The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1876-09-22
Twilight Stories.


Children, suppose that tell you a
story, for it's not dark enough to draw
down the curtains or light the gas, but
its too dark to roll balls or spin tops to
any advantage. Things have such a
way of slipping out of sight in the dusk,
it does not improve the temper to bump
ones head under the tables and chairs
looking for them; while stitches taken
in dolls clothes by this faint light are
apt to be pulled out IN great hurry the
next morning. See how the freight
dances on the walls. Everybody bring
q chair or stool or at least themselves,
nearer the fire, and I'll tell you a story.
What shall it be about2 The smallest
children of this great family shall choose
tonight. / think / heard some one say,
Kittens" Kittens it shall be. So
keep very quiet.
The name of the story is "The -Four
Little Kittens" .ro .,...,.
When Lizzie, the nurse, went up stairs
in the morning she said {: "Come,
children, it's time to get dressed"
But Willie's train Of cars, tangle of
chairs and string, reached across the
nursery floor, and he was busy oiling
the engine with the oil-can from the
sewing machine. Harry was turning
summersaults on the bed-that is, try
ing to do so, but his fat legs We're so
short he only stood on his head and fell
over sideways on the pillow to get up
and try again. How could either of
them spare time to be dressed But
Lizzie said again, Come, children,
l,.oa,1.1. ,tfo
fast time. Beside, I've something to
tell you about the cat
The engine steamed quietly into the
station, while the engineer put his feet
into his red stockings, ard Harry said,
as he ran across the floor, "What is it
about the cat is she lostT' El
son, no, she has some kittens in the
box behind the door in the back hall.
As was coming along early this morn
ing heard the FUNNIEST little noise in
the box, and when looked in there were
four of the sweetest little kittens, two
gray and white and two black with white
paws. They were all curled up to-
gether to keep warm, for the old cat was
in the kitchen getting her breakfast
Now, hurry and you'll have time to see
them before breakfast. y
No one would believe Willie was a
slow boy, if they could have seen how
quickly he was dressed that morning,
and Harry did not dance about at all,
but winked very hard when Lizzie gave
a dreadful pull TO the tangled curls, so
there was time to pay the visit. Such
lovely kittensl All CURED up in a
bunch, as Lizzie said, fast asleep. They
did not like 10 be disturbed very much,
and chung to one another and made such
funny little squeaks for news, for all the
world like toy kittens besides, they
never opened their eyes 1T all. Pussy
came into the box with a bounce and a
NEW, and tapped with velvet paw on
the little fat hands, just to remind the
boys that she did not wish liberties
taken with her babies. Robert came in
with the milk just then, and Harry said,
sob, Robert, do YOU see these sweet
little kittens 2" Robert admired them
very much, but Harry didn't hear him
say to the cook, It's carrying them off
I'll be for doing. There's enough little
cats in the house now, that's only two
feet"
But the old cat heard him
Harry and Willie talked about the
kittens all the morning, but mamma
would not let them disturb them again,
because, she said, "They were just lit
tie babies, ike baby brother in his bas-
ket up stairs, and as they hadn't their
eyes open, it frightened them to be taken
out of their warm box and handled
roughly" So the little boys minded
mamma till after dinner, when Harry
asked If he might not tase his little sis
ter Amy down to see the kittens If they
did not touch them. Mamma said, yes.
So the two trotted off hand in hand,
through the halls and over the hills and
mountains, three steps anu q door sill,
10 the box in the back hall. Amy looked
into the box, and said, Kitty" She
saw roll of carpeting in the corner, and
was so little she did not know the diff r
ence in the dark hall, but Harry was a
whole year older, and he saw that there
were no little gray and black muffs
curled up in bunch asleep, and no
old cat either. What did it meanl 1t
only took him minute to get into
the kitchen, though ne tumbled up every
stair.
"Oh, lizzie, cook, where are the dear
ca ling pussies2 They are gone And
the old cats gone. don't like il I'm
indignant |" 80 he lay down and kicked
till mamma came out to see what made
all the noise, for little Amy was crying
at being left alone, and the two heels
made great clatter on the bare floor.
CT don't zee what's come of the kit
tens myself, man." said Lizzie, the
cook, TO mamma, for Roberts not
been in since, and they were safe after
breakfast, for I heard them NEW. The
old cats carried them off and hidden