Ten Kittens

<h2 class="nobreak">DUMP.</h2> <p>This is a very peculiar name for a kitten but kittens often have peculiar names. Dump could not be called a beautiful kitten but his good nature and playfulness made him attractive and likeable. His mother must have thought him pretty for she petted him so much by smoothing his fur with her tongue. I have not yet told you the color of this kitten and I am sure you are wondering about it. You might say he was very pretty. His fur was a bluish gray and white and his face was white almost all over. He was just a common kitten but you know the common kittens are smart and many times as good in disposition as the thorough-breds.</p> <p>Dump was very playful and would do many cute things. One thing that<span class="pagenum" id="Page_26">[26]</span> he did and seemed to like most of all was playing hide and seek in the house. He would get behind the door and wait for his little mistress to come and then he would jump out at her as though he meant to frighten her. Of course, she had jumped at him in the same way many times and in this way had taught him the game of hide and seek.</p> <p>One afternoon in the summer time the little girl thought of something to do of which Dump had not thought. It was this. The girl had a nice little kodak which her uncle had given her and she thought of taking Dump&#8217;s picture. Not very many kittens are fortunate enough to have their pictures taken. The little kitten had never posed for a picture and of course thought it was great fun, that is, if he thought of it at all. Anyway, they both went into the yard and the little girl placed Dump on the gate post. He seemed to know the purpose of being placed there for he sat still in the warm sun just like he was really posing for the picture. It was a good<span class="pagenum" id="Page_27">[27]</span> picture, too, and the girl has the little picture yet, although she is grown now and has a home of her own and another kitten takes Dump&#8217;s place.</p> <p>Dump always slept in the window during the summer between the screen and curtains. He would always answer his little mistress with a little meow when she called him. He knew when it was time for his meals as his master worked down town in a meat shop and when he would go to the house for his meals Dump would meet him at the door and beg for meat.</p> <p>When the yard was mowed and the grass piled up in one big pile, the kitten would run to it and hide himself from his little mistress. This was great fun for both. They loved each other very much and where one went around the yard or in the house the other was to be found, too.</p> <p>Dump never cared to play with other kittens and would not be very friendly. One of the neighbors had a big cat next door, but Dump would never let him come through the yard fence if he saw him. He must have been a<span class="pagenum" id="Page_28">[28]</span> little selfish but probably it was because he loved his mistress more than other kittens.</p> <p>Many times Dump would go to the woodshed and watch for mice. He nearly always caught one and he loved to play with it for hours at a time before eating it. One hot summer day he played too long and it cost him his life for he became overheated and died in just a little while. The little girl did everything she could for him but could not save his life. Dump&#8217;s little body was buried back of the cave beside the graves of two little bantam chickens and a little gold fish.</p> <p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_29">[29]</span></p> <hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop" /> <span class="pagenum" id="Page_30">[30]</span> <div class="figcenter"><ANTIMG src="images/image030.jpg" alt="" /></div> <span class="pagenum" id="Page_31">[31]</span> <div style="break-after:column;"></div><br />