232 Pussy Meow 
just how kittens like to be treated. I half suspect 
that mistress took them aside and showed them 
how. 
The kittens enjoyed the party much more than 
we older ones. Budge — poor, timid, bashful Budge 
— he never did like a crowd. When he saw such a 
troop of children come in, he made for the base- 
ment, where he remained in hiding behind the 
laundry stove till mistress brought him up and put 
him on top of the high bookcase ; and there he 
seemed to feel secure, for none of the children 
could reach him. Booker and Goldie spent most 
of the afternoon in hiding under the couch. 
When my kittens had been played with long 
enough, I went into my basket, and mistress under- 
stood just what I meant by it. 
“ Children,” said she, “ you see the kittens’ 
mother thinks her babies have had enough play for 
the present, and she has gone to her basket to in- 
vite them to come to her to have some dinner and 
to take a nap. Now set all the kittens down on 
the floor and see what they will do.” 
When my kittens were set free I began crooning 
to them, and oh, how it pleased the children to see 
the little things stand still a second, prick up their 
