The Monitor. [volume] (Woodstown, N.J.) 1884-1892, 1890-03-28
NO.1O.

nv uESL Cdssit coulu not utter q WDfV.
"'The cat has terrified her." said her
father. "He probably had a fit. There,
Cassie, don't scream So"
"What is it-what is it?" she at length
burst out, wringing her hands.
Nothing but pussy-pussy in a fit"
so, no, it was something dreadful hid
ing in the closet"
"How came you in the c~loset?" asked
her mother. GLOW did it happen that
you and pussy were shut in there togeth-
er?'
Cassie began to sob violently. Never in
the many times she had frightened jamie
had that little sister ever lost her presence
of mind or made such a commotion.
Hush, :" said her mother with some
sternness. "Quiet yourself. 1t is all over
now"
Little Jane was standing by pale as a
ghost, her chin quivering in sympathy and
her eyes full of tears.
'Are you sure it was only pussy?' sob
bed Cassie.
only pussy. Tell me now how this all
happened"
Cassie felt she might as well cut with it.
81 came up to bed first. jamie is always
asking-aDout the closet. | thought it
would be-fun-to-to-." She sobbed
anew.
"Yes, to frighten JAMIE ~little9"
sTo-cure her of being SO silly"
s.Yes?"
"And when l stepped in The closet to
hide, my foot
Your foot and pussy's paws or tail
must have come together, said her father,
not able to repress a smile.
81 guess So" said Cassie, able now to
laugh Historically through her tears.
lyon thought to frighten jamie a little,
and the tables were turned. You were
the frightened one97
yes"
"You found it PLEASANT You would
have liked jamie to do that way by your
s'N-no.'
sPoor, poor Cassierl" said jamie, with
fearful pity.
.Yes, poor Cassie.' said her mother
poor Cassie, because she finds her amuse-
ment in doing unto others exactly as she
would not like them to do unto her.
81 think I'Il-never do it again"
Pm inclined to think this was a direct
punishment upon you, Cassie, since your
mothers wishes had SO little weight upon
you. Something more seemed to be nee
essary to make yon remember. Perhaps
this will do it,"
After Cassie's nervous sobs were hush
ed, and the s~orrowful tears from little
Janie's eyes had dried, their father went
in search of pussy. He was found in his
f~avorite easy chair in the sitting-room, his
usual lazy serenity mich disturbed. He
responded to Janie's caress with a plain
tive new. On examination it was found
that the tip of his tail had been broken.
He had doubtless been watching in the
dark for a mouse when Cassie made her
steslthy entrance, and the heel of her shoe
had come down upon his tail with force
enough to separate one Of its slender joints.
The pain had made him momentarily fran
tic.
81 didn't know 1t was so dreadful to be
frightened, confessed Cassie, when it was
all over. And poor, innocent pussy had
his share too"
Always after that Pumpkin Pussy car
ried the point of his tsilat a curious angle.
That wry joint was a source Of remorse to
Cassie every time she saw it.
80, do straighten it, kitty" she would
say, Il can't bear to see it,"
Of course, Cassie vas not Immediately
cured of her disposition to '.haye fun at
the expense of others. But this experience
went far toward making her more thought
full and considerable.
at was a most natural and fitting re-
suit, her mother said. And. much as she
disliked to admit it, Cassie thought so too.
Thu AdudRce.