The Mandie Collection

by Lois Gladys Leppard

Mandie whispered to her friends, “I have an idea. Let’s go ask Aunt Lou if she knows anything about this. We can do it real fast and be back by the time Uncle John and the other men come back downstairs.”

  “All right,” Jonathan agreed.

  Mandie started down the long hallway toward the kitchen door and all her friends followed. Pushing open the door they stepped into the kitchen at the same time Abraham came in the back door. He was carrying a large basket.

  Aunt Lou looked at him and said, “Put dat behind de stove for right now.” She turned and saw the young people. “Now y’all git out of my kitchen. Gotta git supper on de table fo’ de men.” She shook her big white apron at them.

  Mandie watched as Abraham set the basket behind the stove, and suddenly Snowball came running across the room making a loud purring noise and headed straight for the basket.

  Abraham stood back and watched Snowball. “He’s a boy and dis heah cat she’s a girl.” He laughed. “I cleaned dem up best I could.”

  Mandie ran across the room to look in the basket. There was a large black cat lying in it with two tiny kittens. “Look!” she excitedly told her friends. “It’s a mother cat and two kittens!” She quickly picked up Snowball, not knowing whether he intended fighting the other cat. Snowball squirmed to get down, but Mandie held him tight.

  The other young people quickly came to look in the basket.

  “Oh, so these were the occupants of that house that burned down,” Jonathan said with a laugh.

  “Mandie, suppose Snowball is jealous of the cat,” Celia said.

  “I’ll have to watch him and see,” Mandie said.

  “I don’t think he will be,” Joe said. “As Abraham just said he’s a boy and that black cat is a girl.” He smiled at the other young people.

  “Aunt Lou, are you going to keep those cats in the kitchen here?” Mandie asked.

  “No, my chile, jes’ long enough to feed and den dey git put in de back storage room. Since dis is a strange cat maybe you’d better keep Snowball out of heah until I git finished with de mama and her kittens.”

  “All right, Aunt Lou, I’ll take Snowball with me to the parlor,” Mandie replied.

  The young people hurried to the parlor and got to the doorway just as the men came back down the hall. She put Snowball down and he rushed over to the hearth and curled up by the fire to sleep.

  “Oh, Uncle John, was that mama cat and her babies living alone in that house? Who was feeding them?” Mandie quickly asked as she followed him into the parlor.

  The women in the room heard that question and they listened as John Shaw replied, “Yes, the house was empty and practically falling in. The cat and her kittens were in the attic,” John Shaw explained.

  “I’m so glad no one was in the house,” Elizabeth Shaw said. “John, Aunt Lou has supper ready for you and the men.”

  “Why don’t you ladies come join us for coffee?” John Shaw asked.

  Elizabeth looked at the others and they all agreed.

  Mandie left Snowball in the parlor and she and her friends followed the adults into the dining room and found Liza putting chocolate cake and coffee on the table for them. They ate and listened as John Shaw explained what they had done at the old house.

  “It was burning fast and we determined it was not occupied, so we were standing by, waiting for it to fall so we could put out the fire. Then we heard a cat crying, and Uncle Ned determined that it was inside the house,” John Shaw explained as he ate his supper.

  “It came out on the tin roof of the porch meowing something awful,” Jacob Smith said.

  “So Uncle Ned decided he was going to rescue it,” Lindall Guyer said. “He managed to get up on the porch roof, but the cat went back inside the window.”

  “And of course Uncle Ned followed it and came out in a couple of minutes holding the two baby kittens. The cat followed,” Dr. Woodard added.

  “Oh, thank you, Uncle Ned, for saving the mama cat and her babies,” Mandie said from down the table as she looked at the old man eating his supper.

  The old Indian smiled at her and said, “Now you have two cats.”

  Mandie quickly looked at Uncle John and asked, “Are we going to keep the cat and the kittens?”

  Uncle John smiled at her and said, “Unless we find someplace to put them, we’ll have to.”

  Celia smiled at Mandie and said, “I wonder what Mollie will think of the black cat and her kittens.”

  “Since she’s already in bed for the night, we won’t find out until tomorrow morning,” Mandie replied.

  The men were talking and Mandie heard Jacob Smith say to John Shaw, “I might be able to take the cat if you don’t really want it. The last one I had has disappeared and you know they are good to keep the rats out of the barn.”

  “That would be fine if you care to take the cat,” John Shaw replied.

  “Don’t you think you ought to wait until the kittens are a little older before you move them?” Dr. Woodard asked. “I suppose they will be kept in the house here until they are big enough to go outside. Otherwise something might happen to them.”

  “Yes, you’re right. I am away a lot and it would be better if I wait awhile.” He looked at John Shaw and added, “If that’s all right with you.”

  “Yes, of course. They’ll be old enough to be up and about in a few weeks,” John said.

  Mandie was thinking she would love to keep the cat and the kittens, but she knew it was impossible. She would be going back to school after the holidays and sometimes it was a job getting Snowball taken care of. Then after she graduated in the spring she was hoping to go to Europe with her grandmother and friends. She decided to ask the question right here and now.

  “Grandmother,” Mandie said, clearing her throat as she looked up the table at her grandmother, who immediately put down her coffee cup and looked at Mandie. “Grandmother, do you have plans made yet for the summer, that is, after I graduate in May?”

  Mrs. Taft took a deep breath and replied, “That all depends on a lot of things, Amanda.”

  Mandie waited, thinking Mrs. Taft would go on and explain, but she just picked up her cup and sipped her coffee.

  Then Lindall Guyer came to Mandie’s rescue. He looked down the table at her and said, “I’ve been waiting for a chance to ask you, Miss Amanda. I would like to invite you and all your friends to come stay with us in New York for the summer. There is so much to do in New York and I believe you would enjoy it.”

  Mandie was surprised by this invitation. She quickly looked at her grandmother, who was still drinking coffee, then glanced at her friends, all of whom also looked surprised, even Jonathan, and she replied, “This is so sudden, Mr. Guyer. May I let you know later? There is so much I’d like to do this coming summer.”

  “Of course, let me know later, Miss Amanda,” Lindall Guyer replied, and looking down the table at the other young people, he added, “And you other young people, you don’t have to wait for Miss Amanda to decide. You are all welcome any time, whether she comes or not.”

  A bunch of thank-you’s were sent up the table. Then there were puzzled looks among all the young people. They couldn’t discuss this invitation in the presence of Mrs. Taft because she knew they were all hoping to go to Europe on one of Mrs. Taft’s ships for the summer.

  Then Jonathan caught Mandie’s glance, winked at her, and said, “That would be fun, having all of you at my house for the summer. We could do all kinds of things, never a boring moment in New York.”

  To her surprise, all her other friends joined in.

  “Yes, it would be a very enjoyable summer,” Celia remarked.

  “And to me it would be a most wonderful experience,” Sallie said.

  “I have never been to New York,” Dimar spoke at last.

  “Yes, it would be very educational to spend the summer in New York,” Joe said, grinning at Mandie.

  “Let’s discuss this later,” Mandie told them.

  Lindall Guyer looked around the tabl
e at them and said, “Yes, please do discuss it later. And let me know whenever you decide. I sincerely hope you will all come to visit.”

  As soon as everyone left the table, the adults went to the parlor and Mandie motioned for her friends to go with her to the back parlor. They needed to have a serious discussion about this invitation for a summer in New York.

  As soon as they closed the door behind them in the back parlor and sat down, Mandie quickly asked, “Jonathan, was your father serious about this invitation to visit y’all, or was he trying to make Grandmother decide whether we are going to Europe with her or not?”

  Jonathan grinned and said, “He was serious, but on the other hand he knows about your grandmother holding out on a decision as to whether or not we will be going with her to Europe. So I suppose he was trying to make her decide.”

  “Well, it didn’t work, did it? She didn’t say a thing,” Mandie replied.

  “No, but we didn’t accept or decline the invitation, either,” Celia reminded her.

  “I was serious when I said it would be an educational opportunity to spend the summer in New York,” Joe said. “And for once I have caught up with my class and won’t have to take extra classes this coming summer, unless I want to.”

  “Oh, Joe, I’m so glad for you,” Mandie said.

  “Of course I’d rather go to Europe. However, you are all welcome at my house and we could have a great time for the summer,” Jonathan said.

  Mandie looked at Jonathan and asked, “When should we let your father know whether or not we’re coming to your house?”

  “Anytime would be fine. If we don’t go to Europe, of course I’ll be home anyway,” Jonathan replied.

  Mandie looked at Dimar and asked, “Would you like to spend the summer in New York at Jonathan’s house if we don’t go to Europe?”

  “I am not sure I would want to go to Europe and spend the whole summer over there, or spend the whole summer in New York, either,” Dimar replied.

  “Dimar, you must travel some to be properly educated,” Sallie told him.

  “Dimar, you wouldn’t have to stay all summer at my house if you don’t want to. You could come home any time you wish,” Jonathan told him.

  “But you would have to stay with us all summer in Europe unless you wanted to return across the ocean all by yourself,” Sallie reminded him.

  “I will think about it,” Dimar promised with a smile.

  “We all need to think about this,” Mandie told her friends. “If Grandmother doesn’t take us to Europe, I’m ready to go to your house, Jonathan. And it would be nice if we could all spend the summer together somewhere.”

  “Mandie, would your mother know what your grandmother is planning?” Celia asked.

  Mandie shook her head and replied, “I don’t think so. I don’t believe Grandmother ever confides in anyone. Maybe by the time the Christmas holidays are over she will let us know whether we are going to Europe or not.”

  “I hope so,” Jonathan said.

  “Yes,” the others agreed.

  Mandie had some thinking to do. She had to figure out some way to get Mrs. Taft to make a decision. However, she didn’t want to make her angry with questions because she sincerely wanted to go to Europe for the summer. She’d have to figure out just how to handle this.

  CHAPTER FOUR

  CAT TROUBLE

  Mandie woke early the next morning. Snowball had managed to get between her and Celia and was purring loudly. She sat up to make him move and to her amazement he had one of the kittens and was vigorously washing it with his tongue as he purred.

  “Snowball!” Mandie exclaimed, and giving Celia a push, she said, “Celia, wake up. Look at Snowball. He has one of the kittens.”

  Celia instantly sat up, and across the room Sallie also woke up. She was sleeping on a single bed that had been placed in Mandie’s room so the three girls could be together.

  “Snowball!” Celia said. “How did you get that kitten?”

  Sallie quickly joined them on the big bed to look.

  “Someone must have left the door to the storage room open,” Sallie said.

  “Yes, Aunt Lou said they would be shut up in there after they ate,” Mandie agreed. “I wonder where the other kitten is, and the mother cat.” She glanced around the room. The door was slightly open. “And I wonder who opened our door and let Snowball out.”

  “That kitten is not protesting. He must like all that washing,” Celia said with a big smile.

  “We must return the kitten to its mother,” Sallie said.

  “Yes, or the mama cat will be looking all over the house for it,” Mandie agreed as she jumped out of bed.

  “Do you suppose the other kitten also got out?” Sallie asked as they took down dresses to put on.

  “I hope not because there’s no telling where it is if it did,” Mandie said, buttoning the buttons down the front of her red dress.

  “Someone must be already up. Otherwise how did the kitten get out, and how did our door get opened?” Celia remarked as she brushed her long auburn hair.

  After they were dressed they started for the door. Mandie stopped and said, “I suppose we’d better take the kitten with us.” She went back and picked it up. Snowball followed with a loud purring sound as they went out into the hall.

  The house seemed quiet. There was no one around until they got to the kitchen. Aunt Lou and Liza were busy in there getting breakfast ready.

  “Look what Snowball had,” Mandie said, holding up the kitten for them to see.

  “Snowball! Lawsy mercy!” Aunt Lou exclaimed as she filled the percolator with water. “Where he git dat?”

  “I don’t know how he got it, but he had it in our bed when we woke up this morning,” Mandie explained. “And our door was open.”

  “Been meanin’ to tell ya, dat do’ hit won’t stay shut no more,” Liza told her. “Think it’s shut and soon as you walk away it comes open all by itself.”

  “Then we need to get Mr. Jason to fix it,” Mandie said as she walked over and dropped the kitten in the woodbox. “I’ll leave it right here where it can’t run away.”

  “Liza, go check dat storage room and see if dat cat and other kitten be in there,” Aunt Lou said.

  “Yessum,” Liza said, hurrying from the kitchen.

  “Since y’all done up and dressed, sit down over there and de coffee will be ready right quick,” Aunt Lou told the girls, motioning toward the table that the servants used to eat on.

  Mandie, Celia, and Sallie sat down at the table and Liza hurried back into the room.

  “Dat cat ain’t dere,” she said excitedly. “And de other kitten he ain’t dere, either. And dat door to de storage room it won’t stay shut, either.”

  “Oh goodness, we’ll have to find the cat and the other kitten,” Mandie said with a groan. “Why won’t that door stay closed, Liza?”

  “Same as yo do’, jes’ won’t stick shut. Must be de house fallin’ in after dat crack in de tunnel downstairs,” Liza said, getting cups and saucers down from the cupboard for the girls.

  “Now, Liza, I don’t think the house is falling in,” Mandie told her. “Uncle John had that crack examined by experts and they said it did not affect the foundation.”

  “So you suppose someone is going around opening doors?” Celia asked.

  “But why would someone do that?” Mandie asked.

  Uncle Ned came in the back door and came to sit with the girls.

  “My grandfather,” Sallie said to him. “There are doors in this house that will not stay closed. Could you fix them?”

  Uncle Ned nodded as Aunt Lou poured coffee into his cup. “I fix. What doors?” he asked.

  Mandie explained what was going on. “And now we have to find the mother cat and the other kitten and there’s no telling where they might be,” she added. “But they will get out again if that door to the storage room won’t stay closed.”

  Joe, Jonathan, and Dimar came into the kitchen just as everyone h
ad their cups filled and joined them at the table.

  “You girls must have risen before daylight,” Jonathan told them with a grin as he sipped his hot coffee.

  “Since today is Sunday we might have slept a little longer, but we were awakened by Snowball,” Mandie replied and explained about the kitten.

  “So now we have to search for the other kitten and the mama,” Joe said with a loud groan.

  Abraham came in the door from the hallway. “Looks like dat cat found her another place to sleep,” he said with a big grin.

  “You know where the cat is?” Mandie quickly asked.

  “Sho do. She be in de parlor on de hearth by de fire I built a while ago,” he said.

  “Then we won’t have to search for the cat, thank goodness,” Joe said.

  Mandie explained to him about the cat and the kittens. “And the other baby kitten is in the woodbox over there, just in case you plan on throwing wood in it.”

  “I fix door right now,” Uncle Ned said, rising from the table.

  The young people stood around in the hall watching while Uncle Ned, with Abraham’s assistance, repaired the latch on the storage room door. He closed it several times, testing it, and then declared, “Stay closed now.”

  “Let’s get the cat and the other kitten now,” Mandie said to her friends.

  They hurried down the hallway to the parlor and went to the hearth looking for the cat. It was not there, nor was the kitten.

  “Oh, shucks!” Mandie exclaimed. “Now we do have to search for that cat. If she’s not housebroken she may make a mess somewhere.”

  So the search began. Mandie and her friends looked under all the furniture and in all the rooms on the first floor. There was no sign of the cat or the kitten.

  “That cat sure knows how to hide,” Jonathan remarked as they finished searching the last room.

  “You know, Mandie, this gets to be a habit. We are always looking for something,” Joe said with a big grin.

  “That’s because something or someone is always getting lost,” Mandie replied, returning his grin.

  They returned to the parlor where they had begun. As they passed the huge Christmas tree standing in the hall, Mandie said, “It’s good that cat didn’t bother our tree.”