The Arizona sentinel. [volume] (Arizona City [Yuma], Yuma County, A.T. [Ariz.]) 1872-1911, 1894-01-06
A WHITE KITTEN.
The Important Part It Played in a
Pretty Romance.

Miss Lucia Marsh was walking down
to the gate, between the beds of bright
pinks standing stiff1y erect on each side
of the path. Their spicy fragrance
scented the air, and she plucked 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. lie went
by, and entered the iron gate next door,
shutting it with clang. Miss Lucia
looked after him with scornful sniff
of her small nose.
''1e could as well have gone round
the other way instead of coming past
here" she said.
A shrill new came over the fence, an
other and then another wall.
''Comc, kitty" she heard him call
"Here, kitty, kittyr'
Miss Lucia was listening intently.
The calling ceased, and she heard
the sound of his footsteps walking
briskly on the planks laid around the
house.
II suppose twas cat he had" she
unused. "And what will he do with a
cat?''
Miss Lucia picked up her skirts daint-
lily and tripped down the street to her
grandmother's, giving her neighbor,
Reuben SpoTord, and his new pet not
another thought.
1t was evident that Miss Lucia Marsh
and Reuben Spofford were not the best
of neighbors. The ill-feeling dated
back to her fathers time and his fa-
theirs time, and now both fathers were
dead, and Miss Lucia's mother, also, yet
still there was no cessation of hostili-
ties. Miss Lucia remained in the old
homestead quite alone save for the two
old servants, Martha Spinlls and her
husband. Reuben Spofford's sole liv-
ing relative was 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
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 wonderment; for the ca use of the
feud was an old tale.
Miss Lucia was not especial ly young
She was younger than Reuben Spof-
ford, and they 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 as ever.
When Miss Lucia stood at the kitchen
door next morning she was humming
snatch of a hymn and shaking the
tablecloth at the same time. Fat old
Aunt Martha stood laughing in the
yard.
Does 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 roly-poly white ball 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 his feet unaw ares and nearly going
headlong.
''Hes running my vines," cried Miss
Lucia. "Oh, Martha, how can you? Do
T.,
Hurry, Martha!'' Miss Lucia wrung her
hands.
"Shoo, he can't hurt 'em," 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.
"ne's going to be nuisance"
The white kitten seemed to regard
that fence as his special playground.
He enjoyed the vines very much, and
finally destroyed their beauty COM
pletely. Then he began making short
sorties into the encmy'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!
81 don't think, Martha" she said, ex-
planatorily, that he gets very well
fed. See how he drinks that milk!''
Hes shore little scamp" said
Martha, chuckling. In her big black
body beat very tender heart for all
dumb creatures, four-footed or feath-
cred.
When Miss Lucia eat sewing, next
day on the latiIced rorch. the white