The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1886-04-16

A stroy In words Of One syllable. Tor very
Young Readsn.
''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
he has not got home"
Maud was just nine years Of age,
and WIS fond Of cats and dogs, and
birds. and dolls
When she heard her aunt call her.
she ran out 1t once, and there she
found her aunt, who stood At the hall
door, and on the top Of he steps was
the cat Of which she spoke.
He was fine large one, with =
smooth coat in stripes Of black and
gray, but his paws were white. and be
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.
..Aunt Kate. do let me keep this cat,
and have him all for my own" she
said.
I'VE must see first" said Aunt Kate,
IN we can find out where his own
home il. for those who have lost him
may want him back. But you may 60
and fetch him some milk.
Maud ran of, and soon came back
with the milk, and gave it to the cat.
He drank il all up. and then said
Mew!" which meant: PLEASE give
me some more"
"Yes, he may have some more, as
he seems to want il 70 much" said
Aunt Kate. He is . fine cat, and we
must not let him starye."
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.
"Now. I" said Aunt Kate. II want TO
write and read. and have lots Of things
70 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 "a and left
Maud with puss.
ssPuss, puss! what shall We DOR
said Maud. "You 20 and look round
the room and see II you think this will
be nice home for you, and will get
one of my books and see what kind Of
name / can choose for you"
'Puss must be : good cat" thought
Maud, for he did at once what she told
him; went for . 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, and
then he came and sat down in front Of
the fire to wash.
''Now. puss. would you like us to
call You Moll?" said Maud. "Moll.
Mollr' but puss paid no heed. well.
then. do you like Fluff" But still
puss did not turn his head. Such lots
Of names Maud thought Of, but puss
did not seem to like them.
Soon Aunt Kate came back. ssOh.
aunt, I" said Maud, do help me to find
name that puss will like. He will
not have Fluff. or Fritz. or Mol. or
Kit. and lots more that have thought
Of and told him."
Come. then. I'll try what can
do. said Aunt Kate. Tom, Toni
and ~ soon As she spoke this name,
back went his ears. and New said
he. There. now. that IL his true
name, Maud; he knew Il At once"
And so from that time puss was
known by the name OF Tom.
Aunt Kate did all she could 10 find
out where he came from. but all in
vain. So Maud was told she might
have him now for her own, and how
glad she was; and how kind she made
up her mind she would be to him.
Now Tom grew up to be such wise
cat. ! will just tell you one thing
he learnt to do.
One night, quite late. Maud had gone
to bed. and Aunt Kate took book and
sat down by the fire to read. The
room she was In was Gloss 10 the hall
door. Soon she heaud knock &C the
door, bnt she did not pay much heed
20 it at first; but when she heard Il
twice she did think she must 70 and
see who Il could b, for both her maids
were gone to bed. And who Do you
think Il wasr Why, Tom. who came
In with q purr and 4 NEW. and his tail
straight up IN the air.
Now, l must tell you Aunt Hates
hall door was half glass, rnd low
down. where it was wood. there was
round brass ring. with which one had
10 knock. And Tom had stood on his
hind legs, and with one of his paws
took hold Of the brass ring and then