Beautiful Joe [33]
own dwelling. She will
be very tired. Let us go out and meet her."
Willie had gone to this place in a coach. Mr. Morris got a buggy and took Miss
Laura and me with him, and we started out. We went slowly along the road. Every
little while Miss Laura blew her whistle, and called, "Malta, Malta," and I
barked as loudly as I could. Mr. Morris drove for several hours, then we stopped
at a house, had dinner, and then set out again. We were going through a thick
wood, where there was a pretty straight road, when I saw a small, dark creature
away ahead, trotting toward us. It was Malta. I gave a joyful bark, but she did
not know me, and plunged into the wood.
I ran in after her, barking and yelping, and Miss Laura blew her whistle as
loudly as she could. Soon there was a little gray head peeping at us from the
bushes, and Malta bounded out, gave me a look of surprise and then leaped into
the buggy on Miss Laura's lap.
What a happy cat she was! She purred with delight, and licked Miss Laura's
gloves over and over again. Then she ate the food they had brought, and went
sound asleep. She was very thin, and for several days after getting home she
slept the most of the time.
Malta did not like dogs, but she was very good to cats. One day, when there was
no one about and the garden was very quiet, I saw her go stealing into the
stable, and come out again, followed by a sore-eyed, starved-looking cat, that
had been deserted by some people that lived in the next street. She led this cat
up to her catnip bed, and watched her kindly, while she rolled and rubbed
herself in it. Then Malta had a roll in it herself, and they both went back to
the stable.
Catnip is a favorite plant with cats, and Miss Laura always kept some of it
growing for Malta.
For a long time this sick cat had a home in the stable. Malta carried her food
every day and after a time Miss Laura found out about her and did what she could
to make her well. In time she got to be a strong, sturdy-looking cat, and Miss
Laura got a home for her with an invalid lady.
It was nothing new for the Morrises to feed deserted cats. Some summers, Mrs.
Morris said that she had a dozen to take care of. Careless and cruel people
would go away for the summer, shutting up their houses, and making no provision
for the poor cats that had been allowed to sit snugly by the fire all winter. At
last, Mrs. Morris got into the habit of putting a little notice in the Fairport
paper, asking people who were going away for the summer to provide for their
cats during their absence.
CHAPTER XIII THE BEGINNING OF AN ADVENTURE
THE first winter I was at the Morrises', I had an adventure. It was a week
before Christmas, and we were having cold, frosty weather. Not much snow had
fallen, but there was plenty of skating, and the boys were off every day with
their skates on a little lake near Fairport.
Jim and I often went with them, and we had great fun scampering over the ice
after them, and slipping at every step.
On this Saturday night we had just gotten home. It was quite dark outside, and
there was a cold wind blowing, so when we came in the front door, and saw the
red light from the big hall stove and the blazing fire in the parlor they looked
very cheerful.
I was quite sorry for Jim that he had to go out to his kennel. However, he said
he didn't mind. The boys got a plate of nice, warm meat for him and a bowl of
milk, and carried them out, and afterward he went to sleep. Jim's kennel was a
very snug one. Being a spaniel, he was not a very large dog, but his kennel was
as roomy as if he was a great Dane. He told me that Mr. Morris and the boys made
it, and he liked it very much, because it was large enough for him to get up in
the night and stretch himself, when he got tired of lying in one position.
It was raised a little from the ground, and it had a thick layer of straw over
the floor. Above was a broad shelf, wide enough for him to lie on, and covered
with an old catskin sleigh
be very tired. Let us go out and meet her."
Willie had gone to this place in a coach. Mr. Morris got a buggy and took Miss
Laura and me with him, and we started out. We went slowly along the road. Every
little while Miss Laura blew her whistle, and called, "Malta, Malta," and I
barked as loudly as I could. Mr. Morris drove for several hours, then we stopped
at a house, had dinner, and then set out again. We were going through a thick
wood, where there was a pretty straight road, when I saw a small, dark creature
away ahead, trotting toward us. It was Malta. I gave a joyful bark, but she did
not know me, and plunged into the wood.
I ran in after her, barking and yelping, and Miss Laura blew her whistle as
loudly as she could. Soon there was a little gray head peeping at us from the
bushes, and Malta bounded out, gave me a look of surprise and then leaped into
the buggy on Miss Laura's lap.
What a happy cat she was! She purred with delight, and licked Miss Laura's
gloves over and over again. Then she ate the food they had brought, and went
sound asleep. She was very thin, and for several days after getting home she
slept the most of the time.
Malta did not like dogs, but she was very good to cats. One day, when there was
no one about and the garden was very quiet, I saw her go stealing into the
stable, and come out again, followed by a sore-eyed, starved-looking cat, that
had been deserted by some people that lived in the next street. She led this cat
up to her catnip bed, and watched her kindly, while she rolled and rubbed
herself in it. Then Malta had a roll in it herself, and they both went back to
the stable.
Catnip is a favorite plant with cats, and Miss Laura always kept some of it
growing for Malta.
For a long time this sick cat had a home in the stable. Malta carried her food
every day and after a time Miss Laura found out about her and did what she could
to make her well. In time she got to be a strong, sturdy-looking cat, and Miss
Laura got a home for her with an invalid lady.
It was nothing new for the Morrises to feed deserted cats. Some summers, Mrs.
Morris said that she had a dozen to take care of. Careless and cruel people
would go away for the summer, shutting up their houses, and making no provision
for the poor cats that had been allowed to sit snugly by the fire all winter. At
last, Mrs. Morris got into the habit of putting a little notice in the Fairport
paper, asking people who were going away for the summer to provide for their
cats during their absence.
CHAPTER XIII THE BEGINNING OF AN ADVENTURE
THE first winter I was at the Morrises', I had an adventure. It was a week
before Christmas, and we were having cold, frosty weather. Not much snow had
fallen, but there was plenty of skating, and the boys were off every day with
their skates on a little lake near Fairport.
Jim and I often went with them, and we had great fun scampering over the ice
after them, and slipping at every step.
On this Saturday night we had just gotten home. It was quite dark outside, and
there was a cold wind blowing, so when we came in the front door, and saw the
red light from the big hall stove and the blazing fire in the parlor they looked
very cheerful.
I was quite sorry for Jim that he had to go out to his kennel. However, he said
he didn't mind. The boys got a plate of nice, warm meat for him and a bowl of
milk, and carried them out, and afterward he went to sleep. Jim's kennel was a
very snug one. Being a spaniel, he was not a very large dog, but his kennel was
as roomy as if he was a great Dane. He told me that Mr. Morris and the boys made
it, and he liked it very much, because it was large enough for him to get up in
the night and stretch himself, when he got tired of lying in one position.
It was raised a little from the ground, and it had a thick layer of straw over
the floor. Above was a broad shelf, wide enough for him to lie on, and covered
with an old catskin sleigh