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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. 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