getting lost, was permitted to go out of doors.

Mary-'Gusta, standing in the doorway, gazed after her pet.

"I hope there's no dogs around here," she said. "It would be dreadful if
there was a dog."

Isaiah tried to reassure her. "Oh, I cal'late there ain't no dog nigh
enough to do any harm," he said; "besides, most cats can run fast enough
to get out of the way."

The child shook her head. "I didn't mean that," she said. "I meant it
would be dreadful for the dog. David doesn't have a mite of patience
with dogs. He doesn't wait to see if they're nice ones or not, he just
goes for 'em and then--Oh! He most always goes for 'em. When he has
kittens he ALWAYS does."

Mr. Chase's reply to this illuminating disclosure was that he wanted to
know.

"Yes," said Mary-'Gusta, "David doesn't take to dogs, some way. Why
don't cats like dogs, Mr. Chase?"

Isaiah said that he cal'lated 'twas the nature of the critters not to.
Mary-'Gusta agreed with him.

"Natures are queer things, ain't they?" she said, solemnly. "I guess
everybody has a nature, cats and all. Mrs. Hobbs says my nature is a
contrary one. What's your kind, Mr. Chase?