Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-01-19
How Old Puss
Lost Her Kittens

For six wears Jack had been sitting IN
that same old chair, by the same "ihoo"'
looking. always looking, for soi'e'iiiis
new. How wearisome it was, with rarely
ANYTHING to vary the monotony' no one
but Jack knew.
He had gazed and gazed at the noun
tain until he almost wished that an cal IN
quake would come and rend that to"e''"e
wall of earth. rocks and trees winch roeo
UP continually before his VISION Iuseeu
mass four thousand feet high. he hau
looked at that mountain until ne ha'eu -"
He Ionged unspeakably for glimpse NC
You'd even if it were only OF ano."ei
mountain: for he was sure II couiuh
exactly like old Tarn. which ne hau s''''o'
Mt over since he was ten. Jack was no"
thirteen. and. poor laddie, had no nope VI
Ger having his outlook broadened; 1or AZ
tbouph the doctor had not eXactiy loiu
him SO. Jack realized that he could never
again walk, or work, or roiiip vi
life like other boys .,. ,,,I,es
lad He tried faithfully and bfaVels ~, ~
bear his troubles and never pe'ta9 80
suffering. and so herolcaily had ne ..vas
ceeded that they sometimes said; YES
Jack has been helpless so long ne "seu
10 it. He doesn't mind it much., 49, How
Doesn't mind IT! Used 20 +hs bovl or
little they knew the heart of the pos, ,o os
understood what a valiant warfare ne VIZ i
waging every waking hour; yes, even III
dreams the battle was fought on; ..
Lacks greatest interest ana deLsnl We
~ nj birds and animals. From ms
,.t,dnv he fed the chickens anu e..
nireons; the dog and the cat VIZ u, No
BY his side, beguiiing many Nm w. Puss
ments with their coihpahioii9p'
WAS his chief faVorlte 100, tall
Not far from his window STOOD .,ora
sycamore tree; and al us sbaIiow box,
Glanced to be. one day luis , ,,sad for a
VI! house In one corner was the peu,
mad from a part of tattereo q Jun. no
havinq soon Wearied of this play house, III
children had forsaken II, is hahin6
and a few valueless toys oehlnu D;a tho
Oue day Jack noticed that oiu p' -
,,bita hon had chosen this neglected. ~ ~
for a nest and for several Gays 'n
abe seldom left il. ,oso of the
..Retty" asked Jack az the cio'e
<h,rd day. sis old Bid sitting!
Yes" replied his little sister: ock
Has she got any eggs: ques uas univ an
No" responded Betty. she mas oii,s ,,;th
MD door knob we had there TO play VII,
hut shes as cross as if she hao VIZ" 1,ea :
nsst fuu of chickens. l don't care so ho"A
her. .,oh,ished in the
one morning puss was estaohsheo IA
othcr end of Bids box. ,.a vbat
BETTY" called Jack, come ana see ~ s,tar
puss is doing. She's been IN tha' 'oA
s'i ill., Snail sister investigated timiaay'
Gearing the hen. but in moment sue oniv
Claimed enthusiastically, on, Jazz s Mi
See here" And she dlspiayeu cot one
SItnss wrigsling objects, held 1ast' one
is pi,her hand. ..Thav are kittens Jacs'
va she has two more all gray-just allke.
Won hold these and III get the rest f>'eA
they the beautifulest! ~, Hind kits
.nS then babe Betty return Item u o'o
'rouard noon Jack saw the cat coming me,
70 the house for her dinner anu 80 nf
4 OF "a
~ hox inspecting the new occupan.,. "
har quarters After brief examine d,. % Nd
.he disappeared in the cat 5 coihei N
There remained. .oo,,e here quick
1,1 afraid old Bid will kill the Kittens !,
she lust jumped right down on 'hen'
go and scare her OH 1910. ,,5 gave
pattv went rather reluctantly ana Saes
- feeble little "shoos,' emphasile,u
inxith nirts If her white pina1ore, In IL, r,@ad
raction of the hen, who promptly, ;r q
her feathers, opened her shalp rnnarl,s
threatening manner and maue tare
~ .' tho1ph In an unknown tongue were
sIainly meant to be wariike. ..,ha.s
poIim afraid" whimpered Betty sue . =
right on top of the kittens ana she VIII NV
get OFF. .. IN friphten Bid
pattv sat down at sare ols'an 80
matched. The hen, concluding .iia' - NJ 70
Utilities had ceased gave he 80 cincking,
Ssr new family, uttering all those clu Is w.
.ooinp sounds which motherly olu nei
,nakes when having a conversation VIII
She coddled the kittens who seemea !.
enjoy it. for they nestled close 70 tle . .er,
rcasionally crawling out over hel SUI.
white feathers in the helpless, aimiess way
n,f very young cats. -, Co. , ,no
Presntiy old puss returned, and ior my
Anent viewed the scene in silent amazemeM ,r
Then she charged angrily upon the IN
srrder. beginning a battle In when she wa va
soon defeated by the hen. Crestialleh, sI,e
,etIred TO the other end OF the ooX' "hiit
tid Rid resumed her maternal care over
the kits. -, ,,;,,ars 20 her
side, She purred and Moved and coaEeu,
nut all in vain; the fostrrmother heiu nei
Sosition, now and then performing HeLce
tsntlcs whenever the rtghtfuI owner ol hei
charges approached too near
The children had watched this amusing
sigh for some time when their mother re,
surncd from the village, and Jack appeaieo
10 her in behalf of the cat. who now came
running TO her mistress with pathetic cries
Jacks mother at once removed the men
forcibly restored the kittens to the cat and
CHASED old Bid off TO the back yard. where
she properly belonged; but 1t was not long
before Jacks voice was again heard "Oh