ever tire of it. Love to
Jack and the Little Schoolma'am, Deacon Green, and all our old
friends.--Your loving friend and reader,

ELIZABETH M. TROWBRIDGE.

* * * * *

Portsmouth, N.H.

DEAR ST. NICHOLAS: I am sure you will like to hear how a cat adopted
a mouse, so here is the whole story for you.

A mother cat, named Tabby, had all her kittens taken away except
one, and she loved and petted this one little kitten as much as one
little kitten could be loved and petted. But she had a heart so full
of love that she could not possibly use it all up on one kitten; so,
one day, she brought home the cunningest little mouse I ever saw.
That little mouse, when she found herself in the cat's mouth, must
have thought there was not much more fun for her, but that Mrs. Cat
was taking her home to make a luncheon upon her. But Tabby carried
her very carefully, so as not to rumple her smooth coat of fur nor
break any of her tiny bones. When Tabby reached home, she dropped
the mouse into the warm nest where lay her kitten, and immediately
began to wash off the dust of travel, just as she daily bathed
Kitty. Mousey liked this so well that she remained very quiet and
quickly dropped asleep.

Tabby's mistress soon became interested in the happy family, and
supplied bits of cheese and other things that mice like to eat. Now
and then she saw this mouse perched on the back of the sleepy little
kitten, and nibbling a bit of cheese held between her two front
paws. Old Tabby would raise her head from her nap, to see what the
little one was doing, and the Mousey would hide her lunch in one
cheek, and look so innocent that Tabby would go to sleep again. Then
Mousey would out with her cheese and go on nibbling. Thus, cat,
kitten and mouse lived happily together until, one unfortunate day,
Tabby had company; and before she could introduce the company to her
family, the company had introduced the pet mouse to itself, and had
swallowed her at one mouthful. Tabby tried hard to act as if her
company were welcome, but she wore a very sad look during the whole
visit. This is a true story.--Yours sincerely,

A.J.B.

* * * * *

"THE ST. NICHOLAS CLUB, of Philadelphia," a company of young puzzlers,
have sent us four clever metrical answers