The Dolores star., 1919-02-14
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GAR TALL H3
~ MARY GpAHAM BONNER
THE CATS COMPLAINT.
~ MARY GRAHAM BONNER


II like the country better than !
do the city and like the summer
better than l do the winter" SAID
Tommy Cat.
"rhen you can't be very happy
now" said Teddy Cat.
Il wouldn't say that" said Tommy
Cat.
well, you almost said it momen,
ago. For it's the winter time now
and you're In the city and not in the
country. You said you like the coun.
try and summer"
THAT is true" said Tommy Cat. 81
said just what you heard. Your ears
are good. But l didn't say that was
unhappy in the city, nor did say that
l was unhappy in the winter"
Ah,' said Teddy Cat. ''now 1 see."
What do you mean by saying such
a childish thlng?" asked Tommy Cat
Whatever do you mean?" asked
Teddy Cat. II am very much puz.
zled. Is It childish to understand
anything? And besides l think chill
dren often understand things which
grownups don't. They often under
stand animals better for instance.
and they understand how to be very
happy and how to have good times"
Il didn't mean," said Tommy Cat,
that you were childish like child.
l meant that you were childish like
Kitten. You said. as you remember,
Now l see.' OF course you meant
that you understood. But when you
said that now you could see it sound
ed as though you hadn't been able to
see before and as though you had
just been baby kitten with your eyes
tight shut as all baby kittens are for
the first week and half of their
lives"
swell. did everl' said Teddy Cat.
II must be very particular when I
speak to you. l mustn't say the
wrong word in the wrong place, but
l must say the right word in the right
place.
Il will have to buy myself read
y =
Then l will have to get pair of
glasses and have pencil fastened to
my collar"
Not bit of it," said Tommy Cat
You simply have to say what you
mean"
THAT sounds simple but, it is often
very hard" said Teddy Cat please
don't be so fussy."
"All right" said Tommy Cat, Il
won't be, for If l were, you would find
me making as many mistakes as you
would be making. And we're such
good friends. We go back and forth
from the city to the country and from
the country to the city. From sum-
mer to winter and from winter to
summer and we always go together,
we two."
ave do" agreed Teddy Cat. But
now that you are speaking once more
of the city and the country and the
summer and the winter won't you tell
me why you like the country and the
summer so much?'
II will tell you" said Tommy Cat,
but you mustn't think l am unhappy,
for l am not. Sometimes | have
in the country all the year and then
again have thought l would like to
be cat living in the city all the
year.
But wien l have thought hard
enough about the whole matter have
decided that I'm n very happy, purr-
ing cat all of the time. but that the
summer and the country are my de-
lights.
For, listen, Teddy"
And Teddy drew nearer.
81 used to go into the kitchen yard
and so did you, and we took the top
off the garbage pail and we had a
feast. Night after night we had
feast. and our mistress would say,
Some strange animal came again in
the kitchen yard last night and
knocked off the top of the garbage
pail
"She didn't know we two were the
strange animals. OF course l used to
complain that they didn't take the
cover off for us, but l suppose they
thought we were so well fed we didn't
need such treats.
1--WE were fed well, too, but ah.
garbage pail is garbage pail no mat
ter how we are fed.
$50 ! like the summer when the
garbage pals are kept in the kitchen
yards and where we can get to one
easily. Here In the city they keep
them tucked away in little places
made for them where cats. no matter
how clever, can't get at them.
ave can sometimes get n delicacy
from barrel on n street, but oh,
love the country and garbage pals In
kitchen yards"
$50 do L." said Teddy Cat. but
most creatures when they speak Of
loving the country speak Of loving
flowers and fields! We most certain
F..