Tortoiseshell cat

up and give jerry a bite of something or he'll eat me cried tom who had been silently struggling with his puss while frank delivered the speech which he considered a masterpiece of wit if the ladies will sit upon the window-seats i will give out the presents at once and frank proceeded to do so amid much merriment for the kittens began at once to play with the balls the cats to eat and drink while the boys surveyed the scene with great satisfaction and the girls applauded as the mice were handed round one to each cat as a delicate attention though few were eaten The pusses behaved remarkably well, for the lads had wisely selected the most amiable ones they could find, and the six belonging to the house received them hospitably.

Mother Bunch and her three kits did the honors, while Tortie and Jerry tried to be polite, though aristocratic Tortie arched her back at the half-starved little cat Nettie found in the street, and stout old Jerry growled to himself when Nell's pretty white snowball took his mouse away.

Such a frolic as they had, boys and girls, cats and kittens, all together, one would have thought the house was coming down about their ears.

The elders took a peep at them, but a very little of that sort of fun satisfied them, and they soon left the youngsters to themselves.