Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1882-05-17
How the Kittens we're Saved.

boy lying on the hay before it, looking
through the hole with bright eyes a pair Of
legs, with bare feet attached, stretched out
behind him, and likewise pair Of sun-brown
hands doubled across his breast-this was
the picture which nobody but barn-swallow
saw. But three minutes afterward that
same boy appeared in the farmhouse close
by, looking in at the buttery door where
Aunt Eunice was making cookies, breathless,
hatless, and exclaiming with excitement:
"Say Aunt Eunice I've found 'em
I've seen 'em but l can't get em and
there's six Of 'em altogether, and ones all
black, and ones gray, and two of ems
white, and l couldn't tell the color of the
other ones. But should think continued
Peter, calming down little, while he began
picking the wisps of hay out of his hair and
clothes, al should think they might be yell
LOWER at least, yellow in spots But who's
to get 'em, don't know they're way out
of my reach, up in the barn loft on the west
side, you know, where Speckle used to lay
her eggs one while, til Uncle Ralph cured
her by shutting her up. Well, that's the
place. But they're way out of my reach,
for put my arm through the holes fairs |
could, and couldn't near touch 'em. Old
Tabs cute to get that place. But I'm going
upstairs to tell Lulu"
In moment more, during which he went
up two stairs at time, Peter presented him
self at the cool door of the fresh bedroom,
where Lulu sat painting nasturtiums. The
story was rehearsed, and putting busting
cap over her hair, away Lulu went with her
| ten-year-old friend to the barn. Skipping
| down the garden path Peter spied over the
wall Cousin Belle with pail of freshly
picked berries.
Hurry up with your berries and come
on, Belle We're going to the barn Tabs
got her kittens in no end of fix ! Uncle
Ralph wants to put in some more hay and
they'll be smothered-'nd we're going to try
to get 'em out. So hurry up ~
"Cousin Belle" girl of thirteen, needed
no further urging. In emo time" she pre-
sented herself at the same buttery door,
with the inviting pail of dewberries, and
with half-a-dozen hot cookies as reward,
away she followed them on the run. Peter
and Lulu had entered the barn and were
celebrating. Finally Lulu climbed the
ladder on tour of Investigation, preceded
by Peter, and followed by Belle.
"This is a regular circus" said Peter.
| "MeDagerie, you mean," said Belle.
"The beasts ar'n't very wild, Just now"
said Lulu; "in fact, to give them chance
| 10 run Wllu Is WnaJ we re- alter'
All three had reached the top of the hay
NOV, and now sat in row on the edge of
| it. Load after load of fragrant clover and
sun-dried grass had been tossed up, but
there was still room for more, and already
they could hear from the meadow Dan shout
to his horses as they cleared the fence posts
in passing from the lower field up toward
the barn with fresh load. No time must
be lost. Those kittens must be gotten out
at once As Peter declared that he couldn't
reach them, Lulu who though well on to
fifteen years, had not outgrown a school,
girls love for frolic, determined to try, dis.
pensing with dignity in love for the comical
So she charged Belle to hold on to her dress
and slid herself down to the hole in the
brown boards and looked through. There
the little wee things were, all in lump, SC
to speak, and Lulu dexterously worked in
her right arm.
"If it only were longer" she cried, while
Belle held firmly on to her rutiles, laughing
immoderately. With a great strain Lulu
touched the sleepy, furry mass. How hot
she grew under the sloping roof. The heat
tickled her ears and face. She touched
first little tail, pulled the end of it, then
got hold of little more of it, and then the
body belonging to it, which she slowly drew
toward her and finally out of the hole, pass.
ing it on to Peter for safe keeping, but
humping her head funously against beam
overhead as she lifted it unguardedly.
"Hold on tight to my dress, Belle. II
you don't shall fall off the other side and
break my bones" she cried out, as Belle fol
moment relinquished her hold, in favor Of
kitten and cookie. But Bell grasped il
firmly again, and again the arm went
through the hole, and after much effort was
drawn out with another bit of fur.
Nearer came the horses, with Dan crack.
ing his whip and shouting, "Get upl Get
up" as they neared the driveway to the
great open barn doors. The arm went in
desperately again, and with much poking
about, and pulling, and mixing of heads AND
tails, five kittens were out.
"Whoa Get upl' In came the loaded
wagon upon the barn floor, whose boards
creaked with the stain. What a struggle
to reach that last kitten. 1t seemed utterly
out of reach, and crawling blindly away
But Lulu was persevering.
"Peter Don't let Dan throw any hay on
me Belle, unbutton one of my boots, and
slide it down to me next the wall, quick =
she cried out.
In minute more, by its aid she had
scooped the small Maynard creature within
reach, and it, too, was finally brought out
Peter, with handkerchief-ful, had much
ado, though he was ga boy" to get himself
and his burden safe TO the floor. Belle stood
on the top round of the ladder and laughed
at Lulu-"fit TO kill herself" while Dan
with great red handkerchief stood by hi
horses heads, wiping the beads of perspir
alton from his forehead and looking up be
wildered.
"Belle, ask Dan for rake, and hand mt
one end of it while you hold the other. Ii
that way | can crawl up, and you needn'
hold on any longer"
1t was done and in short time Lulu
very hot and tired, but nevertheless quit
glad, was cooling herself in the front porch
the worthy heroine of the day. Fifteen min
utes afterward the hay-loft was packed Il
the rafters with fragant hay; but the res
oued kittens found a new home in a baske
in deserted tool-house.-SprinQfed Re
publican.