Project Gutenberg's Grandmother Puss, or, The grateful mouse, by Unknown

This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with
almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or
re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included
with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.net

Title: Grandmother Puss, or, The grateful mouse

Author: Unknown

Release Date: November 28, 2008 [EBook #27346]

Language: English

Character set encoding: ASCII

*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK GRANDMOTHER PUSS ***

Produced by Louise Hope

GRANDMOTHER

PUSS,

Or The Grateful Mouse.

McLoughlin Brothers. New-York.

* * * * *
* * * *

GRANDMOTHER PUSS,

or,

THE GRATEFUL MOUSE.

I wish that all the little boys and girls who read
this story could _see_ Grandmother Puss; but as they
cannot, I will tell you something about her. She is
a very large, and handsome old cat of grave aspect,
and solemn manners. Her face is black, with white
marks around the eyes, and across the nose, which
make her look as if she wore spectacles; and she has
a grandson called Peter, who lives with her.

When Peter was but six weeks old, he was left an
orphan; for some very, very wicked dog had killed
his mother! Grandmother Puss at once took the lonely
kitten to her heart, with many tears, sharing her
milk with him; and as he grew larger, giving him the
fattest and most tender mice, she could catch.

I think she spoiled him, as other Grandmothers do.
He never watched for mice, and did nothing to earn
his own living, but passed his time chiefly in
chasing his own tail, and other vain and foolish
amusements. Now, there was an old gray rat who lived
in a hole, in the cellar. He was always up to some
kind of mischief--had spoiled a great deal of milk,
and carried off all the cheese he could get his paws
on--once he was even seen trying to get away with an
egg, which he was rolling gently toward his hole!

He did so much harm, and was so very knowing and
sly, that at last Grandmother Puss declared, with
tears in her eyes, that she would neither taste,
touch, nor handle a single mouse, until she had
caught the old gray robber. And she kept her word.
She sometimes sat a whole night, watching for the
old rogue, but although she often saw him, she coul