Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1889-06-17
sylumth's Column,
Six Kitties.

train, and then Grandpa Morton met
them at the station, and carried them
in his wagon through the shady woods
to his farm on the mountain side.
1t was sunset when they arrived,
and they were very tired but, when
the children had washed away the
dust of the long journey in cool, run
ming spring water. they felt quite re-
freshed, and were ready for Grandma
Morton's delicious supper of bread
and milk, with strawberries and cream
for sauce.
Henry and Edith soon grew sleepy ;
and they were put to bed in some
wide beds that had four tall posts
with round heads. Henry said they
were four soldiers sent to keep guard
over him while he slept. Edith look
ed at the posts about her bed very
soberly, and said to her grandma, 81
think they'll look very, very tall in
the dark"
But both children fell asleep almost
as soon as their heads touched the
soft pillows, and they slept soundly
all night long.
In the morning, Henry awoke be-
fore Edith did, and was soon out of
doors, watching with great interest
the wonderful sights about the farm.
When Edith came out little later,
she found Henry staring with big
eyes at the wall on which the barn
was built.
"What are you looking at, Henry p
said she.
go Edith Carver" he cried, "come
here this minute! There's fifty kit
tens under this barn -
"Oh, isn't it lovely?" said Edith,
who always believed whatever Henry
said. ''Where are they? Do show
them to me-"
"Why, there they are, poking out
their heads everywhere between the
stones. Just count them One-two
three, right in front of us; two
more, four-five; three over by the
cOrn-barn, siX-seven-eight; one
there, nine; there's one tail, ten
eleven"
Just then a great shout startled the
children; and. looking behind them,
they saw grandpa laughing as hard
as he could.
"Well, you do beat all!' he said
at last. "How many times would
you count those kittens over? You
see, they're just leetle afraid of you,
being strangers, so they run their
heads out, and then draw 'em back,
and run 'em out again in a new
place"
"Oh, 1 know they couldn't do 1t
so quick as that" said Henry.
"We1l see," said grandpa; and
then in his deep voice he called,
"Kiddy, kiddy, kiddy, kiddy.''
AT the sound of the familiar voice,
a staid old pussy first came out be-
tween the stones of the wall, then
two half-grown kittens, and last of
all three darling little kitties, so fat
that they were almost square. They
all marched solemnly in single file,
with their tails in the air, to grandpa.
'"There," said he, ''if you can get
any more out of that wall, I'll give
you ninepence for every one
"Let me take one,'' said Edith.
And grandpa took one of the little
kitties and put it in her arms, where
it was soon contented.
Chow sweet its fur smells, grand
pa '' said Edith. "What makes it ?"
"Because they sleep on the new
mown hay every night said grand
pa.
Then they all went into the house,
where the kittens were fed with milk
in a long wooden bowl; and, after
breakfast, such romp as they did
have They tumbled over each 9TH
er, they chased their own tails, and
boxed each others ears, while the
old pussy sat solemnly in grandma's
rocking-chair. They jumped at the
string that hung from Henry's peck
ct; and they even tried to play with
Edith's brown curls.
As long as they stayed at the farm,
the children had a delightful game
with the kittens every day, and they
wanted to take them all to the city.
OF course, they could not do that.
But one day travelling photographer
came along, and he took a picture of
the kittens when they were drinking
their milk and they took this home
with them instead of the kitties them
selves.-CdnGdidn Baptist.