The Conservative. (M'connelsville, Ohio) 1866-1871, 1870-03-11
WH.TTHE DOG AND CAT SAID.

ged the cat, until he was tired, so he threy
| himself down upon the nice chintz-coveret
lounge that looked so tempting on tha
pleasant July day. s..-- .-.. ...-.-- u
"Mother," said he, 'if Rover and Malti
could talk. what do you suppose they woult
say?" ... .-.- -...-...--. ...----...
could have spoken this morning she woulC
have said: 'Oh, how rough Willie is! HI
hurts mel Dear, dear, shan't have an!
tail leftr -I- --.-- --l .-
II don't mean to hurt her." said Willie
Chow I do wish she could talk. Wouldn'
we have nice times?" g 81
81 guess so, said mamma, and wen
quietly on with her sewing, but Willie
kept quite still upon the lounge, thinking
: IT they only could talk, why it would b'
almost as good as boy to play with. How
funny it WOnld sound;" and he laughed t.
himself as he thought of it. He wondered
what Maltie said to her kitten If ever scold
! ed it. He was quite sure he had seen he
strike the little thing sometimes. Was sh'
in fun or in earnest?
Now, as he was lying there so quietly
| thinking and wondering, who should wall
in but Maltie. with her kitten in her mouth
land-wOnder of wondersl strangest of al
strange things, Sls put it down very gentl!
upon the rug, and said-yes, Sdid-a!
| plainly as Willie had ever heard anything
| in his life:
I'm going to leave you here minute
while l ran off to get something to eat
! Willie forgot my breakfast this morning, h'
was so busy with that foolish Rover. You'll
be perfectly safe here. Don't stir from thi:
rag"
Notwithstanding his astonishment, vii
lie could not help reproaching himself fol
| the forgotten breakfast. "Its true enough,
he thought, II did forget it. That gums
OF tag with Rover drove it out of myhead :
but he couldn't stop for any more think
ing, for now the little kitten opened it,
mouth, and, instead of its feeble little NEW,
! il slid, in frightened voice:
s.Oh, put me in the basket! Please put
me in the basket! Don't leave me here
put me in the basket
"Nonsense /" said the old cat, with dig.
nifty. ''Wnat are you afraid f?"
OF that boy-that Willie" answered
the Kitten, almost CRYING. -. f.--
"Fiddlesticks !! cried Maltie, inpatient
! ly, "he's good boy, if he did forget my
breakfast. He wouldn't hurt fly"
'He 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 I try to walk, and my legs give
out under me, he only laughs"
'.Well," said the mother eat, encOursg-
iugIy, she doesn't mean anything; besides,
you're quite little eat now, and it's time
you were trying your strength. Willie won't
hurt you. I'll risk him.
She was moving off (being probably IN a
hurry for her morning meaD; but the kit
ten cOuldn' be left so. She put her little
paws mp pleadingly, and seemed quite be-
side herself with terror.
"He takes NE in his arms" she cried,
sand when my claws stick into his jacket,
he won't wait for me to take them out, but
he pulls them hard. Dear mel dear mel
Here the poor little kitty began to cry just
for all the world like little baby.-----7
Willie couldn't stand that, so he called
out from the sofs: Dear little kitty, don
be afraid, 1 wouldn't hurt you for the
world" but neither the old cat nor the kit
ten took the least notice; in fact, they don't
seem to hear him at all.
How queerr Thought Willie, Perhaps
my talking sounds as funEy to them as their
mewiDg does to me. They don't under
stand me, at any rate.
No, they didn't understand him, Tor the
old cat laid herself down beside the kitten,
and, ellddlinq it 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 'eldetgb as much as
to say: '.Do keep quiet for few minutes,
till this troublesome kitten is off my
hands" .r-.....--..
1t was almost too much for Willie; bat
when Rover very soberly went to the win
dow and stood looking out with 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 good romu
IN the garden, he could stand 1t no long
er. but laughed so loud that he was really
afraid he had disturbed the kitten just al
it seems about dropping of.
But mol no such thing! She took mol
the least particle of notice; and the old cal
continued her caressing few moments
| longer, then rose and stretched herself,
opening her mouth ''loidely, " as Willie said
sometimes. m r....--- --r
That was enough to bring Rover from
the window. He and Maltle had beer
brought up together from their earliest IN
fancg, so they were excellent friends. anc
generally got along most harmonIously
though sometimes, it must be confessed
they did quarrel like cats and dogs.
II there was any choice as to disposition
it was rather in Rover's favor, for Malti'
was sometimes a little spitefuI (sphefd, a.
Willie called it, } and, when she didn't hap
Il L To- Inrrr rrr1rf FrnI r
give Rover q smart box on the ear, which
sent him away, howling IN indignation.
But then Rover did have his jealoHs fit
| occasionally, when, If Mistress Puss go
more than he considered her just share o
Willie's attention, he would be as GUM g.
he could be, and not speak word to he
for a whole hour. 70 .-- .l.z-..a .
But, on this particular morning, he wai
all ready for froiic. 'tCome! come
comel' said he, limpatiently "Your kitter
is off as sound as a top. It's too pleasant
! to stay in the house. Come! GOMEZ
This he said. shaking his little body, ano
wagging his little tail, till Willie was ready
to laugh again; but Matte began In an IN
jured tone a I'll
| = 81 shoud ike a little breakfast, but sup
nose Mary will take the broOmstick ifI "a
! into the kitchen now. Let me see-Whsi
! time is it?" there she cast her eyes inquir.
ingly up at the clock.) 'Half past eight =
declared Everything will be put away
| 1 shan't have even a crust of bIead!'
"Yes, you shall. old Maltie-yes, you
shallI' 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; you Just
come out into the garden with me, and III
show vou where keep my bones"
''Your bonesr' repned the cat. dlsdain'
| fully. There's great deal of meat Oh
! them, guess"
"Of course there isn't, replied Rover.
Don't eat the meat all of clean, before
l bury them?"
sWell, then, what do want with themP
exclaimed Maltie, pettishly.