hands. She had taught them to behave well at meals, so, though
their eyes glared and their tails quivered with impatience, they
obeyed; and when she put the food on a high shelf and retired to
the big basket, the four old cats sat demurely down before her,
while the five kits scrambled after her and tumbled into her lap, as
if hoping to hasten the desired feast by their innocent gambols.
Granny, Tobias, Mortification, and Molasses were the elders.
Granny, a gray old puss, was the mother and grandmother of all the
rest. Tobias was her eldest son, and Mortification his brother, so
named because he had lost his tail, which affliction depressed his
spirits and cast a blight over his young life. Molasses was a yellow
cat, the mamma of four of the kits, the fifth being Granny’s latest
darling. Toddlekins, the little aunt, was the image of her mother,
and very sedate even at that early age; Miss Muffet, so called from
her dread of spiders, was a timid black and white kit; Beauty, a
pretty Maltese, with a serene little face and pink nose; Ragbag, a
funny thing, every color that a cat could be; and Scamp, who well
deserved his name, for he was the plague of Miss Bat’s life, and
Molly’s especial pet.
He was now perched on her shoulder, and, as she talked, kept
peeping into her face or biting her ear in the most impertinent way,
while the others sprawled in her lap or promenaded round the
basket rim.
“My friends, something very remarkable has happened: Miss Bat is
cleaning house!” and, having made this announcement, Molly
leaned back to see how the cats received it, for she insisted that
they understood all she said to them.
Tobias stared, Mortification lay down as if it was too much for
him, Molasses beat her tail on the floor as if whipping a dusty
carpet, and Granny began to purr approvingly. The giddy kits paid
no attention, as they did not know what house-cleaning meant,
happy little dears!
“I thought you’d like it, Granny, for you are a decent cat, and know
what is proper,” continued Molly, leaning down to stroke the old
puss, who blinked affectionately at her. “I can’t imagine what put it
into Miss Bat’s head. I never said a word, and gave up groaning
over the clutter, as I couldn’t mend it. I just took care of Boo and
myself, and left her to be as untidy as she pleased, and she is a
regular old—-”
Here Scamp put his paw on her lips because he saw them moving,
but it seemed as if it was to check the disrespectful word just
coming out.
“Well, I won’t call names; but what shall I do when I see
everything in confusion, and she won’t let me clear up?” asked
Molly, looking round at Scamp, who promptly put the little paw on
her eyelid, as if the roll of the blue ball underneath amused him.
“Shut my eyes to it, you mean? I do all I can, but it is hard, when I
wish to be nice, and do try; don’t I?” asked Molly. But Scamp was
ready for her, and began to comb her hair with both paws as he
stood on his hind legs to work so busily that Molly laughed and
pulled him down, saying, as she cuddled the sly kit.
“You sharp little thing! I know my hair is not neat now, for I’ve
been chasing Boo round the garden to wash him for school. Then
Miss Bat threw the parlor carpet out of the window, and I was so
surprised I had to run and tell you. Now, what had we better do
about it?”
The cats all winked at her, but no one had any advice to offer,
except Tobias, who walked to the shelf, and, looking up, uttered a
deep, suggestive yowl, which said as plainly as words, “Dinner
first and discussion afterward.”
“Very well, don’t scramble,” said Molly, getting up to feed her
pets. First the kits, who rushed at the bowl and thrust their heads
in, lapping as if for a wager; then the cats, who each went to one of