Washing Up After a Lesson

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 22961, 12 February 1938, Page 8 (Supplement)

Washing Up After a Lesson

Gat" —he growled. "I'd rathei; be both any day than I'd be a snob like you. It wasn't my fault I was strayed. I wonder what you'd have done in my place? Reared on skimmed milk. Beaten if I helped myself to a bit of fish to appease my hunger; and strayed by a strange taxi-driver who'd been paid to do tlip job. Sounds nice, doesn't it? but I haven't finished yet." Felix went a step nearer and raised his paw.

Augustus was fascinated. He wanted to turn and run, but he didn't dare; the amber eyes held him. "How on earth would you—petted creature that you are—have fared, wandering the roads for a whole week in the drenching rain?" Felix continued, wagging his tail with fury, "imagine yourself—weak as a mauled mouse—kicked and cuffed whenever you ventured to ask for a morsel of food. Ba-a-h!" growled Felix, contempt in every word, "if anything would take the snobbishness out of you for ever, that would!" Augustus was getting scared. He backed cautiously, his green eyes fixed unwinkingly on the amber ones. "I'll n-never s-say it a-again," he whimpered. "Truly I won't."

The small white teeth of the Charity Cat came together with a vicious snap "You won't want to when I've done with you," he spat. And with one lithe leap he was upon the Persian. Over and over the two rolled—rusty black and silky grey—locked in conflict. Each turn brought them nearer the edge on the bank, where a weljtimed push from Felix did the rest. Head over heels down the slippery clay rolled the indignant Persiau—right to the bottom—where he landed with a most undignified "plop" in a puddle of soft, yellow mud.

he discovered Persian under the hedge, his beautiful grey fur matted and dirty. * -i'-'s

.Felix gently licked the tip of the grey nose in token of friendship. "Well! If it isn't the Charity 'Cat come home," exclaimed a weak voice. "Then they didn't stray you after all!" "Stray!" echoed Felix. "Why! Fjre had the most scrum ptuous holiday. Look at my coat. There isn't a bit pf rust left in i^—and I've gained pounds!" \'('r Augustus turned his head "You're so fat I want to eut you," he complained. "I haven't tast?d meat for ages and I'm starving. 1 may as well confess I'm a "Stray", now. My folks went off to Wellington and left me io starve, so seeing I'd recommended it to you I thought j'd try straying. When I was nearly dead with hunger, your* milkman found me and brought me back, and every day since, he's given me a saucer of milk." The little Charity Cat looked thoughtful. "You fared pretty well for a "stray." didn't you?" ,

" Look here," the Persian meowed weakly, "If 1 beg pardon fcir my rudeness, will you forget, the past and let's part friends?" " Part?" Felix meowed aa emphatic "no." Over at the brown house there ® juicy raw meat for dinner—heaps of it —so come on and let's eat. Anyway, two Charity cats are better than one—they can have more fun." A "few minutes later, two heads —one a sleek black, the other a matted grey—hovered over a well-filled plate, while a small soft hand gently caressed two furry bodies, and a sweet childish voice crooned happily:— :• t ; One little Charity Cat Felt most awfull "blue," "Went and brought Augustus. j> ' And now there are twol "