Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1870-03-10
WHATTHE DOG AND CAT SAID.

Willie had played with the dog, and hug
ged the cat, until he was tired, so he threw
himself down upon the nice chintz-covered
lounge that looked so tempting on that
pleasant July day.
Mother" said he, eff Rover and Maltie
could talk, what do you suppose they would
say?'
Mamma laughed. II guess if Maltie
could have spoken this morning she would
have said 'Oh, how rough Willie is! He
hurts mel Dear, dear, L shan't have any
tail leftr
81 don't mean to hurt her." said Willie.
How 1 do wish she could talk. Wouldn't
We have nice times?"
81 guess So" said mamma, and went
enietly on with her sewing, but Willie
kept quite still upon the lounge, thinking,
'1f they only could talk, why it would be
almost as good as boy to play with. How
funny it would sound;" and he laughed to
himself as he thought of it. He wondered
what Maltie said to her kitten if ever scold.
ed it. He quite sure he had seen her
strike the little thing sometimes. Was shs
in fun or in earnest2
Now, as he was lying there so quietly,
thinking and wondering, who should walk
in but Maltie. with her kitten in her mouth,
and-wonder OF gondersl strangest of ali
strange things. She put it down very gently
upon the rug. and said-yes, said as
plainly as Willie had ever heard anything
in his llfe
I'm going to leave you here minute,
while | ran off to get something to eat -
Willie forgot my breakfast this morning, he
was so busy with that foolish Rover. You'll
be perfectly safe here. Don't stir from this
rsg."
Notwithstanding his astonishment, Will
lie could not help reproaching himself for
the forgotten breakfast. '.It's true enough, "
he thought, Il did forget it. That game
of tag with Rover drove it ont of my head
but he couldn't stop for any more think
ing, for now the little kitten opened it.
mouth, and, instead ef its feeble little new,
it I'D, in frightened voice:
s-Oh, put me in the basket Please put
me in the basket, Don't leave me here
put me in tho basketr'
"Nonsense !" said the old cat with dig
nifty. .'What are you afraid of?"
"Of that boy-that Willie" answered
the kitten, almost crying.
"Fiddlesticks !" cried Matte, inpatient
ly, shes good boy, it he did forget my
breakfast. lie wouldn't hurt a fy."
'sHe would, he does,-he hurts me. "
cried the poor little kitten. He takes me
out of the basket and puts me on the floor.
and when Try to walk, and my legs give
out under me, he only laughs"
'Well.' ssid the mother cat, encourag-
ingly, she doesn't mean anything; besides,
you're quite "A little cat now, and it's time
you were trying your strength. Willie won't t
hurt You. I'll risk him."
She was moving of (being probably in a
hurry for her morning meaD; but the kit
1 fo,. hn la<t he hnr Ia
paws up plead4hely, and seemed quite be-
side herself with terror.
"He takes NE in his arms" she cried,
''and when my claws stick into his jacket,
he won't wait for me to take them out, but
he pulls them hard. Dear met dear mer'
Here the poor little kitty began to cry just
for all the world like q little baby.
Willie couldn't stand that, so he called
out from the sofs: Dear little kitty, don t
be afraid, / wouldn't hurt you for the
world" bat neither the old cat nor the kit
ten took the least notice; in fact, they dom t
seem to hear him at all.
How queerw thought Willie. perhaps
my talking sounds as tunRy to them as their
mewing does to me. They don't under
stand me, at any rate.
No, they didn't understand him, for the
old cat laid herself down beside the kitten,
and, cIddiing il up to her, and softly lap
ping it with her rough tongue, she seemed
exactly as if she was getting it to sleep.
And so she was; for, when in few min
utes Rover appeared upon the scene of ac-
tion, and seemed about to open his mouth,
Maltie winked at him so 'e,aely, much as
to say: "Do keep quiet for few minutes,
till this troublesome kitten is off my
hands"
i 1t WAS almost too much for Willie; but
when Rover very soberly went to the win
dow and stood looking out with a face
which was gravity itself, though Willie
knew, by the quivering of his stumpy lit
tie figure, and the impatient motion of his
tail, how he was longing for q good romp
in the garden, he could stand it no long
er, but laughed so loud that he was really
afraid he had disturbed the kitten Just as
it seems about dropping off,"
But mel no such thingl She took not
the least particle or notice; and the old cat
continued her caressing few moments
longer, then rose and stretched herself,
opening her mouth spidely" as Willie said
sometimes.
That was enough to bring Rover from
the window. He and Naltie had been
brought up together from their earliest in
fancy, so they were excellent friends and
generally got along most harmoniously,
though sometimes, it must be confessed,
they did quarrel like cats and dogs.
III there was any choice as to disposition,
it was rather in Rover's favor, for Maltis
was sometimes little spiteful (spitefui, Of
Willie called il, } and, when she didn't hap
pen te be in the humor for playing, would
give Rover smart box on the ear, which
sent him away howliug In INDIGNATION
| Puf than Rcvar did hava hi, iaofouc fte
occasionally, when, if Mistress Puss 60,
more than he considered her just share oi
Willis's attention, he would be as glum &c
he could be, and not speak word to hel
for a whole hour.
But. on this particular morning, e was
all ready for a froIic. ''Comel come
comel" said he, impatiently 'Your kitten
is of as sound as top. It's too pleasant
to stay in the house Come! comer'
J This he said. shaking his little body, and
wagging his little tail, till Willie was ready
to laugh again; but Matte began in an in
, jured tone
81 should like little breakfast, bat sup.
! pose Mary will take the broomstick if 90
into the kitchen now. Let me see-What
time is it?" (here she cast her eyes inquir.
! ingly up at the clock.) ''Half past eight
: declare! Everything will be put away
l shant have even q crust of bIeadT
'.Yes, You shall. old Maltie-yes, you
, SHALL" sung out Willie from the sofa, but
it might as well have been the wind blow.
ing, for all that Maltie heard or understood
} "Never mind" said Rover; s'you Just
} come out into the garden with me, and I'll
} show you where keep my bones"
, "Your honest replied the cat, disdain
| fully. There's great deal of meat OF
them, guess" -
: ''Of course there isn't" replied Rover
5 Don't eat the meat all OF clean, before
bury them?"
, ''Well, then. what do want with themf
exclaimed MAltie. pettishly.