Norwich bulletin., 1916-06-29


 She was by no means beautiful animal She was little and half starved and lame, but her eyes were two to pages for brilliance and she had a character (surely animals do have character as well as human beings), doglike in it's devotion AS she sat curled up in my lap, pGrring happily, every touch aof her little red tongue was cementing a friendship which I, for my part, have never forgotten. Jim and Ben. sons of the pastry cook at the hotel, stood regarding us. She's got two kittens, said Jim. She had three, but the Strong,s Rob- bic killed one
 Why. she's not much more than kitten herself,7 I exclaimed. .sThree kittens and one of them killed! Poor little Motherkinsi So that is the req SO scared and hunted.
 The next morning the boys beckoned me to the side veranda where they were purring under the lattice work
 Look" they whispered, there they are.H
 Two topaz eyes were looking into mine. proudly, contentedly. T know I'm no beauty they seemed to say, s'but look at my children. They're pretty enough, aren't they ?'
 Surely they were. Two fluffy balls lay at her side. lazily boxing each other with tiny paws One was a gray and white mite, the other tiger striped with beautiful yellow mottlings about the ears.
 'The one that Robbie killed was blaclS,' said Ben in hushed voice. The pastry cook a worn, thin Wom- an, in Q. limp calico skirt and an un- belted shirt waist, came out and join- ed in the conversation.
 Yes, miss" she remarked, T seen that white cat pr0Wlin' round here one evening and I thought he was looking for scraps. But I woke up in the night, hearin' the greatest mewin and spittin' and screamin' that ever was goin' on, right under the stoop here and fin the mornin' the little black cat was dead and the mother was all scratched up and lame, and picked up a big bunch of white fur just out side the veranda here''
 l felt real sorry for the mother She's homely, but she's rea1 affection ate, and the care she takes of them kittens
 Well, miss, twould set some hu- man bein's an example, only thes wouldn't care about followin it. l dare say.
 'sWhen hear that Livingstone baby crying upstairs with the nurse girl while the mother galliyants around il the evening can't help feeling she'C better come down here an learn a les son in duty from that poor. starved looking cat.
 sExcuse me miss taint for me t be a criticizin the Guests. I ought [ be tendin' to my duties this minute Serve me right if them huckleberT, pies of mine was. burnt to a crisp! and she left the cool, sweet outsid air for the stiiling kitchen iron whence the slamming oven door tOl me that she was engaged in lookin after the welfare of her pastry.
 Jim and Ben organized themse1ve Into a vigilance committee of twt their object being to drive back th Sfrong's Robbie with shouts and yell and every method of tending to kee Inc Eaarauder at a distance that thei fertile brains could invent.
 But one morning. in spite of ou vigilance Robbie eluded us. sa' aim trotting up the road, evidentl bent upon mischief and ! rushed i he back of the house, calling to Be and Jim as I went. But Robbie ha disappeared. l stopped down an - Dolxed under the veranda- Ther sroucked Robbie. his green eyes sparl ing in the half darkness, his tall laasf ng from side to side. Near me c m old carpnt curled together into .urry ball, slept little Gray and Wht And Tiger Between them and Rol pie. not half his size, her back arche fer taiF bristling, stood their lit mother, facing the big white e braveiy. Suddenly. she hurled herse Itraight for his glowing eyes ar Inarling mouth There was a vi Icrarnble, yell of pain from Robbi md then a white cat flashed out fro lnder the veranda, pursued by a khi garfagated fury, with vengeful. yello gyen, who, with a leap in which fol ,aws edged with sharp claws SEe bread wide fn tho air landed stEaig sbon Hobbies back, where she rui iiim from the yard in triumph, Gcratcl ne and tearing at hia thick white q mn he was we'll around the side he house.
 Then nhe came back trembling ss weak, her eyes no longer topazes, D llaelr dNhrMOnos from their dila1ed Q ,iIs. Straight under the Neranda aa vent and, lifting little Tiger bE q lape of the neck, carried him to t fe'De. Then she went back for llti tray and White and brouglAE her ol Ter head well ups hmping from b Inrden, she deposited her by the ai f her brother oil tise steps, then sal town bW their shMa eAhmuGEad A@ sver-hungrv children. all unAnoWf he peril that hnd threa ataned the lest1ed down at her side
 Poor little hG1thnrkinsl She had { o learn that there were other per hreatening her iltkie ones. The No eEan Go nlI and an1uu8 the 4ttIHs hern wMS ~ gwglI glrA cF three Ae uEelic blue eyes and golden cp|
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