BAD SIR MOSES 



Sir Moses was called a model kitten. He was nice in his habits, 

 and grave and quiet in his behavior. To be sure he would chase 

 wildly after a ball of yarn when Flora dragged it. And he would 

 scamper fast enough down the garden-walk behind his little mis- 

 tress, mewing with glee as he ran. But most of the time he was 

 very still. He Avas asleep in Flora's lap, or lay upon the rug watch- 

 ing her with half-shut eyes. An old proverb says, "Still waters run 

 deep." Perhaps the man who wrote it knew a cat like Sir Moses. 



" T would like to know what becomes of my cream ! " This was 

 what mamma Painter said at the breakfast-table. The children all 

 opened their eyes at her in surprise. "What do you mean, 

 mamma?" asked Bessie. 



" Why," replied her mother, " I bring in the cream in this little 

 pitcher every morning, when I first come down, and put it on the 

 table. ISTow, for three mornings it has been half gone by breakfast- 

 time. Who can have taken it? " 



Xobody knew. The pitcher was an odd little thing, with a small 

 leck. One fact was very strange. There was no mai-k of cream 

 on the edges of the pitcher. 



There was a great deal of wonder and talk about this curious loss 

 of the cream. It happened again the next morning, and the 

 morning after that. On the third day Bessie was heard shouting,. 

 ■^ Ah, you rogue, I have caught yovi at last! " And so she had. It 

 was that meek Sir Moses. When the pitcher was put upon the 



