The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1904-08-04
MoIIie White-foot's Vacation
BY ANNA HARRIS SMITH.

her preCtleSJ KltLen, the gray one CnaC
had four white feet, she thought Clara
loved kittens. She did not know that
it was her own amusement Clara loved,
and that she wanted kitten just as
she wanted a doll to play with.
Clara carried the kitten home. For
tunately for the kitten the cook was
of milk, with bread crumbs or oatmeal,
and also looked after it at dinner-time,
so that Mollie White-foot had, on the
whole, very comfortable time, except
when Clara played with her too roughly.
When summer came, Clara'S mother
and father decided to close the house,
and go away to board for two months
at the mountains. Clara was so de-
lighted that she hardly gave thought
to Mollie until the day before they were
to start. Then she asked her mother if
she were going to take Mollie with
them. Mrs. Bourne told her that it
would be impossible, but that she need
not worry, as Mollie could very we'll
take care of herself for two months;
and Clara, busy with getting her little
trunk packed and putting in it her
favorite toys and books gave no furth-
er thought to the matter.
The Bournes started off in excellent
spirits one plea SAINT morning: and as
they turned the key in the door, Mollie
came and looked at them, and cried as
if she understood that they were going
away, and as if she were begging them
not to leave her alone. This made
Clara, aid even Mrs. Bourne (WhO did
not like cats, feel little uncomfort-
able: but they soon forgot all about
Molie in the excitement of the jour
ney
They had LETT enough scraps of bread
and meat under the doorstep in the
back yard to last Mollie for a few days;
came mewed sadly, for she began al
ready to feel very lonesome.
In a day or two there was heavy
rain: and Mollie had to crawl under the
doorstep as far as possible, and stay
there until the storm was over-an ex-
perience which she did not find at all
pleasurable. She had never been cat
given to neighborhood wanderings; and
when her little store of food had given
ont, and no human being came near her,
and, in spite of her most beseeching
news at the side door, the house re-
manned closed to her, the creature be-
gan to feel very wretched indeed. She
got so hungry that she could not sleep
at night; and one night her cries reach
ed the ears of sick woman in a house
near by, and kept her from getting the
sleep she needed, until her husband
went out and threw stones and sticks
in the direction from which the cries
came, and then poor Mollie, frightened
nearly into fit, crept under the door
step again, and lay in half-dazed silence.
That night Mrs. Bourne and Clara
slept soundly III their comfortable room
at the hotel among the mountains, and
nc thought of Mollie came to trouble
their placid repose. The days which
flew by so rapidly to Clara and her
mother dragged slowly to Mollie. Now
and then she managed to catch a bird,
and once she made a scanty meal upon
avery small mouse that ventured across
her pathway; but she was getting too
indeed, she was sadly untitled, owing to
the manner of her bringing up. She
ventured into the neighbors' yards in
her desperation; but she found that
the swill-buckets We're all kept tightly
closed. and, if she was seen, she was
driven off with stone or broomstick.
Many of the houses round about were
shut up like her own home, and the
families who were left were so indig-
nant to think that the more fortunate
ones who could get away should leave
their cats behind for the stay -at-homes
to take care of that they would not
often feed stray cat, or even tolerate
its presence Mollie saw two little pet
kittens bereft of attention crawl away
and hide and die, and she felt as if that
must soon be her fate, 100.
One day when Mlollie was prOwling
around in search of a bit of food, a boy
threw a stone at her Being weak with
hunger. she did not jump aside quickly
enough to avoid the missile. In the
panic caused by pain and fright she ran
wildly she did not not know where, and
by chance took refuge in garden be-
longing TO a house a few streets from
where the Bournes lived. There was a
little hole in the fence which she spied
out AS she ran; and, being thin, she
crawled through and fell exhausted un-
der low-growing shrub.
The day and night went by, and an
other day and night; and still Mollie
lay under the shrub, aching from the
bruise she had received, and too weak
to crawl about any longer in search OF
food and drink. Her mouth was parch-
ed with thirst; she slept and woke with
feverish starts. How gladly she would
have welcomed a taste of cool water!
The third day was slowly drawing to an
end when Mollie heard footsteps ap-
preaching. She had met with so much
unkindness that she wanted to get up
and run away, but she was too feeble.
The footsteps paused, and hand push
ed aside the branches that partly con-
cealed her; and, as Mollie raised her
eyes and tried to shrink back under the
bush, she saw boy looking down at
her. The sight alarmed her very much,
for boys, as a rule, had never been kind
to her All she could do, however, was
to lie still and wait for the expected
: blow Instead of the blow she felt a
hand touching her head softly, and
heard gentle voice say, 'Poor pussy"
That was all; and, just as Mollie was
trying to purr faint response, the
steps retreated much more rapidly than
they had come, and Mollie, thinking
herself forsaken, closed her eyes again
with sigh of disappointment.
In few minutes she heard once
more the sound Of footsteps, and this
time two voices.
Here, mamma, right here under this
bush,' said one voice.
80, the poor thing said another
SIS she dead, mammal"
mo; she is opening her eyes" was