s soon as the intruder was driven out, Bobby fluttered
away safe and sound."

"Wasn't that nice of Miess, Auntie?" said Susie. "I have thought of a
story for you to tell us this afternoon--the story of the barn-cat that
wanted so much to become a house-cat. Don't you remember that story you
used to tell us long ago?"

"Oh, yes!" Mollie said; "her name was Furry-Purry, and she lived with
Granny Barebones, and there was Tom--Tom--some thing; what _was_ his
name? Tell us that, Aunt Ruth, do!"

"Isn't it open to the objection you made to Mollie's choice a while ago,
Susie?" she asked. "I remember it went with 'The Three Bears' and 'Old
Mother Pig' and 'The Little Red Hen.'"

"No, Auntie, I think not; it's different, somehow."

"Very well, then, if you are sure you haven't outgrown it."

"Is it a true story?" Nellie Dimock wanted to know.

"It is made out of a true story, Nellie. A young cat which was born and
brought up in a barn became dissatisfied with her condition in life, and
made up her mind to change it. She chose the house of a friend of mine
for her future home, and presented herself every morning at the door,
asking in a very earnest and humble way to be taken in. When driven away
she went sadly and reluctantly, but in a few moments was back again
waiting patiently, quietly, hour after hour, day after day. If noticed
or spoken to, she gave a plaintive mew, looked cold and hungry, but
showed no signs of discouragement. She didn't once try to steal into the
house, as she might have done, but waited patiently for an invitation.

"And when one morning she brought a mouse and laid it on the door-step,
and looking up, seemed to say: 'Kind lady, if you will take me for your
cat, see what I will do for you,' my friend could no longer refuse. The
door was opened, the long-wished-for invitation was given, and very
soon the little barn-cat became the pet and plaything of the family. She
proved a valuable family cat, and her descendants, to the fourth
generation, are living in my

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.