`` Oh , poor , poor Paddy , '' said tender-hearted Cecily tearfully . `` He could n't stand , so I carried him home and gave him just a little milk . Fortunately he was able to lap it . I gave him a little more at intervals all day , and when I left he was able to crawl around . I think he 'll be all right , but you 'll have to be careful how you feed him for a few days . Do n't let your hearts run away with your judgment and kill him with kindness . '' `` Do you suppose any one put him under that barrel ? '' asked the Story Girl . `` No . The barn was locked . Nothing but a cat could get in . I suppose he went under the barrel , perhaps in pursuit of a mouse , and somehow knocked it off the block and so imprisoned himself . '' Paddy was sitting before the fire in the Awkward Man 's clean , bare kitchen . Thin ! Why , he was literally skin and bone , and his fur was dull and lustreless . It almost broke our hearts to see our beautiful Paddy brought so low . `` Oh , how he must have suffered ! '' moaned Cecily . `` He 'll be as prosperous as ever in a week or two , '' said the Awkward Man kindly . The Story Girl gathered Paddy up in her arms .
Most mellifluously did he purr as we crowded around to stroke him ; with friendly joy he licked our hands with his little red tongue ; poor Paddy was a thankful cat ; he was no longer lost , starving , imprisoned , helpless ; he was with his comrades once more and he was going XXXXX -- home to his old familiar haunts of orchard and dairy and granary , to his daily rations of new milk and cream , to the cosy corner of his own fireside .
Nothing block hearts home intervals kindness kitchen milk pursuit skin