The Savannah morning news., 1904-02-21
1T needs a good cleaning" she said,

1T needs a good cleaning" she said.
and went to work.
First she built a fire in the stove
and put the kettle on to heat. Then
when the water. was hot she lifted the
Tabby Cat and the Lame Gull to the
top of the table out of the way, but the
Fiddler Crab she turned out into the
sand, for she was little bit afraid of
his claw; then she scrubbed the floor
with sand and soap and water until
it was white as foam. After that she
washed the windows and polished the
stove, and all the time she worked
she sang gay little song.
What lovely child said the Tab
by Cat to the Lame Gull, as she
stretched herself luxuriously on the
clean floor in front of the blazing fire
and licked her fur.
The Lame Gull preened his drag
gled feather in lazy comfort. I'VE
need her here all the time he said.
Indeed we do echoed the Fiddler
Crab, who had crept back into the
hut.
After the Wise Little Girl had
cleaned everything that could be
cleaned, she looked into the little cup
board and found salt pork and a fresh
fish and potatoes and onions, and she
soon had a delicious fish chowder
bubbling on the stove
There must be some one to come
home" she said to the admiring Tab
by Cat and the Gull and the Crab
'or there would not be things in here
to eat, and whoever comes needs
good dinner on this stormy night"
and she put the coffee pot over the
Goals.
Outside the wind blew and blew and
blew, and the waves roared and ragged,
and it grew later and later, but the
Hermit did not come, and at last the
faithful Tabby Cat became uneasy and
meowed to go out, and the Wise Little
Girl let her go, and the anxious Tabby
Cat ran down to the beach and sat
there in the storm and watched and
watched the dark waters for some sign
of her master.
He came after awhile, fighting
against the cruel waves that tried to
wash him out of his little boat, and
when he climbed over the side and
waded in to shore, he was half dead
with cold and fatigue. He staggered
towards his hut with the worried
Tabby Cat at his heels. He stumbled
UP the steps and the Wise Little Girl
heard him coming and opened the
door, and when the Hermit looked
into the bright room with it's white,
white floor and its red, red fire, and
with the fragrant steam rising from
the shining pots, he passed his hand
over his forehead.
ut is Dream" he murmured, and
fell into the chair which the Wise
Little Girl had placed for him.
Drink this" said the Wise Little
Girl in her pleasant voice, as she
brought him coffee in a big white cup.
While he drank it the Tabby Cat and
the Lame Gull and the Fiddler Crab
sat at his feet and watched him and
murinured to each other. "He must
like her. she is so kind. He will sure
ly let her stay"
Presently when the hot drink had
revived the Hermit, he looked at the
Wise Little Girl, whose cheeks were
pink as she stirred the chowder.
How did you come here?" he ask
ed wonderingly.
by the way of the sea-" said the
Wise Little Girl, land when 1 looked
into your hut and found it needed me,
l stayed to clean it. and now" she
went on brislxly as she lifted the ket-
tie from the fire, 81 am glad am here
to make you comfortable on this
stormy night.
She poured some of the chowder
into a big blue bowl and set 1t on the
table. then she put the rest into lit
tie dish for the Cat and the Gull ana
the Crab.
THE poor things must be very hun
cry" she said to the Hermit, "and
they have waited so patiently"
The three companions gathered
around the dish which she had set on
the hearth and waited impatiently Tor
the food to cool.
Did you ever see such thoughttui-
ness?" said the Tabby Cat.
Never" said the Fiddler Crab, ana
while l prefer my fish raw, shall eat
chowder just for her sake"
Look" said the Lame Gull, softly
Then they saw the old Hermit reacn
out his trembling hand and lay II on
the bright head of the Wise Littie
Girl.
stay with me-" he said. for ! am
lonely old man. and ! need you.
IF you need me should love 70
stay" said the Wise Little Girl, nap
ply and she smiled At the Hermit,
and the Hermit smiled back. ana the
Tabby Cat purred, and the Lame Gun
whistled contentedly, but the fiddleI
Crab waved his one claw IN the all
and looked very fierce. But that -.
really just his way OF showing 10
be was the very hRppieHt Fidcier Cfap
that ever walked sidewis@