The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1881-12-14
Ghildrem's Gnlmm1l.
How Dan Caught the Kitten.-

Dan had set out to catch the black
kitten. Now this was something which
had never yet been done, which was, in
fact, the main reason why Dan wished to
do it.
The birthplace of these kittens had
been snug, warm corner of the hayloft;
but in their tender infancy the black cat,
jealous of Dams frequent visits to her
nursery had secretly conveyed them to a
hiding-place out of the way of the boys,
under the barn floor. This worried Dan
a good deal. 1t wasn't that he cared so
very much about the kittens, but he
hated to have the cat get ahead of him.
One by one, after many daring adven-
lures and hair-breadth escapes, he had
caught all the kittens but the black one.
He was not a cruel boy, though he was
rather mischievous one, and the kit
tens finding that he only gave them a
little rough usage: and after that was
pretty sure to treat them to saucer of
milk, gradually learned to rather like
him.
All but the black kitten. She still
held out. No persuasion, no hattery, no
craft, had as yet been able to capture her
Day by day, as she scudded across his
pathway, always with blaze of green
lightning in her eyes, and terrific spit
ting and frothing at the mouth, Dan had
matched his skill against hers to no pur-
pose. If he climbed the hay loft in pur-
suit of her, she fled to the high beams in
a twinkling and if he patiently pursued
her thither at the peril of his bones, she
would claw her way up the rafters to the
far-way peak of the roof, and there hold
herself till he was tired of waiting for her
to come down. There wasn't nook
about the place that she didn't know as
well as Dan did-to know them better
was impossible-and she had decidedly
the advantage of him in size and speed
If | only was weasel" said Dan,
I'd catch her, I'll bet. But you see
she's smaller'n I am, and she knows il"
Why don't you catch her in trap ?"
said Fred, Dams elder brother.
did catch her in a box-trap once"
replied Dan, {" but she got out quicker
you could say Jack Robinson.
Knock her over with a stone, then,
said Fred.
II don't want to kill her," replied
Dan, Indignantly, II want to catch
her"
But fortune smiled on Dan at last.
Sister Belle had gone to Aunt RAYS to
spend the afternoon, taking the baby
with her, and Huldah, the hired girl,
had run over to neighbours. The kitch-
en- was clear, and Dan being hungry, had
gone to the closet to get piece of bread
and butter. Of course, coming out he
had left both kitchen and pantry door
wide open; after which he had gone out
under the apple-tree, where he was busy
rigging boat to sail upon the pond.
Now the black kitten had a curiosity to
peep into the kitchen and pantry, from
which, as she had learned, came milk
and other goodies not to be found in the
barn. Slowly and stealthily, therefore,
she edged her way along, keeping close
under the shelter of the fence, one eve
on Dan and one on the kitchen door
She hadn't gone in this way a rod before
Dan saw her. But Dan had not Skin
mished with the cats SO long for nothing.
He had become wise in all the arts of
cats.
Just you wait, my lady gray" he
said to himself, till l get you fairly into
that kitchen and the door shut on you.
Well see then who'll come out ahead"
So Dan went on rigging his boat or
pretending to. He even turned himself
around, so that he could but Just see the
kitchen door with one eye over his
shoulder. The kitten, cheated by his
apparent Indifference, left off creeping
and quickened her pace, till at last, with
two or three light leaps, she reached the
kitchen steps. Dan then became more
busily engaged in boat-rigging than ever.
The kitten stood upon the threshold and
peeped and peered, and worked her
whiskers back and forth. But the kitch-
en- was still. Not mouse stirred. Only
a great blue fly buzzed on the window
pane, and kittie was not afraid of flies.
Softly at last she crossed the thresh-
hold. Still Dan waited. He knew that
a pan of milk covered with nice, thick
cream, stood just within the pantry door.
and that wicked boy coolly calculated
upon her making her way to that tempt
ing spot. Then, when her tongue was
well tickled, and her whiskers well smear
ed with the cream, he would spring
lightly and softly to the doorstep, close
the door behind him, and then
If don't catch that black kitten
this time, he said to himself, 81 don't
deserve ever to catch her"
He went to work cautiously. He