Adventures of Puss in Boots, Jr.

<h2><span class="pagenum"><SPAN name="Page_25" id="Page_25">[25]</SPAN></span> <SPAN name="beggar" id="beggar"></SPAN>PUSS SINGS A SONG AND HELPS A BEGGAR</h2> <p class="cap2">AFTER he had said good-by to Yankee Doodle Dandy, Puss, Jr., had a good time playing all the morning with some little boys whom he met. One of the little boys got out his hobby-horse and he and Puss, Jr., took turns galloping up and down the sidewalk.</p> <div class="block20"> <div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> <span class="io">"I had a little hobby-horse,<br/></span> <span class="i2">And it was dapple gray;<br/></span> <span class="i0">Its head was made of pea straw,<br/></span> <span class="i2">Its tail was made of hay,"<br/></span></div> </div></div> <p class="noi">sang his mother from the front porch. "My little boy has had a fine time," she said, "but he must come in now and rest, for it is almost luncheon-time."</p> <p>"And I must be going," said Puss, Jr., "for I have many miles yet to travel ere I find my father, Puss in Boots."</p> <p>"You have been so kind," said the little boy's mother as she shook hands with Puss.</p> <p>"Good-by!" cried the little boy, quite sorrowfully,<span class="pagenum"><SPAN name="Page_26" id="Page_26">[26]</SPAN></span> waving his hat as Puss disappeared down the street.</p> <p>"Heigh-ho!" said Puss to himself, "once more on my journey. I'm a wandering minstrel, as it were," and to suit his words he began to sing:</p> <div class="block20"> <div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> <span class="io">"A wandering little cat am I,<br/></span> <span class="i2">Seeking father cat,<br/></span> <span class="i0">In my paw my trusty staff,<br/></span> <span class="i2">On my head my hat<br/></span> <span class="i0">With the magic plume the owl<br/></span> <span class="i2">Gave to me one day.<br/></span> <span class="i0">When the journey ends I'll have<br/></span> <span class="i2">Lots of time to play!"<br/></span></div> </div></div> <p>"A pussy-cat poet!" cried a voice close at hand.</p> <p>Puss, Jr., started and turned. At his side stood a beggar-man.</p> <p>"I'm hungry," said the poor fellow, "and poets, I hear, are always generous," and he held out his hat for Puss to drop in a penny.</p> <p>"Are they?" inquired Puss, with a grin; he put his hand into his pocket and took out a sixpence. "Here, my good man," he said, "take this little piece of money. It is more than I will get for the song which you seem to admire so much.</p> <p>"What are you going to buy with the money?" he asked, after they had walked along for some time. They had left the city and were now in the country.</p> <div class="figcenter"> <span class="pagenum"><SPAN name="Page_27" id="Page_27">[27]</SPAN></span> <SPAN name="puss_asked" id="puss_asked"></SPAN> <ANTIMG src="images/i004.png" width-obs="400" height-obs="439" alt="" title="" /> <span class="caption">"WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO BUY WITH THE MONEY?" PUSS ASKED</span> <span class="pagenum"><SPAN name="Page_28" id="Page_28">[28]</SPAN></span></div> <p><span class="pagenum"><SPAN name="Page_29" id="Page_29">[29]</SPAN></span> "I'm going to get some pease porridge hot," answered the beggar. "I'm going to spend that sixpence in short order! I haven't had a thing to eat since yesterday morning."</p> <p>"I have never gone hungry so long as that," said Puss. "I think I've been pretty lucky since I started out to find my father, Puss in Boots."</p> <p>"Puss in Boots!" exclaimed the beggar-man with surprise. "Why, I once stopped at a castle where there was a most wonderful cat. He was the seneschal, I think, and a most intelligent animal."</p> <p>"Where was the castle?" asked Puss. "I mean, in what country?"</p> <p>"I don't remember," replied the beggar-man. "You see, I have begged at so many back doors and so many postern gates that I have them all jumbled up together in my memory."</p> <p>"Dear me," said Puss. "Will I ever find anybody who really knows where my father lives?"</p> <div class="block"> <div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> <span class="io">"Pease porridge hot,<br/></span> <span class="i2">Pease porridge cold,<br/></span> <span class="i0">Pease porridge in the pot,<br/></span> <span class="i2">Nine days old."<br/></span></div> </div></div> <p>Along the road came a man with a big white apron over his coat. In front of him he wheeled a little cart in which was a large pot of porridge.</p> <div class="block"> <div class="poem"><div class="stanza"><span class="pagenum"><SPAN name="Page_30" id="Page_30">[30]</SPAN></span> <span class="io">"Some like it hot,<br/></span> <span class="i2">Some like it cold,<br/></span> <span class="i0">Some like it in the pot,<br/></span> <span class="i2">Nine days old."<br/></span></div> </div></div> <p>"Well, it won't be in that pot even nine minutes!" cried the beggar-man. "Here, my good friend," he cried, "give me sixpence worth of your porridge, and be quick about it."</p> <p>"Don't be in a hurry," said the porridge-man. "Where's the sixpence?"</p> <p>"Here in my good right hand," replied the beggar-man.</p> <p>"Ah!" said the porridge-man, "you shall have your porridge."</p> <p>"I will also have some," said Puss.</p> <p>"Hot or cold?" asked the man.</p> <p>"You take yours hot and I'll take mine cold," said the beggar-man, and in a few minutes the porridge was all gone.</p> <hr /> <div style="break-after:column;"></div><br />