The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1889-08-29

| "hV "oS a,so Sohcfdi Ctfffer ,Caffeu tOr tnc
package for Eyrie Cottage. Mrs. wylie
hastened to give him the basket.
'Thc little creature must be fast
asleep" said she 20 herself. "She's as
quiet as can be. We'll, I'm glad to have
her taken away while Tinette is gone.
It will perhaps save her a pang; and
after all, kitten is a vcfy insignificant
thing TO make troubl, between neigh
bors, if only Tinette would think So"
Her olive branch was graciously re-
ceived at the cottage next door.
i Strawberries, ch9" said Mr.. Vail
niger. "Tell Mrs. Wylie we are much
obliged. We have heard Of the exqui-
site fruit she raises, and are glad to have
an opportunity of tasting some Of it,"
So she hung the basket down the well
with long. stout cord, and went to her
sons study to tell him what had hap
pened
"The neighbors appear to be quite
friendly" said she. 'I'm glad Iadoptcd
your suggestion, Walter. and sent over
those tulips. If that crazy little yellow
haired child"
"Gently, mother" said the young
man, smiling. "She is very pretty
young lady"
"Would only keep her mischievous cat
at home. we might get along nicely"
said the old lady, without needing the
interruption. "But always did dotest
cats! Doa't you suppose, Walter, we
might poison the creature without any
one being the wiser!"
"The young lady with SIC golden
tresses, mo;herl I'm afraid a coroner's
inquest would bring the whole motter
out"
Nonsense, Walter,-the cat, Of
course! 4 little strychnine, now. care
fully placed between layers of fresh fish,
or just a grain or 50 of arsenic on little
| meat
"Nlothcr, YOU are a second Lucrezia
Borgin, " said Walter Vallinger, with a
/ gesture Of mock horror. ~ dare say the
cat won't prove as troublesome as you are
inclined to anticipate. And | prophesy
that we and the ncxt-door neighbors shall
be great friends, after all"
When tca-time came, Mrs. Valliuger
prepared a modest fcast-cold tongue,
| edged around with green fringe of
parsley; sponge-c cake, daintily iced over;
aud glass pitcher Of real cream, pro
cured from the people at the end of the
lane, who kept COWS.
Come, Walter, said the old lady, in
great gloc. Bring me the basket of
Strawbcrrics from the well They have
hung there, within three feet of the water.
long enough to be dehciously cool And
tea is quite ready now"
Walter obeyed. It was his habit to
wait on his mother, with sort of loving,
unquestioning loyalty.
lie brought the basket in, united the
knot of pale-green ribbon that fastened
down the lid and out leaped half-fro-
zen kitten into the midst of the lettuce
salad, which formed the centre dish of
the banquet.
"Kill the creaturc" shrieked Mrs.
Vallinger, rccoiling. ''This is one of
those peoples practical jokes, suppose.
! never knew anything so dreadful in all
my life"
But Walter had rescued the kitten
from his mothers avenging hands.
Its pretty little creature" said he.
"And it's bad luck to maltreat present.
no, we'll keep the little shivering ball of
snow, mother, and try and teach it to
respect our garden-beds. But it is rather
q singular proceeding on the part of our
neighbors-now, isn't it''
81
Three days afterwari there came a
knock at the door and Tinette Wylie
stood there with pink cheeks, sparkling
eyes, and hair all instinct with the gold
of the declining sun.
"is this Mr.. Nallingerl" said she.
"Nliss Wylie, believe said Walter
who had the kitten nesting in its cotton
lined basket On his study table in full
view.
Oh, treacherous Fairy, who was already
so entirely reconciied to her new lot that
she had not even a recognizing purr for
the little mistress who had loved her so
dcarlyl
81 am so sorry-so ashamed" began |
Tinette "But never even knew it until |
this morning. Oh, what must you have |
thought2 What sort OF people must you
have supposed us to be2"
81 beg your pardon" said Walter, him
self beginning to get Il little confused.
"The kitten, you know" explained |
Tinette-"I feared-that is. was quite |
certain that she was going to be an an. |
noyance to you, 80 | packed her in a
basket 20 send to my uncle, who lives on |
the other side of the mountain. And |
gathered some Strawberries on the same |
day, and mamma thinks she must have !
sent the wrong basket-because when |
went to Uncle Rob's to see how dear
Fairy was getting along, there was no
Fairy there, and | couldn't understand |
what he meant when he thanked me for |
the lovely strawberries and roses. So |
then it flashed over me all of a sudden.
and mamma can't think how she could |
have been so careless, and oh, please" |
with pretty clasping of the hands that
had pink dimple in every knuckle, edo
forgive us, and let us have Fairy back
again"
"But don't think" said Walter Val
linrpr Ithot | pon SDarn hnr I'v-o ha