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Front
Cover
Missing
From
Original



CHIT-CHAT BY A PEHENITENT CAT.








: WE DANCE FOR JQY

€



| CHIT-CHAT

BY A PENITENT (CAT.

BY
R. M. BALLANTYNE,

AUTHOR OF “THREE LITTL KITTENS,” “THE ROBBER



KITTEN,” BTC.

| Who fed me from her gentle breast,
And hushed me in her arms to rest,
| And on my cheek swect kisses prest?

"Twas Pussy

LONDON:
T. NELSON AND SONS, PATERNOSTER ROW;
EDINBURGH ; AND NEW YORK,







| 1874.











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35







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6 CHIT-CHAT.

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CHIT-CHAT.

Wuo fed me from her gentle breast,

And hushed me in her ‘arms to rest,

And on my cheek sweet kisses prest?
“Twas Pussy !

Who ran to help me when I fell,
And would some pretty story tell,
Or lick the place to make it well ?
"Twas Pussy !

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

"Twas Pussy !



CHIT-CHAT.

Who punished me when I was bad,
And looked so sorrowful and sad
‘That Twas nearly driven mad ?
"Twas Pussy !
Who started up with wild surprise,
Whene’er she heard a sudden noise,
And thought of danger and of boys ?
"Twas Pussy !

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

"Twas Pussy |

Vho gave a trightful eaterwaul,
On seeing that the dog was small,
And did not seem afraid at all 2
"Twas Pussy!

When fight was over who was mild,

Who sweetly in her slumber smiled,

While all the mice were jumping wild ?
"Twas Pussy !





CHIT-CHAT.

Who fed me from her gentle breast,

And hushed me in her arms to rest,

And on my cheek sweet kisses prest ?
‘Twas Pussy !

Sgt! truly, pussy was a
44 darling! She was a
large, raild, sleek, ami-

y able cat, with only one
fault, an over- fondness for
cream. Pussy was my mother.






10 MEMORIES OF INFANCY.

Oh! how she loved me; and no
one can conceive the strength
of my love for her!

I was a kitten,—a round, fat,
hairy little kitten, and as black
asacoal. Indeed, I was so like
a plece 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 hada
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



SISTERLY DISAGREEMENTS. 11

caring much for my sister before
that great day when my eyes
were opened. Before that I was
blind; and I only remember
feeling a soft hairy ball rub-
bing 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



12 WOW I GAINED MY SIGHT.

my hind -legs, thinking of
nothing in particular, when I
felt the lid of my right eye
give a crack, and, to my in-
tense 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. No-
body told me that this was my
sister, or that the large gray
cat beside us was my mother,
but I knew it, somehow, with-
out requiring to be told. Im-
mediately, [ winked at my
sister with my one eye, with-
out intending to do so. This



HOW I FELT INCLINED TO PLAY. 13

wink made my left eyelid crack,
and I could see with both eyes.
Words cannot describe my joy-
ful 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 [ loved her as ten-
derly, almost, as my mother.
I threw my arms round her
neck and hugged her. For
the first time I now felt in-
clined to play. Instead of em-
bracing my sister, as I had in-



14 CREEP BEFORE YOU WALK.

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 _at-
tempted to put up my back
and make my hair stand on
end,—but in doing so I tum-
bled over, being still weak in
the legs, and not used to jump-
ing.

“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-knecs



AN AFFECTIONATE MOTHER. 15

to try to creep; but I lost my
balance and tumbled over on
my side, and fell asleep im-
mediately. 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 ol
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 de-
light when we scratched her



16 WHERE I LIVED,

face. We lived in the house |
of one of those long two-legged |
creatures called Man. Our |











WE ARE REMARKABLY HAPPY AND LOVING.

man was a very kind one,
poor thing, but silly, — at

least I thought so, the more
(415)



UNPLEASANT RECOLLECTIONS. 17

I saw of him and his com-
panions.

Who ran to help me when I fell,

And would some pretty story tell,

Or lick the place to make it well ?
"Twas Pussy!

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 warn-
(415) 9



18 ILL-TREATING MY MOTHER.

ing from me, and never be bad
to their mothers. [used often
to seratch 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 who
it was, she merely gave me a
gentle pat on the cheek, and
went off to sleep again with a
smile beaming on her mild fat
face. ,
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



DOTTLE AND DINGEY. 19

successful grasp at mine and
eaught 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, pull-
ing my tail out of her mouth,
“did you ever smell a rose?”

“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.”

“Puff! you frightened thing,”



20 THE DISOBEDIENT KITTEN.

said I, “ don’t talk stuff. Just
help me to push that foot-stool
near the table, and Ill 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 expression 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, bounding
on to the stool, and, exerting
all my strength, I leaped on
to the table. My jump was



WHAT COMES OF DISOBEDIENCE. 21

better than I expected. Not
only did I spring well on to it,
but I shd 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. saving
myself I drageed 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!”
shricked my sister, clasping her
paws, with a look of horror.



22 A TERRIBLE ACCIDENT,

i he





























BLACK ON WHITE.

“Eh! mee-a-ow! hollo! what’s
this?” cried my dear mother,



RESCUED BY MY MOTHER, 23

rushing into the room = in
terror.

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

Ina 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!” ex-



24 A FRIGHT TO LOOK AT.

claimed 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 Pm 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 hiccough and
two deep sighs, and ccased

roaring; and my mother kissed



MY MOTHER'S STORIES. 25

and dried me, and told me
stories of a most wonderful
and surprising nature,—stories
that are far too long and as-
tounding to be written here.

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

‘Twas Pussy !

Not long after the accident I
have just described, my dear
mother came into the room
where Dottle and I were sleep-
ing, and said,—

“Come, darlings, let us play
and be happy together. There’s



26 NOTHING LIKE HAPPINESS.

nothing like being happy. Isn’t
there, Dingey ?”

“Of course not,” said I,
starting up and giving myself
a good stretch.

‘“* Hurrah!” cried Dottle, put-
ting up her back and dane-
ing on three legs towards my
mother, who was already per-
forming the cat’s hornpipe on
the floor. Immediately my
blood boiled over with a frenzy
of delight. I hurled myself
into the air with a wild cater-
waul, alighted on my hind-
legs, and throwing out my fore-
paws, rushed at my mother’s



A KITTEN’S ECSTACY ! 27

‘tail. But Dottle was before-
hand with me. She caught
the tail, and twisting it round
her neck, pulled my mother
down on her back.

Iam quite sure that human
creatures do not understand the
extreme pleasure, the wild joy,
that fills a kitten’s heart when
it sees its mother’s four legs,
and its little sister’s four legs,
and their two tails, twirling to-
gcther in a heap of confusion.
I trembled with eagerness to
join in the wild embrace, but
their movements were so quick
that I could not sce how to at-



28 VERY DELIGHTFUL !

tack 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 the fun. Words can-
not describe my feclings. I
was quite mad. I tugged, and
tugeed, and yelled, while they
did the same to me and to
each other; then we flew a-
sunder, put up our backs and
tails, and glared at one another
fiercely.

Oh! how exquisite it is to
feel one’s hair stand on end!



YOUR HAIR STANDING ON END ! 29

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 passions, 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



30 NOTHING TO LAUGH AT

bits of string, the points of
our own tails, rats and mice,
worsted balls, bell-pulls, cotton
reels, and a host of such things,
come into our minds when we
are at play, naturally causing
us to dance, and hop, and rush
about, and stand suddenly still,
in that wild fashion which
causes the stupid human crea-
tures to laugh so much at us.
T wonder why they laugh? Pm
sure there’s nothing to laugh
at! Dottle and I had a long
talk about this one day.

“ T wish that we could laugh,
sister dear,” said I, rather sadly,



LAUGHING AND PURRING. 3l

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 uttering a
good loud fuff”

“Perhaps not,” I replied ;:
“at anyrate laughing can never
compare with purring—”

“Oh! it’s so nice!” inter-
tupted 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



32 KEEP YOUR TAIL STILL

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.”

Who punished me when I was bad,
And looked so sorrowful and sad
That I was nearly driven mad ?
"Twas Pussy !
It was distress for my wicked-
ness, and the sorrow that I
caused my swect mother, that
nearly drove me mad. If it
had not been for her tender
and forgiving spirit, I think I



1 CONFESS MY NAUGHTINESS. 33

must have gone mad, and been
confined in a lunatic asylum
long ago. Oh! I was remark-
ably naughty, and sister Dottle
was wonderfully good. I have
often thought that my naughti-
ness was the cause of my being
born black; but my mother
called me ‘foolish thing” when
I suggested this.

One day I was sitting before
iny sister licking her face. She
had just licked mine all over,
and we were saying to cach
other how refreshing it was,
when a mouse ran across the

floor. Before you could wink
(415) 3



34 THE BROKEN PLATE.

Dottle and I were after it; but
it ran under the table and dis-
appeared 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 twen-
ticth plate you have broken
this week, Dingey,” she said,
with a deep sigh.

I made no reply but sat
down under the table, looking
very sulky, while Dottle began



A MELANCHOLY GROUP, BO

























I AM BAD, AND MY MOTHER 18 Bau
to weep and wipe her eyes with
the end of my mother’s tail.



36 DOTTLE’S GRIEF IS UNCONTROLLABLE.

“Yes,” continued my mother,
sadly, “two and twenty. The
next will be three and twenty.
Only think!”

‘Oh 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 mec-a-ow ! child, fuff!”

“Oh 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



FORGETTING OUR SORROW. 37

me. I lifted up my head and
howled with anguish and _ re-
pentance.

“Are you sorry ?” asked my -
mother.

“Mad,” I replied; ‘ quite
mad with the deepest sorrow.”

‘Then I forgive you. Kiss
me, beloved child—my darling
kitten.”

Just at that moment I ob-
served the mouse, which had
caused all our misfortune, peep-
ing over the table at me. In-
stantly I sprang up, caught the
table-cloth,and dragged it down
on myself and my mother and



38 BETTER LUCK NEXT TIME !

sister, both of whom had darted
at the mouse the moment they
saw it. For a few moments
we struggled violently to free
ourselves 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 hang-
ing down and our hair dread-
fully ruffled, “you see how



MORE HASTE, WORSE SPEED, 39

foolish it is 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 fright-
fully penitent.”

“Don’t look at my tail,
Dottle,’ continued my sweet
mother; “I’m talking very



40 TEMPTATION IS STRONG,

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 away.

Who started up with wild surprise

Whene’er she heard a sudden noise,

And thought of danger and of boys ?
"Twas Pussy !

I remember that we used to
sleep a great deal when I was
young. Every day, after break-
fast, we had a nap of half an
hour. Then we played till din-
ner-time. This was generally



SLEEPING AND PLAYING. 41

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 be-
gan 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



42 PLAYING AND SLEEPING,

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 our-
selves thus till tea-time, and
then had another long sleep
till breakfast next morning.

Of course we were often
startled out of our sleep by
sudden noises. When this hap-
pened, our dear mother opened
her ears and listened very ear-
nestly. She opened her eyes,
too, so wide, that I sometimes



A SUDDEN ALARM. 45

thought she was listening with
them! I have sometimes seen
men open their mouths, as well
as their eyes and cars, when
they were much surprised. I
wonder if they listened 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 slum-
ber. Suddenly we heard a loud
noise, that made us start up
with wild astonishment.

“What was that?” said my
mother.

“The cook,” said I, tremb-



44 WHAT CAN IT BE?

ling, 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 no-
thing, 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 cnough to shut it against
any enemy that might be com-
ing. Dottle and I crept close
to our dear mother’s side, and
tried to feel that we were safe ;



WE GET A SURPRISE. 45

and, truly, when we looked at
her glaring eyes, and heard the







Wh GET A SURPRISE,

low, deep growl that seemed to
issue from her chest, and ob-
served the terrific claws that
began to appear,—when we
saw all this, and knew how



46 COULD I'P BE A DREAM ?

much she loved us, and how
brave she was, we felt greatly
comforted.

““ We must have been dream-
ing,” remarked my mother ; ‘“ I
don’t hear the sound now.”

“LT suppose we were,” said
Dottle, breathing more freely.

Ishook my head. ‘* Do you
think it is possible, mother,
that we three could all dream
the same noise, and start up at
the same time ?”

“Child, kitten,’ answered
my mother, with a severe lock,
“vou are too wise.”

“T did not know that a



THE ALARM REPEATED. 47

kitten could -be too wise,”
said I.

“Well, then, you pretend to
be too wise. Hold your tongue,
dear—tfuff ! ”

I was about to answer, when
I almost Jumped out of my
body with fright, as the terrible
sound was repeated.

Who trembled much with anxious fear
When danger really drew near,
And did in shape of dog appear ?
‘Twas Pussy!
My poor mother trembled ex-
ceedingly, so much so that I was
quite surprised; but she after-



48 IT IS—A DOG!

wards 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 pas-
sages of the house through
which the dog was running.
Sometimes it came near to the
room in which we were, and
then it turned off and went
howling along another passage,



OUR VIOLENT AGITATION. 49

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 suspense.
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
agitated. She trembled vio-
lently, and mewed several times
in anguish of spirit.
(415) 4



50 DINGEY TURNS CONSOLER.

’

“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
raliant 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 courage-
ous voice would tend to soothe



DOGS ARE DISGUSTING. 51

my alarmed sister. And so it
was.

“Thank you, dear Dingey,”
she said, creeping closer to-
wards our mother; ‘‘ you are
very kind. I feel much re-
lieved—mee-a-ow ! fuff!”

Dottle started and trembled
violently at this moment, for
the .hideous barking was re-
newed louder than ever. |
wonder why these vile dogs
have got such terrible, rude
voices! I never hear one bark-
ing, even in play, but my heart
flics into my throat and almost
chokes me. My dear mother



52 A TERRIBLE SPECTACLE.

had now become fearful to be-
hold. 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 convul-
sively at the wooden floor ;
and her voice rumbled, as if
in her stomach, like distant
thunder. At this moment
sister Dottle sneezed unexpec-
tedly. We were so excited that
we all leapt nearly our own
height from the floor, and
gave vent to a terrific cater-
waul.
‘« Silence, stupid thing—”



PREPARING FOR THE ENEMY. 53

“ Bow! wow! wow! wow!”
came rolling along the passage,
and, in another moment, we
heard feet scampering 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



54 DOTTLE’S COW ARDICE.

place of refuge, when a boister-







OUR AWFUL ENEMY,

ous bark close to ny tail caused
me to turn round with a shriek



THE ENEMY ARRIVES ! 55

of terror; at the same moment
Dottle upset our dish of milk
over my back and drenched me
to the skin. It 1s impossible
to describe my feelings when
1 received this hideous shock,
and, at the same time, beheld
the hairy face of a fierce terrier
within a foot of my nose!

Who gave a frightful caterwaul,
On. seeing that the dog was small,
And did not seem afraid at all ?
"Twas Pussy!
It was quite surprising to
observe the change that came
over my dear mother’s face



56 ONLY A TERRIER !

when she saw that the dog was
a very, very small one. She
instantly assumed a look of
bold, fierce defiance, for she
recollected having seen that
same little dog get a good
thrashing from a cat which was
not so large as herself.

The little dog rushed head--
long into the middle of the
room, and then stopped to glare
at us. |

‘¢Mec-a-ow! villain, what do
you want here? fuff! eh?”
cried my mother, bristling
intensely, and advancing a
step.



BEFORE THE BATTLE. 57

|?

‘* Bow! wow! wow
the dog.

‘“‘T will tear out your eyes,”
said my mother, “ and scratch
your face, and bite off your
nose, and rend your limbs ;—
do you hear? fuff!”

“Tl murder you outright,”
said Dottle, in a low whisper,
thickening her tail and draw-
ing back.

‘Bow! wow! wow!—Bow!
wow! wow! wow!” replied the
little dog.

“ Bow! wow!” repeated my
mother, with a sucer; ‘ is that
all you can say? Don't you

replied



58 AN ATTACK ON THE TERRIER.

think you might try Mow ! ow!
for a change ?”

As my mother said this, we
ull 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 sur-
prising, but he said nothing.
He felt very uneasy, however,
I observed, for he glanced back
at the door. This was the mo-
ment for action! Uttering a
shriek of rage, mingled with
horror at the thought of the
terrific attack she was about to



THREE TO ONE, 39

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, be-
sides many other fierce animals;
I have even seen that wretched
creature Man fight, and a very
ridiculous, 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



60 THE FURIOUS ENCOUNTER,

between my darling, brave





























OUR ENEMY IS CONQUERED.

mother, and that wicked little
terrier dog.



THE TWO COMBATANTS. G1

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
round, 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 I lay stunned and bleed-
ing at the nose. My poor
mother got a dreadful worry ;
her eyes started from their



62 THE FORTUNE OF WAR.

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 tum-
bled, 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



WE ARE VICTORIOUS | 63

sent her rolling across the room,
darted through the door-way,
and went scampering and yelp-
ing 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, how-
ever, for [ must say we had
been dreadfully ruffled, and it
was fully two hours before we
could purr or look sweet.



64 THE SLEEP AFTER THE BATTLE.
Wheeaght wanaver wien
Who sweetly in her slumber smiled,
While all the mice were jumping wild ?
Twas Pussy!
My mother did not know
that the mice were playing on
the table, however, else she
would have made them vanish
likesmoke. She was so fatigued
after the terrible battle with the
dog, that she fell fast asleep.
Kittens 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



A PLEASING CONTRAST. 65

glaring a short time ago like ¢









REST IS SWEET.

raging tiger. I laid myself by
5

(415)



66 THE THREE MICE,

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 right eye, I saw them
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 casy to do quietly, but at
last I succeeded, and we made
a tremendous jump at the mice.

|



A VICTIM FOR EACH OF US. 67

We caught them, we did, by
their tails; three of 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 feelings
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 ;



68 MY MOTHER DESERVEDLY PRAISED.

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. Iam 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
said), so amiable, and so re-
markably fat.

‘“My child,” said she to



TRY, TRY, AND TRY AGAIN. 69

me one day, “I do hope
that you will turn out a good
cat.” |

“Mother, darling,” said I,
“PH try.”

‘“ That’s right,’ said she,
sweetly ; “ there’s nothing like
trying. If ever you wish to
catch a mouse, you must try.
If you wish to kill a rat, you
must try. There is nothing to -
be done in the world without
trying. Only try, and there is
almost nothing that you may
not be able to do.”

‘* Mother,” said Dottle, “do
you think I could jump down



70 REMOVED FROM HOME.

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 by-
gone days.

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


A CAT'S MELANCHOLY, 71

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

Alas! alas! fuff! mew!













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Front
Cover
Missing
From
Original
CHIT-CHAT BY A PEHENITENT CAT.


: WE DANCE FOR JQY

€
| CHIT-CHAT

BY A PENITENT (CAT.

BY
R. M. BALLANTYNE,

AUTHOR OF “THREE LITTL KITTENS,” “THE ROBBER



KITTEN,” BTC.

| Who fed me from her gentle breast,
And hushed me in her arms to rest,
| And on my cheek swect kisses prest?

"Twas Pussy

LONDON:
T. NELSON AND SONS, PATERNOSTER ROW;
EDINBURGH ; AND NEW YORK,







| 1874.





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CHIT-CHAT.

Wuo fed me from her gentle breast,

And hushed me in her ‘arms to rest,

And on my cheek sweet kisses prest?
“Twas Pussy !

Who ran to help me when I fell,
And would some pretty story tell,
Or lick the place to make it well ?
"Twas Pussy !

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

"Twas Pussy !
CHIT-CHAT.

Who punished me when I was bad,
And looked so sorrowful and sad
‘That Twas nearly driven mad ?
"Twas Pussy !
Who started up with wild surprise,
Whene’er she heard a sudden noise,
And thought of danger and of boys ?
"Twas Pussy !

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

"Twas Pussy |

Vho gave a trightful eaterwaul,
On seeing that the dog was small,
And did not seem afraid at all 2
"Twas Pussy!

When fight was over who was mild,

Who sweetly in her slumber smiled,

While all the mice were jumping wild ?
"Twas Pussy !


CHIT-CHAT.

Who fed me from her gentle breast,

And hushed me in her arms to rest,

And on my cheek sweet kisses prest ?
‘Twas Pussy !

Sgt! truly, pussy was a
44 darling! She was a
large, raild, sleek, ami-

y able cat, with only one
fault, an over- fondness for
cream. Pussy was my mother.



10 MEMORIES OF INFANCY.

Oh! how she loved me; and no
one can conceive the strength
of my love for her!

I was a kitten,—a round, fat,
hairy little kitten, and as black
asacoal. Indeed, I was so like
a plece 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 hada
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
SISTERLY DISAGREEMENTS. 11

caring much for my sister before
that great day when my eyes
were opened. Before that I was
blind; and I only remember
feeling a soft hairy ball rub-
bing 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
12 WOW I GAINED MY SIGHT.

my hind -legs, thinking of
nothing in particular, when I
felt the lid of my right eye
give a crack, and, to my in-
tense 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. No-
body told me that this was my
sister, or that the large gray
cat beside us was my mother,
but I knew it, somehow, with-
out requiring to be told. Im-
mediately, [ winked at my
sister with my one eye, with-
out intending to do so. This
HOW I FELT INCLINED TO PLAY. 13

wink made my left eyelid crack,
and I could see with both eyes.
Words cannot describe my joy-
ful 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 [ loved her as ten-
derly, almost, as my mother.
I threw my arms round her
neck and hugged her. For
the first time I now felt in-
clined to play. Instead of em-
bracing my sister, as I had in-
14 CREEP BEFORE YOU WALK.

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 _at-
tempted to put up my back
and make my hair stand on
end,—but in doing so I tum-
bled over, being still weak in
the legs, and not used to jump-
ing.

“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-knecs
AN AFFECTIONATE MOTHER. 15

to try to creep; but I lost my
balance and tumbled over on
my side, and fell asleep im-
mediately. 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 ol
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 de-
light when we scratched her
16 WHERE I LIVED,

face. We lived in the house |
of one of those long two-legged |
creatures called Man. Our |











WE ARE REMARKABLY HAPPY AND LOVING.

man was a very kind one,
poor thing, but silly, — at

least I thought so, the more
(415)
UNPLEASANT RECOLLECTIONS. 17

I saw of him and his com-
panions.

Who ran to help me when I fell,

And would some pretty story tell,

Or lick the place to make it well ?
"Twas Pussy!

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 warn-
(415) 9
18 ILL-TREATING MY MOTHER.

ing from me, and never be bad
to their mothers. [used often
to seratch 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 who
it was, she merely gave me a
gentle pat on the cheek, and
went off to sleep again with a
smile beaming on her mild fat
face. ,
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
DOTTLE AND DINGEY. 19

successful grasp at mine and
eaught 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, pull-
ing my tail out of her mouth,
“did you ever smell a rose?”

“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.”

“Puff! you frightened thing,”
20 THE DISOBEDIENT KITTEN.

said I, “ don’t talk stuff. Just
help me to push that foot-stool
near the table, and Ill 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 expression 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, bounding
on to the stool, and, exerting
all my strength, I leaped on
to the table. My jump was
WHAT COMES OF DISOBEDIENCE. 21

better than I expected. Not
only did I spring well on to it,
but I shd 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. saving
myself I drageed 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!”
shricked my sister, clasping her
paws, with a look of horror.
22 A TERRIBLE ACCIDENT,

i he





























BLACK ON WHITE.

“Eh! mee-a-ow! hollo! what’s
this?” cried my dear mother,
RESCUED BY MY MOTHER, 23

rushing into the room = in
terror.

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

Ina 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!” ex-
24 A FRIGHT TO LOOK AT.

claimed 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 Pm 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 hiccough and
two deep sighs, and ccased

roaring; and my mother kissed
MY MOTHER'S STORIES. 25

and dried me, and told me
stories of a most wonderful
and surprising nature,—stories
that are far too long and as-
tounding to be written here.

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

‘Twas Pussy !

Not long after the accident I
have just described, my dear
mother came into the room
where Dottle and I were sleep-
ing, and said,—

“Come, darlings, let us play
and be happy together. There’s
26 NOTHING LIKE HAPPINESS.

nothing like being happy. Isn’t
there, Dingey ?”

“Of course not,” said I,
starting up and giving myself
a good stretch.

‘“* Hurrah!” cried Dottle, put-
ting up her back and dane-
ing on three legs towards my
mother, who was already per-
forming the cat’s hornpipe on
the floor. Immediately my
blood boiled over with a frenzy
of delight. I hurled myself
into the air with a wild cater-
waul, alighted on my hind-
legs, and throwing out my fore-
paws, rushed at my mother’s
A KITTEN’S ECSTACY ! 27

‘tail. But Dottle was before-
hand with me. She caught
the tail, and twisting it round
her neck, pulled my mother
down on her back.

Iam quite sure that human
creatures do not understand the
extreme pleasure, the wild joy,
that fills a kitten’s heart when
it sees its mother’s four legs,
and its little sister’s four legs,
and their two tails, twirling to-
gcther in a heap of confusion.
I trembled with eagerness to
join in the wild embrace, but
their movements were so quick
that I could not sce how to at-
28 VERY DELIGHTFUL !

tack 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 the fun. Words can-
not describe my feclings. I
was quite mad. I tugged, and
tugeed, and yelled, while they
did the same to me and to
each other; then we flew a-
sunder, put up our backs and
tails, and glared at one another
fiercely.

Oh! how exquisite it is to
feel one’s hair stand on end!
YOUR HAIR STANDING ON END ! 29

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 passions, 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
30 NOTHING TO LAUGH AT

bits of string, the points of
our own tails, rats and mice,
worsted balls, bell-pulls, cotton
reels, and a host of such things,
come into our minds when we
are at play, naturally causing
us to dance, and hop, and rush
about, and stand suddenly still,
in that wild fashion which
causes the stupid human crea-
tures to laugh so much at us.
T wonder why they laugh? Pm
sure there’s nothing to laugh
at! Dottle and I had a long
talk about this one day.

“ T wish that we could laugh,
sister dear,” said I, rather sadly,
LAUGHING AND PURRING. 3l

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 uttering a
good loud fuff”

“Perhaps not,” I replied ;:
“at anyrate laughing can never
compare with purring—”

“Oh! it’s so nice!” inter-
tupted 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
32 KEEP YOUR TAIL STILL

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.”

Who punished me when I was bad,
And looked so sorrowful and sad
That I was nearly driven mad ?
"Twas Pussy !
It was distress for my wicked-
ness, and the sorrow that I
caused my swect mother, that
nearly drove me mad. If it
had not been for her tender
and forgiving spirit, I think I
1 CONFESS MY NAUGHTINESS. 33

must have gone mad, and been
confined in a lunatic asylum
long ago. Oh! I was remark-
ably naughty, and sister Dottle
was wonderfully good. I have
often thought that my naughti-
ness was the cause of my being
born black; but my mother
called me ‘foolish thing” when
I suggested this.

One day I was sitting before
iny sister licking her face. She
had just licked mine all over,
and we were saying to cach
other how refreshing it was,
when a mouse ran across the

floor. Before you could wink
(415) 3
34 THE BROKEN PLATE.

Dottle and I were after it; but
it ran under the table and dis-
appeared 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 twen-
ticth plate you have broken
this week, Dingey,” she said,
with a deep sigh.

I made no reply but sat
down under the table, looking
very sulky, while Dottle began
A MELANCHOLY GROUP, BO

























I AM BAD, AND MY MOTHER 18 Bau
to weep and wipe her eyes with
the end of my mother’s tail.
36 DOTTLE’S GRIEF IS UNCONTROLLABLE.

“Yes,” continued my mother,
sadly, “two and twenty. The
next will be three and twenty.
Only think!”

‘Oh 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 mec-a-ow ! child, fuff!”

“Oh 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
FORGETTING OUR SORROW. 37

me. I lifted up my head and
howled with anguish and _ re-
pentance.

“Are you sorry ?” asked my -
mother.

“Mad,” I replied; ‘ quite
mad with the deepest sorrow.”

‘Then I forgive you. Kiss
me, beloved child—my darling
kitten.”

Just at that moment I ob-
served the mouse, which had
caused all our misfortune, peep-
ing over the table at me. In-
stantly I sprang up, caught the
table-cloth,and dragged it down
on myself and my mother and
38 BETTER LUCK NEXT TIME !

sister, both of whom had darted
at the mouse the moment they
saw it. For a few moments
we struggled violently to free
ourselves 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 hang-
ing down and our hair dread-
fully ruffled, “you see how
MORE HASTE, WORSE SPEED, 39

foolish it is 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 fright-
fully penitent.”

“Don’t look at my tail,
Dottle,’ continued my sweet
mother; “I’m talking very
40 TEMPTATION IS STRONG,

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 away.

Who started up with wild surprise

Whene’er she heard a sudden noise,

And thought of danger and of boys ?
"Twas Pussy !

I remember that we used to
sleep a great deal when I was
young. Every day, after break-
fast, we had a nap of half an
hour. Then we played till din-
ner-time. This was generally
SLEEPING AND PLAYING. 41

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 be-
gan 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
42 PLAYING AND SLEEPING,

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 our-
selves thus till tea-time, and
then had another long sleep
till breakfast next morning.

Of course we were often
startled out of our sleep by
sudden noises. When this hap-
pened, our dear mother opened
her ears and listened very ear-
nestly. She opened her eyes,
too, so wide, that I sometimes
A SUDDEN ALARM. 45

thought she was listening with
them! I have sometimes seen
men open their mouths, as well
as their eyes and cars, when
they were much surprised. I
wonder if they listened 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 slum-
ber. Suddenly we heard a loud
noise, that made us start up
with wild astonishment.

“What was that?” said my
mother.

“The cook,” said I, tremb-
44 WHAT CAN IT BE?

ling, 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 no-
thing, 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 cnough to shut it against
any enemy that might be com-
ing. Dottle and I crept close
to our dear mother’s side, and
tried to feel that we were safe ;
WE GET A SURPRISE. 45

and, truly, when we looked at
her glaring eyes, and heard the







Wh GET A SURPRISE,

low, deep growl that seemed to
issue from her chest, and ob-
served the terrific claws that
began to appear,—when we
saw all this, and knew how
46 COULD I'P BE A DREAM ?

much she loved us, and how
brave she was, we felt greatly
comforted.

““ We must have been dream-
ing,” remarked my mother ; ‘“ I
don’t hear the sound now.”

“LT suppose we were,” said
Dottle, breathing more freely.

Ishook my head. ‘* Do you
think it is possible, mother,
that we three could all dream
the same noise, and start up at
the same time ?”

“Child, kitten,’ answered
my mother, with a severe lock,
“vou are too wise.”

“T did not know that a
THE ALARM REPEATED. 47

kitten could -be too wise,”
said I.

“Well, then, you pretend to
be too wise. Hold your tongue,
dear—tfuff ! ”

I was about to answer, when
I almost Jumped out of my
body with fright, as the terrible
sound was repeated.

Who trembled much with anxious fear
When danger really drew near,
And did in shape of dog appear ?
‘Twas Pussy!
My poor mother trembled ex-
ceedingly, so much so that I was
quite surprised; but she after-
48 IT IS—A DOG!

wards 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 pas-
sages of the house through
which the dog was running.
Sometimes it came near to the
room in which we were, and
then it turned off and went
howling along another passage,
OUR VIOLENT AGITATION. 49

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 suspense.
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
agitated. She trembled vio-
lently, and mewed several times
in anguish of spirit.
(415) 4
50 DINGEY TURNS CONSOLER.

’

“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
raliant 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 courage-
ous voice would tend to soothe
DOGS ARE DISGUSTING. 51

my alarmed sister. And so it
was.

“Thank you, dear Dingey,”
she said, creeping closer to-
wards our mother; ‘‘ you are
very kind. I feel much re-
lieved—mee-a-ow ! fuff!”

Dottle started and trembled
violently at this moment, for
the .hideous barking was re-
newed louder than ever. |
wonder why these vile dogs
have got such terrible, rude
voices! I never hear one bark-
ing, even in play, but my heart
flics into my throat and almost
chokes me. My dear mother
52 A TERRIBLE SPECTACLE.

had now become fearful to be-
hold. 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 convul-
sively at the wooden floor ;
and her voice rumbled, as if
in her stomach, like distant
thunder. At this moment
sister Dottle sneezed unexpec-
tedly. We were so excited that
we all leapt nearly our own
height from the floor, and
gave vent to a terrific cater-
waul.
‘« Silence, stupid thing—”
PREPARING FOR THE ENEMY. 53

“ Bow! wow! wow! wow!”
came rolling along the passage,
and, in another moment, we
heard feet scampering 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
54 DOTTLE’S COW ARDICE.

place of refuge, when a boister-







OUR AWFUL ENEMY,

ous bark close to ny tail caused
me to turn round with a shriek
THE ENEMY ARRIVES ! 55

of terror; at the same moment
Dottle upset our dish of milk
over my back and drenched me
to the skin. It 1s impossible
to describe my feelings when
1 received this hideous shock,
and, at the same time, beheld
the hairy face of a fierce terrier
within a foot of my nose!

Who gave a frightful caterwaul,
On. seeing that the dog was small,
And did not seem afraid at all ?
"Twas Pussy!
It was quite surprising to
observe the change that came
over my dear mother’s face
56 ONLY A TERRIER !

when she saw that the dog was
a very, very small one. She
instantly assumed a look of
bold, fierce defiance, for she
recollected having seen that
same little dog get a good
thrashing from a cat which was
not so large as herself.

The little dog rushed head--
long into the middle of the
room, and then stopped to glare
at us. |

‘¢Mec-a-ow! villain, what do
you want here? fuff! eh?”
cried my mother, bristling
intensely, and advancing a
step.
BEFORE THE BATTLE. 57

|?

‘* Bow! wow! wow
the dog.

‘“‘T will tear out your eyes,”
said my mother, “ and scratch
your face, and bite off your
nose, and rend your limbs ;—
do you hear? fuff!”

“Tl murder you outright,”
said Dottle, in a low whisper,
thickening her tail and draw-
ing back.

‘Bow! wow! wow!—Bow!
wow! wow! wow!” replied the
little dog.

“ Bow! wow!” repeated my
mother, with a sucer; ‘ is that
all you can say? Don't you

replied
58 AN ATTACK ON THE TERRIER.

think you might try Mow ! ow!
for a change ?”

As my mother said this, we
ull 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 sur-
prising, but he said nothing.
He felt very uneasy, however,
I observed, for he glanced back
at the door. This was the mo-
ment for action! Uttering a
shriek of rage, mingled with
horror at the thought of the
terrific attack she was about to
THREE TO ONE, 39

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, be-
sides many other fierce animals;
I have even seen that wretched
creature Man fight, and a very
ridiculous, 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
60 THE FURIOUS ENCOUNTER,

between my darling, brave





























OUR ENEMY IS CONQUERED.

mother, and that wicked little
terrier dog.
THE TWO COMBATANTS. G1

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
round, 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 I lay stunned and bleed-
ing at the nose. My poor
mother got a dreadful worry ;
her eyes started from their
62 THE FORTUNE OF WAR.

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 tum-
bled, 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
WE ARE VICTORIOUS | 63

sent her rolling across the room,
darted through the door-way,
and went scampering and yelp-
ing 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, how-
ever, for [ must say we had
been dreadfully ruffled, and it
was fully two hours before we
could purr or look sweet.
64 THE SLEEP AFTER THE BATTLE.
Wheeaght wanaver wien
Who sweetly in her slumber smiled,
While all the mice were jumping wild ?
Twas Pussy!
My mother did not know
that the mice were playing on
the table, however, else she
would have made them vanish
likesmoke. She was so fatigued
after the terrible battle with the
dog, that she fell fast asleep.
Kittens 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
A PLEASING CONTRAST. 65

glaring a short time ago like ¢









REST IS SWEET.

raging tiger. I laid myself by
5

(415)
66 THE THREE MICE,

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 right eye, I saw them
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 casy to do quietly, but at
last I succeeded, and we made
a tremendous jump at the mice.

|
A VICTIM FOR EACH OF US. 67

We caught them, we did, by
their tails; three of 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 feelings
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 ;
68 MY MOTHER DESERVEDLY PRAISED.

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. Iam 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
said), so amiable, and so re-
markably fat.

‘“My child,” said she to
TRY, TRY, AND TRY AGAIN. 69

me one day, “I do hope
that you will turn out a good
cat.” |

“Mother, darling,” said I,
“PH try.”

‘“ That’s right,’ said she,
sweetly ; “ there’s nothing like
trying. If ever you wish to
catch a mouse, you must try.
If you wish to kill a rat, you
must try. There is nothing to -
be done in the world without
trying. Only try, and there is
almost nothing that you may
not be able to do.”

‘* Mother,” said Dottle, “do
you think I could jump down
70 REMOVED FROM HOME.

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 by-
gone days.

I was taken rudely from my
dear mother and sister at last.
IT was put in a basket and
carried away, I know not
whither, and I never saw them
more.
A CAT'S MELANCHOLY, 71

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

Alas! alas! fuff! mew!




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