Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1917-10-12
The rue Story of
Kitty White
Ethel Bowen White.

She heard her mother announce:
i"We will put her in that basket with
the cover. 1t is loosely woven, SO
she will get plenty of air. On such a
long trip, that is really the only safe
way to carry her."
She heard her father say: 81 have
ordered the taxi to be here at nine
o'clock sharp. to drive use down to
the wharf. It takes some time to
cross Boston at this time of year.
We must allow plenty of time for
checking the trunks"
She heard frankie say: II wish
could carry Kitty White in my arms
instead of putting her in basket.
I'm afraid she'll be frightened with all
the noises and queer smells, when
she can't see single thing but the
! inside of straw basket"
! Kitty White walked solemnly to
Frankie's chair. She rubbed her
spotless white fur coat against Frank
les new tan stockings. She decided
J to stay near her little master. She
saw trunks, golf bags, and tennis
racquets carried downstairs. She saw
mother in her neat travelling suit, with
Della standing close behind holding
umbrellas. She saw father 60 from
the house carrying bags and suit
cases and hand them to the driver
But what Kitty White looked the
hardest at was the big wicker basket
which Frankie held. At last her
master spoke. She knew she must
obey.
Come, Kitty, come, Kitty White,
I'm going to put you into this nice
, clean basket and take you for lovely
trip. First we'll drive in taxicab;
,, then we'll sail in boat; after that
we'll take ride on train; then we
will reach the station at Winthrop.
Last of all, we will drive to our sum-
mer home. The very first thing I'll do
lis to give you a nice big saucer of
fresh milk You and will both take
a little kitty-cat nap. When we wake
up, the summer fun will begin"
Kitty White allowed frankie to
life her gently into the basket. She
sat rather awkwardly upon the soft
pillow that her kind master placed in
side. One last pat, and frankie babe
her to be a good Kitty White; then he
fastened the top of the basket firmly.
She could see no more. Kitty White
felt herself lifted carefully by frankie
She knew he was stepping into the
taxi. She listened to the chunk!
chunk! chunk! of the engine. and de-
cided to sit peacefully upon Der cush-
ion.
Suddenly thump! thump! thump!
went the whole world. Kitty White
found herself rafting round her
in fashion most peculiar. She felt
she could not stand it, till she heard
dear voice say:
Nov, Kitty White, that's all over.
We're getting on the great big boat"
Again she felt the basket gently lifted
and carried. Presently she felt the
basket set down on something solid.
A wild shrek caused her to jump
wildly about Kitty lost her head.
There's no telling if she ever would
have found it again, even in that not
overlarge basket, had she not heard
her masters kind, firm voice say
why, Kitty White, I'm 'pletely
'sprised! You're tipping the basket
over and over! AS fast as / pick it up,
you upset it! Don't you know that that
sound is the whistle that starts the
boat? Don't you know that we shall
never cross this ferry unless the boat
starts? Now behave like q well-man-
nered Kitty White or I'll be shamed
of your travelling manners"
Kitty White hung her head with
shame, though the basket covered her
confusion. She hung her head so low
that before she knew it she was fast
asleep. The next sound she heard was
"Chu! hcu! chu!" What could that
mean. No one told her. so she asked
politely, "Mew?'
Again her master gave her comfort
by saying: "We're on the train. Now
don't worry. I'll take care of you
Her master gave Kitty White COM
fort, but it wasn't exactly the kind Of
comfort she liked best, still it helped.
The basket trembled and shook. Her
poor little heart beat wildly as the !
stopped at the different stations. Her |,
poor little claws clutched the basket
as the train puffed out
again to resume its "Chu! chu. chu!"
1t was a long nightmare, nightmare
never to be forgotten by Kitty White.
one which she told to her children
and to her children's children. With
It's telling, her fur and theirs never !;
JAILED to stand on end.
At length it was over, drive and all.
She felt the basket lowered for the last
line. frankie opened the lid to find
poor Kitty in a truly disreputable con-
1ition. The new blue bow was torn
o bits. The feathers of the pillow
'ose in a cloud as Kitty White leaped
from her prison to the shell
,er of her masters arms.
The promised milk tasted most re-
reshing Kitty White drank hers from
nice blue-and-white japanese saucer.
When frankie saw Kitty forget to
wipe her milky mustache away, he re-
rendered first to wipe his own mouth
With a fresh handkerchief, then he
wiped Kitty's with one Of the feathers
eft in the basket
| cannot tell you of all the joys and
pleasures Kitty White and her master
hared that summer. You know your
elf what wonderful things happen al
most every day when one is on vaca-
ion. Yet how hard it is to tell pust
What one did when some grown-up
ayS.-
"WelI now fell me- all about yOur