21 
Early Recollections 
heartless thing as this to happen in your presence. 
Think how your mother would feel if she knew of 
it.” 
The lady then stooped down and talked very 
kindly to me, and I answered her ; and when she 
got up to go, I followed, and cried after her so 
loudly that she finally picked me up and took me 
with her. Oh, how glad I was to get away from 
that dreadful boy and his stones ! I kissed the 
gloves on the hands that held me to show my 
thankfulness. 
My lady friend had walked but a short distance 
when she stopped at a little house and rang the 
bell ; but the house was dark, and it was a long 
time before any one opened the door. At last a 
lady came out, and my friend said, “ Isn’t this one 
of your kittens ? ” 
“ Yes,” said the lady, without even looking at 
me, “ they run away every little while.” 
Then she took me out of my friend’s hands and 
carried me to the kitchen, and put me in a basket 
that had a nice soft pad in it, and some other cats. 
But they did not notice me, and very soon I fell 
asleep and forgot the day’s troubles. 
