The Slum Cat 
supposed to furnish his living, but his eye was 
on the main chance; he knew what he wanted. 
He did n’t want the Slum Kitten. 
The negro gave it all the food it could eat, 
then carried it to a distant block and dropped 
it in a neighboring iron-yard. 
III 
One full meal is as much as any one needs 
in two or three days, and under the influence 
of this stored-up heat and power, Kitty was 
very lively. She walked around the piled-up 
rubbish, cast curious glances on far-away Ca- 
nary-birds in cages that hung from high win- 
dows; she peeped over fences, discovered a 
large Dog, got quietly down again, and pres- 
ently finding a sheltered place in full sun- 
light, she lay down and slept for an hour. A 
slight ‘sniff’ awakened her, and before her 
stood a large Black Cat with glowing green 
eyes, and the thick neck and square jaws that 
distinguish the Tom; a scar marked his cheek, 
and his left ear was torn. His look was far 
from friendly ; his ears moved backward a little, 
20 
