This is a very peculiar name for a kitten but kittens often have
peculiar names. Dump could not be called a beautiful kitten but his
good nature and playfulness made him attractive and likeable. His
mother must have thought him pretty for she petted him so much by
smoothing his fur with her tongue. I have not yet told you the color
of this kitten and I am sure you are wondering about it. You might say
he was very pretty. His fur was a bluish gray and white and his face
was white almost all over. He was just a common kitten but you know the
common kittens are smart and many times as good in disposition as the
thorough-breds.
Dump was very playful and would do many cute things. One thing that
he did and seemed to like most of all was playing hide and seek in the
house. He would get behind the door and wait for his little mistress to
come and then he would jump out at her as though he meant to frighten
her. Of course, she had jumped at him in the same way many times and in
this way had taught him the game of hide and seek.
One afternoon in the summer time the little girl thought of something
to do of which Dump had not thought. It was this. The girl had a nice
little kodak which her uncle had given her and she thought of taking
Dump’s picture. Not very many kittens are fortunate enough to have
their pictures taken. The little kitten had never posed for a picture
and of course thought it was great fun, that is, if he thought of it at
all. Anyway, they both went into the yard and the little girl placed
Dump on the gate post. He seemed to know the purpose of being placed
there for he sat still in the warm sun just like he was really posing
for the picture. It was a good picture, too, and the girl has the
little picture yet, although she is grown now and has a home of her own
and another kitten takes Dump’s place.
Dump always slept in the window during the summer between the screen
and curtains. He would always answer his little mistress with a little
meow when she called him. He knew when it was time for his meals as
his master worked down town in a meat shop and when he would go to the
house for his meals Dump would meet him at the door and beg for meat.
When the yard was mowed and the grass piled up in one big pile, the
kitten would run to it and hide himself from his little mistress. This
was great fun for both. They loved each other very much and where one
went around the yard or in the house the other was to be found, too.
Dump never cared to play with other kittens and would not be very
friendly. One of the neighbors had a big cat next door, but Dump would
never let him come through the yard fence if he saw him. He must
have been a little selfish but probably it was because he loved his
mistress more than other kittens.
Many times Dump would go to the woodshed and watch for mice. He nearly
always caught one and he loved to play with it for hours at a time
before eating it. One hot summer day he played too long and it cost him
his life for he became overheated and died in just a little while. The
little girl did everything she could for him but could not save his
life. Dump’s little body was buried back of the cave beside the graves
of two little bantam chickens and a little gold fish.
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