Sullivan republican. [volume] (Laporte, Pa.) 1883-1896, 1889-09-13

softened, and the strawberries were not
only culled of the largest and sweetest,
but were covered, under the basket-lid,
with half-open rosebuds.
"There may be something in the new
neighbors, after all, said she to herself.
When she had gathered the fruit and
flowers, she took a blue-andgold edition
of Mrs. Browning's poems, and went
down into certain woody nook that she
loved, to read and dream.
II can't be there when dear little
Fairy is sent away" thought she, with a
quivering lip. ''The darling! she is so
happy in her nest of cotton wool in the
basket. Little does she dream that she
will never see me again-or at least not
until go to spend the day, next week,
with Uncle Rob at Eyrie Cottage9'
1t was when she was trying to lose all
recollection of her sorrows in the musical
numbers of "Little Ellie and the Swan S
Nest" that Mrs Wylie sent a neighbor's
chubby checked child over to the Val
linger cottage.
'You'll find it on the dining-room
table, Bessy," she said. "Take it over
to Mrs. Vallinger with my compliments,
and if she'll hang it down the well for
half an hour, the fruit will be much
fresher and cooler for tea And here's a
bunch of pansies for you, Bessy; and be
sure you do the errand correctly
While Bessy was gone, the postman,
who was also general carrier, called for the
package for Eyrie Cottage. Mrs. Wylie
fastened to give him the basket
''The little creature must be fast
asleep" said she to herself. "She's as
quiet as can be. Well, I'm glad to have
her taken away while Tinette is gone.
1t will perhaps save her a pang; and
after all, kitten is a very insignificant
thing to make trouble between neigh
bors, if only Tinettc would think so.
Her olive branch was graciously re-
ceived at the cottage next door.
Strawberries, eh9" 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 Iadopted
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 l always did detest
CATS Don't you suppose, Walter, we
might poison the creature without any
one being the wiser?"
"The young lady with the golden
tresses, mother9 I'm afraid a coroner's
inquest would bring the whole motter
out"
Nonsense, Walter the cat, of
course! A little strychnine, now, care
fully placed between layers of fresh fish,
or just grain or so of arsenic on little
meat"
"'Mother, you are second Lucrezia
Borgia," 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 l prophesy
that we and the next-door neighbors shall
be great friends, after all.
When tea-time came, Mrs. Vallinger
prepared a modest feast-cold tongue,
edged around with green fringe of
parsley; sponge-cake, dalntlly ICED over; {;
and 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 glee. Bring me the basket of
Strawberries from the well. They have
hung there, within three feet of the water,
long enough to be deliciously cool. And
tea is quite ready now"
Walter obeyed. 1t was his habit to
wait on his mother, with sort of loving,
unquestioning loyalty.
He 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