The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1897-07-31

OlaS.
The Kitten that Lived with the Pigs.
"Puss, Pussy' called Bess, as she
stood by the pigpen. There was no
sound, but a little gray shadow ran
swiftly out of the pen, and across the
road to the orchard. Il wish" said
Bess soberly, II just wish that kitten
wouldn't live with the pigs; it doesn't
seem right and we do so want him to
stay in the house" But the kitten had
disappeared, and couldn't hear what
the little girl said. You see, this gray
kittens mother had died two months
before; she had been barn cat; the
p.gpen was close by, so what more nat
ural than that the motherless little
puss should make friends with the
kind brown pigs that were nearly al
ways asleep in the sunshine Plenty
of food was poured into the long
troughs, more than enough for the
pigs, surely, a little left over for
hungry kitten. He slept in the yellow
straw that carpeted the pigpen-in
short, was one of the family. Some
times the pigs, boldly pushing down
the bars, entered the dim orchard and
rooted in the grass for the sweet ap-
pies that could be found on the ground.
Though the kitten didn't eat apples,
he did enjoy the trip, and climbing up
into the w-branching trees, he would
wait until his friends were ready to
start for home, then scamper on ahead,
always reaching the pen first. Bess,
loving little soul, longed to have the
kitten for her very own, and every day
tried patiently to make friends with
him. He was such a clean, fat pussie,
with a long fluffy tail and big blue
ieyes-how could she help loving him?
One warm August afternoon the sky
grew dark, thick clouds hid the sun,
and the reals Of thunder were so loud
that they quite frightened Lion, the
big shepherd dog, who crept into the
kennel and hid his head in the straw
''This is going to be very hard show
err" said Mr.. Mason, Bess's father, as
he came into the kitchen, where the
lamps were lighted, Just as If it were
evening. How it did rain! The bar
rel under the water spout ran over, and
little streams ran across the road leap
ing and foaming like real rivers. Then
something like pebbles tapped sharply
against the windowpanes-they were
hailstones as large as walnuts. Bess's
face grew very sad; she was thinking
about the gray kitten Oh, what would
become of him? AS soon as it stop
ped raining, Bess and her father
started out to search for the kitten
How dreadfulI The pigpen was half
full of water; he couldn't be in there
Oh, what had become of him! Sudden
ly Bess's bright eyes spied something
crouching outside the pen against the
fence, very draggled gray some
thing that didn't look much like a kit
ten. But it was, and almost drowned.
He was so chilled and frightened that
he didn't even struggle, but lay quiet
Iy in her arms while the little girl car
ried him into the farmhouse kitchen
and put him into a big eretonne-cov-
cred rocker, close to the stove. She
stroked his wet fur very gently. and
presently a soft little purr could be
heard. When bedtime came Bess dread
ed to leave her pet. and felt quite sure
that he would run out as soon as the
kitchen door was opened. Early the
next morning down ran the little
maiden to find the kitten. The big
rocker was empty. He wasn't under
the stove, but what was that standing
on the doorstep arching his back, and
looking as friendly as possible? It
was the gray kitten, who had decided
to stay and be a proper little house
cat.-Alix Thorn, in the Sunday School
Times, Philadelphia.