UF00003030_00001.pdf

UF00003030_00001.txt

00006.txt

00026.txt

spine.txt

cover1.txt

00010b.txt

cover4.txt

00007.txt

00027.txt

cover3.txt

00012.txt

00028c.txt

EQQSTQ1QY_WVCD29_xml.txt

00023.txt

00026b.txt

00020.txt

00011.txt

00010.txt

00024.txt

00022.txt

00019.txt

00032.txt

cover2.txt

00014a.txt

00030a.txt

00016.txt

00005.txt

00018a.txt

00017.txt

fly2.txt

00018.txt

00004.txt

00029.txt

UF00003030_00001_pdf.txt

00028b.txt

00021.txt

00028.txt

00031.txt

00009.txt

00013.txt

00001.txt

00014.txt

00015.txt

00030.txt

00025.txt

4
‘us

ed

‘a

ae
RAY ah ges od
Ce
ait



y

at}

tei ;
ie





nt







i





Cx Mus few Vy Med
Lirv

: S7 Ltn-Liroln
flo SEZ 0

me



er





[The Baldwin Library |
University |,
RMB whe |

| Florida | 4

THOS. PACE.173 NORTH ST. BRIGHTON
3. 6 -





Y \\ :
Na

(y
- i
i



Tl















ig Co gre
. wo fos : Boh) ‘hi il Y | ay A,



——
Hy th





t\ |



Bie s3

Be wi if yy
Ai} i Ke Na Wes ui a (
eh % i D7 ty



WE ARE REMARKABLY HAPPY AND LOVING,—Page 1i.



ete re a eee Pee ere)
NS ei

MY MOTHER.
Y COMUS,
i ‘ | Author of “Three Little Kittens,” : Mister Fox,” &c.



Who fed me from her gentle breast,
And hushed me in her arms to rest,
And on my cheek sweet kisses prest /

My mother.

Ae ce

LONDON:

THOMAS NELSON AND SONS, PATERNOSTER ROW;
EDINBURGH; AND NEW YORK.

ad MDCCOLYII.











hush’d

A ffetuoso.



me in

me

from her

help me

gen

on

when

- tle

my

I

breast, And

cheek sweet kiss - es

fell, —

















—$—$— $e



would some pret - ty sto - ry

Who loved to see me pleased and gay,

And taught me sweetly how to play,

And minded all I had to say ?
My mother!

Who punish’d me when I was bad,
And look’d so sorrowful and sad,
That I was nearly driven mad?

My mother!

Who started up with wild surprise
Whene’er she heard a sudden noise,
And thought of danger and of boys?
My mother !

a SS S=



MY MOTHER.



ree en ne ene me

Cr lick the plase, ito make

Who trembled much with anxious fear
When danger really drew near,
And did in shape of dog appear?

My mother!

Who gave a frightful caterwaul,
On seeing that the dog was small,
And did not seem afraid at all?
My mother!
When fight was over who was mild,
Who sweetly in her slumber smiled, —
While all the mice were jumping wild?
My mother !



ie ee





13









Ry Mather.

(DUET FOR CHILDREN.)

ist Voice.

2d Voice.





aoe

____@—_@-—__6@__@-—_



hush’d me in her arms to rest, And on my cheek sweet kiss - es prest? My

aN vant
sien MR rs Ene Sel a

lick the place to make it well? My mo - ther!





Re ie 1 2 dale wer RE oe a ae TS









Ry Mather.

we fed me from her gentle breast,
And hush’d me in her arms to rest,
And on my cheek sweet kisses prest ?

My mother

Who ran to help me when | fell,
And would some pretty story tell,
Or lick the place to make it well?
My mother!

Who loved to see me pleased and gay,
And taught me sweetly how to play,
And minded all I had to say ?

My mother !

Who punish’d me when I was bad,
And look’d so sorrowful and sad,
That I was nearly driven mad ?
My mother!

Who started up with wild surprise
-Whene’er she heard a sudden noise,

- And thought of danger and of boys?

My mother!

Who trembled much with anxious fear
When danger really drew near,
And did in shape of dog appear ?

My mother!

Who gave a frightful caterwaul,
On seeing that the dog was small,
And did not seem afraid at all?
My mother !

When fight was over who was mild,
Who sweetly in her slumber smiled,
While all the mice were jumping wild?
| My mother!





et Oe "bee j
+
ope 6
Meets ot SO
ae





——o > RSONN GEG 0 —

Who fed me from her gentle breast,

And hushed me in her arms to rest,

And on my cheek sweet kisses prest ?
My mother!

H! truly, my mother was a darling! She was a

SS\ cat,—a large, mild, sleek, amiable cat, with only
one fault, that I know of, and that was an over fond-
ness for cream. Oh! how my mother loved me; and
no one can conceive the strength of my love for her.

I am a kitten,—a round, fat, hairy little kitten, and
as black as a coal. Indeed I am so like a piece of coal,
when coiled up and asleep, that I have more than once
been taken up in the tongs and nearly put on the fire
by mistake! I had a little sister, who was light gray,
like my mother, and we loved each other very dearly.
From the day we first saw the light we loved each other
ardently. I cannot say that I remember caring much
for my sister before that great day when my eyes were
opened. Before that I was blind; and I only remember

be ter ,
; se ‘ ie
Oe kee
Oe Te eT LN LL eI a LEELA Lea OC eSecurity



10 MY MOTHER.

ee

feeling a soft hairy ball rubbing against me when I tried
to nestle in my mother’s bosom. I also remember that
my sister sometimes tried to thrust me out of the way,
and made me very angry, so that I uttered a little fuff
and pushed her rudely aside; which was very naughty,
no doubt, but then I did not know at the time that this
hairy ball was my sister.

One day I was sitting on my hind legs, thinking of
nothing in particular, when I felt the lid of my right
eye give a crack, and, to my intense surprise, I found
that I could see. The first object that I saw was my
little sister, who sat before me with both her black eyes
wide open. Nobody told me that this was my sister,
or that the large gray cat beside us was my mother, but .
I knew it, somehow, without requiring to be told. Im-
mediately, I winked at my sister with my one eye, with-
out intending to do so. This wink made my left eye-
lid crack, and I could see with both eyes. Words cannot -
describe my joyful feelings at this event. My sister
looked into my face with calm delight. As I sat gazing
at her with wonder, she put forward her soft three-
cornered mouth and kissed the point of my black nose.
From that moment I loved her as tenderly, almost, as
my mother. I threw my arms round her neck and |

Le es gece cites Rt indcnie Cn ns Sig te gl cae i se ae



TET nae eae
Sonar repe eer eae Meee Tae gn rat oe aed C3 =
: =< Sea z

i

be =
rar
f_.f- a
7
VUSFAT A
. Rhee te earn ee ee |
bape oe
Pyetc es
7

=
py rz
ym
C2
fi
“Ih
we
lie |
A
}
/,
M;
Z



A TERRIBLE ACCIDENT.—Page 13.



MY MOTHER. 11



a eee-

hugged her. For the first time I now felt inclined to
play. Instead of embracing my sister, as I had in-
tended to do, I pretended to fight with her. I fixed
my teeth gently in her neck. I kicked her with my
hind legs; then I broke away and attempted to put up
my back and make my hair stand on end,—but in doing
so I tumbled over, being’ still weak in the legs, and not
used to jumping. |

“Stupid thing!” said my mother; ‘ you are too wild ;
you must creep before you can walk.” |

I was surprised at this, and went down on my fore-knees ©
to try to creep; but I lost my balance and tumbled over
on my side, and fell. asleep immediately. Ah! they
were happy days, those days of my early kittenhood!

My sister had a black dot on the end of her nose, so
we called her Dottle. My mother called me Dingey,
because of my black coat. It would have made the
heart of any one melt with tenderness to behold the way
in which our mother kissed us, and pressed us to her
heart, and purred with delight when we scratched her
face. We lived in the house of one of those long two-
legged creatures called Man. Our man was a very kind
one, poor thing, but silly,—at least I thought so, the
more I saw of him and bis companions.





12 MY MOTHER.

Who ran to help me when I fell,

And would some pretty story tell,

Or lick the place to make it well ?
My mother!

I cannot think, without much sorrow, of my wicked
conduct towards that dear mother who was so fond of,
and so kind to, me and my sweet little gray sister.
I must confess that I was often very naughty, and the
thought of this almost breaks my heart now. Oh! that
kittens would take warning from me and never be bad
to their mothers. I used often to scratch her nose till
it bled; and I bit her tail while she was asleep, causing
her to. start up with a dreadful fuff and mew: but
when she saw that it was me, she merely gave me a
gentle pat on the cheek and went off to sleep again
with a smile beaming on her mild fat countenance.

One day my sister Dottle and I were sitting on the
oaken floor of our master’s study, playing with each
other's tails. Dottle had just made a successful grasp
at mine and caught it by the point, when my eye
suddenly fell on a beautiful rose in a vase of flowers
that stood on the table. | :

‘“ Dottle, darling,” said I, pulling my tail out Uf ‘hier

mouth, ‘did you ever smell a rose?”



a

MY MOTHER. 13

ne

“No,” replied Dottle, ‘ never.” -

“Then let us get on the table and smell that lovely
one in the vase.”

“ But how shall we get up, Dingey? you cannot jump
so high, and I’m certain that I cannot.” |

“ Fuff! you frightened thing,” said I, “don’t talk
stuff. Just help me to push that foot-stool near the

| table and Vl show you how to jump. It only needs

a good will and a good spring, that’s all.”
“ Well, but,” urged Dottle, with an anxious expres-—

sion on her small round face, “I fear mamma will be

displeased; she told me not to go near that table.”

— “ But she didn’t tell me, so here goes!” said I, bound-

ing on to the stool, and, exerting all my strength, I~
leaped on to the table. My jump was better than I

had expected. Not only did I spring well on to it, but

I slid quite across it, and fell over on the other side.
Oh! the thrill of terror that rushed through my heart!
I fixed my claws in the table-cloth, but instead of. sav-
ine myself I dragged it. off and fell with a dreadful
splash into our dish of milk, while the vase and a book,
a pair of scissors and a thimble, fell on the top of me.

“Oh, dear! mee-a-ow! fuff!” shrieked my_ sister,
cclasping her pars: with a look of horror.



14 MY MOTHER.

“Kh! mee-a-ow! hollo! what’s this?” cried my dear
mother, rushing into the room in terror.

“He's tumbled into the milk, mamma;—quick! pull
him out, for I’m certain he can’t swim,” cried my sister,
while her whiskers curled with anguish.

In a moment I was dragged out and embraced in my
mother’s arms. But such an object as I was! I was no
longer fat-looking and soft; the milk glued the hair to my
little body, and made me bluish in colour all over.

“Oh, what a fright!” exclaimed Dottle, looking at me
in surprise.

I was crying when my sister said this, but I stopped and
said, “ Dottle, do you mean that you got a fright, or that
I got a fright, or that I’m a fright to look at?”

“T mean that you're a fright to look at,” said Dottle.

On hearing this I began to howl again, and would not be
quieted till my mother said she would tell me a story; —
then I gave a kiccough and two deep sighs, and ceased
roaring; and my mother kissed and dried me, and told me
stories of a most wonderful and surprising nature,—stories
that are far too long and astounding to be written here.





“can hil™ a i

iN \\
ly ,

5 f lu Ae j Wh
R Vi S|

AW : S (foe wm
Vis : .
Nu} hitey: ZS
W .

vay
IUD = +7 ue ES, MS
MH ‘y a iM yn Wi Se

” wy AA

X
WW, 4s ‘ay ws
HAN iy SMA
Bie} \ NY

De 7.
Hf DIA
ZA 4



WE DANCE FOR JOY.—Page 15.





MY MOTHER. | 15



Who loved to see me pleased and gay.
And taught me sweetly how to play,
_ And minded all I had to say ?
Bt mother !

Not long-after the accident I have just described, my
_ dear mother | came into the room where Dottle and I
were sleeping and said :—
_ “Come, darlings, let us play and be wiser together.
There’s nothing like being happy. Isn't there not,
- Dingey ?”
“Of course not,” said I, starting up and giving myself
— agood stretch.
“ Hurrah!” cried Dottle, putting up her back and
dancing on three legs towards my mother, who was
already performing the cat’s hornpipe on the floor. Im-
mediately my blood boiled over with a frenzy of delight.
I hurled myself into the air with a wild caterwaul, alighted
on my hind legs, and throwing out my fore paws rushed
at my mother’s tail. But Dottle was beforehand with
mne. She caught the tail, and twisting it round her
| neck pulled my mother down on her back.
ieee ame quite sure that human creatures do not under-
stand the extreme pleasure, the wild joy, that fills a
- kitten’s heart when it sees its mother’s four legs, and its”



16 | MY MOTHER.





little sister's four legs, and their two tails twirling to-
gether in a heap of confusion. I trembled with eager-
ness to join in the wild embrace, but their movements
were so quick that I could not see how to attack them;
so I shut my two eyes tight, set up all the hairs on my
body and tail, stuck out every one of my eighteen claws,
and, uttering a frightful shriek and a fuff, plunged into
the midst of them. Words cannot describe my feelings.
I was quite mad. I rugged, and tugged, and yelled,
while they did the same to me and to each other;
then we flew asunder, put up our backs and tails, and
glared at each other fiercely. ote
Oh! how exquisite it is to feel ones hair staridl on
end! Human creatures never feel this pleasure. ‘They
have no hair to stand on end, poor things, except a few
tufts about their heads; and, although I have often seen
my master’s children very merry, and also in great pas-
sions, I never saw their hair stand on end. I pity them
much. They can never know what it is to feel the skin
curling on their backs, while electric joy bristles through
every hair, nor the funny thoughts that crowd a kitten’s
brain when it is thus agitated. Corks at the end of bits
of string, the points of our own tails, rats and mice,
worsted balls, bell-pulls, cotton reels, and a host of such





MY ee 7 17



a a LY RS ONT REED

fae, come into our minds when we are at play, natur-
ally causing us to dance, and hop, and rush about, and
stand suddenly still, in that wild fashion which causes
the stupid human creatures to laugh so much at ts. I
wonder why they laugh? I’m sure there’s nothing to
laugh at!.. Dottle and I had a long talk about this one
days 5. “ai de
“T wish that we could laugh, sister dear,’ said. I,
rather sadly, making a gentle grasp at my shadow.
“So do I, very much; but I’m quite certain it is not
half so nice as having one’s hair stand on end, or utter-
- ing a good loud fuff.” .
Perhaps not,” I replied ; “at anyrate laughing can
never compare with purring—”
“Oh! it’s so nice!” interrupted Dottle, with a smile,

—for we could smile although we could not laugh.
“When I purr I feel as if I loved everybody in the
world with all my heart,—even that ugly little rough
terrier that has frightened us so often of late.”

“Very true,” I replied, “but keep your tail still,
sister. I can’t resist the temptation to rush at it if you
keep moving it so.”





18 MY MOTHER.

Who punished me when I was bad,
And looked so sorrowful and sad,
That I was nearly driven mad ?
My mother !

_ It was distress for my wickedness, and the sorrow
that I caused my sweet mother, that nearly drove me

mad. If it had not been for her tender and forgiving ;

spirit, I think I must have gone mad, and been con-
fined in a lunatic asylum long ago. Oh! I was re-

markably naughty, and sister Dottle was wonderfully |

good. I have often thought that my naughtiness was

the cause of my being born black ; but my mother called

“foolish thing” when I suggested this.
te day I was sitting before my sister licking hel
face. She had just licked mine all over, and we were
saying to each other how refreshing it was, when a
mouse ran across the floor. Before you could wink

Dottle and I were after it; but it ran under the table |
and disappeared in a moment, while I tumbled over our

milk-plate and broke it in pieces. The noise brought
in my mother, who gave me a slight whipping, and
then sat down before the broken plate and looked at it
with the saddest face I ever saw.

“That is the two and _ twentieth plate you teva











rh eR Rae ae ae RCE OS Sea oe oa Se eX SUED Dt rH HCE OEE NWS SE He RN RN TTS PR Pe a AE SMR acs gn ee ergs ap Ima NR ase ea I a ee PS Sa Fy a ad SOD ea poner Ae ae RG eA ONE eee SPM CSNY TTS gy Vagal a) OM ie tang tt a

u ee Pe EERIE ABE SOT EY pees ys peossmeyrt year : % 5 YaGIS Z or 5 SRE PE pacarceremeey sre 5 « ‘ REI A SAREE TES *: 2 x ApS SER ; mn 1 NEE 2a) UE SANE is a 00
CXYT IXY eee riyrcisi sir cri ricci err errr rirrr cre ea a
ok

‘



Ss \.

nine





















































OO GOO SOO OOOOO8 OOOOH S8OOOSOOSSOSOOOOOOOD























































































Fe
M
SESE ae
: us een eee
na
i —
4 5 at te ee =

Cae LXE EIN ELIA II XXXII ISI III IKI III ry







MY MOTHER. 3 19

ped this week, Dingey,” she said, with a deep
sigh.

I made no ‘reply, but sat down under the table, look-
ing very sulky, while Dottle began to weep and wipe
her eyes with the end of my mother’s tail.

“Yes,” continued my mother, sadly, “two and twenty.
The next will be three and twenty. Only think!”
“Qh dear! mee-a-ow!” cried my sister.

‘“Mee-a-ow indeed!” said my mother; “ you should
rather say fuff! Ah, Dingey, what shall I do to you? |
naughty, bad mee-a-ow! child, fuff!”

Qh me! oh! oh! dear!” roared Dottle, unable to
control her grief.

I was still a little sulky, but my sister’s tears and my
mother’s heart-broken expression melted me. I lifted |
up my head and howled with anguish and repentance.

“Are you sorry?” asked my mother.

“ Mad,”.. & eelieds “quite mad with the deepest |
sorrow.” ;

“Then I fone you. Kiss me, beloved child—my
darling kitten.” - :
sO at that moment I observed the mouse, which had
caused all our misfortune, peeping over the table at me.
Instantly I sprang up, caught the table-cloth, and drag-





20 3 MY MOTHER.

eee

ged it down on myself and my mother and sister, both

of whom had darted at the mouse the moment they saw it
For a few moments we struggled violently to free our-
selves from the folds of the cloth, but when we got
loose the mouse was gone. ; |

“Tt doesn’t signify,” said I; “we'll catch it next
time; won't we, sister dear ?”

“Of course we will, Dingey, if we can,” replied
Dottle. |

“Now, dear kittens,’ said our mother, as we sat
humbly before her, with our heads hanging down and
our hair dreadfully ruffled, “you see how foolish it ‘ig
to be in too great a hurry. Let this be a lesson to you.
When you see a mouse again, do not dart at it until
you have first crept slowly, softly, and very slily towards
it, as near as you can get,—then up with your tail, out
with your claws, and bolt! And be very careful not to
break any more plates. Do you hear, Dingey ?”

“Yes, mamma, I’m frightfully penitent.”

‘Don’t look at my tail, Dottle,” continued: omy sweet
mother; I’m talking very seriously to you just, now, and
if you look long at my tail you know very. well that
you can’t help flying at it.” |

Dottle sighed and turned her head ery.

ae ae







a

MY MOTHER. 21

Who started up with wild surprise
Whene’er she heard a sudden noise,
_ And thought of danger and of boys?
My mother!

I remember that we used to sleep a great deal when
I was young. Every day, after breakfast, we had a nap
of half an hour. Then we played till dinner time. This
was generally our happiest time. We felt just like balls
of India-rubber after breakfast, and ready for any fun
that turned up. Our master called it mischief, we called
it fun! Then after dinner we had a good long sleep of
two hours, when we awoke and began immediately to

play again. Sometimes my sister and I told stories to

each other, sometimes our dear mother told us of the
adventures she had had in her young days. Many of
these were terrible tales, I can tell you, and used to
make us tremble and cause our hair to stand on end.
When we willingly made our hair stand up it was very
nice, as I have said; but when it stood up of its own
accord, through fear or horror, it was very disagreeable
indeed. As. I was saying, we amused ourselves thus till
tea time, and then had another long sleep till breakfast
next morning. i,

Of course we were often startled out of our sleep by



22 MY MOTHER.



sudden noises. When this happened, our dear mother
opened her ears and listened very earnestly. She
opened her eyes, too, so wide that I sometimes thought
she was listening with them! I have sometimes seen
men open their mouths, as well as their eyes and ears,
when they were much surprised. I wonder if they lis-
tened with them all! Well, one day we were lying on
the floor, all three of us purring quietly, just as cats and
kittens do when about to fall into a sweet slumber.
Suddenly we heard a loud noise, that made us start up
with wild astonishment.

“What was that?” said my mother.

“The cook,” said I, trembling, for I recollected that
I had stolen a piece of fish that day.

“Boys, I fear,” said Dottle =

We listened in much surprise for some time, but heard
nothing, and I had almost fallen asleep again when the
noise was repeated much louder than before. We now
began to be very much alarmed, because the door of |
the room happened to be open, and we were not strong
enough to shut it against any enemy that might be
coming. Dottle and I crept close to our dear mother’s
side, and tried to feel that we were safe; and, truly,
when we looked at her glaring eyes, and heard the low,



onerenee Neos,

MY MOTHER. 23

deep growl that seemed to issue from her chest, and
| observed the terrific claws that began to appear,—when
we saw all this, and knew how much she loved us, and
how brave she was, we felt greatly comforted.
_ “We-must have been dreaming,” remarked my
mother; “I don't hear the sound now.”

“JT suppose we were,’ sald Dottle, breathing more
freely. 2 |
I shook my head. “Do you think it is_ possible,
mother, that we three could all — the same noise,
and start up at the same time ?’

“Child, kitten,” mane my mother, with a severe
look, “you are too wise.”

“T did not poy. that a kitten could be too wise,”
said I. =
. «6S Wet then, = rcicud to be too wise. Hold your
— tongue, dear, fuff |’ |
I was about to answer, . when I almost jumped out of
my body with righty. as the terrible sound was re-
peated. fee ey



24 3 MY MOTHER.



Who trembled much with anxious fear,
When danger really drew near,

And did in shape of dog appear? |
My mothar

My poor mother trembled exceedingly, so much so-

that I was quite surprised ; but she afterwards explained
to me that it was too much courage that made her

tremble, and that all her fear was for us, not for.

herself.

On came the sound, louder and louder, and nearer
and nearer, until we knew that it was the barking of
a dog. The sound of its voice was very awful, and it
was made much louder by the echo in the passages of
the house through which the dog was running. Some-

times it came near to the room in which we were, and -

then it turned off and went howling along another
passage, and its voice became faint in the distance, so
that we were in great hopes it had departed altogether.
But alas! we were mistaken. The dog soon drew near
again, and ran barking furiously along the passage lead-

ing to our room. Oh! it was a time of dreadful sus--

pense. My heart and bones seemed to melt with
intense fear, and I felt as if I were nothing but a bag
of warm water. Dear Dottle, too; seemed very much



.
a a. <=. A es
eee. Sev





a ane
re rons



MY MOTHER. o5 |



agitated. She trembled Snchunity, and mewed sev a
times in anguish of spirit.

“ Cheer up, my sister,’ said I, tenderly, forgetting
for a moment my own danger when I saw her terror ;
“we have nothing to fear, darling. Our valiant mother
is before us, and—and—the room wall is behind us;
think of that, sister, and be comforted!”

I must confess that I did not see clearly what good

the room wall being behind us could do, but I felt that

it was better to say something than nothing. I knew
that the very tone of my courageous voice would tend
to soothe my alarmed sister. And so it. was.

“Thank you, dear Dear she said, creeping closer

towards our mother; ‘you are very kind. I feel much
relieved—mee-a-ow ! fuff!”

Dottle started and trembled violently at this moment,

for the. hideous barking was renewed louder than ever.
I wonder why these vile dogs have got such terrible,
rude voices ! I never hear one barking, even in play,
but my heart flies into my throat and almost chokes
me. ‘My dear mother had now become fearful to behold.
Her eyes were dilated to such an extent that they
seemed like burning coals in her head ; every hair
stood on end; her claws tore convulsively at the wooden





A LN AT ETT A AE CATR ACRE ERE NE





26 MY MOTHER.



—_——

floor; and her voice rumbled, as if in her stomach, like
distant thunder. At this moment sister Dottle sneezed
unexpectedly. We were so excited that we all leapt
nearly our own height from the floor, and gave vent
to a terrific caterwaul.

‘“ Silence, stupid thing,—

| 9?

“Bow! wow! wow! wow!” came rolling along the
passage, and, in another moment, we heard feet scamper- |
ing rapidly towards the door.

“Mee-a-ow! fuff! splutter! fuff!” cried my mother,
and sprang behind a large chest that stood in a corner
of the room, where she put up her back and tail, and
gazed with a look of mingled fear and anger at the

door. Dottle bounded on to the top of the chest with

intense vigour, and turned round to face the enemy. I

was about to fly to the same place of refuge, when a
boisterous bark close to my tail caused me to turn round ~
with a shriek of terror; at the same moment Dottle upset
our dish of milk over my back and drenched me to the

skin. It is impossible to describe my feelings’ when I
received this hideous shock, and, at the same time, be-
held the hairy face of a fierce terrier within 2 a foot of
my nose! | .





y
Am ~

A; 2) MINNIE
uel ANE

UHI

ANY
Nes i WN

Wy
KN

. NN %
a
PSs piles



WE GET A SURPRISEH.—Page 22.



MY MOTHER. 27

a a ne nt ee ne ee SSSR SY “en sn ete PE TN

Who gave a frightful caterwaul

On seeing that the dog was small,

And did not seem afraid at all?

7 My mother!

It was- quite. surprising to observe the change that
came over my dear mother’s face when she saw that
the dog was a very, very small one. She instantly
assumed a look of bold, fierce defiance, for she recol-
lected having seen that same little dog get a good
thrashing from a cat which was not so large as herself.
The little dog rushed headlong into the middle of the
room, and then stopped to glare at us.
-“Mee-a-ow! villain, what do you want here? fuff!
eh!” cried my, mother, » bristling intensely and advanc-
ing a step. | |
“Bow! wow! wow!” replied the dee
“T will tear out your eyes,” said my mother, “ and
_ scratch. your. face, and bite ou 4 FOUE nose, and rend ue
limbs -—do you hear? fuif!



= murder you Sn dekt ” said Dottle, In a ty |
7 Migner: thickening her tail and drawing back.

“Bow! wow! wow!—Bow! wow! wow! wow!!!”
replied the little dog. |
“ Bow! wow!” repeated my mother, with a sneer;



eee,



28 MY MOTHER.







“is that all you can say? Dont you think you might
try Mow! ow! for a change?”
As my mother said this we all three gave a yell and
a splutter, leaped a foot high into the air, and landed —
on the floor all at. once with a loud fuff. The little dog
looked as if he thought this rather surprising, but he
said nothing. He felt very uneasy, however, I observed,
for he glanced back at the door. This was the moment
for action ! Uttering a shriek of rage, mingled with
horror at the thought of the terrific attack she was
about to make, my mother darted at. the foe and fixed
her claws and teeth in the little dog’s back. At the
same instant I seized him by the tail, while Dottle stood
on the chest glaring and fuffing continuously. —
I have seen cats fight, and dogs fight, and rats fight,
besides many other fierce animals,—I have even seen
that wretched creature Man fight, and a very ridicu-
lous, humbling sight it was,—but I must say I never
before saw so terrible, so awful, and every way dreadful.
a fight as that which now took place between my dar-
ling, brave mother, and that wicked little terrier dog. |
First of all, as I have said, my mother fixed her claws
and teeth in its back and gave it a terrible shake, which

made it yell very frightfully. Then it sprang up, turned
poe EI on ae eR eee













OUR AWFUL ENEMY.—Page 26.





OUR ENEMY IS CONQUERED.—Page 29.



URE ESR RREERRn enna

MY MOTHER. 29

_yound, and seized my mother by the neck. In turning —
round its head of course it turned round its tail too,
rather quickly, and, as I was biting that at the time, —
I was rolled over with much violence against the chest,
where [. lay stunned and bleeding at the nose. © My
poor mother got a dreadful worry; her eyes started from
their sockets, and I thought she was gone, when she
suddenly seized the dog by the nose, and held on so.
tightly with her teeth and claws that nothing could
shake her off. The dog tumbled, and shook, and rolled
in agony, while a low, deep growl came through my
mother’s clenched teeth. Seeing this, and observing that
the dog could not bite now, Dottle and I rushed at his
hind feet and buried our teeth in his toes. The pain
seemed to give him the strength of a horse. He gave
my mother a shake that sent her rolling across the
room, darted through the door-way, and went scamper-
ing and yelping along the passage.

After the dog was gone we all sat down and began
to lick our hair and remove the blood from our faces.
It was a good long time before’ we got our spirits
quite calmed down, however, for I must say we had
been dreadfully ruffled, and it was fully two hours be-
fore we could purr or look sweet.








MY MOTHER.



When fight was over, who was mild,
Who sweetly in her slumber smiled,
While all the mice were jumping wild ?
My mother!

My mother did not know that the mice were playing
on the table, however, else she would have made them
vanish like smoke. She was so*fatigued after the ter-
rible battle with the dog, that she fell fast asleep. Kit-—
tens always follow a good example, so in less than ten
minutes after we lay down we were all sound as tops.

| No one could have believed that my dear mother’s mild,

gentle face, was that which had been glaring a short 7
time ago like a raging tiger. I laid myself by her |
side, and Dottle leaned upon her back. \

I don’t know how long the mice played, but the
noise they made at last awakened me, and, peeping

slily out of the corner of my. tight eye, I saw them. pe Siig

dancing on the table. At first I felt inclined to dart |-
at them, but I thought a little, and then determined to

awaken my mother and sister gently, so that we might
all fly at them at the same moment. This was not easy
to do quietly, but.at last I succeeded, and we made a
| tremendous jump at the mice.

We caught them, we did, by their tails,—three of





HEP p ey

> lilt.



REST IS SWEET.—Page 30.



MY MOTHER. 31

them at least—one got away. Dottle caught one,
‘I caught one, and my mother caught one. That was
three altogether. I cannot explain the tumult of feel-
ings that filled my heart to bursting. I held the mouse
tight between my teeth, and glared from side to side,
mewing awfully, for I feared that some one would try
to take it away. I noticed that my sister and mother
were doing exactly the same. This was the first time
that Dottle and I had ever caught mice; and oh, they
were sweet! After having eaten them, we went to sleep
: again, for we felt that we had behaved very well. In-
| deed, our man-master, who had seen us catch the mice,

said we were very clever, good little kittens, and called |

my mother a capital cat.

And so she was. I am quite sure there never was
such a cat in all the world,—so kind, so good, so brave,
so gentle, so tender, so capital (as the man Sa 8
amiable, and so remarkably fat.

‘“My child,” said she to me one day, “I do hope —
that you will turn out a good cat.”

‘Mother, darling,” said I, “PU try.”

“That’s right,” said she, sweetly ; “ there’s nding
like trying. If ever you wish to catch a mouse you
| must try. If you wish to kill a rat you must try.





32 MY MOTHER.

There is nothing to be done in the world without try-_
ing. Only try, and there is almost nothing that you —
will not be able to do.”

“Mother,” said Dottle, “do you think I could —
down my own throat if I were to try?"

“ Hush, kitten, you are silly.” |

Dottle sighed and kissed her mother, who smiled and
patted her cheek. Then she kissed me, and after. that
we all kissed each other. Ah! how my heart mourns |
over those happy bygone days.

I was taken rudely from my dear mother and sister
at last. I was put in a basket and carried away, I
know not whither, and I never saw them more. |

Oh! it makes me very sad when I think of my little
sister and my mother.

Alas! alas! fuff! mew! |















xml version 1.0 encoding UTF-8
REPORT xmlns http:www.fcla.edudlsmddaitss xmlns:xsi http:www.w3.org2001XMLSchema-instance xsi:schemaLocation http:www.fcla.edudlsmddaitssdaitssReport.xsd
INGEST IEID EQQSTQ1QY_WVCD29 INGEST_TIME 2011-07-01T04:14:30Z PACKAGE UF00003030_00001
AGREEMENT_INFO ACCOUNT UF PROJECT UFDC
FILES




4
‘us

ed

‘a

ae
RAY ah ges od
Ce
ait



y

at}

tei ;
ie





nt







i


Cx Mus few Vy Med
Lirv

: S7 Ltn-Liroln
flo SEZ 0

me



er





[The Baldwin Library |
University |,
RMB whe |

| Florida | 4

THOS. PACE.173 NORTH ST. BRIGHTON
3. 6 -


Y \\ :
Na

(y
- i
i



Tl















ig Co gre
. wo fos : Boh) ‘hi il Y | ay A,



——
Hy th





t\ |



Bie s3

Be wi if yy
Ai} i Ke Na Wes ui a (
eh % i D7 ty



WE ARE REMARKABLY HAPPY AND LOVING,—Page 1i.
ete re a eee Pee ere)
NS ei

MY MOTHER.
Y COMUS,
i ‘ | Author of “Three Little Kittens,” : Mister Fox,” &c.



Who fed me from her gentle breast,
And hushed me in her arms to rest,
And on my cheek sweet kisses prest /

My mother.

Ae ce

LONDON:

THOMAS NELSON AND SONS, PATERNOSTER ROW;
EDINBURGH; AND NEW YORK.

ad MDCCOLYII.








hush’d

A ffetuoso.



me in

me

from her

help me

gen

on

when

- tle

my

I

breast, And

cheek sweet kiss - es

fell, —














—$—$— $e



would some pret - ty sto - ry

Who loved to see me pleased and gay,

And taught me sweetly how to play,

And minded all I had to say ?
My mother!

Who punish’d me when I was bad,
And look’d so sorrowful and sad,
That I was nearly driven mad?

My mother!

Who started up with wild surprise
Whene’er she heard a sudden noise,
And thought of danger and of boys?
My mother !

a SS S=



MY MOTHER.



ree en ne ene me

Cr lick the plase, ito make

Who trembled much with anxious fear
When danger really drew near,
And did in shape of dog appear?

My mother!

Who gave a frightful caterwaul,
On seeing that the dog was small,
And did not seem afraid at all?
My mother!
When fight was over who was mild,
Who sweetly in her slumber smiled, —
While all the mice were jumping wild?
My mother !



ie ee


13









Ry Mather.

(DUET FOR CHILDREN.)

ist Voice.

2d Voice.





aoe

____@—_@-—__6@__@-—_



hush’d me in her arms to rest, And on my cheek sweet kiss - es prest? My

aN vant
sien MR rs Ene Sel a

lick the place to make it well? My mo - ther!





Re ie 1 2 dale wer RE oe a ae TS






Ry Mather.

we fed me from her gentle breast,
And hush’d me in her arms to rest,
And on my cheek sweet kisses prest ?

My mother

Who ran to help me when | fell,
And would some pretty story tell,
Or lick the place to make it well?
My mother!

Who loved to see me pleased and gay,
And taught me sweetly how to play,
And minded all I had to say ?

My mother !

Who punish’d me when I was bad,
And look’d so sorrowful and sad,
That I was nearly driven mad ?
My mother!

Who started up with wild surprise
-Whene’er she heard a sudden noise,

- And thought of danger and of boys?

My mother!

Who trembled much with anxious fear
When danger really drew near,
And did in shape of dog appear ?

My mother!

Who gave a frightful caterwaul,
On seeing that the dog was small,
And did not seem afraid at all?
My mother !

When fight was over who was mild,
Who sweetly in her slumber smiled,
While all the mice were jumping wild?
| My mother!


et Oe "bee j
+
ope 6
Meets ot SO
ae





——o > RSONN GEG 0 —

Who fed me from her gentle breast,

And hushed me in her arms to rest,

And on my cheek sweet kisses prest ?
My mother!

H! truly, my mother was a darling! She was a

SS\ cat,—a large, mild, sleek, amiable cat, with only
one fault, that I know of, and that was an over fond-
ness for cream. Oh! how my mother loved me; and
no one can conceive the strength of my love for her.

I am a kitten,—a round, fat, hairy little kitten, and
as black as a coal. Indeed I am so like a piece of coal,
when coiled up and asleep, that I have more than once
been taken up in the tongs and nearly put on the fire
by mistake! I had a little sister, who was light gray,
like my mother, and we loved each other very dearly.
From the day we first saw the light we loved each other
ardently. I cannot say that I remember caring much
for my sister before that great day when my eyes were
opened. Before that I was blind; and I only remember

be ter ,
; se ‘ ie
Oe kee
Oe Te eT LN LL eI a LEELA Lea OC eSecurity
10 MY MOTHER.

ee

feeling a soft hairy ball rubbing against me when I tried
to nestle in my mother’s bosom. I also remember that
my sister sometimes tried to thrust me out of the way,
and made me very angry, so that I uttered a little fuff
and pushed her rudely aside; which was very naughty,
no doubt, but then I did not know at the time that this
hairy ball was my sister.

One day I was sitting on my hind legs, thinking of
nothing in particular, when I felt the lid of my right
eye give a crack, and, to my intense surprise, I found
that I could see. The first object that I saw was my
little sister, who sat before me with both her black eyes
wide open. Nobody told me that this was my sister,
or that the large gray cat beside us was my mother, but .
I knew it, somehow, without requiring to be told. Im-
mediately, I winked at my sister with my one eye, with-
out intending to do so. This wink made my left eye-
lid crack, and I could see with both eyes. Words cannot -
describe my joyful feelings at this event. My sister
looked into my face with calm delight. As I sat gazing
at her with wonder, she put forward her soft three-
cornered mouth and kissed the point of my black nose.
From that moment I loved her as tenderly, almost, as
my mother. I threw my arms round her neck and |

Le es gece cites Rt indcnie Cn ns Sig te gl cae i se ae
TET nae eae
Sonar repe eer eae Meee Tae gn rat oe aed C3 =
: =< Sea z

i

be =
rar
f_.f- a
7
VUSFAT A
. Rhee te earn ee ee |
bape oe
Pyetc es
7

=
py rz
ym
C2
fi
“Ih
we
lie |
A
}
/,
M;
Z



A TERRIBLE ACCIDENT.—Page 13.
MY MOTHER. 11



a eee-

hugged her. For the first time I now felt inclined to
play. Instead of embracing my sister, as I had in-
tended to do, I pretended to fight with her. I fixed
my teeth gently in her neck. I kicked her with my
hind legs; then I broke away and attempted to put up
my back and make my hair stand on end,—but in doing
so I tumbled over, being’ still weak in the legs, and not
used to jumping. |

“Stupid thing!” said my mother; ‘ you are too wild ;
you must creep before you can walk.” |

I was surprised at this, and went down on my fore-knees ©
to try to creep; but I lost my balance and tumbled over
on my side, and fell. asleep immediately. Ah! they
were happy days, those days of my early kittenhood!

My sister had a black dot on the end of her nose, so
we called her Dottle. My mother called me Dingey,
because of my black coat. It would have made the
heart of any one melt with tenderness to behold the way
in which our mother kissed us, and pressed us to her
heart, and purred with delight when we scratched her
face. We lived in the house of one of those long two-
legged creatures called Man. Our man was a very kind
one, poor thing, but silly,—at least I thought so, the
more I saw of him and bis companions.


12 MY MOTHER.

Who ran to help me when I fell,

And would some pretty story tell,

Or lick the place to make it well ?
My mother!

I cannot think, without much sorrow, of my wicked
conduct towards that dear mother who was so fond of,
and so kind to, me and my sweet little gray sister.
I must confess that I was often very naughty, and the
thought of this almost breaks my heart now. Oh! that
kittens would take warning from me and never be bad
to their mothers. I used often to scratch her nose till
it bled; and I bit her tail while she was asleep, causing
her to. start up with a dreadful fuff and mew: but
when she saw that it was me, she merely gave me a
gentle pat on the cheek and went off to sleep again
with a smile beaming on her mild fat countenance.

One day my sister Dottle and I were sitting on the
oaken floor of our master’s study, playing with each
other's tails. Dottle had just made a successful grasp
at mine and caught it by the point, when my eye
suddenly fell on a beautiful rose in a vase of flowers
that stood on the table. | :

‘“ Dottle, darling,” said I, pulling my tail out Uf ‘hier

mouth, ‘did you ever smell a rose?”
a

MY MOTHER. 13

ne

“No,” replied Dottle, ‘ never.” -

“Then let us get on the table and smell that lovely
one in the vase.”

“ But how shall we get up, Dingey? you cannot jump
so high, and I’m certain that I cannot.” |

“ Fuff! you frightened thing,” said I, “don’t talk
stuff. Just help me to push that foot-stool near the

| table and Vl show you how to jump. It only needs

a good will and a good spring, that’s all.”
“ Well, but,” urged Dottle, with an anxious expres-—

sion on her small round face, “I fear mamma will be

displeased; she told me not to go near that table.”

— “ But she didn’t tell me, so here goes!” said I, bound-

ing on to the stool, and, exerting all my strength, I~
leaped on to the table. My jump was better than I

had expected. Not only did I spring well on to it, but

I slid quite across it, and fell over on the other side.
Oh! the thrill of terror that rushed through my heart!
I fixed my claws in the table-cloth, but instead of. sav-
ine myself I dragged it. off and fell with a dreadful
splash into our dish of milk, while the vase and a book,
a pair of scissors and a thimble, fell on the top of me.

“Oh, dear! mee-a-ow! fuff!” shrieked my_ sister,
cclasping her pars: with a look of horror.
14 MY MOTHER.

“Kh! mee-a-ow! hollo! what’s this?” cried my dear
mother, rushing into the room in terror.

“He's tumbled into the milk, mamma;—quick! pull
him out, for I’m certain he can’t swim,” cried my sister,
while her whiskers curled with anguish.

In a moment I was dragged out and embraced in my
mother’s arms. But such an object as I was! I was no
longer fat-looking and soft; the milk glued the hair to my
little body, and made me bluish in colour all over.

“Oh, what a fright!” exclaimed Dottle, looking at me
in surprise.

I was crying when my sister said this, but I stopped and
said, “ Dottle, do you mean that you got a fright, or that
I got a fright, or that I’m a fright to look at?”

“T mean that you're a fright to look at,” said Dottle.

On hearing this I began to howl again, and would not be
quieted till my mother said she would tell me a story; —
then I gave a kiccough and two deep sighs, and ceased
roaring; and my mother kissed and dried me, and told me
stories of a most wonderful and surprising nature,—stories
that are far too long and astounding to be written here.


“can hil™ a i

iN \\
ly ,

5 f lu Ae j Wh
R Vi S|

AW : S (foe wm
Vis : .
Nu} hitey: ZS
W .

vay
IUD = +7 ue ES, MS
MH ‘y a iM yn Wi Se

” wy AA

X
WW, 4s ‘ay ws
HAN iy SMA
Bie} \ NY

De 7.
Hf DIA
ZA 4



WE DANCE FOR JOY.—Page 15.


MY MOTHER. | 15



Who loved to see me pleased and gay.
And taught me sweetly how to play,
_ And minded all I had to say ?
Bt mother !

Not long-after the accident I have just described, my
_ dear mother | came into the room where Dottle and I
were sleeping and said :—
_ “Come, darlings, let us play and be wiser together.
There’s nothing like being happy. Isn't there not,
- Dingey ?”
“Of course not,” said I, starting up and giving myself
— agood stretch.
“ Hurrah!” cried Dottle, putting up her back and
dancing on three legs towards my mother, who was
already performing the cat’s hornpipe on the floor. Im-
mediately my blood boiled over with a frenzy of delight.
I hurled myself into the air with a wild caterwaul, alighted
on my hind legs, and throwing out my fore paws rushed
at my mother’s tail. But Dottle was beforehand with
mne. She caught the tail, and twisting it round her
| neck pulled my mother down on her back.
ieee ame quite sure that human creatures do not under-
stand the extreme pleasure, the wild joy, that fills a
- kitten’s heart when it sees its mother’s four legs, and its”
16 | MY MOTHER.





little sister's four legs, and their two tails twirling to-
gether in a heap of confusion. I trembled with eager-
ness to join in the wild embrace, but their movements
were so quick that I could not see how to attack them;
so I shut my two eyes tight, set up all the hairs on my
body and tail, stuck out every one of my eighteen claws,
and, uttering a frightful shriek and a fuff, plunged into
the midst of them. Words cannot describe my feelings.
I was quite mad. I rugged, and tugged, and yelled,
while they did the same to me and to each other;
then we flew asunder, put up our backs and tails, and
glared at each other fiercely. ote
Oh! how exquisite it is to feel ones hair staridl on
end! Human creatures never feel this pleasure. ‘They
have no hair to stand on end, poor things, except a few
tufts about their heads; and, although I have often seen
my master’s children very merry, and also in great pas-
sions, I never saw their hair stand on end. I pity them
much. They can never know what it is to feel the skin
curling on their backs, while electric joy bristles through
every hair, nor the funny thoughts that crowd a kitten’s
brain when it is thus agitated. Corks at the end of bits
of string, the points of our own tails, rats and mice,
worsted balls, bell-pulls, cotton reels, and a host of such


MY ee 7 17



a a LY RS ONT REED

fae, come into our minds when we are at play, natur-
ally causing us to dance, and hop, and rush about, and
stand suddenly still, in that wild fashion which causes
the stupid human creatures to laugh so much at ts. I
wonder why they laugh? I’m sure there’s nothing to
laugh at!.. Dottle and I had a long talk about this one
days 5. “ai de
“T wish that we could laugh, sister dear,’ said. I,
rather sadly, making a gentle grasp at my shadow.
“So do I, very much; but I’m quite certain it is not
half so nice as having one’s hair stand on end, or utter-
- ing a good loud fuff.” .
Perhaps not,” I replied ; “at anyrate laughing can
never compare with purring—”
“Oh! it’s so nice!” interrupted Dottle, with a smile,

—for we could smile although we could not laugh.
“When I purr I feel as if I loved everybody in the
world with all my heart,—even that ugly little rough
terrier that has frightened us so often of late.”

“Very true,” I replied, “but keep your tail still,
sister. I can’t resist the temptation to rush at it if you
keep moving it so.”


18 MY MOTHER.

Who punished me when I was bad,
And looked so sorrowful and sad,
That I was nearly driven mad ?
My mother !

_ It was distress for my wickedness, and the sorrow
that I caused my sweet mother, that nearly drove me

mad. If it had not been for her tender and forgiving ;

spirit, I think I must have gone mad, and been con-
fined in a lunatic asylum long ago. Oh! I was re-

markably naughty, and sister Dottle was wonderfully |

good. I have often thought that my naughtiness was

the cause of my being born black ; but my mother called

“foolish thing” when I suggested this.
te day I was sitting before my sister licking hel
face. She had just licked mine all over, and we were
saying to each other how refreshing it was, when a
mouse ran across the floor. Before you could wink

Dottle and I were after it; but it ran under the table |
and disappeared in a moment, while I tumbled over our

milk-plate and broke it in pieces. The noise brought
in my mother, who gave me a slight whipping, and
then sat down before the broken plate and looked at it
with the saddest face I ever saw.

“That is the two and _ twentieth plate you teva








rh eR Rae ae ae RCE OS Sea oe oa Se eX SUED Dt rH HCE OEE NWS SE He RN RN TTS PR Pe a AE SMR acs gn ee ergs ap Ima NR ase ea I a ee PS Sa Fy a ad SOD ea poner Ae ae RG eA ONE eee SPM CSNY TTS gy Vagal a) OM ie tang tt a

u ee Pe EERIE ABE SOT EY pees ys peossmeyrt year : % 5 YaGIS Z or 5 SRE PE pacarceremeey sre 5 « ‘ REI A SAREE TES *: 2 x ApS SER ; mn 1 NEE 2a) UE SANE is a 00
CXYT IXY eee riyrcisi sir cri ricci err errr rirrr cre ea a
ok

‘



Ss \.

nine





















































OO GOO SOO OOOOO8 OOOOH S8OOOSOOSSOSOOOOOOOD























































































Fe
M
SESE ae
: us een eee
na
i —
4 5 at te ee =

Cae LXE EIN ELIA II XXXII ISI III IKI III ry




MY MOTHER. 3 19

ped this week, Dingey,” she said, with a deep
sigh.

I made no ‘reply, but sat down under the table, look-
ing very sulky, while Dottle began to weep and wipe
her eyes with the end of my mother’s tail.

“Yes,” continued my mother, sadly, “two and twenty.
The next will be three and twenty. Only think!”
“Qh dear! mee-a-ow!” cried my sister.

‘“Mee-a-ow indeed!” said my mother; “ you should
rather say fuff! Ah, Dingey, what shall I do to you? |
naughty, bad mee-a-ow! child, fuff!”

Qh me! oh! oh! dear!” roared Dottle, unable to
control her grief.

I was still a little sulky, but my sister’s tears and my
mother’s heart-broken expression melted me. I lifted |
up my head and howled with anguish and repentance.

“Are you sorry?” asked my mother.

“ Mad,”.. & eelieds “quite mad with the deepest |
sorrow.” ;

“Then I fone you. Kiss me, beloved child—my
darling kitten.” - :
sO at that moment I observed the mouse, which had
caused all our misfortune, peeping over the table at me.
Instantly I sprang up, caught the table-cloth, and drag-


20 3 MY MOTHER.

eee

ged it down on myself and my mother and sister, both

of whom had darted at the mouse the moment they saw it
For a few moments we struggled violently to free our-
selves from the folds of the cloth, but when we got
loose the mouse was gone. ; |

“Tt doesn’t signify,” said I; “we'll catch it next
time; won't we, sister dear ?”

“Of course we will, Dingey, if we can,” replied
Dottle. |

“Now, dear kittens,’ said our mother, as we sat
humbly before her, with our heads hanging down and
our hair dreadfully ruffled, “you see how foolish it ‘ig
to be in too great a hurry. Let this be a lesson to you.
When you see a mouse again, do not dart at it until
you have first crept slowly, softly, and very slily towards
it, as near as you can get,—then up with your tail, out
with your claws, and bolt! And be very careful not to
break any more plates. Do you hear, Dingey ?”

“Yes, mamma, I’m frightfully penitent.”

‘Don’t look at my tail, Dottle,” continued: omy sweet
mother; I’m talking very seriously to you just, now, and
if you look long at my tail you know very. well that
you can’t help flying at it.” |

Dottle sighed and turned her head ery.

ae ae




a

MY MOTHER. 21

Who started up with wild surprise
Whene’er she heard a sudden noise,
_ And thought of danger and of boys?
My mother!

I remember that we used to sleep a great deal when
I was young. Every day, after breakfast, we had a nap
of half an hour. Then we played till dinner time. This
was generally our happiest time. We felt just like balls
of India-rubber after breakfast, and ready for any fun
that turned up. Our master called it mischief, we called
it fun! Then after dinner we had a good long sleep of
two hours, when we awoke and began immediately to

play again. Sometimes my sister and I told stories to

each other, sometimes our dear mother told us of the
adventures she had had in her young days. Many of
these were terrible tales, I can tell you, and used to
make us tremble and cause our hair to stand on end.
When we willingly made our hair stand up it was very
nice, as I have said; but when it stood up of its own
accord, through fear or horror, it was very disagreeable
indeed. As. I was saying, we amused ourselves thus till
tea time, and then had another long sleep till breakfast
next morning. i,

Of course we were often startled out of our sleep by
22 MY MOTHER.



sudden noises. When this happened, our dear mother
opened her ears and listened very earnestly. She
opened her eyes, too, so wide that I sometimes thought
she was listening with them! I have sometimes seen
men open their mouths, as well as their eyes and ears,
when they were much surprised. I wonder if they lis-
tened with them all! Well, one day we were lying on
the floor, all three of us purring quietly, just as cats and
kittens do when about to fall into a sweet slumber.
Suddenly we heard a loud noise, that made us start up
with wild astonishment.

“What was that?” said my mother.

“The cook,” said I, trembling, for I recollected that
I had stolen a piece of fish that day.

“Boys, I fear,” said Dottle =

We listened in much surprise for some time, but heard
nothing, and I had almost fallen asleep again when the
noise was repeated much louder than before. We now
began to be very much alarmed, because the door of |
the room happened to be open, and we were not strong
enough to shut it against any enemy that might be
coming. Dottle and I crept close to our dear mother’s
side, and tried to feel that we were safe; and, truly,
when we looked at her glaring eyes, and heard the low,
onerenee Neos,

MY MOTHER. 23

deep growl that seemed to issue from her chest, and
| observed the terrific claws that began to appear,—when
we saw all this, and knew how much she loved us, and
how brave she was, we felt greatly comforted.
_ “We-must have been dreaming,” remarked my
mother; “I don't hear the sound now.”

“JT suppose we were,’ sald Dottle, breathing more
freely. 2 |
I shook my head. “Do you think it is_ possible,
mother, that we three could all — the same noise,
and start up at the same time ?’

“Child, kitten,” mane my mother, with a severe
look, “you are too wise.”

“T did not poy. that a kitten could be too wise,”
said I. =
. «6S Wet then, = rcicud to be too wise. Hold your
— tongue, dear, fuff |’ |
I was about to answer, . when I almost jumped out of
my body with righty. as the terrible sound was re-
peated. fee ey
24 3 MY MOTHER.



Who trembled much with anxious fear,
When danger really drew near,

And did in shape of dog appear? |
My mothar

My poor mother trembled exceedingly, so much so-

that I was quite surprised ; but she afterwards explained
to me that it was too much courage that made her

tremble, and that all her fear was for us, not for.

herself.

On came the sound, louder and louder, and nearer
and nearer, until we knew that it was the barking of
a dog. The sound of its voice was very awful, and it
was made much louder by the echo in the passages of
the house through which the dog was running. Some-

times it came near to the room in which we were, and -

then it turned off and went howling along another
passage, and its voice became faint in the distance, so
that we were in great hopes it had departed altogether.
But alas! we were mistaken. The dog soon drew near
again, and ran barking furiously along the passage lead-

ing to our room. Oh! it was a time of dreadful sus--

pense. My heart and bones seemed to melt with
intense fear, and I felt as if I were nothing but a bag
of warm water. Dear Dottle, too; seemed very much



.
a a. <=. A es
eee. Sev


a ane
re rons



MY MOTHER. o5 |



agitated. She trembled Snchunity, and mewed sev a
times in anguish of spirit.

“ Cheer up, my sister,’ said I, tenderly, forgetting
for a moment my own danger when I saw her terror ;
“we have nothing to fear, darling. Our valiant mother
is before us, and—and—the room wall is behind us;
think of that, sister, and be comforted!”

I must confess that I did not see clearly what good

the room wall being behind us could do, but I felt that

it was better to say something than nothing. I knew
that the very tone of my courageous voice would tend
to soothe my alarmed sister. And so it. was.

“Thank you, dear Dear she said, creeping closer

towards our mother; ‘you are very kind. I feel much
relieved—mee-a-ow ! fuff!”

Dottle started and trembled violently at this moment,

for the. hideous barking was renewed louder than ever.
I wonder why these vile dogs have got such terrible,
rude voices ! I never hear one barking, even in play,
but my heart flies into my throat and almost chokes
me. ‘My dear mother had now become fearful to behold.
Her eyes were dilated to such an extent that they
seemed like burning coals in her head ; every hair
stood on end; her claws tore convulsively at the wooden





A LN AT ETT A AE CATR ACRE ERE NE


26 MY MOTHER.



—_——

floor; and her voice rumbled, as if in her stomach, like
distant thunder. At this moment sister Dottle sneezed
unexpectedly. We were so excited that we all leapt
nearly our own height from the floor, and gave vent
to a terrific caterwaul.

‘“ Silence, stupid thing,—

| 9?

“Bow! wow! wow! wow!” came rolling along the
passage, and, in another moment, we heard feet scamper- |
ing rapidly towards the door.

“Mee-a-ow! fuff! splutter! fuff!” cried my mother,
and sprang behind a large chest that stood in a corner
of the room, where she put up her back and tail, and
gazed with a look of mingled fear and anger at the

door. Dottle bounded on to the top of the chest with

intense vigour, and turned round to face the enemy. I

was about to fly to the same place of refuge, when a
boisterous bark close to my tail caused me to turn round ~
with a shriek of terror; at the same moment Dottle upset
our dish of milk over my back and drenched me to the

skin. It is impossible to describe my feelings’ when I
received this hideous shock, and, at the same time, be-
held the hairy face of a fierce terrier within 2 a foot of
my nose! | .


y
Am ~

A; 2) MINNIE
uel ANE

UHI

ANY
Nes i WN

Wy
KN

. NN %
a
PSs piles



WE GET A SURPRISEH.—Page 22.
MY MOTHER. 27

a a ne nt ee ne ee SSSR SY “en sn ete PE TN

Who gave a frightful caterwaul

On seeing that the dog was small,

And did not seem afraid at all?

7 My mother!

It was- quite. surprising to observe the change that
came over my dear mother’s face when she saw that
the dog was a very, very small one. She instantly
assumed a look of bold, fierce defiance, for she recol-
lected having seen that same little dog get a good
thrashing from a cat which was not so large as herself.
The little dog rushed headlong into the middle of the
room, and then stopped to glare at us.
-“Mee-a-ow! villain, what do you want here? fuff!
eh!” cried my, mother, » bristling intensely and advanc-
ing a step. | |
“Bow! wow! wow!” replied the dee
“T will tear out your eyes,” said my mother, “ and
_ scratch. your. face, and bite ou 4 FOUE nose, and rend ue
limbs -—do you hear? fuif!



= murder you Sn dekt ” said Dottle, In a ty |
7 Migner: thickening her tail and drawing back.

“Bow! wow! wow!—Bow! wow! wow! wow!!!”
replied the little dog. |
“ Bow! wow!” repeated my mother, with a sneer;



eee,
28 MY MOTHER.







“is that all you can say? Dont you think you might
try Mow! ow! for a change?”
As my mother said this we all three gave a yell and
a splutter, leaped a foot high into the air, and landed —
on the floor all at. once with a loud fuff. The little dog
looked as if he thought this rather surprising, but he
said nothing. He felt very uneasy, however, I observed,
for he glanced back at the door. This was the moment
for action ! Uttering a shriek of rage, mingled with
horror at the thought of the terrific attack she was
about to make, my mother darted at. the foe and fixed
her claws and teeth in the little dog’s back. At the
same instant I seized him by the tail, while Dottle stood
on the chest glaring and fuffing continuously. —
I have seen cats fight, and dogs fight, and rats fight,
besides many other fierce animals,—I have even seen
that wretched creature Man fight, and a very ridicu-
lous, humbling sight it was,—but I must say I never
before saw so terrible, so awful, and every way dreadful.
a fight as that which now took place between my dar-
ling, brave mother, and that wicked little terrier dog. |
First of all, as I have said, my mother fixed her claws
and teeth in its back and gave it a terrible shake, which

made it yell very frightfully. Then it sprang up, turned
poe EI on ae eR eee










OUR AWFUL ENEMY.—Page 26.


OUR ENEMY IS CONQUERED.—Page 29.
URE ESR RREERRn enna

MY MOTHER. 29

_yound, and seized my mother by the neck. In turning —
round its head of course it turned round its tail too,
rather quickly, and, as I was biting that at the time, —
I was rolled over with much violence against the chest,
where [. lay stunned and bleeding at the nose. © My
poor mother got a dreadful worry; her eyes started from
their sockets, and I thought she was gone, when she
suddenly seized the dog by the nose, and held on so.
tightly with her teeth and claws that nothing could
shake her off. The dog tumbled, and shook, and rolled
in agony, while a low, deep growl came through my
mother’s clenched teeth. Seeing this, and observing that
the dog could not bite now, Dottle and I rushed at his
hind feet and buried our teeth in his toes. The pain
seemed to give him the strength of a horse. He gave
my mother a shake that sent her rolling across the
room, darted through the door-way, and went scamper-
ing and yelping along the passage.

After the dog was gone we all sat down and began
to lick our hair and remove the blood from our faces.
It was a good long time before’ we got our spirits
quite calmed down, however, for I must say we had
been dreadfully ruffled, and it was fully two hours be-
fore we could purr or look sweet.





MY MOTHER.



When fight was over, who was mild,
Who sweetly in her slumber smiled,
While all the mice were jumping wild ?
My mother!

My mother did not know that the mice were playing
on the table, however, else she would have made them
vanish like smoke. She was so*fatigued after the ter-
rible battle with the dog, that she fell fast asleep. Kit-—
tens always follow a good example, so in less than ten
minutes after we lay down we were all sound as tops.

| No one could have believed that my dear mother’s mild,

gentle face, was that which had been glaring a short 7
time ago like a raging tiger. I laid myself by her |
side, and Dottle leaned upon her back. \

I don’t know how long the mice played, but the
noise they made at last awakened me, and, peeping

slily out of the corner of my. tight eye, I saw them. pe Siig

dancing on the table. At first I felt inclined to dart |-
at them, but I thought a little, and then determined to

awaken my mother and sister gently, so that we might
all fly at them at the same moment. This was not easy
to do quietly, but.at last I succeeded, and we made a
| tremendous jump at the mice.

We caught them, we did, by their tails,—three of


HEP p ey

> lilt.



REST IS SWEET.—Page 30.
MY MOTHER. 31

them at least—one got away. Dottle caught one,
‘I caught one, and my mother caught one. That was
three altogether. I cannot explain the tumult of feel-
ings that filled my heart to bursting. I held the mouse
tight between my teeth, and glared from side to side,
mewing awfully, for I feared that some one would try
to take it away. I noticed that my sister and mother
were doing exactly the same. This was the first time
that Dottle and I had ever caught mice; and oh, they
were sweet! After having eaten them, we went to sleep
: again, for we felt that we had behaved very well. In-
| deed, our man-master, who had seen us catch the mice,

said we were very clever, good little kittens, and called |

my mother a capital cat.

And so she was. I am quite sure there never was
such a cat in all the world,—so kind, so good, so brave,
so gentle, so tender, so capital (as the man Sa 8
amiable, and so remarkably fat.

‘“My child,” said she to me one day, “I do hope —
that you will turn out a good cat.”

‘Mother, darling,” said I, “PU try.”

“That’s right,” said she, sweetly ; “ there’s nding
like trying. If ever you wish to catch a mouse you
| must try. If you wish to kill a rat you must try.


32 MY MOTHER.

There is nothing to be done in the world without try-_
ing. Only try, and there is almost nothing that you —
will not be able to do.”

“Mother,” said Dottle, “do you think I could —
down my own throat if I were to try?"

“ Hush, kitten, you are silly.” |

Dottle sighed and kissed her mother, who smiled and
patted her cheek. Then she kissed me, and after. that
we all kissed each other. Ah! how my heart mourns |
over those happy bygone days.

I was taken rudely from my dear mother and sister
at last. I was put in a basket and carried away, I
know not whither, and I never saw them more. |

Oh! it makes me very sad when I think of my little
sister and my mother.

Alas! alas! fuff! mew! |