CINDERS RUNS AWAY.

Waikato Times, Volume 116, Issue 19399, 27 October 1934, Page 16 (Supplement)

CINDERS RUNS AWAY.

Elspeth had a grey rabbit called Cinders, which she loved very dearly. To-day she had him out of his hutch in the middle of the lawn, where she was feeding him with cabbage leaves. Her mother' let her have Cinders out if she promised to look after him and not let him get through the hedge into Mrs Drew’s garden next door. Once Cinders had got into Mrs Drew’s garden and eaten some very precious seedlings, and Mrs Drew was very cross. Elspeth’s mother said if Cinders ever got through the hedge again he would not be allowed out of his hutch; so Elspeth was very careful.

Now she wanted to run in and fetch her toy cart to give Cinders a ride. The rabbit was quite quiet eating his leaves, and it would only take a minute to fetch the cart, so off she rail to get it. But on the way she upset a vase of flowers, and had to stop to wipe up the water. That took a few minutes. When she got hack to the garden there was only a heap of half-eaten cabbage leaves on the lawn. Elspeth searched wildly in the flower beds, and then peered into the next-door garden, with her heart beating fast. There she saw a little grey object disappearing into a

clump of Michaelmas daisies. ' ' Poor Elspeth I The only thing to do was to go in bravely and confess, and get the culprit hack. She rang the bell tremblingly, and Cook, who answered the door, said Mrs Drew was out. “I'm afraid my rabbit has got Into yooir garden,’’ said Elspeth,'biting her lip. “Hum I" grunted Cook. “It went among those Michaelmas daisies," said Elspeth, bending down. The cook pushed aside the leaves, and there, curled among them, was a little grey kitten I “Why, it isn’t Cinders after alll’* cried Elspeth joyfully. “It’s the missus’s new kitten," remarked Cook. “I couldn't find it anywhere, and the missus would blame me when she came in. So It’s an ill wind blows nobody any good. I-hope you’ll llnd your rabbit,” she added. Elspeth raced home to look for Cinders, and to her great delight she found him peacefully eating the lettuces in the bed at the end of their own garden. “Oh, Cinders I” cried Elspeth, hugging him; “I’ll never leave you alone when you’re free again, even for one little minute." (From the Children’s Newspaper.)