t what Mr. Carson said, and I promised I would try not to get
mad, but I forgot. I've got a perfectly terrible temper, and when it
boils up inside of me it just sizzles all over everything before I can
stop it. Why, I even sassed Dad! I thought sure he'd lick me, but he
didn't."

"Tell me all about it," urged the tender-hearted woman, and Tabitha
poured out her pent-up griefs and longings into those sympathetic ears
with a passion that astonished her listeners.

"I don't know what I'd do without Tom. He's my 'Guardian Angel.' Did you
ever read the book called _The Guardian Angel_? The surveyor let me take
it. It's about a girl who had almost as ugly a temper as mine. She
didn't have any mother or father. I've got Dad, but he hates us. I
reckon it must be a job to move us everywhere he wants to go, and it is
particularly bad now, 'cause Aunt Maria doesn't like it and she keeps
saying she won't stay. Tom's most grown up now though, and when he gets
through college and has a surveying office of his own, I'm going to keep
house for him. In two more years now he'll be ready to go to Reno to
college. Mr. Carson and the surveyor are helping him with his lessons,
so he doesn't have very much time to teach me any more; but I am way
ahead of Carrie and Nettie and the other girls of my age and I'm going
to learn all I can so's I can help Tom. If I only had a pretty name, I
think I could stand Dad, but it's awfully trying to have two such things
to bother you all the time. There, now, I didn't mean to say that! Miss
Brooks says it is wicked to talk so, and I made up my mind to forever
quit saying mean things. I guess I am pretty bad, for I do forget so
awfully often--so very often. 'Awfully' isn't a nice word to use, Miss
Brooks says. Do you know, her first name is Stella and it means 'star.'
Isn't that a pretty name? My first name is Tabitha and it means cat; so
I am a double cat, for you see my last name is Catt, too."

"But, my dear," interrupted the woman gently, "nobody is going to care
what your name is if you are sweet and happy and sunny. They will like
you without ever thinking what the name means."

"Now isn't it funny that two people should think the same way? Mr.
Carson told me all that, but I was afraid he didn't know for certain,
because he isn't a Catt. But then, you aren't a Catt, either."

"Other people can have bad tempers, dear. I used to get just terribly
angry when I was a little girl--"

"You don't look