lk to them myself; but, _of course_, they must mind their
mother; and I never _tease_ any one to stay. It is not polite; so I
kissed them heartily, and went with them to the front door.

The wind blew sharply in my face, and I said, "You dear little kits!
I'm glad you are not made of sugar candy; you would snap all to pieces
such a cold day! but here, what is this? where in the world is your
mitten?"

There was the darling little Charlotte, standing in the cold, with only
one white mitten on.

"Why dear me!" exclaimed her mother, "what _have_ you done with it?"

Then the cunning precious pet laughed out merrily, and turning her
sweet face up to us, with the funniest little twist of her eye, lisped
out:

"I a ittie kitten,
I _loss_ my mitten."

We both burst out laughing--we could not help it; but her mother,
smoothing the smiles almost away, made believe to be the kittens'
mother, and cried out:

"Lost your mitten?
Oh you naughty little kitten!
Now you can't have any pie."

So back we all went to the parlor, both the children laughing, as if it
was the funniest joke in the whole world; and we looked under the
tables, and chairs, and sofas, and piano, and into all the corners. The
little darlings, dancing up and down, and singing that they were little
kittens, and had lost their mittens, and running all round the room in
the greatest glee. But _we_ could not find the mitten; and after we had
stopped looking, and were feeling very sorry that Mr. Jack Frost would
have such a fine chance pinching Charlotte's fingers, what do you think
the queer little puss did? Why, she just crept behind the door, which
was opened way back nearly to the wall, and in a minute, out she came
again, with the lost mitten. The funny little thing had hidden it there
on purpose, so as to be like the kittens in the story.

How we did laugh--for you know she was in play, and did not mean to do
anything naughty. She skipped up to her mamma, and chirped out:

"See, mamma, dear!
Only look here,
I found my mitten! didn't I?"

And her mother just caught her up in her aims and kissed her, and said:

"Found your mitten?
Oh, you good little kitten!
Now you shall have some pie!"

And off they went, the children perfectly delighted with the comical
play of the kittens. I dare say they hid their mittens again as soon as
they got home. I know I should, if I had be