The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1885-09-19
BENG A CAT.

Lucy Mays Wish, and How 1t Was Grant
ed-Not So Niceas She Thought 1t Would
BE.
Yes, mamma do; Just wish l was
cat, and then Iwould not have to get
up in the morning but would sleep Just
as late as l wantel to. These hot days,
it is so hard to gd up so early and wash
and dress, and thn have to help do the
work, too. Now,if [ was a cat l would
sleep till I got hungry, and then when
had had something to eat l would
find good place and go to sleep
again." said Lucy May to her mother.
Lucy's mother had told her She must
take care OF her little sister while she
made the bread, and Lucy was cross
about it, as you can see from what she
said to her mother.
Well, Lucy, put Bess down on the
bed, and 90 away and be Il cat, if YOU
wish to; but you must 90 out OF this
room; you know | 10 not let kitty be
near Bess for fear she will hurt her;
go out in the shed where the old cat is,
and have nice time.
Lucy looked at her mother and saw
she had to go, and she took her bonnet
and was just going out of the door
when her mother said: What are you
going to do with that clean bonnet?
That is my little Lucy's bonnet; a cat
does not want a bonnet
Lucy did not know what to say, but
hung up the bonnet and left the room.
She went out and found old kit but
she was sound asleep under the shed,
and would not play with her.
She then thought she would ike to
take walk in the garden, and get up
in one of the large apple-trees, as she
had seen kitty do. Lucy got away up
in the top of the tree and found it hard
work to hold on, but she had no fear
cats did not fall. She got a big red APP
pie and thought how nice it is to be a
cat But Just then she saw little Young
bird not far from her She tried to
catch it, lost her hold on the tree and
fell to the ground.
Her arm was much hurt and her pref
ty dress was torn. She sat there on the
ground and had good cry; what would
her mamma say about her new dress?
But she was in so much pain from her
arm she did not care SO much about
the dress.
When her arm felt better, she said:
Il have been a cat as long rs | want
to, it is not so nice as | thought it was,
L guess l will 60 and play with Bess for
awhile"
When she got to the house she found
her mamma and BeSS lust going out
for a ride.
"Oh, mamma, said she, cant l 90
with you?'
"Do you think | would take cat
out riding with me? no, indeed, would
not. Here is your pan of milk, | viii
set it on the ground so you can drink
it. Come, Bess, let us 60 for our ride
now; we are not cats, are we, dear?
So we can take a + de, and then bring
papa home with Us, said Lucy's
mamma, and oil she went, and left
Lucy at home.
How she did cry! Poor child, by
this time her arm hurt her so much, she
thought it must be broken.
She went into the house and up TO
her own little room that her mother al
ways kept so nice for her, and cried
and cried till she fell fast asleep. How
long she had been asleep she did not
know, but at last she heard her mother
call her; she got up, went to her and
said: ION, mamma, cant be Your lit
tie girl again? | don't want to be cat;
| just want to be your little Lucy once
more; and oh, mamma, fell and hurt
my arm; it does hurt me 50 much.
Her mamma took her in her arms
and said; al thought my little girl did
not really want to be a cat, but ! thought
| would let her try i and see how She
liked it, Let me look at your arm.
Why, to be sure your arm is hurt, but
not very much, hope l viii tic it
up and put some water on 1t, and it
will be all right in a day Or two. !
hope, Lucy, YOU will be better child
after this "
"Oh, yes, mamma, will, said she,
and she was a much better girl after
that, and tried to help her mother al
ways, and tried never to be cross about
it, ever again School and Home.
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