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 Sam 's hands , telling him that was Kitty 's premium , to be used in buying clothes and comforts for the motherless child . Kitty was quite willing to sell puss , for five dollars seemed a splendid fortune to her . Such a happy day as that was , for she saw everything , had a good dinner , bought `` Babes in the Wood '' of a peddler , and , best of all , made friends . Miss Puss was brought up by her new mistress , and put on a table among the flowers , where the pretty cage and the plump , tricksy kitten attracted much attention , for the story was told , and the little girl 's droll contribution much laughed over . But the poor-house people did n't laugh , for they were so surprised and delighted at this unexpected success that they were never tired of talking about Kitty 's Cattle Show . XIII . WHAT BECOMES OF THE PINS . Miss Ellen was making a new pincushion , and a very pretty one it promised to be , for she had much taste , and spent half her time embroidering chair-covers , crocheting tidies , and all sorts of dainty trifles . Her room was full of them ; and she often declared that she did wish some one would invent a new sort of fancy-work , since she had tried all the old kinds till she was tired of them . Painting china , carving wood , button-holing butterflies and daisies onto Turkish towelling , and making peacock-feather trimming , amused her for a time ; but as she was not very successful she soon gave up trying these branches , and wondered if she would not take a little plain sewing for a change . The old cushion stood on her table beside the new one ; which was ready for its trimming of lace and ribbon . A row of delicate new pins also lay waiting to adorn the red satin mound , and in the old blue one still remained several pins that had evidently seen hard service . Miss Ellen was putting a dozen needles into her book , having just picked them out of the old cushion , and , as she quilted them through the flannel leaves , she said half aloud , -- `` It is very evident where the needles go , but I really do wish I knew what becomes of the pins . '' `` I can tell you , '' answered a small , sharp voice , as a long brass pin tried to straighten itself up in the middle of a faded blue cornflower , evidently prepared to address the meeting . Miss Ellen stared much surprised , for she had used this big pin a good deal lately , but never heard it speak before . As she looked at it she saw for the first time that its head had a tiny face , with silvery hair , two merry eyes , and a wee mouth out of which came the metallic little voice that pierced her ear , small as it was . `` Dear me ! '' she said ; then added politely , `` if you can tell I should be very happy to hear , for it has long been a great mystery , and no one could explain it . '' The old pin tried to sit erect , and the merry eye twinkled as it went on like a garrulous creature , glad to talk after long silence : -- `` Men make many wonderful discoveries , my dear , but they have never found that out , and never will , because we belong to women , and only a feminine ear can hear us , a feminine mind understand our mission , or sympathize with our trials , experiences , and triumphs . For we have all these as well as human beings , and there really is not much difference between us when we come to look into the matter . ''
This was such a curious statement that Miss XXXXX forgot her work to listen intently , and all the needles fixed their eyes on the audacious pin .
Ellen Puss Sam chair-covers day dollars fancy-work pincushion poor-house tidies