After tea, Julia led her father to the old woodhouse stairway, where there was a more lowly kind of mother-love to be seen. A large contented-looking cat lay on the door-step, winking fearlessly at them. The cunningest of four kittens was climbing on her back. Two prettier kittens were having a frolic at her feet, while the other one sat soberly looking on. Sometimes the wild ones rolled over and over each other down the steps. “Did you ever see such lovely, pesshus kittens, papa dear?” [Illustration: Cat and kittens] “None so precious to you and this mother-cat,” her papa said, smiling to see her so pleased. “And I can have one! All the folks say so. Now help me find out, papa, which is the bestest kitty.” “I wish a mouse would come along; then I’d tell you which _I_ think is the best,” said Charley. “But I don’t care ’bout my kitty’s catching mice; I only want her to play with me. She shall have milk to drink, and part of my dinner every day.” “Kittens would look prettier to me if I didn’t know they would grow to be cats,” Johnny said. [Illustration: One cat] “Bah! yes!” said Charley. “Up on that shed, by your bedroom window—see, Julia—see that big striped cat! Johnny and I just loved him when he was a kitten. But he kills our birds, and that we can’t forgive.” Up spoke kind-hearted Johnny: “I b’lieve he’s the wickedest, badest cat that meows. So many nests he has spoiled! Then the mother-birds cry and call so, we have to stop our ears. When I get a gun, I b’lieve I’ll shoot you, Mr. Tom.” Johnny handled a willow-rod as if it were a gun, and pointed it up at the big gray cat. But it did not fear him, it was up so high. Perhaps it knew nothing about guns. “Better go to bed now, Julia. Dream about the kittens, and in the morning we will see which one we like the best.” [Illustration: Decoration] CHAPTER III. CHOOSING THE KITTEN. In the morning two little girls, Anne and Rose, from the next farmhouse, came to ask for a kitten. Aunt Abby said Julia must first choose her own. The liveliest kitty had a black-and-white coat, with black cap and ears. Its clean white face and hands and feet pleased Julia so well, that she tied her red ribbon around its neck. Anne and Rose were just as content with the gray ones the boys gave to them. When they went away, each carried a kitten in her arms, and each very sweetly asked Julia to come to see them. “We will,” said aunt Abby, “to see how the kittens like their new home.” “Come here, Papa Cary,” this kind aunt said after breakfast, when he sat under the cherry-tree reading his newspaper; “come to my kitchen-door and see a pretty picture.” Papa went with her, and saw his Julia trying to make the kitten love her. She had a basin of new milk, of which kitty had been drinking. Now it was purring its thanks. Julia laid her fat cheek against its furry side to hear the purr-purring sound.