The Magnolia gazette. [volume] (Magnolia, Miss.) 1872-current, 1886-06-25
..why." saws Howard, "they are. fit.

.Why," says Howard, "they are fit.
tie gray squirrels, and l found them in
an old pine tree near the old mill. +"
Their mother had evidently left them,
or been killed by some cruel hunter.
Howard had heart full of love tor all
Gods suffering ones, and immediately
adopted these orphans for his own.
The next day was one of great anxiety
to the foster mother. He must find
some way to feed these queer children.
He first tries milk with spoon and
without a spoon, with straw and
without straw, but all to no avail,
and now is about ready to give up. But
dear grandma, sick in another room,
calls to see the queer children. So
| Howard brings them and puts them
carefully in cushioned chair before.
her. After looking at them awhile she
said: Howard, l have plan for you.
You know my old cat that has lost all
her kittens but one; well, think she
would be glad to adopt these queer
children in place of her missing ones. :"
Howard was not long in getting his
hat, or in getting the cat and her one
lone kitten. He brought them to
grandma, who placed them in the
chair, and when quietly sleeping, he
placed beside the cat the orphan chill
dren of the squirrels. Old Tabby
opened her eyes and looked sharp at
them for few moments, then she
carefully washed each one, and fed
them,. and apparently concluded to
take them for her own.
Howard was very glad to give up
these queer children to SO good a
friend as old Tabby proved to be.
One died in few days, but not
through any lack of care on old Tab
by's part. Never had children more
devoted mother or one more thorough
ly interested in their welfare. She tried
to bring them up as model cats; but,
alas! like some other mothers, the
children didn't do as they were told.
New trials awaited her every day with
these queer children. Sometimes they
| would climb up the chairs and COM
, mence to gnaw, but old Tabby would
, hasten across the room and give them
good smart box across the ears,
seeming to say: ''Stop all these tricks!
You must be cats"
: They grew very rapidly, although
t the kitten was much the larger, and
7 was left to care for herself long before
7 these new children.
Az Uh6 ulIuG bu0 IuObuoI Cdb pIOu9nt
t for the dinner of the kitten little red
/, squirrel, not mistrusting it might be
distantly related to the other children
l Weeks passed by, and they were now
o full-grown squirrels.
Tabby had gone with grandma tt
: her own home, few rods distant
e Every day, however, she came to SCI
|. her children, and would lie for hour
g beside their wire cage, or frolic will
y them about the room if they happened
d to be out of their cage.
e The autumn was now approaching
It the h dstt5b9h4s dHts 9hsd wRsspn to rpen on tn
TO beautiful out-of-doors, these 9ue'
W children of the forest planned tneA' =
of cane In the early dawn tney 3
10 p oway from their prison-bars, ana y 7,
'o' ss,d awas the nut tree. We called theI
%ut I in vain. They ran little w wa
1e. looking around when we caliea the, s',
,he not content to rest on tne nuU as.o.. Va
nd thew FASTENED on, faster and Iaseel,
ok. the thick wood beyond, and wheh III ~
ver there I ali trace of them was lost: ~ II
rm- had become handsome pets WIN u
in lono. bushy tails, and had ieaii
one MANY cunning tricks. m
off Onr queer children have never Gu
ned hack to us, but every, autumn :
ave SQUIRRELS come to the old nut tree
de- our dwelling, and we fancy tney n, n,
;, as ne and have heard of the solourn
I their ancestors in our midst.-o"r'S
4ha | TT,,jn