Wilmington daily commercial., 1872-01-27
aicy to the child, aid regarded her very b.

| present, by way of testing his gratitude
AT the wonted, hour Ephraim made his appear
ance with covered basket containing Maltese
| kitten. Lula was enraptured-was delighted,
her heart fairly overiowed with love of all sorts
OF pets, and the kitten was a perfect beauty /;
just the right size to be graceful; it was plump
and sleek and the very color to wear = blue rib
bon around its neck After gratefully thanking
Mr.. Doolittle, Lulu displayed her treasure in
triumph but, at the sight OF the kitten, Aunt
| Mollles cup of wrath was overlowing. She
couldn't bear the sight OF cat-she detested
CATS III would always be putting It's dirty little
| nose into the milk and cream and il was just ex-
actly like Ephraim to give present that would
soon eat its own head OF
One beautiful evening in March was entering
| the room, where 1t seems my uncle and aunt
| were engaged in serious conversation regarding
| their financial prospects, when the latter ex-
claimed: well. Oharlie hope your uncle is
satisfied now He is ruinedl told you that it
wonld come to this, and I'm only surprised that
| it did not come long ago."
This was poor consolation for man who had
| just been conhding TO his wife the story OF his
| misfortunes, and Uncle Timpkins looked into the
| fire and sighed. ButAll attempts at consolation,
| unless they came in the shape Of bank bills,
| would have proved nnavailing; for Uncle Timp-
| kins, led away by his enormous heart, had in
| dorsed largely for neighbor in distress, and
| the neighbor had gone down, dragging his BEN
efactor with him and now the friend Of 80
| many unfortunates saw himself threatened with
a sheriffs sale, and he and his wife driven forth
| in their old age, from the home which sheltered
| them for 90 many years.
1T is strange" said Uncle Timpkins. musing,
| THAT father left no more money. There was
little beside stock, and everybody was surprised
at it. He was always 80 saving, and had plenty
| OF cash"
1t was delightful evening, and Lulu, accom-
panied by her kitten, had gone to the old garret,
whose mysterious nooks she loved to explore /;
and there she could have q romp with kitty. in
the full enjoyment Of being beyond the reach Of
| Aunt Mollie's reprimAnd.
Uncle Samuel had been very grave OF late /;
and half anticipating something dreadful, she
scarcely knew what, Lulu leaned against the
rough beams, and watched the gambols Of the
Maltese kitten, which seemed challenging her to
participate in the fun
The kitten was making a terrible scratching
against the boards, and Lulu endeayored to call
her of. She really believed that she had dis
covered mouse-it would be horrible to see her
kill itl and eat it. like other cats she should
| not love her bit after that-And Lulu tried to
pull her away. Rut kitty was very busy scratch
ing something out from under board and,
having put in one velvet paw, she succeeded in
, dislodging dark colored roll that certainly was
not mouse, nor anything else alive. Lulu ex-
amined Il with trembling fingers, and found bank
bills to the amount Of five thousand dollars.
With glowing cheeks sparkling with excitement,
she rushed into the room where her uncle sat
buried in his gloomy thoughts; and paying no
: attention to her aunts exclamation Of Lulu
Timpkins, go back this instant and shut the
door! You impudent little seapegracel" she placed
the eoiled and crumpled notes in his listiess
! hands.
Where did you get these :" said he go calml,
that Lulu feared he cared very little about them
But when the story was told, Lulu and her pei
were both lifted in Uncle Samuel's arms, aud hit
tears rained down upon the bright curls, as he
whispered:
Lulu, do you know that you and kitty hav,
saved your old uncle from being turned upon tbs
world Molie, said he, looking reproachfull.
at his wife.
It was foreign to Aunt Mollies nature, but sh
gave way for once, and folded Lulu in the frs
embrace that she had ever bestowed upon her.
Il wish that Ephraim Doolittle was here, sal
Uncle Iimpkins. Had it not been for his some
what unwelcome present, this money would ETH
have been idle. should really like TO see him.
n Cant you wait till tomorrow morning?" sal,
4 | Aunt Mollie, so drily that it extorted from he
husband the first hearty laugh he had indulge,
: in for long while.
The house of course was was not sold; and tn
very singular manner in which II had been pre-
served travelled about like wildfre, and Lulu an
her kitten became objects OF curiosity. Ephrail
now began comming to dinner, oil the strengt
OF his gift; and if he had taken up his residenc
there altogether, Uncle Tmpkins would doub
=, less have made him welcome.
Time sped on; the kitten had grown into
cat and Lulu had become a young lady. He
cousins aughingly declared that she had entirel
n superseded them in the affections of their pal
"a euts and stranger would certainly have SUI
n posed that she was the pet daughter Of I'll
- house.
q One day an advertisement to the following e
Il feet appeared in paper published in the cit
Lost, on Thurday evening, the 4th ult
% Maltese cat with blue ribbon around the necl
4 On returning it to No.--Camp street, the fin,
n or will be suitably rewarded"
The following day the paper contained Il
n following answer
n " The finder Of the Mates cat advertised i
IN yesterdays paper, is extremely anxious to reta
V it, What would the owner consider suificieu
h. inducement for parting with the cat?"
" Lulu was perfectly indignant both at the i
suit and at being separated 30 long from h
pet, so she sat down and wrote III the find
= Of the Maltese cat does not Immediately resto
her to her rightful owner, he or she will
searched out and exposed before the commun
ty."
When the paper containing this threat a,
peared, it brought reply from the culprit
person. Aunt Mollie was looking forth fro
the sitting-room window, when she suddenly e
na claimed
C. "What on earth is that Handsome stranp,
Of coming here for? declare" she continued,
he hasn't got Fortuna in his arms !" This W
It. the name the kitten had received on that mem
ic rable day when it saved Uncle Timpkins hous
ed Run Lulu, continued Aunt Mollie, " al
d. take him into the parlor."
up Lulu opened the door with heightened colo
W. and somewhat elevated head, for the offer
IN bnying her fayorite still fresh in her min
ng The visitor handsome man of thirty, with
he air of foreign travel doed his hat with low OBJ
ol- sance to the beautiful appariton before him al
n perhaps he too felt conscious of his misdemea
or, for he was decidedly embarrassed as he f
Id lowed Lulu into the parlor
iel - hope, said he, with a smile that disarm
nd all Lulu's indignation, in spite OF herself tn
We you will pardon my unintentional rudeness
expected to find in the owner of the cat, snn
,ht indignant old lady or thoughtless boy, to who
M few dollars would prove an irresistible allur
led ment and as had taken great fancy to 1
er- animal. concluded to try the experiment"
rn- And |, replied Lulu frankly " expected
see, in the finder of Fourtuna, a disagreeab
Int purse-proud individual - but whether lady
ds, gentleman, could not decide"
est The half compliment conveyed in this answ,
to brought look Of gratitude from the visitor I'll
made Lulu wish she had not said ii but, Just
4u- an awkward crisis was approaching Uncle Tin
III kns entered the rOom and politely saluted t
sat gentleman, whom he recognized az the sem
M, partner of an influential firm.
a The visitor introduced himself as Mr. Chs
nd wick and at once entered into an easy and agr,
able conversation with the master OF the hou
ar The story Of tho kitten was told and comment
DO upon,an the gentleman learned. by adroit que
.he tions that Uncle Timpkins' circumstances W,
by no means fourishing. He Immediately
it'll pressed his want OF agent to oversee his pa
For tatlon. which heprOnounced to be solely neglect
ess and acknowledged Uncle Tmpkins' qnalifcatiC
in for the office. lie did not lose sight OF Iu