The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1886-08-14
SNOWFALL AND BUTTERFLY.

One pleasant moonlight night two
white kittens, SNOWFALL and Butterfly,
were seated on the ridge-pole of a pretty
country house, their home. Cuddling
herself more comfortably against the
chimney, SNOWFALL said: I say, Butter
hy-there's some fun, or rather some food
in store for us. While was in the cellar
watching for a mouse, saw Norah bring
down a jar of cream with a paper tied
over the top" "How did you know it
was cream?" asked Butterfly. ooh, l
heard Norah say to my mistress mamma:
AN would be afthor putin the crane
down suller? and she said: yes, but you
would better put paper over the top, as
the cover is broken, 80 that the cream
will not be at the mercy of SNOWFALL and
Butterfly Now know of small WIN
dow in the cellar wall, and there we'll
jump in and eat up the cream, We can
very easily tear off the paper. DO you
remember the time 1 tore open the bag
of catnip that my mistress had left in the
garret? Wasn't it jolly fun? Well, But
terfly, will you go?" "Agreedl Meet me
here the next dark night, at sharp"
said Butterfly, and with this they sepa-
rated. cat 9 sharp, the next dark night"
SNOWFALL and Butterfly we're again seated
on the ridge-pole. lis the coast clearY'
whispered Butterfly. "Yes, come on.
Miss Molly is having birthday party,
and there's no danger of being found
out" was the response.
Creeping stealthily along through the
dark, they soon reached the cellar win
dow. After another whispered ccnsulta-
ton, Butterfly jumped confidently on to
NOT the cellar floor, as he had expected,
but the cover of the soft-soap barrel,
which being small for the size of the bar
rel, tipped up, and down went poor But
terfiy, up to his little pink ears in the
slippery compound. "Me-o-o cow he
cried in anguish. Snowfall, where are
your" Here" replied voice from
above. "Have you found the cream?"
sNo; but I've found the soft.soap barrel,
and am up to my ears in it. Ugh how
salt it tastes" "Hold on a minute, and
I'll be there" "Be careful" "Guess
I'll 90 round to the other window and
hop in there" said SNOWFALL. Cautiously
advancing to the window next Butterfly,
be gave daring leap and landed plump
in jar of apple-butter, which the careless
cook had left uncovered when she came
down after some for dinner. just at this
moment light step was heard on the
stairs, and little figure in white and
blue came tripping gaily down. 1t was
the kittens mistress, Miss Molly, coming
down after the birthday cake. SNOWFALL
and Butterfly began mewing afresh.
"Why, dear mel' exclaimed Miss Molly,
'.wnat poor little kitten is this !? The
mewing seems to come from the soft-soap
barrel" Rushing to the barrel, she
looked in, and cried:
"Why, my darling little Butterfly How
came you here?' And she Rugged him
close, forgetting cake, dress, sash--ev-
erything but Butterfly. Soon after he
had ceased to new Miss Mollie heard the
cry Of another kittie, and hurrying to the
apple butter firkin found poor Snowfall
in sorry plight indeed. She lifted him
lifted him tenderly out, and said sadly
"Oh, Snowie, Snowie, you and Butterfly
have been in mischief againl' And tax
ing Snowfall under one arm and Butter
fly under the other, she started up the
stair, meeting Norah ON the way to see
why she was SO long in bringing the cake
When she saw the condition Miss Molly's
dress and sash were in, she cried: "Howly
Moses, if the gal amt bin a-rollin' herself
in soap-grease an apple sarse, and haste
of a cat under aitch arrum. Och, SIGH a
gall SIGH gall Plat will yer mither say?'
"If you will call mamma, Norah, please
we will see what she'll say" replied Miss
Molly.
Norah went up to the parlor, where
Mrs. Maynard had been amusing the
children since Molly's departure, and
putting her head inside the door, said
''Av ye place, marin, would ye be comm
out minit?" "Yes, if you will excuse
me minute, children, I'll go, said Mrs
Maynard. The moment she caught sight
of Molly she sank helplessly into chair
exclaiming: Mercy, child what have
you been doing?" 81 went down cellar
after my cake, mamma, and all Of sud
den l heard kittens mewing, and there
were SNOWFALL and Butterfly, one IN the
soap barrel and the other in the apple
butter frkin. L ished them out and
brought them upstairs, and-and- well
mamma, here am" For answer Mrs
Maynard took her hand and led her up
stairs to her little room, took OFF the once
pretty blue sash, pretty no longer, anc
said: "Mary, / am very sorry; but you
may go down to your friends. Put OF