WELL, a big husky giant didn't jump into the trolley car, as I feared he
might in the last story, so little Puss, Junior, kept up his search for
his dear father until late in the evening when he came to a city on
Goosey Gander River. For the moment I've forgotten the name, but if I
remember it I will tell you later. At any rate, it won't matter much,
for Puss didn't stay there long. Well, as I was saying, he entered the
city, tired and hungry, for he had traveled far that day, and as he
walked up the brightly lighted street he heard a man say:
"Saw ye aught of my love a-coming from the Opera?
Around her throat a string of pearls,
And on her neck two little curls;
Saw ye aught of my love a-coming from the Opera?
"My good man, I'm a stranger and have just arrived. I have seen no
string of pearls nor little curls on any pretty little girls," answered
Puss wearily, for he was too anxious to find a night's lodging to notice
pearls and curls.
"Dear me!" sighed the man, and he took off his opera hat and flattened
it and then snapped it out again, which made a little newsboy open his
eyes and say, "Do it again, Mister; it sounds like a pistol." But the
man wouldn't, so the little newsboy ran off and Puss turned away, for he
had no time to be talking to operagoers at that time of evening. By and
by he came to a narrow street at the end of which shone a little light.
So he turned down and presently found himself in front of a little
house. In the hammock on the front porch sat a pretty yellow hen,
swinging back and forth, and every now and then singing to herself:
"It's after ten! It's after ten!
Time for bed for Yellow Hen."
"Good evening!" said Puss, taking off his plumed hat and bowing
politely. "May I ask for a night's lodging. I'm tired and footsore, and
have traveled many miles in New Mother Goose Country."
The little Yellow Hen flapped her wings and fluttered down to the
piazza. "Come," she said, stretching out her right wing. "Travelers are
always welcome. We hear little down at the end of this narrow street.
Tell me some news, my good Sir Cat."
"Are you sure you are not too sleepy?" asked Puss. "It was only a few
minutes ago you were singing 'It's after ten, it's after ten; time for
bed for Yellow Hen!'" But the little hen only laughed and said, "I must
wait up for Mr. Rooster."
"He's the Cock at early dawn
Who blows on the Mayor's auto horn
To wake the city and stir the men
To be up and at their work again."
Just then a gaily feathered rooster walked up the steps, but what he
said I shall have to tell you in the next story, for it's so late now
that I must say good-night.