Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1886-12-25
sELLINa T1NorHY TITUs.

q Dear me" said mamma, " can't think
OF having tour cats in the house al! win
ter!p ,,
mana. You'll have TO give them away.
But there was the old kitty-papa him
self couldn't think of giving her awsy. She
had been in tie house ever since II was
built, and there wasn't better mouser
anywhere.
seem pity to party them, mamma could
but admit &c herself
They were black and white, and so near
alike that you couldn't tell them apart
unless VOC looked at their noses. Toets'
nose was black, and Jingles was white.
And then there was Timothy Titus. He
was black and white too; eut good deal
more white than black.
He IS an odd one" laughed mamma.
We might give him away first.
But AVA made grieYed hPi and caught
up Timothy Titus.
"O-oh p' said she cuddling him close 10
her neck, hes so sweet and cunning
mamma, I can't bear TO part with him y
By-and-bye, when the three kittens were
taking their after-dinner nap by the fire,
Mr.. Davis came in. Mr.. Davis lived on
the other side of the river, and peddled
APPLES. He looked down at the little furry
heap and laughed.
Seems to me you've got more than
your share of cats, said he. We haven
got any"
Ava may give you one Of ours, said
mamma.
Ava looked down at her shoes. Mr..
Davis could tell which way the wind blew.
"What say we make trade2' he said to
Ava. I'll give you a peck OF sweet apples
for this one" and lie picked up Timothy
Titus.
Ava looked up. a peck of sweet apples
didn't grow on every bush. Besides, may
be four cats were too many.
"I-I will, if mammall let me not give
away Toots and Jingle" said she.
Mamma laughed; she didn't Ike 10
promise.
cats are less than four, anyway"
So Mr.. Davis measured out peck OF
sweet apples and gave them to Ava. And
Ava Rugged, and kissed, and cried over
Timothy Titus, and gave him to Mr.. Davis
who put him IN q basket and tied bag
Il guess he'll be all right" said Mr.
Davis. Good-day," and away rumbled
the applicant.
But as soon as Timothy Titus was fairly
out of the way Ava began TO mourn. She
stood at the window with a very doletul
face, looking across the river at Mr.. Davis
big white house.
The sky had all at once grown cloudy,
and the wind began TO blow. And, as if to
make bad matter worse, Toots woke III
and flew around the room in AT.
" It's all cause he knows Timothy Titus
is gone" sObbed Ava, running 10 hide her
face in mammals lap. " How'd / feel Il
Teddy was gived away, where I'd never see
him any more2 And the apples are bit
terish, too, and 1 don't like EN-. Oh
dear
Mamma smiled in her sleeve, but she
couldn't help offering Ava a crumb Of com
fort. She said maybe Timothy Titus would
come home again, though she didn't really
believe he would, herself.
GIVE heard of such things" said she
and then she told Ava q story about a ca
that travelled forty miles back to her ole
But I don't believe Timothy Titui
can" said Ava Frightening up little, al
the same; ''cause he's over the river, anC
there isn't any bridge only the ferry
boat, mamma. most know he can't"
Oh stranger things have happened,
said mamma, hopefully.
But she was as surprised as Ava wa
next morning, though l won't venture t.
kitchen door was opened-what do you
guess? In walked Timothy Titus, as larg,
as life
Hellol' cried papa.
Well wellr' said mamma. Why
Timothy Titus !"
Just at that minute Ava came running
cut in her nightie. She gave one look
She snatched Timothy Titus up il hel
arms.
Oh oh ohp' she screamed, too full
of Joy to DO anything else for g minute
ooh, you darling Oh, you darling How
did he get there mammal"
Pm sure l can't tell, said mamma.
Neither could anybody else, unless it wa
the ferryman, who, when papa questioned
him, believed he did remember thinking BIZ
saw a little black-and- cat somewher,
the night before. But he wasn't sure of it
and so Ava couldn't be.
Anyway, Timothy Titus has com,
back She said And he's going to stay
can't he, mamma? And I'm going to give
Mr.. Davis back his apples
But Mr.. Davis said 8 trade vas trade
and he,wouldE't take back the apples. Anc
Timothy Titus atayed.-A. C. g. in Youth
Companion.