24751-page-images/p0025.png Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..cc93d15 --- /dev/null +++ b/24751-page-images/p0025.png diff --git a/24751-page-images/p0026.png b/24751-page-images/p0026.png Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..41a5460 --- /dev/null +++ b/24751-page-images/p0026.png diff --git a/24751-page-images/p0027.png b/24751-page-images/p0027.png Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..ed2416c --- /dev/null +++ b/24751-page-images/p0027.png diff --git a/24751-page-images/p0028.png b/24751-page-images/p0028.png Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..95072ee --- /dev/null +++ b/24751-page-images/p0028.png diff --git a/24751-page-images/p0029.png b/24751-page-images/p0029.png Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..90adea6 --- /dev/null +++ b/24751-page-images/p0029.png diff --git a/24751-page-images/p0030.png b/24751-page-images/p0030.png Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..5cc6baf --- /dev/null +++ b/24751-page-images/p0030.png diff --git a/24751-page-images/p0031.png b/24751-page-images/p0031.png Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..a4aa780 --- /dev/null +++ b/24751-page-images/p0031.png diff --git a/24751-page-images/p0032.png b/24751-page-images/p0032.png Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..ce4c9bf --- /dev/null +++ b/24751-page-images/p0032.png diff --git a/24751-page-images/p0033.png b/24751-page-images/p0033.png Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..e647982 --- /dev/null +++ b/24751-page-images/p0033.png diff --git a/24751-page-images/p0034.png b/24751-page-images/p0034.png Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..984cfcd --- /dev/null +++ b/24751-page-images/p0034.png diff --git a/24751-page-images/p0035.png b/24751-page-images/p0035.png Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..4d9bf15 --- /dev/null +++ b/24751-page-images/p0035.png diff --git a/24751-page-images/p0036.png b/24751-page-images/p0036.png Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..8403109 --- /dev/null +++ b/24751-page-images/p0036.png diff --git a/24751-page-images/p0037.png b/24751-page-images/p0037.png Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..f67205b --- /dev/null +++ b/24751-page-images/p0037.png diff --git a/24751-page-images/p0038.png b/24751-page-images/p0038.png Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..0ab9a89 --- /dev/null +++ b/24751-page-images/p0038.png diff --git a/24751-page-images/p0039.png b/24751-page-images/p0039.png Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..2c00dd4 --- /dev/null +++ b/24751-page-images/p0039.png diff --git a/24751-page-images/p0040.png b/24751-page-images/p0040.png Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..8f7cc97 --- /dev/null +++ b/24751-page-images/p0040.png diff --git a/24751-page-images/p0041.png b/24751-page-images/p0041.png Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..8ad1d1d --- /dev/null +++ b/24751-page-images/p0041.png diff --git a/24751-page-images/p0042.png b/24751-page-images/p0042.png Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..e06eb23 --- /dev/null +++ b/24751-page-images/p0042.png diff --git a/24751-page-images/p0043.png b/24751-page-images/p0043.png Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..58084cc --- /dev/null +++ b/24751-page-images/p0043.png diff --git a/24751-page-images/p0044.png b/24751-page-images/p0044.png Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..53c5150 --- /dev/null +++ b/24751-page-images/p0044.png diff --git a/24751-page-images/p0045.png b/24751-page-images/p0045.png Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..1f51087 --- /dev/null +++ b/24751-page-images/p0045.png diff --git a/24751-page-images/p0046.png b/24751-page-images/p0046.png Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..f8bd545 --- /dev/null +++ b/24751-page-images/p0046.png diff --git a/24751-page-images/p0047.png b/24751-page-images/p0047.png Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..f97bb2a --- /dev/null +++ b/24751-page-images/p0047.png diff --git a/24751-page-images/p0048.png b/24751-page-images/p0048.png Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..f82bd71 --- /dev/null +++ b/24751-page-images/p0048.png diff --git a/24751-page-images/p0049.png b/24751-page-images/p0049.png Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..045a34f --- /dev/null +++ b/24751-page-images/p0049.png diff --git a/24751-page-images/p0050.png b/24751-page-images/p0050.png Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..a4ee04a --- /dev/null +++ b/24751-page-images/p0050.png diff --git a/24751-page-images/p0051.png b/24751-page-images/p0051.png Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..2ba675c --- /dev/null +++ b/24751-page-images/p0051.png diff --git a/24751-page-images/p0052.png b/24751-page-images/p0052.png Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..4d35c77 --- /dev/null +++ b/24751-page-images/p0052.png diff --git a/24751-page-images/p0053.png b/24751-page-images/p0053.png Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..c77dcad --- /dev/null +++ b/24751-page-images/p0053.png diff --git a/24751-page-images/p0054.png b/24751-page-images/p0054.png Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..257fad4 --- /dev/null +++ b/24751-page-images/p0054.png diff --git a/24751-page-images/p0055.png b/24751-page-images/p0055.png Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..8c3c6bd --- /dev/null +++ b/24751-page-images/p0055.png diff --git a/24751-page-images/p0056.png b/24751-page-images/p0056.png Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..cb859a7 --- /dev/null +++ b/24751-page-images/p0056.png diff --git a/24751-page-images/p0057.png b/24751-page-images/p0057.png Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..a1b68d9 --- /dev/null +++ b/24751-page-images/p0057.png diff --git a/24751-page-images/p0058.png b/24751-page-images/p0058.png Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..46df4fe --- /dev/null +++ b/24751-page-images/p0058.png diff --git a/24751-page-images/p0059.png b/24751-page-images/p0059.png Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..28a5744 --- /dev/null +++ b/24751-page-images/p0059.png diff --git a/24751-page-images/p0060.png b/24751-page-images/p0060.png Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..aadb5ff --- /dev/null +++ b/24751-page-images/p0060.png diff --git a/24751-page-images/p0061.png b/24751-page-images/p0061.png Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..05d85be --- /dev/null +++ b/24751-page-images/p0061.png diff --git a/24751-page-images/p0062.png b/24751-page-images/p0062.png Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..49cbe2a --- /dev/null +++ b/24751-page-images/p0062.png diff --git a/24751-page-images/p0063.png b/24751-page-images/p0063.png Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..049c058 --- /dev/null +++ b/24751-page-images/p0063.png diff --git a/24751-page-images/p0064.png b/24751-page-images/p0064.png Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..7de054c --- /dev/null +++ b/24751-page-images/p0064.png diff --git a/24751.txt b/24751.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..862768d --- /dev/null +++ b/24751.txt @@ -0,0 +1,1690 @@ +Project Gutenberg's The Kitchen Cat and Other Stories, by Amy Walton + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: The Kitchen Cat and Other Stories + +Author: Amy Walton + +Release Date: March 4, 2008 [EBook #24751] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE KITCHEN CAT AND OTHER STORIES *** + + + + +Produced by David Edwards, Stephen Blundell and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This +file was produced from images generously made available +by The Internet Archive) + + + + + + + + + + THE KITCHEN CAT + + AND OTHER STORIES + + + BY + + AMY WALTON + Author of "The Hawthorns" "Susan" + "A Pair of Clogs" &c. + + + BLACKIE & SON LIMITED + LONDON AND GLASGOW + + + + + BLACKIE & SON LIMITED + _50 Old Bailey, London_ + _17 Stanhope Street, Glasgow_ + + BLACKIE & SON (INDIA) LIMITED + _Warwick House, Fort Street, Bombay_ + + BLACKIE & SON (CANADA) LIMITED + _Toronto_ + + +_Printed in Great Britain by Blackie & Son, Ltd., Glasgow_ + + + + +Contents + + + Page + + THE KITCHEN CAT 5 + + SARAH'S SUNDAY OUT 42 + + THE TOAD IN THE HOLE 56 + + + + +THE KITCHEN CAT + + +CHAPTER I + +The Visitor from the Cellar + +The whole house in London was dull and gloomy, its lofty rooms and +staircases were filled with a sort of misty twilight all day, and the +sun very seldom looked in at its windows. Ruth Lorimer thought, however, +that the very dullest room of all was the nursery, in which she had to +pass so much of her time. It was so high up that the people and carts +and horses in the street below looked like toys. She could not even see +these properly, because there were iron bars to prevent her from +stretching her head out too far, so that all she could do was to look +straight across to the row of tall houses opposite, or up at the sky +between the chimney-pots. How she longed for something different to +look at! + +The houses always looked the same, and though the sky changed sometimes, +it was often of a dirty grey colour, and then Ruth gave a little sigh +and looked back from the window-seat where she was kneeling, into the +nursery, for something to amuse her. It was full of all sorts of +toys--dolls, and dolls' houses elegantly furnished, pictures and books +and many pretty things; but in spite of all these she often found +nothing to please her, for what she wanted more than anything else was a +companion of her own age, and she had no brothers or sisters. + +The dolls, however much she pretended, were never glad, or sorry, or +happy, or miserable--they could not answer her when she talked to them, +and their beautiful bright eyes had a hard unfeeling look which became +very tiring, for it never changed. + +There was certainly Nurse Smith. She was alive and real enough; there +was no necessity to "pretend" anything about her. She was always there, +sitting upright and flat-backed beside her work-basket, frowning a +little, not because she was cross, but because she was rather +near-sighted. She had come when Ruth was quite a baby, after Mrs. +Lorimer's death, and Aunt Clarkson often spoke of her as "a treasure". +However that might be, she was not an amusing companion; though she did +her best to answer all Ruth's questions, and was always careful of her +comfort, and particular about her being neatly dressed. + +Perhaps it was not her fault that she did not understand games, and was +quite unable to act the part of any other character than her own. If she +did make the attempt, she failed so miserably that Ruth had to tell her +what to say, which made it so flat and uninteresting that she found it +better to play alone. But she often became weary of this; and there were +times when she was tired of her toys, and tired of Nurse Smith, and did +not know what in the world to do with herself. + +Each day passed much in the same way. Ruth's governess came to teach her +for an hour every morning, and then after her early dinner there was a +walk with Nurse, generally in one direction. And after tea it was time +to go and see her father--quite a long journey, through the silent +house, down the long stairs to the dining-room where he sat alone at +his dessert. + +Ruth could not remember her mother, and she saw so little of her father +that he seemed almost a stranger to her. He was so wonderfully busy, and +the world he lived in was such a great way off from hers in the nursery. + +In the morning he hurried away just as she was at her breakfast, and all +she knew of him was the resounding slam of the hall door, which came +echoing up the staircase. Very often in the evening he came hastily into +the nursery to say good-bye on his way out to some dinner-party, and at +night she woke up to hear his step on the stairs as he came back late. +But when he dined at home Ruth always went downstairs to dessert. Then, +as she entered the large sombre dining-room, where there were great oil +paintings on the walls and heavy hangings to the windows, and +serious-looking ponderous furniture, her father would look up from his +book, or from papers spread on the table, and nod kindly to her: + +"Ah! it's you, Ruth. Quite well, eh? There's a good child. Have an +orange? That's right." + +Then he would plunge into his reading again, and Ruth would climb slowly +on to a great mahogany chair placed ready for her, and watch him as she +cut up her orange. + +She wondered very much why people wrote him such long, long letters, all +on blue paper and tied up with pink tape. She felt sure they were not +nice letters, for his face always looked worried over them; and when he +had finished he threw them on the floor, as though he were glad. This +made her so curious that she once ventured to ask him what they were. +They were called "briefs", he told her. But she was not much wiser; for, +hearing from Nurse Smith that "brief" was another word for short, she +felt sure there must be some mistake. + +Exactly as the clock struck eight Nurse's knock came at the door, Ruth +got down from her chair and said good-night. + +Sometimes her father was so deeply engaged in his reading that he stared +at her with a far-away look in his eyes, as if he scarcely knew who she +was. After a minute he said absently: "Bed-time, eh? Good-night. +Good-night, my dear." Sometimes when he was a little less absorbed he +put a sixpence or a shilling into her hand as he kissed her, and added: +"There's something to spend at the toy-shop." + +Ruth received these presents without much surprise or joy. She was used +to buying things, and did not find it very interesting; for she could +not hope for any sign of pleasure from her dolls when she brought them +new clothes or furniture. + +It is a little dull when all one's efforts for people are received with +a perfectly unmoved face. She had once brought Nurse Smith a small china +image, hoping that it would be an agreeable surprise; but that had not +been successful either. "Lor', my dear, don't you go spending your money +on me," she said. "Chany ornaments ain't much good for anything, to my +thinking, 'cept to ketch the dust." + +Thus it came to pass that Ruth never talked much about what interested +her either to her father or to Nurse Smith, and as she had no brothers +and sisters she was obliged to amuse herself with fancied conversations. +Sometimes these were carried on with her dolls, but her chief friend was +a picture which she passed every night on the staircase. It was of a man +in a flat cap and a fur robe, and he had a pointed smooth chin and +narrow eyes, which seemed to follow her slyly on her way. She did not +like him and she did not actually fear him, but she had a feeling that +he listened to what she said, and that she must tell him any news she +had. There was never much except on "Aunt Clarkson's day", as she called +it. + +Aunt Clarkson was her father's sister. She lived in the country, and had +many little boys and girls whom Ruth had seldom seen, though she heard a +great deal about them. + +Once every month this aunt came up to London for the day, had long +conversations with Nurse, and looked carefully at all Ruth's clothes. + +She was a sharp-eyed lady, and her visits made a stir in the house which +was like a cold wind blowing, so that Ruth was glad when they were over, +though her aunt always spoke kindly to her, and said: "Some day you must +come and see your little cousins in the country." + +She had said this so often without its having happened, however, that +Ruth had come to look upon it as a mere form of speech--part of Aunt +Clarkson's visit, like saying "How d'ye do?" or "Good-bye." + +It was shortly after one of these occasions that quite by chance Ruth +found a new friend, who was better than either the dolls or the man in +the picture, because, though it could not answer her, it was really +alive. She discovered it in this way. + +One afternoon she and Nurse Smith had come in from their usual walk, and +were toiling slowly up from the hall to the nursery. The stairs got +steeper at the last flight, and Nurse went more slowly still, and panted +a good deal, for she was stouter than she need have been, though Ruth +would never have dreamed of saying so. Ruth was in front, and she had +nearly reached the top when something came hurrying towards her which +surprised her very much. It was a long, lean, grey cat. It had a guilty +look, as though it knew it had been trespassing, and squeezed itself as +close as it could against the wall as it passed. + +"Pretty puss!" said Ruth softly, and put out her hand to stop it. + +The cat at once arched up its back and gave a friendly little answering +mew. Ruth wondered where it came from. It was ugly, she thought, but it +seemed a pleasant cat and glad to be noticed. She rubbed its head +gently. It felt hard and rough like Nurse's old velvet bonnet; there was +indeed no sleekness about it anywhere, and it was so thin that its sides +nearly met. + +"Poor puss!" said Ruth stroking it tenderly. + +The cat replied by pushing its head gently against her arm, and +presently began a low purring song. Delighted, Ruth bent her ear to +listen. + +"Whoosh! Shish! Get along! Scat!" suddenly sounded from a few steps +below. Nurse's umbrella was violently flourished, the cat flew +downstairs with a spit like an angry firework, and Ruth turned round +indignantly. + +"You _shouldn't_ have done that," she said, stamping her foot; "I wanted +to talk to it. Whose is it?" + +"It's that nasty kitchen cat," said Nurse, much excited, and grasping +her umbrella spitefully. "I'm not going to have it prowling about on +_my_ landing. An ugly thieving thing, as has no business above stairs at +all." + +Ruth pressed her face against the balusters. In the distance below she +could see the small grey form of the kitchen cat making its way swiftly +and silently downstairs. It went so fast that it seemed to float rather +than to run, and was soon out of sight. + +"I should like to have played with it up in the nursery," she said, with +a sigh, as she continued her way. "I wish you hadn't frightened it +away." + +"Lor', Miss Ruth, my dear," answered Nurse, "what can a little lady like +you want with a nasty, low, kitchen cat! Come up and play with some of +your beautiful toys, there's a dear! Do." + +Nevertheless Ruth thought about the cat a great deal that afternoon, and +the toys seemed even less interesting than usual. When tea was over, and +Nurse had taken up her sewing again, she began to make a few inquiries. + +"Where does that cat live?" she asked. + +"In the kitchen, to be sure," said Nurse; "and the cellar, and +coal-hole, and such like. Alonger the rats and mice--and the beadles," +she added, as an after-thought. + +"The beadles!" repeated Ruth doubtfully. "_What_ beadles?" + +"Why, the _black_ beadles, to be sure," replied Nurse cheerfully. + +Ruth was silent. It seemed dismal company for the kitchen cat. Then she +said: + +"Are there many of them?" + +"Swarms!" said Nurse, breaking off her thread with a snap. "The +kitchen's black with 'em at night." + +What a dreadful picture! + +"Who feeds the cat?" asked Ruth again. + +"Oh, I don't suppose nobody _feeds_ it," answered Nurse. "It lives on +what it ketches every now and then." + +No wonder it looked thin! Poor kitchen cat! How very miserable and +lonely it must be with no one to take care of it, and how dreadful for +it to have such nasty things to eat! And the supply even of these must +be short sometimes, Ruth went on to consider. What did it do when it +could find no more mice or rats? Of the beetles she could not bear even +to think. As she turned these things seriously over in her mind she +began to wish she could do something to alter them, to make the cat's +life more comfortable and pleasant. If she could have it to live with +her in the nursery for instance, she could give it some of her own bread +and milk, and part of her own dinner; then it would get fatter and +perhaps prettier too. She would tie a ribbon round its neck, and it +should sleep in a basket lined with red flannel, and never be scolded or +chased about or hungry any more. All these pictures were suddenly +destroyed by Nurse's voice: + +"But I hope you'll not encourage it up here, Miss Ruth, for I couldn't +abide it, and I'm sure your Aunt Clarkson wouldn't approve of it +neither. I've had a horror of cats myself from a gal. They're that +stealthy and treacherous, you never know where they mayn't be hiding, or +when they won't spring out at you. If ever I catch it up here I shall +bannock it down again." + +There was evidently no sympathy to be looked for from Nurse Smith; but +Ruth was used to keeping her thoughts and plans to herself, and did not +miss it much. As she could not talk about it, however, she thought of +her new acquaintance all the more; it was indeed seldom out of her mind, +and while she seemed to be quietly amusing herself in her usual way, she +was occupied with all sorts of plans and arrangements for the cat when +it should come to live in the nursery. Meanwhile it was widely +separated from her; how could she let it know that she wanted to see it +again? When she went up and down stairs she peered and peeped about to +see if she could catch a glimpse of its hurrying grey figure, and she +never came in from a walk without expecting to meet it on her way to the +nursery. But she never did. The kitchen cat kept to its own quarters and +its own society. Perhaps it had been too often "bannocked" down again to +venture forth. And yet Ruth felt sure that it had been glad when she had +spoken kindly to it. What a pity that Nurse did not like cats! + +She confided all this as usual to the man in the picture, who received +it with his narrow observant glance and seemed to give it serious +consideration. Perhaps it was he who at last gave her a splendid idea, +which she hastened to carry out as well as she could, though remembering +Nurse's strong expression of dislike she felt obliged to do so with the +greatest secrecy. + +As a first step, she examined the contents of her little red purse. A +whole shilling, a sixpence, and a threepenny bit. That would be more +than enough. Might they go to some shops that afternoon, she asked, +when she and Nurse were starting for their walk. + +"To be sure, Miss Ruth; and what sort of shops do you want? Toy-shops, I +suppose." + +"N-no," said Ruth; "I think not. It must be somewhere where they sell +note-paper, and a baker's, I _think_; but I'm not quite sure." + +Arrived at the stationer's, Ruth was a long time before deciding on what +she would have; but at last, after the woman had turned over a whole +boxful, she came to some pink note-paper with brightly painted heads of +animals upon it, and upon the envelopes also. + +"Oh!" cried Ruth when she saw it, clasping her hands with delight. +"_That_ would do beautifully. Only--_have_ you any with a cat?" + +Yes, there _was_ some with a nice fluffy cat upon it, and she left the +shop quite satisfied with her first purchase. + +"And now," said Nurse briskly, whose patience had been a good deal +tried, "we must make haste back, it's getting late." + +But Ruth had still something on her mind. She _must_ go to one more +shop, she said, though she did not know exactly which. At last she +fixed on a baker's. + +"What should you think," she asked on the way, "that a cat likes to eat +better than anything in the world?" + +"Why, a mouse to be sure," answered Nurse promptly. + +"Well, but _next_ to mice?" persisted Ruth. + +"Fish," said Nurse Smith. + +"That would never do," thought Ruth to herself as she looked at a +fish-shop they were passing, "It's so wet and slippery I couldn't +possibly carry it home. Perhaps Nurse doesn't _really_ know what cats +like best. Anyhow, I'm sure it's never tasted anything so nice as a Bath +bun." A Bath bun was accordingly bought, carried home, and put carefully +away in the doll's house. And now Ruth felt that she had an important +piece of business before her. She spread out a sheet of the new +writing-paper on the window-seat, knelt in front of it with a pencil in +her hand, and ruled some lines. She could not write very well, and was +often uncertain how to spell even short words; so she bit the end of her +pencil and sighed a good deal before the letter was finished. At last +it was done, and put into the envelope. But now came a new difficulty: +How should it be addressed? After much thought she wrote the following: + + THE KITCHEN CAT, + The Kitchen, + 17 Gower Street. + + +CHAPTER II + +Her Best Friend + +After this letter had been dropped into the pillar-box just in front of +the house, Ruth began to look out still more eagerly for the kitchen +cat, but days passed and she caught no glimpse of it anywhere. + +It was disappointing, and troublesome too, because she had to carry the +Bath bun about with her so long. Not only was it getting hard and dry, +but it was such an awkward thing for her pocket that she had torn her +frock in the effort to force it in. + +"You might a' been carrying brick-bats about with you, Miss Ruth," said +Nurse, "by the way you've slit your pocket open." + +This went on till Ruth began to despair. "I'll try it one more evening," +she said to herself, "and if it doesn't come then I shall give it up." + +Once more, therefore, when she was ready to go downstairs, she took the +bun out of the dolls' house, where she kept it wrapped up in tissue +paper, and squeezed it into her pocket. Rather hopelessly, but still +keeping a careful look-out, she proceeded slowly on her way, when +behold, just as she reached the top of the last flight, a little +cringing grey figure crossed the hall below. + +"It's come!" she exclaimed in an excited whisper. "It's come at last!" + +But though it had come, it seemed now the cat's greatest desire to go, +for it was hurrying towards the kitchen stairs. + +"Puss! puss!" called out Ruth in an entreating voice as she hastily ran +down. "Stop a minute! _Pretty_ puss!" + +Startled at the noise and the patter of the quick little feet, the cat +paused in its flight and turned its scared yellow-green eyes upon Ruth. + +She had now reached the bottom step, where she stood struggling to get +the Bath bun out of her small pocket, her face pink with the effort and +anxiety lest the cat should go before she succeeded. + +"_Pretty_ puss!" she repeated as she tugged at the parcel. "Don't go +away." + +One more desperate wrench, which gashed open the corner of the pocket, +and the bun was out. The cat looked on with one paw raised, ready to fly +at the first sign of danger, as with trembling fingers Ruth managed to +break a piece off the horny surface. She held it out. The cat came +nearer, sniffed at it suspiciously, and then to her great joy took the +morsel, crouched down, and munched it up. "How good it must taste," she +thought, "after the mice and rats." + +By degrees it was induced to make further advances, and before long to +come on to the step where Ruth sat, and make a hearty meal of the bun +which she crumbled up for it. + +"I'm afraid it's dry," she said; "but I couldn't bring any milk, you +know, and you must get some water afterwards." + +The cat seemed to understand, and replied by pushing its head against +her, and purred loudly. How thin it was! Ruth wondered as she looked +gravely at it whether it would soon be fatter if she fed it every day. +She became so interested in talking to it, and watching its behaviour, +that she nearly forgot she had to go into the dining-room, and jumped up +with a start. + +"Good-night," she said. "If you'll come again I'll bring you something +else another day." She looked back as she turned the handle of the heavy +door. The cat was sitting primly upright on the step washing its face +after its meal. "I expect it doesn't feel so hungry now," thought Ruth +as she went into the room. + +The acquaintance thus fairly begun was soon followed by other meetings, +and the cat was often in the hall when Ruth came downstairs, though it +did not appear every evening. The uncertainty of this was most exciting, +and "Will it be there to-night?" was her frequent thought during the +day. As time went on, and they grew to know each other better, she began +to find the kitchen cat a far superior companion to either her dolls or +the man in the picture. True, it could not answer her any more than they +did--in words, but it had a language of its own which she understood +perfectly. She knew when it was pleased, and when it said "Thank you" +for some delicacy she brought for it; its yellow eyes beamed with +sympathy and interest when she described the delights of that beautiful +life it would enjoy in the nursery; and when she pitied it for the +darkness of its present dwelling below, she knew it understood by the +way it rubbed against her and arched up its back. There were many more +pleasures in each day now that she had made this acquaintance. Shopping +became interesting, because she could look forward to the cat's surprise +and enjoyment when the parcel was opened in the evening; everything that +happened was treasured up to tell it when they met, or, if it was not +there, to write to it on the pink note-paper; the very smartest sash +belonging to her best doll was taken to adorn the cat's thin neck; and +the secrecy which surrounded all this made it doubly delightful. Ruth +had never been a greedy child, and if Nurse Smith wondered sometimes +that she now spent all her money on cakes, she concluded that they must +be for a dolls' feast, and troubled herself no further. Miss Ruth was +always so fond of "making believe". So things went on very quietly and +comfortably, and though Ruth could not discover that the kitchen cat got +any fatter, it had certainly improved in some ways since her +attentions. Its face had lost its scared look, and it no longer crept +about as close to the ground as possible, but walked with an assured +tread and its tail held high. It could never be a pretty cat to the +general eye, but when it came trotting noiselessly to meet Ruth, +uttering its short mew of welcome, she thought it beautiful, and would +not have changed it for the sleekest, handsomest cat in the kingdom. + +But it was the kitchen cat still. All this did not bring it one step +nearer to the nursery. It must still live, Ruth often thought with +sorrow, amongst the rats and mice and beetles. Nothing could ever happen +which would induce Nurse Smith to allow it to come upstairs. And yet +something did happen which brought this very thing to pass in a strange +way which would never have entered her mind. + +The spring came on with a bright sun and cold sharp winds, and one day +Ruth came in from her walk feeling shivery and tired. She could not eat +her dinner, and her head had a dull ache in it, and she thought she +would like to go to bed. She did not feel ill, she said, but she was +first very hot and then very cold. Nurse Smith sent for the doctor; and +he came and looked kindly at her, and felt her pulse and said she must +stay in bed and he would send some medicine. And she went to sleep, and +had funny dreams in which she plainly saw the kitchen cat dressed in +Aunt Clarkson's bonnet and cloak. It stood by her bed and talked in Aunt +Clarkson's voice, and she saw its grey fur paws under the folds of the +cloak. She wished it would go away, and wondered how she could have been +so fond of it. When Nurse came to give her something she said feebly: + +"Send the cat away." + +"Bless you, my dear, there's no cat here," she answered. "There's nobody +been here but me and Mrs. Clarkson." + +At last there came a day when she woke up from a long sleep and found +that the pain in her head was gone, and that the things in the room +which had been taking all manner of queer shapes looked all right again. + +"And how do you feel, Miss Ruth, my dear?" asked Nurse, who sat sewing +by the bedside. + +"I'm quite well, thank you," said Ruth. "Why am I in bed in the middle +of the day?" + +"Well, you haven't been just quite well, you know," said Nurse. + +"Haven't I?" said Ruth. She considered this for some time, and when +Nurse came to her with some beef-tea in her hand, she asked: + +"Have I been in bed more than a day?" + +"You've been in bed a week," said Nurse. "But you'll get along finely +now, and be up and about again in no time." + +Ruth drank her beef-tea and thought it over. Suddenly she dropped her +spoon into the cup. The kitchen cat! How it must have missed her if she +had been in bed a week. Unable to bear the idea in silence, she sat up +in bed with a flushed face and asked eagerly: + +"Have you seen the cat?" + +Nurse instantly rose with a concerned expression, and patted her +soothingly on the shoulder. + +"There now, my dear, we won't have any more fancies about cats and such. +You drink your beef-tea up and I'll tell you something pretty." + +Ruth took up her spoon again. It was of no use to talk to Nurse about +it, but it was dreadful to think how disappointed the cat must have +been evening after evening. Meanwhile Nurse went on in a coaxing tone: + +"If so be as you make haste and get well, you're to go alonger me and +stay with your Aunt Clarkson in the country. There now!" + +Ruth received the news calmly. It did not seem a very pleasant prospect, +or even a very real one to her. + +"There'll be little boys and girls to play with," pursued Nurse, trying +to heighten the picture; "and flowers--and birds and such--and medders, +and a garding, and all manner." + +But nothing could rouse Ruth to more than a very languid interest in +these delights. Her thoughts were all with her little friend downstairs; +and she felt certain that it had often been hungry, and no doubt thought +very badly of her for her neglect. If she could only see it and explain +that it had not been her fault! + +The next day Aunt Clarkson herself came. She always had a great deal on +her mind when she came up to town, and liked to get through her shopping +in time to go back in the afternoon, so she could never stay long with +Ruth. She came bustling in, looking very strong, and speaking in a loud +cheerful voice, and all the while she was there she gave quick glances +round her at everything in the room. Ruth was well enough to be up, and +was sitting in a big chair by the nursery fire, with picture-books and +toys near; but she was not looking at them. Her eyes were fixed +thoughtfully on the fire, and her mind was full of the kitchen cat. She +had tried to write to it, but the words would not come, and her fingers +trembled so much that she could not hold the pencil straight. The +vexation and disappointment of this had made her head ache, and +altogether she presented rather a mournful little figure. + +"Well, Nurse, and how are we going on?" said Aunt Clarkson, sitting down +in the chair Nurse placed for her. Remembering her dream, Ruth could not +help giving a glance at Aunt Clarkson's hands. They were fat, round +hands, and she kept them doubled up, so that they really looked rather +like a cat's paws. + +"Well, ma'am," replied Nurse, "Miss Ruth's better; but she's not, so to +say, as cheerful as I could wish. Still a few _fancies_ ma'am," she +added in an undertone, which Ruth heard perfectly. + +"Fancies, eh?" repeated Aunt Clarkson in her most cheerful voice. "Oh, +we shall get rid of them at Summerford. You'll have real things to play +with there, Ruth, you know. Lucy, and Cissie, and Bobbie will be better +than fancies, won't they?" + +Ruth gave a faint little nod. She did not know what her aunt meant by +"fancies". The cat was quite as real as Lucy, or Cissie, or Bobbie. +Should she ask her about it, or did she hate cats like Nurse Smith? She +gazed wistfully at Mrs. Clarkson's face, who had now drawn a list from +her pocket, and was running through the details half aloud with an +absorbed frown. + +"I shall wait and see the doctor, Nurse," she said presently; "and if he +comes soon I shall _just_ get through my business, and catch the three +o'clock express." + +No, it would be of no use, Ruth concluded, as she let her head fall +languidly back against the pillow--Aunt Clarkson was far too busy to +think about the cat. + +Fortunately for her business, the doctor did not keep her waiting long. +Ruth was better, he said, and all she wanted now was cheering up a +little--she looked dull and moped. "If she could have a little friend, +now, to see her, or a cheerful companion," glancing at Nurse Smith, "it +would have a good effect." + +He withdrew with Mrs. Clarkson to the door, and they continued the +conversation in low tones, so that only scraps of it reached Ruth: + +"--excitable--fanciful--too much alone--children of her own age--" + +Aunt Clarkson's last remark came loud and clear: + +"We shall cure that at Summerford, Dr. Short. We're not dull people +there, and we've no time for fancies." + +She smiled, the doctor smiled, they shook hands and both soon went away. +Ruth leant her head on her hand. Was there no one who would understand +how much she wanted to see the kitchen cat? Would they all talk about +fancies? What were Lucy and Cissie and Bobbie to her?--strangers, and +the cat was a friend. She would rather stroke its rough head, and listen +to its purring song, than have them all to play with. It was so sad to +think how it must have missed her, how much she wanted to see it, and +how badly her head ached, that she felt obliged to shed a few tears. +Nurse discovered this with much concern. + +"And there was master coming up to see you to-night and all, Miss Ruth. +It'll never do for him to find you crying, you know. I think you'd +better go to bed." + +Ruth looked up with a sudden gleam of hope, and checked her tears. + +"When is he coming?" she asked. "I want to see him." + +"Well, I s'pose directly he comes home--about your tea-time. But if I +let you sit up we mustn't have no more tears, you know, else he'll think +you ain't getting well." + +Ruth sank quietly back among her shawls in the big chair. An idea had +darted suddenly into her mind which comforted her very much, and she was +too busy with it to cry any more. She would ask her father! True, it was +hardly likely that he would have any thoughts to spare for such a small +thing as the kitchen cat; but still there was just a faint chance that +he would understand better than Nurse and Aunt Clarkson. So she waited +with patience, listening anxiously for his knock and the slam of the +hall door, and at last, just as Nurse was getting the tea ready, it +came. Her heart beat fast. Soon there was a hurried step on the stairs, +and her father entered the room. Ruth studied his face earnestly. Was he +tired? Was he worried? Would he stay long enough to hear the important +question? + +He kissed her and sat down near her. + +"How is Miss Ruth to-day?" he said rather wearily to Nurse. + +Standing stiffly erect behind Ruth's chair, Nurse Smith repeated all +that the doctor and Mrs. Clarkson had said. + +"And I think myself, sir," she added, "that Miss Ruth will be all the +better of a cheerful change. She worrits herself with fancies." + +Ruth looked earnestly up at her father's face, but said nothing. + +"Worries herself?" repeated Mr. Lorimer, with a puzzled frown. "What can +she have to worry about? Is there anything you want, my dear?" he said, +taking hold of Ruth's little hot hand and bending over her. + +The moment had come. Ruth gathered all her courage, sat upright, and +fixing an entreating gaze upon him said: + +"I want to see my best friend." + +"Your best friend, eh?" he answered, smiling as if it were a very slight +affair. "One of your little cousins, I suppose? Well, you're going to +Summerford, you know, and then you'll see them all. I forget their +names. Tommie, Mary, Carry, which is it?" + +Ruth gave a hopeless little sigh. She was so tired of these cousins. + +"It's none of them," she said shaking her head. "I don't want any of +them." + +"Who is it, then?" + +"It's the kitchen cat." + +Mr. Lorimer started back with surprise at the unexpected words. + +"The kitchen cat!" he repeated, looking distractedly at Nurse. "Her best +friend! What does the child mean?" + +"Miss Ruth has fancies, sir," she began with a superior smile. But she +did not get far, for at that word Ruth started to her feet in +desperation. + +"It isn't a fancy!" she cried; "it's a _real_ cat. I know it very well +and it knows me. And I _do_ want to see it so. _Please_ let it come." + +The last words broke off in a sob. + +Mr. Lorimer lifted her gently on to his knee. + +"Where is this cat?" he said, turning to Nurse with such a frown that +Ruth thought he must be angry. "Why hasn't Miss Ruth had it before if +she wanted it?" + +"Well, I believe there _is_ a cat somewhere below, sir," she replied in +an injured tone; "but I'd no idea, I'm sure, that Miss Ruth was +worritting after it. To the best of my knowledge she's only seen it +once. She's so fond of making believe that it's hard to tell when she +_is_ in earnest. I thought it was a kind of a fancy she got in her head +when she was ill." + +"Fetch it here at once, if you please." + +Nurse hesitated. + +"It's hardly a fit pet for Miss Ruth, sir." + +"At once, if you please," repeated Mr. Lorimer. And Nurse went. + +Ruth listened to this with her breath held, almost frightened at her own +success. Not only was the kitchen cat to be admitted, but it was to be +brought by the very hands of Nurse herself. It was wonderful--almost too +wonderful to be true. + +And now it seemed that her father wished to know how the kitchen cat had +become her best friend. He was very much interested in it, and she +thought his face looked quite different while he listened to her to what +it looked when he was reading his papers downstairs. Finding that he +asked sensible questions, and did not once say anything about "fancies", +she was encouraged to tell him more and more, and at last leant her head +on his shoulder and closed her eyes. It would be all right now. She had +found someone at last who understood. + +The entrance of the kitchen cat shortly afterwards was neither dignified +nor comfortable, for it appeared dangling at the end of Nurse's +outstretched arm, held by the neck as far as possible from her own +person. When it was first put down it was terrified at its new +surroundings, and it was a little painful to find that it wanted to rush +downstairs again at once, in spite of Ruth's fondest caresses. It was +Mr. Lorimer who came to her help, and succeeded at last in soothing its +fears and coaxing it to drink some milk, after which it settled down +placidly with her in the big chair and began its usual song of +contentment. She examined it carefully with a grave face, and then +looked apologetically at her father. + +"It doesn't look its _best_," she said. "Its paws are white _really_, +but I think it's been in the coal-hole." + +This seemed very likely, for not only its paws but the smart ribbon Ruth +had tied round its neck was grimy and black. + +"It's not _exactually_ pretty," she continued, "but it's a _very_ nice +cat. You can't think how well it knows me--generally." + +Mr. Lorimer studied the long lean form of the cat curiously through his +eye-glass. + +"You wouldn't like a white Persian kitten better for a pet--or a nice +little dog, now?" he asked doubtfully. + +"Oh, _please_ not," said Ruth with a shocked expression on her face. "I +shouldn't love it half so well, and I'm sure the kitchen cat wouldn't +like it." + +That was a wonderful evening. Everything seemed as suddenly changed as +if a fairy had touched them with her wand. Not only was the kitchen cat +actually there in the nursery, drinking milk and eating toast, but there +was a still stranger alteration. This father was quite different to the +one she had known in the dining-room downstairs, who was always reading +and had no time to talk. His very face had altered, for instead of +looking grave and far-away it was full of smiles and interest. And how +well he understood about the kitchen cat! When her bed-time came he +seemed quite sorry to go away, and his last words were: + +"Remember, Nurse, Miss Ruth is to have the cat here whenever she likes +and as long as she likes." + +It was all so strange that Ruth woke up the next morning with a feeling +that she had had a pleasant dream. The kitchen cat and the new father +would both vanish with daylight; they were "fancies", as Nurse called +them, and not real things at all. But as the days passed and she grew +strong enough to go downstairs as usual, it was delightful to find that +this was not the case. The new father was there still. The cat was +allowed to make a third in the party, and soon learned to take its place +with dignity and composure. But though thus honoured, it no longer +received all Ruth's confidences. She had found a better friend. Her +difficulties, her questions, her news were all saved up for the evening +to tell her father. It was the best bit in the whole day. + +On one of these occasions they were all three sitting happily together, +and Ruth had just put a new brass collar which her father had bought +round the cat's neck. + +"I don't want to go to Summerford," she said suddenly. "I'd much rather +stay here with you." + +"And the cat," added Mr. Lorimer as he kissed her. "Well, you must come +back soon and take care of us both, you know." + +"You'll be kind to it when I'm gone, won't you?" said Ruth. "Because, +you know, I don't think the servants _understand_ cats. They're rather +sharp to it." + +"It shall have dinner with me every night," said Mr. Lorimer. + +In this way the kitchen cat was raised from a lowly station to great +honour, and its life henceforth was one of peace and freedom. It went +where it would, no one questioned its right of entrance to the nursery +or dared to slight it in any way. In spite, however, of choice meals and +luxury it never grew fat, and never, except in Ruth's eyes, became +pretty. It also kept to many of its old habits, preferring liberty and +the chimney-pots at night to the softly-lined basket prepared for its +repose. + +But with all its faults Ruth loved it faithfully as long as it lived, +for in her own mind she felt that she owed it a great deal. + +She remembered that evening when, a lonely little child, she had called +it her "best friend". Perhaps she would not have discovered so soon that +she had a better friend still, without the kitchen cat. + + + + +SARAH'S SUNDAY OUT + + +"Who saw Sarah last?" + +It was Hester who had seen her last when she had said good-bye to a +friend at the hall door. That was at eleven o'clock in the morning; now +it was one o'clock in the afternoon, and there was no Sarah to be found +anywhere. Not in the nursery, not in any of the bedrooms, not upstairs, +not downstairs; every hole and corner and crevice much too small to hide +Sarah was thoroughly searched. Her name was called in the fondest tones +by every member of the family from father and mother down to little +Diana, and by all the servants, but there was no answer. There could be +no doubt about it--Sarah was lost! + +Little Diana was heart-broken. It was dreadful to think of Sarah out +alone in the noisy London streets, where she knew no one and no one +would know her, where she would soon get confused and lose her way, and +where all the houses looked so much alike that she would never, never be +able to find her home again. Perhaps even some wicked person might steal +Sarah, or she might be run over by a carriage, or bitten by a dog, +or--there were no end of misfortunes which might happen to her, for it +made it all the more sad to remember that Sarah could not speak. + +Who was Sarah? + +Perhaps you may have been thinking that she was a little girl. Nothing +of the kind. She was the dearest little dog in the world, with a yellow +and white silky coat, and a very turned-up nose, and goggling, +affectionate dark eyes. She was a gay-tempered little creature, full of +playful coaxing ways, and a great pet with everyone; but she was fondest +of her mistress, Diana. She went everywhere with her, knew her step from +that of any of the other children, and would prick up her ears and +listen for it a long way off. Her whole name was "Sarah, Duchess of +Marlborough", and she was a Blenheim spaniel. + +As befitted her rank, Sarah led a life of luxury, and had a great many +possessions of her very own. Smart collars and bells, a box full of +different coloured ribbons, a travelling trunk with her name upon it, a +brush and comb, a warm coat for cold weather, and a comfortable basket +to sleep in. Everything that heart could desire for comfort or adornment +was hers. She had never been used to the least roughness or hardship, +and certainly was too delicate to fight her own way in the world. + +And now Sarah was lost! All through that Sunday everyone was very much +disturbed, and talked of nothing but how they could find her. If a +visitor came in, the conversation was all about Sarah; but no one seemed +to be very hopeful that she would be brought back. There were +dog-stealers about, they said, and such a little dog would be easily +picked up and hidden. Poor Diana listened to all this, and got more and +more miserable as the day went on, for she began to feel quite sure that +she should never see her dear little dog again. She moped about, got +very pale, would not eat her dinner, and would have been in utter +despair if Mother had not given her some comfort. For Mother was the +only person who thought there was a chance of Sarah's return, and this +cheered Diana, because she had a feeling that Mother knew everything. + +Nevertheless when Monday morning came and there was no Sarah, Diana went +downstairs in the lowest spirits. + +"Immediately after breakfast," said her mother, "I shall put on my +bonnet and go out to look for Sarah." + +"Will you _promise_ to bring her back?" asked poor little Diana +earnestly. + +Even Mother could not _promise_, but she would do her very best, and +when she had started Diana went up to the nursery somewhat comforted, to +wait as patiently as she could for her return. + +Long, long before that could possibly happen she stationed herself at +the window, and fixed her eyes on the busy street below. Carts, +carriages, cabs, people, how they all went on and on without a pause, +full of their own business or pleasure! So many ladies, but not Mother; +so many dogs, small and big, but not one quite like Sarah. Diana's mouth +began to droop more and more with disappointment, and she was very near +crying. Even Mother could not bring Sarah back! + +"A watched kettle never boils, Miss Diana," said Nurse. "You'd much +better come away from the window and play, and then the time'd pass +quicker." + +But Diana would not move. Just as Nurse spoke she caught sight of a +bonnet in the distance just like Mother's, but she had been so often +deceived that she hardly dared to hope. It came nearer--it was opposite +the house. Oh, joy! Mother's face, with an expression of triumphant +satisfaction upon it, looked up to the nursery window. No wonder it was +triumphant, for under her arm there appeared a yellow and white head, +with silky ears and large dark eyes. Sarah was found! It seemed almost +too good to be true. + + * * * * * + +You may imagine how Diana rejoiced over Sarah and petted her, and how +interested she and everyone else were to hear how the little dog had +been traced to a coachman's house in a mews close by. Sarah, on her +side, seemed very glad to be with her dear little mistress again, and +after returning her caresses curled herself up and went to sleep on the +sofa, no doubt tired with her adventures. How Diana wished she could +tell her all she had done and seen on that Sunday when everyone had been +so unhappy about her! + +"Where did you go, you darling?" she asked her over and over again, but +Sarah never answered. She only wagged her fringy tail, and licked her +mistress's hand, and goggled at her with her full dark eyes. And yet +Diana felt quite sure that she had many strange and interesting things +to tell, if she only could. + +One afternoon she was lying on the school-room sofa with Sarah by her +side. It was a very hot day, the blinds were down and the windows wide +open, so that the distant rumble of the carts and carriages came up from +the street below. There was an organ playing too, and as Diana listened +dreamily to these noises, and stroked Sarah's head with one hand, she +began to wonder again about those wonderful adventures. + +"Tell me where you went on Sunday," she whispered once more. + +To her great surprise, she plainly heard, among all the other noises, +the sound of a tiny voice close to her. She listened eagerly, and this +is what it said: + +"You must know, my dear mistress, that I have long had a great wish to +see more of the world. The park is pleasant enough, but after all if you +are led on a string and not allowed to speak to other dogs, it soon +becomes dull and tiresome. I wanted to go out alone, into the busy +street, to stay as long as I liked, to take whatever direction I +fancied, and to join in the amusements of other dogs. In short, I wanted +more freedom; and although I never gave way to temper or became +snappish, I grew more and more discontented with my safe and pleasant +life. I was so closely watched, however, that I could never get an +opportunity for the least little stroll alone, and I began to despair, +when, at last, on Sunday, the chance really came. I was alone in the +hall, Hester opened the door, I slipped out unseen, and there I +was--free! + +"It was delightful to find myself alone on the door-step, and to hear +the door shut behind me; not that I did not fully intend to go back, for +I love my mistress and am not ungrateful for the kindness shown me, but +it was so pleasant to think that for a short time I could do just as I +liked. I soon found, however, that this was very far from the case. + +"At first I trotted along the pavement in the best spirits, meeting very +few dogs, and those of a very rough kind, so that I did not care to +speak to them. It was, as you remember, a very hot day. The ground felt +quite burning under my feet, and soon I should have been thankful to be +carried a little while. I got thirsty too, and I began to look about for +a shady place where I could lie down and rest out of the sun. Presently +I came to a narrow turning, which looked dark and cool compared to the +bright hot streets. It was quiet too, for there was only a man in the +yard washing a cart, and a rough-coated grey dog sitting near. I made up +my mind to try this, and trotting up to the dog made a few remarks about +the heat of the weather. From his replies I soon perceived that he was +quite a common dog, though very good-natured in manner, and he shortly +told me he belonged to the green-grocer and that his name was 'Bob'. + +"We continued to talk, and before long I learnt a good deal about his +way of life, which interested me extremely from its great contrast to my +own. In spite of its hardships there was something attractive about it +too, though quite out of the question for anyone of delicacy and +refinement. For Bob was a working dog. He had to be at Covent Garden by +daybreak with his master, to go on all his rounds with him, and to take +care of the vegetables in the cart while he called at the different +houses. + +"'And what do you get for all that?' I asked. + +"'I get my food, and a good many kicks sometimes,' he answered. + +"'Poor dog!' I exclaimed, for my heart was filled with pity for him, and +I no longer thought his an attractive life. 'Why don't you run away?' + +"Bob grinned. 'I'm not so stupid as that,' he replied. 'Dogs that run +away come to bad ends. Besides, I'm happy enough. I get a holiday +sometimes, and a walk in the park, and on Sunday I can do what I like.' + +"'Dear me!' I exclaimed languidly. 'What a dreadful life! Now, _I_ have +nothing to do but to please myself every day in the week, and as for +the park, I go there so often I'm perfectly sick of it.' + +"'Do you get your Sundays out?' asked Bob. + +"I hesitated. 'This is really my first Sunday out,' I replied at length, +'but I intend in future----' + +"'What's your name?' rudely interrupted Bob. + +"He certainly had no manners at all, but what could you expect from a +dog of low degree? + +"'My name,' I replied, holding up my head with a slight sniff of +disdain, 'is--Sarah, Duchess of Marlborough!' + +"I had no time to notice the effect of these words, for they were hardly +out of my mouth when I felt myself seized by a large hand, lifted into +the air, and thrust into someone's coat pocket. From this humiliating +position I heard the voice of the man washing the cart: + +"'That _your_ dorg?' And someone answered, 'It belongs to the lady.' + +"You may judge, my dear mistress, how frightened I felt. Here was a +sudden end to my freedom! Imprisoned in a strange man's pocket, from +which escape was impossible, nearly stifled with the smell of tobacco, +and filled with dread as to what would happen next. I managed to wriggle +my head out of the corner, but saw at once that it would be useless to +think of jumping out, the distance from the ground being far too great. +I remained still therefore, and as the man walked out of the yard had a +faint hope that he knew where I lived and was taking me home. Alas! I +was soon disappointed. He turned down a mews, went into a house I had +never seen before, up some narrow stairs without any carpet, and entered +a room where there sat a large fat man in his shirt sleeves, smoking and +reading a newspaper. I was placed trembling on the table by his side, +and he took the pipe out of his mouth and turned his head to look at me. + +"'Nice little sort of a fancy dorg,' he said at last. 'What they call a +"Blennum".' + +"'Strayed into the yard,' said the man who had picked me up. 'I'm going +to show it to the missus presently.' + +"'Worth a tidy sum,' said the fat man, and went on smoking. + +"Was ever a dog of my rank and position brought down so low? No one took +any more notice of me, or seemed to think me of any importance, and I +remained shivering on the table with large tears rolling down my cheeks. +How I repented my folly! I had wanted to see the world, and here it was, +a miserable contrast to my happy life at home, where I was fondled and +admired by everyone. Foolish, foolish little dog that I had been! I +began to think too how my dear little mistress would miss me, and how +they would search everywhere and call for me in vain, and the more I +thought the more painful it all seemed. A long and wretched time passed +in this way, during which the fat man, who was a coachman I afterwards +heard, puffed at his pipe and read his newspaper, sometimes shaking his +head and talking to himself a little. He hardly seemed to know I was +there, and I believe if the door had been open I could easily have +escaped, for the other man had gone out of the room. But there was no +chance of that; by and by he came back, took me under his arm and went +out into the street again. Where was he going, I wondered. He had talked +of the missus, but if the missus was any friend of his I had no hope +that she would prove agreeable. It was a great surprise, therefore, to +find myself a little later in a large house where there were soft +carpets, and pictures, and flowers, and everything I have been used to +see around me. Not only this, but I was most warmly received by a lady, +who called me a duck, a darling, a love, and a beauty. These familiar +names, which I had been accustomed to hear from my birth, made me feel +somewhat at home, and I began to take comfort. At any rate, I was now +with people who knew how to behave to me, and would treat me with +consideration. I passed the rest of the day, therefore, in peace, though +I still sighed for my own mistress, and had no appetite for the new roll +and cream offered me. + +"All my fears returned, however, for to my distress I was sent back to +sleep at the coachman's house, where I passed the night full of anxiety +and the most dismal thoughts. How would all this end? Who can picture my +ecstasy of delight the next morning when I heard the sound of your +mother's voice talking to the coachman below? I need not tell you how +she had succeeded in tracing me through the green-grocer, who had seen +me picked up in the yard, for that you know already. I cannot help +feeling that Bob may have had something to do with my recovery, for I am +sure though rough in his manners he was a well-meaning dog. If so, I am +grateful to him. To end a long story, my dear mistress, I must remark +that I have no longer any wish to know more of the world. It is far too +rough and noisy a place for me, and you need have no fear, therefore, +that I shall try to repeat my experience, or shall ever forget the +lesson taught me by 'my Sunday out'." + + + + +THE TOAD IN THE HOLE + + +"When is she coming?" + +"To-morrow." + +"Are you glad?" + +"No. Are you?" + +"I don't care. I wonder how long she will stay. I know Mother said a +week, but I dare say she'll ask her to stay longer as she did last +year." + +"Well, I know she'll be tiresome, and I shall be glad when she goes +away." + +"I'm going to sleep now." + +"Oh, Martha, how soon you always do go to sleep! I'm not a bit sleepy +yet." + +A snore from the other little bed soon showed Betty that further talk +was hopeless. She would have liked to chatter longer, but Martha had a +way of falling asleep at the most interesting points, and Betty knew it +would be useless to try and rouse her now. + +So she resigned herself to her own thoughts with a sigh. Kitty was +coming to-morrow! Coming before Martha and she had had any enjoyment of +their country life together, for the children had only just left London. +Coming to spoil all their plans and games with her tiresome ways, just +as she had done last year. Of course she would insist on being first in +everything, on ruling everyone, and would be as pushing and disagreeable +as possible. It was all very well to say that she was a visitor and must +do as she wished, but that did not make it any the less provoking. + +And then Martha took it all so quietly. It was almost impossible to +rouse her to be angry, and that was annoying too in its way. "I +suppose," thought Betty, very sleepily now, "that I ought to try to be +patient too, but sometimes I really _can't_." She fell asleep here, and +dreamed that Kitty was an immense "daddy-long-legs" flapping and buzzing +about in her hair. + +The next afternoon Kitty arrived, full of excitement, and ready to be +more than delighted with everything. + +She was eleven years old, just Martha's age, and Betty was two years +younger. Fresh from her life in London, where there always were so many +lessons to be learned and so little "fun" of any kind, this beautiful +country home was a sort of paradise to her. To have no one to scold her, +no lessons to learn, no tiresome straight walks with her governess, and +above all, to have two playfellows always ready to join in pleasures and +games! Kitty was an only child, and her life was often dull for want of +companionship. Everything went on very well at first, for there was so +much to do and see that there was no time for disputes. True, Kitty +commanded as much as ever, and had a way of setting people to rights +which was distinctly trying; but she and Betty did not come to any open +disagreement until she had been at Holmwood for nearly a week. +Nevertheless there had been many small occasions on which Betty had felt +fretted and irritated; for Kitty, without the least intending it, seemed +often to choose just the wrong thing to say and do. + +And then she always wished to do _exactly_ the same as Martha and +herself, and that was _so_ tiresome. + +For instance, all the children were very fond of dear Miss Grey. But now +it was always Kitty who must sit next to her, Kitty who rushed to supply +her with roses to wear and strawberries to eat, Kitty who kissed her +repeatedly at the most awkward moments. Martha and Betty, who naturally +felt that Miss Grey was their _own dear_ Miss Grey, could hardly get +near her at all, and Betty resented this very much. In fact, she +gradually got to dwell so entirely on these annoyances that she could +not think of Kitty's good qualities at all, and was quite unable to +remember that she was generous and affectionate, and that her faults, +though tiresome, were partly the result of a longing to be loved. + +At last, the clouds having gathered, the storm came. + +One morning, almost as soon as she got up, Betty felt that every single +thing Kitty did or said was silly. It did not occur to her that perhaps +she was a little bit cross herself, which was the real explanation. + +After breakfast they all three went down to the pond, and, dividing the +water into shares, began to fish for frogs and newts. + +"In a minute," said Betty to herself as she watched Kitty, "she'll say +Martha and I have the best places." + +It happened just so. + +"I say," said Kitty, throwing down her net and coming close up to Betty, +"I've got the worst place of all, there's nothing to catch in this +part!" + +"You haven't tried long enough," said Martha. + +"Let's change," was Kitty's next suggestion as she stood looking eagerly +over Betty's shoulder. + +"All right," said Betty moodily, and she went round to the part of the +pond Kitty had left, where she almost immediately caught two tadpoles +and a newt. + +"Look there!" she cried, holding up her net triumphantly. + +"Oh!" screamed Kitty, "you _are_ lucky. _Do_ let me try," and she rushed +up to Betty's side and seized hold of the net. But this was too much. +Betty let go of the handle and said indignantly, "I shan't fish any +more. You're so unfair; you always are!" And she walked away in a rage. +"Kitty is more tiresome than ever," she said to herself. "She spoils +everything. I wish she would go away!" + +All that day she preserved an attitude of dignified sulkiness in spite +of Kitty's frequent attempts to make it up. When she came and threw her +arm round her, Betty shook it off impatiently. + +That evening the three little girls were in the woods with dear Miss +Grey and baby Susie, who was just three years old. Betty was walking a +little behind the others with her eyes fixed on the ground. It was damp +and mossy, and there was a thick growth of ferns and underwood at the +side of the path. Suddenly she saw something move quickly through this, +and disappear down a hole. She stopped and moved aside the ferns and +moss. What do you think she saw sitting comfortably in the hole and +staring at her with its moist bright eyes? + +A large speckled toad! + +"Look, look, Miss Grey!" she cried, and everyone gathered round to see +what she had found. Even Susie peered into the hole, and poked a bit of +fern gently at the toad, which sat there gazing quietly at them. + +"What a jolly little home he's made for himself!" said Martha. "All soft +and moist, and just exactly to fit him." + +"He can't see out much," said Betty as she put back the moss gently over +the top. + +"I don't think he wants to," said Miss Grey. "He is quite satisfied, +like many other people who live in holes." + +The children ran on through the wood, except Betty, who kept back and +took hold of Miss Grey's hand. + +"What do you mean about living in holes?" she asked presently. + +"Well, you know, we all live in holes of one kind or another. Some are +rough and some smooth, some fit us exactly, and some don't fit us at +all. Some are softly lined with all sorts of comforts, and some are full +of pricks and troubles. And it is always very difficult to see out of +them." + +"Why?" asked Betty. + +"Because, like the toad's hole we saw just now, our own lives are so +near us and surround us so closely, that it is only by making an effort +that we can get out of them and understand other people's lives at all. +The only thing that can really make us do that is sympathy." + +"What does that mean?" + +"It is that which makes us able to put ourselves in thought into other +people's holes, and feel what it is like to live there. When we do that +it makes us remember to be patient and gentle with our friends and +companions, for if they live in uncomfortable holes it must be difficult +for them to be unselfish and amiable. If we had their troubles and +vexations we might not be half so pleasant as they are." + +Betty was silent. + +"Do you think Martha's hole and mine is nicer than Kitty's?" she said at +last. + +"Well, I think in some ways it may be. At any rate you know Kitty has no +sisters to play with, and very little of this country life you all enjoy +so much. While her holiday lasts I should try to make it as pleasant as +possible for her, if I were you." + +"I do," said Betty, "generally. Only sometimes she makes me feel so +cross." + +At this moment up rushed Kitty, and elbowed Betty away from Miss Grey's +side. + +"You've had her long enough!" she shouted. "It's my turn now!" + +And Betty was thinking so much about the toad in the hole, that she did +not even frown. + + + + + +End of Project Gutenberg's The Kitchen Cat and Other Stories, by Amy Walton + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE KITCHEN CAT AND OTHER STORIES *** + +***** This file should be named 24751.txt or 24751.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/2/4/7/5/24751/ + +Produced by David Edwards, Stephen Blundell and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This +file was produced from images generously made available +by The Internet Archive) + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. Special rules, +set forth in the General Terms of Use part of this license, apply to +copying and distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works to +protect the PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm concept and trademark. Project +Gutenberg is a registered trademark, and may not be used if you +charge for the eBooks, unless you receive specific permission. If you +do not charge anything for copies of this eBook, complying with the +rules is very easy. You may use this eBook for nearly any purpose +such as creation of derivative works, reports, performances and +research. They may be modified and printed and given away--you may do +practically ANYTHING with public domain eBooks. Redistribution is +subject to the trademark license, especially commercial +redistribution. + + + +*** START: FULL LICENSE *** + +THE FULL PROJECT GUTENBERG LICENSE +PLEASE READ THIS BEFORE YOU DISTRIBUTE OR USE THIS WORK + +To protect the Project Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting the free +distribution of electronic works, by using or distributing this work +(or any other work associated in any way with the phrase "Project +Gutenberg"), you agree to comply with all the terms of the Full Project +Gutenberg-tm License (available with this file or online at +http://gutenberg.org/license). + + +Section 1. General Terms of Use and Redistributing Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic works + +1.A. By reading or using any part of this Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic work, you indicate that you have read, understand, agree to +and accept all the terms of this license and intellectual property +(trademark/copyright) agreement. If you do not agree to abide by all +the terms of this agreement, you must cease using and return or destroy +all copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in your possession. +If you paid a fee for obtaining a copy of or access to a Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic work and you do not agree to be bound by the +terms of this agreement, you may obtain a refund from the person or +entity to whom you paid the fee as set forth in paragraph 1.E.8. + +1.B. "Project Gutenberg" is a registered trademark. It may only be +used on or associated in any way with an electronic work by people who +agree to be bound by the terms of this agreement. There are a few +things that you can do with most Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works +even without complying with the full terms of this agreement. See +paragraph 1.C below. There are a lot of things you can do with Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic works if you follow the terms of this agreement +and help preserve free future access to Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works. See paragraph 1.E below. + +1.C. The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation ("the Foundation" +or PGLAF), owns a compilation copyright in the collection of Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic works. Nearly all the individual works in the +collection are in the public domain in the United States. If an +individual work is in the public domain in the United States and you are +located in the United States, we do not claim a right to prevent you from +copying, distributing, performing, displaying or creating derivative +works based on the work as long as all references to Project Gutenberg +are removed. Of course, we hope that you will support the Project +Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting free access to electronic works by +freely sharing Project Gutenberg-tm works in compliance with the terms of +this agreement for keeping the Project Gutenberg-tm name associated with +the work. You can easily comply with the terms of this agreement by +keeping this work in the same format with its attached full Project +Gutenberg-tm License when you share it without charge with others. + +1.D. The copyright laws of the place where you are located also govern +what you can do with this work. Copyright laws in most countries are in +a constant state of change. If you are outside the United States, check +the laws of your country in addition to the terms of this agreement +before downloading, copying, displaying, performing, distributing or +creating derivative works based on this work or any other Project +Gutenberg-tm work. The Foundation makes no representations concerning +the copyright status of any work in any country outside the United +States. + +1.E. Unless you have removed all references to Project Gutenberg: + +1.E.1. The following sentence, with active links to, or other immediate +access to, the full Project Gutenberg-tm License must appear prominently +whenever any copy of a Project Gutenberg-tm work (any work on which the +phrase "Project Gutenberg" appears, or with which the phrase "Project +Gutenberg" is associated) is accessed, displayed, performed, viewed, +copied or distributed: + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + +1.E.2. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is derived +from the public domain (does not contain a notice indicating that it is +posted with permission of the copyright holder), the work can be copied +and distributed to anyone in the United States without paying any fees +or charges. If you are redistributing or providing access to a work +with the phrase "Project Gutenberg" associated with or appearing on the +work, you must comply either with the requirements of paragraphs 1.E.1 +through 1.E.7 or obtain permission for the use of the work and the +Project Gutenberg-tm trademark as set forth in paragraphs 1.E.8 or +1.E.9. + +1.E.3. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is posted +with the permission of the copyright holder, your use and distribution +must comply with both paragraphs 1.E.1 through 1.E.7 and any additional +terms imposed by the copyright holder. Additional terms will be linked +to the Project Gutenberg-tm License for all works posted with the +permission of the copyright holder found at the beginning of this work. + +1.E.4. Do not unlink or detach or remove the full Project Gutenberg-tm +License terms from this work, or any files containing a part of this +work or any other work associated with Project Gutenberg-tm. + +1.E.5. Do not copy, display, perform, distribute or redistribute this +electronic work, or any part of this electronic work, without +prominently displaying the sentence set forth in paragraph 1.E.1 with +active links or immediate access to the full terms of the Project +Gutenberg-tm License. + +1.E.6. You may convert to and distribute this work in any binary, +compressed, marked up, nonproprietary or proprietary form, including any +word processing or hypertext form. However, if you provide access to or +distribute copies of a Project Gutenberg-tm work in a format other than +"Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other format used in the official version +posted on the official Project Gutenberg-tm web site (www.gutenberg.org), +you must, at no additional cost, fee or expense to the user, provide a +copy, a means of exporting a copy, or a means of obtaining a copy upon +request, of the work in its original "Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other +form. Any alternate format must include the full Project Gutenberg-tm +License as specified in paragraph 1.E.1. + +1.E.7. Do not charge a fee for access to, viewing, displaying, +performing, copying or distributing any Project Gutenberg-tm works +unless you comply with paragraph 1.E.8 or 1.E.9. + +1.E.8. You may charge a reasonable fee for copies of or providing +access to or distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works provided +that + +- You pay a royalty fee of 20% of the gross profits you derive from + the use of Project Gutenberg-tm works calculated using the method + you already use to calculate your applicable taxes. The fee is + owed to the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark, but he + has agreed to donate royalties under this paragraph to the + Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation. Royalty payments + must be paid within 60 days following each date on which you + prepare (or are legally required to prepare) your periodic tax + returns. Royalty payments should be clearly marked as such and + sent to the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation at the + address specified in Section 4, "Information about donations to + the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation." + +- You provide a full refund of any money paid by a user who notifies + you in writing (or by e-mail) within 30 days of receipt that s/he + does not agree to the terms of the full Project Gutenberg-tm + License. You must require such a user to return or + destroy all copies of the works possessed in a physical medium + and discontinue all use of and all access to other copies of + Project Gutenberg-tm works. + +- You provide, in accordance with paragraph 1.F.3, a full refund of any + money paid for a work or a replacement copy, if a defect in the + electronic work is discovered and reported to you within 90 days + of receipt of the work. + +- You comply with all other terms of this agreement for free + distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm works. + +1.E.9. If you wish to charge a fee or distribute a Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic work or group of works on different terms than are set +forth in this agreement, you must obtain permission in writing from +both the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation and Michael +Hart, the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark. Contact the +Foundation as set forth in Section 3 below. + +1.F. + +1.F.1. Project Gutenberg volunteers and employees expend considerable +effort to identify, do copyright research on, transcribe and proofread +public domain works in creating the Project Gutenberg-tm +collection. Despite these efforts, Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works, and the medium on which they may be stored, may contain +"Defects," such as, but not limited to, incomplete, inaccurate or +corrupt data, transcription errors, a copyright or other intellectual +property infringement, a defective or damaged disk or other medium, a +computer virus, or computer codes that damage or cannot be read by +your equipment. + +1.F.2. LIMITED WARRANTY, DISCLAIMER OF DAMAGES - Except for the "Right +of Replacement or Refund" described in paragraph 1.F.3, the Project +Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation, the owner of the Project +Gutenberg-tm trademark, and any other party distributing a Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic work under this agreement, disclaim all +liability to you for damages, costs and expenses, including legal +fees. YOU AGREE THAT YOU HAVE NO REMEDIES FOR NEGLIGENCE, STRICT +LIABILITY, BREACH OF WARRANTY OR BREACH OF CONTRACT EXCEPT THOSE +PROVIDED IN PARAGRAPH F3. YOU AGREE THAT THE FOUNDATION, THE +TRADEMARK OWNER, AND ANY DISTRIBUTOR UNDER THIS AGREEMENT WILL NOT BE +LIABLE TO YOU FOR ACTUAL, DIRECT, INDIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL, PUNITIVE OR +INCIDENTAL DAMAGES EVEN IF YOU GIVE NOTICE OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH +DAMAGE. + +1.F.3. LIMITED RIGHT OF REPLACEMENT OR REFUND - If you discover a +defect in this electronic work within 90 days of receiving it, you can +receive a refund of the money (if any) you paid for it by sending a +written explanation to the person you received the work from. If you +received the work on a physical medium, you must return the medium with +your written explanation. The person or entity that provided you with +the defective work may elect to provide a replacement copy in lieu of a +refund. If you received the work electronically, the person or entity +providing it to you may choose to give you a second opportunity to +receive the work electronically in lieu of a refund. If the second copy +is also defective, you may demand a refund in writing without further +opportunities to fix the problem. + +1.F.4. Except for the limited right of replacement or refund set forth +in paragraph 1.F.3, this work is provided to you 'AS-IS' WITH NO OTHER +WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO +WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTIBILITY OR FITNESS FOR ANY PURPOSE. + +1.F.5. Some states do not allow disclaimers of certain implied +warranties or the exclusion or limitation of certain types of damages. +If any disclaimer or limitation set forth in this agreement violates the +law of the state applicable to this agreement, the agreement shall be +interpreted to make the maximum disclaimer or limitation permitted by +the applicable state law. The invalidity or unenforceability of any +provision of this agreement shall not void the remaining provisions. + +1.F.6. INDEMNITY - You agree to indemnify and hold the Foundation, the +trademark owner, any agent or employee of the Foundation, anyone +providing copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in accordance +with this agreement, and any volunteers associated with the production, +promotion and distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works, +harmless from all liability, costs and expenses, including legal fees, +that arise directly or indirectly from any of the following which you do +or cause to occur: (a) distribution of this or any Project Gutenberg-tm +work, (b) alteration, modification, or additions or deletions to any +Project Gutenberg-tm work, and (c) any Defect you cause. + + +Section 2. Information about the Mission of Project Gutenberg-tm + +Project Gutenberg-tm is synonymous with the free distribution of +electronic works in formats readable by the widest variety of computers +including obsolete, old, middle-aged and new computers. It exists +because of the efforts of hundreds of volunteers and donations from +people in all walks of life. + +Volunteers and financial support to provide volunteers with the +assistance they need, is critical to reaching Project Gutenberg-tm's +goals and ensuring that the Project Gutenberg-tm collection will +remain freely available for generations to come. In 2001, the Project +Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation was created to provide a secure +and permanent future for Project Gutenberg-tm and future generations. +To learn more about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation +and how your efforts and donations can help, see Sections 3 and 4 +and the Foundation web page at http://www.pglaf.org. + + +Section 3. Information about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive +Foundation + +The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation is a non profit +501(c)(3) educational corporation organized under the laws of the +state of Mississippi and granted tax exempt status by the Internal +Revenue Service. The Foundation's EIN or federal tax identification +number is 64-6221541. Its 501(c)(3) letter is posted at +http://pglaf.org/fundraising. Contributions to the Project Gutenberg +Literary Archive Foundation are tax deductible to the full extent +permitted by U.S. federal laws and your state's laws. + +The Foundation's principal office is located at 4557 Melan Dr. S. +Fairbanks, AK, 99712., but its volunteers and employees are scattered +throughout numerous locations. Its business office is located at +809 North 1500 West, Salt Lake City, UT 84116, (801) 596-1887, email +business@pglaf.org. Email contact links and up to date contact +information can be found at the Foundation's web site and official +page at http://pglaf.org + +For additional contact information: + Dr. Gregory B. Newby + Chief Executive and Director + gbnewby@pglaf.org + + +Section 4. Information about Donations to the Project Gutenberg +Literary Archive Foundation + +Project Gutenberg-tm depends upon and cannot survive without wide +spread public support and donations to carry out its mission of +increasing the number of public domain and licensed works that can be +freely distributed in machine readable form accessible by the widest +array of equipment including outdated equipment. Many small donations +($1 to $5,000) are particularly important to maintaining tax exempt +status with the IRS. + +The Foundation is committed to complying with the laws regulating +charities and charitable donations in all 50 states of the United +States. Compliance requirements are not uniform and it takes a +considerable effort, much paperwork and many fees to meet and keep up +with these requirements. We do not solicit donations in locations +where we have not received written confirmation of compliance. To +SEND DONATIONS or determine the status of compliance for any +particular state visit http://pglaf.org + +While we cannot and do not solicit contributions from states where we +have not met the solicitation requirements, we know of no prohibition +against accepting unsolicited donations from donors in such states who +approach us with offers to donate. + +International donations are gratefully accepted, but we cannot make +any statements concerning tax treatment of donations received from +outside the United States. U.S. laws alone swamp our small staff. + +Please check the Project Gutenberg Web pages for current donation +methods and addresses. Donations are accepted in a number of other +ways including checks, online payments and credit card donations. +To donate, please visit: http://pglaf.org/donate + + +Section 5. General Information About Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works. + +Professor Michael S. Hart is the originator of the Project Gutenberg-tm +concept of a library of electronic works that could be freely shared +with anyone. For thirty years, he produced and distributed Project +Gutenberg-tm eBooks with only a loose network of volunteer support. + + +Project Gutenberg-tm eBooks are often created from several printed +editions, all of which are confirmed as Public Domain in the U.S. +unless a copyright notice is included. Thus, we do not necessarily +keep eBooks in compliance with any particular paper edition. + + +Most people start at our Web site which has the main PG search facility: + + http://www.gutenberg.org + +This Web site includes information about Project Gutenberg-tm, +including how to make donations to the Project Gutenberg Literary +Archive Foundation, how to help produce our new eBooks, and how to +subscribe to our email newsletter to hear about new eBooks. diff --git a/24751.zip b/24751.zip Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..69b0bb4 --- /dev/null +++ b/24751.zip diff --git a/LICENSE.txt b/LICENSE.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6312041 --- /dev/null +++ b/LICENSE.txt @@ -0,0 +1,11 @@ +This eBook, including all associated images, markup, improvements, +metadata, and any other content or labor, has been confirmed to be +in the PUBLIC DOMAIN IN THE UNITED STATES. + +Procedures for determining public domain status are described in +the "Copyright How-To" at https://www.gutenberg.org. + +No investigation has been made concerning possible copyrights in +jurisdictions other than the United States. Anyone seeking to utilize +this eBook outside of the United States should confirm copyright +status under the laws that apply to them. diff --git a/README.md b/README.md new file mode 100644 index 0000000..c21b789 --- /dev/null +++ b/README.md @@ -0,0 +1,2 @@ +Project Gutenberg (https://www.gutenberg.org) public repository for +eBook #24751 (https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/24751) |
