The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1902-12-31

stay Ill the mousse all tne time, OF dJ
least, for a good many months. until
the hip that hurts so much gets well.
Do you wish to know how Spooks
first came to his little girl. Well, all
right.
One cold morning when papa went
to the door to get the bread the baker
leaves every day, there, cuddled up to
the warm loaf as closely as possible,
was a tiny black kitten, too weak and
cold even to say NEW"
Papa brought 1t in and showed 1t to
Alice-that was the little girls name
and said, Here is both bread and
meat. DO you want it?"
II Just looked at Alice with two SOL
emn eyes, as much as to say, you
know you need something to play with
when the days are SO long; I know
you are gentle little girl and will not
be rough with me-" Mamma said a
black cat brings good luck. So the
kitten was taken into the kitchen and
given some warm milk
But the poor kitten was quite sick.
Alice felt very sorry and said, "Oh.
mamma, won't you give it some chic
roform or something like that? think
1t would be better for 1t to die than to
suffer so. But mamma gave it big
dose of olive oil and in day or two
it was much better and began to wash
ITSELF then II played little, and Alice
didn't feel bit lonely any more.
After the kitten was there a few
weeks, papa said: II wonder IL 1t
wouldn't sit up when 1t is fed" Papa
used to give her just little meat every
evening. Spooks was very fond of papa,
because he was very gentle and played
with her; and then, as said before, he
fed her. He just propped Spooks up
| against the wall time or two. then she
| know what was wanted of her. After
that she sat up whenever she wanted
anything or thought she wanted it, for
she found out 1t had great effect.
Then one time papa took sheet OF
newspaper and tore out the center. He
held small bit of meat in front of 1t,
and Spooks jumped through the paper
after it. Papa did that two or three
times; then Spooks would jump
through without the meat.
But | must tell you another funny
thing Spooks did Alice used to prac-
tice an hour nearly every day. At first
when Srooks heard the piano she was
very much frightened. After a while
she got used to it and would go to
sleep in Alices lap while she played.
One night Alice and her papa and
mamma were entertaining some friends
and were taking tea in the dining room
which is off the parlor. When there is
any company at the house. Spooks
likes TO employ everybody's attention.
When they were at tea the kitten was
| forgotten. Do you know what she did?
She jumped on the piano and walked
up and down the keys three or four
times. When mamma rushed into the
parlor to Sc what was the matter,
there was Spooks sitting on the keys,
crouched to make a spring as she al
ways did when she wanted romp.
l forgot to tell you that she was
growing into a very beautiful, glossy,
sleek-looking cat. When she sat be-
fore the open fireplace. she looked like
one of the cats on those sofa cush-
ions that were in the shop windows
just before Christmas. Then Alice
would grab her up and squeeze her
rapturously. Miss Kitty would get
vexed at that, and the stately way she
used to walk out Of the room would
have done credit to tragedy actress.
Alice had a little girl friend who
was a great admirer of Spooks. She
used to watch the kitten with envy in
her heart and wish so Auch that she
owned her.
Well, one day she did something
very naughty. She went to see Alice.
Alice was feeling quite i'll and was in
bed. Alice's mamma let the little girl
in, but did not pay much attention to
her, as she came in very often. She
let her in, then went to look after
Alice.
The little girl played a while with
Spooks. Then, as nobody was around,
she put on her hat and cape. picked up
Spooks, and took her away. Spooks
knew her and would play with her and
trust her.
Well, she took kitty home, but some
how she did not feel very happy about
1t. Her mamma asked her where she
got the cat and she said she found it
on the street. But poor Spooks was
very unhappy. She missed Alice, and
would not sit up or do any of her
funny tricks for the naughty little girl,
because she was afraid of the girls
brother who was very rough and made
such a noise. Then the little girk got
angry because the cat would not jump
through the paper, and slapped her.
Poor kitty was miserable then. "She
was not treated so by Alice. Then the
little girls mamma said, You must
not do that. | don't want that cat
here. anyway. You had better take it
back TO where you found it,"
So the little girl put on her hat and
cape-it was dark-and asked her
mamma il she could GO out and take
the cat away. Her mamma said she
| could She took the cat AWAY and