re you, my child?" said
the old dame; "let me in. I'm your grandmother." Polly had always been
taught to be respectful to old people, so she let the old woman in, and
politely handed her a chair; but she could not help saying, as she did
so, "excuse me, ma'am, but I don't think you can be my grandmother."
"That shows how much you know about it!" replied the old woman; "how old
are you?" "Eight years old," said Polly. "Very well!" said the old
woman; "now I am ninety-six years old, just twelve times as old as you
are; therefore, I'm your grandmother." "But I don't see----" began
Polly. "Oh, if you want to argue about it," said the old dame, "here we
are," and she drew from her pocket a small book, and opening it, read
aloud, "Take a little girl eight years old, and multiply her by twelve;
what will be the result? Answer: her grandmother. There!" she said,
triumphantly, "what do you think of that?" Poor Polly did not know what
to think of it. She looked at the book, which looked exactly like
Colburn's Arithmetic. "_Is_ that Colburn's Arithmetic, ma'am?" she asked
timidly. "Colburn's Fiddlestick!" said the old woman, shortly. "Here's
another for you. Put a boy up an apple-tree, and divide him by a good
sized bull-dog; what will remain? hey?" "I'm sure I don't know," said
poor Polly, faintly. "Mince-meat, of course," said the old woman. "You
don't know much, evidently." "What a dreadful looking cat!" thought
Polly. And indeed, he did not look like an amiable animal. His green
eyes shone with an uncanny light, and his long claws were constantly
sheathing and unsheathing themselves, as if they longed to scratch
somebody. However, the old woman certainly seemed fond of him.
"Hobble-gobble!" she said, "prince of cats, black diamond, blazing
emerald, attend!

Kickery punk, punkery kick,
Bring the teapot and be quick!"

The cat gave one spring, and in the twinkling of an eye he reached the
cupboard where the silver was kept. Now the door of the cupboard was
locked, as Polly, in her surprise, (which was fast turning into terror,)
thankfully remembered. The cat, finding it locked, turned and looked at
his mistress, who, striking her stick on the floor, exclaimed

"Scratchery, patchery, tooth and nail;
Open the door with a quirk of your tail."

Quick as thought the creature turned round and inserted the tip of his
tail in the key hole. In a moment the door flew open, and seizing the
silv