Children's Corner

Hutt News, Volume 2, Issue 21, 17 October 1929, Page 4

Children's Corner

PLUPPYDENE VILLA.

Joan and Jimmy lived near a wood, and one day when. they were playing in a.field which lay just 'at the edge of the wood, they saw two bright eyes looking at them from among the trees.

"Ooer," cried Joan. "It is a wild animal, perhaps a tiger or a lion."

"I'll go and see what is is," Jimmy said, bravely. "No, no, you will be eaten up," cried Joan.

"I have a big stick, I shall be all right," said jimmy, and he crept silently and carefully towards the two shining eyes.

Joan watched him enter the wood, and then heard him laugh loudly.

"Come on, ; Joan," he called. "It is only a kitten."

Joan ran quickly into the woiid "Whe»-o is it?" she asked.

'' There it is, creeping throug.ii the bushes. Let us follow it,' 7

said Jimmy. So they very carefully followed the kitten.

For five minutes they kept it in sight, and then it disappeared among the trees.

"I wonder which way it went; was it that way?" said Joan.

"No, this way, I think," "answered Jimmy, and they wander* ed on, looking for the kitten, until they were lost in the wood.

"We must fin dour way home now,'* said Jimmy. But^they did not know the way, and walked 1 and walked until Joan was quite tired.

"I must sit down and rest,*' she said.

At that moment they heard a loud "meow, and turning round, they saw a pussy dressed as a soldier with a gun.

"Halt!" cried the pussy. ''You mustn't go any further. I am a sentry on guard, and this is Pussy town."

"But my sister is tired," said Jimmy, "and we are both so very hungry. Cannot you show us th-^ way home?"

"I don't know the way to your home," answered the sentry cat, "but I can show you where to get some food if you will promise not to steal any of our kittens. We have had four kittens stolen in a week by bad boys and girls. That is why 1 am here to stop anyone passing."

"We will promise not to steal a kitten," said both Joan and Jimmy.

"All right," said the sentry. "It you go down that path you will come to a house called 'Fluffydene.' * Tell Mrs. Tibby, who lives there, that I sent you, and she will give you some i'ood. Later on I will find the way home for you.''

"You are a good nice pussy," said Joan.

"It is my duty as a soldier of Pussyland to help anyone who is a friend," said the sentry.

"Thank you very much,' said Jimmy. "Come along, Joan, This will be a fine adventure to tell Mummy when we get home again. *

So they walked on until they came to a tiny little house, with a garden all round it, and a gate with the name "Fluffy dene" painted on it in big wEite letters. The gate was so small that Jimmy and Joan easily stepped over it, and walked up the little path.

Bang, bang, bang, they knocked at the door. Bang, bang, bang.

It was opened by a tabby kitten. "Meow," the kitten cried. "You've followed me- here, meow," and she quickly shut the door.

"That must be the kitten that we saw in the wood," said Jimmy, "and I suppose she thinks we have come to steal her."

"But I am so hungry," said Joan.

Jimmy went up to one of the tiny, windows of the little house, and looked in. "Come and look, Joan," he called.

Joan walked wearily up to the window, and peeped in also/There was a lovely pussycat nursing a tiny kitten.

Jimmy, with a big push, opened the window.

"Meow, meow, £neow," cried

the pussycat, when, she saw their faces at the open window. "Who are you?"

''It is quite all right, Mrs Tibby," said Joan. "We have been sent here by the sentry pussy. He said you were a nice kind pussy, who would give us something to eat. We have lost our way, and are so tired and hungry."

"But my little boy, Tabbitom, is ill, and I musn't leave him until he has gone to sleep," said Mother Tibby.

"Oh, I am sorry," said Joan. "What is the matter with poor little Tsbbitom?"

"He has a tooth which aches," answered Mother Tibby. . Then she called in a loud voice, "Kittikin, Kittikin, Kittikin," and into the rooni ran the little kitten who had opened the front door.

"Meow, meow, meow," sha cried, when she saw Joan and Jimmy looking in at the window.

"Don't be frightened," said her mother. "They are two children who have lost their way. Sentry Sharpy sent them, as they must be good friends."

yes," added Joan, ''we all love pussies, and promised not to steal any kittens, although we do want one at home, don't we, Jimmy-"

"Yes, we do," said Jimmy, "but we wouldn't steal one."

"Kitiikin," said Mother Tibby, "go into the kitchen, and mako some pancakes. I know all boy, and girls like pancakes.

"Rather!" cried Joan md Jimmy. "May we look in the kitchen window and watch you make them?"

"Yes, if you like," said Kittikin, timidly. "But I am not very clever end you must not mind if the pancakes are _oot properly cooked."

Jimmy shut the window vex*y quietly, then they went round the house, peeping in all the windows until they came to the kitchen. There was Kittikin, with a big apron on, mixing, the pancakes ""What a clever kitten!" said

Jimmy.

' ' Yes. and look, look how cleverly fcho tosses them over m the p«'»n !*'

'LVr-'t they sme.H nice/ said.

Jm.iuij

I iid they tasted nice, too. Joan and (?:jnmy were so very hungry tliat they ate four each. , Then Mother Tibby came into the kit-

''1 <?m so sorry that you oannot get ii to the house," she said, "but you really are too big!"

"Bow is little Tabbitom?" aske i'Jtuiii-

''He is asleep," answered Mother Tibby. "He does look ao sweet in his little bed 5 you can; peep in at /the window if your; keep very quiet." .

So they walked round the tiny house on tip toe, and saw Tabbitom fast asleep.

"Isn't he a little dear?" said Joan. "I'm so sorry he had tooth ache."

" Yes, he really wants a holiday, " said Mother Tibby.

''Does he*"-' said Joan. ''Will you let him come home with us for a few weeks. We will take great care of him, and you may, have him back when you like."

"It is very kind of you to ask him." said Mother Tibby. "If he will go with you, I will spare him for a little while."

At that moment they heard .1 faint "meow" from the bed, and Tabbitqni. woke up.

"Would you like to go for a holiday with this little boy and girl?"

"Meow, yes, very much," answered Tabbitom.

"Very well, I will go and find Sentry Sharpy; "and Kittikin, you must give Tabbitom another dose of medicine. You may get up now, Tabbitom." -

So Joan and Jimmy told Tabbitom all about their own home and Mummy, and about the jolly time he would have with them.

"And here comes Kittikin with the medicine," said Joan.

"Nasty stuff, I don't- like it," cried Tsbbitom.

"Mother said you must rake it or she would not let you go away for your holiday," said Kittikin.

So Tabbitom took his medicine and made such a :face afterwards,

that both Joan and Jimmy laughed till they ached. A few minutes later, Mother Tibby and gentry Sharpy came up to the little house.

"I've found your way home," said Sentry Sharpy. "You Mother is looking everywhere for you, and I was attacked by ;;. big black dog, but I fired my aim at him and he ran away so fast ihat he fell over twice."

"Bravo," said Jimmy. "Now we must be off.v Say 'gootl-bye,' Tabbitom. I will carry you, and Joan will carry your medicine."

"Good-bye! c good-bye! goodbye!" they all said; then Sentry Sharpy led them right through the wood until they were in sight of their home.

"I'll leave you now,'' said Sentry Sharpy.

"Thank you very much for all your help," said Jimmy. "If you ever want a holiday just come to us."

"Thank you; I only did my duty," replied the sentry, and he went back into the wood. "

"Hurrah! for home," cried Jimmy, as they reached the door.

"You naughty children, where have you been1?" said Mummy.

So they told her all that «they had seen and. done, and then showed her little Tabbitom.

"What a pretty little kitten," said Mummy. "Bring him inside and we will give him some Jiilk."

stayed with Joan and, Jimmy for a long time, and after he had gone back to Mother Tibby, Joan and Jimmy often walked over to " Fluffydene " to play with Kittikin and Tabbitom, and to (have some—more lovely pancakes.