“LOST.—A little girl’s tortoise-shell, young mother cat, with pink toes and a sweet face. Answering to the name of Wee-je, Wee-je, kim-um-sing.”
And Mrs. Wood put it all in, except the last, about answering, saying instead that there would be a reward of two dollars for any one returning the cat to her home.
This notice appeared for three days, and on the third, another one followed it:
“In addition to above reward offered for return of young mother cat, will be given: Two fine, fat, handsome rabbits in splendid condition, with one palatial, airy rabbit-house, eight rooms, staircases, cupola, and all modern improvements.”
“F. Wood, Esq.”
Mrs. Wood smiled as she read this, although her lips trembled, and she thought: “That must have broken Franklin’s heart.”
The next day something else left the family, and this was no less than Kenneth’s beautiful head of curls; but something much more important returned in their place, when he came marching home without them.
Grandmother was there for a few days, and took him down to have them cut, because he had been promised that they should go before school began. Then she dressed him in his first trousers, and brought him triumphantly to his mother, who, instead of being delighted, said, “Oh, Kenny, Mother’s lost her little baby!” and looked so grieved that he broke into a great roar of sympathy, and a little later, when he strolled out into the street, a boy called after him: “H’m, been cryin’ ’cause your hair’s cut!”
“Say that again, will you!” said Kenneth, removing his hands from the new pockets.
“I said you’ve been cryin’ ’cause—”