The Southern herald., 1886-05-15
TOM.
A Story in Words of One syllable, for Very
Young Readers.

A story IN WOfuB Oh Ohe pyAlHDioS WE 'ohy
Young Readers.
"Oh, do look here, Maud" said Aunt
Kate, "here is such nice big cat come
to our house, and cook tells me he
comes now each day, and she thinks
be has not got home"
Maud was just nine years Of age,
and was fond Of cats, and dogs, and
birds, and dolls. I .
When she heard her aunt call her,
she ran out at once, and there she
found her aunt, who stood at the hall
door, and on the top Of The steps was
the cat Of which she spoke.
He was a fine large one, with a
smooth coat in stripes Of black and
gray, but his paws were white, and he
had brown nose.
"Oh, you dear cat!'' said Maud, and
she bent down to stroke him. Puss
gave new, and then purr; for, Of
course, he was glad that Maud was
kind to him. t-.5ar ID
"Aunt Kate, do let me keep this cat,
and have him all for my own" she
said.
"We must see first" said Aunt Kate,
"if we can find out where his own
home is, for those who have lost him
may want him back. But you may 60
and fetch him some milk"
Maud ran off, and soon came pack
with the milk, and gave it to the cat.
He drank it all up, and then said
"Mew!" which meant "Please give
me some more"
ayes, he may have some more, as
he seems to want it SO much" said
Aunt Kate. "He is fine cat, and we
must not let him starve."
When he had done his milk, Maud
took him up in her arms and brought
him to a small room where she kept
her dolls and the toys she had to play
with. @ Ga rn
Now said Aunt late, want to
write and read, and have lots Of things
to do. You must play with this nice
old cat, snow him your dolls, be good
TO him, and think of some nice name
we can call him by whilst he is with
us;" and Aunt Kate went off and left
Maud with puss,
"Puss, puss! what shall we doF'
said Maud. "You 60 and look round
the room and see if you think this will
be nice home for you, and will gel
one of my books and see what kind Of
name l can choose for you"
"Puss must be good cat" thought
Maud, for he did at once what she told
him; went for a walk round the room
smelt all the chairs, had look at {
doll, which, poor thing, had had fall
on to the floor and hurt its head, anC
then he came and sat down in front O.
the fire to wash.
"Now, puss, would you like us t.
call you MollP" said Maud. "Moll
Moll!'' but puss paid no heed. swell
then, do you like Fluff" But still
puss did not turn his head. Such lot!
of names Maud thought Of, but pusl
did not seem to like them.
Soon Aunt Kate came back. e"Oh
aunt, " said Maud, ''do help me to fine
a name that puss will like. He will
not have Fluff, or Fritz, or Moll, o.
Kit, and lots more that have though
of and told him."
"Come, then, I'll try what l csl
do" said Aunt Kate. tom, Toni
and as soon as she spoke this name
back went his ears, and ''Mew!' sale
he. There, now, that is his tru,
name, Maud; he knew it at once"
And so from that time puss wa
known by the name of Tom.
Aunt Kate did all she could to finC
out where he came from, but all il
vain. So Maud was told she nigh
have him now for her own; and how
glad she was; and how kind she mad,
up her mind she would be to him.
Now Tom grew up to be such wis,
cat. | win just tell you one thing
he learnt to do.
One night, quite late, Maud had gon,
to bed, and Aunt Kate took a book anc
sat down by the fire to read. Tn,
room she was in was close to the hal
door. Soon she heard knock at tn,
door, but she did not pay much heet
to it at first; but when she heard |
twice she did think she must 90 an,
see who it could be, for both her maid
were gone to bed. And who do yo,
think it WASP Why, Tom, who cam
in with purr and new, and his tai
straight up in the air.
Now, / must tell you Aunt Kate
hall door was half glass, and low
down, where it was wood, there was
oRnd brass ring, with which one ha,
to knock. And Tom had stood on hi
hind legs, and with one of his paw
took hold of the brass ring and thel
let it fall, so as to make it knock.
And the strange thing Is, that whel
he found he was let In this time, he di,
it now and then when y was cold o