BESSIE AND THE "GRAY CAT." 27

 ful and contented with what he has seen when mother and baby sat in the pleas-
 fit to give you." ant outside door, Robbie and Bessy
 "There's that dear, old pussy-cat go- would dress them up in the old finery,
 ing by ag'in," shouted Bessy, running to and laugh at the funny pictures they
 the door, "but s'e won't stop a minute. made. To be sure, Robbie would very
 I asked her loud as any sing yest'day an' soon tire of this. It wasn't exactly boy's
 her went wight straight along." fun, he said, and then Bessy would add
 Set a little saucer of milk close by to her prayer, Please give Wobbie sings
 the gate," said mother, laughing; "she'll to make boy's fun."
 hear that the quickest." One day their father came in from the
 So every day for a week, Bessy set the barn, the milk-pail in one hand, a basket
 little dish of milk by the gate, and hid in the other, and the old gray cat follow-
 behind the post, while the old gray cat ing close at his heels.
 hurriedly lapped it up. Oh, her is 'quainted, her is coming
 Robbie, at last, became interested in wight in," screamed Bessy, delightedly.
 her daily calls, but finding her unap- Is her going to stay, you s'pose ?"
 proachable, declared he didn't believe "If you give these frisky things a
 she had a friend in the world, and she warm bed, I think she will," said her
 was such an old scarecrow of a thing' father, laughing. "I found them out in
 he didn't wonder, the barn," and he held the basket down
 "If she hasn't any friends, us must for her to look in.
 feed her," said Bessy, reprovingly, "an' Oh! oh! aint 'em cunning! One,
 may be, he'll get 'quainted by'n by." -two,--eight,-six, little littlee pussy-
 So the weeks went on,--every night cats; Mamma, Wobbie, see 'em wun,"
 Bessy, lisping her little prayer, with the and Bessy danced on one foot, and clap-
 added petition-" Please give brother an' ped her hands as her father took them,
 me some playsings," and Robbie saying one by one, from the basket, and they
 "Amen," way down in his heart, although darted away under the chairs and tables,
 his faith was very weak that God would four as pretty, graceful, bright-eyed kit-
 hear such a little cry, or would care about tens as were ever hidden away in a hay-
 two such little children, living in such a mow. The old cat looked contentedly
 little old house. But he tried to be pa- on, purring loudly, and now and then
 tient and contented with the blocks and rubbing against Robbie's legs, as if proud
 marbles, and the garden; and his mother to show him what a return she could
 seeing the efforts he made, helped him make for his sister's kindness; and when
 all she could, by hunting up curious a soft cushion was placed in a box for
 things in the garret, that were his grand- the accommodation of her little ones, she
Smother's,-such funny books and old caps snuggled contentedly in among them, to
and collars and beads; and at sunset, the satisfaction of both families.