The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1893-07-11
A WHITE KITTEN.
The Important Part It Played in a
Pretty Romance.

| MISS LUCIA MARSH was WALKING Gown
| to the gate, between the beds of bright
| pinks standing stifly erect on each side
| of the path. Their spicy fragrance
scented the air, and she pLucled one and
stuck it in her belt.
, Asshe reached the gate, man passed
carrying a basket from which issued
! faint mewing sounds. He looked aside
| hastily, and as for Miss Lucia, she cast
her eyes quite the other way. He went
by, and entered THERON gate next door,
shutting it with clang. Miss Lucia
looked after him with scornfuf sniff
| of her small nose.
He could as well have gone round
the other waylinstead of coming past
! here" she said.
A shrill NEW camesover the fence, an
other and then another wall.
Come, kitty" she heard him call.
"Here, kitty, kitty
Miss Lucia was listening intently.
The calling ceased, and she heard
the sound of his footsteps walking
brisl1ly on the planks laid around the
houss.
II suppose twas cat he had" she
| mused ''And what will he do with
cat?''
MisslLucia picked up her skirts daint-
lily and tripped down the street to her
gratldmothcr's, giving her neighbor,
Reuben .SpoHord, and his new pet not
anothersthought.
1t was evident thatsMiss Lucia Marsh
and Reuben Sposford We're not the best
Of neighbors. The ill-feeling dated
back to her fathers time and his ia
theirs time, and now both fathers were
dead, and MissiLncia's mother, also, yet
still thereSvaS no. cessation Of hostili-
ties Miss Lucia remained in the old
homestead quite alone save for the two
old servants, Martha Spinl1s and her
husband Reuben Spofford's sole liv-
ing relative yvas,an invalid aunt whom
he cared for as.,gently as if she had
been his mother. And if Reuben Spot
|. ford had been asked the cause of the
I unneighborliness ON each side of the
high division fence, or if the same ques-
ton had been propounded to Miss Lucia
Marsh, they would have looked at you
in worsderment; for the ca use of the
feud was an old tale.
Miss Iucia was not.especial ly young.
She was younger than Reuben Spot
ford, andathey both had been children
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 blackberrying together like other
neighbors' 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'a ever
When Miss Lucia stood at the kitchen
door next morning she was humming a
snatch of hymn and shaking the
tablecloth at the same time. Fat old
Aunt Martha stood laughing in the
yard
docs yer see him, honey?" she said
"Jes' look at dat!' She pointed to the
fence, which was running. over with gay
morning glories, their blue and pink
and white cups spread like trumpets.
And likewise running along the fence,
and balancing himself by the tangle of
vines, was rolypoly white bali of
kitten. He grabbed one blossom after
another in his sharp claws and doomed
it to destruction To and fro he scamp
cred, sometimes tum bling, anon catch
ing'h his feet unaw ares and nearly going
headlong.
Hes running my vines" cried Miss
Lucia. ''Oh, Martha, how can you? Do
chase him away-horrid little creature,
l,' T Io,-
hands.
'Shoo, he can't hurt EN-" Martha
answered. laughing. But I'll chase
him. Scat, you-scat.'
She waddled 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, and
finally destroyed their beauty con-
pletely. Then he began making short
sorties into the eneuy's camp, i. e.,
scampering across Miss Lucia's back
yard and then home again. The first
few times Miss Lucia assisted his de-
parture. She impressed upon Aunt
Martha the fact that he must be sent
home. And yet, one day, what did
/ Aunt Martha do but catch her mistress
in the very act OF giving the white kit
ten a saucer of milk,
Il don't think. Martha she said. ex-
plauatorily, that he gets very well
/ fed. See how he drinks that milk
Hes a shore little scamp" said
Martha, chuckling. In her big black
body beat very tender heart for all
dumb creatures, four-footed or ieath-
/ cred.
When Miss Lucia sat sewing, next
! day. on the lattlced porch, the white
kitten walked denurely up the steps
/ and sat down before her and began to
wash his face.
go home said Miss Lucia, severely
! Go home. sir,,''
/ The white kitten curled over and
( kicked up its feet, and played with the
I hem of her dress
/ You ought to go home, said Miss
| Lucia, family.
I Presently he found her ball az yarn.
! and rolled over it and tangled il into
1 hopeless snarl- Miss Lucia leaned back
/ and laughed at hin softly. She gave