Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1889-12-20

Little mother cat Thets sat upon the
woudshed loft. wondering it, after ALL she
mad chosen the best place for her little ones,
those six wee kittens curled up on rug
near by Surely there was great noise and
confusion below, she thought
The woodshed was usually dark aud still
and only her master came and went with
kind word for her. and query for the la
bies welfare
"Will those noisy children ever 20 3. said
she, anxiously peeriug over the edge OF the
loft. 81 want to go down to my dinner, but
dare not leave my children alone
Just then the old loft shook and creaked
with the motion of IA swing hung to "A raft
er, in which two Of the children were rid
ing at once and merry voices walked all the
drowsy spiders in all the dusty corners.
Dear me-" thought the little mother
this place isn't safe ! must move to NOR
row. What can master he about to let
those children come here ~
She crept back to the rug just to assure
herself that the babies " ere all safe and to
give them IA little motherly lick.
But all the wee, blind kittens woke up at
once and began to cry, so that the little
mother was much more anxious than before.
Hush, my dears, said she Edo try to
20 to sleep again Some one may come up
here if You cry soloud.
just then the children below cried out
kittens kittens grandpa hear them.
Come and hunt for Thetis's kittens
Mother Thetis listened with growing fear.
Who might the grandpa be Some strange
creature, even more dangerous than the
children, perhaps
But there was no help for it they were
surely climbing the ladder.
If was ut usp a ~ Ia ''upNa' then bp
cause she could only carry one kitten at Il
time, and the others might meet with mis-
fortune in her absence. And it crossed her
mind mstily, that once before IN an all
sence her little family dwindled from five
to two.
Above the ladder came "A curly head, then
another, and baby girl in grandpas arms
Then grandpa must be another name
| for master, and am sure he won't hurt us,
said Thets to her babies, trying to sit up in
front OF them as if she were alone.
But nevertheless, all the wee kittens
were discovered and handed about ~ the
great distress of the little mother.
At last the children clambered down and
ran away, and the echoes and the dusty
spiders all went 10 sleep again
Thets waited auxiousy till nightfall
watching the little window panes up aloft
till she could see them no longer, and then
under cover Of the dark began ITO move
She picked up one baby in her mouth, Sc
tenderly it did ifot'wake even, and carried
it carefully all the way 70 the woodpile.
She trotted fast along the path brushed
10y the dewy grass as she went, aud LAID
the wet kitten on n nest Of chips undel
some logs piled crossw Use
To and fro she trotted briskly six times
till all the little damp kittens were in thei
new home, and her cares were happil,
ended
For several days Mother Thetis kept hous
under the wuodplle quite uudsturhed. Blu
the children found heI out at last. aud
strange to say, grandpa took four babe
away and forgot to bring them back AN,
Ihetis was so much occupied 10y moving
again, she forgot them, too.
Another long journey toy night, aud TIA
two little travellers were safe once more
hidden under big burdock leaf IN the tur
nip field
Here they lived for nearly "a week, whe
one day Peter, the farm hand, pulled up Tn
big weed, and told everybody where tn
kittens were, and everybody came to see.
, They we're so plump, aud sat up anon
the turuip tops, looking So wisely out ,
their new, blue eyes. the children cam
: OlItltI llluil ever 10 see Iutllt anu Mblut
Thetis was obliged tu move once more
4 Journey to the haymow was made unl
to make another move necessary when I'll
hay was put in.
Thetis grew troubled at last that ST
couldn't remember how many babies ther
were, aud often went back for third " lac
the two We're safe in Il new place
She USED to forget sometimes where 81
= had moved To last, and had to sit and thin
and think before she remembered
q Even then she was often mistaken, al
;. visited some of the empty nests before 81
= arrived finally at the right one
"A After a time she couldn't keep the BATH
>, at home and hidden, with all her care, t,
IA they liked u tumble about aud run far ava
and brighten the poor anAiou- mother tho
Il oughly before they scamperei back again
They would not stay at home even ia u
- soft, green. curly parsley bed. where the
:, mother had at last taken them for the
Il health and safety
q But no harm ever came to them, al
e when they had grown up they used to elm
e into the old woodshed loft, aud wake ii
. little mother cat out of her nap, t. hear u
y story of their travels when they were h
/ hes, and the old loft their first nome
r - louihN Companion.