sked Mamie.

"Yes, three of them. The oldest was very sweet and the next was rather
good sometimes, but showed signs of being horrid like the big one when
he grew up, and the littlest of all was very cunning and good."

"Did they have a little house?"

"Yes, but it was awfully hard to keep it, because when Mrs. Kitty
wanted anything she was afraid to ask old Mr. Cat for it, and when he
forgot things, instead of begging her pardon, as he should have done,
he would glare at her until she was afraid of her life. Oh, he was an
odious old thing! He thought he was very big and handsome, but he was
horrid-looking, and everybody hated him and he made everybody
wretched. Well, one day Mrs. Kitty was going to give a birthday party
for the weeniest kitty. They none of them wanted old Mr. Cat to come,
because nobody could have a good time when he was around, but they
didn't know how to get rid of him without making him angry--he was
always angry at somebody or something.

"Now the family who owned these kitties had some rabbits, and lately
something had been killing the rabbits, and they wanted to find out
what it was, so they set a trap. Well, on the birthday Mrs. Kitty
prepared a nice little dinner; she had some new milk, and a little
meat and a bit of cheese, and six little mice. The table was so
pretty, and everybody sat down, and there was no end of the fun going
on, until suddenly they all stopped talking and laughing, for they saw
hateful Mr. Cat. He came sulking and glowering along, as if somebody
outside had whipped him and he wanted to take it out of his family.
Mrs. Kitty begged him to sit down, and the little kitty told him it
was her birthday party.

"'What can I help you to?' asked Mrs. Kitty in her pretty voice,
trying not to look frightened.

"'None of this stuff,' he growled. 'Haven't you anything decent to
eat?'

"'I'm afraid we haven't anything but this,' said Mrs. Kitty, her teeth
chattering with dread for fear he'd pounce on the table and break the
dishes. 'Do please take something,' she begged.

"But he only made a great hateful ts-s! and turned away as mad as he
could be, and then down he hopped right into the rabbit trap, which
happened to be near.

"Out came one of the boys of the family, hallooing and shouting to the
others that he had heard the trap go off and knew they'd caught the
thief, and the poor little kitties ran away as fast as their small
legs would carry them, not stopping to see th