FOR YOUNG FOLK

Northern Advocate, 17 December 1932, Page 7

FOR YOUNG FOLK

LITTLE CAT

(By Ealph Bcrgengren, in the “Christ

ian Science Monitor.”)

In the town whore Little Cat lived everybody had said good night to each other, and in the kitchen where Little Cat slept in a basket behind the stove the cook had said good night to Little Cat. It was the cook’s custom, and a very pleasant one, showing that she had a sweet disposition. Even when there had been- unexpected company the cook never forgot to say ‘ ‘ Good night to you, Little Cat,” when she had put the kitchen in order and was going off to bed herself. Everybody

was asleep. The grandfathers and the grandmothers wore asleep, and the fathers and mothers and aunts and uncles and cousins and big brothers and sisters and little brothers and sisters and babies in cribs. Little Cat was asleep. Even Grandfather Clock was asleep.

Yes, sir and madam, somebody bad forgotten to wind Grandfather Clock up. Ho had stopped ticking just after Little Cat had gone to sleep. After a while Little Cat woke up. First he was sound asleep, and then he was partly awake, and then he was more awake to know that lie was no longer asleep. He lifted his left front paw from over his ear. “This is funny,” said Little Cat sleepily to himself. “I ought to hoar something and I don’t hear anything. Now what can it be that I ought to hear ? Oh, yes. Oh, yes. It is Grandfather Clock. He has stopped ticking and striking.” Little Cat got ujd. He stretched himself, washed his face with his paws, combed his whiskers with his claws, took his little cane out of his basket, let himself out of* the house, and walked down the path to the gate on liia hind legs like a little gentleman, swinging his cane as he went along. There was no moon in the sky, but plenty of stars, and Little Cat looked at them approvingly, leaning on his little cane.

"What a night! What a night!” said Little Cat to the stars. "Oh, those people, those people! They think I’m asleep in my basket, and here I am, up and out and enjoying the beauties of nature. What fun! What fun!"

He stood a moment enjoying the starry night. Then he set out briskly along the sidewalk till he came to the Smithses’ house where Dog Wow lived in a house of his own in the back yard. He turned in at the gate and was just going around the corner of the house when he met Dog AVow coming the other way. * "Good evening, Little Cat," said Dog AYow, wagging his tail.

"Good evening, Dog AA r ow," said Little Cat.

“You arc later than usual; Little Cat," said Dog Wow. “ISO I put on my hat and was just coming to find you.”

“It’s the Grandfather Clock," said Little Cat. “Ho has stopped ticking and striking, and that explains why I am later than usual. It is very mysterious. ”

“Somebody," said Dog "Wow, “must have forgotten to wind him up. ’ ’ “That is it. That is it," said Little Cat. “How stupid of me not to have thought of it! It must bo very annoying for Grandfather Clock, I’m glad nobody has to wind us up." “I put on my straw hat," said Dog Wow, “but I suppose I should really have put it away till next summer. One of the things I like most about summer is a straw hat. I have heard Mr Smith say the same thing." “The children in my house, Dog Wow,” said Little Cat, “have a rabbit that they wind up, and then he can hop. But he is a very dull animal. I have tried to talk with him, and he has no conversation whatever."

Chatting in this amiable way, they passed through the gate aM strolled down the street placidly enjoying the stdrry night. Little Cat walked on his hind legs like a little gentleman, and Dog Wow, when they were not conversing, walked on his hind legs, like a taller little gentleman, with his straw hat over Ms nose and his front paws where his pockets would have been if ho had worn trousers. When they talked he came down on all fours to hear better. They stopped a while to listen to the gurgle of tin brook, and were presently in sight of the comfortable farmhouse in which the tine fat farmer Ichbod Johnathan .leak Jived with hits stout wife Sarah and their three rosy children, Milly, Willie, and Tilly.

“Throe of the nicest children in this town, Little Cat,” said Dog Wow, live in that house. Willie and Willy and Tilly .Tcnk. I think they save hones for me. Every time I come this way in the daytime they give mo a bone. ”

“How yon do run about in the daytime, Dog Wow!” said Little Cat. “Tell me more about Willie and Miliy and Tilly.”

“They have the bluest, blue eyes. Little Cat,” said Dog Wow enthusiastically. “Like marbles. And the reddest, of red cheeks. Like apples. And the puggiest of pug noses. Like their father and mother. They help their father get in the hay and they help their mother wash up the dishes. Willie looks more like his father than Miliy or Tilly, but Miliy and Tilly look more like their mother than Willie. Miliy is older than Willie, but

Willie is older than Tilly. And they are all just the same size.’’

“I don’t see how that can be, Dog Wow,” said Little Cat. “I should think that would bo different sizes.”

“That is easy, Little Cat,” said Dog Wow. “Willie grew faster than MilJy and 'filly grew faster than Willie.

“I have heard much about, those dear tots, Dog Wow,” said Little Cat. “The children in my house go to school with them. But I have never seen them. Li the daytime I stay so much nearer home—”

“If I bark in front of the house, Little Cat,” said Dog Wow, “they will recognise my bark and come to the window.’ ’

“Would it bo fight, Dog Wow,” said Little Cal, “to awaken them from their childish sleep?” “It will do no barm for once, Little Cat,” said Dog Wow. “And I would like them to see my straw hat. Of course I wouldn’t think of doing it

every night.” Ichbod Johnathan Jenk’s house faced the street, and in front of the house a large electric light hung from a pole so that Dog Wow and Little Cat could see the windows almost as plainly as in broad day. The window shades were all down to keep out the light. Dog Wow and Little Cat walked up the path toward the front door and when they were half way there they -stopped and looked up at the windows. Dog Wow barked a bark.

“They are sound asleep. Dog Wow,” said Little Cat. “You will have to bark louder than that.”

‘‘ I was trying to bark just loud enough to awaken Milly and ’Willie and Tilly, Little Cat,” said Dog Wow. “I will bark again.” So Dog Wow barked again several times.

"I see a shade going- up, >Dog Wow," said Little Gat. "I see two shades going up. Yes, yes, there are Mr and Mrs Jcnk at one window and Milly and Willie and Tilly at the other. ’ ’ Little Cat looked at the fi%'e faces with great interest.

"They look just about as I thought they would, Dog "Wow," said Little Cat. "I dare say that is "Willie in the middle between Milly and Tilly. If he had chin whiskers he would 'look just like his father." "When you see them all in a row like that, Little Cat," said Dog Wow, "the family resemblances are very striking. They all have round faces, but Milly and Tilly do look very much like their mother.” .

"AATiich is Milly, Dog AYow," asked Little Cat, "and which is Tilly?" "I have never been quite sure mjrsoll', Little Cat," said Dog AA r ow. "Milly looks so much like Tilly and Tilly looks so much like Milly."

“It is a pleasure to see them. Dog Wow," said Little Cat. “They are certainly fine, rosy children. But I should expect Mr and Mrs Jenk to say something when they are awakened like this.”

“They are all speechless with astonishment, Little Cat," said Dog Wow. “They have never seen a dog wearing a hat or a cat carrying a cane. They cannot believe the evidence of their eyes. Now we will" go quietly away and they will not believe they have seen us at all. If they remember it in the morning they will think it was a queer dream."

So Little Cat waved his cane to the five faces looking out of the windows, and Dog Wow waved his paw, and they went back along the path, walking on their hind lege like two little gentlemen. And when Dog Wow and Little Cat had walked out of sight, Ichbod Johnathan Jenk and Sarah Jenk and Milly and "Willie and Tilly Jenk went back to bed.

“It feels to me like time to go home, Little Cat," said Dog Wow, coining down on all fours. “But are they not fine, rosy children."

“They are indeed, Dog "Wow," said Little Cat, pausing and leaning on his cane. “Oh, those people, those people! They think I’m asleep in rny basket and you’re asleep in your house,' and here we arc, tip and out and enjoying the beauties of nature and giving a surprise party to Mr and Mrs Jenks and Milly and Willie and Tilly. What fan! What fun!