THE HERO ENTERS SUDDENLY 



as those I was guarding: there are alto- 

 gether too many cats in the world! 



Understand that I bear them no grudge 

 whatever. Pussy, in a good home, where 

 she does not endanger the life of any 

 feathered inmates of the household, and 

 where she is well cared for and sufficiently 

 fed, is a very desirable member of society; 

 and the question would never have to be 

 viewed from any other standpoint than this, 

 if superfluous cat babies received a birthday 

 gift of a merciful dose of chloroform or a 

 kind bath. The mother grieves when they 

 are taken from her, but she soon consoles 

 herself with the one kitten left her. But 

 even were she deprived of them all, her dis- 

 tress could not equal the long-drawn-out 

 and multiplied misery of the wretched, half- 

 starved tramp cats who are allowed to grow 

 up because no one had the kindness of heart 

 to put them out of the way before they re- 

 47 



