ever caught."



"He did for many a mouse in his day," said Peter, anxious to pay

his tribute to the departed.



"'He was a cat--take him for all in all. We shall not look upon

his like again,'" quoted Uncle Blair.



Felicity and Cecily and Sara Ray cried so much that Aunt Janet

lost patience completely and told them sharply that they would



have something to cry for some day--which did not seem to comfort

them much. The Story Girl shed no tears, though the look in her



eyes hurt more than weeping.

"After all, perhaps it's for the best," she said drearily. "I've



been feeling so badly over having to go away and leave Paddy. No

matter how kind you'd all be to him I know he'd miss me terribly.



He wasn't like most cats who don't care who comes and goes as long

as they get plenty to eat. Paddy wouldn't have been contented



without me."

"Oh, no-o-o, oh, no-o-o," wailed Sara Ray lugubriously.



Felix shot a disgusted glance at her.

"I don't see what YOU are making such a fuss about," he said



unfeelingly. "He wasn't your cat."

"But I l-l-oved him," sobbed Sara, "and I always feel bad when my



friends d-do."

"I wish we could believe that cats went to heaven, like people,"



sighed Cecily. "Do you really think it isn't possible?"

Uncle Blair shook his head.



"I'm afraid not. I'd like to think cats have a chance for heaven,

but I can't. There's nothing heavenly about cats, delightful



creatures though they are."

"Blair, I'm really surprised to hear the things you say to the



children," said Aunt Janet severely.

"Surely you wouldn't prefer me to tell them that cats DO go to



heaven," protested Uncle Blair.

"I think it's wicked to carry on about an animal as those children



do," answered Aunt Janet decidedly, "and you shouldn't encourage

them. Here now, children, stop making a fuss. Bury that cat and



get off to your apple picking."

We had to go to our work, but Paddy was not to be buried in any



such off-hand fashion as that. It was agreed that we should bury

him in the orchard at sunset that evening, and Sara Ray, who had



to go home, declared she would be back for it, and implored us to

wait for her if she didn't come exactly on time.



"I mayn't be able to get away till after milking," she sniffed,

"but I don't want to miss it. Even a cat's funeral is better than



none at all."

"Horrid thing!" said Felicity, barelywaiting until Sara was



out of earshot.

We worked with heavy hearts that day; the girls cried bitterly



most of the time and we boys whistled defiantly. But as evening

drew on we began to feel a sneaking interest in the details of the



funeral. As Dan said, the thing should be done properly, since

Paddy was no common cat. The Story Girl selected the spot for the



grave, in a little corner behind the cherry copse, where early

violets enskied the grass in spring, and we boys dug the grave,



making it "soft and narrow," as the heroine of the old ballad

wanted hers made. Sara Ray, who managed to come in time after



all, and Felicity stood and watched us, but Cecily and the Story

Girl kept far aloof.



"This time last night you never thought you'd be digging Pat's

grave to-night," sighed Felicity.



"We little k-know what a day will bring forth," sobbed Sara.

"I've heard the minister say that and it is true."



"Of course it's true. It's in the Bible; but I don't think you

should repeat it in connection with a cat," said Felicity



dubiously.

When all was in readiness the Story Girl brought her pet through



the orchard where he had so often frisked and prowled. No useless

coffin enclosed his breast but he reposed in a neat cardboard box.



"I wonder if it would be right to say 'ashes to ashes and dust to

dust,'" said Peter.



"No, it wouldn't," averred Felicity. "It would be real wicked."

"I think we ought to sing a hymn, anyway," asseverated Sara Ray.



"Well, we might do that, if it isn't a very religious one,"

conceded Felicity.



"How would 'Pull for the shore, sailor, pull for the shore,' do?"

• dramatic [drə´mætik] a.戏剧的；戏剧般的 (初中英语单词)


• partly [´pɑ:tli] ad.部分地；不完全地 (初中英语单词)


• sketch [sketʃ] n.素描；短剧 v.草拟 (初中英语单词)


• remote [ri´məut] a.遥远的；偏僻的 (初中英语单词)


• twilight [´twailait] n.黎明；黄昏 (初中英语单词)


• upward [´ʌpwəd] a.&ad.向上(的)；以上 (初中英语单词)


• divine [di´vain] a.神圣的 v.预言 (初中英语单词)


• valley [´væli] n.谷；河谷；流域 (初中英语单词)


• steadily [´stedili] ad.坚定地；不断地 (初中英语单词)


• background [´bækgraund] n.背景；经历；幕后 (初中英语单词)


• orchard [´ɔ:tʃəd] n.果园 (初中英语单词)


• vanish [´væniʃ] vi.消失；消散；消灭 (初中英语单词)


• presently [´prezəntli] ad.不久；目前 (初中英语单词)


• purple [´pə:pl] n.紫色 a.紫(红)的 (初中英语单词)


• chilly [´tʃili] a.凉飕飕的 (初中英语单词)


• haunted [´hɔ:tid] a.常出现鬼的，闹鬼的 (初中英语单词)


• slender [´slendə] a.细长的；微薄的 (初中英语单词)


• poison [´pɔizən] n.毒物 v.毒害 a.有毒的 (初中英语单词)


• sulphur [´sʌlfə] n.硫，硫磺 (初中英语单词)


• dreadful [´dredful] a.可怕的；讨厌的 (初中英语单词)


• suffering [´sʌfəriŋ] n.痛苦；灾害 (初中英语单词)


• gently [´dʒentli] ad.温和地；静静地 (初中英语单词)


• beloved [bi´lʌvd] a.为….所爱的 n.爱人 (初中英语单词)


• mistress [´mistris] n.女主人；情妇；女能手 (初中英语单词)


• wherever [weər´evə] conj.无论在哪里 (初中英语单词)


• abruptly [ə´brʌptli] ad.突然地；粗鲁地 (初中英语单词)


• anxious [´æŋkʃəs] a.担忧的；渴望的 (初中英语单词)


• tribute [´tribju:t] n.贡物；献礼；颂词 (初中英语单词)


• patience [´peiʃəns] n.忍耐(力)；耐心；坚韧 (初中英语单词)


• sharply [´ʃɑ:pli] ad.锋利地；剧烈地 (初中英语单词)


• wicked [´wikid] a.邪恶的；不道德的 (初中英语单词)


• sunset [´sʌnset] n.日落；晚霞 (初中英语单词)


• funeral [´fju:nərəl] n.葬礼，丧葬；困难 (初中英语单词)


• barely [´beəli] ad.公开地；仅仅 (初中英语单词)


• waiting [´weitiŋ] n.等候；伺候 (初中英语单词)


• properly [´prɔpəli] ad.适当地；严格地 (初中英语单词)


• minister [´ministə] n.部长；大臣 v.伺候 (初中英语单词)


• connection [kə´nekʃən] n.联系；关系；联运 (初中英语单词)


• crimson [´krimzən] a.&n.深(紫)红(的) (高中英语单词)


• homeward [´həumwəd] ad.&a.回家(的) (高中英语单词)


• half-way [´hɑ:fwei] ad.半途；几乎 (高中英语单词)


• mortal [´mɔ:tl] a.致命的 n.凡人 (高中英语单词)


• earthly [´ə:θli] a.地球的；世俗的 (高中英语单词)


• classic [´klæsik] a.第一流的 n.杰作 (高中英语单词)


• clumsy [´klʌmzi] a.笨拙的；粗俗的 (高中英语单词)


• announcement [ə´naunsmənt] n.通告；宣布；言谈 (高中英语单词)


• heavenly [´hevənli] a.天的，天空的 (高中英语单词)


• decidedly [di´saididli] ad.坚决地，果断地 (高中英语单词)


• cherry [´tʃeri] n.樱桃(树) (高中英语单词)


• whence [wens] ad.从何处；从那里 (英语四级单词)


• aerial [´eəriəl] a.空中的 n.天线 (英语四级单词)


• alluring [ə´ljuəriŋ] a.诱惑的；迷人的 (英语四级单词)


• fascination [,fæsi´neiʃən] n.魅力；强烈爱好 (英语四级单词)


• fairyland [´fɛərilænd] n.仙境，奇境 (英语四级单词)


• crackle [´krækəl] v.劈啪地响 n.劈啪声 (英语四级单词)


• radiance [´reidjəns] n.发光；光彩；辐射 (英语四级单词)


• silvery [´silvəri] a.银一般的 (英语四级单词)


• frosty [´frɔsti] a.霜冻的；冷淡的 (英语四级单词)


• mournful [´mɔ:nful] a.令人沮丧的 (英语四级单词)


• heroine [´herəuin] n.女英雄；女主人公 (英语四级单词)


• readiness [´redinis] n.准备就绪；愿意 (英语四级单词)


• cardboard [´kɑ:dbɔ:d] n.纸板；卡纸 (英语四级单词)


• liking [´laikiŋ] n.爱好；嗜好；喜欢 (英语六级单词)


• indescribable [,indis´kraibəbəl] a.难以形容的 (英语六级单词)


• attainment [ə´teinmənt] n.达到；得到；造诣 (英语六级单词)


• merciless [´mə:siləs] a.残忍的；无情的 (英语六级单词)


• woodman [´wudmən] n.伐木工 (英语六级单词)


• dreamy [´dri:mi] a.心不在焉的；朦胧的 (英语六级单词)


• emphatically [im´fætikəli] ad.强调地；断然地 (英语六级单词)


• mystic [´mistik] a.神秘的；难以理解的 (英语六级单词)


• calling [´kɔ:liŋ] n.点名；职业；欲望 (英语六级单词)


• untouched [ʌn´tʌtʃt] a.原样的；未触动过的 (英语六级单词)


• doorstep [´dɔ:step] n.门阶 (英语六级单词)


• glossy [´glɔsi] a.光滑的，有光泽的 (英语六级单词)


• felicity [fi´lisiti] n.幸福；(措词)适当 (英语六级单词)