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diff --git a/76985-h/76985-h.htm b/76985-h/76985-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..95b1f2d --- /dev/null +++ b/76985-h/76985-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,4617 @@ +<!DOCTYPE html> +<html lang="en"> +<head> + <meta charset="UTF-8"> + <title> + Sally in her fur coat | Project Gutenberg + </title> + <link rel="icon" href="images/cover.jpg" type="image/x-cover"> + <style> + +body { + margin-left: 10%; + margin-right: 10%; +} + + h1,h2 { + text-align: center; + clear: both; +} + +p { + margin-top: .51em; + text-align: justify; + margin-bottom: .49em; +} + +hr { + width: 33%; + margin-top: 2em; + margin-bottom: 2em; + margin-left: 33.5%; + margin-right: 33.5%; + clear: both; +} + +hr.chap {width: 65%; margin-left: 17.5%; margin-right: 17.5%;} +@media print { hr.chap {display: none; visibility: hidden;} } + +div.chapter {page-break-before: always;} +h2.nobreak {page-break-before: avoid;} + +table { + margin-left: auto; + margin-right: auto; +} + +td {padding-left: 1em;} +.tdr {text-align: right;} + + +.pagenum { + position: absolute; + left: 92%; + font-size: smaller; + text-align: right; + font-style: normal; + font-weight: normal; + font-variant: normal; + text-indent: 0; +} + +.blockquot { + margin-left: 17.5%; + margin-right: 17.5%; +} + +.x-ebookmaker .blockquot { + margin-left: 7.5%; + margin-right: 7.5%; +} + +.center {text-align: center;} + +.right {text-align: right;} + +.smcap {font-variant: small-caps;} + +.ph1 {text-align: center; font-size: large; font-weight: bold;} +.ph2 {text-align: center; font-size: xx-large; font-weight: bold;} + +div.titlepage {text-align: center; page-break-before: always; page-break-after: always;} +div.titlepage p {text-align: center; font-weight: bold; line-height: 1.5; margin-top: 2em;} + +.xxlarge {font-size: 175%;} +.xlarge {font-size: 150%;} +.large {font-size: 125%;} + +.caption {font-weight: bold; text-align: center;} + +img { + max-width: 100%; + height: auto; +} + +.x-ebookmaker .hide {display: none; visibility: hidden;} + +.figcenter { + margin: auto; + text-align: center; + page-break-inside: avoid; + max-width: 100%; +} + +.antiqua { + font-family: Blackletter, Fraktur, Textur, "Old English Text MT", "Olde English Mt", "Olde English", + "Old English", "Engravers Old English BT", "Collins Old English", "New Old English", Gothic, serif, sans-serif;} + +.poetry-container {text-align: center;} +.poetry-container2 {text-align: left;} +.poetry {display: inline-block; text-align: left;} +.poetry .verse {text-indent: -2.5em; padding-left: 3em;} +.poetry .stanza {margin: 1em auto;} +.poetry .indent {text-indent: 1.5em;} +.poetry .indent3 {text-indent: 3em;} +.poetry .indent5 {text-indent: 4em;} +.poetry .indent6 {text-indent: 5em;} +.poetry .first {text-indent: -3em; padding-left: 3.1em;} + +@media print { .poetry {display: block;} } +.x-ebookmaker .poetry-container {display: flex; justify-content: center;} + +.transnote {background-color: #E6E6FA; + color: black; + font-size:smaller; + margin-left: 17.5%; + margin-right: 17.5%; + padding: 1em; + margin-bottom: 1em; + font-family:sans-serif, serif; } + + </style> +</head> +<body> +<div style='text-align:center'>*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 76985 ***</div> + +<div class="figcenter hide"><img src="images/coversmall.jpg" width="450" alt=""></div> +<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> + +<div class="chapter"> +<div class="figcenter"><img src="images/cover2.jpg" alt=""></div> +</div> +<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> + +<div class="chapter"> +<div class="figcenter"><img src="images/endpaper.jpg" alt="endpaper"></div> +</div> +<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> + +<div class="chapter"> +<h1>SALLY IN HER FUR COAT</h1> +</div> +<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> + +<div class="chapter"> +<figure class="figcenter" style="width: 450px;"> + <img src="images/frontispiece.jpg" width="450" height="469" alt=""> + <figcaption> + <p class="caption">SALLY IN HER FUR COAT WAS RACING THROUGH + THE GARDEN (<i>page <a href="#Page_1">1</a></i>)</p> + </figcaption> +</figure> +</div> +<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> + +<div class="chapter"> +<div class="figcenter"><img src="images/titlepage.jpg" alt="title page"></div> +</div> +<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> + +<div class="titlepage"> +<p><span class="xxlarge">SALLY IN HER<br> + FUR COAT</span></p> + +<p>By<br> +<span class="xlarge">ELIZA ORNE WHITE</span><br> + <small>AUTHOR OF ‘BROTHERS IN FUR,’ ETC.</small></p> + +<p><small>WITH ILLUSTRATIONS FROM SCISSOR-CUTS BY</small><br> +<span class="large">LISL HUMMEL</span></p> + +<div class="figcenter"><img src="images/titlepageillo.jpg" alt=""></div> + +<p>BOSTON AND NEW YORK<br> +<span class="large">HOUGHTON MIFFLIN COMPANY</span><br> +<span class="antiqua">The Riverside Press Cambridge</span><br> + 1929</p> +</div> + +<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> + +<div class="chapter"> +<p class="center">COPYRIGHT, 1929, BY ELIZA ORNE WHITE<br> + <br> + ALL RIGHTS RESERVED INCLUDING THE RIGHT TO REPRODUCE<br> + THIS BOOK OR PARTS THEREOF IN ANY FORM<br> + <br> + <br> + <span class="antiqua">The Riverside Press</span><br> + CAMBRIDGE · MASSACHUSETTS<br> + PRINTED IN THE U.S.A.</p> +</div> + +<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> +<div class="chapter"> +<p class="center">TO<br> + <span class="large">ELIZABETH F. DUNDASS</span><br> + AND<br> + <span class="large">MARGARET COLTER</span></p> + +<div class="poetry-container"> +<div class="poetry"> +<div class="verse">True friends of all in coats of fur,</div> +<div class="verse">Beloved by every cat and kitten,</div> +<div class="verse">Welcomed with many a heart-felt purr,</div> +<div class="verse">Here, gratefully your names are written.</div> +</div></div> +</div> +<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> + +<div class="chapter"> +<div class="poetry-container"> +<div class="poetry"> +<div class="verse">The world is wide and full of wondrous things</div> +<div class="verse">For all God’s creatures, whether great or small,</div> +<div class="verse">For those who soar aloft on spreading wings,</div> +<div class="verse">Or those who, earth-bound, never fear a fall.</div> +<div class="verse">But surely kittens have a joyous time,</div> +<div class="verse">With ears attuned to every tiny sound,</div> +<div class="verse">And with the power the loftiest tree to climb,</div> +<div class="verse">And eyes that see all creatures on the ground.</div> +<div class="verse">The patter of the rain upon the leaves,</div> +<div class="verse">The ants that swiftly build their tiny house,</div> +<div class="verse">The wind that’s but a gentle summer breeze,</div> +<div class="verse">The stealthy tread of an alluring mouse—</div> +<div class="verse">All this is joy; how could one wish to be</div> +<div class="verse">A man or woman with closed ears and eyes</div> +<div class="verse">To all the treasures of the land and sea,</div> +<div class="verse">And to the glory of the earth and skies?</div> +<div class="verse">And even a child, though nearer to the ground,</div> +<div class="verse">Is often heedless of this wondrous earth,</div> +<div class="verse">Where such enthralling histories are found.</div> +<div class="verse">Who would not be a kitten full of mirth?</div> +</div></div> +</div> + +<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> +<div class="chapter"> +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_ix">[ix]</span> +<h2 class="nobreak">CONTENTS</h2> +</div> + +<table> +<tr><td class="tdr">I.</td><td> <span class="smcap">The Orphans</span></td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_1"> 1</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td> </td><td> +<div class="poetry-container2"> +<div class="poetry"> +<div class="verse">Two orphan kittens without their mother,</div> +<div class="indent">In piteous plight were they,</div> +<div class="verse">A furry sister and her brother</div> +<div class="indent">In coats of tiger gray.</div> +</div></div></td><td> </td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tdr">II.</td><td> <span class="smcap">The Cold Night</span></td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_10"> 10</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td> </td><td> +<div class="poetry-container2"> +<div class="poetry"> +<div class="verse">If in May the nights are cold,</div> +<div class="indent">When Nature should be thriving,</div> +<div class="verse">Young kittens but a few weeks old</div> +<div class="indent">Think winter is arriving.</div> +</div></div></td><td> </td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tdr">III.</td><td> <span class="smcap">The Capture</span></td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_19"> 19</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td> </td><td> +<div class="poetry-container2"> +<div class="poetry"> +<div class="verse">Is it best to be captured, or still to be free?</div> +<div class="indent">To have food and a fire, or one’s liberty?</div> +<div class="verse">To be free has its charms, but when hungry and cold,</div> +<div class="indent">To be captured is not at all bad, we are told.</div> +</div></div></td><td> </td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tdr">IV.</td><td> <span class="smcap">The Kittens and Miss Winifred</span></td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_27"> 27</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td> </td><td> +<div class="poetry-container2"> +<div class="poetry"> +<div class="verse">Politeness is a pleasant trait.</div> +<div class="indent">If we are rude to kittens small,</div> +<div class="verse">We lose their love and win their hate,</div> +<div class="indent">Their friendship is not ours at all.</div> +</div></div></td><td> </td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tdr">V.</td><td> <span class="smcap">The Friendly House</span></td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_33"> 33</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td> </td><td> +<div class="poetry-container2"> +<div class="poetry"> +<div class="verse">A house is such a pleasant place</div> +<div class="indent">When friends are kind</div> +<div class="verse">And understand our furry race,</div> +<div class="indent">Our heart and mind.</div> +</div></div></td><td> </td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tdr">VI.</td><td> <span class="smcap">Sally and the Clock</span></td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_41"> 41</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td> </td><td> +<div class="poetry-container2"> +<div class="poetry"> +<div class="verse">All mantelpieces should be wide</div> +<div class="indent">So cats can walk there side by side.</div> +<div class="verse">There should be trees in every room</div> +<div class="indent">For exercise in storm and gloom.</div> +</div></div></td><td> </td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tdr">VII.</td><td> <span class="smcap">The Catnip Mouse</span></td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_46"> 46</a><span class="pagenum" id="Page_x">[x]</span></td></tr> + +<tr><td> </td><td> +<div class="poetry-container2"> +<div class="poetry"> +<div class="verse">If I were asked what I would like</div> +<div class="indent">To beautify my house,</div> +<div class="verse">I’d say without a moment’s thought,</div> +<div class="indent">Give me a catnip mouse.</div> +</div></div></td><td> </td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tdr">VIII.</td><td> <span class="smcap">The First Snowstorm</span></td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_52"> 52</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td> </td><td> +<div class="poetry-container2"> +<div class="poetry"> +<div class="verse">I love the frostwork on the panes,</div> +<div class="indent">The snowfall on the trees.</div> +<div class="verse">I like the time when winter reigns,</div> +<div class="indent">And lakes and rivers freeze.</div> +</div></div></td><td> </td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tdr">IX.</td><td> <span class="smcap">Busy Sally</span></td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_61"> 61</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td> </td><td> +<div class="poetry-container2"> +<div class="poetry"> +<div class="verse">Long naps by day, I like that best,</div> +<div class="indent">When the great sun is hot and bright.</div> +<div class="verse">That seems the time to take a rest,</div> +<div class="indent">After a long and strenuous night.</div> +</div></div></td><td> </td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tdr">X.</td><td> <span class="smcap">Moods</span></td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_69"> 69</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td> </td><td> +<div class="poetry-container2"> +<div class="poetry"> +<div class="verse">Perhaps the lady in her silk,</div> +<div class="indent">And coat of costly fur,</div> +<div class="verse">Would sometimes like my bowl of milk,</div> +<div class="indent">If she could have my purr.</div> +</div></div></td><td> </td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tdr">XI.</td><td> <span class="smcap">Peter</span></td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_78"> 78</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td> </td><td> +<div class="poetry-container2"> +<div class="poetry"> +<div class="verse">Old Peter I have put to flight</div> +<div class="indent">On more than one occasion.</div> +<div class="verse">He says for country he will fight,</div> +<div class="indent">I call it an invasion.</div> +</div></div></td><td> </td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tdr">XII.</td><td> <span class="smcap">Sally and the Loud Speaker</span></td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_87"> 87</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td> </td><td> +<div class="poetry-container2"> +<div class="poetry"> +<div class="verse">Speak gently, it is better far;</div> +<div class="indent">Soft answers are the best,</div> +<div class="verse">And low replies. Loud speakers are</div> +<div class="indent">A nuisance to the rest.</div> +</div></div></td><td> </td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tdr">XIII.</td><td> <span class="smcap">Sally Braces Up</span></td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_95"> 95</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td> </td><td> +<div class="poetry-container2"> +<div class="poetry"> +<div class="verse">The New Year is a glorious date</div> +<div class="indent">For resolutions splendid,</div> +<div class="verse">And dreams of valor far more great</div> +<div class="indent">Than in the year that’s ended.</div> +</div></div></td><td> </td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tdr">XIV.</td><td> <span class="smcap">Sally and Spot</span></td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_102"> 102</a><span class="pagenum" id="Page_xi">[xi]</span></td></tr> +<tr><td> </td><td> + +<div class="poetry-container2"> +<div class="poetry"> +<div class="verse">A tree is such a pleasant place</div> +<div class="indent">I’ll stay here through the night</div> +<div class="verse">If Spot continues at its base.</div> +<div class="indent">That villain I won’t fight.</div> +</div></div></td><td> </td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tdr">XV.</td><td> <span class="smcap">The Family Tree</span></td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_112"> 112</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td> </td><td> +<div class="poetry-container2"> +<div class="poetry"> +<div class="verse">I long to have a family tree</div> +<div class="indent">And show to all my true descent.</div> +<div class="verse">But Oxford says a family tree</div> +<div class="indent">Is not a tree for kittens meant.</div> +<div class="verse">To know his father is enough</div> +<div class="indent">For he was made of valiant stuff.</div> +</div></div></td><td> </td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tdr">XVI.</td><td> <span class="smcap">The Traveling Cat</span></td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_120"> 120</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td> </td><td> +<div class="poetry-container2"> +<div class="poetry"> +<div class="verse">A traveler comes who’s seen the world,</div> +<div class="indent">The harbor and the sea.</div> +<div class="verse">He’s seen the spreading sails unfurled,</div> +<div class="indent">And all life’s mystery.</div> +</div></div></td><td> </td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tdr">XVII.</td><td> <span class="smcap">Oxford goes on a Journey</span></td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_127"> 127</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td> </td><td> +<div class="poetry-container2"> +<div class="poetry"> +<div class="verse">Proud scion of a noble race am I;</div> +<div class="indent">The blood of hunters courses through my veins.</div> +<div class="verse">Variety I crave before I die;</div> +<div class="indent">I fear not furious gales, nor autumn rains.</div> +</div></div></td><td> </td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tdr">XVIII.</td><td> <span class="smcap">Sally has Her Wish</span></td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_139"> 139</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td> </td><td> +<div class="poetry-container2"> +<div class="poetry"> +<div class="verse">If I cannot have a mother, a mother I will be</div> +<div class="indent">With some darling, furry children of my own.</div> +<div class="verse">The furriest, purriest kittens, the most harum-scarum kittens,</div> +<div class="indent">The liveliest, gayest kittens ever known.</div> +</div></div></td><td> </td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tdr">XIX.</td><td> <span class="smcap">Sally is Young with Her Children</span></td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_147"> 147</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td> </td><td> +<div class="poetry-container2"> +<div class="poetry"> +<div class="verse">We love to run, we love to climb,</div> +<div class="indent">In fact we have a royal time.</div> +<div class="verse">Kings cannot quite so happy be,</div> +<div class="indent">For kings, we hear, are not so free.</div> +</div></div></td><td> </td></tr> +</table> + +<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> +<div class="chapter"> + +<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_1"></a>[1]</span> + +<div class="figcenter"><img src="images/i_001.jpg" width="250" alt=""></div> + +<p class="ph2">SALLY IN HER FUR COAT</p> + +<p class="ph2"><span class="xlarge">∵</span></p> + +<h2 class="nobreak">CHAPTER I<br> +<small>THE ORPHANS</small></h2> +</div> + +<p><span class="smcap">Sally</span> in her fur coat was racing through the garden +and flying through the Wild Wood, as if an enemy +were in hot pursuit. She was a very young kitten +and small of her age. Her pursuer was not an +enemy, but her twin brother, Oxford Gray, Junior. +But although they were born on the same day, +Oxford Gray, Junior, was much fatter than Sally, +and he had shorter legs, so he could never catch up +with his little sister. After a time, he grew tired of +the chase, but, being Sally’s brother and protector, +he did not like to own it, so he said:</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_2">[2]</span>‘Sally, I am sure all this running about must be +bad for you. Come and lie down under that giant +hemlock and we’ll have a good rest.’</p> + +<p>‘I am not in the least tired,’ said Sally, and off +she scampered again.</p> + +<p>By this time Oxford Gray, Junior, was fairly +panting.</p> + +<p>‘I am sure this mad dash will use you up,’ he said, +for he did not like to own that he was tired.</p> + +<p>It finally dawned on Sally that this might be the +case, but, being wise beyond her weeks, she did not +speak of this, but came over and joined her brother +under the shade of the giant hemlock in the Wild +Wood. There were many of these hemlocks as well +as oak trees. They were all about as high as a man’s +shoulders, but they seemed immense to the kittens. +They were sometimes spoken of by people as underbrush, +but people are often stupid about many +matters, as every cat knows. Of course all this +conversation was carried on in kitten language, not +in actual words.</p> + +<p>The two kittens curled up under the shade of the +giant hemlock in the Wild Wood, and put their +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_3">[3]</span>paws about each other’s necks. They were tiger +kittens and looked so much alike that when they +were apart, it was hard to tell which was Sally and +which was Oxford Gray, Junior. When they were +together, one saw that Oxford Gray, Junior, was +larger, and that he had more of a white shirt-front +than his sister, and he had a pink nose which she +envied, for hers was just a tiger nose. One also +noticed a great difference in their expressions, for +Sally had a sad little face, while Oxford Gray, +Junior, looked prosperous and thoroughly contented +with himself. At times it almost seemed as +if he smiled.</p> + +<p>‘We are two very unfortunate kittens,’ said +Sally; ‘it is sad to be orphans.’</p> + +<p>‘We’ve got to make the best of it,’ said Oxford +Gray, Junior. ‘Other kittens have been orphans before +us and others will be orphans after us. Sally, +you must brace up.’</p> + +<p>‘When I think of my brave father and of my +darling mother, so cozy and so kind, and of how +they mysteriously disappeared, I can’t brace up,’ +said Sally. ‘I am sure we are going to starve.’</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_4">[4]</span>‘Not while I have my good right paw,’ said +Oxford Gray, Junior. ‘I will get food for you.’</p> + +<p>‘You? How? What will you get?’</p> + +<p>‘I will catch a mouse,’ said Oxford Gray, Junior, +magnificently. ‘Our father was a mighty +hunter.’</p> + +<p>‘But you are hardly larger than a mouse yourself,’ +said Sally. ‘Father said so.’</p> + +<p>‘That was a very long time ago,’ said her brother. +‘I have grown since then, and there must be many +baby mice just as there are small kittens. I will be +on the lookout for a very young mouse, Sally.’</p> + +<p>‘I am sure we shall starve before you can catch +a mouse,’ said Sally, ‘for there don’t seem to be any +around. We can’t live on flies, and they are very +hard to catch.’</p> + +<p>If Sally had been a little girl, she would have +cried bitterly, but, being a kitten, she was more +self-controlled.</p> + +<p>‘Where are we going to get our next meal?’ she +persisted.</p> + +<p>‘It will somehow come,’ said Oxford Gray, Junior, +who was an optimist.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_5">[5]</span>He sometimes provoked Sally very much, for she +was sure she saw things as they really were.</p> + +<p>‘We got some milk other days at that little +house,’ he said.</p> + +<p>‘Yes, but it is closed to-day,’ she reminded +him.</p> + +<p>‘Other houses will be open,’ said Oxford Gray, +Junior. He glanced up as he spoke and looked first +at one of the two houses that were near the Wild +Wood and then at the other. One house was very +attractive, lying low in the valley with a pretty +garden and a giant rhododendron tree on either side +of the front door. The buds were swelling and +beginning to show a hint of crimson. ‘We’ll try to +get food at that house,’ said Oxford Gray, Junior.</p> + +<p>‘Don’t you remember what father told us about +that house?’ said Sally. ‘He said it had the secret +mark that is only known to cats, that says, “No +cats need apply here for food. This is a no-good +house.”’</p> + +<p>‘Yes, I remember now,’ said her brother, ‘but +father said the other house was all right. That has +a secret mark that says, “Welcome, Cats.”’</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_6">[6]</span>‘We are not cats,’ said Sally. ‘We are such small +kittens I am afraid no one will see us; father called +us “kittenettes,”’ and at the memory of her father, +Sally once more looked very sad.</p> + +<p>‘What’s the use of worrying?’ said Oxford Gray, +Junior. ‘Something always has turned up and +something always will.’</p> + +<p>‘That is rather an ugly house, I think,’ said +Sally, as she looked at the gray house on the hill +that said, in its secret language, ‘Welcome, Cats.’ +‘It seems all pointed roofs and it hasn’t such a +pretty garden as the other house.’</p> + +<p>‘I don’t care about its looks,’ said her brother. +‘Don’t you remember how mother once said, +“Handsome is that handsome does,” when you +wished you were an Angora with long yellow +fur?’</p> + +<p>‘Yes, I remember,’ said Sally, ‘but I wish I were +a yellow Angora just the same. I’d like to be a +handsome kitten.’</p> + +<p>‘I don’t care at all how I look,’ said Oxford +Gray, Junior. ‘I’d rather be myself. If you were +a yellow Angora with long fur, you would not have +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_7">[7]</span>me for your twin. How would you like to lose me, +Sally?’</p> + +<p>At this terrible suggestion, Sally put her paws +all the more firmly around her brother’s neck.</p> + +<p>‘You are the whole world to me, Oxford Gray, +Junior,’ she said; ‘grandmother, and father and +mother and brother, too. The others have all disappeared, +and you are all I have left. It is sad to be +orphans,’ she wailed again, in her thought-transference +language; ‘but if one has to be an orphan, +it is better to be twins.’</p> + +<p>Now Sally and Oxford Gray, Junior, had been so +busy about their own concerns that they had not +noticed that a lady came to the bow window of the +house that said ‘Welcome, Cats,’ in its secret +language, and that her eyes rested on the brother +and sister in their fur coats, and so it was a great +surprise when they saw her come down the piazza +steps. They were frightened and scampered off as +fast as they could go. The lady put a large blue-and-white +dinner plate down on the grass and, +looking around her as if searching for the kittens, +she went back into the house.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_8">[8]</span>‘Poor darlings,’ she said, and there were tears in +her eyes; ‘poor kittens to have lost their mother +when they were so young!’</p> + +<p>A faint odor of fish greeted the kittens.</p> + +<p>‘I do believe there is fish on that plate,’ said +Oxford Gray, Junior. ‘Let us go and see.’</p> + +<p>When they reached the plate, they saw it had on +it a large piece of mackerel cut in mouthfuls that +would just suit them and some potato and green +vegetable about the color of grass. Perhaps it was +cooked grass. They had never seen it before. It +had a most satisfying smell. Then the hungry +kittens leaned over the blue-and-white plate, one on +one side and one on the other, and they hungrily ate +the delicious fish. Sally ate daintily and slowly, but +Oxford Gray, Junior, gobbled his portion down very +fast and then ate what was left of Sally’s share.</p> + +<p>Sally hit him with her paw. There were things +that even the gentle Sally could not stand.</p> + +<p>‘That isn’t fair,’ she said.</p> + +<p>‘I need more to keep me alive than you do,’ said +Oxford Gray, Junior. ‘If I am going to hunt for +food for the pair of us, I have to be well fed.’</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_9">[9]</span>‘Do you think you could catch fish?’ Sally asked. +‘I like fish even better than mouse.’</p> + +<p>‘Father was a mighty hunter, but I never heard +that he was a fisherman,’ said her brother. ‘I am +afraid I shall have to stick to hunting. But we are +all right for to-day, Sally. Always trust to me. Did +not I tell you something would turn up?’</p> + +<div class="figcenter"><img src="images/i_009.jpg" alt=""></div> + +<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> +<div class="chapter"> + +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_10">[10]</span> + +<div class="figcenter"><img src="images/i_010.jpg" width="250" alt=""></div> + +<h2 class="nobreak">CHAPTER II<br> +<small>THE COLD NIGHT</small></h2> +</div> + +<p><span class="smcap">It</span> rained that afternoon, a cold piercing rain and +the thermometer went down. Nothing like the cold +had been known for years in the month of May. +But the kittens did not know this, as they had only +weeks to judge by. They were afraid this sort of +weather might last for many days.</p> + +<p>‘Where can we spend the night?’ Sally asked +Oxford Gray, Junior.</p> + +<p>Oxford Gray, for once, was at a loss.</p> + +<p>‘If only Elvira would come to the door of the gray +house and see us, she would be sure to let us in.’</p> + +<p>‘I don’t know about houses,’ said Sally. ‘Mother +warned me about houses. She said she had lost +faith in every one since her first owners were so unkind +and left her to starve when they moved to +another town.’</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_11">[11]</span>‘Father did not feel that way,’ said Oxford Gray, +Junior. ‘He said Elvira let him into the house one +night when there was a great snowstorm, whatever +that is. He said if trouble ever came and we could +get where Elvira could see us, we’d be safe and +happy.’</p> + +<p>‘Does the house belong to Elvira?’</p> + +<p>‘Father wasn’t sure. He had been told it belonged +to Miss Winifred Mann. But he said if it +did, it seemed strange she should take so little +interest in it. He said she seemed to be out of it +most of the time, while Elvira stayed in it and made +it look pretty and cooked lots of meals for people +and cats, especially cats. Father said Miss Winifred +wasn’t a bad sort, and that she could talk very +pleasantly to a cat, but that was very little good if +a fellow wanted a square meal. Anyway, the house +is the thing to go to on a stormy night like this. +Maybe this is a snowstorm.’</p> + +<p>‘It can’t be,’ said Sally. ‘Father said snow was +white, and that it made the earth look pretty. Oh, +dear, I wish he hadn’t gone away.’</p> + +<p>‘Brace up, Sally,’ said Oxford Gray, Junior, who +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_12">[12]</span>felt it would be easier to brace up himself if he had +the satisfaction of scolding some one.</p> + +<p>‘Where are we to spend the night if we can’t get +into the house?’ Sally asked. ‘That place under the +piazza has been fixed so that nothing can get in any +more.’</p> + +<p>‘There are other places where we might find +shelter,’ said Oxford Gray, Junior. ‘I’ll go and +explore.’</p> + +<p>‘I’ll come along with you,’ said Sally, who did +not like to be left alone. ‘When I think of my brave +father and my darling mother——’</p> + +<p>‘Oh, shut up, Sally,’ said her brother.</p> + +<p>As Sally was wise beyond her weeks, she knew +that Oxford Gray, Junior, must be very cold and +unhappy, or he would not be so cross, so with her +usual wisdom she said:</p> + +<p>‘Oxford Gray, Junior, you will have to be like a +father to me, you are so brave, and I will try to be a +mother to you; at least, I can be loving.’</p> + +<p>At these words Oxford Gray, Junior, felt a pleasant +glow about the region of his heart and the +cold rain did not seem to matter so much. He did +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_13">[13]</span>not say anything, for he was a shy kitten so far as +expressing his feelings was concerned, but Sally +knew by the expression of his face that he was +pleased with her words.</p> + +<p>‘If we are orphans, it is good to be twins,’ she said +again.</p> + +<div class="figcenter"><img src="images/i_013.jpg" alt="The kittens wandered about in the heavy rain"></div> + +<p>The kittens wandered about in the heavy rain. +They were cold and forlorn, but Sally did not dare +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_14">[14]</span>to speak of her brave father or her kind mother +again. The two houses that stood inside the same +fence seemed asleep. No one came to any of the +windows.</p> + +<p>‘Let’s go down into the street,’ said Oxford Gray, +Junior. ‘Perhaps in some of the houses on the street +there will be some one who likes kittens.’</p> + +<p>It was quite a long way to the street, down a +winding avenue, so the kittens took a short cut +through the Wild Wood, and when the street was +reached Oxford Gray, Junior, was timid about +crossing it, for automobiles were going by very fast.</p> + +<p>‘It hardly seems safe for you to cross, Sally,’ he +said. ‘I think I had better go and look around first.’</p> + +<p>‘I don’t want to be left behind,’ said Sally, and +before Oxford Gray, Junior, knew what she was +doing, Sally had gone across the street so fast that +it seemed as if she were flying. Oxford Gray, Junior, +watched his chance and went across to join her.</p> + +<p>They went along past the row of apartment +houses, but no one came out to say a friendly word +to the unfortunate kittens.</p> + +<p>‘Let’s go around to the back of the houses,’ said +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_15">[15]</span>Sally. ‘I’m very hungry. Maybe some one will give +us something to eat.’</p> + +<p>Oxford Gray, Junior, followed his enterprising +sister, and there on the back porch of a house was a +saucer of milk. They could hardly believe their +eyes.</p> + +<p>‘Didn’t I tell you,’ said Oxford Gray, Junior, +‘that something nice would happen?’</p> + +<p>Oxford Gray, Junior, took his place on one side of +the saucer of milk, and Sally took her place on the +other side and they began to lap the milk in haste. +When it was all but gone, they heard the opening of +a door, and Sally saw an angry woman coming out +of it.</p> + +<p>‘You little thieves, you little scoundrels!’ said +the woman. ‘You come and steal our cat’s milk!’</p> + +<p>‘They were probably very hungry,’ said a man in +a kind voice.</p> + +<p>‘It’s bad enough to feed one cat, because you are +so daft on them,’ said the woman, ‘but I can’t feed +the whole neighborhood. Scat! Get away with you +and never show your tiger faces here any more, you +brats!’</p> + +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_16">[16]</span> + +<div class="figcenter"><img src="images/i_016.jpg" alt="Get away with you!"></div> + +<p>The kittens fairly flew down the steps and out +into the pouring rain.</p> + +<p>‘Well, we had a good meal, anyhow,’ said Oxford +Gray, Junior. ‘How could we tell the milk wasn’t +meant for any kitten that got there first?’</p> + +<p>They went back to the Wild Wood. It seemed +more like home than any other place, and Oxford +Gray, Junior, always had the hope that the door of +the gray house on the hill might open and kind Elvira +come out and welcome him.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_17">[17]</span>At last they found an opening under one of the +piazzas. This one had not as yet been fixed so that +no animal could crawl in and take shelter there. It +was a small hole, but large enough for Sally to get in +easily. Oxford Gray, Junior, had to squeeze in.</p> + +<p>‘Didn’t I tell you that we should find shelter?’ he +said.</p> + +<p>Sally wanted to say, ‘Oh, shut up!’ but, being +wise beyond her weeks, she said nothing.</p> + +<p>She did not like the shelter. It was not her idea +of what a home should be. There were cracks in the +boards that let in some of the rain, and there was a +musty smell that she did not like, and it was cold, +even there.</p> + +<p>Oxford Gray, Junior, fell asleep long before she +did. She stayed awake a long time, trying to plan +out some way of getting into some warm house +where they could have a fire and some good food to +eat. Her mother had told her of such a house where +she had spent her early days before her owners +moved away and left her behind, and her brave +father had told her of three where he had been an +honored guest.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_18">[18]</span>The rain kept on pattering on the boards overhead, +and Sally grew more and more forlorn and +thought of her brave father and her dear mother, +and life seemed hard. She was provoked with her +brother for taking things so calmly.</p> + +<p>What should she do without him, though?</p> + +<p>At last she went to sleep, repeating to herself her +refrain, ‘If one has to be an orphan, it is better to be +twins.’</p> + +<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> +<div class="chapter"> + +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_19">[19]</span> + +<div class="figcenter"><img src="images/i_019.jpg" width="250" alt="Girl holding a cat"></div> + +<h2 class="nobreak">CHAPTER III<br> +<small>THE CAPTURE</small></h2> +</div> + +<p><span class="smcap">The</span> next morning the sun shone brightly, and this +in itself made the kittens feel in better spirits. Oxford +Gray, Junior, who had had a fine night’s sleep, +was positively gay, and Sally forbore to mention +her brave father and her dear mother. Perhaps, +after all, Oxford Gray, Junior, was right and something +would turn up.</p> + +<p>And something did turn up. It was toward the +end of the afternoon, and they were beginning to +wonder where they were to get their next meal. +Oxford Gray, Junior, had caught a fly or two and +found some bugs, but he had not been able to get a +mouse. He had felt it important to keep up his own +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_20">[20]</span>strength, as he had to take care of Sally, and she +ought to learn to brace up and look out for herself. +She did get a couple of bugs, and they had had a +little grass, but no plate of fish had been put out for +them again, for no one had seen them.</p> + +<p>They were at play under the giant rhododendron +bush that was on the south side of the pretty house +that was not friendly to cats, when the exciting +event happened. The front door opened, and out of +it came a very pretty young lady. She had yellow +hair and wore a pretty blue dress, and was exactly +the sort of a lady that Sally would like to be herself, +with a warm house to live in with plenty of food.</p> + +<p>‘Goodness,’ said the pretty girl, ‘something must +be done about you, poor little dears,’ and she looked +from Sally to Oxford Gray, Junior. ‘If only my +cook liked cats—as it is, I can’t keep you myself.’</p> + +<p>She stooped and picked Sally up and started in +the direction of the gray house on the hill.</p> + +<p>When Sally found that Oxford Gray, Junior, was +left behind, she was very unhappy. She kept saying +in her own language: ‘Please, I can’t be separated +from my dear, brave brother. I have lost my grandmother, +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_21">[21]</span>and my darling mother, so cozy and so +kind, and my brave father, the mighty hunter, and +my brother is all I have.’</p> + +<p>The lady, however, did not seem to understand, +for she went straight on toward the gray house. +Then Sally began to struggle frantically to get out +of the hand of the pretty lady. She scratched as +hard as she could with her small claws. Without +Oxford Gray, Junior, there would be no happiness in +life. She would rather live in the Wild Wood with +him and be hungry and cold than to be warm and +well fed without him.</p> + +<p>‘It is wicked to separate twins,’ she said, but, in +spite of all her scratchings, the lady walked on to +the door of the gray house.</p> + +<p>As they approached the door, to Sally’s joy, she +saw with her own bright eyes the sign her father had +described to her, ‘Welcome, Cats.’ There was a +knocker on the door and the pretty lady gave a loud +rap, and presently it was opened and Elvira stood +before them. Sally was sure it was Elvira, for she +had the beaming look when she saw Sally that her +father had described.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_22">[22]</span>‘What shall I do about this kitten?’ the pretty +lady asked. ‘I can’t keep it, and the mother +does not seem to be around.’</p> + +<p>‘There are two of them,’ said Elvira; ‘I have seen +two.’</p> + +<p>‘Yes, there is another one outside, but he was +scampering off so fast I don’t know that I can catch +him.’</p> + +<p>‘Oh, please do,’ Sally said in her own language, +‘or else let me go, I can’t be separated from him.’</p> + +<p>At last she had come across some one who understood +kitten language, for Elvira said: ‘It would be +a pity to separate them. Wherever they go, they +should be kept together. Miss Mann has not +planned to have any more cats, and yet, if she sees +the kittens, maybe—at any rate, I’ll give them +shelter for the night and a good square meal.’</p> + +<p>‘I’ll see if I can catch the other,’ said the lady.</p> + +<p>‘That will be very kind of you, Mrs. Conant,’ +said Elvira.</p> + +<p>‘Mrs. Conant’—so she was a married lady. +Sally had not dreamed of this, she looked so young.</p> + +<p>Now, Oxford Gray, Junior, when he was left alone +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_23">[23]</span>was very disconsolate. He had not realized how +fond he was of his little sister. To lose Sally—why, +to lose her was like losing the sun out of the sky. +Sally might be sad and woe-begone, just as the sun +might hide behind clouds, but you knew the bright +Sally would come back. And now she had gone, and +it might be that she, too, like his grandmother, and +his father, and mother, would never be seen again.</p> + +<p>‘I’d be better to her if I only had her back,’ said +Oxford Gray, Junior. ‘I’d let her have more of the +food, but of course she really ought to learn to brace +up.’</p> + +<p>It seemed a long time to Oxford Gray, Junior, +before the lady came down the steps of the house +without Sally, for when one is not many weeks old, +minutes seem very long.</p> + +<p>‘What have you done with my sister?’ Oxford +Gray, Junior, asked sternly; but the lady, although +she looked unusually intelligent, evidently could +not understand his language.</p> + +<div class="figcenter"><img src="images/i_024.jpg" alt="He made a +mad dash for the garden, and the lady ran after him"></div> + +<p>Well, at any rate, he was not going to be caught +until he knew more about the lady. So he made a +mad dash for the garden. The lady ran after him +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_24">[24]</span>and they had an exciting race. He jumped up on +top of a barrel and she reached after him; he went +under a garden seat, and the agile lady ducked +down after him; he gave a flying leap, and it almost +seemed as if she gave a flying leap, too. At last, +panting and exhausted, he stopped for breath and +the lady captured him. He, like his sister, scratched +her pretty hand. She went straight to the door +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_25">[25]</span>through which she had taken Sally. She gave a loud +rap with the knocker and Elvira appeared at the +door.</p> + +<p>‘I have caught the other one,’ she said.</p> + +<p>‘Bless his furry heart and his pink nose,’ said +Elvira. ‘I am sure this one is a boy; he seems so +brave and he led you such a chase.’</p> + +<p>Then Oxford Gray, Junior, swelled with pride.</p> + +<p>‘He’s the image of his father, Oxford Gray,’ said +Elvira, ‘even to the pink nose. He’s much fatter +than the other kitten, but she seems a dear little +thing.’</p> + +<p>‘Well, I’ll leave the pair of them in your care,’ +said Mrs. Conant, as she put Oxford Gray, Junior, +down on the floor.</p> + +<p>Sally was perfectly delighted to see her brother, +and he was very glad to see her.</p> + +<p>Meanwhile Elvira was getting something out of +the pantry for them. She brought out two saucers +of milk. It was very delicious, and when Oxford +Gray, Junior, had finished his saucer, he came +around to help Sally with hers. She gave him a slap +with her paw, but it had no effect.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_26">[26]</span>‘It is my saucer of milk,’ said Sally.</p> + +<p>‘You should lap faster! It is mine now,’ he said.</p> + +<p>‘Aren’t they dears?’ said Elvira’s friend, Miss +Harvey, ‘poor little things.’</p> + +<p>‘I like this one best, he shall be mine,’ Elvira +said, as she captured Oxford Gray, Junior, and held +him in her arms. ‘See how much he looks like his +noble father, Oxford Gray?’</p> + +<p>‘Then this one shall be mine,’ and Miss Harvey +took the small Sally in her arms. ‘The poor little +thing looks thin and half-starved, but she is a dear +little kitten with such a pretty face.’</p> + +<p>At these words Sally felt very happy, for no one +had said anything so kind to her since her mother +died.</p> + +<p>‘Poor little orphan,’ said Miss Harvey, ‘I will be +a second mother to you.’</p> + +<p>Sally thought how cozy and sweet Miss Harvey +looked, and Miss Harvey’s big heart went out to +the forlorn little creature in her arms. Suddenly +Sally put her two paws around Miss Harvey’s neck.</p> + +<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> +<div class="chapter"> + +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_27">[27]</span> + +<div class="figcenter"><img src="images/i_027.jpg" width="200" alt="Birds on a tree branch"></div> + +<h2 class="nobreak">CHAPTER IV<br> +<small>THE KITTENS AND MISS WINIFRED</small></h2> +</div> + +<p><span class="smcap">The</span> next morning when Miss Winifred came into +the kitchen, the kittens were in the clothes-basket +which was under a table, so she did not see them. +She was deciding what she would have for dinner, +and at the sound of the word haddock, which Elvira +suggested, the kittens became interested. It +seemed that if one owned a house, all one had to do +was to say what food one wanted. The kittens +would have supposed it would be just the other way.</p> + +<p>When the meals were all decided on, Elvira said, +‘I had a present yesterday from Mrs. Conant.’</p> + +<p>‘How nice!’ said Miss Winifred, who was very +fond of her young neighbor. ‘I am sure it was something +you wanted.’</p> + +<p>‘Yes,’ said Elvira, ‘she could not have given me +anything I would have liked better.’</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_28">[28]</span>‘Aren’t you going to show it to me?’</p> + +<p>‘You must have three guesses first.’</p> + +<p>‘I think it is an apron,’ said Miss Winifred.</p> + +<p>‘No, it is something with more warmth in it +than an apron.’</p> + +<p>‘It must be a sweater.’</p> + +<p>‘No, it is warmer still.’</p> + +<p>‘It isn’t the right season for a fur neck-piece,’ said +Miss Winifred.</p> + +<p>‘It is made of fur, though,’ said Elvira, and she +picked up Oxford Gray, Junior, and held him before +Miss Winifred’s astonished eyes. ‘Isn’t he +the living image of his father, Oxford Gray?’ she +asked.</p> + +<p>Now, Miss Winifred’s heart softened the moment +she saw Oxford Gray, Junior, but she had +determined not to have another cat, so she tried to +look stern.</p> + +<p>‘I never did like a tiger kitten with white feet so +well as an all tiger cat. Sam used to look like a +miniature tiger in the jungle,’ and at the memory +of Sam, Miss Winifred looked sad, for this pet of +Elvira’s had found his way to her heart. ‘He will +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_29">[29]</span>always have dirty feet, just as his father had.’ She +put on her eye-glasses so as to see him better. ‘I +don’t think you are so very much to look at,’ she +said, hardening her heart.</p> + +<div class="figcenter"><img src="images/i_029.jpg" alt=" She held him before Miss Winifred's astonished eyes"></div> + +<p>Oxford Gray, Junior’s feelings were deeply hurt.</p> + +<p>‘I have said I never wanted another cat,’ Miss +Winifred added.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_30">[30]</span>‘I never expected he would be yours,’ said Elvira; +‘of course it’s your house, but you wouldn’t +want to be alone in it.’</p> + +<p>At this Miss Winifred laughed merrily and her +glasses tumbled off.</p> + +<p>‘Of course, we’ll have to keep the kitten for two +or three days until he has had a few meals and then +we can take him to the Ellen Gifford Home; they +find such good places for cats.’</p> + +<p>‘I don’t think they could find a better home than +this,’ said Elvira.</p> + +<p>‘We might find a home for him where the mistress +is just longing for a cat,’ said Miss Winifred.</p> + +<p>‘There is another one,’ said Elvira, and she took +the frightened Sally out of the clothes-basket. +‘You would not have the heart to separate a +brother and sister.’</p> + +<p>Sally jumped out of Elvira’s hands and took +refuge under a table. If Miss Winifred could make +such unkind remarks about the appearance of her +handsome brother, what would she say when she +saw her!</p> + +<p>But you never could foresee what Miss Winifred +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_31">[31]</span>would do. As soon as she saw thin little Sally with +her pitiful expression, her heart was touched.</p> + +<p>‘Poor little thing,’ she said. ‘We must certainly +feed her up before we take her to the Home. We +can get Mrs. Conant to run us up there in her car, +just before Elvira and I start for New Hampshire, +Miss Harvey, so that you will not have to be +bothered with the care of two little kittens while +we are gone.’</p> + +<p>The kittens liked their new home, and they hoped +very much that they would not be sent away, for +surely no one could be kinder than Elvira and Miss +Harvey.</p> + +<p>They were always running around the kitchen +whenever Miss Winifred went there, and, as she was +very near-sighted, she once stepped on Sally’s tail.</p> + +<p>Sally and Oxford Gray, Junior, talked the matter +over.</p> + +<p>‘Her feet seem always getting in our way,’ said +Sally.</p> + +<p>‘I am glad she is going to New Hampshire,’ said +Oxford Gray, Junior. ‘We’ll have a little peace, but +I wish Elvira wasn’t going with her.’</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_32">[32]</span>They were glad, on the whole, that no one could +understand their language, although it would be +convenient at times to be understood.</p> + +<p>Elvira was somewhat troubled by them, but she +loved them too well to think of parting with them, +and soon, when they had grown used to their new +home, it would be safe to let them out-of-doors +again.</p> + +<p>By the time Miss Winifred and Elvira came back +from New Hampshire, Miss Harvey and the kittens +had become such firm friends that nothing more +was said about sending them to the Ellen Gifford +Home.</p> + +<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> +<div class="chapter"> + +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_33">[33]</span> + +<div class="figcenter"><img src="images/i_033.jpg" alt="The mantelpiece in the hall"></div> + +<h2 class="nobreak">CHAPTER V<br> +<small>THE FRIENDLY HOUSE</small></h2> +</div> + +<p><span class="smcap">Sally</span> was sure she liked houses. She liked the +house where her new friends lived from the very +start. A corner under a piazza where the rain could +come through the cracks in the boards overhead +had never seemed her idea of what a home should +be, nor did she care to spend most of her time out-of-doors +looking for food which was hard to find. +So she settled down quite contentedly, and it did +not trouble her that, while Elvira and Miss Winifred +were in New Hampshire, Miss Harvey kept +her and Oxford Gray, Junior, in the house. She +always spoke of the three ladies in the following order, +Miss Harvey, Elvira, and Miss Winifred. Her +brother told her that she should speak of Miss Winifred +first because she was the oldest and the owner +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_34">[34]</span>of the house, and of Miss Harvey next, and Elvira +last, because she was the youngest of the three, but +Sally persisted in her own way.</p> + +<p>‘I love Miss Harvey best, so I speak of her first, +and I love Miss Winifred less than the others, so +she comes last.’</p> + +<div class="figcenter"><img src="images/i_034.jpg" alt="Two women at the table"></div> + +<p>It was not until Elvira and Miss Winifred had +been at home some days that Miss Harvey said to +Sally one morning, ‘You are such a good little +kitten, I am going to let you through into the other +part of the house while I am dusting the rooms.’</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_35">[35]</span></p> + +<div class="figcenter"><img src="images/i_035.jpg" alt="She +looked at the pictures with great interest"></div> + +<p>Sally had always wondered what was on the other +side of the door. She had heard from her father +that the rooms were large and that there were many +pictures of Miss Winifred’s ancestors hanging on +the walls. He had told her there was a portrait of +Miss Winifred’s mother over the mantelpiece in the +hall. Sally had never seen a picture, and so she +looked at them with great interest. So that little +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_36">[36]</span>girl in a fur cape was Miss Winifred’s mother! How +odd it seemed that a lady so old herself had had a +mother who was once a little girl! There were +other portraits in the parlor and dining-room, all +pictures of Miss Winifred’s relations, she was sure.</p> + +<p>She looked in vain for any pictures of her own +ancestors. Surely so many Furbush-Tailbys had +lived in the house, she should think Miss Winifred +would have framed portraits of them hanging on +the walls. Her great-great-grandmother, Martha +Furbush-Tailby, would have made a nice picture, +and her great-grandfather, William Furbush-Tailby, +the poet, would certainly have been an ornament +to the walls. And these relations of Miss Mann’s +looked so queer in their old-fashioned clothes, while +her own ancestors would have looked as much up-to-date +as Oxford Gray, Junior, himself, for she had +been told they all had the gray tiger markings and +broad white shirt-fronts like himself, and every one +of them had white feet. And so far as tails were +concerned, they were all noted for the fine tiger +markings; she herself was proud of her tail. Yes, it +would have made the sober green walls of the parlor +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_37">[37]</span>far pleasanter to look at if there had been portraits +there of her ancestors.</p> + +<p>At last she saw a picture with a house and church +in the distance, and there, walking on the grass in +the foreground, were two ladies, and a little boy, +and a dog. Here at last was an animal. The ladies +wore long skirts that trailed on the grass and bonnets +that hid their faces, and the little boy wore odd +clothes, too, but the dog looked exactly like one that +Sally had met in the Wild Wood and scampered +away from.</p> + +<p>‘Yes,’ said Sally, ‘it only shows how sensible and +superior animals are, to be so made that they never +have to change with the fashion.’</p> + +<p>There was another room that was filled with +books. It had a desk in it and Miss Winifred’s +typewriter, and a sofa that looked as if it would be +a pleasant place for a kitten to take a nap. There +were window-seats, too. The sun was pouring in on +them. Sally jumped up on one and settled down. +The sun felt warm and pleasant on her back.</p> + +<p>‘It is a friendly house,’ said Sally. ‘I like it, but +some of the pictures would look so much nicer with +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_38">[38]</span>kittens in them. The little girl with the fur over +her shoulders would look much sweeter if she had a +kitten in her arms. I am sure she would have loved +a nice, furry kitten.’</p> + +<p>There was a mantelpiece in this room that Sally +longed to explore, for there were candelabra on it, +one at either end with two candles in each of them +and dangling metal things hanging down from +them that Sally longed to play with. She knew +they could swing, for she saw Miss Harvey dusting +them, so while Miss Harvey was dusting the table, +she jumped up on the mantelpiece by way of the +sofa and began to play with them.</p> + +<p>When she went back into the kitchen, she told +Oxford Gray, Junior, about the charms of the +friendly house. He was greatly interested when he +heard of the mantelpiece with the candlesticks with +the swinging pendants.</p> + +<p>‘I think maybe Miss Harvey wouldn’t like you +to touch them,’ said Sally.</p> + +<p>‘Miss Harvey!’ He spoke a little contemptuously. +‘Why should I do any more harm than +you?’</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_39">[39]</span>So the kittens watched their chance, and one day +they slipped through the door that was left partly +open so that Miss Harvey could hear the telephone +in the other part of the house.</p> + +<p>Oxford Gray, Junior, hardly paused to look at +anything in the other rooms. He did not care for +the portraits of Miss Winifred’s ancestors.</p> + +<p>‘They all have on such old-fashioned clothes,’ he +said. ‘Our ancestors would look much more up-to-date.’</p> + +<p>‘That is what I thought myself,’ said Sally.</p> + +<p>Oxford and Sally went into the library where the +candelabra stood on the mantelpiece.</p> + +<p>‘There’ll be a candlestick for each of us to play +with,’ said Sally.</p> + +<p>Oxford thought it would be exciting to get to the +mantelpiece ahead of Sally, and Sally wanted to get +there first, so they had a mad race to the sofa and +then they gave a jump that landed them on the +mantelpiece. Alas! the mantelpiece was not wide +enough for the pair of them, and the first thing they +knew was that they had knocked one of the candlesticks +off the mantelpiece and had tumbled off +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_40">[40]</span>themselves and were lying on the floor with the +ruins of the broken wax candles.</p> + +<p>The kittens were very much frightened. Sally +rushed under the sofa and Oxford Gray, Junior, +took refuge under a chair.</p> + +<p>Elvira, who was in the kitchen, heard the noise, +and came in to see what had happened. They heard +her step in the hall.</p> + +<p>‘If we are very quiet,’ said Sally, in her thought-transference +language, ‘Elvira will never find us. +She’ll think the candlestick just fell off of itself.’</p> + +<p>‘For mercy sakes!’ said Elvira, as she saw the +broken candles on the floor. ‘You little rascal, what +have you been doing?’ and she fixed her eyes on +Oxford Gray, Junior. ‘I suppose Sally is somewhere +about. Oh, yes! there she is under the sofa.’</p> + +<p>‘It wasn’t our fault,’ said Oxford. ‘It is just the +fault of that old mantelpiece—it’s too narrow. +Miss Winifred ought to have made her house more +convenient for kittens.’</p> + +<p>But, alas! Elvira couldn’t understand his language.</p> + +<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> +<div class="chapter"> + +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_41">[41]</span> + +<div class="figcenter"><img src="images/i_041.jpg" alt="Woman with two cats"></div> + +<h2 class="nobreak">CHAPTER VI<br> +<small>SALLY AND THE CLOCK</small></h2> +</div> + +<p><span class="smcap">What</span> Sally missed more than anything in her restricted +life in the house was trees. There was +something that was called a hat-tree in the hall, but +it was a poor thing with no branches and merely a +series of pegs, on which some garments hung at +times. And in the parlor there was a very tall tree +that Miss Harvey called a palm, that was no good +for climbing purposes, because it was so slimsy. +Sally could not see why Miss Winifred did not have +an oak tree instead, for there were plenty of them +around the Wild Wood and one of them would +never be missed. If there had never been cats living +here before, Sally could have understood it, but +there had been so many living here. Her great-great-grandmother, +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_42">[42]</span>Martha Furbush-Tailby, had +lived here, and her great-grandfather, William +Furbush-Tailby, had been born in the house. She +should have supposed Miss Winifred would have +wanted to make things comfortable for them.</p> + +<p>Sally and Oxford Gray, Junior, took to climbing +Elvira and Miss Harvey as a substitute for trees. +They preferred Elvira when she was in a friendly +mood because she was so much taller, but she occasionally +made disrespectful remarks, and said +such words as ‘You little rascals, you little villains, +you’ve torn my apron.’ Miss Harvey, on the other +hand, seemed to understand, and not to mind the +sudden surprise of a kitten running up her dress and +landing on her shoulder and then pulling a comb out +of her hair.</p> + +<p>‘The poor little dears, they have no trees to +climb,’ she would say. ‘They’ll be all right as soon +as they are so used to the house that they will not +run away if we let them out.’</p> + +<p>There was another thing Sally could not understand. +It did not seem at all reasonable to her that +on cold days in June, when the house felt damp, +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_43">[43]</span>there was no fire in the furnace. She had learned +that the registers were places where heat came up +in the winter. But why not have a furnace fire in +summer when it was cold? Certainly cats could run +a house much better than people if they had the +chance.</p> + +<p>Although Miss Winifred had not been thoughtful +enough to make mantelpieces wide enough for two +kittens to walk there together, Sally did not by any +means give up her desire to explore such delightful +walks. In the kitchen the clock on a small shelf had +a pointed roof and that in the dining-room had an +ornament on top of it, but the parlor clock had a +flat roof, so to speak, and Sally was sure it would be +a grand place to sit and see the world from a high +place, just as people saw it, for the top of the clock +was only a little lower than Miss Harvey’s head. +There were no candlesticks on this mantelpiece and +the small ornaments were so placed as to leave +plenty of room for a cat. There were two routes to +the desired spot, one was by a low bookcase which +could be reached by a chair, and the other, by the +way of the piano. This Sally decided would be the +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_44">[44]</span>best, for one of her favorite seats was the piano, +which could be easily reached by a chair.</p> + +<p>Miss Harvey was reading aloud to Miss Winifred +at the time. She had found that Sally was such a +good kitten and stepped so daintily that she let her +go wherever she liked. So she climbed from a chair +to the piano and then gave a leap to the mantelpiece, +and then she got up on top of the clock. She +found it a comfortable seat, and it was fine to be so +high up, for she could look down on the heads of +dear Miss Harvey and Miss Winifred, who really +wasn’t a bad sort, except for her feet that were always +getting in one’s way. The room looked very +different now she was so high up. This must be the +way it looked to people, with the rug very far off +and no one noticing the table legs. She was in no +hurry to get down from her high perch, so she sat +there a long time washing her face.</p> + +<p>‘Look at Sally!’ said Miss Harvey.</p> + +<p>Miss Winifred put on her glasses.</p> + +<p>Just then a singular thing happened that gave +Sally a scare. Something inside the clock went off. +She had heard clocks strike before, of course, but +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_45">[45]</span>never when she was so near. It was the loudest +thing she had ever heard. ‘One, two, three’—by +this time the frightened Sally was off the clock and +on the mantelpiece, preparing to give a flying leap +to the piano, but her curiosity overcame her fear, +and she looked behind the clock to see if she could +find out where the noise came from. ‘Four, five, +six’—by this time she was on the piano again. +Would the thing never stop? Had she set something +going by being on top of it? ‘Seven, eight.’ +That was all. She hoped she had not ruined it. +But of one thing she was sure. She would never try +to view the world again from the top of the parlor +clock.</p> + +<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> +<div class="chapter"> + +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_46">[46]</span> + +<div class="figcenter"><img src="images/i_046.jpg" width="250" alt="The cats with the catnip mouse"></div> + +<h2 class="nobreak">CHAPTER VII<br> +<small>THE CATNIP MOUSE</small></h2> +</div> + +<p><span class="smcap">There</span> is a first time for everything, whether one is +a little girl, or a boy, or a kitten. For a little girl, +there is her first doll, and later her first pretty doll +with real hair and blue eyes that will open and shut. +For a boy there is his first ball, and his first set of +marbles; but if you are a kitten, greater than all +of these joys put together is the thrill that comes +when you have your first catnip mouse.</p> + +<p>Oxford Gray, Junior, and Sally could measure +their young lives by months instead of weeks before +this exciting event occurred. They had heard there +were such things, for there had been a tradition in +the family of a glorious catnip mouse that had +belonged to their ancestress, Martha Furbush-Tailby. +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_47">[47]</span>But it is one thing to hear about a catnip +mouse and quite another to have it for one’s very +own plaything.</p> + +<p>Cool days and nights had come. It was the autumn, +and all things furry were seeking snug quarters +for the winter. The kittens were glad that they +had their cozy kitchen to live in. Oxford Gray, +Junior, however, sometimes went off on an excursion +for hours, but Sally kept pretty closely to the +house. And besides cats and kittens, there were +others that sought winter quarters.</p> + +<p>‘There seem to be a lot of mice about,’ Miss +Winifred had said to Elvira. ‘I hear them in the +wall.’</p> + +<p>‘I can do a good deal for you, Miss Winifred,’ +said Elvira, ‘but catching mice is not in my +line.’</p> + +<p>Miss Winifred laughed. ‘I should think some of +your followers might do it for you,’ she said, and she +looked at Oxford Gray, Junior.</p> + +<p>Although Oxford Gray, Junior, did not care much +for the owner of the house, this put him on his +mettle, and the very next night he caught his first +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_48">[48]</span>mouse. The praise given him was so great that he +caught three others within a week.</p> + +<p>It was then that Miss Winifred said to Elvira, +‘I wonder if the kittens are not old enough to like +a catnip mouse?’</p> + +<p>‘Old enough?’ said Elvira. ‘I have been thinking +for weeks they ought to have one, but I have been +out very little it has stormed so much.’</p> + +<p>‘A catnip mouse!’ The kittens were entranced +at the idea. They could hardly wait for the time to +come when they could have one for their very own.</p> + +<p>It was late one November afternoon when Elvira +came into the house after a trip to Boston. She had +hardly got inside the door before the kittens noticed +a peculiar and very delicious smell. It seemed to +them to be sweeter than the odor of roses and +violets and mignonette and sweet peas. They +looked at each other in glad surprise.</p> + +<p>‘I am sure she has brought us a catnip mouse,’ +said Sally.</p> + +<p>She got up on the kitchen table and sniffed at +Elvira’s bag.</p> + +<p>‘Yes, you witch,’ said Elvira. ‘It is a catnip +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_49">[49]</span>mouse all right, but you must be patient and wait +until I get my things off.’</p> + +<p>Learning that it really was a catnip mouse, Oxford +Gray, Junior, jumped up on the table and joined +his sister. She was sitting there patiently, but Oxford +Gray, Junior, began to claw at the bag to try to +get at the catnip mouse.</p> + +<p>‘You are a bad kitten,’ said Elvira, taking her +bag away. ‘You don’t deserve the catnip mouse. +Why can’t you behave well like your sister?’</p> + +<p>‘It was I that caught all those mice. Sally could +never catch a mouse to save her life,’ said Oxford +Gray, Junior.</p> + +<p>‘I could, too, and I will some day,’ said Sally.</p> + +<p>But even the intelligent Elvira did not seem to +understand what was being said.</p> + +<p>Elvira undid her bag and flung something down +on the floor. It was the catnip mouse. It was +shaped like a real mouse, and was full of catnip. +Oxford and Sally ran toward it. Sally had it in her +mouth and Oxford knocked it with his paw. Sally +dropped it and Oxford tried to capture it. And then +to their surprise, another of the wonderful things +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_50">[50]</span>fell to the floor. There were two of them! Two +catnip mice—one for each of them! Who but +Elvira would have thought of bringing home two +catnip mice. Oxford took his mouse and ran under +the table to enjoy it by himself, and Sally went under +a chair with hers. The mice were so marvelous the +kittens were afraid that some one would take them +away after a short time.</p> + +<p>Such thoughts they had as they inhaled the delicious +scent. Oxford came out into the room at last +and threw his mouse up into the air. It fell lightly to +the ground. Then Sally came out with her mouse +and threw it up into the air. They were so excited +and overstimulated that they began to break into +verse.</p> + +<div class="poetry-container"> +<div class="poetry"> +<div class="verse"> Elvira, Elvira, how we admire her!</div> +<div class="verse">We give her warmest praise.</div> +<div class="verse">She must sometime have been a cat,</div> +<div class="verse">We both are very sure of that,</div> +<div class="verse">A cat who lived in prehistoric days.</div> +<div class="verse">Elvira, Elvira, how we admire her!</div> +</div></div> + +<p>It seemed almost as if Elvira had understood, for +she said to Miss Harvey, ‘See how excited the +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_51">[51]</span>kittens are. It reminds me of Martha Furbush-Tailby’s +first catnip mouse and her verses.’</p> + +<div class="poetry-container"> +<div class="poetry"> +<div class="stanza"> +<div class="verse">Sweet are the lessons of adversity,</div> +<div class="indent">At least so people say;</div> +<div class="verse">But sweeter is prosperity,</div> +<div class="indent">I’ve learned that much to-day.</div> +</div> +<div class="stanza"> +<div class="verse">For when the catnip mouse is new</div> +<div class="indent">And full of catnip strength,</div> +<div class="verse">The hours fly by on shining wings</div> +<div class="indent">Not measured by their length.</div> +</div> +<div class="stanza"> +<div class="verse">If I were asked what I would like</div> +<div class="indent">To beautify my house,</div> +<div class="verse">I’d say without a moment’s thought,</div> +<div class="indent">‘Give me a catnip mouse.’</div> +</div></div></div> + +<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> +<div class="chapter"> + +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_52">[52]</span> + +<div class="figcenter"><img src="images/i_052.jpg" width="250" alt="Cats watching the snowstorm through the window"></div> + +<h2 class="nobreak">CHAPTER VIII<br> +<small>THE FIRST SNOWSTORM</small></h2> +</div> + +<p><span class="smcap">Sally</span> sat at the window watching her first snowstorm. +She was entranced by the way the flakes +fell. They came down so softly, flying through +the air like tiny white butterflies, and when they +reached the earth, they all joined together in a +wonderful white blanket.</p> + +<p>‘Oxford,’ she said, ‘isn’t this a beautiful world? +Doesn’t it seem as if millions of tiny white butterflies +were coming down to cover the earth with a +white blanket?’</p> + +<p>‘It looks more like powder to me, or rice,’ said +Oxford. ‘I don’t see anything pretty about it. It’s +just frozen rain.’</p> + +<div class="figcenter"><img src="images/i_053.jpg" alt="I stay at home and write"></div> + +<p>It was when her brother said things like this +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_53">[53]</span>that Sally longed to have children who might perhaps +be like her and understand how truly beautiful +this wonderful world is. She did so wish that her +great-grandfather was alive, for she was sure he +would be a satisfying companion. He was a poet, +and Elvira had sometimes read some of his verses +aloud. They had been published in a book, and +there were others that had never been printed. She +longed to ask Elvira if her great-grandfather, +William Furbush-Tailby, had ever written a poem +about a snowstorm, but, although Elvira was unusually +intelligent, for a person, Sally could not +always make her thought-transference language +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_54">[54]</span>understood. This time, however, it seemed to work, +for Elvira took a book with writing in it out of a +drawer in the cupboard and she said to Miss +Harvey, ‘Did I ever read you Billy Furbush-Tailby’s +poem on “The First Snowstorm of the +Season”?’</p> + +<p>Sally pricked up her ears, but Oxford Gray, +Junior, went off to sleep, for verses bored him.</p> + +<div class="poetry-container"> +<div class="poetry"> +<div class="stanza"> +<div class="verse">They fall so softly from the sky,</div> +<div class="indent">All coming down together;</div> +<div class="verse">Why did they leave the regions high</div> +<div class="indent">To give us stormy weather?</div> +</div> +<div class="stanza"> +<div class="verse">Did they take pity on the earth</div> +<div class="indent">That looked so bare and brown,</div> +<div class="verse">As if it needed a new birth,</div> +<div class="indent">And so came fluttering down?</div> +</div> +<div class="stanza"> +<div class="verse">Did they remember children small,</div> +<div class="indent">Who longed to slide and coast,</div> +<div class="verse">And so came down with a great fall</div> +<div class="indent">In a glad, joyous host?</div> +</div> +<div class="stanza"> +<div class="verse">I watch the people as they pass</div> +<div class="indent">And snowflakes as they fall,</div> +<div class="verse">I watch the puddle that’s like glass,</div> +<div class="indent">I’m glad that I am small.</div> +</div> +<div class="stanza"> +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_55">[55]</span> +<div class="verse">For it is cozy in the house,</div> +<div class="indent">Beside the kitchen stove,</div> +<div class="verse">Watching to get a gliding mouse</div> +<div class="indent">While my three brothers rove,</div> +</div> +<div class="stanza"> +<div class="verse">And scamper through the falling flakes,</div> +<div class="indent">No thought of verse have they,</div> +<div class="verse">While kind Elvira brews and bakes,</div> +<div class="indent">Upon this snowy day,</div> +</div> +<div class="stanza"> +<div class="verse">Dishes that cats and kittens love,</div> +<div class="indent">They are a pleasant sight;</div> +<div class="verse">I let my brothers freely rove,</div> +<div class="indent">I stay at home and write.</div> +</div></div></div> + +<p>Sally was much impressed by the verses of her +ancestor. She wished he were here now, sitting by +her on the window-sill, for Oxford Gray, Junior, was +so tiresome at times. ‘Rice, indeed, or powder!’ +What a way to speak of these marvelous fluttering +things that came down to earth from another +country as if bringing a message of peace and good +will!</p> + +<p>There was a great deal to be seen from the windows +of the house. Sally went at an early hour to +the window in the hall and sat on the broad leather +cushion looking out. Miss Harvey had let her come +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_56">[56]</span>through when she went in to dust the parlor. Sally +was greatly interested in watching Mr. Gardiner +shovel out the board walk with his big wooden +shovel. It seemed a foolish piece of work to her, for +no sooner had he shoveled off the snow than more +came. ‘Why not wait until the snowstorm was +over?’ thought Sally. But people were so stupid +compared with cats!</p> + +<p>Mr. Gardiner looked cold and tired, and as if he +would like to take Sally’s advice. He kept on +working though, and the snowflakes kept on falling. +It was too bad that they would not let Oxford into +this part of the house, but ever since the candlestick +had been knocked off the study mantelpiece, +they seemed to feel one cat inside was enough. +They had given him one or two more trials when +there was a mouse inside, but he had clawed a sofa +cushion, and scratched a piano leg, when sharpening +his claws. If he had only behaved well, he +could have been sitting on this green cushion watching +the snowstorm, for there were three windows and +he could have had one to himself. Mr. Gardiner +spied Sally in the window and he made a low bow.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_57">[57]</span>‘He has the best manners of any man I ever saw,’ +Sally thought. ‘Men usually do not stop to be +polite to cats.’</p> + +<div class="figcenter"><img src="images/i_057.jpg" alt="Mr. Gardiner +shoveling out the board walk"></div> + +<p>Miss Harvey was standing in the hall just behind +Sally, but Sally was sure the bow had been +meant for herself.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_58">[58]</span>When Sally went back into the kitchen, she found +there was much more to be seen there, for Elvira +had thrown out some food for the birds, and there +were sparrows and grackles and pigeons picking up +the crumbs. There was some suet hanging on the +branch of a pine tree and a bird was feeding on it, +swinging back and forth. Sally looked across at the +opposite house, and she saw Mrs. Conant in a +storm-coat and hat coming over to the plank walk. +Perhaps this was why Mr. Gardiner had been +shoveling the snow off the plank walk so as to make +it easier for people to walk there.</p> + +<p>Oxford was sitting at one of the kitchen windows, +and Sally was in the other. Mrs. Conant waved to +them and to Elvira as she passed. Here was another +polite person.</p> + +<p>The most exciting of all the windows was the bow +window in the dining-room at three o’clock in the +afternoon. Sally had gone there for a change and +to have a little peace, for Oxford was in a trying +mood. Elvira came into the room with a plateful of +crumbled-up bread in her hand and opened the +window. Sally looked out and saw a dozen pheasants +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_59">[59]</span>coming forward to get the bread. They all had +sober feathers except one bird, the pheasant cock, +Elvira called him. He had a beautiful white ring +around his neck and a glorious long tail.</p> + +<p>‘It is not so fine a tail as mine,’ said Sally, for her +long tail with its tiger markings was her chief +beauty, and was often remarked on. ‘But he has +the best tail I have ever seen on a bird.’</p> + +<p>Presently a cat came up stealthily, and the +pheasants took instant flight. The cat looked cold +and hungry, and Sally thought how fortunate she +was to be in a warm house herself. The kittens had +very little milk for supper, for the storm was such a +bad one that the milkman had not come.</p> + +<p>‘We can get along without milk better than Sally +and Oxford can, for they would not understand,’ +Elvira said to Miss Harvey as she put the last milk +in the pitcher into the kittens’ saucers.</p> + +<p>‘We understand perfectly well,’ Sally said. ‘We +are not such fools as you take us for. We can understand +all that you say, and you never can understand +us.’</p> + +<p>It was snowing when Sally and Oxford gave a last +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_60">[60]</span>look out of the window before they settled down for +the night, but in the morning all was changed, and +when the sun rose, the whole world was like fairyland, +for the branches were all glistening in the sun, +as if they were made of glass. The kittens went out +for a stroll and met Mrs. Conant and her husband. +They kept sinking down through the crust, but +Sally and Oxford were so light they could walk on it +with ease. Mrs. Conant was wearing a beautiful +fur coat.</p> + +<p>‘It is almost as good-looking as mine,’ thought +Sally, ‘but it must be hard to be so big that one +can’t walk on the crust. In winter I’d much rather +be a cat.’</p> + +<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> +<div class="chapter"> + +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_61">[61]</span> + +<div class="figcenter"><img src="images/i_061.jpg" width="250" alt="Cat sitting next to a pitcher"></div> + +<h2 class="nobreak">CHAPTER IX<br> +<small>BUSY SALLY</small></h2> +</div> + +<p><span class="smcap">Sally</span> was a very busy cat, and she always gave her +whole attention to whatever she was doing, whether +it was sitting on her register, or washing her face, or +helping Miss Harvey make the beds. Indeed, Miss +Harvey often would say, ‘Sally, you are like the +little busy bee,’ and she would repeat a part of the +poem. Sally had her own opinion of the little busy +bee, and she did not especially like to be told she +was like him, for she had been stung by a bee on +one occasion. Who could have suspected that anything +so small could hurt one so much? And then +where was he in winter? Certainly not gathering +honey from every opening flower. She suspected +he was in snug quarters resting and leading an idle +life, while she was busy all the year around. First +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_62">[62]</span>there was the delicious breakfast that Miss Harvey +gave Oxford and herself, of warm milk and oatmeal, +and then she spent a great deal of time washing +herself. And she had to help Oxford, for he +could not wash behind his ears, and then he would +wash behind Sally’s ears to help her out. And it +took a good deal of time to manicure her nails.</p> + +<p>But where she felt she was of the greatest use +was in helping Miss Harvey with the beds, for dear +Miss Harvey might have been lonely without her. +Did she not often say, ‘You are my little comfort’? +To be sure she sometimes said, ‘Troublesome +comfort,’ but it was a great deal to be any comfort. +Sally never heard Miss Harvey call any one else in +the house a comfort, not even Oxford, who deserved +such words, for he was ridding the house of mice. +So Miss Harvey and Sally would go upstairs to +make the beds; as soon as Miss Harvey had turned +back the mattress and put on a sheet, Sally would +jump on the bed and knead the sheet with her +paws. But she liked to get on the blankets much +the best, they were so soft and woolly, and sometimes +after patticaking them well and going around +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_63">[63]</span>in a circle as if she were making a bed for herself in +the Wild Wood, she would curl herself up in a ball +and settle down for a nap. It was then that Miss +Harvey would call her a troublesome comfort and +gently take her off and put her on a chair. But +Sally would be back again and on the spread.</p> + +<p>One of Sally’s most interesting occupations was +looking out of the windows. There was so much to +be seen even in winter, but when the spring came +and there was a faint green fuzz on the trees, and +the birds came back from the South and began to +sing, and Sally could sun herself out-of-doors, she +was busier than ever.</p> + +<p>At this time of year the nights were more interesting +than the days, and she was only sorry that her +dear Miss Harvey did not agree with her as to how +a night should be spent. Miss Harvey seemed to +think that all cats ought to be in bed at a certain +hour, like people, whereas every cat knows that so +much goes on at night one hates to miss that it is +hard to be forced to stay in the house. Sally spent +a great deal of time sleeping by day. That was the +sensible way. To race about until one was tired and +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_64">[64]</span>then take a long nap. And these naps could be taken +at noon when it was too hot to be out-of-doors. +But even though Sally was closed in at night, there +was a great deal going on which she could enjoy. +There were concerts given by her cat friends, and +there was the wonderful moonlight that made it so +bright out-of-doors, and there was the excitement of +the sound of the scurrying of small feet through the +walls and the thought that perhaps one could catch +another mouse. She agreed with her ancestress, +Martha Furbush-Tailby, about these things, and +liked her verses on the subject.</p> + +<div class="figcenter"><img src="images/i_064.jpg" alt="The wonderful moonlight that made it so +bright out-of-doors"></div> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_65">[65]</span></p> + +<div class="poetry-container"> +<div class="poetry"> +<div class="stanza"> +<div class="verse">How can one ever sleep at night,</div> +<div class="verse">When mice are scampering through the walls,</div> +<div class="verse">And other cats long for a fight,</div> +<div class="verse">And give their piercing, shrill cat-calls?</div> +<div class="verse">How can one ever sleep at night,</div> +<div class="verse">When the great moon is round and bright?</div> +</div> +<div class="stanza"> +<div class="verse">Long naps by day, I like that best.</div> +<div class="verse">When the great sun is hot and bright,</div> +<div class="verse">That seems the time to take a rest,</div> +<div class="verse">After a long and strenuous night.</div> +<div class="verse">It would be strange to live by rule,</div> +<div class="verse">As children do who go to school.</div> +</div></div></div> + +<p>Sometimes Sally would go into the room where all +the books were, and Miss Winifred had her writing-desk +and her typewriter. Sally would sit patiently +by her mouse-hole and Miss Winifred would +sit by her typewriter with her hands in her lap, for +it sometimes seemed to be as hard to catch ideas as +to catch a mouse, and then suddenly Miss Winifred’s +fingers would fly over the keys and the black +writing would come out on the paper. Sally had +many ideas herself, in fact she was never at a loss +for them. She wished she could write on the typewriter, +and once, when Miss Winifred had left it +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_66">[66]</span>uncovered with a sheet of paper in it, she had +walked over the keys, but she could not make it +write. She wanted to write a letter to dear Miss +Harvey to tell her how she loved her. Of course +Miss Harvey must know in part how she felt, for +she so often put her paws around her neck and +pressed her face against hers, but a letter could tell +more.</p> + +<p>So one day when Miss Winifred had left a sheet of +typewriting paper on her desk, Sally skipped onto +it. She looked down and saw that the marks of her +paws were plainly to be seen. This was what the +footprints said:</p> + +<div class="blockquot"> +<p><span class="smcap">Dear Miss Harvey</span>:</p> + +<p>I love you best of all the people in the house. In +some ways you are dearer than Oxford, although +I could not get along without my splendid twin +brother, but you make me think of my own dear +mother, for you are so cozy and so kind. Of course +she did not look like you, for she was just a small +cat like myself. I mean you are like her in disposition. +It is Sally Gray writing this. It is the first +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_67">[67]</span>letter I ever wrote. I just had to thank you for all +your kindness. Elvira is nice, too, but not as gentle +as you are, and Miss Winifred doesn’t mean to step +on my tail, only you never step on it, not even by +accident, so some people are more thoughtful than +others.</p> + +<p class="center">Your own most loving</p> + +<p class="right"><span class="smcap">Sally</span></p> +</div> + +<p>She heard Miss Winifred coming and jumped +down on the floor. Miss Winifred took up the sheet +of paper and was about to put it into the typewriter.</p> + +<p>‘Don’t,’ Sally pleaded in her thought-transference +language. ‘That is my letter to Miss Harvey, +the first I ever wrote.’</p> + +<p>But Miss Winifred could not understand. She +looked at the paper a little more closely with her +near-sighted eyes.</p> + +<p>‘Goodness, you little witch,’ she said, ‘you have +walked all over my sheet.’</p> + +<p>Sally saw that she was about to put it into the +waste-paper basket.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_68">[68]</span>‘It is my letter,’ Sally repeated in her own language. +How she wished she had human speech! +But this time it really seemed as if Miss Winifred +understood, for she called to Miss Harvey, who was +setting the table in the dining-room.</p> + +<p>‘Come here a minute and see what Sally has +done,’ she said as she held up the sheet. ‘See Sally’s +paw-marks all over the paper. I think she must +have been writing a love-letter to you.’</p> + +<p>Sally never knew whether Miss Harvey could +read what she had written, but, after all, it did not +make much difference whether or not she could +make out the actual words, for she seemed so +pleased to have it.</p> + +<p>‘Dear little Sally,’ she said, and she stopped to +stroke the pussy in passing her. ‘So you thought +you would write a letter? I must show it to Elvira.’</p> + +<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> +<div class="chapter"> + +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_69">[69]</span> + +<div class="figcenter"><img src="images/i_069.jpg" alt="Two cats lounging in the grass"></div> + +<h2 class="nobreak">CHAPTER X<br> +<small>MOODS</small></h2> +</div> + +<p><span class="smcap">Sally</span> was a cat with moods. When she was well and +busy, she was a happy kitten, but if there was the +least thing wrong with her, she felt very forlorn. It +was at these times that she thought of her dear +mother and lamented her loss, for even dear Miss +Harvey, who understood so well the feelings of a +cat, could not quite make up for a furry mother +who would put her paw about her and wash her +when she was too tired to do it for herself. Oxford +was not of much use as a sympathizer, and +yet Sally always had the hope that he would +be.</p> + +<p>So one hot summer day, when Sally felt very unhappy +and as if she were of no use to any one, she +spoke to Oxford of her feelings.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_70">[70]</span>‘I feel as if I were a perfectly useless cat,’ she +said. ‘You can do so much for the family.’</p> + +<p>The kittens were in the shade of the oak tree near +the front door. It was a delightful spot, for they +could have a view of the path, and see any one who +went up or down it. Then, too, if any one came to +the door, like the postman, they could take the +chance to slip into the house, without bothering to +go around to the back door.</p> + +<p>Oxford made no reply.</p> + +<p>Suddenly Sally remembered something she had +heard in a sermon that Elvira was reading out of a +newspaper. The preacher had said that the best +way to forget one’s own troubles was to do something +for some one else.</p> + +<p>‘Oxford, wouldn’t you like me to wash around +your ears?’ she said.</p> + +<p>‘Oh, bother, no,’ said Oxford.</p> + +<p>‘I feel so blue to-day,’ she said. ‘I thought maybe +if I did something useful like washing your ears +I’d feel better.’</p> + +<p>‘There’s no use in doing something useful that +nobody wants you to do,’ said he.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_71">[71]</span>Sally hoped he would add, ‘My poor little sister, +I am so sorry you are blue,’ but instead of that he +said, ‘Sally, you have been eating too many grasshoppers.’</p> + +<p>Sally was pretty sure this was the case, but +she had hoped Oxford would not have thought +of it.</p> + +<p>‘Grasshoppers are so alluring,’ said Sally. She +had picked up this word from one of Miss Winifred’s +callers who was speaking of the moving pictures. +It certainly applied to grasshoppers which +were so constantly on the move.</p> + +<p>‘You see,’ Sally went on, ‘they are hard to catch, +and if you do catch a grasshopper, there doesn’t +seem any point in letting it go.’</p> + +<p>‘You could give them to me,’ said Oxford.</p> + +<p>‘But you get more than I do.’</p> + +<p>‘Yes, that is true. But they never upset me and +make me blue. If they affected my spirits, I should +cut down on grasshoppers.’</p> + +<p>Sally knew this would have been the case. She +admired her brother’s strength of character.</p> + +<p>Just then Sally saw her friend, Mrs. Conant, going +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_72">[72]</span>down the path with some letters to mail. She +stopped to speak to the kittens.</p> + +<p>‘Well, you do know how to make yourselves +comfortable,’ she said as she passed. She had on +one of the pretty pink-and-white dresses that Sally +liked so much, and in her present mood she thought +how nice it would be to be a pretty young lady +whom every one loved, with a thin cool dress on +instead of fur.</p> + +<p>Although Oxford did not express his affection, he +was very fond of his little sister, and he wanted to +help her. But he could not resist saying, ‘Sally, you +ought to learn to brace up.’ He quickly added, +‘Suppose we play with our catnip mice for a change? +Maybe the catnip will brace you up.’</p> + +<p>They saw Miss Winifred and a friend coming up +the path. This meant a fine chance to get into the +house, so the kittens went up the steps and stood +before the front door.</p> + +<p>‘Dear me!’ said Miss Winifred, ‘I wonder how +long you have been waiting here.’ She took out her +latch-key and, as she opened the door, the kittens +slipped in ahead of her. They ran along to the door +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_73">[73]</span>that led to the kitchen. Miss Winifred followed +them and, as it was dark in that corner, she stooped +down to see if the kittens were there. Yes, she felt +two furry backs, they were patiently waiting for her +to open the door.</p> + +<p>Once in the kitchen, Oxford gave a leap from a +chair to the small shelf on which the clock stood, for +on it were the catnip mice. He knocked off first one +and then the other.</p> + +<p>‘Bless your heart,’ said Elvira, as she looked at +Sally. ‘You look a little peaked to-day. Too many +grasshoppers, I fear.’</p> + +<p>Miss Harvey came into the kitchen just then and +Sally got into her lap and put her two paws around +her neck, for she wanted a little petting. There are +times when this is even more comforting than +catnip.</p> + +<p>‘My poor little Sally,’ said Miss Harvey, as she +stroked the pussy. ‘My poor, dear, little Sally. +Did she feel as if she wanted some one to pet her? I +understand, dear, just how you feel.’</p> + +<p>Miss Harvey was tactful enough not to refer to +the grasshoppers.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_74">[74]</span>Oxford was already playing with his catnip +mouse, tossing it high in the air and running to sniff +it where it fell. Suddenly Sally scrambled down +from Miss Harvey’s lap and flew toward Oxford’s +mouse, seizing it before his astonished eyes.</p> + +<p>‘Silly kittens,’ said Elvira. ‘There are two mice, +you can each have one,’ and she picked up the other +mouse and threw it on the floor. Then they both +ran to get that mouse. Sally had it in her mouth and +Oxford knocked it out.</p> + +<p>‘Oh, if that is your game, all right,’ said Elvira, +who was an understanding person.</p> + +<p>Sally felt much refreshed after half an hour spent +with the catnip mice, and as usually happened after +a time with this stimulating plaything, she felt like +talking in verse instead of prose. Even Oxford felt +like answering back in rhyme. It was a fine game.</p> + +<div class="poetry-container"> +<div class="poetry"> +<div class="stanza"> +<div class="verse"><i>Sally</i>:     I’d like to be a lady fair,</div> +<div class="indent6">All dressed in silks and fur,</div> +<div class="indent5">With rosy lips and golden hair,</div> +<div class="indent6">And speech, instead of purr.</div> +</div> +<div class="stanza"> +<div class="indent5">My father’d give me a fur coat,</div> +<div class="indent6">And on a summer day,</div><span class="pagenum" id="Page_75">[75]</span> +<div class="indent5">When on the waters I could float,</div> +<div class="indent6">I’d put my coat away.</div> +</div> +<div class="stanza"> +<div class="indent5">Were I in silk instead of fur,</div> +<div class="indent6">How pleasant that would be,</div> +<div class="indent5">Pink silk I’d choose, and, Oxford Gray,</div> +<div class="indent6">You’d be so proud of me!</div> +</div> +<div class="stanza"> +<div class="verse"><i>Oxford</i>: Pink silk, indeed, you foolish maid,</div> +<div class="indent6">Why can’t you be content?</div> +<div class="indent5">You’re costumed for both sun and shade,</div> +<div class="indent6">Nor does it cost a cent.</div> +</div> +<div class="stanza"> +<div class="indent5">Sally, I’d hate the sight of you,</div> +<div class="indent6">I like you as you are,</div> +<div class="indent5">A modest kitten, sweet and true,</div> +<div class="indent6">With eyes that see afar.</div> +</div> +<div class="stanza"> +<div class="verse"><i>Sally</i>:     Well, Oxford, since I’m dear to you,</div> +<div class="indent6">Thankful I ought to be,</div> +<div class="indent5">For human brothers oft find fault</div> +<div class="indent6">With sisters’ fineree.</div> +</div> +<div class="stanza"> +<div class="indent5">Perhaps the lady in her silk</div> +<div class="indent6">And coat of costly fur,</div> +<div class="indent5">Would sometimes like my bowl of milk,</div> +<div class="indent6">If she could have my purr.</div> +</div> +<div class="stanza"> +<div class="indent5">For cares, they say, must come with wealth,</div> +<div class="indent6">And, Oxford, we are free</div><span class="pagenum" id="Page_76">[76]</span> +<div class="indent5">To roam the house at night, by stealth,</div> +<div class="indent6">With mice for company.</div> +</div> +<div class="stanza"> +<div class="indent5">To sleep all night, when mice are near,</div> +<div class="indent6">Would seem a waste of time,</div> +<div class="indent5">Than ladies I am surely freer,</div> +<div class="indent6">For I can race and climb.</div> +</div> +<div class="stanza"> +<div class="verse"><i>Oxford</i>: Now, Sally, there’s my own good cat,</div> +<div class="indent6">A cat of parts and sense,</div> +<div class="indent5">Your wits are sharp, I’m sure of that,</div> +<div class="indent6">People are often dense.</div> +</div> +<div class="stanza"> +<div class="indent5">Of all the creatures on this earth</div> +<div class="indent6">The kitten’s life is best,</div> +<div class="indent5">I’ve always known this from my birth,</div> +<div class="indent6">I pity all the rest.</div> +</div> +<div class="stanza"> +<div class="indent5">The men I pity very much,</div> +<div class="indent6">They cannot watch the ants,</div> +<div class="indent5">And grasshoppers, and worms, and such,</div> +<div class="indent6">In their accustomed haunts.</div> +</div> +<div class="stanza"> +<div class="indent5">I’d hate to be so very tall,</div> +<div class="indent6">A man I would not be,</div> +<div class="indent5">It’s easier if you are small,</div> +<div class="indent6">To climb a chestnut tree.</div> +</div> +<div class="stanza"> +<div class="indent5">My fur coat is a grand affair,</div> +<div class="indent6">It did not cost a cent.</div><span class="pagenum" id="Page_77">[77]</span> +<div class="indent5">Were I a man and fur did wear,</div> +<div class="indent6">What hundreds would be spent!</div> +</div> +<div class="stanza"> +<div class="indent5">The lesson surely seems to read,</div> +<div class="indent6">And it is very plain,</div> +<div class="indent5">To make the most of what you are,</div> +<div class="indent6">With heart, and paws, and brain.</div> +</div></div></div> + +<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> +<div class="chapter"> + +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_78">[78]</span> + +<div class="figcenter"><img src="images/i_078.jpg" alt="Two cats playing"></div> + +<h2 class="nobreak">CHAPTER XI<br> +<small>PETER</small></h2> +</div> + +<p><span class="smcap">Sally</span> and Oxford felt just alike about Peter. They +could neither of them bear him. He was a fine-looking +brown tiger cat with large stripes and a +large white shirt-front and four white paws. He +had once been a valued house-cat, but was now +without a home. They suspected that Elvira sometimes +gave him meals on their piazza, for they now +felt the back porch belonged to them. When kittens +have lived for more than a year and a half in a +place and have grown into young cats, the place +seems to belong to them, so Oxford stalked around +as if he were a police-cat on duty, keeping out intruders.</p> + +<p>‘Of course the back yard is mine,’ he said. ‘Indeed, +I feel that I own the place more than Miss +Winifred does.’</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_79">[79]</span>‘But her father left it to her,’ Sally reminded him.</p> + +<p>‘I suppose she has a certain claim to it, but he +never knew us,’ said Oxford. ‘I am sure he would +have loved us if he had known us. Don’t you remember +the story that has come down to us, of how +he held our great-grandfather, William Furbush-Tailby, +on his knee? Anyway, we get a great deal +more good out of the place than Miss Winifred. I +have never seen her climb a tree, and we can climb +one any time and get away from a dog, and she +never goes into the Wild Wood, and she does not +know all our little hiding-places, and she could not +get into them, anyway.’</p> + +<p>‘I do feel as if we were more important,’ said +Sally. ‘Many a time I’ve heard Elvira say, “I’ll +come to you in a few minutes, Miss Winifred, but +Oxford has just come in. I must give him his +supper, for he won’t understand being kept waiting.”’</p> + +<p>But whoever the true owner of the house might +be, it certainly did not belong to Peter, and Oxford +had told him so on more than one occasion. He had +chased him off the place several times, but Peter, +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_80">[80]</span>although he seemed gentle, was a persistent soul, +and as he was fond of the bread and canned salmon +that kind Elvira put out on the back piazza for +him, he came back over and over again.</p> + +<p>‘If I ever really get my paw on him, I’ll give him +such a thrashing that he’ll remember it all his life,’ +Oxford said to Sally.</p> + +<p>Now it just darted through Sally’s mind, that it +might be the other way around, for Peter, although +he was mild in his demeanor, was larger than Oxford, +and at least two years older, but being wise +beyond her months, she merely said, ‘It will be +grand, Oxford, if you can thrash him.’</p> + +<p>‘Of course I can,’ said her brother, swelling with +pride. ‘Don’t you remember the tradition about +the first Furbush, Martha’s ancestor, how he would +get the better of every cat in a fight and earned the +name of William the Conqueror?’</p> + +<p>‘Yes,’ said Sally, ‘I remember, but he was a full-grown +cat.’</p> + +<p>‘I don’t expect to get hurt, and it is certainly best +to get rid of that vagabond at once, before Elvira +gets fond of him.’</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_81">[81]</span>The fight came off one bright November day. +Sally was looking out of the kitchen window, and +Oxford was sunning himself in the back yard. +There was a plate of canned salmon mixed with +bread on the back piazza. That could not be for +Oxford, for both he and she had grown so dainty +that they liked stew meat and haddock better than +canned salmon. Elvira must be leaving it out there +for some cat. She saw Peter coming through a place +in the fence that was made for small animals to get +through. She hoped to attract Oxford’s attention +and ran around to the kitchen door, but it was +closed. Jumping up on the window-sill again, she +saw Peter quickly run up the steps and begin to +taste the food. Oxford flew up the steps and began +to fight Peter. He flew at Oxford and put his claws +in his fur. Oxford grappled with him, and the two +cats went rolling down the steps.</p> + +<p>Sally, from her perch on the window-sill, saw that +it was as she had feared. After a long fight, Peter +went swiftly away in fine condition, while Oxford +came haltingly up the steps with a lame paw—a +sadder and a wiser cat. Although he respected +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_82">[82]</span>Peter more, his dislike of him increased, and he was +determined to drive him off the place.</p> + +<p>‘If I had advised him not to fight, he wouldn’t +have liked it,’ thought Sally. ‘He would have just +said, “Sally, you never do brace up.”’</p> + +<p>After this, Oxford and Sally saw no more of +Peter for some weeks. Sometimes they saw a plate +of canned salmon and bread on the back piazza and +lay in wait for him, but Oxford never caught him. +Twice they saw at dusk a shadowy form vanishing +into the Wild Wood.</p> + +<p>One evening there was a great snowstorm and +Oxford had not come home. Miss Winifred seemed +the most worried, and this was strange, as she had +not wanted him in the beginning.</p> + +<p>‘Poor little pussy, hasn’t he come back yet?’ she +asked Elvira after supper.</p> + +<p>‘No, Miss Winifred, and I’ve called until I’m +hoarse.’</p> + +<p>‘It is a wild storm,’ said Miss Winifred.</p> + +<p>‘I am sure Oxford is safe and warm somewhere,’ +said Elvira; ‘he’s a cat who knows how to look out +for himself.’</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_83">[83]</span>‘Yes,’ said Miss Harvey, ‘if it was my little Sally, +I should be terribly worried.’</p> + +<p>Sally was sitting on Miss Harvey’s knee at the +time, and at these words she put her furry paws +around her neck and rubbed her face against hers. +‘I am sure he is all right,’ she said in her cat language +that people could not understand. ‘He always +comes back.’</p> + +<p>‘Of course he always has come back,’ said Miss +Winifred, as if she had understood, ‘but there comes +a time—some of your pets have gone away and +never come back, Elvira.’</p> + +<p>Then Sally thought of her grandmother and of +her brave father, the mighty hunter, and of her +mother, so cozy and so kind. How terrible it would +be if Oxford should disappear as they had done!</p> + +<p>‘I will go and call him,’ said Miss Winifred. +‘Maybe he will come in for me.’</p> + +<p>‘For you?’ said Elvira. ‘You and he have never +been great friends.’</p> + +<p>Miss Winifred went to the front door and stepped +into the piazza that was glassed in for winter. The +storm was raging outside. She opened the glass +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_84">[84]</span>door of the piazza and the wind blew the snow into +her face. It was deep on the steps.</p> + +<p>‘Oxford Gray, Oxford Gray, Oxford Gray, Junior!’ +she called. ‘Darling pussy, do come!’</p> + +<p>She had never called him ‘darling pussy’ before, +but our friends grow very dear to us if we fear losing +them.</p> + +<p>‘Oxford, Oxford Gray, Junior!’ she called again.</p> + +<p>Something furry brushed against her feet. She +stooped and patted the fur coat all crusted over +with snow.</p> + +<p>‘How friendly you are! You were never so +friendly before. Walk in, darling pussy,’ she said, +as she opened the hall door.</p> + +<p>The hungry and cold cat rubbed against her feet +once more as if in gratitude. She walked along the +front hall to the door at the back that led into the +kitchen.</p> + +<p>‘Here he is! Here is Oxford Gray, Junior, himself,’ +she said. ‘He came for me. He knew my voice.’</p> + +<p>Elvira was greatly surprised. ‘He just happened +to come along at that time,’ she said; then, as she +started to brush the casing of snow from the cat, +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_85">[85]</span>she said, ‘This isn’t Oxford Gray, Junior. This is +Peter.’</p> + +<p>‘Peter!’ gasped Miss Winifred. ‘Who on earth is +Peter?’</p> + +<p>‘Somebody’s house-cat; somebody’s pet that has +been left to make his own way in the world.’</p> + +<p>‘How did he happen to come here? Is he one of +your friends who takes his meals at your cafeteria +on the piazza?’</p> + +<p>‘He’s had a few meals,’ Elvira admitted. ‘And +he will have as many more as he likes. I’d rather +spend my money feeding cats than going to the +movies. It’s more amusing to me.’</p> + +<p>‘Of course we must keep him for the night,’ said +Miss Winifred, ‘and he must have a good meal, but +I really can’t keep him permanently, Elvira; two +cats are quite enough.’</p> + +<p>‘Oxford agrees with you,’ said Elvira. ‘You’ll +have no trouble once he gets home.’</p> + +<p>The next morning the sun shone, and Oxford +came back as unconcernedly as if he had caused no +anxiety. No one knew his adventures except Sally, +but he looked so prosperous and seemed so little to +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_86">[86]</span>desire food that the family were sure he had been +housed somewhere.</p> + +<p>As he went out for a stroll later in the morning, +he met Peter coming out of the cellar door.</p> + +<p>‘What have you been doing in my house?’ he +demanded sternly.</p> + +<p>For once the silent Peter found his tongue. ‘It is +my house now,’ he said proudly. ‘Miss Winifred +asked me in herself.’</p> + +<p>‘She didn’t!’ Oxford exclaimed.</p> + +<p>‘She did! She said, “Walk in, darling pussy,” so +I walked in.’</p> + +<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> +<div class="chapter"> + +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_87">[87]</span> + +<div class="figcenter"><img src="images/i_087.jpg" width="300" alt="Sally in the parlor"></div> + +<h2 class="nobreak">CHAPTER XII<br> +<small>SALLY AND THE LOUD SPEAKER</small></h2> +</div> + +<p><span class="smcap">Sally</span> spent a great deal of time in the parlor. In +the morning she often had it to herself, for Miss +Winifred was usually out of the house, or writing on +her typewriter. ‘The parlor is mine in the morning,’ +she told Oxford.</p> + +<p>‘You can go into your old parlor all you like,’ +said he. ‘I like my kitchen best.’</p> + +<p>Sally suspected that his scorn of the parlor came +because he was not allowed to go into it, as he was +not as quiet and well-behaved as Sally.</p> + +<p>In the evening Miss Harvey often sat there reading +the newspaper to Miss Winifred. Sally was often +bored by the newspaper, and she would get up in +Miss Harvey’s lap and sit on it so that she could +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_88">[88]</span>not read. Miss Harvey would say in her gentle +voice, ‘Come, Sally, please get off my paper.’</p> + +<p>Sally would pretend that she did not understand, +and she would put her furry paws around Miss Harvey’s +neck and press her furry face against her cheek.</p> + +<p>‘Sally, you are a nuisance,’ were the unkindest +words Miss Harvey ever said, and Sally would once +more pretend she did not understand. Sometimes +Miss Harvey would stop reading if it was almost +bedtime; Sally always hoped this would happen, +and sometimes she would gently put Sally on the +center table, where she would settle for a nap in the +friendly warmth of the electric lamp.</p> + +<p>Once in a great while there would be an interesting +piece of news in the paper. Once she heard +something about the President’s pets, and there +was a wonderful occasion when there was something +worth while in the paper and Sally learned +that the President’s wife was fond of pets, and that +once, before she was in the White House, she had +found a mouse-hole in the room she was in, in some +hotel, and had trained the mice and given them +food. Sally’s eyes fairly glistened. What a pity that +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_89">[89]</span>she had not been near that mouse-hole herself! It +would have been so easy to catch a tame mouse, and +if she caught one, Oxford could never be so scornful +again.</p> + +<p>Sometimes Miss Harvey would put down the +paper and she and Miss Winifred would have a +friendly chat, and it was at one of these times that +Sally learned the piece of news she told Oxford the +next day as she and Oxford were sunning themselves +on the back porch after an exhausting morning of +exercise.</p> + +<p>‘I hear that Miss Winifred is going to have a +loud speaker,’ she said.</p> + +<p>‘I am sorry to hear it,’ said he; ‘there are enough +loud speakers around the house as it is. I have sensitive +ears.’</p> + +<p>‘Miss Harvey has a sweet voice,’ said Sally, ‘only +every one has to talk louder to Miss Winifred, and +I suppose she wants some one to talk to her when +the others are busy.’</p> + +<p>‘You would do very well for that job,’ said Oxford; +‘for a small cat I never heard such a rasping, +powerful voice.’</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_90">[90]</span>‘Yes, Miss Winifred always hears me,’ said +Sally.</p> + +<p>‘I have a very gentlemanly mew,’ said Oxford; +‘any one would know I had Furbush-Tailby blood +just to hear my mew. But, to hear you and not see +you, Sally, no one would suspect for a moment that +you were a lady.’</p> + +<p>‘They’d know it if they saw me,’ said Sally. ‘Miss +Harvey often says I am a perfect little lady.’</p> + +<p>‘I wonder if the loud speaker will be a man or a +woman,’ Oxford said.</p> + +<p>Sally wondered, too, and whenever she was in the +parlor and any one called, she listened to the voice +of the caller with great interest.</p> + +<p>One afternoon a gentleman called with a strong, +loud voice. He called Miss Mann ‘Cousin Winifred.’ +Sally was sure he was the loud speaker and +that he had come to stay.</p> + +<p>After some conversation that did not interest +Sally, he fixed his eyes on her as she sat in the +corner on her register and he said, ‘You have a cat, +I see.’</p> + +<p>‘She isn’t exactly mine,’ said Miss Winifred, ‘but +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_91">[91]</span>she does me the honor to live in my house; she has a +brother who lives here also, and there is another +cat, Peter, who thinks he lives with us because he +takes all his meals here and sleeps here on cold, +stormy nights, but Oxford Gray, Junior, is certain +he does not and drives him away.’</p> + +<p>At last the conversation was becoming interesting. +Sally wondered what the loud speaker would +say. She had an idea by the way he had looked at +herself that he did not realize the importance of +cats.</p> + +<p>‘I went to call on two ladies the other day,’ he +said, ‘who were longing to go back to the State of +Washington where they used to live, but they said +they could not go because the journey would be too +much for their cat, who was old and settled in his +ways.’</p> + +<p>Sally wished she knew the ladies. They understood +something of life and saw things in their right +proportion.</p> + +<p>‘I suggested to them that they could give their +cat away, or send him to the Animal Rescue +League,’ the loud speaker went on.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_92">[92]</span>Sally became alarmed. If this were, indeed, the +loud speaker, and he came here to live, what chance +was there for Oxford and herself? Would he not +make a clean sweep of all who wore fur coats? She +was relieved to find by Miss Winifred’s next question +that he had a wife and several children. He +surely could not be leaving them to come and live +here just to talk to Miss Winifred. Presently he +took his hat and went to the door, shaking hands +with Miss Winifred, and saying it had been good to +see her, and never giving one glance in Sally’s direction.</p> + +<p>‘It was rude of him,’ Sally said to herself, ‘when +I am a perfect lady. It never does any harm to be +polite.’</p> + +<p>A few days later, something that had a strange +appearance was on the piano. Sally found it there +one afternoon. It looked like a very small bureau +with knobs in odd places, and two things that +looked like clocks. Sally wondered what it could be. +There was a small round table close by the piano, +and on this was standing a long black thing, shaped +something like a huge calla lily.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_93">[93]</span>The next afternoon, when Sally was upstairs, she +heard a concert going on in the parlor. There were +several shrill voices and it sounded very much like +the concerts Sally’s cat friends sometimes gave. +But these took place at night. Sally was of a curious +nature, and she hurried down to see what was +going on. To her surprise when she reached the +parlor not a soul was to be seen except Miss Winifred. +Sally had never heard her sing, and the sound +seemed to be coming out of the black calla lily, +for the piano was shut. Presently Miss Winifred +touched one of the knobs and the music came to an +end. Sally was more and more mystified. Then +Miss Winifred touched a knob and Sally heard a +man say, ‘This is the friendly voice of Boston.’ +Sally agreed that Boston had a nice voice, but he +was nowhere to be seen. She looked around the +room, but could see no one. She went under the +piano, thinking Boston might be there. Some one +was giving a talk about grapefruit juice. Sally did +not care about the talk, for she liked milk for her +drink. Finally she got up on the table on which the +big black calla lily stood and looked down into it. +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_94">[94]</span>The voice sounded so loud, Sally was frightened. +She skipped down and ran out into the kitchen to +tell Oxford about it.</p> + +<p>‘There’s a man that’s only got a voice and no +body, and he lives in the black thing on the table, +and his name is Boston,’ she told him. ‘And sometimes +he sings.’</p> + +<p>‘That’s the radio,’ said Oxford. ‘I heard Miss +Harvey talking to Elvira about it. They have them +in all the houses now. Even Peter knows about +them.’</p> + +<p>‘You didn’t know anything about it the other +day,’ Sally ventured.</p> + +<p>‘It is a long time since the other day,’ said Oxford, +‘and since then I have given my entire spare +time to research. I have tried hard to learn all I +could about the loud speakers and radios. Mr. +Gardiner has one and I heard him talking to Miss +Harvey. If one has masculine brains and sharp +ears, there is no end to what one can learn. Sally, +you are behind the times.’</p> + +<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> +<div class="chapter"> + +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_95">[95]</span> + +<div class="figcenter"><img src="images/i_095.jpg" width="300" alt="The mouse scurrying down the steps, and Sally and Oxford following it"></div> + +<h2 class="nobreak">CHAPTER XIII<br> +<small>SALLY BRACES UP</small></h2> +</div> + +<p><span class="smcap">Now</span> that Sally was used to the radio, she took a +good deal of pleasure in it, in fact on very cold days +she enjoyed it more than Miss Winifred did, for the +parlor was a large room and the piano, where the +radio stood, was between two long glass doors that +let in a good deal of air through the cracks in winter +weather. Sally, with her sharp ears, could hear +every word the loud speaker said when she sat on +her register in the opposite corner of the room. +Sally knew that it was her own register, for there +was another in the room. This one in the corner +was often closed, so that Sally could lie there at her +ease and feel just a pleasant warmth. Miss Winifred, +who did not have a fur coat like Sally, had to +walk up near the loud speaker and she was cold in +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_96">[96]</span>that corner even with a sweater on. Yes, there +were many advantages in being a cat, Sally thought. +It was fine to have perfect sight and not to have +to wear eye-glasses and to be so small you could +lie on a register, and hear every word the loud +speaker said. But people had no choice; perhaps +many of them like herself would prefer to be +cats.</p> + +<p>This New Year’s Eve she was especially interested +in the sermon Miss Winifred was hearing. It +seemed made on purpose for cats, for it spoke of the +grace and gayety of a young kitten chasing its tail. +Sally pricked up her ears at this. She liked the +minister, whoever he might be. He understood +something about life. He went on to say how +sympathy should be given to all young things. +There was a part Sally did not quite understand, +and then she was struck by these words: ‘The beginning +of the New Year is a good time to make +resolutions, but every day is the beginning of a new +year, we do not have to wait.’ Sally was glad of +this, for a year was so very long to a cat. However, +as there was to be a year beginning, it seemed a good +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_97">[97]</span>time to make resolutions. She talked the matter +over with Oxford afterward.</p> + +<p>‘One of your resolutions, I should say, ought to +be to brace up,’ said he.</p> + +<p>‘Yes,’ said Sally meekly, ‘that is one.’</p> + +<p>‘I should think,’ he added, somewhat scornfully, +‘that it was about time you caught a mouse.’</p> + +<p>‘Yes, that is another of my resolutions,’ said she.</p> + +<p>‘I have a few in mind,’ said Oxford. ‘I mean to +give Peter the biggest thrashing he has ever had.’</p> + +<p>‘And I surely will catch a mouse sometime, I +promise you I will,’ said Sally.</p> + +<p>‘I don’t think it at all probable,’ he said dryly. +‘You’ll have to learn to brace up first.’</p> + +<p>It was springtime before the great event occurred. +Every day in the new year Sally had remembered +the words of the preacher. She said +them over and over to herself every morning, ‘Each +day is the beginning of a new year,’ and every +morning she had said to herself, ‘I will try to catch +a mouse before the day is over.’</p> + +<p>Sally thought there were other things in life that +were as important as bracing up. Was not patience +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_98">[98]</span>equally commendable? And how about unselfishness? +Would Oxford ever have the patience to sit +for hours at a mouse-hole? Would he ever let her +take a part of his food? But Oxford was a wonderful +cat, a dream to look at compared with her, with +his pink nose and his expansive white shirt-front. +She had a tiger face and small white shirt-front, and +even if patience and perseverance were rewarded +at last and she caught her mouse, she could never +be a mighty hunter. But he, with his rough ways, +was never allowed in the parlor and she was. After +all, life had its compensations.</p> + +<p>All the same, Sally longed to catch a mouse.</p> + +<p>The exciting event took place when Miss Winifred +and Elvira had gone on their usual spring visit +to New Hampshire. And it did not happen at all as +Sally thought it would. It was early in the morning. +Miss Harvey, Sally, and Oxford were alone in the +house. Miss Harvey had made the kitchen fire, and +put the tea-kettle on the stove. Oxford was just +waking up and stretching himself. Sally, who was +wide awake, saw a mouse glide past her on the +freshly scrubbed kitchen floor. She darted forward +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_99">[99]</span>and seized the mouse. She had it firmly in her +mouth. It was still alive, but she knew it could not +escape. Oxford roused himself. Sally looked at him +with triumph in her eyes. ‘See what I have caught. +Didn’t I tell you I would catch a mouse?’ she +seemed to say.</p> + +<div class="figcenter"><img src="images/i_099.jpg" alt="Sally catches the mouse"></div> + +<p>Oxford dashed forward angrily and knocked the +mouse out of Sally’s mouth. Sally had never been +so angry in her life. Miss Harvey, hearing the commotion, +turned just before Oxford had reached +Sally. She saw what happened. The mouse was +flying along the kitchen floor toward the outside +door. Miss Harvey thought it most provoking of +Oxford.</p> + +<p>‘Poor dear,’ she said to Sally, ‘it was your +mouse.’</p> + +<p>Sally was glad some one understood.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_100">[100]</span>Miss Harvey opened the kitchen door that led +into the passageway and then the outside door. +Her sympathies were divided between Sally and the +mouse. Poor tiny creature! It looked so frightened, +and, after all, it probably enjoyed its life as much as +Sally liked hers. But if that wretched Oxford got +the mouse, Miss Harvey felt there was no justice to +be looked for in this world. When she opened the +door, she saw the mouse scurrying down the steps, +and Sally and Oxford following after each other, +tumbling down the steps in hot pursuit. It was as +exciting as any race she had ever seen. Sally for +once lost her temper as the mouse disappeared from +view. She did not say all she thought. She said +only a part of it, but Oxford was so astonished by +what she did say that she seemed a different Sally +in his eyes.</p> + +<p>After she had spoken her vehement words, she +returned to the house. Oxford felt taken down for +the moment, but he soon rose to the occasion.</p> + +<p>‘It was a sort of an accident your catching that +mouse,’ he said. ‘Anybody can catch a mouse if it +goes just where they are.’</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_101">[101]</span>Sally was already beginning to cool down.</p> + +<p>‘Not everybody,’ she said. ‘Miss Harvey has +told me more than once that she never caught a +mouse in her life.’</p> + +<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> +<div class="chapter"> + +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_102">[102]</span> + +<div class="figcenter"><img src="images/i_102.jpg" width="300" alt="Spot in the window"></div> + +<h2 class="nobreak">CHAPTER XIV<br> +<small>SALLY AND SPOT</small></h2> +</div> + +<p>‘<span class="smcap">The</span> Conants have got a dog,’ Sally said to Oxford +one day. ‘Isn’t that awful?’</p> + +<p>‘Are you sure they’ve got one?’</p> + +<p>‘Yes, I heard Miss Harvey say so, and I’ve seen +him.’</p> + +<p>‘You’ve seen him?’</p> + +<p>‘Yes, he was skipping about in our clothes-yard +this morning. Miss Harvey wouldn’t let me out. +She said it was too dangerous. I was afraid you’d +meet him.’</p> + +<p>‘What does he look like?’</p> + +<p>‘Miss Harvey told Elvira he was a wire-haired +terrier. He’s white with a black spot. He’s not so +terribly big, but it seems he hates cats and loves to +chase them. Miss Harvey thinks he would kill us if +he got the chance.’</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_103">[103]</span>‘I’m quite sure he wouldn’t kill me,’ said Oxford.</p> + +<p>‘I don’t suppose he would, but he might kill me.’</p> + +<p>‘Not if I am around, Sally. You had better never +go out without me.’</p> + +<p>Oxford and Sally were sitting in the kitchen +windows as they were talking, and they could look +across at the windows in the Conant house. Suddenly +Sally gave a hiss.</p> + +<p>‘What is the matter?’ asked Elvira.</p> + +<p>‘He’s there; it’s himself,’ said Sally, but Elvira +could not understand.</p> + +<p>Oxford understood, and he looked across at the +Conant house. There, in one of the windows, was +the monster who would like to kill cats.</p> + +<p>He was not so terrible to look at. The cats gazed +at him fascinated. He looked back at them with a +fixed gaze.</p> + +<p>Elvira heard some more hisses and going to the +window she saw Spot.</p> + +<p>‘Bless your hearts, he can’t get you,’ said Elvira. +‘There are two sets of window-panes between you +and Spot.’</p> + +<p>It gave a new thrill to life having Spot living next +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_104">[104]</span>door, but it was most inconvenient, for Oxford and +Sally were always kept in when Spot was taking his +exercise.</p> + +<p>‘He doesn’t seem to realize this place is ours,’ +said Oxford. ‘He walks into this clothes-yard, just +as bold as if it belonged to him.’</p> + +<p>‘But there is no fence between the two places,’ +said Sally. ‘We go into Mrs. Conant’s garden +whenever we like.’</p> + +<p>‘We are old settlers,’ said Oxford. ‘We have a +right to go where we please, but I call it bold for an +impudent young puppy to come over into our yard. +Before we know it, he will be in the Wild Wood.’</p> + +<p>He had an endless fascination for them, however. +They liked to watch him starting out at an early +hour in the morning for an airing with Mrs. Conant’s +husband. They trembled and felt safer when +he went back to the house and the door closed.</p> + +<p>Elvira would say, ‘I think it is safe for Oxford +and Sally to go out now. It will be some time before +Spot goes out again.’</p> + +<p>They never felt much security when they were +out, for at any moment the door of the Conant +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_105">[105]</span>house might open and the monster might come +out.</p> + +<p>‘Anyway, he can’t climb trees,’ said Oxford, ‘and +there are a lot of them about.’</p> + +<p>As the days passed and nothing happened, they +grew less and less afraid of their enemy and more +and more confident, and there was always the excitement +of sitting at the kitchen windows and +looking across at Spot as he sat at his window. +Sometimes they saw Mrs. Conant pass the window +with Spot frisking along by her side. She would +wave her hand as she passed. It was the season of +the year when her pretty pink dress seemed to +Sally more suitable to the weather than her own +coat of fur.</p> + +<p>Sally felt sure that some day there would be a +meeting between herself and Spot. She did not +know why she felt so sure of this. When she spoke +of her fears to Oxford, he said: ‘How silly you +are, Sally. All you have to do is to stay close by +me, and I will defend you with my good right +paw.’</p> + +<p>‘I am sure you would,’ said Sally, ‘but sometimes +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_106">[106]</span>you go off on journeys. I can’t stay shut up +in the house all day when you go on a journey.’</p> + +<p>‘Of course, I can’t give up all my pleasure trips to +stay at home and protect you. The only safe thing +is never to go out unless you see that impudent +scoundrel’s face in the window. When he’s in, he +can’t be out.’</p> + +<p>‘But he might suddenly be let out,’ said Sally.</p> + +<p>And this was exactly what did happen one bright +day in early June when Oxford was away for a day +or two.</p> + +<p>Sally saw Spot in the window and she mewed to +be let out. She mewed and mewed until even Miss +Winifred heard. The others were at the top of the +house. They could hear her, but it was a long way +to come down just for Sally.</p> + +<p>‘Poor pussy,’ said Miss Winifred, as she opened +the kitchen door. ‘What do you want?’</p> + +<p>Sally mewed again in her strong voice and went +to the outside door.</p> + +<p>‘Do you want to go out?’ said Miss Winifred, as +she opened the screen door.</p> + +<p>Sally made it evident that she did. She ran down +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_107">[107]</span>the steps to the clothes-yard. It was good to get +out into the bright sunshine, and she ran down +toward the street. Suddenly she heard an awful +bark and looking up she saw that the monster was +almost upon her. Trembling all over, Sally fairly +flew over the ground and scampered up the nearest +tree. There she sat looking down on Spot. He was +standing still at the foot of the tree looking up at +her. Some time passed, and finally Sally gathered +courage to ask,</p> + +<p>‘How long are you going to stay there?’</p> + +<p>‘Until you come down,’ said Spot.</p> + +<p>‘I mean to stay here a long time,’ said Sally. +‘Days, perhaps. It is very comfortable in this tree.’</p> + +<p>‘Is it? It doesn’t look so.’</p> + +<p>Time passed. It seemed hours to Sally. The +round sun was getting low in the heavens, and still +that awful dog stood there at the foot of the tree. +Sally did not dare to come down.</p> + +<p>‘I’ve often seen you in the window,’ said Sally +pleasantly. ‘I should think you would want to go +back to that nice window; it seems a little cold +here.’</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_108">[108]</span></p> + +<div class="figcenter"><img src="images/i_108.jpg" width="300" alt="Spot was standing still at the foot of the tree looking up at Sally"></div> + +<p>‘I’ve often noticed you at your window,’ said +Spot. ‘I was thinking it was about time for you to +go home.’</p> + +<p>‘I mean to stay out all night,’ said Sally. ‘I +never was out all night. My friends give fine concerts +then. There is to be a moon to-night.’</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_109">[109]</span>Time passed, and Sally was growing hungry and +tired. Would no one come for her? Miss Harvey +and Elvira would not know she had been let out, +and she had heard them say that Miss Winifred +was going off for the night. Poor Sally was getting +more and more miserable.</p> + +<p>‘Don’t you think Mrs. Conant will worry if you +stay out so long?’ she asked.</p> + +<p>‘She never worries. She lets me lead a free life. +How about Elvira and Miss Harvey? What will +they think if you don’t come in?’</p> + +<p>‘They don’t know I’m out.’</p> + +<p>The sky was clouding over and the bright sun +was going to set long before its time in a bank of +gray.</p> + +<p>‘It is going to rain,’ said Sally. ‘I don’t mind the +rain at all because of my warm fur coat.’ All the +same, she didn’t like to get wet. ‘Do you mind the +rain, Spot?’</p> + +<p>‘No, but it isn’t going to rain,’ he said.</p> + +<p>Sally was now longing to get into the house. She +gave another of her piercing mews which she had +been giving at intervals, but she was some distance +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_110">[110]</span>from the house and Elvira did not know that she +was out.</p> + +<div class="figcenter"><img src="images/i_110.jpg" width="300" alt="One of your cats has been treed by Spotty"></div> + +<p>‘Some cat is in trouble. It sounds a little like +Sally’s mew,’ Elvira said to Miss Harvey. ‘Did you +let her out?’</p> + +<p>‘No, I am sure she is somewhere around the +house.’</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_111">[111]</span>Presently, to Sally’s joy, she saw Mrs. Conant +coming along the avenue.</p> + +<p>‘Why, Spotty, what are you doing here?’ she +asked.</p> + +<p>She looked up to see what the dog was watching, +and she saw poor Sally in the tree.</p> + +<p>‘Come, Spotty, come home at once and let that +poor cat alone,’ she said.</p> + +<p>As she passed the kitchen window she said: ‘One +of your cats has been treed by Spotty. I am very +sorry. He ought to have better manners.’</p> + +<p>‘She is the nicest person,’ Sally said to herself as +she scrambled down the tree after she heard the +front door close on Mrs. Conant and her dog. ‘She +understands the feelings of a cat, but it is strange +she could not tell the difference between Oxford +and me. Perhaps I’m growing better-looking now I +am fatter.’</p> + +<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> +<div class="chapter"> + +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_112">[112]</span> + +<div class="figcenter"><img src="images/i_112.jpg" width="250" alt="The family tree"></div> + +<h2 class="nobreak">CHAPTER XV<br> +<small>THE FAMILY TREE</small></h2> +</div> + +<p><span class="smcap">It</span> seemed strange to Sally that as nice a person as +Mrs. Conant should care as much as she did for a +creature like Spot. It was all she could do to listen +in silence to a conversation that she had with Miss +Winifred one afternoon in the parlor. The two +were sitting on the sofa while Sally was looking out +of the window.</p> + +<p>She was watching some birds that were taking a +bath in the bird bath. First a blue jay went in +and splashed about, and after he came out, a robin +fluttered down from his perch in a tree.</p> + +<p>‘Spot has a good pedigree,’ said Mrs. Conant. +‘His Family Tree is quite as good in its way as Mr. +Conant’s.’</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_113">[113]</span>Sally listened while the two ladies talked of these +matters, and she thought of her glorious ancestors. +She wished she had a Family Tree herself, but later, +when she talked the matter over with Oxford, he +said it was nonsense.</p> + +<p>‘Let us play with our catnip mice,’ he said.</p> + +<p>As usual they had a fine time and Sally was so +stimulated that she felt like talking in verse.</p> + +<div class="poetry-container"> +<div class="poetry"> +<div class="stanza"> +<div class="verse"> I long to have a family tree</div> +<div class="indent">And show to all my true descent,</div> +<div class="verse">But Oxford says a family tree</div> +<div class="indent">Is not a tree for kittens meant.</div> +<div class="verse">To know his father is enough,</div> +<div class="indent">For he was made of valiant stuff.</div> +</div> +<div class="stanza"> +<div class="verse">But I would like to trace them all,</div> +<div class="indent">Back to proud William of great fame,</div> +<div class="verse">Who lived, they say, in princely hall,</div> +<div class="indent">And bore almost a royal name,</div> +<div class="verse">Down to myself, then, all would say,</div> +<div class="indent">‘She’s royal, though she’s small and gray.’</div> +</div> +<div class="stanza"> +<div class="verse">There were great singers in my race,</div> +<div class="indent">Who sat upon the garden wall,</div> +<div class="verse">Tenors, sopranos, and a bass,</div> +<div class="indent">Who nightly concerts gave to all,</div><span class="pagenum" id="Page_114">[114]</span> +<div class="verse">And mighty hunters were the rule</div> +<div class="indent">But Oxford thinks me such a fool.</div> +</div> +<div class="stanza"> +<div class="verse">He says his mind he will not vex</div> +<div class="indent">About such matters, that it’s base,</div> +<div class="verse">But I am of the other sex</div> +<div class="indent">And I delight in pride of race,</div> +<div class="verse">But Oxford only says, says he,</div> +<div class="indent">Strong paws are more than ancestry.</div> +</div> +<div class="stanza"> +<div class="verse">To catch a mouse is better far</div> +<div class="indent">Than grandfathers of high degree,</div> +<div class="verse">He loved his friendly grandmamma,</div> +<div class="indent">And nothing but a waif was she.</div> +<div class="verse">The day is bright, some tree we’ll climb,</div> +<div class="indent">To stay indoors would be a crime.</div> +</div> +<div class="stanza"> +<div class="verse">I know if I have children fair,</div> +<div class="indent">Some little kittens good to see,</div> +<div class="verse">Furry and bright, a lusty pair,</div> +<div class="indent">I’d like to have a family tree.</div> +<div class="verse">But Oxford said, ‘Let’s have some fun,</div> +<div class="indent">The door is open, let us run.’</div> +</div> +<div class="stanza"> +<div class="verse">So to the woods we gayly went</div> +<div class="indent">And there we had a lively race,</div> +<div class="verse">And such a joyous hour we spent</div> +<div class="indent">Chasing each other round the place.</div> +<div class="verse">‘If you must have a family tree,</div> +<div class="indent">I’ll find one in the woods,’ said he.</div> +</div></div></div> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_115">[115]</span>Sally was sent up a tree by Spot more than once, +and even Oxford had to fly from him several times, +for to stay indoors in the lovely summer weather +was altogether impossible. There came to be a +certain excitement in escaping from their enemy +which gave a dash of spice to their life. And there +was one day they would never forget when Spot +met the two of them in the Wild Wood. Oxford +had promised to defend Sally, but all the same, she +thought it wiser to scamper up the nearest tree, for +it might happen that her brave brother would get +the worst of the fight. Oxford looked about him to +see where Sally was and, finding she was safe, he +thought it better to join her and not to fight Spot, +for Sally would be happier if he were in the tree, too. +So the pair sat there looking down with scorn on +their enemy.</p> + +<p>‘Who are you, anyway?’ Oxford asked. ‘You +low creature not able to climb like us!’</p> + +<p>‘I come of a very fine stock. My mistress looked +up my pedigree before she bought me. It is written +on paper.’</p> + +<p>‘I thought you seemed like a thing that had been +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_116">[116]</span>bought with money,’ said Oxford. ‘My sister and I +are free, not slaves. No money could buy us. We +could leave our home to-morrow if we liked.’</p> + +<p>‘Perhaps you could to-morrow,’ Spot called +back. ‘But you don’t seem to be able to leave now. +Not while I am at the foot of this tree.’</p> + +<p>Now, only a few days before, Oxford had been +scorning musty records, but to Sally’s surprise he +said: ‘If my sister and I chose to take the trouble, +we could have a family tree with an ancestry that +would absolutely astonish you, Spot. We go back +to a cat who was named William the Conqueror, +because he always knocked his enemy flat. He was +the first Furbush—I mean we can trace back no +farther; of course, there were others back of him.’</p> + +<p>‘Well,’ said Spot, ‘I am sure my ancestors were +all so great that every one was a conqueror, and as +for my master, he was one of the first settlers—his +ancestors were, I mean.’</p> + +<p>‘That is nothing,’ said Oxford. ‘Miss Winifred is +descended from one of the kings of France.’</p> + +<p>‘Indeed!’ said Spot. ‘One wouldn’t think it to +look at her.’</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_117">[117]</span>‘Not that I care a great deal about such things +myself,’ said Oxford.</p> + +<p>‘I shouldn’t suppose you would,’ said Spot, ‘for I +have heard that your mother’s mother was just a +little waif without home or family.’</p> + +<p>This was too much for Oxford. He started to +scramble down the tree, and Sally was afraid that +Spot would fly at him and perhaps kill him.</p> + +<p>‘Oxford,’ she said, ‘is that a bird’s nest on that +upper bough?’</p> + +<p>Oxford paused in his descent to look up.</p> + +<p>‘I don’t see anything. Where is it?’</p> + +<p>‘I saw something very like a bird’s nest,’ she +said.</p> + +<p>Oxford forgot all about his grandmother in his +interest in the nest, which might be full of young +birds.</p> + +<p>‘Dogs are very superior to cats,’ Spot was saying. +‘Every one says so. It is a well-known fact.’</p> + +<p>‘Who says so?’ Oxford asked.</p> + +<p>‘My master and my mistress, and all the dogs I +know.’</p> + +<p>‘The people who make their home with us greatly +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_118">[118]</span>prefer cats, and every cat I have ever met says cats +are much brighter than dogs,’ said Oxford.</p> + +<p>‘Prove it,’ Spot said with a loud bark.</p> + +<p>‘Can you climb a tree?’ Sally asked.</p> + +<p>‘I am so superior that I do not have to climb +trees,’ said Spot.</p> + +<p>‘Can you catch a mouse?’ Oxford inquired.</p> + +<p>‘I don’t care about mice. I can be a true companion +for man. Men don’t climb trees, at least +not as a rule, and they can’t catch mice. And dogs +are unselfish. I have heard of many a dog losing his +life to save his master, or dying of grief because his +master has died.’</p> + +<p>Oxford and Sally were considerably impressed. +For once Oxford was at a loss as to what to reply, +but Sally was thinking things out.</p> + +<p>‘I would do a great deal for Miss Harvey,’ she +said. ‘Maybe some day I’ll have a chance to save +her life, but what good does it ever do to die of +grief if one loses a friend? It seems to me wiser just +to be a good friend to all the friends one has left +than to die of grief.’</p> + +<p>Sally was astonished at her own words, but she +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_119">[119]</span>had learned this from Oxford. And just then who +should come along the avenue that led to the two +houses but Mrs. Conant with her husband in their +automobile.</p> + +<p>‘Spotty, what are you doing here? I didn’t mean +you to get out until we came back,’ said Mrs. +Conant. ‘John, you had better get out and take +Spot back with you, and I’ll go on to the house. +Spot has treed two cats.’</p> + +<p>As Spot walked off unwillingly with his master, +he flung back these words, ‘I’ll ask Mrs. Conant +my exact pedigree and I’ll tell it to you the next +time we meet.’</p> + +<p>‘We don’t have to take that trouble,’ Oxford retorted; +‘our family tree is complete in our heads, +beginning with William the Conqueror and coming +down to Martha Furbush-Tailby, our great-great-grandmother, +and then to William Furbush-Tailby, +the poet, and then to his daughter, who married our +grandfather Oxford Forepaw Gray; his son was my +father, Oxford Gray, and I am Oxford Gray, Junior.’</p> + +<p>‘I know who you are, you are a no-account bragging +cat,’ said Spot, as he vanished into the house.</p> + +<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> +<div class="chapter"> + +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_120">[120]</span> + +<div class="figcenter"><img src="images/i_120.jpg" alt="Sally, Oxford, and the travelling cat"></div> + +<h2 class="nobreak">CHAPTER XVI<br> +<small>THE TRAVELING CAT</small></h2> +</div> + +<p><span class="smcap">One</span> day Sally looked out of the screen door and she +saw a new cat looking in at the window. He had a +glossy coat of long black fur, and a white shirt-front +and four white paws. At least they once had +been white, but they were dirt-color from much +traveling. Sally looked at the cat and the cat +looked at Sally.</p> + +<p>He asked Sally if he could get a meal at the +house. Sally was about to say she would speak to +Elvira, for she could always attract her attention by +mewing or clawing her gown, when Oxford came to +the screen door.</p> + +<p>‘You can’t. This is my house. Clear out, and +don’t show your black coat around here again!’</p> + +<p>The black cat was very much offended. ‘I am an +important person,’ he hissed back. ‘I’m a great +traveler. I’ve come all the way from Malden, and +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_121">[121]</span>I’ve been at the wharves in Boston and taken one +or two sea voyages.’</p> + +<p>‘You’d better take a few more,’ said Oxford. +‘You are not wanted here.’</p> + +<p>And yet he was considerably impressed. Sally +liked the appearance of the stranger, and yet she +was a little afraid of him.</p> + +<p>‘My name is Captain Ebony Black,’ said the +traveling cat. ‘I’m called Eben by my friends. I’d +like to fight you some day when we meet out-of-doors,’ +he added as he looked at Oxford.</p> + +<p>‘Just what I should like,’ said Oxford. ‘I always +fight all the cats who come into my grounds.’</p> + +<p>‘Do you own the whole place?’ the traveling cat +asked. ‘I thought this was where Peter lived.’</p> + +<p>‘He thinks he lives here,’ Oxford snarled, ‘but +the place belongs to me.’</p> + +<p>‘And to me, too,’ put in Sally.</p> + +<p>‘I let her live here,’ Oxford said, ‘because she is +my sister.’</p> + +<p>Elvira, who was washing dishes, turned to see +what was happening, for although she could not +understand their language, she could tell that some +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_122">[122]</span>sort of a row was going on. The cats were looking +at each other fiercely, one on one side of the screen +and one on the other.</p> + +<p>‘Come, Oxford, be a good cat,’ she said; ‘here is +some supper for you.’</p> + +<p>Supper, indeed! When one was longing to fight +an enemy! He made a few more angry remarks to +the visitor, and ended by calling him ‘Blackie,’ +which was hard for Captain Ebony Black to bear, +for he came of an old family.</p> + +<p>‘Who are you, anyway?’ he growled.</p> + +<p>‘My great-grandfather was a Furbush,’ said +Oxford, ‘and he was descended from a Furbush, +who was called “William the Conqueror.”’</p> + +<p>‘I am descended from the first Ebony Black who +came to this country. There’s been an Ebony +Black in each generation.’</p> + +<p>Sally was greatly impressed, for ancestors meant +so much to her.</p> + +<p>‘Come and eat your supper like a good cat,’ said +Elvira, and then, thinking that the stranger might +be hungry, she took a plate of canned salmon and +bread out to the back porch.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_123">[123]</span>‘Elvira is feeding our enemy,’ said Oxford.</p> + +<p>He seemed a fine-looking pussy to Sally, but she +said nothing.</p> + +<p>‘The way in which all the cats in the neighborhood +come into my place is outrageous!’ said Oxford, +as he began to eat his fish.</p> + +<p>‘After all,’ Sally reminded him, ‘the place is +Miss Winifred’s and Elvira’s, and if they don’t +mind——’</p> + +<p>‘I’ve explained to you a great many times, Sally, +that the true owner of a place is the one who uses it +the most, and so I say the back yard and the Wild +Wood are mine.’</p> + +<p>‘Then the parlor is certainly mine,’ said Sally, +‘for I am there much more than Miss Winifred.’</p> + +<p>‘You can call the parlor yours, or can own the +house if you like, but the land is mine.’</p> + +<p>The traveling cat thoroughly enjoyed his meal. +He was shy with strangers and had no idea of coming +into the house, but he had taken a liking to +Sally’s modest appearance. She looked as if she +might be an old-fashioned cat, with whom one +could have a pleasant talk if Oxford was not +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_124">[124]</span>around. So he hung about the place, occasionally +coming for a meal on the back porch. And one day +he met Sally in the Wild Wood and they had a +friendly chat, for Oxford was not there.</p> + +<p>‘I don’t mean any harm,’ said the traveling cat, +‘and I don’t think your brother need be so rude.’</p> + +<p>‘He’s the kindest brother,’ Sally said, ‘but he had +such a hard time winning his way in the world when +he was young that, when he did at last find a home +for himself and me, he wants to hold on to it.’</p> + +<p>‘I don’t care about a home for long at a time,’ +said the traveling cat. ‘I like to take a voyage +every now and then in a ship. It doesn’t cost anything, +for I just walk on board, and I don’t have to +bother about a passport, and I can always make +myself useful by hunting rats and mice.’</p> + +<p>‘It must be exciting to travel,’ Sally said. ‘But I +am so home-loving I like to stay just where I’ve +lived for so long.’</p> + +<p>She told Oxford some of the tales of his travels +that Ebony Black had told her. Oxford said the +fellow was too fond of bragging, but the dazzling +visions of distant spots began to have their effect.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_125">[125]</span>‘Why don’t you drive him off the place, Sally?’ +he asked. ‘I will if I ever find him here.’</p> + +<p>‘I suppose he has as much a right to be here as +Peter,’ said Sally. ‘There’s room for everybody, +Elvira said so.’</p> + +<p>‘Oh, Elvira! She would have all the stray cats +and dogs in town here if she had her way. That +fellow thinks Ebony Black is a name to be proud +of,’ Oxford went on. ‘I never heard of the family in +my life.’</p> + +<p>Sally was sorry she had spoken of Ebony Black, +but she had been so impressed by his tales that she +wanted to share them with Oxford.</p> + +<p>‘The way Elvira treats that fellow to canned +salmon is too much!’ said Oxford.</p> + +<p>‘But she isn’t taking anything from us, for we +don’t like canned salmon,’ said Sally.</p> + +<p>‘She’ll spend all her money if she doesn’t look +out,’ said Oxford, ‘and then she can’t get haddock +for us.’</p> + +<p>‘I am sure Elvira has lots of money,’ said Sally.</p> + +<p>‘Well, anyway, I don’t propose to have her feeding +every cat in town,’ said Oxford.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_126">[126]</span>‘Captain Ebony Black belongs in Malden,’ said +Sally. ‘That is, when he isn’t traveling. He’ll be +leaving soon.’</p> + +<p>‘He’ll be leaving this very day if I run across +him,’ said Oxford.</p> + +<div class="figcenter"><img src="images/i_126.jpg" alt="Two cats on a rug"></div> + +<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> +<div class="chapter"> + +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_127">[127]</span> + +<div class="figcenter"><img src="images/i_127.jpg" width="250" alt="Two cats in a wreath"></div> + +<h2 class="nobreak">CHAPTER XVII<br> +<small>OXFORD GOES ON A JOURNEY</small></h2> +</div> + +<p><span class="smcap">Now</span> that the autumn had come, Oxford was seized +with a desire to travel. He had been considerably +impressed by the tales the traveling cat had told +Sally, although he had not let her see this. And +then there was Peter. He was but a poor creature, +to be sure, but the tales he told of the free life in the +open appealed to Oxford.</p> + +<p>‘I am going on a journey,’ he said to Sally one +morning.</p> + +<p>‘Oh, Oxford, aren’t you happy here with me? +What more do you want?’</p> + +<p>‘I am tired of this back yard and of the Wild +Wood. It all seems too cramped to me. I want +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_128">[128]</span>some good hunting, such as that tiresome, no-account +Peter has had.’</p> + +<div class="figcenter"><img src="images/i_128.jpg" width="450" alt="Two cats in the woods"></div> + +<p>‘What could be better than the hunting is here?’ +Sally asked. ‘Haven’t you caught your ninth mouse +this season? And you got a robin the other day.’</p> + +<p>‘Yes, and there was an awful row about it. I +never saw Elvira in such a state.’</p> + +<p>‘I don’t quite see why,’ said Sally. ‘Elvira eats +turkeys and chickens. Why can’t we eat robins?’</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_129">[129]</span>‘That is a different matter. They have their own +laws.’</p> + +<p>‘Do explain it to me,’ said Sally.</p> + +<p>‘You could never understand it,’ said her brother.</p> + +<p>Sally suspected that he could not understand it +either, but being wise beyond her years, for it was +years now, she did not say so.</p> + +<p>Sally did not ask Oxford to take her with him. +She liked home life best, and she was beginning to +have a few friends. It was pleasant to be a favorite +in a modest way, if not a belle, and she liked the +serenades they gave her on moonlight nights. And +above all, she loved Miss Harvey, and she knew +Miss Harvey would not care to take a journey with +Oxford and herself.</p> + +<p>So Sally bade Oxford good-bye, and said she +hoped he would have a pleasant journey and come +back the next day.</p> + +<p>‘I may be gone two nights,’ he said. ‘Don’t +worry unless I am gone three.’</p> + +<p>‘I am sorry to have you go,’ said Sally.</p> + +<p>‘I am sorry to leave you, Sally, but it is too +much to be tied to a woman’s apron string, and +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_130">[130]</span>there are three of them in this house, all wearing +aprons.’</p> + +<p>‘I suppose you know best,’ said Sally, ‘but when +I think of our early days and of how we had to +scratch around for food and a place to sleep in, I am +contented with my lot.’</p> + +<p>‘I am glad you are, Sally, but I want to visit +foreign parts. Perhaps I can get as far as Malden.’</p> + +<p>‘Oh, do be careful! Don’t get on a boat, whatever +you do!’</p> + +<p>Oxford promised to be cautious, for in the main +he was a home-loving cat. He merely wanted to see +the world in a quiet and safe way without running +any great risks.</p> + +<p>‘Remember there is fine hunting here,’ Sally said +again.</p> + +<p>‘Yes, but, as I said before, these women make +such a fuss. They force a fellow into going into the +big world for hunting. You’d think, after catching +nine mice, no one would grudge me a robin or two +and she with her chicken dinners!’</p> + +<p>Sally looked very down-hearted when the actual +parting came.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_131">[131]</span>‘You must buck up, Sally,’ he said, for he had +learned this phrase from the traveling cat. It +seemed to mean more than ‘brace up.’ Sally was a +grown cat now, and a grown cat certainly ought to +buck up.</p> + +<p>Sally missed Oxford, but there was a certain +peace about the place. She could eat the whole of +her dinner without his taking part of it, and she +could see her friends freely without having them +driven off the place by Oxford. She missed him, of +course; still, there was a certain peace.</p> + +<p>No one discovered his absence until bedtime, for +he had often been late before.</p> + +<p>‘Where is Oxford?’ Miss Harvey asked Elvira.</p> + +<p>‘Oxford! I don’t know,’ said Elvira, as she took +off her hat and coat. ‘Why should I know where +Oxford is? I didn’t take him to Boston with me.’</p> + +<p>‘I thought you might have some idea where he +was,’ said Miss Harvey. ‘He never comes in for +me.’</p> + +<p>They went through the garden and the Wild +Wood calling, ‘Oxford, Oxford, Oxford Gray, +Junior.’</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_132">[132]</span>‘Sometimes he’ll come in for the Junior,’ said +Elvira, but there was no scampering of small feet +and no furry face to be seen.</p> + +<p>‘Cats certainly are the limit,’ said Elvira. ‘You +get fond of one, and the first thing you know he’s +off like a shot.’</p> + +<p>‘Sally looks very wise,’ said Miss Harvey, as they +went back into the house. ‘I dare say she knows +just where Oxford is.’</p> + +<p>‘I wish I did,’ Sally said, but no one heard her. ‘I +fear he is in some miserable place, and hungry and +cold.’ For it had begun to rain. Sally could hear +the raindrops pattering down the window-pane.</p> + +<p>‘This is a good little cat,’ and Elvira stroked +Sally. ‘She never gives us any trouble.’</p> + +<p>‘She is a perfect lady, the sweetest little thing,’ +said Miss Harvey, as Sally climbed into her lap.</p> + +<p>Sally put her two paws around Miss Harvey’s +neck.</p> + +<p>It was not until after the third night that Sally +began to worry, for Oxford had told her not to +worry until after that. After the third night, she +began to miss him very much, indeed. There had +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_133">[133]</span>been a certain peace in his absence at first, but it +seemed too peaceful now. Moreover, she had had +much pleasant conversation with Captain Ebony +Black, who had seen the world. He was a good-looking +cat with his long-haired, glossy, black coat +and white shirt-front. A black cat was an interesting +variety in her life, and, although she knew that +the tigers were of a nobler race, it made a pleasant +change to see some one so different. Moreover, the +black cat had said kind things to Sally, as kind +things as Miss Harvey had said. But he had gone +now, and so she had more time to worry about her +brother.</p> + +<p>‘I do hope he will realize there is no place like +home before it is too late and something awful +happens to him,’ said Sally, and she softly repeated +the familiar words to herself: ‘“Mid pleasures and +palaces, though I may roam; be it ever so humble, +there’s no place like Home.”’</p> + +<p>She hoped he would think of his basket and his +little sister, and of kind Elvira who always warmed +his milk, and of the haddock that she served for +him. Nothing seemed the same without Oxford.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_134">[134]</span>When five days had gone by and still he did not +come, gloom descended upon the household.</p> + +<p>‘I knew something would happen to him,’ said +Miss Winifred. ‘That is why I did not want another +cat. Something always happens once I get +attached to one.’</p> + +<p>‘He may turn up yet,’ said Miss Harvey.</p> + +<p>‘He may turn up yet’—that sounded very hopeless. +Had it come to that?</p> + +<p>‘I wish I’d never let him go on the journey,’ said +Sally, ‘and yet how could I have helped it? His +mind was made up. I know he won’t come back. +He told me not to worry until after three days, and +that meant that, if he did not come back then, +something would have happened.’</p> + +<p>The three women to whose apron strings Oxford +had been tied, had been around to the neighbors +asking if any one had seen a tiger cat with white +paws and a white breast. As there were several +cats of this sort in the neighborhood, many people +thought they had seen him, but the cat never proved +to be Oxford himself.</p> + +<p>‘Black Sam, Sam Furbush-Tailby, I mean, was +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_135">[135]</span>once gone ten days,’ said Elvira. ‘Oxford will probably +come back.’</p> + +<p>‘Several of your pets have never come back,’ said +Miss Winifred.</p> + +<p>‘I am going over to Handerson Court,’ said +Elvira. ‘Maybe some one there will have seen +him.’</p> + +<p>As Elvira went along the strip of land that led +to Handerson Court, she heard a faint mew. It +seemed a cry of distress, and it sounded to her like +Oxford’s voice. She hurried over the grass and +went through the gap in the fence. Presently she +saw a thin tiger cat coming toward her with his +head firmly encased in a fish can that some one +must have carelessly thrown away without flattening +it.</p> + +<p>‘Oh, poor pussy, whoever you are, you are in an +awful fix,’ said Elvira.</p> + +<p>As the cat came nearer, she could hardly believe +it was Oxford, he looked so thin, but she thought +she recognized the markings on his tail. Another +minute and there was no doubt at all, for he began +to mew piteously again, and it was Oxford’s voice. +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_136">[136]</span>The proud Oxford, who felt affection, but seldom +showed it, was delighted to recognize the voice of +a friend.</p> + +<p>Elvira picked him up and carried the frightened, +struggling cat to the house.</p> + +<p>‘Poor dear, where have you been?’ she asked him. +‘You must have been shut in somewhere, and when +they found you and let you out, you must have +been so hungry that you smelled the fish and +thought you could get some of it.’</p> + +<p>She put Oxford down in the kitchen. Sally was +frightened at first at the sight of the can with no +head to be seen, but when she found it was really +Oxford, she ran up to him. Poor Oxford! Suppose +they could not get his head out of the can. But +Elvira and Miss Harvey worked away at him, and +presently Oxford’s head emerged, but his beautiful +fur was all over rust. Elvira stamped on the can to +flatten it out.</p> + +<p>‘No cat will ever be caught in that can again,’ +she said.</p> + +<p>Sally flew to wash Oxford, and Miss Harvey and +Elvira began to scrub him, while Miss Winifred +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_137">[137]</span>stood in the doorway and said, ‘Poor cat, do you +suppose he will ever get over it?’</p> + +<p>‘I’m all right,’ Oxford said, but only Sally understood.</p> + +<p>‘Where were you?’ Sally asked. ‘Why didn’t +you come home before? Did you have good hunting?’</p> + +<p>‘I have been in prison, Sally,’ said Oxford. ‘I was +accidentally shut up in a building without food, so +when I came out, I was very hungry.’</p> + +<p>‘Did you think of home and your sister?’ Sally +ventured to ask.</p> + +<p>‘Yes, Sally.’ Oxford was never one to show much +affection. ‘Yes,’ he said, ‘I thought of home, and of +the hunting in the Wild Wood. I thought, too, of +Blackie; I am glad to see he is not about.’</p> + +<p>‘Captain Ebony Black has had to go on another +journey,’ said Sally.</p> + +<p>‘I am glad of that; and Peter, where is he?’</p> + +<p>‘Peter was around last night, I think. It is getting +cold. I think he slept in the cellar last night.’</p> + +<p>Oxford was hungrily eating some haddock at the +time. How good it tasted!</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_138">[138]</span>‘When I have got back to my full weight,’ said +he, ‘I hope to show Peter once for all that this is +not his home.’</p> + +<p>‘I am glad it is your home, Oxford,’ said Sally. +‘Aren’t you glad to get back?’</p> + +<p>Oxford was in truth very glad, indeed, but he did +not like to show his feelings.</p> + +<p>‘A fellow might do worse,’ he said.</p> + +<div class="figcenter"><img src="images/i_138.jpg" width="450" alt="Oxford with his head stuck in a fish can"></div> + +<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> +<div class="chapter"> + +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_139">[139]</span> + +<div class="figcenter"><img src="images/i_139.jpg" width="350" alt="Sally and her kittens"></div> + +<h2 class="nobreak">CHAPTER XVIII<br> +<small>SALLY HAS HER WISH</small></h2> +</div> + +<p><span class="smcap">One</span> morning some weeks later, Elvira had the +surprise of her life. She came down into the +kitchen and looked around for the two cats. Oxford +was stretched out on his woolen blanket under +the table, but Sally was nowhere to be seen. Elvira +remembered that she had left the lower drawer +of the kitchen dresser open thinking that Sally +might like to sleep there for a change, so she went +over and looked in. For a moment she was startled +and thought she must have seen wrong and that +Sally had caught two mice. But although the furry +objects were the smallest kittens she had ever seen +and hardly larger than mice, there was no mistaking +their fur coats. One was black with four very +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_140">[140]</span>tiny white paws and a white breast, and the other +was white with a tiger tail and a tiger blanket on +its back.</p> + +<p>‘Miss Harvey,’ Elvira called, ‘did you ever see +anything so sweet?’</p> + +<p>Sally’s whole expression had changed. Instead +of having a sad little face, she looked proud and +happy. It seemed as if she were saying: ‘See what +I have got for wishing for it? I have had to wish +for a very long time, but at last I have got just +what I wanted, twins, a brother and a sister, just +like Oxford and myself, and the darlings shall have +a happier kittenhood than we had. And she said +to herself,</p> + +<div class="poetry-container"> +<div class="poetry"> +<div class="indent">If I cannot have a mother, a mother I will be</div> +<div class="verse">With some darling, furry children of my own,</div> +<div class="indent">The furriest, purriest kittens, the most harum-scarum kittens,</div> +<div class="verse">The liveliest, gayest kittens ever known.</div> +</div></div> + +<p>It seemed this time as if Miss Harvey understood +everything she said, for she remarked, ‘Dear Sally +has got her wish at last; see how blissfully happy +she looks, Elvira!’</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_141">[141]</span>They decided it would be wiser not to mention +the kittens to Miss Winifred for a few days, as she +had a friend staying with her who was taking all of +her thoughts at present. So the kittens were almost +a week old before Miss Winifred knew about them.</p> + +<p>One morning Elvira said, ‘Sally has two little +kittens.’</p> + +<p>‘Kittens!’ Miss Winifred said in astonishment. +‘I am very sorry to hear it.’</p> + +<p>‘Sorry to hear it,’ said Elvira, ‘and you think +you are fond of cats.’</p> + +<p>‘Four seem too many to have in one house, and +they will grow into cats, but we can keep them for +a time and then send them to the Ellen Gifford +Home, or else find good homes for them.’</p> + +<p>‘Would you like to see them?’ Elvira asked.</p> + +<p>Miss Winifred went into the kitchen, and Elvira +put one of the tiny creatures into her hand and +then the other. No one with a heart for kittens +could help being touched by the sight of these +furry creatures and the anxious expression of their +mother’s face as she watched Miss Winifred, for +she was not sure of her.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_142">[142]</span></p> + +<div class="figcenter"><img src="images/i_142.jpg" alt="Miss Winifred holding the kittens"></div> + +<p>‘Please don’t drop them,’ she pleaded in her own +language. ‘Please don’t even think about homes +for them later on. This is a good home, and I will +be a good mother. I do so want their kittenhood +to be happy and not sad like mine.’</p> + +<p>Miss Winifred put the kittens down very gently.</p> + +<p>‘At any rate, they can’t leave their mother for +some weeks,’ she said.</p> + +<p>It was not long before these tiny objects were +scampering about the kitchen floor, getting in front +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_143">[143]</span>of Elvira’s feet just as their mother and their uncle +had done, for they found a way of getting out of the +drawer of the dresser. They made a stepladder of +their mother, and, climbing on her back, gave a flying +leap to the floor and then chased each other about. +Patty, the little tiger kitten, was more lively than +her brother Eben, and she would turn a somersault +as she reached him and then they would skip +about in high glee, and wrestle together. There +had never been such gay kittens in Miss Winifred’s +house.</p> + +<p>‘It is as good as a tonic having them around,’ +said Miss Winifred, one morning as she visited the +kitchen.</p> + +<p>‘Certainly they are like a tonic to their mother,’ +said Miss Harvey. ‘I never saw any one more +changed.’</p> + +<p>Oxford was not at all interested in his niece and +nephew, so he spent more of his time than usual +away from home. It was the gentle Peter who was +all ready to be friendly, and when the two kittens +went dancing up to him, he was pleased. But Sally, +who feared he would do them harm, raised her +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_144">[144]</span>powerful voice to call them to her, and then gave +Peter the thrashing that Oxford had meant to give +him. She seemed possessed by fury as she flew at +him and put her claws in his fur.</p> + +<p>‘Look at your perfect lady now,’ said Elvira to +Miss Harvey.</p> + +<p>‘She is a good mother. She is only afraid he will +hurt her children,’ said Miss Harvey.</p> + +<p>Sometimes in the days that followed, Sally +wished that her desires had not been granted so +completely. She loved having her kittens and she +was glad they were having a happier kittenhood +than her own, that was so sombre and sad. But +why had she ever asked for ‘harum-scarum’ +kittens, or the ‘liveliest, gayest kittens ever +known’? Surely it would have been enough to +wish for ‘Kittens’! Sally was not sure that it was +ever wise to wish too hard for anything, and yet +she liked to watch her children playing so fearlessly, +for kind Elvira and dear Miss Harvey let them +frisk about the kitchen as they pleased. One day +Eben got into one of Elvira’s rubbers that were in +the entry. He peered out from this pleasant spot as +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_145">[145]</span>if to say, ‘See the nice little house I have found, it +just fits me.’ Baskets and boxes they appropriated +for their own, and on cold nights, after the kitchen +fire was out, Sally joined them and they slept warm +and comfortable in a pasteboard box just the right +size for three.</p> + +<div class="figcenter"><img src="images/i_145.jpg" alt="Sally and her kittens"></div> + +<p>When they ran up Elvira’s back and pulled out +her hairpins, or landed on the clock shelf in the +kitchen in search of their catnip mice and knocked +down a few trifles, Sally said, ‘Children, children, +why can’t you be quiet and well-behaved, as your +uncle and I were!’</p> + +<p>‘But, mother, you once told us you knocked a +candlestick off the study mantelpiece,’ Patty reminded +her.</p> + +<p>‘That is true,’ said their mother, who was a very +fair cat.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_146">[146]</span>‘You said you climbed up Elvira,’ said Eben; +‘that is what put the idea into our heads.’</p> + +<p>‘I never did it but once or twice, not every day. +I was a much quieter kitten.’</p> + +<p>‘Because you were half-starved,’ said Patty. +‘Mother, just be a kitten with us. Be young with +your children.’</p> + +<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> +<div class="chapter"> + +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_147">[147]</span> + +<div class="figcenter"><img src="images/i_147.jpg" alt="Come Patty, come Eben"></div> + +<h2 class="nobreak">CHAPTER XIX<br> +<small>SALLY IS YOUNG WITH HER CHILDREN</small></h2> +</div> + +<p><span class="smcap">Before</span> Sally had any kittens she used to wonder +at the shiftless way in which the wild tortoise-shell +cat who sometimes came about the place dealt with +her kittens. Sally knew she would not have the +slightest trouble in making her children mind, if +she were so fortunate as to have any. But it is one +thing to make imaginary children mind and quite +another to deal with real ones.</p> + +<p>She would say in her powerful voice, ‘Come, +Patty, come, Eben, be quiet. Come to me. Let +Elvira’s sweater alone,’ and the pair would gayly +prance about the room with the sweater between +them, Eben firmly grasping a sleeve, and Patty the +hem.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_148">[148]</span>‘Children, did you hear what I said?’ she would +add.</p> + +<p>‘Yes, mother,’ said the gay pair, and they went +on dancing about the room. Then Sally would raise +her voice again, and finally Elvira would stamp her +foot and say, ‘Sally, be quiet!’ which was very unfair +of Elvira, Sally thought, when she was doing +her best to make the kittens mind.</p> + +<p>‘I can’t understand why you are not better behaved,’ +she said to them.</p> + +<p>‘Mother, dear, didn’t you want us to have a +lively, happy kittenhood, different from yours?’ +Patty asked, as she dropped the sweater and put a +paw around her mother’s neck.</p> + +<p>Then Patty leaped upon the table and gave a +flying jump into the sink, where Elvira had put +some water in a pan. Eben quickly followed +her.</p> + +<p>‘We are waiting for Miss Winifred to come out,’ +said Patty. ‘We like her lap for naps, it is so woolly +and she’s so kind.’</p> + +<p>‘Kind!’ said Sally. ‘She thought of sending you +to the Ellen Gifford Home. Perhaps she will yet.’</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_149">[149]</span>‘I am sure she hasn’t any idea of it, mother,’ said +Patty. ‘Once Miss Winifred gets fond of you, she’s +all right. She’s a dear. Her lap is a lot woollier +than Elvira’s.’</p> + +<p>Presently Miss Winifred came into the kitchen, +moving slowly in her near-sighted way, so as not to +step on a kitten. Patty darted past her as if to dare +her to step on her tail. Miss Winifred seated herself +in the big rocking-chair, ready to discuss the meals. +Presently Patty ran up her skirt and settled down +in her lap. Eben then appeared, getting up very +slowly with more than one fall, but arriving at last. +He always liked everything Patty had, so he moved +her to the other side of Miss Winifred’s lap and +slipped into her place.</p> + +<p>Sally came over and sat on the arm of Miss +Winifred’s chair, for she still felt a little uneasy +about the Ellen Gifford Home.</p> + +<p>‘These kittens are perfectly fascinating,’ said +Miss Winifred.</p> + +<p>‘Did you hear that, mother?’ said Eben.</p> + +<p>‘She knows how to make pretty speeches,’ said +Sally.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_150">[150]</span>‘I like pretty speeches,’ said Eben. ‘I wish +you’d make a few, mother.’</p> + +<p>‘If you’ll come into the basket to take your nap, +I’ll sing the song that your great-great-grandmother +composed. The Martha Furbush for whom +you are named, Patty.’</p> + +<p>Out of curiosity to hear the song, the kittens +scrambled down from Miss Winifred’s lap and +joined their mother in the basket. She gently +purred:</p> + +<div class="poetry-container"> +<div class="poetry"> +<div class="indent3">Purr, darlings, purr,</div> +<div class="verse">While mother is washing your fur.</div> +<div class="verse">In all the great nation</div> +<div class="verse">There’s no occupation</div> +<div class="verse">That’s half so sweet to her.</div> +<div class="indent3">Purr, darlings, purr.</div> +</div></div> + +<p>Patty grew restless while the song was going on, +and she skipped out of the clothes-basket.</p> + +<p>‘My darling, don’t you think it a sweet song?’</p> + +<p>‘I think it is a lot more interesting hearing Elvira +reading the paper aloud to Miss Winifred, than to +listen to you singing,’ said Patty.</p> + +<p>‘When you have children of your own, Patty, you +will appreciate how every mother feels.’</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_151">[151]</span>‘I just love to hear about the cat that came all +forlorn and full of burrs to the lady who took him +in and made a home for him,’ Patty went on. ‘I’d +love to get out and be stuck full of burrs, mother.’</p> + +<p>‘There was a verse in the Cradle Song about +hissing,’ Sally said.</p> + +<p>‘Oh, try to remember it, mother,’ they begged.</p> + +<p>‘I’m sorry, but I’ve forgotten it.’</p> + +<p>As the kittens grew older, Sally found it harder +and harder to make them mind. One day she found +her dear little Patty in a drawer in the kitchen, one +that she had never got into before. Sally was +terribly worried for fear some thoughtless person +would shut the drawer with her child in it. She +called and called to Patty to come out. She called +until Elvira stamped her foot and said, ‘Be quiet, +Sally.’</p> + +<p>Then Sally stopped to think things out.</p> + +<p>‘I see that the door into the passageway is open, +Patty,’ she said. ‘Wouldn’t you like to come with +me into the other part of the house?’</p> + +<p>It had worked. Patty sprang out of the drawer +and gayly followed her mother, for she had longed +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_152">[152]</span>to go into the parlor again ever since the day that +she and Eben had been taken there to show to +some admiring ladies who were having afternoon +tea with Miss Winifred.</p> + +<p>Patty and her mother went up a flight of stairs +to the sewing-room door, which was open. There +was no door open into the other part of the house.</p> + +<p>‘Oh, is that all you’ve got to show me! I’ve seen +this old room before,’ said Patty.</p> + +<p>‘You’ve seen it before? When?’</p> + +<p>‘Uncle Peter showed it to us one day when you +were in the parlor with Miss Harvey.’</p> + +<p>‘Uncle Peter! That tramp cat is no relation of +yours. It is Oxford who is your uncle.’</p> + +<p>‘Uncle Peter said he wasn’t any relation,’ said +Patty, ‘but we asked if we might call him that, for +we like him a lot better. Uncle Oxford tries to +make us mind, and it isn’t his business. He isn’t +our mother.’</p> + +<p>‘I don’t want you playing around with Peter.’</p> + +<p>‘But, mother, he tells us such lots of exciting +stories. He’s going to take Eben hunting as soon +as we are big enough to be let out.’</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_153">[153]</span>Patty was halfway down the stairs as she spoke. +Her mother followed her anxiously. What should +she do to keep her child out of that drawer. To her +intense relief, she saw that Elvira had closed it.</p> + +<p>It was a very cold day, and Eben was standing +absorbed in the passageway to the outside door, +watching Peter, who was fighting another cat.</p> + +<p>‘Eben,’ she called in her shrill voice, ‘come in at +once, you will take cold.’</p> + +<p>‘For pity sake, keep quiet, Sally,’ said Elvira, +stamping her foot. Eben did not move.</p> + +<p>Then Patty went and touched her brother with +her paw and tried to get him in out of the cold. Cat +fights had no interest for her. He shook her off and +remained rooted to the spot.</p> + +<p>‘Oh, children, children,’ said Sally in despair. +She went over to Miss Harvey, who had come in +and was sitting by the table. She had been too +busy with her kittens to pay any attention to Miss +Harvey of late. Now she put her paws around her +neck and her face up to be kissed.</p> + +<p>‘Poor, dear Sally,’ said Miss Harvey, ‘it is quite +a job to be a mother.’</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_154">[154]</span>‘What’s the use of trying to make us mind, +mother? It’s much more fun to do the things yourself.’ +As he spoke, Eben began to chase after his +sister’s tail, Patty chased after his, and finally +Sally joined them, and the three had a mad race +around the kitchen floor.</p> + +<p>‘Isn’t it more amusing, mother, than to sing, +“Purr, darlings, purr?”’ said Eben, as the three +paused for breath.</p> + +<p>‘We made a better song than that the other +night,’ said Patty.</p> + +<p>‘You made a song?’ Sally was delighted. She +was proud of her kittens.</p> + +<p>‘Eben made most of it, but I helped him,’ said +Patty, and the two kittens said together:</p> + +<div class="figcenter"><img src="images/i_154.jpg" alt="Patty, Eben, and Sally chasing each other"></div> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_155">[155]</span></p> + +<div class="poetry-container"> +<div class="poetry"> +<div class="first">‘Skip, mother, skip with us,</div> +<div class="verse">Don’t hold us back and make a fuss,</div> +<div class="verse">You look so young you’re surely able</div> +<div class="verse">To jump with us upon the table,</div> +<div class="verse">Then give a leap into the sink,</div> +<div class="verse">Where you will find a cooling drink.</div> +<div class="verse">Skip, mother, skip with us,</div> +<div class="verse">Don’t hold us back and make a fuss.’</div> +</div></div> + +<p>‘And you call that poetry,’ said their mother. +‘I can do better than that.’</p> + +<p>‘Some day I’ll make better poetry than that,’ +said Eben. And a few weeks later, when he was +three months old, and Sally heard an evening song +that he had made, she felt that the wish of her +heart was to be granted at last, and that her little +son was to be the companion she had longed +for.</p> + +<div class="poetry-container"> +<div class="poetry"> +<div class="first">‘I’m thankful for my happy days,</div> +<div class="verse">So full of work and pleasant plays,</div> +<div class="verse">When Patty’s tail and mine we chase,</div> +<div class="verse">And mother joins us in the race.</div> +<div class="verse">I’m thankful for my long black fur,</div> +<div class="verse">And mother says it pleases her.</div> +<div class="verse">And for my eyes that see so far,</div> +<div class="verse">And watch the moon and evening star.</div><span class="pagenum" id="Page_156">[156]</span> +<div class="verse">I love both sunshine and the rain</div> +<div class="verse">That patters on the window-pane.</div> +<div class="verse">I love the people living here.</div> +<div class="verse">I think Elvira is a dear.</div> +<div class="verse">Miss Harvey is just to my mind,</div> +<div class="verse">And even Miss Winifred is kind.</div> +<div class="verse">I love the world, I think it’s great,</div> +<div class="verse">What kitten could want a better fate?</div> +<div class="verse">I’m glad my months are only three</div> +<div class="verse">With all of life ahead of me.’</div> +</div></div> + +<p>‘It might be better,’ said Sally, who did not +believe in too much praise, ‘but it is a great improvement +on “Skip, mother, skip with us.”’</p> + +<p>Sally wondered if her son would be a famous +poet, like his great-great-grandfather, William Furbush-Tailby, +when he was a full-grown cat. She +often wondered as to what the future of her children +would be. Patty was so extremely bright and enterprising +that she felt sure she would be able to look +out for herself. And then, too, Sally thought her a +beauty, for she looked exactly as she would have +liked to look, with her round white face and beautiful +eyes set far apart, and her tiger blanket and the +tiger cap that covered the back of her head and +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_157">[157]</span>came down over her forehead and looked as if it +were parted like hair. But Eben, although slower, +was a kitten of real distinction. She felt he might +make his mark in the world. He was so absorbed in +cat fights, even at his tender age, that he might be a +great warrior, or he might become like his grandfather, +a mighty hunter, for he sat for five minutes +at a time before a mouse-hole.</p> + +<p>Sally liked to keep them young as long as possible +and she was glad that it was to be a late spring, for +now, at the beginning of March, there was snow +on the ground, and Elvira said to Miss Harvey, +‘It will be some time before we can let the kittens +out-of-doors.’ So at present they were safe from +the peril of meeting intruding cats or being chased +by that villain Spot.</p> + +<p>Meanwhile Sally raced around the kitchen with +her children and scampered up and down the +stairs that led to the sewing-room as if she were +their age and not a sober cat.</p> + +<p>‘I am having my youth now,’ she said to Oxford, +who was watching the three with his slightly +superior air, as he looked up from his last mouthful +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_158">[158]</span>of haddock. He was a little too lazy to join in +the race, and he preferred to take his exercise out-of-doors.</p> + +<p>‘Sally, you have learned to brace up,’ he said.</p> + +<div class="poetry-container"> +<div class="poetry"> +<div class="verse"> This tale is ended, yet, not so,</div> +<div class="verse">The kittens’ tails, they grow and grow.</div> +<div class="verse">A tiger tail that’s tipped with white,</div> +<div class="verse">A black one, Sally’s chief delight.</div> +<div class="verse">When the Spring comes, with joyous purr,</div> +<div class="verse">In coats of black, and tiger fur,</div> +<div class="verse">They’ll hasten through the open door,</div> +<div class="verse">The earth’s great wonders to explore.</div> +</div></div> + +<p class="center">THE END</p> + +<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> +<div class="chapter"> +<div class="transnote"> +<p class="ph1">TRANSCRIBER’S NOTES:</p> + +<p>Perceived typographical errors have been corrected.</p> + +<p>Inconsistencies in hyphenation have been standardized.</p> + +<p>Archaic or variant spelling has been retained.</p> +</div></div> +<div style='text-align:center'>*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 76985 ***</div> +</body> +</html> + diff --git a/76985-h/images/cover.jpg b/76985-h/images/cover.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..8ed2561 --- /dev/null +++ b/76985-h/images/cover.jpg diff --git a/76985-h/images/cover2.jpg b/76985-h/images/cover2.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..427a6a2 --- /dev/null +++ b/76985-h/images/cover2.jpg diff --git a/76985-h/images/coversmall.jpg b/76985-h/images/coversmall.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..f7203c9 --- /dev/null +++ b/76985-h/images/coversmall.jpg diff --git a/76985-h/images/endpaper.jpg b/76985-h/images/endpaper.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..9b26a79 --- /dev/null +++ b/76985-h/images/endpaper.jpg diff --git a/76985-h/images/frontispiece.jpg 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