Miss Elliot's Girls Part 6

"Now, Mrs. Tabitha was not at heart an ill-natured puss; and when she saw Furry-Purry's imploring face, and listened to her eloquent appeal, she was moved with compa.s.sion.

"'Rather than see you go to the dogs,' said she, 'I will lend a paw to help you. But what can I do, you silly thing?'

"'Mrs. Velvetpaw, you have lived a long time in this neighborhood?'

"'All my life, Yellow Cat.'

"'And you know every body?'

"'If you mean in the first rank of society--yes. Your Barebones, and Hop-an'-jumps, and creatures of that vulgar herd, are quite out of my _cat_egory.'

"'Perhaps you know of some house-cat dead or gone away?'

"'And if I do?'

"'You might put me in her place, you know.'

"'Yellow Cat,' said Mrs. Tabitha, severely.

"'If you please, my name is Furry-Purry.'

"'Well, Furry-Purry, then. Your presumption can only be pardoned in consideration of your ignorance of the usages of society. House-cats, you must know, hold their position in families by hereditary descent.

My place, for instance, was my mother's and my grandmother's before me.

We are prepared by birth and education for the position we occupy. Have you considered how utterly unfitted you are for the life to which you aspire? I am sorry to disappoint you, but I fear your hopes are vain.

There is, indeed, a vacancy in the brick house opposite. Caesar--a venerable cat--died last week. He was much admired for his gentlemanly and dignified deportment. "Who shall come after the king?"'

"'I, Mrs. Tabitha, I'--

"'You, indeed!' she interrupted, scornfully.

"'Oh, yes, if you will but condescend to give me instructions. I am quick to learn. The short time I have been so happy as to be in your company I have gained much knowledge. I am sure I can imitate the _mew_-sic of your voice. I know I can gently wave my tail, and touch my left whisker with my paw as you do. When I leave you I shall spend every moment till we meet again in practising your airs and graces, till I make them all my own. Dear friend,--if you will let me call you so,--help me to King Caesar's place.'

"There was much that was flattering to Mrs. Velvetpaw in this speech.

"'Well,' said she, 'I will see what can be done. There, go home now, and the first thing to be done is to make yourself perfectly clean. Wash yourself twelve times in the day, from the end of your nose to the tip of your tail. Take particular pains with your paws. A cat of refinement is known by the delicacy and cleanliness of her feet. Farewell! After three days, meet me here again.'

"You can imagine how faithfully Furry-Purry followed these directions--how with her sharp tongue she smoothed and stroked every hair of her pretty coat, and washed her face again and again with her wet paws.

"'You are wretchedly thin!' Mrs. Tabitha said at their next meeting.

'That fault can only be remedied by a generous diet. You must look me full in the face when I talk to you. Really, you have no need to be ashamed of your eyes, for they are decidedly bright and handsome. When you walk, don't bend your legs till your body almost touches the ground.

That gives you a wretchedly hang-cat appearance. Tread softly and daintily, but with dignity and grace of carriage. There must be other bad habits I have not mentioned.'

"'I am afraid I spit sometimes.'

"'Don't do that--it is considered vulgar. Don't bristle your tail. Don't show your claws except to mice. Keep such control over yourself as never to be surprised out of a dignified composure of manner.'

"Just here, without the slightest warning, there rushed from the thicket near them a large fierce-looking dog. Up went Mrs. Velvetpaw's back in an arch. Every hair of her body stood on end. Sharp-pointed claws protruded from each velvet foot, and, hissing and spitting, she tumbled over Furry-Purry in her haste, and scrambled to the topmost branch of the pear-tree. The little cat followed, imitating her guide in every particular. As for the dog, which was in pursuit of game, he did not even look at them; and when he was out of sight they came down from the tree, Mrs. Tabitha descending with the dignified composure she had just recommended to her young friend. She made no allusion to her hurried ascent.

"'To-morrow night,' said she, 'as soon as it is dark, meet me in the backyard of the brick house.'

"Half glad and half frightened, Furry-Purry walked by her side the next evening, delighting in the soft green turf of the yard and the sweet-smelling shrubs against which she ventured to rub herself as they pa.s.sed. Mrs. Tabitha led her round the house to a piazza draped with cl.u.s.tering vines.

"'Come here to-morrow,' said she. 'Walk boldly up the steps and seat yourself in full view of that window. Look your prettiest--behave your best. a.s.sume a pensive expression of countenance, with your eyes uplifted--so. If you are driven away, go directly, but return. Be strong, be brave, be persevering. Now, my dear, I have done all I can for you, and I wish you good luck,'

"The next morning a little girl living in the brick house, whose name was Winnie Gay, looked out of the dining-room window.

"'Come quick, mamma!' she called; 'here's a cat on our piazza--a little yellow cat, and she's looking right up at me. May I open the door?'

"'No, indeed!' said Mrs. Gay; 'we want no strange cats here.'

"'But she looks hungry, mamma. She has just opened her mouth at me without making a bit of noise. Can't I give her a saucer of milk?'

"'Come away from the window, Winnie, and don't notice her. You will only encourage her to come again. There, p.u.s.s.y, run away home; we can't have you here.'

"'Now, mamma, you have frightened her. See how she keeps looking back.

I'm afraid you've hurt her feelings. Dear little p.u.s.s.y! I wish I might call you back.'

"Furry-Purry was not discouraged at this her first unsuccessful attempt.

The child's blue eyes beamed a welcome, and the lady's face was gentle and kind.

"'If I catch a mouse,' thought the cat, 'and bring it to them to show what I can do, perhaps I shall gain their favor.' Then she put away all the fine airs and graces Mrs. Velvetpaw had taught her, and became the sly, supple, watchful creature nature had made her. By a hole in the granary she crouched and waited with unwearied patience one, two, almost three, hours. Then she gave a sudden spring, there was one sharp little shriek from the victim, a snap of p.u.s.s.y's jaws, and her object was accomplished. She appeared again on the piazza, and, laying a dead mouse on the floor, crouched beside it in an att.i.tude of perfect grace, and looked beseechingly in Mrs. Gay's face.

"'Well, you _are_ a pretty creature!' that lady said, 'with your soft white paws and yellow coat,'

"'May I have her for my cat, mamma?' Winnie said. 'I thought I never should love another cat when dear old Caesar died; but this little thing is such a beauty that I love her already. May I have her for mine?'

"But while Mrs. Gay hesitated, Furry-Purry, who could not hear what they said, and who, to tell the truth, was in a great hurry to eat her mouse, ran off with it to the barn. The next morning, however, she came again, and Mr. Gay, who was waiting for his breakfast, was called to the window.

"'My cat has come again, papa, with another mouse--a monstrous one, too.'

"'That isn't a mouse,' Mr. Gay said, looking at the plump, silver-gray creature Furry-Purry carefully deposited on the piazza-floor. 'Bless me!

I believe it is that rascal of a mole that's gnawed my hyacinth and tulip bulbs. I offered the gardener's boy two dollars if he would catch the villain. To whom does that cat belong, Winnie? She's worth her weight in gold.'

"'I don't believe she belongs to anybody, papa; but I think she wants to belong to us, for she keeps coming and coming. _May_ I have her for mine? I am sure mamma will say yes if you are willing.'

"'Why not?' said he. 'Run for a saucer of milk, and we will coax her in.'

"We who are acquainted with Furry-Purry's private history know how little coaxing was needed.

"As soon as the door was opened she walked in, and, laying the dead mole at Mr. Gay's feet, rubbed herself against his leg, purred gently, looked up into his face with her round bright eyes, and, in very expressive cat language, claimed him for her master. When he stooped to caress her, and praised and petted her for the good service she had rendered him, the happy creature rolled over and over on the soft carpet in an ecstasy of delight.

"Then Winnie clapped her hands for joy.

"'You are our own cat,' she said. 'You shall have sugar and cream to eat. You shall lie on Caesar's silk cus.h.i.+on; and because you are yellow, and papa says you are worth your weight in gold, your name shall be Gold Elsie,'

"So Furry-Purry became a family cat.

"The first time she met Mrs. Velvetpaw after this change in her life, that excellent tabby looked at her with evident admiration.