KITTY'S CATTLE SHOW

Something to Find Out.—How Kitty won a prize.

I. HOW KITTY WENT TO THE SHOW

Little Kitty was an orphan. She lived in an orphans' home, where she ran errands, tended the babies, and helped everybody who needed her. She was a happy-hearted child, who did her best to be good, and was never tired of hoping that something pleasant would happen.

She had often heard of Cattle Shows, but had never been to one, though she lived near a town where there was one every year.

As October drew near, and people began to get ready for the show, Kitty became more and more anxious to go. She asked many questions about it of old Sam, who worked at the orphans' home.

“Did you say anybody could go in for nothing if she took something to show?” asked the eager little girl.

“Yes, and the one who has the best fruit or cake or butter or cows, or whatever it is, gets a prize,” said Sam, who was busily chopping wood.

“I wish I had something nice to show, but I don't own anything except puss”; and the little girl stroked the plump white kitten that was frisking all over her.

“Better send her. She's pretty enough to win a prize anywhere,” said Sam, who was fond of both Kittys.

“Do they really have cats at the Cattle Show?”asked the child, earnestly.

“They ought to, if they don't; for if cats aren't cattle, I don't see what they are,” said old Sam, laughing at his little joke.

“I should like to take her and see the show, anyhow, for that would be splendid, even if she didn't get any prize. O puss, will you go, and behave well, and get a prize for me, so that I can buy a book of stories?” said Kitty.

Puss turned a somersault, raced after a chicken, and then rushed up Kitty's back. She perched on the shoulder of the little girl, and peeped into her face, as though asking if pranks like these wouldn't win a prize anywhere.

“You are going to take Mr. Green's hens for him,” said Kitty. “Can't I go with you? I won't be any trouble, and I do so want to see the pretty things.”

Now Sam had meant all the time to take her, but he had not told her so yet. Being fond of a joke, he thought he would let her take the kitten, just for the fun of it.

“Yes,” said kind-hearted Sam, “I'll tuck you in somewhere, and you had better put puss into the blackbird's old cage, so she won't get scared and run away. You can put the cage among the chicken-coops, and folks will admire puss, I haven't a doubt.”

Little Kitty was delighted at the plan, though the older children in the house laughed at her. She scrubbed the old cage until it shone, and put a bed of yellow leaves in it for snowy puss to lie upon. Puss was washed, combed, and dressed up with a wide blue ribbon around her neck. When she had been put into the cage on that great day, she made a charming picture.

It would have been hard to find a happier little lass than Kitty, when, dressed in her clean, blue check frock, and her old hat with a yellow ribbon, she rode away with Sam. In the back part of the wagon, with the chicken-coop, was Miss Puss, much excited by the clucking, fluttering hens.

II. HOW KITTY WON A PRIZE

When the show grounds were reached, Kitty thought the hurry and the noise quite as interesting as the cattle. And when, after putting his chickens in their place, Sam led her up into the great hall where the fruits and flowers and cakes and jellies were, she began to imagine that the fairy tales were coming true. For poor little Kitty had lived her whole life in the orphans' home, and real pleasures had been few.

While she stood staring at all the beautiful things, a lady who was arranging fruit near by upset a basket of fine peaches, and they rolled away under tables and chairs.

“I'll pick them up for you, ma'am,” cried Kitty, who loved to be useful. Down she went on her knees, and carefully picked up every peach.

“What is your name, my little girl?” asked the lady, as she brushed off the yellow fruit.

“My name is Kitty, and I live at the orphans' home. I never saw a Cattle Show before, because I never had anything to bring,” said the child.

“What did you bring this time?” asked the lady.

“I brought a lovely kitten, and she is down-stairs with the hens. She is all white, and she has a blue ribbon around her neck,” said Kitty.

“Oh, Mother, I want to see her,” said a shy little girl, popping up her head from behind a table, where she had hidden herself away. So Kitty took the little girl to see Miss Puss in her cage.

While they were gone, Sam came to find Kitty, and the kind lady, who was amused at the cat story, asked him about the child.

“She hasn't any friends except me and the kitten,” said Sam, “and so I thought I would give the poor little girl a bit of pleasure. The money that Mr. Green gave me for bringing his hens will buy Kitty some dinner, and a book maybe, or something to remember the Cattle Show by. I shouldn't wonder if I earned a little more doing chores today. If I do, I shall give it to her for a prize, because I brought the kitten just for fun, and I shouldn't like to disappoint the child.”

As Sam laughed, and rubbed his rough hands together over the joke of surprising Kitty, the lady looked at his kind old face, and decided to give him a pleasure, too.

When her little girl came back and begged her to buy the lovely kitten, she said that she would. She put five dollars into Sam's hand, telling him it was Kitty's prize, to be used in buying books and toys for the motherless child.

Kitty was quite willing to sell puss, as five dollars seemed a splendid fortune to her. Such a happy day as that was! She saw everything, had a good dinner, bought “Babes in the Wood” at a book stand, and best of all, she made many friends.

Miss Puss in her cage was brought up by her new mistress and put on a table among the flowers, where she was much admired.

When Kitty returned to the orphans' home everybody in it was surprised and delighted at her good luck. She had to tell over and over again about her happy day at the Cattle Show.

—Louisa M. Alcott