"Cats have hearts, I always knew
they did."

"That shows you're a sensible little girl," returned the old lady
approvingly. "But you haven't told me yet what your name is?"

"Edith Dunlee."

"I knew 'twas Dunlee--that's a Scotch name; but I didn't know about the
Edith. Well, Edith, so you've been to see the gold mine? Pokerish place,
isn't it? I hear they're going to bring down the engine from the big
plant and try to start it up again."

Edith had no idea what she meant by the "big plant," so made no reply.
Mrs. McQuilken went back to the subject of cats.

"Did you know the Egyptians used to worship cats? Well, sometimes they
did. And when their cats died they went into mourning for them."

"How queer!"

"It does seem so, but it's just as you look at it, Edith. Cats are a
sight of company. I didn't care so much about them or about birds
either when my husband was alive and my little children, but now--"

Again she paused, and this time she did not go on again. Some one out of
doors laughed; it was Jimmy Dunlee, and the mocking-bird took up the
merry sound and echoed it to perfection.

"Doesn't that seem human?" cried Mrs. McQuilken. And really it did. It
was exactly the laugh of a human boy, though it came from the throat of
a tiny bird.

"My little boys, Pitt and Roscoe, liked to hear him do that," said Mrs.
McQuilken.

Edith observed that she did not say "my boyoes." "Pitt, the one that
died in Japan, doted on the mocking-bird. The other boy, Roscoe, was all
bound up in the canary."

"Does the canary sing?"

"Yes, he's a grand singer. Just you wait till he pipes up. You'll be
surprised. But you remember what I was saying a little while ago about
your mother? That zebra kitty--"

Before she could finish the sentence Edith heard the warning tinkle of
the tea-bell, and sprang up suddenly, exclaiming: "Good-by,
Mrs.--good-by, _madam_, I must go now. You've been very kind, thank you.
Good-by."

And out of the door and away she skipped, leaving her hostess, who had

William Babington Maxwell (18661938) was a British novelist. He was a son of novelist Mary Elizabeth Braddon. Though nearly 50 years old at the outbreak of the First World War, he was accepted as a lieutenant in the Royal Fusiliers and served in France until 1917.

Cyrus Townsend Brady (December 20, 1861 January 24, 1920) was a journalist, historian and adventure writer. His most well-known work is Indian Fights and Fighters. He was born in Allegheny, Pennsylvania, and graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1883. He was also a deacon in the Episcopal church. His first wife was Clarissa Guthrie, who died in 1890. His second wife was Mary Barrett.

Rebecca Sophia Clarke (1833-1906), also known as Sophie May, was an American author of childrens fiction. Using her nieces and nephews as inspiration, she wrote realistic stories about children. She wrote 45 books between 1860 and 1903. The most popular being the Little Prudy books. She lived most of her life in her native town of Norridgewock, Maine, where she lived out her life with her sister, who was also a successful author.