d gathered about her several other
pensioners besides the twins. These two little people, it may be here
mentioned, were just taking a morning airing in charge of Susan Posey,
who strolled along in company with Gifted Hopkins on his way to the
store.

Mistress Kitty soon began the conversational blandishments so natural to
her good-humored race. "It's a little blarney that'll jist suit th' old
lady," she said to herself, as she made her first conciliatory advance.

"An' sure an' it's a beautiful kitten you've got there, Mrs. Hopkins. An'
it's a splendid mouser she is, I'll be bound. Does n't she look as if
she'd clans the house out o'them little bastes, bad luck to em."

Mrs. Hopkins looked benignantly upon the more than middle-aged tabby,
slumbering as if she had never known an enemy, and turned smiling to
Mistress Kitty. "Why, bless your heart, Kitty, our old puss would n't
know a mouse by sight, if you showed her one. If I was a mouse, I'd as
lieves have a nest in one of that old cat's ears as anywhere else. You
couldn't find a safer place for one."

"Indade, an' to be sure she's too big an' too handsome a pussy to be
after wastin' her time on them little bastes. It's that little tarrier
dog of yours, Mrs. Hopkins, that will be after worryin' the mice an' the
rats, an' the thaves too, I 'll warrant. Is n't he a fust-rate-lookin'
watch-dog, an' a rig'ler rat-hound?"

Mrs. Hopkins looked at the little short-legged and short-winded animal of
miscellaneous extraction with an expression of contempt and affection,
mingled about half and half. "Worry 'em! If they wanted to sleep, I
rather guess he would worry 'em! If barkin' would do their job for 'em,
nary a mouse nor rat would board free gratis in my house as they do now.
Noisy little good-for-nothing tike,--ain't you, Fret?"

Mistress Kitty was put back a little by two such signal failures. There
was another chance, however, to make her point, which she presently
availed herself of,--feeling pretty sure this time that she should effect
a lodgement. Mrs. Hopkins's parrot had been observing Kitty, first with
one eye and then with the other, evidently preparing to make a remark,
but awkward with a stranger. "That 's a beautiful part y 've got there,"
Kitty said, buoyant with the certainty that she was on safe ground this
time; "and tahks like a book, I 'll be bound. Poll! Poll! Poor Poll!"

She put forth her hand to caress the intelligent and affable b