Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1915-09-11
The Kettle and the
Kitten


a kitten of her very own, and it SEEM
ed to her as if she we're never, never
going to reach the o~ld-enough stage,
which had been set at five a old.
But five years was at last reached,
and Linnet's cup of joy was filed to
overlooking when on the morning Of
her birthday she found sleeping In a
basket by her chair at the breakfast
table a tiny gray kitten.
Linnet could hardly be induced to
let the kitten out of her arms during
the day, and there were a few tears
shed at bedtime when she found a bas-
ket in the kitchen was to be kftty's
sleeping room and not her bed, as she
had fondly hoped.
The kitten vas about a week-old
visitor when a rainy day forced Lin
net to play in the house. About tea
time kitty insisted on having a sleep
and wouldn't play no matter how Lin
net teased and coaxed it; SO at last,
in desperation, Linnet wandered OF
into the kitchen and watched her
mother making cakes for tea. Sud-
denly a noise from the stove attract
ed Linnet's attention. The kittle was
SiiSiIS LlClllly ITO H4 idifty ddAttd6
up and down in its glee.
"Oh, Muver, Muver, look at the
kettle!' cried Linnet.
Mrs. Baird looked at the kettle, then
she walked over to the stove and lift
ed it up, filled the teapot and a small
kettle that were standing on a table
by, and then set the large kettle
on the back of the stove.
Does you always take the kettle off
when she bubbles?' asked Linnet.
Does it hurt her to bubbles?"
81 don't know, dear" laughed Mrs.
Baird. Most likely it does, and that
is the reason why it Kisses. SO as to
let me know it is ready to be taken
off,"
"Oh!" Linnet looked at the kettle.
4 Suspects it hurts its insides to have
polls in it; I Suspects everysings must
off that has boils in it. Don't
you. Muver?'
let, you must never, never try to take
kettle or anything that is boiling off
he stove. If you do you may scald
very, very badly and not be
BILE to play with kitty for weeks and
weeks. You'll promise mother, won't
'ou. Linnet"
Yes nodded Linnet. Never touch
Iufins hissins, Muver, never, never!!"
md Linnet trotted after her, mother
nd the dear little tea cakes into the
lining room.
After tea Linnet sat down on the
ug in front of the parlor fire n
for fire pictures, while kitty
slept soundly on a chair beside her.
After a while, firing of hunting for
ire pictures by herself and of waiting
for her mother to finish reading the
paper. Linnet bent over kitty to wake
her up. AS she did do she heard a
funny sound. Never had Llnnet heard
such a sound from kitty before, and
she bent her head closer.
"Purr-rr-rrrr-rrrr!" went kitty.
Was kitty getting i'll? wondered
Linnet.
: "Purr-rrr-rrr!" went kitty again.
Light broke on Linnet. She scram-
bled to her feet, rushed over to her
mother, and caught her by he arm.
.Muver, Muver," she cried, "come n
Jake poor kitty off! Tan't you hear
boiling?"
Mrs. Baird dropped her paper n
lovingly at her small daugn-
:er.
kitty isn't boiling, dear; she is pur.
ing because she Is happy and doesn't
want to be disturbed. That Is her
way of telling you she is happy"
"Oh!" Linnet looked thoughtfully
the kitten a minute, then she turn
ed to her mother again. Maybe the
kettle didn't wants to come off eiser.
Maybe she was purring cause she
was ~happy-don't you think, Muver!-
and wanted TO be left alone, tool"
Mrs. Baird laughed. mo; think,
dear, the kettle was purring because
it was so happy that it was ready 70
be of use, and so was quite ready 10
be taken off the stove and make the