In Which We Discuss Hitty: Her First Hundred Years
Written by Rachel Field, illustrated by Dorothy Lathrop

HITTY Her First Hundred Years

Week of June 14, 2010

Chapter Thirteen:  In Which I Spend a Disastrous New Year’s and Return to New England:

Hitty's New York owner, Isabella Van Rensselaer, was spoiled and rebellious, yet charming, and was her father's favorite. She was accustomed to getting her own way, so when she was told that she could not go out on New Year’s because of all the rowdiness of the celebrating crowds, she decided to go anyway to make a call on a family friend.  She took Hitty, and went out into the dangerous New York streets alone. Hitty, who was always ready for an adventure, was very excited by this expedition.

The adventure, however, turned dangerous when a crowd of street urchins robbed Isabella of some of her valuables, including Hitty. But Hitty's lucky mountain ash composition helped her again, as one of the urchins took Hitty home as a gift for a little visiting cousin, Katie.

Young Katie loved Hitty, and when she returned to her home in Pawtucket, Rhode Island, she took Hitty with her.  The house was a multi-generation home, was comfortable, but not "exciting" until one day when Hitty nearly fell into a pot of doughnut fat.  

Since Katie was not a well child, she was sent to the country to recuperate.  Hitty accompanied her on the trip.  As they traveled by wagon to the farm, they passed fields of yellow and white daisies and black-eyed susans.  Hitty had not seen these since her days in Maine and it seemed the next best thing to meeting the Prebles again. 

A hay ride proved to be the next unfortunate "excitement."  Hitty was dropped in the hay in the wagon and eventually pitched up into the barn hay loft.  The children looked for her, and Amos the hired man, looked also, but Hitty was never found.

DISCUSSION:

Life is not bad with Katie.  The little girl loves her and Hitty is well taken care of.  Not a very exciting time for Hitty, but it meant a lot to Hitty that she was such a comfort to Katie.  Although, when Hitty is eventually lost in the hay and realized the children gave up looking for her, she says that she has discovered “we are easily forgotten once we are out of sight.”  That is a really sad thought.