The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1877-12-20
The Cats Christmas.

Ten bare feet danced meTrily over the
carpet, and FIVE long stockings hung by
the fireplace. The feet and the stock
ings belonged to Merry Fanshawe and
her brother Roy, and their cousins Susie
Kinnie and Midget Purcell.
Merry's right name was Marion, but
few people called her by it, for she was
always in a twinkle of fun and it seemed
too grave for her laughing face and
sparkling eyes.
"There," said Roy, complacently 4;
" that is the way they will look to-mOr-
row night, and the day after tomorrow
morning won't they be just stuffed
Hurrah for Christmas
"Hurrah :" cried all the other children
in shrill squeaks, that caused Merry 5
mamma to say:
"Ceme now, take all those bare feet
away to bed, for / think you will get
cold"
g Yes, mamma; but just let me tell
you this. l asked Miss PendeTgastit If they
were going to keep Christmas at their
house and she said they had made a
chicken pie for the cats .
q Who is Miss Pendergast ? asked
Sue.
d" She is three nice old ladies that live
III Il luuuF LGLtC COLbdE6 iltEfl U.S. anu
they have some cats, such great handsome
catsl and they treat them as if they were
children, almost"
" Yes" put in Roy, {" and once when
Arethusa, the yellow cat, was sick, Merry
went and got some medicine from DR..
Nux, and he came in his gig to see her
| because he thought Arethusa was a
girl"
TruIy?" said Sue.
Yes" laughed Merry, d" and he teased
me ever so much about it, but l didn't
care, because the kitty got well and Miss
Pendergast was so pleased. They are poor,
YOU see, and haven't much to make them
have good time. Isn't it funny - make
a pie for cats, as if they would care about
! Christmas ?'
g VIII the cats give them anything ?'
asked little Midget.
" HO what an ideaw cried Roy.
But Merry claPped her hands, exclaim
ing:
just tell Sue and Kinnie when we
| go up stairs, mamma? ? We won't tall
long ?"
off the joke is of the right kind"
" Mamma as if ! would make baC
Jokes on any old people, especially the
| Miss PendeTgasts."
From the laughter and whispering
that went on when the girls were in bee
! the Joke must have been very funny
| and early the next morning mysterious
preparations began that caused mucl
! running about and consulting will
| mamma.
The three Miss Pendergasts were W
early, too. They had no Christmas pre-
paratiOns to make they could not affOrC
! gifts for each other, but Miss Hetty wa
a tailoress and wanted to finish Roy
| Fanshaw's new Jacket, so he could have
| it to wear and she could have the money
for sewing it with which to buy Christ
mas dinner.
Roy and Merry came for it at si5
O'Clock.
These are my cousins, Sue and Kinnie
| Miss Phemie. Will you let them see tn
cats, please!' said Merry.
q Yes, and welcome, dear. Arethusi
always purrs for you; l think sh
remembers your kindness when she wa
sick. Dandy, stand up and shake hand
with the young ladies"
Dandy was a black cat, large and dig
nified, but he obeyed his mistress, muCl
to the amusement of the little girls
Arethusa sat in a rocking chair an
purred sleepiIy, while Christopher,
gray cat jumped over Miss Hetty's var
stick which she held up for him"
Do they sleep in the hOuse2" sal
Sue.
" No, dear, they have a bed in the she
] that iOins the back Of the house, ard "
cover them up carefully and they al
! ] wa ruo enough In the rnoruiuer a 300
as I open the kitchen door they Jump u
and come in for their breakfast"
Do you get up very early - sske
Merry innoCentlYs
a always open the door at five
summer and six in winter" replied Mis-
/. Pendergast impressively.
I % That shed door hasn't one bit of
. bolt or button or anything" whlspere
Roy to Kinnie as they bade the oil
! ladies goodbye.
On Christmas morning, in the dIl
light of half past five O'Clock, that yer
shed door was pushed softly opened an
FIVE small muffled figures stole IN wit
y much suppressed giggliDg and 50
u Vbispering. and when Miss PenderCa
Il half an hour later cheerlully called II
Il cats she lifted both hands in astonis
y ment at what she saw.
Z For Dandy, Christopher, and Arethu
is sprang into TO the room each adorned WI
% a cav neckribbou and large rOsette, 81
- each bounding after three gray fann
- mice that were fastened by threads
the door and bobbed about As it swul
omen. And Oh the door hung three W.