Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-01-23
pretty Beauty's kittens are and how ugly
the others are!"

the others are!"
Although the wisdom and almost human
understanding of Hanny had long been a
proverb In the family, IL had not occurred
to any of them that her feelings might be
wounded by the remarks which were made
about her darling infants. 1t might rea-
sonably be assumed that. since Beauty was
her own daughter, Hanny might feel q
grandmotherly pride in Beauty's four
charming little ones. But such was not the
case.
AS the poet has related of the fiendish
passions which sometimes used to animate
celestial minds, so In the heretofore adj
mired disposition of Hanny now awoke the
frightful sin of envy. One morning. when
the kittens were less than. three weeks old,
the children, on running out as soon as
breakfast was over to gaze upon their PETS
discovered that Beauty's barrel was empty.
Beauty was prowling wretchedly about,
mewing distractedly. She evidently knew
nothing of the whereabouts of her kittens.
Hanny was in the barrel with her own
speck1ed and spotted and ring streaked lit
ter of ill-favored felines, purring innocently
as she nursed and licked them
The children rushed into the sitting room
with the blood-curdling intelligence that
somebody had stolen Beauty's pretty kit
tens. A hunt was instituted, and every
inch of the house and barn and yard was
thoroughly searched Beauty seemed to
understand the efforts which were being
made and accompanied the relief parties,
with an air of touching confidence, which
1t was hard to have to disappoint-
A whole day and night passed, and still
nothing was heard of the missing kittens.
On the afternoon of the second day tho
mother Of the family paid visit to one OF
the neighbors- Imagine her surprise when
Fthe neighbor said to her: II so glad
that you have came. for your old Hanny
has been doing such strange things that /
was coming down to tell you about them
just as soon as possibly could"
Our Hanny?" breathed the mother.
greatly mystifled
nnu b.afa Y ott
ting at the window sewing. when I saw
her run across the graveyard yonder with
kitten In her mouth. Four times she ran
across the graveyard. each time with kit
ten. She dropped them over the wall. In
the very farthest corner. where she was
pretty sure nobody would ever see them.
concluded that somebody had been teas
ing her kittens and that she wanted to put
them in a safe place"
Indeed she did not" cried the mother.
Indignantly. Those were not her kittens,
at all"
A few moments later four miserable,
squalling, half-starved kittens were rescued
from the briers beside the cemetery wall
and restored to their frantic mother.
Hanny watched the proceedings with cold
disdain. She was threatened with all sorts
of caIamities II she should touch them
again. and she did not
The children in that family grew up with
a remarkable love FOX animals. and one OF
them has become a distinguished scientist
Displays of intelligence in their pets ap-
peal with Irresistible force to the young.
They reveal such qualities and resources
within the animal mind that the child
learns respect for its dumb neighbors and
to realize that they, too. can feel and to a
certain extent think. The additional In
terest in life In household In which ami
NAL pets are kept and animal lore talked
and read Of Is also an important consid-
GRAFTON.
The physical care of pets Is a valuable
training in physiology and hygiene. What
Is bad for animals Is often bad for chill
dren. Thus a child learns something of the
care of his own body and much OF the gen
eral laws of life. inducting him freely and
legitimately into a realm which It Is well
that he should enter and understand.
The regular care which every pet should
have, and which, under supervision, should
be intrusted to the child owner. Is also
valuable training in the steady perform
ance of duty. little boy who was pre-
scented with a pair OF rabbits was vastly
benefited by their care As he was only
eight years old. and had never had any
such responsibility put upon him before.
he was closely watched, for fear that the
poor little beasts might suffer. but he bore
the ordeal nobly Never once. though
often tempted. was he known to go away
during the two or three years that he had
the rabbits without looking after his pets.
He became learned in rabbit lore and was
consulted with profit by rabbit keepers for
miles around.
It is one of the drawbacks of urban life
that the keeping of pets in a city Is not
usually convenient for either pets or keeper.
Even tiny and sweetly singing bird some
times annoys the near neighbors; rabbits
burrow under fences. and cats stray away
or fight noisfly in the back yards. City
children must depend largely for their
knowledge of the animal kingdom and for
the upift In goodness and tenderness which
60 with 1t upon the nature books" with
their hosts of pictures and stories. but
whenever 1t is possible give them object
lessons in the care of animals and first
ha nd ct rdy of
viii, be better men and citizens for 1t.