STORY OF A CAT AND KITTEN. 799 ness of ignorance. Whatever other knowledge you neglect, reader, see to it that you are not ignorant of the power and preciousness of Divine learned men have been the most licentious; and is of itself a clear evidence of the obstructivescholars like Grotius and Selden have avowed their indebtedness to Scripture, and grieved at the last that they had not given themselves more fully to the will of God. Ay, the neglect of religion grace. anxiously looking out for the father's return. They spied him just before he turned into the square where we live, and ran down to meet him. NE day cook came to me and said, "If you please, ma'am, we must have a cat, those nasty mice are eating all before them." "Take care-take care!" he said; if you hang "Very well, cook," I said, "I will about me so closely, you'll hurt it." speak to the master." So I asked my husband to bring a pussy from the brought the kitten surely?" warehouse. The next evening, to the great delight of Hope and Mary, my little boy and girl, he returned with a basket in his hand, which, when opened, was found to contain a big cat. I cannot say Tabby was handsome, indeed I think, on the whole, she was one of the ugliest cats I ever saw. She was light grey and white, but the grey was whitish, and the white was greyish; for Tabby, like some little children, was not as particular as she might have been about keeping herself clean. Then her legs were too long, and her tail was too thin, and her face was not square enough; no one could call her a beauty. However, I said to myself, "Handsome is that handsome does; if Tabby looks well after the mice, I shall not mind her ugliness." A week went over, and Tabby had not caught one mouse. She did not seem to care for anything but going to sleep, and the wee brown animals used to play round about her, without disturbing her slumbers in the smallest degree. Of course this would not do; Tabby was neither useful nor ornamental, and one morning we held a council of war upon her. Father, mother, cook, Hope, and Mary assisted at it; and after much deliberation, it was determined that Tabby must go back to the warehouse, and we would try a kitten. "Hurt what, father?" said they; "you've never "Didn't mother tell me to bring one ?" he answered; "you know we all do as mother bids," and saying this he dived deep down into his top-coat pocket, from whence he drew forth the loveliest little kitten that ever was seen. It was grey and black, and looked just like a soft ball of chinchilla; its tail was long and thick, and marked in rings of alternate colour. We all called out, How different from Tabby!" Hope and Mary were never tired of nursing it, but to their grief they soon discovered that their new pet was not happy. They hugged it again and again, and ran to fetch it milk, and saved for it little bits of fish from their dinner and cake from their tea, but in return it looked up in their faces with the saddest expression and mewed most piteously. "Oh, dear little kitten," they said, "why do you cry? we give you all we can think of, why are you not happy ?" I told them that all the treats in the world would not of themselves make any one happy, and I reminded them how once, when Hope went to stay at his uncle's by himself, all the toys they brought could not comfort him when bed-time came, and he cried for me. "Now," I said, "I fear it is the same thing with this kitten; it has come away from home too soon, and cannot forget its mother. I feel quite uneasy lest it pine itself away, for you see it will not In the evening Hope and Mary were as usual touch food." Hope and Mary looked very grave at this, and bestowed such a kiss upon the kitten, that if it could have understood it would have made itself at home directly; but it did not, for kittens know very little about boys and girls. It only looked at them with large wondering eyes and mewed again. “Oh, dear—dear!” said Hope, "whatever shall we do? I can't bear to hear it cry like that. Suppose I fetch Tabby; perhaps the kitten will think she is its mother." "Well," I said, "you can try, but I am afraid Tabby will be of no more use now than she ever is." Down he ran into the kitchen, where he found Tabby dozing by the fire. He carried her up at once into the dining-room where we were all looking sorrowfully at the poor weeping kitten. Imagine our delight when poor ugly stupid Tabitha solved our problem by walking up to the frightened little creature, when she gave it a tender lick, picked it up in her mouth and retired with it into the kitchen where they fell asleep in each other's arms inside the fender. From that day we had no further trouble: it was, I fancy, as Hope said--the kitten took Tabby for its mother, and no longer felt alone in the world. One day we were all in great distress, for neither Tabby nor the kitten could be found. We hunted everywhere for them, up-stairs in the closets and under the beds, and down-stairs in the hampers and behind the boxes. Dinner-time came, but no cats. Hope and Mary had lost their appetites, and could hardly eat the small quantity I put upon their plates. Every now and then I heard what sounded very like a sob, and no one laughed or talked. Tea-time came, and I saw a piece of bread and butter laid on one side and a little milk left in each cup; but the pets for whose refreshment it was meant never appeared. When the tea-things were cleared away I read aloud some fairy tales to comfort my little anxious bairns, and bed-time arrived, bringing with it no tidings of the wanderers. Next day passed in the same way; little by little we all began to feel as if Tabby and the kitten would never be found, for we feared they had met with some accident, and had, perhaps, come to a melancholy end. Just as Hope and Mary were bidding good night, we heard a stifled sort of mew outside the diningroom window. We ran to open it, and there was Tabby carrying the kitten in her mouth. We brought them in, and for some time nothing was heard but exclamations of joy over their return. Soon, however, we saw reason for sorrow also. Poor Tabby looked gaunt and starved, and had evidently received some cruel injuries, for there were great bruises all over her body as if stones had been thrown at her, and in two places she was bleeding. The kitten was unhurt, but seemed terrified, looking continually from side to side as if afraid of some unseen foe. We thought they must have gone off together for a walk, and have fallen into the hands of some bad boys, who had tried to get possession of the kitten. Tabby had fought hard, and as a last resource, had taken the kitten in her mouth, and made a run for it, receiving in her flight the wounds from which she was now suffering. We fetched some warm water to bathe her in, and tried to get her to drink some milk; but poor Tabby was past all our care. She must have got some hurt we could not see, for from the first she was not able to rouse herself at all. We watched her for half an hour, and every now and then she would give a little moan, and lick our hands like a dog. The only thing that seemed to comfort her was when we brought the kitten and put it by her side. About five minutes to eight she gave a slight shudder, made a last attempt to put her forepaw round the kitten's neck, fell back, and died. She was buried in the garden under a rose-tree, and since then, whenever I saw Hope and Mary inclined to be selfish or quarrelsome, I pointed to the little grave which reminded them of poor old Tabby and her love for the kitten. C. MILLER. 328. What quality was regarded by the Apostle James as an essential condition of happiness? 329. Which of the prophets used language almost identical with that of Job, when he cursed the day of his birth. 330. Name the book of the Old Testament which has one and the same leading thought running through each of its chapters. 331. Give the passage where two of Samuel's sons are mentioned as judges over Israel. 332. What prophet gives the fullest description of the attire and ornaments of Jewish women? 333. What is the blossom of the almond-tree, mentioned in Eccles. xii. 5, intended metaphorically to represent? 334. Quote a passage which shows that fish-culture was practised among the ancient Egyptians. ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS ON PAGE 768. 319. Because they regarded his physical sufferings as evidence of deep moral unworthiness, while Job was conscious of having retained his integrity before God. 320. Erastus the chamberlain of Corinth (Rom. xvi. 23). 321. 1 Cor. xii. 31. 322. St. Luke xvi. 29; Heb. iv. 7. 323. "The sound of a going on the tops of the mulberry trees" (1 Chron. xiv. 15). P CHAPTER LV.-DROPPING OUT OF HARNESS. ATRICIA had found her mission. It was not without opposition that she carried it out, however. Mr. Palmer could feel no sympathy with it; may, that is not strong enough to express his silent VOL. V. resistance. Patricia was her own mistress, he said, but she was dependent upon him; and, though he would give her all that was necessary for her own expenses, he declined to give fairly-earned 262 1 money to those who had not earned it at all-who, then recollect, and sit down again unmistakably according to his notions of justice, had forfeited disappointed. He read the newspaper twice over; the right to be treated save as beasts of prey. he paced up and down the garden-walk; he stood Therefore she could give but little money-only looking at the old gardener, when he happened to what she could spare by cutting down her personal be employed there, as if he envied him, and, last expenses to the lowest; but she had all her time, of all, he took to reading magazines. The truth and that was better than money. Through the was, he would have been glad of the humblest missionary whom she had met at the prison gate, clerkship in the factory. It would be different, he she associated herself with those who were working thought, when he got back to the country, to his in other quarters of the city, and they gladly took native place. He would go over every inch of three advantage of her help to establish one of their counties before he tired; he knew the scenes, and homes in her neighbourhood. Over this she was he could renew his intimacy with the people. Then installed as lady - superintendent, with a plain he meant to keep a few sheep, and a cow, and a pair Bible-woman under her. With this woman little of ponies; and his fondness for animals was one of Rosa was placed, to be trained as a servant of the the repressed faculties of his nature. It would be altogether a different, a kindlier, and homelier life. He longed to get away and begin it. He felt sure that under the shadows of the mountains he could rest. poor. The women received into the Home were trained in the same manner. They washed, they sewed, they cooked for the poor around them. This they did for the smallest remuneration, in some instances freely. If a poor woman was sick, and unable to procure help, her washing was taken to the Home and done for her- an almost incalculable boon. Even the worst of the women, the apathetic criminals, caught a little of the spirit of this work. Some were even roused to an enthusiasm in it which carried them at once out of themselves, and set them above their horrible temptations. Daily, and all day long, Patricia was at her post, coming back only to her meals; and she was gaining an immense influence over the women by the mere force of her personal character. A certain want of impulse, a certain severe restraint about her, was in her favour. She had soon more on her hands than she could do. Anne joined her in the work as a willing subordinate, and they worked together, as they had been wont to do in very different tasks. Anne's allowance this summer was devoted, like Patricia's, to the work. They adopted the same dress-nothing distinctive, it was only suitable-and, in their black alpacas, they looked stately and beautiful as ever. They went about together, as the work necessitated, among the sick, the poor, the erring. People began to call them "the sisters of charity." Mr. Palmer consoled himself with the reflection that this would soon come to an end. The factory, though not the house, was sold at last. Two young men bought the factory between them, and entered into partnership in the business; but they would have nothing to say to the house: it remained on Mr. Palmer's hands. Something much more troublesome, also, remained upon his hands, as soon as the necessary arrangements had been completed, and the factory made over to new masters, and that was his time. He would breakfast at the same hour, and, day after day, he would forget that he had nothing to do, and look at his watch, and start up from the table, and Still no one would take the old house, and the autumn was advancing. Would it not be better to go away at once, and leave it in the hands of an agent? Yes, it would be better, he thought; and so thinking, he announced his intention to his daughters, for he was still an autocrat in his family affairs. The day after this announcement Patricia sought him. "I have a request to make to you, father," she said. He had always been liberal in the way of granting the requests of his children. "What is it?" he asked, fully intending to grant this one. "I want you to let me have this house-to let me stay here." "What, alone!" he exclaimed, in amazement. "I should not be alone," she replied. "If you will give me the house, and the smallest sum on which I can possibly live-say £50 a-year-I will fill it with guests. I mean to turn it into a refuge.” Dislike of the project was visible on Mr. Palmer's face. 'Surely," he said, "you would be happier with us with your sister." "I shall never be happy again," she answered, "as most people count happiness; but I may rejoice in my work." Out of his new experience of want of work be answered gently, "This is not a thing to be decided in a moment, Patricia. Let me think of it." She was about to turn away, but she went back to him once more. "Father, will you remember that this is the only life possible to me now; that I must live it, whether you will or no. I shall be sorry to oppose your wishes, only I know you would wish me to do what is best to be done; we shall only differ as to what that is. I cannot sit down calmly with a needle in my hand; it may be they are better and happier women who can. I could not look daily on the beautiful hills where you are going; they would drive me mad. The only help for me is to help TWO YEARS. others here, in the midst of the wretched and lost. You will think of this." It was hard for the old man, but he did think of it, and he yielded the point. He made over the house to Patricia, and £200 a-year besides. She was free to lead her own life henceforth without interference. This arrangement expedited matters very much. Mr. Palmer was anxious to get away, and the house was taken off his hands. A "desirable place" had just turned up, in the district in which he had directed his agent to seek it. The account of it was charming. It was opposite Loughrigg; and from the rising ground in front of the house could be seen the winding length of Windermere on one hand, and the towering heights of Langdale on the other. Mr. Palmer took a run down to view it, and came back satisfied. The negotiations for its purchase were entered into without delay. The move was to be made before the winter set in. Anne would rather have stayed with Patricia; but it was clearly her duty to go with her father, and Anne was magnanimous, and would not say a word that might lead him to suppose that the duty was in any way a trial to her. Indeed, it could hardly be called a trial, so thoroughly did she accept it as her rightful part. No work could have been done by her with this work of filial duty undone. And Patricia had agreed with her, and said that doing her share of that duty she was doing half of her work as well. But the negotiations were never completed; the preparations were never made. In the midst of them Mr. Palmer fell ill. It was a return of the sickness which had seized him before; but it came on, not suddenly as that had done, but slowly. A languor crept over him. On one or two occasions he staggered and would have fallen but for Anne, who happened to be near him. "I am like an old horse out of harness," he said to her. "I had no idea that I was so worn out as this." It was true; he was worn out. Anne was thankful that she had breathed no word of her wish to remain. She had no such wish now. She knew her father longed to get away, and she was as desirous of hastening their departure as he was. At length he became quite feverishly anxious. He did not sleep well in the night, and once in the afternoon he fell asleep-a thing no one had ever seen him do before-and in his sleep he began to talk. It was not about the things of the present; it was about the father and the mother and the old home. Anne, listening with awe, caught the name of mere and mountain. But she thought it best to wake him. And when she had roused him, he looked at her for a few minutes as if he hardly knew her, and then slept again. CHAPTER LVI. HASTENING HOME. 803 WHEN Harry Palmer had walked a little way in the direction opposite to that which Mary had taken he turned round again, took another look into the photographer's window, and then entered the shop. His intention in doing so was so vague and undefined that he stood looking at a case opposite to the counter for a few minutes, while a young man waited for his orders, regarding him with a scrutinising look. When Harry had looked into one compartment of the case, which was fixed on a kind of tripod and had three sides, he turned away to ask for something, no matter what, when the second compartment caught his eye and arrested him. "She was right, after all," he exclaimed. 'Here I am, and what can it mean? Nelly, too!" The young man, on hearing his exclamation, came to his side. "Oh yes, I see you are the gentleman we have been on the look out for." Harry turned suddenly pale. The thought struck him, for the first time, that it might have something to do with the forged bill. But, then, there was Nelly. "We have a message for you," said the young man respectfully, and left him to fetch the principal of the business. He came back evidently agape with curiosity, following the photographer, a small, bright-eyed little man, who seemed delighted to see his visitor. 66 'We were beginning to despair of attracting your attention; it was a very good idea, nevertheless," he said, rubbing his hands. "I suppose you have not been in this part of the world before?” "How did you come into possession of these?" asked Harry, plainly, disregarding his supposition. "They were brought to us by a gentleman from England, a Mr. Dalrymple," replied the photographer. "We had the pleasure of doing him over and over again-doing him sitting and doing him standing. Here he is, you see, a very fine portrait.” Yes, it was Mr. Dalrymple, sure enough; and Harry felt more mystified than ever. "What did he want with me, do you know ?" he asked bluntly. "He wanted to find out if you were alive and in New York, in the first place," replied the photographer; "and he left a letter for you, but it is not in my hands now." |