The Lost Kitten

Southland Times, Issue 25312, 15 June 1935, Page 22

The Lost Kitten

—Prize.—

It was a bleak, wintry day, in the middle of June, a mysterious day when you wondered what tricks the weather would be "up to next. Ram had been falling heavily, and the wind was blowing fiercely. I had been up town, shopping for the week-end, and was returning cold and wet, when I heard a plaintive “meow” near by. Looking about me, I saw, crouching beneath a sheltering tree, a tiny kitten. It was only about three months old, and its grey fur was bedraggled and matted together for want of a good brushing. It looked pitifully at me, while its little body shook with the cold. Taking it up in any arms, I sheltered it inside my coat and, in this way, I carried it home. L What a different wee kitten was sleeping in a cosy box, a few hours later. Soon after we arrived home, I found an old brush and smoothed out the kitten’s fur, cutting the tangled parts. We could then see its full beauty. Pretty grey fur it had, with white paws and a little _ white collar beneath its neck. It had bluish-green eyes, and was full of mischief as we afterwards found. After drinking a saucerful of warm milk, the kitten curled up in the box we had given it, and fell asleep, a little ball of fluff. _ We hoped, anxiously, that no angry person would come along determined to claim dur “Binka,” as we called him, for his own. A fortnight passed, and nothing happened. t Many fortnights have now passed, and Binka is still one of the cruel occupants of the house (in his own opinion, at least); He is no longer a wee, thin kitten, frightened and hungry, but a large, handsome cat. Although -he considers himself a “grown-up” now, I can tell you a secret (to be kept between you and me). Sometimes; when he is feeling very frivolsome, he gives in to himself, and plays with his tail or pretends that a human being is a mouse or rat—but only sometimes. (I wonder?) -1/- to Cousin Ruth Dowden (12), 11 Scandrett street, Invercargill. —Prize.— Betty and June were talking to each other in a very excited maimer. They were not quarrelling, as they were but discussing what they would do with the kitten that Uncle Tom had given June for a birthday present. The kitten was a little beauty, its sleek fur being jet black. They had named it Nigger but I thought that Jet for a name suited him better. After tea he was put in a big basket under my bed, but Nigger, not being used to a hard cold basket, meowed and scratched, making an awful din. Later on I came to bed, glad to be able to snatch some rest. The racket had subsided and I dozed ott about a quarter of an hour later. j T Next morning I woke up, full of enthusiasm, and hastily -dressed. 1 had been supposed to give the kitten its milk at half past seven, but on looking at the clock I found it was five to eight. I hurriedly poured some milk into a saucer and took it into my bedroom. Having placed the saucer on the floor I pulled the basket out from under my bed. I was surprised to see the lid that I had shut the night before lying open, and furthermore I saw that Nigger was not in the basket. I rushed into my sister s bedroom and told them that the kitten had disappeared. They would not believe me at first; but when they did learn the truth their looks changed tears welling into June’s eyes. . . We hunted high and low, but all in vain, for not a trace of the missing kitten could we find. Poor June was broken-hearted! Dinner-time came and still there was no sign of Nigger. It was then that I found a clue. I was setting the dinner table when I accidentally noticed a small black hair on a spoon. I knew that nobody in the family had black hair, and so I reasoned out that the black hair belonged to Nigger. Further investigations showed paw marks embedded in the dust on the shelf. At the farther end of the shelf is situated a large safe, and as I neared this safe I heard a faint, plaintive mewing, • and on opening the door of the safe I saw Nigger. It was evident that Nigger had left his basket in search of food, and seeing a. cake in the safe, had tried to get it. By climbing along the shelf he had reached the safe and the wind had blown the door shut locking him in. It was evident, too, that mother was not in a very good mood, for Nigger had eaten a lot of the cake. June commented that next time she got a kitten she would put it in a safer sleeping place. , , —l/- to Cousin Billy Pilcher (10), 28 McMaster street. —Prize. — “Now Wiffles, you stay there while I go over to the icecream stall,” said Jack to his little kitten. . Wiffles watched Jack’s figure disappear, and decided that he would not be long. He soon changed his mind about waiting patiently though; a fish-cart came along the road, and Wiffles simply loved fish. He scampered along, trying to catch up to the cart, but it was going very fast and he had gone a good distance when he reached it. Even then he was driven away! Where was he now? Wiffles could not read sign-posts. Meanwhile Jack was scouring ev>ry street near the stall, but no Wiffles was to be found. He was asking a man if he had seen a small grey kitten anywhere, when he heard a faint “meow,” not far away. Rushing over to the trees where the sound came from he saw Wiffles! . “Ah!” he said when he learnt Wiffles’ story. “Don’t yield to temptation. —l/- to Cousin Albert Moore (9), 231 Gala street.

—Highly Commended. — In a country home there was a little girl named Reta who had a pet kitten called Nigger of which she was very fond. She had a nice little box with a cushion in it where the kitten used to make its bed. On Saturdays when Reta was at home from school she had lots of time to spare and was fond of playing with her kitten. She used to teach it all sorts of tricks. One of them was to teach it to jump. The way she did this was to make a loop with her arms round Nigger and make it jump over them. It did not take very long before it became a clever little jumper and Reta was very proud of it. On sunny days the kitten used to play about in the garden and try hard to catch little birds. Sometimes it was succesful and with much pride it would bring a little bird to its mistress, who would stroke it and call it a clever kitten. There came a sad day for Reta, although she did not know it and was very pleased and excited when her mother told her she could have two weeks’ holiday in town with her little cousins. While she was away the kitten felt very lonely and began to roam about. One day it wandered so far that it got lost. The weather became rough and cold and the snow began to fall and poor little Nigger was hungry and cold. It happened that two men who were camping in a hut, came across a little kitten half frozen in the snow.

Jack’s father put a notice in the paper saying that he would give a reward of ten shillings to anyone who returned Peter to him. It was all of no use. Peter did not turn up. Jack would not be consoled. His father and mother became rather worried for they thought that if Peter was lost for ever he would become very gloomy. Peter’s former master was telephoned but he knew nothing about it. A week passed and Peter had not turned up. Suddenly Jack heard the telephone ring and he called his mother. As she was listening he saw a smile light up on her face. When she had replaced the receiver she turned to Jack.

“That’s Mr Jones, Peter’s first master, ringing up,” she said, “and he told me that Peter has just walked in his front gate with very sore feet. He has found his way back home!” “Hurrah!” shouted Jack. Three days later Peter again arrived at Jack’s home and there was not a happier boy in the whole countryside. —2 marks to Cousin Graeme Anderson (11), 78 Don street.

—Highly Commended.—

When I was in Wellington I had the experience of finding a kitten in a gutter. . . . T One morning when it was raining 1 went down the street to do some shopping. I was passing some houses when

—Highly. Commended.— Many of you have heard about dogs getting lost but this time it is about a cat. Now, it all happened on a Friday morning. A small tortoiseshell kitten was wandering about the busy London streets. Without being killed, the cat tried to cross the street. He was running over - the street when suddenly. “Whizz!” It was nearly run over by a .bus. “Phew!” A taxicab just scraped his whiskers. . After a while a bus came past and a small ragged figure jumped out and seized the cat in his strong arms and dashed over to the footpath. Coming along the street was a man like a lord, or he might have been a member of Parliament. He said to the boy, “You deserve a medal for <oing that good deed.” But the boy Only said, ‘My mother says I must do good deeds but without thoug'ht of reward.” And with that the boy jumped up and bolted away and there the man and the cat were left to stare at each other in surprise. ■ 2 marks to Cousin Ray Rees (9), 272 Yarrow street. —Commended. — One cold winter night I called out “Buddy! Where’s Buddy?” but received no answer. I therefore looked in the wash-house and tent but no Buddy was to be seen. Disgusted, I went off to bed. When I awoke in the morning I got up, dressed, made the breakfast, washed the dishes and then went to hunt for Buddy. I searched in all the places I thought he might be, but there was no sign of Buddy! I thought he might be in a trap. I therefore set off to where the traps were. When I arrived I saw to my amazement my beloved Buddy, struggling with all his might and main, to set himself free. I unfastened the trap and carried him home, happy because I had found our six months old kitten. After that he stayed inside all the evening, after having learnt his lesson. —1 mark to Cousin Joyce Perriam (12), Wrights Bush. —Commended— St. Mildred’s college was agog with excitement, for the annual pet show was approaching. The majority of the girls .claimed that Hilda Keen, who owned a blue persian cat, would be the successful competitor, while the minority trusted that Agnes Agnew would achieve the laurels. Rivalry arose between the two girls, causing an open quarrel. Hilda naturally longed to win the coveted prize; but still she did not pass nasty remarks. . A day before the great event, Hilda went leisurely to feed her kitten, “Fluffy.” On the path she met Agnes looking flushed and hurried. The girl sneered at her and passed on. Hilda reached the kitten’s quarters in the stable and looked around—her kitten was gone! Where, oh where, could it be. She rushed to the kitchen quarters where she summoned a maid. “No, Miss, ain’t seen it,” replied she in answer to her query. Hilda felt like sobbing. When she broke the news to her friends they were sorry and disappointed, except Agnes who was inwardly happy. A fruitless search was made, but of no avail.

Even though she had lost her precious prize, it did not affect her plans for the afternoon. As she was a'keen guide, she had decided to make a plan of the highlands by herself; but it was a disappointed sore heart that she bore into the bushy highlands. When she had done sufficient work, she lay down to rest.

As she was dozing off to sleep she heard voices, “Now, Suzan, have you got the tiresome cat? I hope no one saw you.” “Of Course not Miss Agnes. It’s safe and sound.”

“Good! I’ll give you the money tonight for helping me. Goodbye.” Hilda realized that they meant to hide her cat. Evidently the maid and Agnes were the plotters. The best thing to do was to follow Agnes. Cautiously she kept in step with Agnes. “The cruel girl!” she exclaimed for Agnes had thrown the kitten into a suffocating- hole. “He’ll be asphyxiated.” Agnes was feeling very tired so she (the same as Hilda) decided to go to sleep. Here was a chance! Her quick brains worked. - First of all she would rescue her pet, but if she turned on Agnes by herself there’d be no evidence for her and Agnes would say she was telling a lie. Then she remembered. The guides would be not far off because they were collecting a certain flower which could only be found in one part. Tucking the kitten under her aim, she ran like lightning over the uneven ground. What a race it was. At last she reached

may be sure Rene’s mother enjoyed the present her daughter gave her. —1 mark to Cousin Jeanette Moore (11), 231 Gala street. —Commended—-“Me-ow, me-ow." A stray cat came straying up to Mrs Brown’s door. The two children who lived with Mrs Brown came running out to the door. “Oh mother!" they cried out, Come and see the lovely little tortoise-shell kitten at the back door?’ Mrs Brown scurried out to the door. “It is looking for some food. It is a stray one! w x sHe exclaimed. , Sn-n-n run away from here, you little stray “Oh, mum,” sighed the children. But it was too late. The kitten did not need a second hint, however, for it was away. . < ~ Mr (Jones’ home was the next place the poor kitten strayed to. Mr Jones absolutely disliked cats. He was coming out to chop his wood, when the kitten arrived. , „ , “Br-r-r you brute, take that! and he let down his axe. “Bang!” it would have been a very unfortunate day for the lost kitten if it had been hit. His next destination was old Mrs Martin’s cottage. She was a perfect lover of cats. The kitten came purring in the back door. “Oh you darling,” she said soothingly. Tlie kitten was never refused a saucer of milk or some meat since that date until its death. 1 mark to Cousin Peter Rees (10), 272 Yarrow street. —Commended.— “Meow, Meow, I am lost again, I thought I would like to see the country and now I can’t find my way back. I am a wee grey kitten with white legs and nose. I live with my mother and sisters in a big bam. It is venr warm up there and we have a lot ot fun chasing mice, but we see nothing. This morning I saw a wee girl who feeds us, getting into a big noisy car. It made more noise than all my sisteis make and mother says they make a lot of noise. _ I thought I would go too, and I crept in the back and hid under a rug. Soon we were away, and I had a look out, but the wee girl saw me. We were just getting near some big buildings now. The girl stopped the car and scolded me and said I was to stay in the car as we were in a town. Then away she went, but I jumped over the seat to the front, and she left the window open to give me air. I got out of it and away I went on the street. What a number of shops there were and such a number of kittens just like me. There is one in every window looking at me. . I felt a bit frightened at first, but when there was so many kittens about I felt better. I ran everywhere, but I. became hungry. One shop had a nice smell. The man was cutting nice juicy meat so I went in. ' He saw me and said, Look Tom, here is luck. Look at this corking cat I must get a bag.” Now I did not want a bag. I had been in one before, when the wee girl caught me when I tried to run away and get lost. “I will make a grab at that meat and go. Ah, I have it,” I said to myself, and away out the door I went and under the car to eat it. The car went away, and it was getting dark. I was running everywhere rind everyone was trying to catch me. “Oh I am going to cry. Meow, meow,’ „ I said. “I am lost, I am lost, I wish I had stayed at home.” “Ah ha! Now I have you.” I felt myself picked up and there was the wee girl holding me. “Poor wee chap, you looked scared. I have been looking everywhere for you. Home you come.” “I will never run away again.” —1 mark to Cousin Dulcie Lewis (10), c/o Kilkelly Bros., Otautau R.D.

—Commended.—

Mary’s Uncle George gave her a little fluffy Persian kitten for a present on Christmas Day. Mary named it Fluffy. It had sharp green eyes and a long fluffy tail. Mary loved her little Fluffy as she had never loved anything so much before. Everyone that came round the house admired Fluffy. Mary liked people admiring her pet kitten. She would give it warm, fresh milk at night, dinner-time and in the morning. At dinner-time when the butcher came she gave it some meat. Every time pussy’s birthday came round Mary gave it an extra piece of meat. Fluffy was not a greedy cat, nor did Mary want it to be greedy. Every sunny morning it would sit on the lawn

—Commended—“Oh dear! Oh dear! They don’t believe me. Marie. What shall I do? You believe me don’t you?” “Of course dear,” said Marie, “Just fight your way and the truth will come out. But I must go now, Kitten. You know, you’re sent to Coventry. But 1 believe you.” With that she ran out of the room. Kitten Morris (short for Kathleen) had been wrongly accused of stealing a five pound note. Her best pal, Marie Bile, and her other friends believed her, but not the girls in the other forms. * * * *

“Do you think she did it, Elsie?” asked Lilly Baker of her friend. “Yes. I’m sure. Everything is against her,” quoth her friend Mavis. “You horrible little wretches. Of course Kitten didn’t do it,” interrupted Marie, who had just come from her dormitory. “How nasty of you. Run away and play.” “I think I’ll go and see Kitten now, said Marie to herself. As she entered the dormitory she gave a cry of astonishment, for Kitten was not to be seen. Evidently, Marie thought, she was hiding. “Kitten do you hear! Kitten!” more sharply, Kitten come from your hiding place! Ha! Ha! I see you .” She walked over to the bed, but what she saw was only some shoes of Iptten’s. Then she saw a note and read:—"The one who finds this please tell Marie I have run away, but tell her not to worry. When you receive this I will be far away. Goodbye old school. Some day the truth will come out.”

Your miserable Kitten. “Oh, Miss Moore, Kitten has run away. What shall we do?. She will be far away by now. Here is a note she left.” , v . Miss Moore read the despatch m great distress, and rang up the police immediately. They said they had not seen a girl such as Miss Moore described, but would set out to look for her.

Every moment Miss Moore waited to hear a telephone ringing or news brought in some way. Half-an-hour later there came a rat-tat on the door, and the next instance Kitten was sitting on a cosy arm chair siping hot tea, and eating biscuits. Matron came up and examined her, and said that she would have to rest in case she caught a cold. “Oh, Miss Moore! I never took the money.” , , “I know dear, but there s such a lot against you. Marie, send up all servants to me I will ask them again.” “Yes Miss M .’ Knock, Knock.

“Come in.” . , , , , x ‘‘Excuse me madam; but look what I found when I was digging the garden.” “Oh James that is the lost money. How grateful I am.” “Oh I am cleared, then?” asked Kitten- T J-J U “Yes dear. I am very sorry I didn t believe you. The money in your drawer is what your uncle gave you, after all. This wouldn’t have happened if you had given your money to’me, dear. “All’s well that ends well, if you have B rest now, Kathleen.” laughed Matron.

—1 mark to Cousin June Rees (11), 272 Yarrow street.

—Commended—- ' One night a fire completely destroyed . Mr Brown’s house. In the excitement 1 ’ Toby, the kitten, was forgotten and he was so frightened by the crowd and the water from the fire-engine that he ran down the street as fast as his little legs would carry him. . Finding he had lost his way, he crept round to the back door of a house where he took shelter for the rest.of the night. How lonely he felt when

the women chased him away next morning! Back to the street he went, not knowing which way to go. When he heard someone call “Puss, Puss,” he meowed and rubbed himself against the little boy’s legs. Toby followed his little friend home and he was soon busy lapping up a saucer of milk. That night he was returned to his owner who advertised for him in the paper. Mr Brown gave the little boy a reward and told him to come round and play with Toby some time. —1 mark to Cousin Ronald Deal (9), 53 Mitchell street. —Commended— One cold winter’s morning a pure white kitten called Fluffy was crawling through the snow. It had been lost the day before from a farm. Now it was about two miles away from home. Shivering as he went Fluffy crept the way which he thought would lead him home. When night came he caught .sight of a space in a hedge which he thought would be a cosy place to sleep. In the morning the owner went out to find Fluffy. Later she found him and carried him home.

—1 mark to Cousin Raymond Dowden (9), 11 Scandrett street.