would be wise for him to remain unknown； his 〃butler〃 must do all
the business。
It was Slum Kitty who made that show a success。 Each day her
value went up in her owner's eyes。 He did not know what prices
had been given for Cats； and thought that he was touching a
record pitch when his 〃butler〃 gave the director authority to
sell the Analostan for one hundred dollars。
This is how it came about that the Slum Cat found herself
transferred from the show to a Fifth Avenue mansion。 She evinced
a most unaccountable wildness at first。 Her objection to petting；
however； was explained on the ground of her aristocratic dislike
of familiarity。 Her retreat from the Lap…dog onto the centre of
the dinner…table was understood to express a deep…rooted though
mistaken idea of avoiding a defiling touch。 Her assaults on a pet
Canary were condoned for the reason that in her native Orient she
had been used to despotic example。 The patrician way in which she
would get the cover off a milk…can was especially applauded。 Her
dislike of her silk…lined basket； and her frequent dashes against
the plate…glass windows； were easily understood： the basket was
too plain； and plate…glass was not used in her royal home。 Her
spotting of the carpet evidenced her Eastern modes of thought。
The failure of her several attempts to catch Sparrows in the
high…walled back yard was new proof of the royal impotency of her
bringing up； while her frequent wallowings in the garbage…can
were understood to be the manifestation of a little pardonable
high…born eccentricity。 She was fed and pampered； shown and
praised； but she was not happy。 Kitty was homesick！ She clawed at
that blue ribbon round her neck till she got it off； she jumped
against the plate…glass because that seemed the road to outside；
she avoided people and Dogs because they had always proved
hostile and cruel； and she would sit and gaze on the roofs and
back yards at the other side of the window； wishing she could be
among them for a change。
But she was strictly watched； was never allowed outsideso that
all the happy garbage…can moments occurred while these
receptacles of joy were indoors。 One night in March； however； as
they were set out a…row for the early scavenger； the Royal
Analostan saw her chance； slipped out of the door； and was lost
to view。
Of course there was a grand stir； but Pussy neither knew nor
cared anything about thather one thought was to go home。 It may
have been chance that took her back in the direction of Gramercy
Grange Hill； but she did arrive there after sundry small
adventures。 And now what？ She was not at home； and she had cut
off her living。 She was beginning to be hungry； and yet she had a
peculiar sense of happiness。 She cowered in a front garden for
some time。 A raw east wind had been rising； and now it came to
her with a particularly friendly message； man would have called
it an unpleasant smell of the docks； but to Pussy it was welcome
tidings from home。 She trotted down the long Street due east；
threading the rails of front gardens； stopping like a statue for
an instant； or crossing the street in search of the darkest side；
and came at length to the docks and to the water。 But the place
was strange。 She could go north or south。 Something turned her
southward； and； dodging among docks and Dogs； carts and Cats；
crooked arms of the bay and straight board fences； she got； in an
hour or two； among familiar scenes and smells； and； before the
sun came up； she had crawled back …weary and foot…sore through
the same old hole in the same old fence and over a wall to her
junk…yard back of the bird…cellaryes； back into the very
cracker…box where she was born。
Oh； if the Fifth Avenue family could only have seen her in her
native Orient！
After a long rest she came quietly down from the cracker…box
toward the steps leading to the cellar； engaged in her old…time
pursuit of seeking for eatables。 The door opened； and there stood
the negro。 He shouted to the bird…man inside：
〃Say； boss； come hyar。 Ef dere ain't dat dar Royal Ankalostan am
comed back！〃
Jap came in time to see the Cat jumping the wall。 They called
loudly and in the most seductive； wheedling tones： 〃Pussy； Pussy；
poor Pussy！ Come； Pussy！〃 But Pussy was not prepossessed in their
favor； and disappeared to forage in her old…time haunts。
The Royal Analostan had been a windfall for Japhad been the
means of adding many comforts to the cellar and several prisoners
to the cages。 It was now of the utmost importance to recapture
her majesty。 Stale meat…offal and other infallible lures were put
out till Pussy； urged by the reestablished hunger…pinch； crept up
to a large fish…head in a box…trap； the negro； in watching；
pulled the string that dropped the lid； and； a minute later； the
Analostan was once more among the prisoners in the cellar。
Meanwhile Jap had been watching the 'Lost and Found' column。
There it was； 〃25 reward；〃 etc。 That night Mr。 Malee's butler
called at the Fifth Avenue mansion with the missing cat。 〃Mr。
Malee's compliments； sah。 De Royal Analostan had recurred in her
recent proprietor's vicinity and residence； sah。 Mr。 Malee had
pleasure in recuperating the Royal Analostan； sah。〃 Of course Mr。
Malee could not be rewarded； but the butler was open to any
offer； and plainly showed that he expected the promised reward
and something more。
Kitty was guarded very carefully after that； but so far from
being disgusted with the old life of starving； and glad of her
ease； she became wilder and more dissatisfied。
VIII
The spring was doing its New York best。 The dirty little English
Sparrows were tumbling over each other in their gutter brawls；
Cats yowled all night in the areas； and the Fifth Avenue family
were thinking of their country residence。 They packed up； closed
house and moved off to their summer home； some fifty miles away；
and Pussy； in a basket； went with them。
〃Just what she needed： a change of air and scene to wean her away
from her former owners and make her happy。〃
The basket was lifted into a Rumble…shaker。 New sounds and
passing smells were entered and left。 A turn in the course was
made。 Then a roaring of many feet； more swinging of the basket； a
short pause； another change of direction； then some clicks； some
bangs； a long shrill whistle； and door…bells of a very big front
door； a rumbling； a whizzing； an unpleasant smell； a hideous
smell； a growing horrible； hateful choking smell； a deadly；
griping； poisonous stench； with roaring that drowned poor Kitty's
yowls； and just as it neared the point where endurance ceased；
there was relief。 She heard clicks and clacks。 There was light；
there was air。 Then a man's voice called； 〃All out for 125th
Street；〃 though of course to Kitty it was a mere human bellow。
The roaring almost ceaseddid cease。 Later the rackety…bang was
renewed with plenty of sounds and shakes； though not the
poisonous gas； a long； hollow； booming roar with a pleasant dock
smell was quickly passed； and then there was a succession of
jolts； roars； jars； stops； clicks； clacks； smells； jumps； shakes；
more smells； more shakes；big shakes； little shakes；gases；
smokes； screeches； door…bells； tremblings； roars； thunders； and
some new smells； raps； taps； heavings； rumblings； and more
smells； but all without any of the feel that the direction is
changed。 When at last it stopped； the sun came twinkling through
the basket…lid。 The Royal Cat was lifted into a Rumble…shaker of
the old familiar style； and； swerving aside from their past
course； very soon the noises of its wheels were grittings and
rattlings； a new and horrible sound was addedthe barking of
Dogs； big and little and dreadfully close。 The basket was lifted；
and Slum Kitty had reached her country home。
Every one was officiously kind。 They wanted to please the Royal
Cat； but somehow none of them did； except； possibly； the big； fat
cook that Kitty discovered on wandering into the kitchen。 This
unctuous person smelt more like a slum than anything she had met
for months； and the Royal Analostan was proportionately
attracted。 The cook； when she learned that fears were entertained
about the Cat staying； said： 〃Shure； she'd 'tind to thot； wanst a
Cat licks her futs； shure she's at home。〃 So she deftly caught
the unapproachable royalty in her apron； and committed the
horrible sacrilege of greasing the soles of her feet with
pot…grease。 Of course Kitty resented itshe resented everything
in the place； but on being set down she began to dress her paws
and found evident satisfaction in that grease。 She licked all
four feet for an hour； and the cook triumphantly announced that
now 〃shure she'd be apt to shtay。〃 And stay she did； but she
showed a most surprising and disgusting preference for the
kitchen； the cook； and the garbage…pail。
The family； though distressed by these distinguished
peculiarities； were glad to see the Royal Analostan more
contented and approachable。 They gave her more liberty after a
week or two。 They guarded her from every menace。 The Dogs were
taught to respect her。 No man or boy about the place would have
dreamed of throwing a stone at the famous pedigreed Cat。 She had
all the food she wanted； but still she was not happy。 She was
hankering for many things； she scarcely knew what。 She had
everythingyes； but she wanted something else。 Plenty to eat and
drinkyes； but milk does not taste the same when you can go and
drink all you want from a saucer； it has to be stolen out of a
tin pail when you are belly…pinched with hunger and thirst； or it
does not have the tangit isn't milk。
Yes； there was a junk…yard back of the house and beside it and
around it too； a big one； but it was everywhere poisoned and
polluted with roses。 The very Horses and Dogs had the wrong
smells； the whole country round was a repellent desert of
lifeless； disgusting gardens and hay…fields； without a single
tenement or smoke…stack in sight。 How she did hate it all！ There
was only one sweet…smelling shrub in the whole horrible place；
and that was in a neglected corner。 She did enjoy nipping that
and rolling in the leaves； it was a bright spot in the grounds；
but the only one； for she had not found