to peep into the basket where Tabby lay snugly coiled up, perfectly
contented to be quiet in her warm quarters, as long as she was going
home to her mother and Tody. They did not forget their promise to stop
at Mrs. Warrington's, and inform Dora of their success.
"Dear little Tabby!" said Tessy, peeping into the basket, as Dora went
up stairs to tell her sister the good news. "How glad I am she is safe,
but how thin and forlorn she looks! I don't believe you will ever be so
foolish as to run away again, little kitty."
"I don't believe I shall," thought Tabby, "but dear me, I hope they
won't stay here long; I want to get home so, I don't know what to do. I
feel as if I should fly."
But Tabby could not fly, and her patience was destined to a little
longer trial, for Dora came down presently, to ask the girls to go up
and see Agnes. They found her lying in bed, her beautiful curling hair
all cut off close to her head, and so changed that they could hardly
think it was herself. She was too weak to say much, but kissed them
both, and whispered: "I am so glad she is found! You don't know how
sorry I have felt."
"Never mind, Aggy," said Marian, with tearful eyes. "It has all turned
out well, so you need think no more about it."
"I don't think Aggy wants to forget it, Marian," remarked Theresa. "Do
you, dear?"
Agnes shook her head, but she was not allowed to talk, so the girls
kissed her again, and taking their leave, soon arrived at home in
safety with their precious burden.
As soon as they came in sight, Miss Fanny, who was watching at the
parlour window, ran to let them in, knowing by their faces that they
had succeeded in their search. The old cat was lying before the parlour
fire with Tody, and she looked up in amazement to see Miss Fanny jump
up so quickly. But she jumped up ten times more quickly herself as Ella
lifted the cover, and Tabby, thin and dirty, but still her own loved
Tabby, jumped out of the basket, and threw herself into her mother's
paws, while Tody capered round them in such an ecstasy of delight that
he singed his tail in the grate without knowing it, and twice attempted
to jump over his own head!
"Well, Tabby," said her mother, after she had given an account of all
her adventures, "you have had some very narrow escapes, and seen many
curious things. I hope you have learned one lesson from your adventures
that you will never forget—that a kitten's own family friends are the
best friends she can have, and that if she is not happy at home, it is
almost always her own fault."
—————
I suppose my young readers will like to know what became of some of the
other personages of our story.
Agnes Warrington recovered after a very long and tedious confinement.
She never forgot the occasion of her illness, and the lessons which
it taught her influenced the whole of her after-life. It is not easy
to get over bad habits all at once, and she and Dora had a "tiff" now
and then as of old, but her long-continued feebleness prevented their
coming much into collision, till Dora's good principles were too firmly
rooted to be easily overthrown. And as it takes at least two to make a
quarrel, Agnes became gradually ashamed of being always in the wrong.
As Ella had prophesied, Theresa's influence had a good effect upon
the rest of the family. She did not go to boarding-school till her
cousin had entirely recovered, and by that time, she had become so much
endeared to her relatives that they knew not how to part with her,
and looked forward with pleasure to the time when she should have a
permanent home among them.
Mrs. Webster also recovered, but only after a very long and dangerous
illness, during which time her dear friend and counsellor, Mrs. Cox,
never came to see her but three times, and did not once offer to assist
in taking care of her. While Mrs. Bond and Mrs. Randall sat up with her
night after night, looked after the housekeeping, and kept the baby,
when its mother was so ill as to render its absence necessary. Under
such circumstances, Mrs. Webster could not fail to see who were her
true friends, and rose from her sick-bed at last a wise woman, having
learned the important lesson that we should give all our attention to
performing our duties at home and abroad to the best of our ability,
in which case our social position may safely be left to take care
of itself. Polly now goes as neatly dressed as Sarah Bond, and is
almost as happy, and Mr. Webster finds his home so much improved in
cheerfulness and comfort that he declares his doctor's bill to be the
best laid out money he ever spent.
Jack Fletcher went to the House of Refuge, but he did not remain there
long. He soon learned to read and write, and a farmer from the West,
struck with his intelligent and good-humoured face, and interested
in his story, took him out to Iowa to live. Jack now works on the
farm in summer, and goes to school in winter, and bids fair to be as
respectable a man as any in the United States. He corresponds with
Tom Bond, who means to be a farmer too some day, and he never forgets
to ask after Sarah Anne, who bids fair to be as smart and as good as
her mother before her, though her father thinks she will never be as
handsome.
And now, having disposed of all our principal personages, we will
conclude by wishing all our young friends a Merry Christmas! and a
happy New Year! and bid them farewell till next season.
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