Topsy had four kittens, but as it was
settled that we could not keep more
than one, and little Milly Knight wanting
one, the other two had to be drowned. So
Milly came one day and selected a nice little
black and white one. We were very sorry
when Tom took the little creatures and put
them in the pond at the bottom of the
garden. As they were very young and
could not feel much, we thought Topsy
would soon forget them. Well, on the
evening that they were drowned, while the
cook was in her pantry, with the window
open, she saw something come rushing
along, and, in another minute, Topsy leaped
through the window, carrying in her mouth
one of the kittens, dripping wet, which she
laid on the mat and began to lick with all
her might. And how she licked it! Over
and over, and over again, till, as the cook
said, she "licked it into life." The little
kitten got well, and became, owing to its
narrow escape, and the love displayed, a
great pet ever afterward.
[Illustration]