Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1868-02-08
was not always quite as civil as he could


fully. Il am no, so sure about that. |
think il will be great fun; and Helen will
be out Of her senses
Icould no, keep still any longer.
bounded off the sofa, cryiDg,'O mamma,
mamma, am really 10 go! And shall
take MIge =
Midge was my cal. dowdy little gray
cat. whom nobody ever called cookbook
ing. but who loved dearly.
Mercy on me : screamed mamma.
How you frightened me You bad
child. 10 lie still. and heer secrets. But
you will be punished enough by having
10 keep one for week. You must not
tell soul. Nobody knows il but me,
and the Miss Ferys are very anxious
that nothing should be said about H.
People talk about The pleasure Of antic
ipslion. never could see il when was
a child, and | dom! how. think tits
misery. That week was The most un-
comfortable week of my life. excepting
one which passed shut up in the gsrret
for punishment after had been very
naughty. II it had no. been for lying on
the bsymow with Midge. and talking 10
her about ii, know | should have been
sick.
At last the invitations came,-all sen!
oui in one forenoon. two days before
Christmas. Such hubbub as all the
children in town were in ! The invita-.
,ions were written on bright pink paper.
The Miss Ferrys reques, the pleasure
Of your company on Christmas Eve, from
six ill nine o'clock.
You will please bring your cat. There
will be a Christmas Tree Tor The Gals.
Each cal is expected 10 wear paper
| ruff.
The servants can be sent to take the
cats home at half past seven
did no. know what ruff was. but
mamma explained i, TO me, and showed
me the picture of an old queen in one.
We cut one out. and pu, il on Mi5ge, but
she tore i, off in abou, half a minute; and
mamma ssid that If the cats were 10 be
kept in rufs through the entire evening,
she though, il would be more work than
play; out we could all carry hall-a dozen
extra ones in our pockets, and put Them
on occasionally. if Miss Esther and Miss
Jane thought best. had six for Mijge,
one red, one green. one blue, and three
white. We thought i. would be funnler
to have variety OF colors.
BY quarter before six clock, on Christ
mas Eve, droll procession was 10 be
seen walking towards the yellow cottage.
Each boy and girl carried cat hugged
up tightly in their arms, and as II was
pilchy dark. The CATS eyes shone out like
little balls Of fire moving about in the air.
We had a dreadful time taking of our
things in the hall. for The cats all began 10
new. they were so frightened. We all
wore our everyday gowns. because our
manmas said iha, the cats would proba-
bly, fgh,,and spill lhngs; bul Miss Esther
and Miss Jane were dressed in their best
stiff black silks, and had Oh their biggest
gold chains, and we felt quite ashamed
ill we forgot sbo5, our clothes. did
not 90 till six o'clock, for did not want
to have Midge The frs, Cal in the room,
she was such an ugly little thing; but as
soon as l went into The psror, laughed
20, tina, | dropped her right on The floor,
and she put her paw through her blue
ruff, and lore il of, before Miss Esther
had seen it.
There sat Tom. and Spunk, and Spit
FIRE, and Yellow, all in a row. in their
highest chairs. with enormous paper
,nG, -, .o hi, a, a, any. ooL ab like nOih-
ing ct all oy The side OF them. Tom had
white one Spifre had deep blue.
which was beautiful with her gay fur
Spunk had shining black one ; and Yel-
lows was fiery red. There they SAL as
solemn asjudges, and erybody in the
room was screaming with laughter. Six
cats beside Midge had already srrived'and
they had all hid under The chairs and ia.
bles. the perfect pictures Of misery. Miss
Esther and Miss Jane looked very proud
OF llielr cats, who really did behave as II
they had been all their lives accustomed
10 receiving company. 'Hosever, |
thought to myself, 1T won't last long,
and il didn't. As soon as saw Willie
Dickinson come in with his old Iron
Gray, knew black Tom could not keep
quiet, for Iron Gray and he always fought
like cats and dogs In about five min
utes Tom csugh, sight Of him, and just as
Miss Esther was kissing Bessie Whi's,
who had her tame Maltese kitten tucked
under her arm like hat, Tom jumped
right over Miss Es!her's shoulder. and
came down hesdforemosi between Willie
and Bessie, and struck his claw into Iron
Gray's ear. Willie sprang TO catch up
Iron Gray, and nod on Midge. who be-
gan 10 new, and for a minute j, looked as
if we should have.a terrible time. But
Miss Esther sna,ched Tom up, and gave
him box on The ears. and pu, him back
into his chair, where he sat looking jus,
as guilty and ashamed as whipped child;
and Willie said he would hold Iron Gray
in his cap. so all was soon quiet. As for
the res, Of the Gals. they were as sill as
mice {; two or three OF them bad crepl
quite out Of sigh: under the great hair
cloth sofa.
BY quarter past six the company had
all arrived Twelve girls, eight hoys.s and
twenty cats. The room was large, but it
seemed crowded and il was quite uou-
blesome 10 get sbou. without stepping on
a cat, especially as every body was laugh