The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1913-11-29
THE STORY OF A CROSS KITTEN

TIE . IOnI VT - NnO00 MI EN-
There was once a little kitten who
was so cross that he looked like the
picture of the tiger in Jimmy's ami
NAL book. He used to walk around
the house saying "Merrow! Mer-er-
row." when there wasn't anything
to say "mer-er-row" about.
1t was Jimmy's kitten-Jimmy is
the little boy who lives in the tiny
brown house near Moses Cooper's
flour mill on the stone road. Mr..
Cooper gave Jimmy the kitten, but
he supposed that it was good little
kitten who would soon learn to smile
and say "Purr- purr-purr." He
never dreamed that his kitten would
turn into little cat SO cross that it
wouldn't even say "Mew' or Meow"
when it felt like tiger in the jungle,
but must always go Morrow! Mer-
row!" from morning until night.
This kitten wouldn't even say 81
thank you" for cream. Jimmy knows
because he tried it. The kitten always
growled Morrow" when milk was
poured into his pretty saucer beside
the kitchen stove. Jimmy thought
perhaps the kitten was cross because
he had no cream, and so one morning
he gave Master Kitten cream from
his own oatmeal.
"Mer-ro-aow!" scolded that kitten
He must have liked the cream, too,
because it wasn't three minutes be-
fore the saucer was empty and the
kitten was asking for more-this way:
Morrow! Mrow! Mrrow!" You may
be sure he didn't get any more cream
that morning. There was nothing
Jimmy didn't do to make his little
kitten happy. He kept him supplied
with fresh water to drink and made
his bed every morning so it surely
would be comfortable. The bed was
a small basket behind the stove, and
was softer than Jimmy's crib. Yet
every night before the kitten went to
bed he stood a moment beside the
basket and complained, "Ye-oW-
wrrowerm-row!"
One day when Jimmy was visiting
Mr.. Cooper at the mill his mother put
the cross kitten in the basket and
tied on the cover Then she carried
the basket to the grocery store. You
shouldn't blame Jimmy's mother.
Good morning, Mr.. Pickles." said
she-the grocer's name happened to
be Pickles. II have been told that
you are looking for kitten to live
with you and catch grocery mice.
Here is one that will scare the mice
away if he doesn't catch them. Oh,
you are quite welcome. am de-
! lighted to let you have him"
You see, the grocer had said Il
thank you" the very second Jimmy's
mother spoke the word kitten" She
was gone before he had a chance to
change his mind; and he changed his
mind before the cross kitten had eaten
dinner.
"You can't live here unless you
stop saying Morrow " threatened
the grocer. 'I won't keep cat that
hasn't better manners!"
"Mer-row-mrow!" groWled the
kitten impudently. "M-mrow!"
Next morning the kitten ran away
before breakfast, mer-row-ing at every
step. Straight he went to Mrs. Had
ley's back door and asked for milk.
"Scat! Run away" exclaimed Mrs.
Hadley when she opened the door and
saw the cross kitten. Scat, I say!"
Then to Mrs. Ketchem's back door
trotted the kitten. There he called
"Row-yow- SO loud that
Mrs. Ketchem thought dog was
after him. She opened the door
quickly.
"Mer-row!" exclaimed the kitten.
ooh, you go on" advised Mrs.
Ketchem. "Scat, sir! You are too
cross to come visiting here!"
From house to house went the lit
tie cross kitten, getting hungrier
every minute as he was turned away
from one door after another. Miss
Pole even chased him with broom.
At last the kitten cried MEOW" for
Jimmy, and before long the meow
became a pitiful little New! Mew!"
Jimmy was eating his supper OF
bread and milk when he heard a
gentle little "Mewi" outside
what if it were my own poor little
kitten!' exclaimed Jimmy, and when
he opened the door there, sure enough
was his kitten, only this was good
little kitten. The minute Jimmy said
"Come in, poor little kitty" the kit
ten began saying "Purr! Purr! Purr!'
until, If his throat had been made
of thin china, it must certainly have
broken.
From that day to this Jimmy's kit
ten sings .Purr! Purr! PurrI" from
lmorning until night and Is Thankful