200 
Pussy Meow 
by scratching him on the head and gradually going 
farther down his back. But just as soon as she got 
near his tail, Goldie would begin to eye her sus- 
piciously, and indeed poor mistress’ hands were a 
network of scratches before she had gained Goldie’s 
confidence enough so that he no longer dug his 
fierce claws into her flesh. 
I was very curious to know what caused Goldie 
to act so, and at the first opportunity I asked him 
the reason. 
“ Reason enough,” said he. “ If you had had 
your tail pinched and twisted as mine has been by 
a cowardly sneak of a boy, you would be wary too. 
But I finally tired of such a life and started out in 
search of a better home.” 
“And how were you so fortunate as to fall into 
the hands of our mistress?” said Budge, who had 
come to hear Goldie’s story. 
“ Fortunate, I should say it was fortunate,” said 
Goldie. “ I will tell you all about it. After tramp- 
ing from door to door for several days, and sleeping 
under barns and coal sheds, one evening I followed 
two ladies up to a beautiful house. But evidently 
they had not noticed me, for as soon as they 
entered, the door was shut, and I was left behind. 
