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musky home…reminders； and thus she was spared the unspeakable horrors
of the tunnel。
She was over three days learning the manifold dangers and
complexities of the East River docks。 Once she got by mistake on a
ferryboat and was carried over to Long Island； but she took an early boat
back。 At length on the third night she reached familiar ground； the place
she had passed the night of her first escape。 From that her course was sure
and rapid。 She knew just where she was going and how to get there。 She
knew even the more prominent features in the Dog…scape now。 She went
faster； felt happier。 In a little while surely she would be curled up in her
native Orientthe old junk…yard。 Another turn； and the block was in sight。
Butwhat！ It was gone！ Kitty couldn't believe her eyes； but she must；
for the sun was not yet up。 There where once had stood or leaned or
slouched or straggled the houses of the block； was a great broken
wilderness of stone； lumber； and holes in the ground。
Kitty walked all around it。 She knew by the bearings and by the local
color of the pavement that she was in her home； that there had lived the
bird…man； and there was the old junk…yard； but all were gone； completely
gone； taking their familiar odors with them； and Pussy turned sick at heart
in the utter hopelessness of the case。 Her place…love was her master…mood。
She had given up all to come to a home that no longer existed； and for
once her sturdy little heart was cast down。 She wandered over the silent
heaps of rubbish and found neither consolation nor eatables。 The ruin had
taken in several of the blocks and reached back from the water。 It was not
a fire； Kitty had seen one of those things。 This looked more like the work
of a flock of the Red…eyed Monsters。 Pussy knew nothing of the great
bridge that was to rise from this very spot。
When the sun came up she sought for cover。 An adjoining block still
stood with little change； and the Royal Analostan retired to that。 She knew
some of its trails； but once there； was unpleasantly surprised to find the
place swarming with Cats that； like herself； were driven from their old
grounds； and when the garbage…cans came out there were several
Slummers at each。 It meant a famine in the land； and Pussy； after standing
it a few days； was reduced to seeking her other home on Fifth Avenue。 She
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got there to find it shut up and deserted。 She waited about for a day； had
an unpleasant experience with a big man in a blue coat； and next night
returned to the crowded slum。
September and October wore away。 Many of the Cats died of
starvation or were too weak to escape their natural enemies。 But Kitty；
young and strong； still lived。
Great changes had come over the ruined blocks。 Though silent on the
night when she first saw them； they were crowded with noisy workmen all
day。 A tall building； well advanced on her arrival； was completed at the
end of October； and Slum Kitty； driven by hunger； went sneaking up to a
pail that a negro had set outside。 The pail； unfortunately； was not for
garbage； it was a new thing in that region： a scrubbing…pail。 A sad
disappointment； but it had a sense of comfortthere were traces of a
familiar touch on the handle。 While she was studying it； the negro
elevator…boy came out again。 In spite of his blue clothes； his odorous
person confirmed the good impression of the handle。 Kitty had retreated
across the street。 He gazed at her。
〃Sho ef dat don't look like de Royal Ankalostan！ Hyar； Pussy； Pussy；
Pu…s…s…s…s…y！ Co…o…o…o…m…e； Pu…u…s…s…sy； hyar！ I'spec's she's sho hungry。〃
Hungry！ She hadn't had a real meal for months。 The negro went into
the building and reappeared with a portion of his own lunch。
〃Hyar； Pussy； Puss； Puss； Puss！〃 It seemed very good； but Pussy had
her doubts of the man。 At length he laid the meat on the pavement； and
went back to the door。 Slum Kitty came forward very warily； sniffed at the
meat； seized it； and fled like a little Tigress to eat her prize in peace。
LIFE IV
XI
This was the beginning of a new era。 Pussy came to the door of the
building now whenever pinched by hunger； and the good feeling for the
negro grew。 She had never understood that man before。 He had always
seemed hostile。 Now he was her friend； the only one she had。
One week she had a streak of luck。 Seven good meals on seven
successive days； and right on the top of the last meal she found a juicy
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dead Rat； the genuine thing； a perfect windfall。 She had never killed a full…
grown Rat in all her lives； but seized the prize and ran off to hide it for
future use。 She was crossing the street in front of the new building when
an old enemy appeared； the Wharf Dog；and Kitty retreated；
naturally enough； to the door where she had a friend。 Just as she neared it；
he opened the door for a well…dressed man to come out； and both saw the
Cat with her prize。
〃Hello！ Look at that for a Cat！〃 〃Yes； sah；〃 answered the negro。
〃Dat's ma Cat； sah； she's a terror on Rats； sah！ hez 'em about cleaned up；
sah； dat's why she's so thin。〃
〃Well； don't let her starve；〃 said the man with the air of the landlord。
〃Can't you feed her？
〃De liver meat…man comes reg'lar； sah； quatah dollar a week； sah；〃 said
the negro； fully realizing that he was entitled to the extra fifteen cents for
〃the idea。〃
〃That's all right。 I'll stand it。〃
XII
〃M…e…a…t！ M…e…a…t！〃 is heard the magnetic； cat…conjuring cry of the old
liver…man； as his barrow is pushed up the glorified Scrimper's Alley； and
Cats come crowding； as of yore； to receive their due。
There are Cats black； white； yellow； and gray to be remembered； and；
above all； there are owners to be remembered。 As the barrow rounds the
corner near the new building it makes a newly scheduled stop。
〃Hyar； you； get out o' the road； you common trash；〃 cries the liver…man；
and he waves his wand to make way for the little gray Cat with blue eyes
and white nose。 She receives an unusually large portion； for Sam is wisely
dividing the returns evenly； and Slum Kitty retreats with her 'daily' into
shelter of the great building； to which she is regularly attached。 She has
entered into her fourth life with prospects of happiness never before
dreamed of。 Everything was against her at first； now everything seems to
be coming her way。 It is very doubtful that her mind was broadened by
travel； but she knew what she wanted and she got it。 She has achieved her
long…time great ambition by catching； not a Sparrow； but two of them；
while they were clinched in mortal combat in the gutter。
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There is no reason to suppose that she ever caught another Rat； but the
negro secures a dead one when he can； for purposes of exhibition； lest her
pension be imperilled。 The dead one is left in the hall till the proprietor
comes； then it is apologetically swept away。 〃Well； drat dat Cat； sah； dat
Royal Ankalostan blood； sah； is terrors on Rats。〃
She has had several broods since。 The negro thinks the Yellow Tom is
the father of some of them； and no doubt the negro is right。
He has sold her a number of times with a perfectly clear conscience；
knowing quite well that it is only a question of a few days before the
Royal Analostan comes back again。 Doubtless he is saving the money for
some honorable ambition。 She has learned to tolerate the elevator； and
even to ride up and down on it。 The negro stoutly maintains that once；
when she heard the meat…man； while she was on the top floor； she
managed to press the button that called the elevator to take her down。
She is sleek and beautiful again。 She is not only one of the four
hundred that form the inner circle about the liver…barrow； but she is
recognized as the star pensioner among them。 The liver…man is positively
respectful。 Not even the cream…and…chicken fed Cat of the pawn…broker's
wife has such a position as the Royal Analostan。 But in spite of her
prosperity； her social position； her royal name and fake pedigree； the
greatest pleasure of her life is to slip out and go a…slumming in the
gloaming； for now； as in her previous lives； she is at heart； and likely to be；
nothing but a dirty little Slum Cat。
ARNAUX
THE CHRONICLE OF A HOMING PIGEON
We passed through the side door of a