The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1897-05-15

NsS1S wear yellow ribbon
NJ that became her we'll.
Now she has two babies
to care for, and has outgrown rib
hons.
They were sitting in the sunlight
together, when Marcella came from
the kitchen, where she had been eat
ing her breakfast. Marcella is Des-
demona's mother. She had family
of her own in the old barn across the
road, no one knew just where.
Now she came down the steps, and
stopped to chat with Desdemona, and
praise the pretty kittens. These
we're playful black kittens. They
had their eyes open, and were larger
than Marcella's own kittens, and
could toddle about on their trembling
little legs. She called and coaxed
them; and they came, rubbing up
against her. Fhey were very pretty,
these grand kittens of hers; and she
liked them, SO she lay down beside
them, and sang 10 them.
Desdemona looked anxious. She
called; but the kittens were very
warm and comfortable, and they only
blinked their eyes at her. She came
nearer, and coaxed one away; but
Marcella rose, and carried it back.
Then Desdemona demonstrated
with her mother. Marcella gently in
sisted. With a mild authority she
said to Desdemona:-
'"You are very young cat. You
are little more than kitten yourself.
What do you know about bringing up
family? These kittens would be
quite ruined. l have brought up a
great many families, and l know just
what care they need"
Poor Desdemona! She was not at
all convinced by this reas 2ning. She
coaxed and fondled her kittens, but
Marcella would not let her have
them. Then Desdemona appealed
to Cesar" and a very doleful little
cat came into the sitting room and
looked up into mothers face.
"Mewl Mewl" said she. No: that
isn't what she said; but that is the
common way of representing cat Ian
guage. As if cats knew but enc
world
Mother knew better. She has
learned something of cat language,
and she knew something was wrong
with those kittens Desdemona was so
proud of.
please GOMEZ" said Desdemona,
as plainly as a cat could say 50; and
mother followed her to the shed.
Marcella looked uneasy under mo-
theirs reproaches, but she would not
leave the kittens.
Had she quite forgotten her own
ifamily9 Poor little cat babies! They
must have been quite lonely and hun
cry all this time, for it was some hours
before their recreant mother returned
to them. Not, indeed, until mother
had shut Desdemona up in the store
room with her babies did Marcella
return to the barn.
But next day she came again; and
mother, looking from the window,
saw Marcella carrying a fluffy black
ball toward the barn.
"Marcella, for shamep' cried moth
er.
And Marcella dropped the ball,
which unrolled itself, stretched out
four little legs, and toddled back to
its mother.
Mother says Marcella knew she was
not doing right, for she looked very
guilty as she went away
However, the black kittens were too
great temptation for a cat con-
science; and next day one of them
was not to be found.
Desdemona was heart broken, and
could not be comforted. She wand
cred about the house, searching in all
the corners, and looking wistfully in
to our faces with her plaintive appeal.
Then the boys took up the cause,
and declared it a shame, and said
the missing child should be found.
In the old barn they called Mar
celia. At last they heard faint an