The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1879-11-21
"Ono.n cried Eugene. "She has

got double paws and that is why she
can open doors and do lots of things.
She can play ball too almost as good as
a boy. Want to see her? Sojy! here,
Sojy!" he shouted, running for his ball.
Sure enough the cat settled back on
her hind legs and caught the ball with
her forepaws and teeth.
"Niost as good as a boy; good as a
girl anyway assented the guests.
And from that moment until the last
apple was named and the last walnut
eaten the children forgot they were at a
party.
When the little guests were putting
On their hats and bonnets, Eugene stole
up to Katy; essay, I'll go home with
you if You want l should" he whis-
pered.
SWELL" she whispered back. "You
can if you want to. Johnny Shepard is
going with Amy. 1 heard him tell her.
So she won't care.'
From that time there was no question
in any body's mind to whom Katy Lind
say "belonged," for the boy and girl
fitted together as naturally and inno-
Gently rs two sparrOws, so that the
towns-folks spoke of "Eugene and ka-
ty" rs one wOnld say "necdle and
thread" or " knife and FORK
"Just as l expected" remarked
Phoebe Ann. cit come over me like q
flash when l saw Eugene sitting on the
old hen-coop, the day we knew for GER
tain that PERKINS, girls were coming. l
walked right off into the house and shut
to the door so needn't speak it out be-
fore him. There was nobody at all in
the kitchen but mother and the cat.
And mother is so deaf that it is 4 chance
if she hears thunder or the meeting
house bell, or she could repeat my
exact words that l said before was
fairly through the sink-room door. 'Eu-
gene and Katy says l, Eugene and
Katy They sound rs natural together
rs the A Il Cs, and now you see, old
cat, if it don't turn out so. And if the
cat could talk she would tell you that
this was just what l said at the very
identical time.
Meanwhile Eugene kept right on
growing older and older day by day till
at last he felt he was as old rs any body;
that is IL years old; plenty old enough
to 90 on 4 cOasting vessel, rs most of the
men did at Plumridge.
He was going with Capt. Cole, ON the
Bonnie Dundee, a little schooner that
ran from Portland to Providence, touch
ing at various places along the coast as
there was freight to take on Or put off,
Plumridge among the other small ports.
So it was not quite the tearing away
from home that three years. whaling
voyage or an expedition to the North
Pole would be. But to the boys thought
life had begun anew, and he could not
go away without being certain that Katy
was his" bound by something more
than Il soft glance and ready smile.
1t so happened there was a spelling
match in the old red schOOl-house the
very night before the Bonnie Dundee
was to sail, and after every body was
spelled down and the candles had
burned themselves out, Eugene went
home with Katy.
The stars shOne, the crickets chirped,
and now and then an apple fell with a
sudden thud from the orchard trees that
overhung the fence. Eugene and Katy
did not talk much, but listened without
knowing they heard them, to these gen.
tic home sounds, Till they were at Phoebe
AIMS porch. Then they stopped TO say
gOod-by.
Phoebe Ann was standing by the table
inside stirring yeast with the very same
wooden spoon Eugene whitfield for her
so long before.
81 could ha' told you," she was say
ing, "just how it would have turned
OUT
And from the footpath coming up
from the road, behind the lilacs, the
voices of Amy and John Shepard were
heard ringing out on the crisp autumn
air.
There was no time to be lost in the
goOd-by, for this was not TO be good
by of the common sort to be said before
witnesses.
Sometimes thought now may be it
won't be, but then again l thought
or no it wouldn't be after ALL"
Phoebe Ann, beating time with
The wooden spoon
81 shouldn't have missed if the word
had been pronounced right" came
Johnny Shepard's voice, clearer and
nearer.
"Katy," whispered Eugene, hurried
y, "say, will you have me?''
II don't know but will, if you want |
me-" whispered Katy, and then John
md Amy came up just rs Phoebe Ann
opened the door to put out the cat.
1t was 4 lifetime, rs boys and girls
'eckon, before Eugene and Katy could |
8 have" each other. They had to wait
i'll Eugene had come to be mate of Il
arge sailing vessel; and then till he had
avcd money enough to buy six plates
md half Il dozen wooden chairs, besides
ONE other housekeeping trifles. But
hat day couldn't hold off forever; al
hough before it came they were mature
md middle-aged people Of 10, and when
really came they would have been as
lappy together rs two housekeeping
obins, only for one thing.
"There is always fly in the pot of
intment," quoth Phoebe Ann on the
aorning after the wedding day. "Some-
hing heart rendering; and we must look
Or it one way if not another. But it
oes come pretty tough on the young
olks to have to be parted before the
is hardly ont Of tho tins |