NAMING THE KITTEN.
"What shall be the kitten's name?" asked Rachel of her younger sister, who stood holding up her apron, and begging to take the little pet.
"It is my kitten," pleaded Alice; "and I ought to have it."
"The old cat evidently thinks it is her kitten. Hark! Hear her mew! 'Mine, mine, mine,' she seems to say."
"Oh!" said Alice, "I can soon quiet the old cat with a saucer of milk. Come, give me the kitten; that's a good Rachel!"
"Well, I will give it to you on one condition."
"Name it: perhaps I can grant it."
"The condition is, that you give the kitten a name,—a name that I shall approve of."
"Oh! that I can do right off. We will call her Arabella."
"Nonsense! that is too long and grand a name for a kitten. It will do very well for a proud lady-doll from Paris, but not for this little scratcher."
"How would you like the name of Betsy?"
"Not at all. I think it a homely sort of name."
"Well, will any of these do?—Pet, Muff, Tabby, Tit, Tip-top, Scamper, Nap, Mop, Pop, Grab?"
"I think you must have got those from some story-book."
"You guessed right that time," said Alice. "Name the kitten yourself, if none of my names will satisfy you. Put her in my lap, and I will get some cream, and let her lap it."
"Lappit, did you say? That's a new name, and a good one!" cried Rachel. "You have hit upon a name at last. We will call the kitten Lappit. Now hold up your apron, and I will put Lappit in your lap."
Alice laughed at her sister's play upon the word; and, taking the kitten in her apron, she ran off into the garden, followed by the old cat.
NAMING THE KITTEN.