Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1912-02-02
THE COMING GENERATION.
How Grandma Told the story-Papa
Remembered IL Well.

Mamie and Josie Peyton were insa-
table story lovers. and during the two
days which had elapsed since Grandma
Peyton had come to live with them they
had spent much time wondering IL she
could tell stories. She was such dear,
sweet grandma. and If she could tell
stories she would be teasure beyond
all price, the realization OF their very
brightest dreams
She had come from a far-distant VII
lage, away in the country somewhere.
and she had been very weak and tired
when she arrived, so Mamie and Josie
had been told that they must not make
very much noise or worry grandma in
any way till she had had time to rest.
Tonight, however, grandma seemed so
strong and cheerful that the children,
sitting side by side in their little chairs,
quite near to her big, comfortable rock
er. thought that, perhaps, after their
papa had stopped talking and picked up
his paper, and their mamma had gone to
attend to things in the kitchen, they
might venture to ask her If she knew
how to tell stories.
SO they did, or Mamie did. Mamie
always had to speak for both.
why, deares," said grandma, 1T Is
so long since told story that l don't
know whether 1 can tell one now or
not"
How long, grandma?' inquired Nan
ME. TRY to remember one for us,
please"
"If you are quite rested" supplemented
the more considerable Josie.
Grandma looked at the two children
lovingly, then her eyes seemed to wan
der beyond them and to see something
which they could not see.
Il used to tell my little boy a kitten
story. and he used to ask me to tell 1t
till II seemed to me 1 could tell it in my
sleep. One night he had toothache, and
woke up and cried, and nothing could
keep him from crying but to hear me
tell that story That time / guess l did
tell 1t in my sleep.
"Oh, grandma, do tell us that story!'
cried both the children.
'Ill try" said grandma, and she be-
gam
"Once there were two little kittens, a
black one and white one. The black
one was named Tommy and the white
one Snowfall These little kittens were
very young, and did not know any bet
ter than to run after everyone who
spoke to them; so, one day, never think
ing that they were doing a foolish thing
and losing a good home and kind mis-
tress who loved them very much, they
trotted away down the road behind a
little girl who had stopped a moment to
pet tneIil, ana Sne uld NOT KNOW tHey
were following her till she had got so
far from the home of the lady to which
they belonged that she would not take
the trouble to go back with them"
OH cried Mamie. Il would
$50 would l." said Josie.
Yes, dears, l know you would, but
this little girl was one of the careless,
thoughtless sort who do not care much
for anything but themselves and what
oil nr
will not take the trouble to restore a
poor little lost animal to its home; they
would sooner let 1t starve Well, when
the little girl discovered them she was
quite angry and cried out:
"'Oh. you bad little cats, to follow
me! Scat" Then she ran into her own
house and left them. There were a good
many houses all around. and the kit
tens, not knowing how to get back home.
began to run around into back yards,
hunting for something, they did not know
what, and wishing they had a drink of
milk. At home there was always dish
of food set where they could eat when
ever they wished to.
by and by they grew very tired and
hungry indeed, and SNOWFALL began to
cry. Don't be cry-baby,' said Tom
my.
But I want something to eat,' new
ed SNOWFALL.
wen go in this house and ask for
something said Tommy.
80 they cried real loud at one of the
doors, and a woman came and opened it,
but when she saw only two little cats
she shut 1t again right in their little
faces. Go right away, you dirty little
cats!' she called out to them"
"Oh, what cruel woman!'
Yes" agreed Josie.
THAT Is just what my little boy used
to say when l got to that place in the
story" said grandma
Your papa has dropped his paper, Jo-
sic; run and hand it to him. Now, lei
me see, where was 1? Oh, the woman
drove them away. Well, they went u
the next house and mewed, and this tim,
a man came to the door. He looked a
them a minute, then called the woman
| to see them.
shall l let them in?' said he.
"Oh, no. she said. L don't want an!
more cats; We've got one, and that
enough
so on they had to 60
"Oh," sighed Mamie. how very tire'
they must have been"
Yes" breathed Josie, with his lttl
face shining with tender pity for tn
little lost cats.
How this brings me back to the tim
when | used to tell this story to m
little boy" said grandma, looking int
the fire with thoughtful eyes. He use
to be so sorry for them, just as you are
But there is more about them. ism
there. grandma?"
do tell US more about them, grand
ma" begged the little boy and girl.
WELL" resumed grandma, the poo
tired. hungry little kittens kept goin
till they could hardly walk. They STOP
ped at a good many houses. but no on
would take them in. Some OF the folk
where they stopped had too many cat
already, some did not like cats at al
and at some places there were dogs VIII
chased them, and bad, cruel-hearted boy
the girls who threw things at them c
tried to catch them and hurt them"
"Oh. dear me-" sighed Mamie.
And me. too. said Josie, his dear III
tie face full OF sympathy.
Yes" said grandma. Run and pic
up your papa's paper dear. one of yol
he is dropping 1t again"
well, the little kittens were so tire
they could hardly walk. and oh. so hur
CRY!
81 don't think can go much fur
Their. said Tommy to Snowbell, 6
length.
~ know / can't said SNOWFALL.
Then they both climbed up on
fence very quickly to get away from
little dog, and being up SO high the
could look a good, long way up II
street. and they saw-what do you thin