n carried away. All the china is in great baskets on
the pantry floor; and your father and mother's clothes are all taken out
of the nursery closet, and laid on chairs. It is very dreadful to have
to stand and see all this, and not be able to do any thing. I don't
think I ever fully realized before the disadvantage of being only a cat.
I have just been across the street, and talked it all over with the
Judge's cat, but she is very old and stupid, and so taken up with her
six kittens (who are the ugliest I ever saw), that she does not take
the least interest in her neighbors' affairs. Mrs. Hitchcock walked by
the house this morning, and I ran out to her, and took her dress in my
teeth and pulled it, and did all I could to make her come in, but she
said, "No, no, pussy, I'm not coming in to-day; your mistress is not at
home." I declare I could have cried. I sat down in the middle of the
path, and never stirred for half an hour.

I heard your friend, Hannah Dorrance, say yesterday, that she was going
to write to you to-day, so I shall run up the hill now and carry my
letter to her. I think she will be astonished when she sees me, for I am
very sure that no other cat in town knows how to write. Do come home as
soon as possible.

Your affectionate Pussy.

P. S. Two men have just driven up to the front gate in a great cart, and
they are putting all the carpets into it. Oh dear, oh dear, if I only
knew what to do! And I just heard Mary say to them, "Be as quick as you
can, for I want to get through with this business before the folks come
back."

[Illustration: "I climbed up the old apple-tree, and crawled out on
a branch from which I could look directly into the parlor
windows."--Page 38.]

[Illustration: "I crept up to the head of the kitchen stairs, as
still as a mouse, if I'm any judge, and listened."--Page 40.]

III.

My Dear Helen:

I am too stiff and sore from a terrible fall I have had, to write more
than one line; but I must let you know that my fright was very silly,
and I am very much mortified about it. The house and the things are all
safe; your mother has come home; and I will write, and tell you all,
just as soon as I can use my pen without great pain.

Some new people have come to live in the Nelson house; very nice people,
I think, for they keep their milk in yellow crockery pans. They have
brought with them a splendid black cat whose name is Caesar, and
everyb