| Show SMUDGE Mother Tabby had two little kittens kittens kit kit- tens toes Tippy-toes and Smudge Tip Tip- toes py-toes was waa a black kitten with white on the end of ot each paw paw- paw hence her name and Smudge was all aU white excepting a black mark across one cheek cheek- eye and extending on to his hence his name Smudge Mother Tabby kept them clean and amI slick looking that is Is she did the best she could toes Tippy-toes was al always always always al- al I ways clean with a a shiny coat and she never stepped Into t the mud or I rP any place that would u soil o her white hl shoes of ot which she was very prou proud 1 But Sm Smudge dge was not so careful of ot othis hl his white bat and he would roll anywhere that he happened to bind walk under bushes and crawl under fences rubbing his white fur the Wrong way until h he looked v very ry little lute like the slick kitten his mother had bad dressed in the morning You look like one of those common common common com com- mon tramp cats his mother told him one day when he came In looking worse than usual I should think you would have more pride come here lere at once and let me smooth your coatI coat I I dont don't want to be smooth an answered answered answered an- an Smudge I never can cart have hav any fun tun having to keep clean an and slick all the time I 1 wish I 1 were a tramp cat They have fun wit with nobody to boss them around The They can stay out nights and sit on th the back fence and sing and have a goo good time Yes said his mother they ca can sit on the fence and sometimes the they get hit with a bottle or an old boot and then they stop singing Oh I r would not be afraid o of that that said Smudge I could dodge before they hit me me and then those thos tramp cats can chase the rats around the garbage cans too and no on one calls them away for tor fear of soiling their coats I 1 am tired of being tie tied to you mother I am going off oft on a tramp by myself And off he ran and in spite of all ali his mother could say he would not come back Mother Tabby turned to Tippy Tippy- toes Your brother is an unruly kitten she said but he Will dill b be taught a lesson which he needs if it I 1 Iam am am not mistaken and he will be glad to return to us He has been too well cared for to lead the life lite of a I tramp cat Come she said to TipI Tip Tip- I py toes well eat our supper and go goto goto goto to bed Of course Mother Tabby did not go to sleep she was too good a mother not not to to think of her son even if It he was wayward and by and by when she heard the tramp cats singing singing singing sing sing- ing on the back fence she jumped out of ot her basket and went to the window window win win- dow and looked out There he is she said and I 1 dont don't suppose he knows that he is I sitting on his own fence He was never out In the night before and things look different in the moonlight moonlight moon moon- light Smudge sat beside a big Thomas cat and tried to make as s much noise as he did Someone raised a windo window win win- do dow just then just tl and l. l a bottle boHI came flyIng flyIng flying fly- fly Ing through the alt aIr Smudge ge saw it and tried to dodge and in doing so he bumped pumped against the Thomas cat and he nearly fell off the fence What are you trying to do he asked humping his back and stepping stepping step step- ping nearer to Smudge I 1 did not mean to push you said Smudge ver very meekly for he never had he heard anro anyone e speak in such a cross manner before Delore Yes you did said the Thomas cat and then he struck Smudge with his paw and off went Smudge Of course being a cat he landed on his feet but he was frightened and thought he was hurt He began to cats began cry and all the tramp making fun called I Cry baby cry baby they out Why dont don't you go home to the hurt I mamma and let her kiss I place They made such a noise that another another another an an- the other bottle came flying over fence and this time Smudge had something to C cry i about for the bottle struck him on the head and his eye began to tJ swell Meow meow cried cried- Smudge The tramp cats had run away and while he he was alone and after a found there was no one oneto to help him so he tried to curl curt up and go to sleep But he lIe had been sleeping in a soft blanket too long to go to sleep on stone and he turned around and curled c many times but it was of ot no use he could not sleep on that cold I hard place With the eye that was I behind move open he saw something the garbage can That is a rat said Smudge Iguess Iguess I guess Ill I'll catch it But that was easier dune acme for when he came near to the to-the the rat he lie and large one found it was a very not in the least afraid of him I Why dont don't you run said Smudge I am a cat a and Id I 1 will eat I you if it I catch you ou Ira Ha ha laughed the rat you are are not a cat you are only a kitten and you have only one eye ye at that You couldn't catch me if it you tried I J will eat and if you dont don't run away you ou Boo boo he cried running turned toward poor Smudge who and auel ran for tor the fence tence as' as fast as he could I better go goo home to your our mother I said the rat looping looking up at young ng to be tic Smudge You are arc too y out alone Does Dos your mother l know I where you are Smudge conf confessed that she didn didn't t. t Where do you live asked the rat Its a along way war from here said Smudge Well Veil you'd better sit there till and then run morning said the rat for tor home And MC ran the rat leaving poor Smudge alone again Meow meow he cried for a his hi hieye eye was paining him now Open came another window and an anold anold anold old boot was hurled at at Smudge I But this time he was quick enough nough j 1 jand and it did not hit him Oh dear clEar I J am so BO f sleepy leEPY he cri cried crit t I i wish I Iwas was at home in my soft sott basket beside mother and Tippy- Tippy toes I J dont don't t see what fun there is In In staying out all night night You are In dang danger r all the time and as for sleeping sleep slet-p- ing on that cold stone stole I never can do it Meow m meow oY He stopped for he heard a noise and and thought someone someone someone some some- one was getting ready to throw another another another an- an an an- other bottle or sh shoe eAre e. e Are you ready to cc come me In and go to bed said his his' mothers mother's voice and standing in the cellar window Smudge saw hits his mother Meow mf meow Wi he called running to her and rubbing his head against hers How did you get here he asked Dont you know your know your own home asked his mother Is as s she led him up up- up stairs You have b been n In your own yard all the th time I r hope this will be bea a lesson to you and that you will now behave like a decent kitten and not want to be with those tramp cats Ats again J t. t I 1 am awfully awfully hungry said Smudge and sleepy sleep too There is a a little milk in the saucer saucer sau sau- eel under the table said his mother and Smudge did not need to be told again He ate the milk mille and in a few minutes he was sound asleep in the basket beside his mother and Tippy- Tippy toes Did you ou have havea a good time TIp TIp- toes py-toes asked him the next morning But Smudge was far too unhappy to reply for his eye was badly swollen and pained him He will not cir care to go again her tr mother whispered he has had alesson alesson a alesson lesson he will not care are to repeat Copyright 1915 by the McClure Newspaper Syndicate New York City r I |
