The Washington times., 1914-07-25
TINES BEDTIME STORY
/, TOM TABBY IN SKIRTS.
By FLORENCE e. YODER.

/" HE two kittens In the picture
do not seem to be 80 very
happy.
To tell the truth. they are
not.
the kitty boy new to Tabbyland.
and the one in a dress Is no other
than Tom Tabby. And he Is so
ashamed he could fall right out of
that swing and go to cat heaven.
Whenever. the Tabby children were
naughty. Mrs. Tabby used to punish
them In different ways. Tom. in
fact. was so bad that II Mrs. Tabby
had spanked him every time that he
needed 1t her paws would have been
quite tired. So she used to think up
different, ways Of Furnishing him, and
this waA one Of the ways She used
to make Tom put on skirts and keep
them on all day. and that is what
happened one nice Saturday morn
ing, when Tommy wanted to play.
"Oh. mother, make me do anything
else" Tommy begged. but Mrs.
Taby was firm. She knew that
Tommy hated wearing dresses worse
than anything else. II he once got
those on he was not apt to try to
run away. He was so ashamed that
he stayed pretty closely In the
house. too.
Mrs. Tabby called Tommy Up to
her room, slipped one Of the dresses
Of his sister Tottie over. his head,
and then let him 60.
IF I were you," she told him, IT
would stay right up here in my own
room. where no one could see me.
Anyhow. forbid you to leave the
house" Then Mrs. 'Tabby went
away and did not pay any more at
tention to poor Tommy. She made
no effort to watch him.
Teddy came up into the room. and
they tried to play, but the SKIRTS got
In the way and Tom would fall every
time he started to run.
Finally he rolled them up tight and
pushed them under the belt.
TT Is very uncomfortable" he ex-
planned to Teddy, around the waist.
but much better on my legs, for I
can now-kick. and as he said the
word he gave Teddy a kick that
sent him spinning.
Tommy laughed, and with his legs
once more free made a brave dash
for the stairs. He ran down two at
a time. with Teddy behind him
through the hallway and out into the
yard before they knew It
Tommy stopped. What win moth
er say?"
Don't know" answered Teddy.
carelessly, as he rolled In the soft
grass, land don't care. because she
didn't tell me to stay in"
''Oh. for that matter 7 don't care
either" Dragged Tommy. anxious
lest Teddy think him Q coward.
What do you say to taking swing
before we go back?"
without another word they trotted
over to the swing. Teddy climbing
In first and then Tommy. Pull
down your skirts, Tom" put in Ted,
''or there won't be room for two.
The hump sticks out too far" So
Tommy let them down over his legs
with a sigh. But he soon became
cheerful, and so interested that they
forgot all about the skirts and the
punishment and everything else I'M
III
''Oh, look-look at Tommy Tabby
playing girl" came from the gate.
He stopped short and looked just
as he looks in the picture.
Oh, how terrible he felt! He was
ashamed to stay and more ashamed
to go. for swinging on the gate was
Toby Hicks and Fannie. his puppy
sister. and all of the boys and GIRLS
in Tabbyland.
He thought that he would die OF
shame, and then he was afraid that
he wouldn't, and then he began to
get angry. and just about the time
that Teddy recovered himself and
g. nj rh them
of he boiled overI Down he hoped,
and with his skirts flying and Teddy
behind him. he charged down upon
the crowd at the gate.
He looked so wild and so fierce
that they backed away. still laugh