The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1893-11-11
CHOLLY'S SERENADE.
Why the Dear Boys Wooing End
ed Disastrously.

Why the Dear Boys Wooing End
ed Disastrously.
Mr.. Daniel Blodgett turned from tho
''transmitter' through which he had
been debating letters to his secretary
ten miles away, lifted his brow to the
refreshing breeze from an electric fan
whirling like crazy chrysanthemum
atop his desk, and, as he lighted cigar
at the little French storage-battery
lamp beside him, murmured, content
edly:
IF science has any new tricks to
make business mans life easier. I'd
just like to know them"
Certainly he had utilized all with
which he was acquainted. feeling that
in SO doing he was measurably indem-
nifying himself for the vast amount OF
very hard work he had done by old
fashioned methods in his younger days.
Some men rich as he had become would
have abandoned even the semblance
of business; while others, not knowing
when they had enough, would have
toiled on, still accommodating, in the
hard. Eslow ways they were used to, like
wheels running in ruts.
But Mr.. Blodgett, typical Ameri-
can, steered a middle course. He gave
up hard work, yet. thanks to modern
scientific aid. did more than ever be-
fore, and, at the same time, thoroughly
enjoyed the kindly autumn of his life.
As president of a company manufacture
ing electrical apparatus great deal OF
responsibility devolved upon him; yet
he was not seen at its Offices or in its
big factory once month. One Of the
largest and most enjoyable rooms IN his
luxurious Staten Island mansion he
had set apart as his Office. There,
seated before his huge, cylinder-topped
desk-where he could, when he chose,
command a magnificent view of the
bay, listen to the native songbirds in
the grand old elns on the borders of
the lawn, and enjoy the perfume of
howers-anybody who had real bust
ness with him could find him at any
time in business hours. But his hours
were short, except when his pretty and
willful daughter Flora took it into her
capricious fancy to pay him pro-
tracted visit, during which she would
sit on his knees, pull his whiskers, talk
nonsense, make him laugh, and utterly
set at naught the electric company's
affairs. On such occasions the impa-
patient secretary, waiting by the tele-
phone afar off to take dictated letters,
did some debating himself to the re-
cording angel and Mr.. Blodgett was
an hour or two later in taking his af-
ternoon drive.
Easy life, freedom from care and
abundant outdoor exercise seemed to
have stopped Mr.. Blodgett, at forty
five, from growing any older. He was
stout. but active; rather bald, but what
hair he had left was red and curly as it
ever was; and his whiskers were tinged
with gray, but, instead of making him
seem old, only gave an air of dignity
to a face which, if smoothly shaved,
would have been rather too jolly for
serious business purposes.
A dozen electric buttons, in the top Of
a short column fixed by his desk, gave
him prompt communication with every
department of his home establishment,
as well as connection with his interests
in the city. Touching one of these con-
veyed to the stables an order for his
favorite team of bays to be ready in
half an hour.
Mr. Blodgett was just putting on
long ''duster," preparatory to his sum-
l,-,~a bic 1o,,rbfar
entered, unannounced by even rap
at the door, eXclaimlng:
AHA, papa, I am in luck. hap
pened to think, only minute ago, that
/ wanted you to take me along this af-
ternoon, and / feared you would be
gone"
'No, just going. But, my dear Flo,
I don't know about taking you I'm
going to drive the bays"
"Well, what of it? If you are not
afraid OF them, I'm sure l am not; and
if anything is to happen to you, it
might just as well happen to both of us
at the same time. just wait minute,
till get my hat"
''All right, run along. I'll await
minute, but not two"
One is enough"
When father and daughter wore
seated together in the light wagon and
the bays were clipping lively pace
over the dirt road. Mr.. Blodgett said,
with affected seriousness:
Il think, Flo, we will have to make
war, somehow, on the strange cats
that have taken to infesting our
place"
Strange catsr have not seen any
about, papa. How do you know there
are any more than usual?"
They may not be more numerous,
but they are noisier. 1 have not seen
them, but l hear them nearly every
night. There was one yowling most
dolefuHy among the shrubbery last
night, and l thought recognized the
voice as that of the same beast / heard
night. Sometimes it sounded
almost human"
''Oh! papar' protested Flora, laugh
ingly. You are too hard on him. You
know. just as we'll as do, that was no
eat. 1t was little Cholly Lytewayte."
Then Choiiy initiates a cat wonder |
fully well--so well that he deserves to
be suppressed as cat
But why does he make such noises? !
They sound as if he were in pain, and,
as the boys say. I'm sure it gives me
pain 10 hear them"
''Ohl You dear old papa! I'm afraid |
you have not evea just little bit of an
ear for music. Cholly was singing
serensding me: and he is the only one
IF my beauX who is romantic enough |