: Caroline Fuller
: The Alley Cat's Kitten
: OTB eBook publishing
: 9783988260185
: 1
: CHF 1.80
:
: Belletristik
: English
: 126
: kein Kopierschutz
: PC/MAC/eReader/Tablet
: ePUB
Excerpt: ?She had not really minded being an Alley Cat until the kittens came. But every one who has had children knows that one feels being poor much more keenly on their account, than on one?s own. And the strawless corner of a deserted shed did not seem a suitable bed for her mother?s grandchildren The Alley Cat took no pride in her own appearance. Indeed, it had been said when she was born that her mother, the blooded tortoise-shell of a beautiful home, had never produced such a terrible kitten. She would not have been allowed to live, if an accident had not deprived her mother of the others. And as she grew up even her own parent saw that she was homely It may be thought that homely cats have no feelings; but this is not the case, for homely cats, like plain people, are sensitive, and have even more feelings than others. So one day when some particularly unkind remark had been made about the brindled kitten with yellow sides, she left her home and ran away to become an alley cat She was sorry for this afterwards, of course, like every other kitten that runs away. But she would not go home, and slept all summer in empty boxes and under the barns of people who did not like cats. She visited garbage pails, and learned to dash off with the others when the maid opened the kitchen door. She learned to walk on her stomach when crossing the street, and by the time that winter came, she had cobwebs in her whiskers, and looked at everybody out of frightened green eyes.

CHAPTER TWO


THE ALLEY CAT S KITTEN

EUNICE and Kenneth were allowed to get up at six o clock on Christmas morning, if they would promise not to wake anybody else. But this was a very funny rule, because when they ran into the play-room where the stockings were hung, Mother and Grandmother were always there before them; and Franklin, who had pretended to be fast asleep, would give a wild whoop from behind his door. This happened every time, and for years afterwards the striking of a match would set Eunice s heart beating, and she would think, Oh, it s Christmas, and six o clock has come! when it might not be Christmas at all, and she would have to shake herself very hard to remember that she was grown-up.

This morning Kenneth was the first to reach the play-room, and so it was he who first saw but Grandmother grabbed him by the seat of his legged nighty, and put her hand over his mouth, saying, Wait till Eunice comes!

It was then that Eunice saw too, and gave a little squeal of delight, the kind that she always gave when she saw one, although she had never seen one looking out of the top of a stocking before. And this one had a lace ruff around its neck. Otherwise the stocking was just as usual, all bunchy, with a queer, fat foot made by the orange in the toe. But she could not believe that what she saw at the top of the stocking was true.

Bang! went Kenneth on one of his new noisy presents that Franklin had given him; and E-ow! went the thing in the top of Eunice s stocking. Then it was true after all!

Do take her out, quick! said Mrs. Wood, laughing. I m so afraid she ll stick to the candy elephant underneath.

There, I m glad that s over! said Grandmother, with a sigh. I wasn t up with her but seven times last night.

Aren t you going to look at your other things? asked Kenneth, blissfully sucking a hind leg of sugar dog.

Oh, Mother, it has white toes! Eunice cried.

Say, Mother, this is bully! exclaimed Franklin, from the other side of the room where his table was set. Franklin considered himself too old to hang up a stocking no