doz’en sev’en at’tic strange great prop’er

coal seemed

[Illustration:  Cat carrying kitten up stairs by the scruff of the neck.]

Puss and her kittens.

1.  Puss, with her three kittens, had lived in the coal cellar; but one day she thought she would carry them to the attic.

2.  The servant thought that was not the proper place for them; so she carried them back to the cellar.

3.  Puss was certain that she wanted them in the attic; so she carried them there again and again, five, six, seven, —­yes, a dozen times; for each time the servant took them back to the cellar.

4.  Poor puss was nearly tired out, and could carry them no longer.

5.  Suddenly she went away.  Where do you think she went?

6.  She was gone a long time.  When she returned, she had a strange cat with her that we had never seen before.

7.  She seemed to tell him all about her great trouble, and he listened to her story.

8.  Then the strange cat took the little kittens, one by one, and carried them to the attic.  After this he went away, and we have never seen him since.

9.  The servant then left the kittens in the attic, for she saw how anxious puss was to have them stay there.

10.  Was not the strange cat kind to puss?  This lesson should teach children to be ever ready to help one another.

LESSON IX.

nine mous’ie fro frol’ic bit slipped

spied crow teeth pearl used

[Illustration:  White cat sneaking up on a mouse.]

Kitty and mousie.

1.  Once there was a little kitty,
     White as the snow;
   In a barn he used to frolic,
     Long time ago.

2.  In the barn a little mousie
     Ran to and fro;
   For she heard the little kitty,
     Long time ago.

3.  Two black eyes had little kitty,
     Black as a crow;
   And they spied the little mousie,
     Long time ago.

4.  Four soft paws had little kitty,
     Paws soft as snow;
   And they caught the little mousie,
     Long time ago.

5.  Nine pearl teeth had little kitty,
     All in a row;
   And they bit the little mousie,
     Long time ago.

6.  When the teeth bit little mousie,
     Mousie cried out “Oh!”
   But she slipped away from kitty,
     Long time ago.

LESSON X.

washed hours(ours) pre’cious game

harm a’ny (en’y) brushed end

AT WORK.

1.  A little play does not harm any one, but does much good.  After play, we should be glad to work.