Lendle

From the author’s Introduction:
While there is much of fancy in the “adventures,” many of the incidents are founded upon fact. Once upon a time six Sunday school boys did help their teacher in the finding of homes for six kittens. The treatment of the over-burdened maid, who fell ill, came under the notice of the author in the original case, however, minus the “generous check” and kindly doctor.… If, through its pages, the hearts of its readers may be quickened to thoughtfulness for those who may not speak for themselves, the dumb creatures, who often, in their loyalty and devotion, put us to shame, it will have served a higher purpose than an hour’s amusement.

Sample passage:
The first thing I can remember is being blind and weak and wobbly as I bumped against my little furry brothers and sisters in our nice, soft bed. When I was only eight days old I opened my eyes and took a look at my small world. So far as I could see it was just a nest full of wriggling kitty-cats with a big, big fence around it. As soon as I got strong enough to hop over that fence, I found that it was only a square, wooden box in the corner of a nice, warm kitchen. In it was a pillow covered with a white sheet, for, my mistress said, “Kittens ought to have nice beds as well as little children.” She said this to our master, the gentle, fun-loving man of the house, as he stood with his hands in his pockets looking down upon us and laughing at our pranks.