cissy bell’s heart was so tender that it made her feel very badly even to hear of anything getting hurt. one day her brother will and his friend tom were telling how a big dog chased a cat, and nearly frightened her to death, when cissy cried out, “o, what a bad, bad dog! what made him want to hurt kitty?”
“why, we told him to; he isn’t a bad dog,” said will.
then cissy’s cheeks grew red and her eyes flashed as she said, “you is bad boys; what for you want kitty hurted? god don’t want kitties to be hurted;” and then the little preacher broke down and sobbed out the rest on mamma’s shoulder.
will and tom both got red in the face and pretty soon walked off; but they did not soon forget the lesson cissy taught them.