Sacrifice

Before Reading:
**Making Inferences and Predictions **
 * Directions: **Read the passage and answer the questions that follow. Circle the letter of the correct answer.

//The following excerpt from "Debbie" by James Herriot //—//a Scottish veterinarian who published books about his experiences with animals//—//tells the story of a remarkable, and sick, stray cat called Debbie.//

"It's the strangest thing," Mrs. Ainsworth replied. "I haven't seen her for several weeks then she came in about two hours ago—sort of staggered into the kitchen, and she was carrying the kitten in her mouth. She took it through to the lounge and laid it on the rug and at first I was amused. But I could see all was not well because she sat as she usually does, but for a long time—over an hour—then she lay down like this and she hasn't moved., . . Isn't it strange? She was dying and she brought her kitten here." . . . That kitten grew rapidly into a sleek handsome cat with a boisterous nature which earned him the name of Buster. In every way he was the opposite of his timid little mother. Not for him the privations of the secret outdoor life; he stalked the rich carpets of the Ainsworth home like a king and the ornate collar he always wore added something more to his presence.

1 The author's purpose in writing the story is— A. to show how exceptional animals can be. B. to chastise worried pet owners. C. to warn people about stray cats. D. to inform cat lovers of feline illnesses.

2 What can you conclude about Debbie? A. She was tired from carrying her kitten but would soon recover. B. She was self-sufficient and cared only for herself. C. She was a noble animal whose last act was to protect her kitten. D. Debbie had brought Mrs. Ainsworth kittens on other occasions.

3 How much time did Debbie usually spend sitting in Mrs. Ainsworth's lounge? A. Debbie usually sat for hours. B. Debbie usually stayed for several days. C. Debbie had never been in the lounge. D. Debbie usually sat for a short period of time.

4 What kind of relationship does Mrs. Ainsworth have with animals? <span style="font-family: Times,serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 1.5;">A. She is kind to them but keeps them at a distance. <span style="font-family: Times,serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 1.5;">B. She is fond of them and treats them well. C. She is too busy to be bothered with them. D. She likes to have pets as long as they aren't any trouble.

<span style="font-family: Times,serif; font-size: 11pt;">5 What kind of life do you think Buster will have? <span style="font-family: Times,serif; font-size: 11pt;">A. Mrs. Ainsworth will eventually give Buster to a neighbor. <span style="font-family: Times,serif; font-size: 11pt;">B. Buster will become a sick stray just like his mother. <span style="font-family: Times,serif; font-size: 11pt;">C. Buster will be healthy, happy, and pampered. <span style="font-family: Times,serif; font-size: 11pt;">D. The veterinarian will adopt Buster as his clinic's mascot.

<span style="font-family: Times,serif; font-size: 11pt;">6 Which of the following words might be used to describe Buster? <span style="font-family: Times,serif; font-size: 11pt;">A. bold <span style="font-family: Times,serif; font-size: 11pt;">B. reserved <span style="font-family: Times,serif; font-size: 11pt;">C. shy <span style="font-family: Times,serif; font-size: 11pt;">D. cowardly

About the Author:

 * 1) **Read about the author**
 * 2) ===** <span style="background-image: url("/i/a.gif");">[|Click here]  **===

Read the Text:
**Debbie** **James Herriot** I first saw her one autumn day when I was called to see one of Mrs. Ainsworth's dogs, and I looked in some surprise at the furry black creature sitting before the fire. "I didn't know you had a cat," I said. The lady smiled. "We haven't, this is Debbie." "Debbie?" "Yes, at least that's what we call her. She's a stray. Comes here two or three times a week and we give her some food. I don't know where she lives but I believe she spends a lot of her time around one of the farms along the road." "Do you ever get the feeling that she wants to stay with you?" //Literary Analysis Essays How can you tell that this is a narrative essay?// 652   "No." Mrs. Ainsworth shook her head. "She's a timid little thing. Just creeps in, has some food then flits away. There's something so appealing about her but she doesn't seem to want to let me or anybody into her life." I looked again at the little cat. "But she isn't just having food today." "That's right. It's a funny thing but every now and again she slips through here into the lounge and sits by the fire for a few minutes. It's as though she was giving herself a treat." "Yes ... I see what you mean." There was no doubt there was something unusual in the attitude of the little ani mal. She was sitting bolt upright on the thick rug which lay before the fireplace in which the coals glowed and flamed. She made no effort to curl up or wash herself or do anything other than gaze quietly ahead. And there was something in the dusty black of her coat, the half-wild scrawny look of her, that gave me a clue. This was a special event in her life, a rare and wonderful thing; she was lapping up a comfort undreamed of in her daily existence. As I watched she turned, crept soundlessly from the room and was gone. "That's always the way with Debbie," Mrs. Ainsworth laughed. "She never stays more than ten minutes or so, then she's off." Mrs. Ainsworth was a plumpish, pleasant-faced woman in her forties and the kind of client veterinary surgeons dream of, well off, generous, and the owner of three cosseted1 Basset hounds. And it only needed the habitually mournful expression of one of the dogs to deepen a little and I was round there posthaste.2 Today one of the Bassets had raised its paw and scratched its ear a couple of times and that was enough to send its mistress scurrying to the phone in great alarm. So my visits to the Ainsworth home were frequent but un demanding, and I had ample opportunity to look out for the little cat that had intrigued me. On one occasion I spotted her nibbling //Critical Viewing Would you think the cat in this photograph was "a timid little thing"? Why or why not? [Assess]// 1. **cosseted** (kás" it ad) //adj.// pampered; indulged.   2. **posthaste** (póst" hást") //adv.// with great speed.     //Reading Check Who is Debbie?//     653    daintily from a saucer at the kitchen door. As I watched she turned and almost floated on light footsteps into the hall then through the lounge door.    The three Bassets were already in residence, draped snoring on the fireside rug, but they seemed to be used to Debbie because two of them sniffed her in a bored manner and the third merely cocked a sleepy eye at her before flopping back on the rich pile.    Debbie sat among them in her usual posture; upright, intent, gazing absorbedly into the glowing coals. This time I tried to make friends with her. I approached her carefully but she leaned away as I stretched out my hand. However, by patient wheedling3 and soft talk I managed to touch her and gently stroked her cheek with one finger. There was a moment when she responded by put ting her head on one side and rubbing back against my hand but soon she was ready to leave. Once outside the house she darted quickly along the road then through a gap in a hedge and the last I saw was the little black figure flitting over the rain-swept grass of a field. "I wonder where she goes," I murmured half to myself. Mrs. Ainsworth appeared at my elbow. "That's something we've never been able to find out." It must have been nearly three months before I heard from Mrs. Ainsworth, and in fact I had begun to wonder at the Bassets' long symptomless run when she came on the phone. It was Christmas morning and she was apologetic. "Mr. Herriot, I'm so sorry to bother you today of all days. I should think you want a rest at Christmas like anybody else." But her natural politeness could not hide the distress in her voice. "Please don't worry about that," I said. "Which one is it this time?" "It's not one of the dogs. It's ... Debbie." "Debbie? She's at your house now?" "Yes... but there's something wrong. Please come quickly." Driving through the marketplace I thought ' again that Darrowby on Christmas Day was like Dickens come to life; the empty square with the snow thick on the cobbles and hanging from the eaves of the fretted4 lines of roofs; the shops closed and the colored lights of the Christmas trees winking at the windows of the clustering 3. **wheedling** (hwéd" lir)) v. gentle, constant persuading.   4. **fretted** (fret' ad) adj. decoratively arranged.     //Reading Strategy Setting a Purpose for Reading Based on the opening paragraphs, wi is the most appropriate purpose for reading this essay?//      //Critical Viewing In what ways might an energetic kitten stir up the life of Basset hóun, like these? [Speculate]//     654    houses, warmly inviting against the cold white bulk of the fells5 behind.    Mrs. Ainsworth's home was lavishly decorated with tinsel and nolly, rows of drinks stood on the sideboard and the rich aroma of turkey and sage and onion stuffing wafted6 from the kitchen. But her eyes were full of pain as she led me through to the lounge.    Debbie was there all right, but this time everything was differ ent. She wasn't sitting upright in her usual position; she was stretched quite motionless on her side, and huddled close to her lay a tiny black kitten. I looked down in bewilderment. "What's happened here?" "It's the strangest thing," Mrs. Ainsworth replied. "I haven't seen her for several weeks then she came in about two hours ago-sort of staggered into the kitchen, and she was carrying the kitten in her mouth. She took it through to the lounge and laid it on the rug and at first I was amused. But I could see all was not well because she sat as she usually does, but for a long time over an hour-then she lay down like this and she hasn't moved." I knelt on the rug and passed my hand over Debbie's neck and ribs. She was thinner than ever, her fur dirty and mudcaked. She did not resist as I gently opened her mouth. The tongue and mucous membranes were abnormally pale and the lips ice-cold against my fingers. When I pulled down her eyelid and saw the dead white conjunctiva7 a knell8 sounded in my mind. I palpated9 the abdomen with a grim certainty as to what I Ad find and there was no surprise, only a dull sadness as my tingers closed around a hard lobulated10 mass deep among the viscera.11 Massive lymphosarcoma.12 Terminal and hopeless. I put my stethoscope on her heart and listened to the increasingly faint, rapid beat then I straightened up and sat on the rug looking sightlessly into the fire place, feeling the warmth of the flames on my face. Mrs. Ainsworth's voice seemed to come from afar. "Is she ill, Mr. Hemot?" I hesitated. "Yes ... yes, I'm afraid so. She has a malignant growth." I stood up. "There's   **5. fells** //n.// rocky or barren hills.    **6. wafted** (waf" tad) v. moved lightly through the air. **7. conjunctiva** (ktirí jar)k ti" va) //n.// lining of the inner surface of the eyelids.   **8. knell** (nel) //n.// sound of a bell slowly ringing, as for a funeral.    **9. palpated** (pal" pat ed) v. examined by touching.    **10. lobulated** (lab' ydb la~ tad) adj. subdivided**.**    **11. viscera** (vis ar a) //n.// internal organs.    **12. lymphosarcoma** (lim" fb síir ko' ma) //n.// malignant tumor in the tissue.     //Literary Analysis Essays What does Mrs. Ainsworth's story reveal about Debbie's personality?//      //Reading Check What is the matter with Debbie?//     655    absolutely nothing I can do. I'm sorry."    "Oh!" Her hand went to her mouth and she looked at me wide eyed. When at last she spoke her voice trembled. "Well, you must put her to sleep immediately. It's the only thing to do. We can't let her suffer."    "Mrs. Ainsworth," I said. "There's no need. She's dying now in a coma-far beyond suffering." She turned quickly away from me and was very still as she fought with her emotions. Then she gave up the struggle and dropped on her knees beside Debbie. "Oh, poor little thing!" she sobbed and stroked the cat's head again and again as the tears fell unchecked on the matted fur. "What she must have come through. I feel I ought to have done more for her." For a few moments I was silent, feeling her sorrow, so discor dant among the bright seasonal colors of this festive room. Then I spoke gently. "Nobody could have done more than you," I said. "Nobody could have been kinder." "But I'd have kept her here-in comfort. It must have been terrible out there in the cold when she was so desperately ill I daren't think about it. And having kittens, too-I ... I wonder how many she did have?" I shrugged. "I don't suppose we'll ever know. Maybe just this one. It happens sometimes. And she brought it to you, didn't she?" "Yes ... that's right ... she did ... she did." Mrs. Ainsworth reached out and lifted the bedraggled black morsel. She smoothed her finger along the muddy fur and the tiny mouth opened in a soundless miaow. "Isn't it strange? She was dying and she brought her kitten here. And on Christmas Day." I bent and put my hand on Debbie's heart. There was no beat. I looked up. "I'm afraid she's gone." I lifted the small body, almost feather light, wrapped it in the sheet which had been spread on the rug and took it out to the car. When I came back Mrs. Ainsworth was still stroking the kitten. The tears had dried on her cheeks and she was brighteyed as she looked at me. "I've never had a cat before," she said. I smiled. "Well, it looks as though you've got one now." And she certainly had. That kitten grew rapidly into a sleek handsome cat with a boisterous nature which earned him the name of Buster. In every way he was the opposite to his timid little mother. Not for him the __privations__ of the secret outdoor life; he stalked the rich carpets of the Ainsworth home like a king and the ornate collar he always wore added something more to his presence. //Literary Analysis Essay What do you learn about Herriot from how he conducts himself in ; situation?// //Literary Analysis Essay How does Herrítt's use of dialogue help you picture the action?// **privations** (pri v5' shanz) n. deprivation or lack of common comforts 656   On my visits I watched his development with delight but the occasion which stays in my mind was the following Christmas a year from his arrival. I was out on my rounds as usual. I can't remember when I haven't had to work on Christmas Day because the animals have never got round to recognizing it as a holiday; but with the passage of the years the vague resentment I used to feel has been replaced by philosophical acceptance. After all, as I tramped around the hillside barns in the frosty air I was working up a better appetite for my turkey than all the millions lying in bed or slumped by the fire. I was on my way home, bathed in a rosy glow. I heard the cry as I was passing Mrs. Ainsworth's house. "Merry Christmas, Mr. Herriot!" She was letting a visitor out of the front door and she waved at me gaily. "Come in and have a drink to warm you up." I didn't need warming up but I pulled in to the curb without hesitation. In the house there was all the festive cheer of last year and the same glorious whiff of sage and onion which set my gastric13 juices surging. But there was not the sorrow; there was Buster. He was darting up to each of the dogs in turn, ears pricked, eyes blazing with devilment, dabbing a paw at them then streaking away. Mrs. Ainsworth laughed. "You know, he plagues the life out of Gives them no peace." She was right. To the Bassets, Buster's arrival was rather like the intrusion of an irreverent outsider into an exclusive London club. For a long time they had led a life of measured grace; regular sedate walks with their mistress, superb food in ample quantities and long snoring sessions on the rugs and armchairs. Their days followed one upon another in unruffled calm. And then came Buster. He was dancing up to the youngest dog again, sideways this time, head on one side, goading him. When he started boxing with both paws it was too much even for the Basset. He dropped his dignity and rolled over with the cat in a brief wrestling match. "I want to show you something." Mrs. Ainsworth lifted a hard rubber ball from the sideboard and went out to the garden, followed by Buster. She threw the ball across the lawn and the cat bounded after it over the frosted grass, the muscles rippling under the black sheen of his coat. He seized the ball in his teeth, brought it back to his mistress, dropped it at her feet and waited expectantly. She threw it and he brought it back again. **13. gastric** (gas" trik) adj. of the stomach.    //Reading Check How does Buster come into Mrs. Ainsworth's life?//     657    I gasped incredulously. A feline retriever!    The Bassets looked on disdainfully. Nothing would ever have induced them to chase a ball, but Buster did it again and again as though he would never tire of it.    Mrs. Ainsworth turned to me. "Have you ever seen anything like that?"    "No," I replied. "I never have. He is a most remarkable cat."   She snatched Buster from his play and we went back into the house where she held him close to her face, laughing as the big cat purred and arched himself ecstatically against her cheek.    Looking at him, a picture of health and contentment, my mind went back to his mother. Was it too much to think that that dying little creature with the last of her strength had carried her kitten to the only haven of comfort and warmth she had ever known in the hope that it would be cared for there? Maybe it was.    But it seemed I wasn't the only one with such fancies. Mrs. Ainsworth turned to me and though she was smiling her eyes were wistful.    "Debbie would be pleased," she said.    I nodded. "Yes, she would ... It was just a year ago today she brought him, wasn't it?"    "That's right." She hugged Buster to her again. "The best Christmas present I ever had."

Answer the questions:
**Review and Assess** **Thinking About the Literature** 1. **Respond**: How would you have reacted if Debbie had left you her newborn kitten? 2. (a) **Recall**: Describe Debbie and her life. (b) **Infer**: Why does Debbie never stay with Mrs. Ainsworth for long? 3. (a) **Recall**: How does Buster come to live with Mrs. Ainsworth? (b) **Speculate**: Why might Debbie have chosen to bring her kitten to Mrs. Ainsworth's home? 4. (a) **Recall**: How does the Ainsworth household change after Buster's arrival? (b) **Compare and** **Contrast**: How is Buster different from his mother?

=
5. (a) **Recall**: What thoughts do Herriot and Mrs. Ainsworth share at the end of the essay? (b) **Interpret**: Why do you think Mrs. Ainsworth calls Buster "the best Christmas present" she ever had? ====== === <span style="font-family: Times,serif; font-size: 11pt;">6. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 12pt;"> Recall and Infer: (a) How can you tell that Buster is going to be a special cat? (b) Use details from the passage to explain your answer. ===    **Review and Assess** **Literary Analysis** **Essays** 1. (a) Which character do you think is most fully drawn in Herriot's essay? (b) Tell how Herriot brings this character to life. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 12pt;">2. A first-person narrative is an account of a writer's own experience. In a first-person narrative, the author gives his or her reactions to and reflections on the meaning of an event, often revealing a personal viewpoint. As a class, discuss the question: where in the essay, "Debbie," does James Herriot offer his personal viewpoint? Students should give specific examples from the essay to support their answer.