New Britain herald. [microfilm reel] (New Britain, Conn.) 1890-1976, 1928-08-25
Mrs. YCWlcr Backs Away
By Thornton W. Burgess

The wise know when to back away,
And when it's safe to boldly stay.
Mrs. Yowler
There was one small person in
the Great Forest who had learned
a lesson that would last him a life
time. No matter how old he might
live to be he never. never again
would NEEDLE with Prickly Perky
the Porcupine. That one small per-
son was one of the kittens OF
Yowler the Bobcat. He had cuffed
the hanging tail of Priclsly Perky
out Of pure mischief. 1t had ended
In screech that had sent his twin
sister home AS fast as her legs
could take her. And it brought their
mother, Mrs Yowler, bounding in
rage, ready to attack whoever had
hurt her precious kitten. A perfect
picture of hate and uglness was
Mrs. Yowler when she came bound
ing to the side of her whimpering
kitten. She was snarling, and of all
the ugly sounds. the snarl of Mrs.
Yowler is one of the uglest. Her
ears were laid back. the hair on
her neck and back was on end, her
lips were drawn SO as to show the
cleaning white teeth, and altogeth-
er she was not at all pretty to see.
The kitten was holding up one
foot and whimperng. His mother
looked to See what the trouble
was. And then, to that kittens
great surprise. nothing happened to
Prickly Porky. Instead Prickly
Porky suddenly underwent most
startling change. That coat of his
suddenly became a great, bristling
mass of sharp points. and Prickly
Porky began to move. He didn't
run away. No, indeed, he didn't
run away. He backed. Yes, sir,
that's what he did-he backed, with
funny little PUSHES. And when he
backed he switched his tail from
side to side.
Now the change that came over
Prickly Perky was no greater than
the change that came over Mrs
YoWler. She still snarled and
groWled and dug her claws into
the ground. But that was all she
did, excepting to back up. That kit
ten couldn't believe his eyes. No,
sir, he couldn't believe his eyes. His
mother was actually backing away
from this horril looking stranger
The kitten himself backed. He
backed in such a hurry that he
fell SPRAYING right in front of his
mother. and She cutfed him to one
side with one OF her big paws.
That kitten felt he vas the most
abused kitten iii the world
Though he didn't stop to think
much about il at the time. he I'M
ders'ood that his mother was afraid
OF Pric6ly Perky the Porcupine,
SO straishtway fear was established
within him. That sore paw. in
which one OF Prickly Porky's little
auills was still sticking. together
with the fact that Mrs.
1owlor Was 81 adily backing away
from Prickly Perky, fixed it firm
~ for all time n that kittens mind
any 'NhfE l VI NJ was q If-INDli "
be let alone. 1t was hard 20 believe
that any one could make his moth
or back away. hut h. had seen it
With his own eyes and that was
enough.
Presently FrialiN Porky lowered
the thousand little spears in his
coat and as calmly as if nothing
whatever had happened began
climbing a tree Mrs. YoHler and
The kitten watched him Mrs GoNl-
er was still growing down In her
throat l. was a growJ IN hich
were mingled hate and respect and
helplessness She would have killed
PricNly Porkv if she had dared But
she didn't dare and that was all
there was to il. n made her all the
angrier that one nf her own chill
dren should have seen her backing
up before that stupid tree climber,
Copyright, 1925. by T. w. Burgess
The next story: "OId Man Coy