“Poor little motherless girl!” sighed aunt Abby.

When called to tea, Julia came in smiling, with Charley and Johnny, who had been showing her their out-door pets.

After tea, Julia led her father to the old woodhouse stairway, where there was a more lowly kind of mother-love to be seen.

A large contented-looking cat lay on the door-step, winking fearlessly at them. The cunningest of four kittens was climbing on her back. Two prettier kittens were having a frolic at her feet, while the other one sat soberly looking on. Sometimes the wild ones rolled over and over each other down the steps.

“Did you ever see such lovely, pesshus kittens, papa dear...FROM THE BOOKS.