The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1898-01-11
The Return of the Cat,
(By Eliza Armstrong. In Two Parts.)
PART

Goats" remarked Mrs. Mott sententious-
Nv. ARE good 'eal like men. They re-
CURE a lot of petting; they are very par
ticuIar about their eating. and it's hard
10 keen them in the house at night
AS she was entirely alone, there was no
no one to contradict this somewhat extra
ordinary statement, so she dropped her
eve again on her work, the embroidering
NJ daisies on p bit of linen. Suddenly she
heard the front door open and, turning
her back, she whipped off her eyeglasses
and slipped them into her pocket before
turning to greet her visitor. she was
Obliged to wear glasses when she read or
sewed. but she would have felt eternally
d.sgraced If any one had seen her with
them on her nose.
THAT you, Melinda? Walk in and sit
down-why, what's the matter? Any
thing wrong?'
..Humph. Lorilla Mott. what's this
about you and Ezra?"
Mrs. Motifs hand shook visibly in fold
ing her work, but she answered defiantiy;
Don't know as I'll tell you
We'll, you needn't then. know already.
And all I've got to say is, IL you prefer
a cat to husband, why"
bands. Melinda Thompson; why, you new
er had one yourself
That's just it. I know what it is to
be without one. There's my taxes, now
-"
But Mrs. Mott hastily interrupted; when
taxes was the theme, Miss Melinda usu-
ally spoke loud and long.
You can't begin by giving in 10 hus-
gave in to Mr. Mott before we were mar
ried, and the only comfort L got out of
him in the twelve years we were mar
ried was in his last illness. Then I could
call on the doctor to help me. He al
ways sided with me against Abner."
II guess he knew which one of you
was going to pay his bill" said her visit
or, thoughtfully. Look here, Lorilla. are
you and Ezra going to be married on
New Years day or not?"
1--WE are not replied Mrs. Mott, firm
ly. Then she FASTENED to the door, letting
in a huge tortoise-shell cat, which rubbed
itself affectionately against her gown,
purring all the while. Presently he jump
ed up on gay patchwork cushion in a
huge armchair and fell to washing his
face.
And you've given that cat Ezra's
chair" said Miss Melinda, solemnly.
Melinda Thompson, L have. Further
more, it's my chair, and always has been.
though Ezra has sat in it pretty constant
in the fourteen years he's been coming
to see me-
Fourteen years. And how many times
has the wedding been put off? Lemme
see; there was the time you quarreled
over the piece the choir was to sing at the
wedding. You wanted The Voice That
Breathed Ger Eden and he wanted-I
forget what he did want-and neither of
you would give in. Why didn't you have
a wedding without singing?"
Never thought of that. The choir took
it real hard too, after practicing for four
weeks twice a week to be ready. They
wanted to please us both, and practiced
the piece I wanted on Tuesday evening
after the regular choir meeting. and the
one Ezra wanted on Friday. They did
offer to sing 'em both, but we could not
agree which was to come first, so that
did no good
And the next time you quarreled over
the way you meant to celebrate your gold
en- wedding, didn't you? And now it's
about a cat!"
Melinda Thompson, it is not. It's about
a dog, that's what Ezra Mason has gone
and bought a dog--a hunting dog-at his
time of lifei He wanted to bring it here,
too. knowing how afraid Jason is of dogs.
l told him fiat I wouldn't have Jason's
life made a burden to please anybody.
Then he said he'd never speak to me again
and 1 said 1 guessed 1 could talk to my
self if l got lonesome and wanted to hear
the sound of a human voice."
There Ezra goes now, with the dog at
his heels" remarked the visitor. Hes
on the other side of the street. That's
how L came to know he and YOU had
ouarreled. He only does that when he's
mad with you"
Mrs. Mott tossed her head defiantiy.
1.-The pavement's free" she said. Must
YOU be going?" as Miss Melinda rose.
Yes. I'm going TO run in and see that
strange family that's just now moved
here. The little boys an invalid and they
don't know a soul here yet, so l thought
maybe they'd like TO hear the news"
well, you're the one that can tell II
70 them" said Mrs. Mott, under her
breath, as her friend walked away.
Jason. here, sir, come back!' For the
cat had shipped past ner anu OUT INTO
the street, pretending not to hear her
calls.
Contrary as a man." she remarked.
closing the door. That's just the way
Mr.. Mott used to go out after supper"
The big chair looked very lonesome
without Ezra's presence in it. and. stop
ping to beat up the cushion as she pass,
ed, she remarked: I'm sorry now 1 told
Melinda Thompson Ia give il to the cat,
but it's too late now-he knows it already.
Anyhow. he needn't have said he wished
the Lord. or whoever looks after cats,
would take JasonH'
Late that evening passers-by heard Mrs.
Mott calling Jason TO come in. What
fuss she does make over that cat" they
said. Wakeful neighbors also noticed
light burning in her house almost all
night and once and again fanoied they
heard a cry of Jason, JASON
Early next morning they knew that Mrs.
Mott was almost distracted over the pro-
longed absence of her pet, and offered
reward Of one dollar to the boy who
should bring him home-a most unlikely
event for all boys were foes to that pam
pered feline.
High Lights.