, 1923-02-18
An Unwelcome Stranger

TlHE happy day had arrived.
Everything was ready for the
birthday party. There should be a
large crowd present. as each little
girl who had received an invitation
had told May, nothing could keep her
away. This party was to be SO diff.
ferent from any they had ever at
tended.
1t was a double party to celebrate
Mays and Toms sixth birthday. He
hadn't taken very much interest in
1t. he hadn't even helped write
tho invitations. But he would be-
come excited when the guests began
to arrive: as each Invitation had read;
Bring your pet kitten to help Tom
celebrate"
How slowly the time passed. Il
would be a whole half hour before
the children and kittens would begin
to come. May was dressed in a dainty
white frock and Tom was washed
and brushed and around his neck
May had tied a large white ribbon.
The two were sitting near the win.
dow watching for the first arrivals.
Suddenly Tom gave a lunge. land,
ing On the window sill meowtng angri-
ly. May jumped t. he window to see
what was wrong On the porch stood
a big black cat.
Poor pussy. you look hungry and
have come to our party she cried.
I shall feed you now. and you may
stay to see all the cats that are com
ing"
Tom did not welcome the new Wis
itor, but stood on the window sill
looking down in u very unfrlendly
manner.
"Come, Kitty Tom, we shall let
the poor pussy stay to cur party"
exclaimed May.
The little guests soon began to ar
rive, Zach carrying in her arms her
favor!te kitten. 1t was a noisy but
jolly crowd.
The cats were the center of attrac-
tlOn, al Suits u bdilltS bSNAi
planned for their amusement. Bright
colored marbles, balls and spools
went rolling all over the floor. The
things that created the most fun and
caused the children to make Ithe
whole house ring with their laugh
ter, were little rubber mice. Mays
mother had bought in one Of tho city
stores. AS the mice would come
crawling from under the chairs. there
would be a wild scramble OF cats.
How the little girls would shout at
the expression on the kittens faces
when they saw the mice were not
real.
During the whole afternoon, the
strange black entered into the
games. he would rush in ahead OF
no other cats. not seeming TO care
whom he knocked out of the way.
Tom meowed angrily every time the
stranger came near him, but May
separated them each time to avoid an
open fight.
Lunch time came. Each girl took
her kitten in her arms and marched
to the table. The strange cat not
having a mistress was carried in by
Mays mother and placed at the OPP.
posite side OF the table from ToEl.
Little benches had been made for the
cats. Gust high enough Cor them to
sit on and reach the table comfort.
ably.
OF course. the kittens had to have
nearly tho same things to eat as the
girls. so the first course consisted OF
salmon and small pieces OF well but
tered bread. on little plates, one for
each guest.
There was a merry rush to eat
every thing. but none tried to get
a bite from another's plate.
The strange cat was through first
and looked about greedy.
When everyone had finished their
M bread. cream and tiny
cakes were brought in.
The little girls were given straw
perry leo cream ana pink coated COOK
les, but as the kittens might not arc
anything SO cold they were given
can
Everything was going along nice
ly and the -arty OF well behaved
cats were nearly through eating;
without a word of warning the
stranpe cat landed unon the table
and began drinking out of another
dish.
He had just started slipping the
when Tom landed on him.
Such a wild dinner party. Cats flew
IN every direction. Little girls scream
ed. While cream splashed all yer
table.
Tho fight was over in a few mo
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