The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1893-06-16

"Strawberries, ell p 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." t..l
So she hung the basket down the
well with Il long, stout cord, and we t
to her sons study to tell him what had
HAPPENED. ,
The neighbors appear to be quite
friendly" she said. I'm glad l
adopted your suggestions, Walter,
and sent over those tulips. If that
crazy little yellow haired child"
Gently, mother sal | the young
man, smiling ''She is very pretty
young ladyn'
"Would only keep her miscellaneous
eat at home, we might get along nice
ly,'' said the old lady, without heed
ing 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. mother I'm afraid Il coron-
er's inquest would bring the whole
matter OUT "rt go.
Nonsense, Walter the cat, of
course Alittle strychnine, now, care
fully placed between layers of fresh
fish, or just a grain CT so of arsenic on
a little meat ,- .'''- "e't-t ~
Mother, you are a second Lucrezia
Borgia,' said Walter Vallinger, with
a gesture of mock horror 81 dare
say the cat won't prove as trouble
some as you are inclined to anticipate.
And prophesy that we and the next
door neighbors shall be great friends,
after ALL"
| When tea time came, Mrs. Vallinger
| prepared modest feast-cold tongue,
edged around with green fringe of
over and a glass pitcher of real cream,
procured from the people at the end
of the lane, who kept cows. '-t.
| 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 delicious
ly cool. And tea is quite ready now"
Walter obeyed. 1t was his habit to
| wait on his mother. with sort of low
| ing, unquestioning loyalty.
| He brought the basket in, united
the knot of palegreen ribbon that fas-
| tened down the lid, and out leaped a
| half-frozen kitten into the midst of the
lettuce salad, which formed the centre
dish of the banquet.
.Kill the creature ~ shrieked Mrs
Vallinger, recoiling. This is one of
those peoples practical jokes, l sup
pose. l 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 a
present, no, we'll keep the little shiv-
ering ball of snow, mother, and try
and teach it to respect our garden
beds, But it is rather a singular pro-
ceeding on the part of our neighbors
now, isn't ~
Three days afterward there came a
| knock at the door and Tinette Wylie
stood there with pink cheeks, spark
| ling eyes, and hair all instinct with
the gold of the declining sun.
is this Mr.. Vallinger - said she.
| miss Wylie, l believe said Walter,
who had the kittennestling in its cot
| tonlined basket on his study-table in
full view.
| Oh, treacherous Fairy, who was al
| ready SO entirely reconciled to her
new lot that she had not even a recog
niZing purr for the little mistress who
had loved her so dearly
81 am so sorry-so ashamed ~ be-
gan Tinette. But never even knew
it until this morning. Oh, what must
you have thought? What sort of peo-
pie must you have supposed us to be p
II beg your pardon ~ said Walter,
himself beginning to get little con-
| fused
1.-The kitten, you KNOW" explained
Tinette-'I feared-that is, j was
quite Gel tain that she was going to be
an annoyance to you, so | packed her
in basket to send to my uncle, who
lives on the other side of the noun
tain. And gathered some ST. awber-
ries on the same day, and mamma
| thinks she must have sent the wrong
basket-because, when | went to I'm
Gle Rob's to see how dear Fairy was
getting along, there was no Fairy
there, and Icouldn't understand what
he meant when he thanked he for the
| lovely Strawberries and roses So
then it flashed over Inc all of sudden,
| and mamma can't think how she could
have been so careless, and oh, please"
with II pretty clasping of the hands
that had pink dimplei in every
knuckle, do forgive us, and let us
have Fairy back again ~
| but don't tIink,n said Walter
| Nallinger, 'ihat | can spare her. I've
become very fond of that kitten, do
| you know. Miss Wiley,''
~ thought you hated cats" said
Tinette. ..l-
| $50 did, said Walter-"at least
didn't like 'em. But l have changed
my platform in regard to this particu-
lar cat She is the dearest, gentlest,
most sagacious little creature 49,.
/ -"Oh. isn't she p cried Tinette,
with kindling eyes. Il knew you
would find it out in time. ~
| "And my mother is as fond of the
| kitten as am, strange to say" he
went on. You will let us keep her, i
am sure =. ...... ..,....s ..r.-- .f,....s-..i
/ Tinette's eyes fell; her color rose; ;
this was too severe II trial OF her loyal
ty. ..-.. $3.50. s-..
'Couldn't-co we own her to-
gether ?" she murinured. Ht't4
/ Walter Vallinger could not resist
! this appeal. He took the basket and
placed it in Tinette's hands.
"You have the best right to her."
said he. .i" sH .- 'aii H tr'-'i ~.
''How can ever thank you enough?"
said she. ,.,.E t..f. ...- ....a .sr.
She was almost ready to cry, but
she laughed afterward, while he re-
lated their amazement, when the kit
ten leaped into the midst of the let
tuce salad, their perplexity and their
gradual conversion to the cat question.
And it was full hour before she
went home to tell her mother what
charming people the next-door neigh
bors were. d. .....-{ .....j 49,
'1And am to take Fairy over to see
them every day." said she.
i Il declare" said old Mrs. Valling-
er, Il didn t think it would be posi-
bile for me to miss cat so much =
She was deal of company for me-
BY the way, Walter, how pretty
that young girl is .- 90. r.. -...
every" said Walter.
Mrs. Vallinger said no more, but
her thoughts travelled affair into the
future. Like all women she was a
born matchmaker. .
Who knows what may happen"
she said to herself.-iSdturddy Night.
t'." SLIGHT FIVOR.
A criminal whose day of execution
II. 4 L. IN.. N \ Ia q