TATTERS

Radio Record, Volume X, Issue 7, 28 August 1936, Page 56

TATTERS

ORMAN and his mother were staying at a farm by the sea. And though Norman liked to watch the cows and chickens and ducks, he wanted an animal friend to play with and pet, and he liked best of all a big white cat named Tatters. She had a lovely soft coat and green eyes. But Tatters was not at all friendly, and, whenever she saw Norman leaped away into. a hedge or disappeared. round the corner. Even when the farmer caught the cat and put her into Norman’s arms Tatters would struggle to get away, and soon jumped to the ground and stalked off with her tail waving in an offended manner, "TI wish Tatters would like me, Mummy," said Norman; "why doesn’t he?" "Perhaps some little boy may have teased her once, his mother, ‘‘and she hasn’t forgotten it.’ "But I wouldn’t," objected Norman. When they were coming up from the sea one day. they heard a’ great commotion in the lane. Snap, the butcher’s Irish terrier, was barking and snarling furiously and there was an angry spitting sound coming from the hedge. When Norman and his mother came into ‘sight of . the spot they saw Tatters on the top of a post, with Snap leaping up excitedly at her, and she was trying to hit the dog with her claws. Poor Tatters was stuck and could get neither up. nor down. As soon as Norman saw her he raced after Snap with his spade.. "Stop it, Snap! Naughty dog!’’ he shouted. And while he drove Snap a little way off Tatters seized the opportunity to spring to the ground and disappear. The dog went on barking:a little and sniffed disappointedly round the bushes, which made Norman laugh. But after tea the same day when they were in their sit-ting-room the door was slowly pushed open and Tatters appeared. She walked up to Norman and rubbed herself ‘in a friendly way against his legs. The little boy could hardly speak with delight. ‘Look, Mummy," he gasped, "‘what Tatters is doing!" Then the cat gave- a leap and landed herself on his Jap, where she curled round in a contented heap. Norman chuckled with pleasure as he stroked her. "I think she likes me now,"’ he said. _ , "Yes," laughed Mummy, ‘she’ s come to thank you for Snap away this morning." x = + "" said