Innocent little Kitty was in raptures at the prospect , though the people in the house laughed at her . But she firmly believed it was all right , and made her preparations with solemn care . The old cage was scrubbed till the wires shone , then she trimmed it up with evergreen , and put a bed of scarlet leaves for snowy puss to lie on . Puss was washed , and combed , and decked with a blue bow on the grand day , and , when she had been persuaded to enter her pretty prison , the effect was charming . A happier little lass was seldom seen than Kitty when , dressed in her clean , blue check frock , and the old hat , with a faded ribbon , she rode away with Sam ; and behind , among the hen-coops , was Miss Puss , much excited by the clucking and fluttering of her fellow-travellers . When the show grounds were reached , Kitty thought the bustle and the noise quite as interesting as the cattle ; and when , after putting his poultry in its place , Sam led her up into the great hall where the fruit and flowers were , she began to imagine that the fairy tales were coming true . While she stood staring at some very astonishing worsted-work pictures , a lady , who was arranging fruit near by , upset a basket of fine peaches , and they rolled away under tables and chairs . `` I 'll pick 'em up , ma'am , '' cried Kitty , who loved to be useful ; and down she went on her hands and knees , and carefully picked up every runaway . `` What is your name , my obliging little girl ? '' asked the lady , as she brushed up the last yellow peach . `` Kitty ; and I live at the poor-house ; and I never saw a Cattle Show before , 'cause I did n't have any thing to bring , '' said the child , feeling as important with her cat as a whole agricultural society . `` What did you bring , -- patchwork ? '' `` O , no , ma'am , a lovely cat , and she is down stairs with the hens , -- all white , with blue eyes and a blue bow , '' cried Kitty . `` I want to see her , '' said a little girl , popping her head up from behind the table , where she had bashfully hidden from the stranger . The lady consented , and the children went away together . While they were gone , Sam came to find his little friend , and the kind lady , amused at the cat story , asked about the child . `` She aint no friends but me and the kitten , so I thought I 'd give the poor little soul a bit of pleasure . The quarter I 'll get for fetching Green 's hens will get Kitty some dinner , and a book maybe , or something to remember Cattle Show by . Should n't wonder if I earned a trifle more doing chores round to-day ; if so , I shall give it to her for a premium , 'cause I fetched the cat for fun , and would n't like to disappoint the child . '' As Sam laughed , and rubbed his rough hands over the joke of surprising Kitty , the lady looked at his kind old face , and resolved to give him a pleasure , too , and of the sort he liked .
She was rich and generous , and , when her little girl came back , begging her to buy the lovely kitten , she said she would , and put five dollars into XXXXX 's hands , telling him that was Kitty 's premium , to be used in buying clothes and comforts for the motherless child .
Green Kitty Puss Sam fellow-travellers hen-coops house poor-house right soul