St. Landry democrat., 1886-05-22
JESSiE'S FRIGHT.
A Story About Four Little Kittens and
Rubber Ball.

| A Story About Four Little Kittens and a
Rubber Ball.
1t was about a very small kitten that
! Jessie's great fright came. And I
must tell you first a little about those
kittens.
If you could only have seen them as
they were brought in from the barn in
basket! Four of them. lying on a
piece of old carpet with their old mann
my--she purring and giving once in
awhile a motherly little "Mmmm?'
when they stirred.
-Four babies!" exclaimed Jessie, in
great delight Il wonder if she's four
times as happy with them as you are
with me, mammal
Mamma thought not, and she gave
Jessie a hug and kiss just where the
pretty light curls parted on her fore
/ head
But Jessie thought she must be, as
she made arrangements for making the
precious little family as comfortable as
possible. She brought her dolls wal
nut bedstead, high at the head and al
most big enough for a real baby, and
made it up with clean spread and
trimmed pillows.
Then Madam Puss was carefully re-
moved to it, and her little black treas
ure and her gray-and-white pet and
her yellow nd-black-and-wh beauty
and her cunningest-in-the-wh ole-wor
white-with- Just a-tiny-spot- tail
darling were lovingly laid beside her.
Any one would think she might have
considered herself well-otf cat, as
Jessie softly lifted her head and placed
pillow under it, and then carried
away the old basket. But there is no
accounting for cats tastes.
When Josie got back, she met her at
the door, with the gray-and-white
dangling from her mouth, and she
trotted off to the barn before Jessie
could catch her, to find her old quar-
tiers.
For half the day that cat kept Jump
ing up every little while, trying to carry
off kitten. Later she seemed to make
up her mind that if she had to submit
to lying on a clean little bed, instead
of an old carpet, she would do it in
proper spirit; so she lay still and took
Jessie's petting as if she felt that she
deserved it all, and a great deal more.
And when at night the family was
taken out to the basket in the barn,
she was back again in five minutes,
carrying the yellow-and- black-and-
white.
Well, the kittens grew every day
bigger and prettier and cunninger.
Their eyes opened and they crawled,
and then stumbled and tumbled about
with uncertain little footsteps. They
rolled over each other clawed each
other, and disrespectfully played with
their mothers tail.
They were around in every corner
and in every body's way when jessie
had her great fright
1t was just at twilight, when all were
gathering for tea, that a dreadful
scream was heard. Every one ran to
see if the house was on fire or burg
lar getting in or window fallen down
on Jessie.
"What is it? What's the matter,
Jessie2"
"Ob! ohM OH! It's smashed-I
know it ISL
.What, dear? Your hand? YOUR
foot? Tell mamma what ailS you
"Oh, it's dead! its dead! I've killed
itn''
"Killed Uhat, Jessie?'
GA kitty. 1 stepped on it-hard. 1t
felt soft and it gave one squeak, and it
hash squeaked again, SO l know it's
dead
Dear, dear!'' said Aunt Maria
Jane. II knew something would hap
pen to those kittens always under
foot
Poor little kitty! Poor little girlr'
said Jessie's mamma, putting her arms
around her and trying to comfort her
while some one brought light.
Then every body went on kitten
hunt. The yellowand- black-and-white
and the grayand-white were asleep in
a little lump on the hearth-rug; the
black was curled up in Aunt Maria
James work-basket
Somebody stepped Oh something soft
in corner and jumped as it squea ked.
"That's it!' screamed Jessie. .Its
that dear little white one!''
But no. For just then the little tail
with the spot on it was seen peepina
cut of Jessie's hood, into which ,ts
owner had crept for nap. Papa held
down lamp to see what the soft THING
was which had squeaked so like kit
ten.
. Its my rubber ball!' cried .Iavs,a