The Penn's Grove record., 1885-08-22

som and playfully pelted his enemy
with the same. Once, worked into a
state of frenzy, he attempted to drive
the monkey away with a handful of
gravel. Bonnie accepted the challenge
and, hopping off to the ~neighboring VI
merry, armed himself with some loose
bricks from the chimney; his strength
failing when he hurled them at the
gardener; they fell short and smashed
the winery roof.
"Three. pound tive-worth of glass
he've a.smashed in five minutes, and
all them grapes a-spoiled for this sea
sonl'' remarked Diggs, With a kind of
grim satisfaction.
Even if he had confined himself to
our own establishment, it would not
have been so bad; but no-Bonnie was
inflicted with an Unsuitable curiosity
respecting our neighbors, and that GU
riosity he would satisfy. One day old
Miss Granger, ON entering her bed
room, was startled to find alittle brown
object squatted on her dr~essing.table,
and carefully turning over the contents
of the box in which she kept her best
ties. On her entrance, he made Oft,
dragging her most brilliant scarf be-
hind him. Far from being annoyed,
the dear old lady seemed so delighted at
| his enterprise that she made him a
handsome little blue velvet coat, and
sent it to him with her compliments,
However. all ueiohhorS we're not so
oOliging.
& G
1t is a sultry morning in August, and
| am sitting with the drawing-room
windows vide open, to catch any faint
breeze that may be stirring. Without
the scene is dazzling combination OF
bright blue sky and emerald earth.
| Within, | have somewhat subdued the
glare by drawing down two out of the
three window blinds. The day is too in
tensely hot for my usual energetic NOR
ming practice, 50 | am trying over a
new song, in a very lackadaisical a
ner, when a faint "Miawl'' catches my
ear.
An exclamation of Impotence breaks
from my lips as, turning, l perceive
Bonnie majestically crossing the hearth
rug, with a wicked smile on his face
and my poor little Persian pussy's tail
firmly clasped in his small black hand.
Poor pussy is only a month old, and to
tally unable to defend herself. Bonnie
the coward, stands in wholesome dread
of mother puss, and it is only when he
finds her offspring unprotected that he
dares lay his long profane fingers upon
her. At the present moment he is jab-
| bling with glee as the kitten performs
her painful backward walk.
In a moment 1 am on the rug; but
Bonnie is too sharp for me. He has
made his escape through the open win
dow, still retaining hold Of the kittens
tail. He meets his match however on
the lawn, where madam puss, attracted
by the cries of her little one, makes a
curious onslaughter. Bonnie does not
| stop long to test the sharpness of her
claws, but, leaving his prey, swings
himself into a tree, where he sits II
jabbers out his indignation, the picture
Of injured innocence, Knowing how
utterly futile all efforts to catch him in
varibly prove. L hurry indoors and
sound the alarm.
Five minutes later every window is
| closed; and so must they remain through
the brOiling heat of the long summer
day. Next | hurry away to the green
| house, where, with a certain amount
of dread, l the fact that
"Bonnie is loose" to our gardner. FL
nally / return to the lawn, with some
misty hope of decoying Bonnie to his
capture. Not at ALL There is his
lordship slowly swinging himself from
window-ledge to window.ledge making
diabolical grimaces as he finds each
easement barred against him.
Knowing his weakness for sweet bis
cults, | procure some and hold them
out in an enticing manner. Bonnie
advances cautiously and snatches the
coveted mOrsal from my hand, then;
retiring, sits and devours it, in a non
chalent manner, on the high branch of
a tree. At length [ am fain to give up
in despair. and decide on watching him
and, if possible, keeping him out of
mischief. So, procuring a book. l seat
myself in the shade of a great elm-tree
where l can read and at the same time
keep my eye on Bonnie; but, as the old
rhyme says
"One thing at a time, and that done well,
Is a very good rule as many can tell"
NV book is interesting-no, interest
ing" is not the word-it is enhancing.
1 For the first ten minutes l glance up at
the end of every few lines, then at every
half page. Bonnie is swinging from
branch to branch overhead; seemingly
he has no thought Of roaming. l glance
up whenever | turH a page. Just a
few lines over the page this time, down
to the end of the paragraph-now where
is Bonnie? Where indeedp Not il
the tree overhead, or in any of the sur
rounding trees, or on the roof, or
amidst the hower-beds-Bonnie is no.
where visible. He must, impelled by
greed, have made his way to the kit
chen-garden; if so, he will be back
again directly. 1t is hot everywhere
to. day, and | am sure Bonnie will find
the kitchen.garden too hot wen for his
eastern constitution. COnsoled by this
reflection. l continue my reading and
calmly await his return.
Banel
The book drops out of my hand, and
my heart gives one heavy thump. Who
can have fired off a gun so nearp Can
it any way concern BONNER No; the
gardeners did not harm him, since he
is my pet. Probably the report OF fire.
arms will bring him back to my side in
an agony of trembling fear; In the
meantime l resume my reading.
Presently a shadow falls athwart the
sunny lawn, and, raising my eyes for a
moment to ascertain the cause, a cry
escapes me-for slowly advancing comes
a man dressed in light gray tweed who
bears in his arms the still form of lit
tie Bonnie.
In an instant l am beside him, and
what remains of my pet has been hand
ed ove to me. AS | look down and
see that the brown eyes are claimed, as
1 feel the tiny form stiffenlng in my
clasp, a sob breaks from me.
81 am awfully sorry" says a deep
voice. ''My sister thought ii was yours
The only reparation l can make for the
mischief | have done is to offer an
apology"
| pay no heed to his words, my whole
attention is given TO Bonnie.
ggIa ha ouita I ask striving