The state republican. (Jefferson City, Mo.) 1871-1896, 1893-07-13
The Important Part 1t Played in a
Pretty Romance.

A Shrll new came over the f"ncc, an
ethNr and then another wall.
Come, kitty" she heard him CALI
Here, kitty, kitty"
Miss Lucia was listening inteatly.
The calling ceased. and sha heard
tho sound of his footsteps walking
briskly on the planks laid around the
house.
81 suppose twas n cut he had" she
unused. And what will he tia with a
cat?n
Miss Lucia picked up her skirt, daint-
lily and tripped down the street to her
grandmother's, giving her ncighbOr,
Reuben Spofford. and his new pet not
another thought.
1t was evident that Miss I,uria Marsh
and Reuben Srofford were not the best
of nclshDors. The ill-fecling dated
hack to her fathers time and his IA
theirs time. and now both fathers were
dead, and Miss Lucia's mother. also. vet
still there was nc cessation Of HOSTILE
ties. Miss IuciB remained In the old
homestead uuite alone save for the two
old servants, Martha Spinks and her
husband. Reuben Spoffurd's sole liv-
ing relative was an invalid aunt whom
he cared for as gently as IL she had
been his mother, And If Reuben Spot
ford hod been asked the cause of the
unnciehborlincss on each side of the
high division fence, or il the same iucs-
ton had been %propoundcd TO Miss Lucia
Marsh, they would have looked at yon
in wondcrment; for the cause OF the
fcud was an old tale.
Miss Lucia was not especially voting,
She was younger than Reuben Soof-
ford, and they both had been chil":cn
when the courthouse was built. But
they had never played together, and
there were no merry cries across the
high division wall, no games of ball
nor blackbcrrying together like other
n~cighborS' children. And they grew
up in this fashion, and had been girl
and boy, and now were maid and man,
yet the division fence was as high and
uncompromising AS ever.
When Miss Lucia stood at the kit hen
door next morning she was humming u
snatch of a hymn and shaking the
tablccloth at the same time. Fat old
Aunt Martha stood laughing in the
yard.
docs yer see him, honey" she said,
"les' look at dat She pointed tn the
fence, which was running over with gay
morning glories. their blue and pink
and white cups spread like trump,ts
And likewise running along the feI,cc.
and balancing himself by the tanglc of
vines. was "A roly-poly white ball If a
kitten. lie grabbed one blossom after
another in his sharp claws and doomed
it to destruction. TO and fro he sc.snp-
cred, sometimes tumb bling, non cLtch-
ing his feet NAV ares and nearly going
hcadlong.
lies running my vines cried Miss
Lucia. ''Oh, Martha, how can YOU Do
chase him away-horrid little crca 'urc!
Hurry, MARTHA" Miss Lucia wrunH her
hands.
''Shoo, he cant hurt EN-" MU"tha
answered, laughing. But I'll chase
him. Scat, ~you-scat!"
She waddlcd toward the fence. her
fat sides shaking, and away went the
kitten over the other side,
'Now that's bad" said Miss Lucia
Hes going to be "A nuisance"
The white kitten seemed to regard
that fence as his special playground.
He enjoyed the vines very much, nnd
finally destroyed their beauty com
pletcly. Then he began making short
sortics into the enemy's camp, |. e.,
s~campering across Miss Lucia's blck
yard and then home again. The first
few times Miss Lucia assisted his de-
parture. She impressed upon A INT
Martha the fact hat he must he rent
. l,-, ALL ,-t &N Ia, .xl,n. IN
Aunt Martha do but catch her mist less
in the very act of giving the white Kit
ten a saucer of milk!
II don't think, Martha" She said, ex.
planatorily, that he gets very we'll
fed. See how he drinks hat milk"
Hes "a shore little scamp" said
Martha, chuckling. In her big blNck
body beat Il very tender heart for all
dumb creatures, four-footed or fe8th.
cred.
When Miss Lucia sat sewing, mkt
day, on the latticed porch, the white
kitten walked demurely up the steps
and sat down before her and began to
wash his face.
$50 home" said Miss Lucia, severely.
GO home, sir,'
The white kitten curled over sud
kicked up its feet, and played with INC
hem of her dress.
you ought to go home" said Miss
Lucia, family.
Presently he found her ball of yam
and rolled over it and tangled it into q
hopeless snarl. Miss Lucia leaned bach
and laughed at him softly, She gsv,
him some milk and sent him back o,el
the wall.
The next morning she came out t.
the porch, and there, curled up sol nc
asleep in her rocking-chair, lay III,
white kitten.
Miss Lucia looked at him helpless y
Then she sat down OF the steps and fAl
to thinking. Reuben Spofford worlc
be very angry il he knew where his Re
spent most of its time. And it Shot Il
, not-a soft furry body came creeping
up over her shoulder and rubbing itscl
r against her soft pink cheek. A small
{ paw caught a fallen tress of hair.
. The white kitten declined to go honi
at all. He enjoyed himself at Mis-
3 Lucia's for two days. Then one morn
7 ing his master came around to tho sii