Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1890-09-03

For the next two months ] devoted
myself exclusively to my work. heard
no concerts, saw no plays, ate nobody's
dinners but my own; but took my guineas
as they came. | had leisure to reflect.
| mathematical the white cat, and ro'
gardcd myself as one with whom the
gods had dealt hardly. But for the cat,
I might now have been the happiest In.
stead of the most miserable Of mortals,
began to sec dimly that had made a
fool of myself. ] had had months in
which to say my say to Dorothy; and
then what an exhibition I had made OF
myself at the last moment!
A week before Christmas ! receiv ed a
kind note from Lady Pownceby asking
me to give her and her niece-and her
niecei--the pleasure Of my company dur
ing Christmas week. | laughed ut the
thought OF It, replied by return OF
post excusing myself very emphatical'
ly, and made up my mind with some bit
terness to spend Christmas in bachelor
solitude.
On the morning of Christmas Day,
found awaiting me whom i came down
stairs from my bedroom large hamper.
With fervent benediction on the kind
thoughtful soul who had shown prac-
tical sympathy for my forlorn condition
/ cut the cord. What pictures in my
mind Of mince pies and other Christmas
delicacies! What anticipation of the
delight of teeth meeting teeth in the
seasonable turkey! | raised the lid
but drew back with almost scream, fol
out of the basket sprang, not viviiied
mince pics or resuscitatcd turkey, but
my sworn enemy, the white cat
What surprise! What disappoint
ment! What disgust! What my still
greater surprise when the cat, instead
of splitting and swearing at me as was hol
won't at Darlington, now raised her inof
fensive tail and arched her graceful back
and rubbed her irreproachable white ful
against my legs! The cat had become
friendly towards me. OWNED that Il
was hungry, and placed some milk be
fore it, for which it purred its thanks.
When | thought of this strange event
came to the conclusion thata deliber
ate insult had been intended. grew
exceedingly wrathful. And folt skep
tical OF the love that could consign it:
object to the tender mercics of a railway
guard. But second thoughts induced
me to believe that Dorothy must have
had an object in sending her cat to me-
itously. And SO / gradually weaved in
my mind an explanation. Dorothy loved
me, and wanted me, and had sent hel
favorite to me as messenger of peace
and good will. She had placed the ca
unreservedly In my hands; what could
she mean but that she preferred me faI
above the cat? My timidity disappeared
| CHANGING at the clock. found that
could Just ca tch tho 1918 train. I hur
riedly threw some things into my port
manteau, consigned the cat to the care
of my astonishcd landlndy, and rolled
off in cab to Waterloo. ! had only
time to scramble into the first compart
mcnt the guard opened for me, whci
| tho train started
As soon as collected myself looked
to see who my one fellow-passenger was
Dorothy" exclaimed.
It was she. She had herself brough
up her Popsy; she told me that she hao
expected me to come by the first pos
sible train. ] was delighted and whcr
she begged me not TO think her unmaid
emily In tho course she had adopted
| gave her oscular demonstration how
content ! was. What need to- set dowI
what we said and did? Tho guard KEEP
our compartment sacred to us, ant
passed the window with ayertcd head
In month Dorothy and ] wcro ono
and we get on very well with eacl
other, and with our mentor, Lad,
Pownccby, and our most familiar frieni
is tho white cat The Argosy.