My Reason for Writing this Story 29 
sad day when I was a homeless cat. Teddy came 
to see Guy quite often, but he always treated me 
very kindly. I really think it a pity that he should 
ever have been with that cruel boy. 
After Guy had finished reading the story of 
Black Beauty, he read one written by a dog, 
“ Beautiful Joe." I saw his picture in the book, but 
I did not think him half as beautiful as my friend 
Dennis that visits me every day. But Joe had a 
beautiful spirit, and that counts far more than a 
beautiful body. Who could read of the cruel blows 
and kicks and all the other insults which he suffered 
so patiently at the hands and feet of old Jenkins, 
without feeling in his inmost soul that henceforth 
he would defend and protect all helpless and harm- 
less creatures ? In this way Joe conferred a lasting 
benefit upon his fellow-dogs, and even I, who am 
only a cat, with no natural fondness for dogs, must 
say that I learned many things from Joe that made 
me have more respect for dogs. I also became 
filled with a desire to be as good and useful a cat as 
Joe was a dog, and it was during those long, lone- 
some days when I was without any companions that 
the thought came to me about writing this story. 
May be you think a cat does not even have thoughts. 
