Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1916-03-01
VICTORIA.


CopNrisht, 1915. hy the Mcclure News
paper SNndiyate.D
Nlcturla was Il large gray cat. her
front paws Were white. and there was
a white spot luSt under her chin which
looked like a white bow.
Her eyes were yellow. and Victoria
was az prim looking as the white
nous" With green blinds in which she
lived.
Nlctoria belonged To Miss Mary and
Miss ELLEN. wv" maiden ladies. and she
understood her position in the neigh
slolhond quite as We'll. she was as
disrified and proper in her manner
as her miStreSSeS.
she did not associate with the other
cats. and as for speaking To a choice
acquaintance. she would have as soon
gone ont of the house without Sticking
her fur.
Victoria had a plate and saucer an
her own. and they were filled three
times Il day and placed or a square of
oilcloth in the corner OF the Kitchen.
Victoria never ate bel wcen meals.
and she mover went into the dining
room when Miss Mary and Miss ellen
We're at the table.
she always ate all the food and
drank all the milk that was given her,
and was nevei known to meow for
more.
That she WAS a very Mise cat ana
remembered better than some little
girls or boys you VIII learn by read
Ing this story.
Whom ii was muddy Weather Vic
toria always waited ON the mat when
the door was opened, until some one
wiped her feet with u soft cloth. And
She knew that no one was allowed To
cross The rug in front of the door with
ont first WipinS THEM shoes. one day
Victoria was in the hall when a man
called To see Miss MARY on business.
ana the maid old him Ia wait in the
hail until She called him. He was
standing on the rug and Victoria was
Watching him. After waiting a few
minutes for the maid to return he
started 70 go TO Il chair. But he did
not wipe his shoes and Just as he
stepped off the rug Victoria ran at him
and claWed AT his feet.
The man, OF course. did not under
stand and thought the cat was mad:
Mary called Victoria away but she did
moi have the least idea what made
iner act in that anncr
Victoria kept her eyes on him until
Miss Mary asked him TO wipe his shoes
and then she walked away satisfied
that his muddy shoes would not soil
the carpet
One day a little girl came to the
house and she tried to make friends
with Victoria by rolling IL spool across
tIe tlooI. DuL NlCtoIlt SdI very PTlil
and looked at her us if to a II hope
YOU don't think l ann silly enough to
chase that spool around the ROOM"
She showed her dislike to having
her name shortened to Vic by not
moving if she heard ii: she seemed to
understand that the name Victoria was
due her dignity. and she answered to
no other.
In the hal. stood an old fashioned
clock. and when il struck 3 III the we
ming Miss Mary and Miss Ellen always
put out the light in the sitting room
and went tn bed.
Sometimes they would fall asleep
we their knitting or reading and
would not hear the lock. When this
happened Victoria would walk to-
where they sat and meow until they
awoke.
Her mistress thought she could
count as she never seemed To notice
the striking at amy other hour of the
day or night.
But M day Nictoria's dignity re-
ceived Il shock from which she eve
fully recovered. She was in the pam
try and saw a mouse on the shelf, and
while she was moi used to catching
mice or jumping about the temptation
was too great.
She sprang to the shelf. but she
missed her footing and tumbled to the
floor, bringing pans with her, and
worst of all. Il pitcher of milk which
was hit by the falling pans.
Victoria. pans, and the milk were in
q heap on the floor when the cook
came in to see what had happened.
Victoria Jumped up and ran behind