CHAPTER XIV.
THE KITTEN.
ONE Monday morning, Mrs. Dunne, who had come down to fetch the linen for washing, sent Mary into the breakfast-room to ask if she might speak to the young ladies; and as grandmamma allowed, Alice and Beatrice went to speak to her.
Mrs. Dunne had a small basket in her hand, which she held out to little Beatrice, saying, ‘My little Bessie has sent you a kitten, miss; for cook tells me that there is no cat in the house, and I hope that you will take this.’
Beatrice took the basket and lifted the lid, and she and Alice saw such a pretty little kitten lying curled up, half asleep. It was as white as snow, and had a blue ribbon round its neck. The kitten got up and stood in the basket ready to jump out; but Beatrice in her delight seized it, and was going to run away with it, when Alice said—
‘Wait, Beatrice, let me take it; you will frighten this dear little kitten.’
‘But I want to show it to grandmamma,’ said the little girl, turning back very unwillingly; ‘let me take it, please Alice.’
‘You may, only do not squeeze it,’ said Alice.
Mrs. Dunne put the kitten nicely into Beatrice’s arms, and Beatrice stroked the kitten, and the little creature began to purr and to rub its nose against Beatrice’s hand.
‘Thank you, Mrs. Dunne,’ said Alice, ‘please thank little Bessie, and tell her it is the prettiest kitten in the world.’ And Beatrice said ‘Thank you’ too, and then both children went back to their grandmother to show her the kitten. Grandmamma admired it very much, and told Mary to bring some milk in a saucer for the kitten, and she did so. The kitten seemed very hungry, for it lapped the milk up in a very short time.