DOMESTIC ANIMALS THE CAT It was almost three o'clock when Miss Clare took down a chart that had been hanging against the blackboard, and the children spied the picture it had covered. Just a little drawing in white chalk - a kitty and a tiny girl, looking at each other. "Pussy-cat, pussy-cat, where have you been?" laughed Miss Clare, writing the words by the little girl's feet. "I've been to London to see the queen," called the little people, merrily. "Pussy-cat, pussy-cat, what did you see there?" the dialogue continued. "Pussy-cat wasn't very wise, was she, children ? She couldn't have had very good eyes, could she? I would have seen more than that, in a big, splendid palace, and have taken at least one good look at the queen herself, wouldn't you? But then, some people never do see much, even when there is a lot to see, do they?" "How many at home?" of you little people have a pussy-cat Nearly every hand went up. "Very well; now I shall know to-morrow morning what kind of eyes you have, and, perhaps, what kind of ears you have, and if they are 'good to see and hear with, my dears';" and she began pinning some little pink papers to the children's frocks and blouses, on which were the following hektographed questions: I What is the color of your kitty? 2 What kind of a coat does she wear? 3 What does she eat? 4 How often do you feed her? 5 What does she like best to eat? 6 What sounds does she make? What do they mean? 7 Is she fond of you? What has she done to make you 10 What is your kitty's name? "Now," Miss Clare continued, after reading the questions aloud, "if you can't remember them, why, ask someone to read them to you; but, if you have the right kind of eyes, I think you can find out the answers for yourselves. Bob, Belle, and Bess may wait one little minute to find out the secret I have for them;" and when the good-nights had been said, the day's work was over. There was a great call for cats that night in all of the homes: big cats, little cats, and middle-sized cats, all came in for a share of inspection, and forty little heads were nearly bursting with information when nine o'clock came the next morning. I wish I could tell you of all the funny things they told Miss Clare, and how much she learned of the way in which pets were cared for in different homes her principal reason for sending those questions home, by the way but if you want to know, why ask the children themselves, while I tell you of the mysterious packages Belle, Bob, and Bess had. In Belle's covered basket was her darling Snowflake-white, from nose to tail; Bob's package held a bottle of fresh milk; and Bess's a saucer, as clean and white as kitty herself. As soon as the room was quiet, Miss Clare poured the milk into the saucer. Bess put it on the numbertable, and Belle lifted out pussy-cat. It was so still, Pussy was not at all afraid, and while she was eating her breakfast for Miss Clare had asked Belle not to give her any at home — the little folks crept up softly to see how she ate it, and to watch her wash herself afterward. They discussed the shape of her body, her legs, and her tail; and John measured her with a ruler. He found out her length, from nose to tail, and then measured her tail. How long do you suppose she was, and how high? Jenny said papa told her cats had thick fur because, sometimes, they had to sleep out in the cold and wet, and that the hairs were set into the skin so that they all pointed one way, from the head to the tail. This kept the rain from getting through to the skin. In |