`` Guess she was . Poor old soul ! she took in all the lost and sick cats in the town ; and when anybody wanted one they went to Marm Webber , and she let 'em pick any kind and color they wanted , and only asked ninepence , she was glad to have her pussies get a good home . '' `` I should like to see Marm Webber . Could I , if I went to that place ? '' `` She 's dead . All my folks are , '' said Dan , briefly . `` I 'm sorry ; '' and Demi sat silent a minute , wondering what subject would be safe to try next . He felt delicate about speaking of the departed lady , but was very curious about the cats , and could not resist asking softly , `` Did she cure the sick ones ? '' `` Sometimes . One had a broken leg , and she tied it up to a stick , and it got well ; and another had fits , and she doctored it with yarbs till it was cured . But some of 'em died , and she buried 'em ; and when they could n't get well , she killed 'em easy . '' `` How ? '' asked Demi , feeling that there was a peculiar charm about this old woman , and some sort of joke about the cats , because Dan was smiling to himself . `` A kind lady , who was fond of cats , told her how , and gave her some stuff , and sent all her own pussies to be killed that way . Marm used to put a sponge wet with ether , in the bottom of an old boot , then poke puss in head downwards . The ether put her to sleep in a jiffy , and she was drowned in warm water before she woke up . '' `` I hope the cats did n't feel it . I shall tell Daisy about that . You have known a great many interesting things , have n't you ? ''
asked XXXXX , and fell to meditating on the vast experience of a boy who had run away more than once , and taken care of himself in a big city .
Daisy Demi Marm Webber downwards drowned minute ninepence pussies yarbs