Baby and the Kitten 181 



derment upon viewing the small bundle of animated 

 down, and a curious kind of fear, seemed to struggle 

 with each other. But Clytie quickly overcame this 

 embarrassment. She rubbed her head gently against 

 the baby's hand, purring happily, and apparently in 

 an ecstasy of pleasure. Then the baby caught the 

 infection, which made matters very pleasant in that 

 nursery for some time thereafter. The little cat 

 seemed disposed to bring her entire family to that 

 room ; but this the baby's mother would not permit. 

 She did, however, allow the cat to come there each 

 day, much to the pleasure of both child and pussie. 

 It was several months after, when the kittens 

 were fairly grown, that their mother ventured out 

 upon the street one day for a little airing. She 

 was standing quietly in front of her home just out- 

 side the area-way, when a well-dressed and appar- 

 ently well-bred man passed along. She looked up 

 into his face with a friendly, half-inquiring expres- 

 sion, for she had received such uniformly kind treat- 

 ment all her life that she could not think the human 

 race could be other than her friends. Suddenly, and 

 without warning, the man raised a heavy foot, gave 



