TIMMY
A Story for Children
by Laurette Charlton

Copyright ©1995, 2009 Theodore Charlton Eselgroth

All rights reserved -- but you may download a copy for review, or for your personal use.

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First, a few words about this delightful story and its author...

Timmy was written and illustrated in 1938; the cat, his people and the adventures described in what my family have come to call "The Timmy Book" were all very

The human couple depicted in Timmy were my maternal grandparents, Laurette and Frederick Charlton. The hotel where the story begins is the one they lived in a

The cat -- Timmy -- was every bit as pampered, spoiled and loved as the story would have you believe.

Laurette's sketches and oil paintings illustrate the original book. (No; I haven't posted them online yet. Sorry!) She studied at both New York's Grand Central

Although subtitled "A Story for Children," Laurette wrote Timmy primarily to entertain herself and her adult family (Laurette's own child, Anne -- who was to become my mother -- was 22 at the time this was written. I was yet to be born.) The result: this delightful work has been read and re-read by four generations of friends, neighbors and visitors... łkids of all ages.˛

My family is delighted that -- thanks to the web -- new generations of children and adults around the world will be able to enjoy reading about Timmy's timeless escapades.

Submitted with pleasure and pride,
Theodore Charlton Eselgroth, Laurette's Grandson
email: ted@eselgroth.com
web site: http://www.mindspring.com/~tede/index.html

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TIMMY
CHAPTER I
Apartment Life

Timothy Charlton was the name of a very fine cat who lived in a three room apartment on the top floor of a very fine hotel. He shared his rooms with a couple w

The apartment didn't have a kitchen, because the two people who lived with Timmy ran the hotel they lived in. When it was time for Timmy's people to eat, they

When the elevator returned to the sixth floor and its doors opened, Timmy would be waiting anxiously, and if his Mommie and Poppie (as they called themselves)

Then they would all proceed down the hall and back to the apartment where everyone would scamper about looking for a knife or scissors or a spoon or something

Such implements always seemed to be lost -- for there was no kitchen -- but eventually someone would find something that worked, and Mommie would cut Timmy's d

The home Timmy let his people share was very nice... especially the floor. Every inch of it was covered with thick velvety carpet which had a pattern of square

Actually, Timmy never had to bother very much about washing up, because every morning when Millie, the hotel maid, came in to clean she would bring a big vacuu

Millie would then attach a small, round, soft brush to the vacuum and brush up... and down... and under his little chin... and very carefully around his ears..

At just about the same time Millie got tired of the whole thing and turned off the vacuum. Timmy would then open his eyes and stop purring.

Timmy would then follow Millie as she tidied up the rooms... and -- just because she always stopped vacuuming him before he was quite ready -- he would hide un

All this kept him well fed and shiny... but left him with very little to do. Oh, he enjoyed smelling the flowers in the vase on the piano... and he liked looki

Timmy also enjoyed singing. Mommie knew quite a few songs, and -- whenever she began to sing one -- Timmy would say, "Meow!" which meant, "May I come in and si

This would make Mommie laugh heartily, which caused Timmy to immediately duck down and hide completely from view. A few minutes later -- when she had forgotten

Sometimes she would tell him to beat it, and he would leave. But other times they would sing a few duets together.

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CHAPTER II
Alone

Timothy Charlton was lying in a patch of sunlight one day, trying to take a little nap.

He was feeling a bit bored because no one was home and there was nothing to do. Indeed, there had been no one home for two days now, and the solitude was getti

So now Timmy was thinking about how much he missed all the interesting things that usually happened every day, and -- as a couple of little tears rolled down h

And then... very slowly... he realized they must be... Outside.

Timmy had never been Outside. Outside was where the Bluejays were. And other things like "trips" and "cars" that he had heard his people talk about but didn't

He continued to lay on the bed and wonder about Outside. He stretched, and then got up and smelled the fish Millie had brought him earlier. It was really begin

Timmy hoped his people would come back very soon; he knew that as soon as the the door opened they would smell the fish... throw it out... pick up the telephon

He could imagine Mommie cutting it up into little pieces and calling him "Sweetie Pie" and tempting him with choice little bits and telling him to eat it all u

But, of course, Timmy really did care. And just as he started to doze off -- once again trying to imagine what Outside was all about -- there was a clatter at

And sure enough, they smelled the fish and picked up the 'phone and up came some fresh chicken and string beans in a pretty blue china dish and Timmy forgot al

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CHAPTER III
Outside

One day the man and woman who belonged to Timothy Charlton decided to take a vacation far away from the hotel where they all lived. They were going to stay awa

They didn't want to board him in a kennel with lots of other cats because Timmy had never seen another cat and didn't even suspect there were such things. (Of

So once again, Mommie said, "Let's take Timmy!" And once again, Poppie said how afraid he was that Timmy would get lost. Mommie said, "We'll buy a leash and ke

In fact, she was absolutely certain Timmy would love the trip and enjoy being outside. Finally, when Poppie said, "Well, O.K.; but if anything happens to my ca

Timmy had been listening to these conversations, and wondered what it all meant. He still wasn't sure what -- or even where -- "Outside" was, but he knew he di

Everyone then began rushing around gathering suitcases, bathing suits, towels, blankets and other provisions. Poppie went out to buy a harness and leash, and t

Very late that night all the bags and boxes and bundles were ready and stacked by the door... including a large cardboard box with holes punched in it. They in

But the next morning Timmy would have nothing to do with it! They couldn't get him in the box without his yelling and making a terrible scene, screaming "YOWL!

So, they wrapped Timmy in a blue blanket, and quickly went down the elevator and out to the car.

They went... Outside.

Timmy lay on Mommie's lap in the blanket with his eyes tightly closed. The car was making terrible sounds like snorting and growling with loud bellowing added

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CHAPTER IV
The Cabin

Timmy didn't know it -- he couldn't have even imagined such a place -- but the spot where they were going for their vacation was a little cabin on the edge of

They drove the whole day before reaching the place. It was a dreadful experience for Timmy; he could not read a map and for all he knew they would be driving l

It was early evening when the car came to its final stop, and the couple alighted and stretched and smiled happily at the sparkling lake, the tall pine trees a

Timmy stayed there for some time. He could hear the bustling going on and a great deal of merry talk and laughter, but could only see a little bit of what was

The floor was hard! Timmy had never had anything other than soft, velvety carpeting under his paws before. This was the first of what was to be many more surpr

Timmy walked on the hard wooden floor gingerly at first... then a little faster... and soon found himself running around and laughing with -- and as much as --

The cabin was very tiny, but had lots of little nooks and crannies that were perfect for a curious cat like Timmy to explore.

There was much to investigate.

First, Timmy discovered stairs -- stairs were something he had never seen before, either. But when his people put his food and water dishes up a few steps, he

It was strange, being able to watch everything that was going on in the little house from up so high.

After awhile he came back down... and then turned around and went right back up, this time a little faster. Then he ran down. Then he ran back up. This was sta

Next all the cupboards had to be explored; each was filled with something interesting... large bowls... enormous soup tureens... huge cups and saucers... was e

The first evening was quite cool, so Timmy's peoplelit a fire to keep warm as soon as the sun set. Timmy watched the flames from a distance. He had never seen

Most interesting of all -- the little house moved. It was half on land and half over the water, and the part that stuck out over the water seemed to be support

This unusual bit of architectural design was admired by many, and especially by those who enjoyed the fact that the house swayed every time the wind blew -- mo

There was a green and white rowboat anchored underneath the part of the cabin that stuck out over the water. Timmy never quite understood what it was. It looke

He had a hard time concentrating on solving these mysteries largely because of the bright colors of their outfits. His people never wore such distracting color

Sometimes (but not very often -- there was so much to do) Timmy would go upstairs for a nap. Occasionally he'd be joined by Poppie, who would reward himself wi

For one whole week, Timmy never left the cabin. He didn't want to; as far as he knew, this was the "Outside" they had always talked about back at the apartment

Most of the things that were really interesting hung almost out of reach from the beams of the roof, but Timmy could eventually get to almost all of them by ju

Nothing smelled like anything he had smelled before. But the thing that always smelled best was... cooking! He had never seen his people cook before! The three

And Timmy didn't want to waste any part of the day, either. His naps became shorter, he stayed up later, and -- at six o'clock sharp every morning -- he would

Timmy soon felt very, very much at home here... although one thing continued to perplex him: "Outside." The cabin, he believed, was Outside -- the Outside his

Precisely one week after arriving at the cabin, Timmy would finally explore the real Outside. But it would take some coaxing.

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CHAPTER V
Out the Door and Up the Path

Going outside -- to the real outside -- wasn't Timmy's idea. His people had been inviting him for days to join them on the other side of the open door, but it

Why would anyone want to go through that open door?

But finally -- after much urging -- Timmy took his first tentative and unaided step across the threshold, paused, and took a few steps up the path. He stopped

A leaf then fell from a tree and landed at his side -- an wholly unexpected event which caused him to jump up, spin around in mid air, and dash back into the h

It was many hours later that he reappeared. This time he got several more steps up the path before another falling leaf caused him to run back and hide. This t

In this lovely region of woods and water there are a vast number of rare and wonderful birds that sing all day and sometimes well into the night. Their beautif

But the instant he cleared his throat in preparation, the singing stopped... only to be replaced by horrid, guttural, scolding sounds. Timmy looked up in surpr

Timmy soon decided that the nasty little birds needed to be taught a lesson, and for that matter, that it might even be a bit of fun to chase them down the lan

Timmy couldn't ever recall Poppie yelling at him, let along shouting, "No!" And the birds were now scolding everybody. So, since Mommie sounded the happiest, T

They all gathered around and studied the painting. It was lovely, but not quite finished yet. Timmy was becoming quite experienced in these matters, for Mommie

As the three of them were looking at the painting Poppie suddenly said, "Listen!" They all did, and then they all looked up.

"He never stops singing, does he?" she said. "It can't be a bird; it sounds like The Wedding March."

They laughed and decided it was probably an elf playing a flute. They listened for a long time, looking first at the picture, then up into the pine tree, and t

Later in the day, Timmy's people went for a swim in the lake. Timmy was still outside, and he watched and listened to them as they laughed and splashed, but he

He thought instead that he might try singing once more with the birds. He hoped that if he sang his prettiest song... and if he dressed as brightly as the bird

So Timmy first went into the house and brushed his whiskers and arranged them attractively. He had many special charming adornments that his people and their f

On his way out he rubbed against several of his Mommie's perfume bottles, hoping they would make him smell as nice as she did when she used them. After all thi

There was a small stool outside, just next to the path. Timmy was quite sure this would be just the thing to use for a stage, so he hopped up upon it, sat up s

Now, Springsong is written for four voices, not just one... but this fact was of little importance to Timmy, because he had mastered his own rather unusual tec

As Timmy began to sing to the birds a hush descended; Timmy took this to be a complement. Just before he was to deliver his last, long, and most beautiful chor

But what he saw froze the music in his throat. His beautiful fur coat ---- which was always so sleek, smooth and shiny -- stood up on end. Without a moment's h

He was so frightened that he didn't even hear the light chirping laughter that was floating down from the trees. Finally -- when his heart stopped beating quit

Before he was close enough to peer down to where he had been, he heard Mommie's voice coming up through the screen. "Oh, look! A puppy!" she was saying. Timmy

Timmy had, of course, already met this terrible monster moments before, and had no intention of doing so again. Nonetheless, he began to feel a little better,

He cautiously peeked out the window. There was Mommie. And there was it. It was horrid. It was brown... and black... and it was wagging its savage little tail.

Actually, Timmy had seen dogs of all sizes and shapes before, but always from the sixth floor of the hotel. He had even admired a small white dog with pretty l

Mommie called to him a few more times, but Timmy never did come down to meet the creature. In fact, he had only one more encounter with it when -- a few days l

This time Timmy tried to appear very nonchalant (although his bristling coat still gave him away). Mustering all of his dignity and strength, he withdrew slowl

There were many more adventures in and around the cabin, and Timmy enjoyed all but one... for one turned out to be far more terrifying than even the encounter

It was the night he spent all alone on the mountain, and it came about because he liked to sing so very much.


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CHAPTER VI
An Appreciative Audience

Timmy had listened to an enthralling story Mommie told the night before. It was all about how she had walked up the road, and how she stood in a field to do so

Actually, they came so close to listen to her beautiful voice that she had to quickly move to the other side of the fence. The cows then arranged themselves in

Timmy was enthralled by the tale, and made secret plans to go up to the very same field the very next day so that he, too, could perform for these appreciative

He took particular notice when Mommie said that one of the cows had horns. He supposed these to be French Horns, or perhaps English Horns, or in any case some

The next morning he spent considerable time grooming himself, and in reviewing his large repertoire. It was thrilling beyond measure to think of having a reall

No one had been paying much attention to him lately. Mommie seemed to do nothing but dash about making pictures... and now Poppie was beginning to do the same

Timmy himself couldn't draw a straight line, of course, largely because he didn't think such a thing was necessary. He supposed he didn't mind if his people in

He kept thinking about these matters so as to build within himself a fine state of resentment. He wanted to feel very comfortable about the prospect going off

So... immediately after dinner, he slowly went out the front door, and -- pretending to admire the scenery this way and that -- commenced to stroll faster and

His little heart pounded with anticipation and excitement, which made him realize that he would arrive all out of breath and unable to sing to the cows for qui

His feet began to hurt a little, and then he remembered that he had forgotten to put on his fuzzy blue slippers. This filled him with sadness, for the slippers

But was it really sadness Timmy felt... or a sense of foreboding... of misgiving and premonition? For after all, he never was to find the cows; instead, he got

As soon as the sun started to come up, he ran back to the cabin as fast as he could, going "MeowMeowMeow!" all the way (which meant, "I'm coming! I'm here! I'm

But let us not stop here, dear reader. Let us instead leave you the evening before, with the delightful vision of Timothy Charlton skipping up the hill to sing

Personally, we are very tired of dear Timmy, and of his little Mommie, and also his Poppie, and we are quite sure that you, and you, and everyone else is, too.

-The End-

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Of pragmatic interest to potential publishers:

Laurette kept detailed diaries which outline not only additional "Timmy" escapades with wit and charm, but also stories about life in the hotel business (the t
If you're at all interested in adding Timmy to your catalog -- or to discussing other possibilities -- let's talk!

Ted Eselgroth
email: Ted@Eselgroth.com
www.Eselgroth.com