The Republican., 1900-09-20
did Bridget upon her return vouchsafe

extensive grounds in the next block
wished to see him. She was the rich
est woman in the neighborhood and
was said to be eccentric and more or
less of terror to her acquaintances.
Greatly surprised at her wish to see
him, and trying to surmise what her
object could be, Mr.. Grimston called
there on his way to the train. The
maid who opened the door left him
standing in the wide hall, after sourly
informing him that her mistress would
be down in a moment.
The mistress soon appeared; she
was tall and large in proportion. Her
mouth was so set with anger as to ap-
pear almost square, and her eyes had
so narrowed themselves as to be near
ly closed. She seemed to fill the hall
with an atmosphere of wrath.
Il would have you know, SIR" she
| said in a low, intense voice, that my
place is not pound"
Certainly not, madam" agreed the
puzzled Mr.. Grimston.
Then what do you mean by leav-
ing your wretched cats here?"
He understood her now. Bridget had
let the kittens escape, and they had
entered this woman's grounds.
"Oh," he said, smiling feebly, 81 am
very sorry, indeed. II missed my
kittens, but had no idea where they
had gone. Am very sorry they came
here, but there is no telling where
cats will wander, you know"
wander. You don't mean to say
that three kittnes will wander away
in basket of their own accord, do
you? My youngest boy saw your maid
leave those cats on my back porch last
night. Determined to find who she
was he traced her to your house"
Il sincerely regret this" he said, in
great distress. Our maid is just over
from the old country. She does not
seem to understand half that we say
to her. l haven't the faintest idea
why she brought the kittens here"
HIS antagonist surveyed him cynic-
ally.
ut is your maids fault that the old
cat also is here?" she asked
81 don't understand" murmured Mr..
Grimston.
Follow me, sir!" she commanded.
and preceded him to the back porch.
Alas! There was the identical peach
basket, there were the three kittens
playing about, and, worst OF all. there
was Mary Ellen herself, who arched
her back and affectionately rubbed
herself against him as one who ioy-
fully greets an old acquaintance.
Il assure you, madam" declared the
wretched Grimston, that | had moth
ing whatever to do with sending the
cats here!'
My coachman passed your house
early yesterday morning" said she.
He saw you start out with this cat;
when he returned an hour later the
creature was in my yard"
Mr.. Grimston felt that were this a
case of murder the circumstantial evil
dence would be strong enough to hang
him. He tried to explain, but she
would not listen, being one of those
persons who like to hug a grievance
to their hearts and are loath to have
it explained away.
Take your animals and go." she
said.
he put the kittens into the basket,
not without some difficulty, for they
objected strongly to the arrangements;
then, taking Mary Ellen under the
other arm, he bade the mistress of the
house polite'good morning and went
out at the back gate, feeling that his
exit was by no means a dignified one.
He carried his burdens home and left
them in the cellar.
"If you let those cats out of here
again." he said to Bridget, relieved to
find some one upon whom to vent his
wrath, "you'n be sorry Tor it,
The injustice of this explosion
wrought upon Bridget's feelings to
such degree that when he returned
home that night he found his wife
with tragic brow preparing dinner,
and was informed that the maid had
departed.
The garden, the cause of all this
trouble, continued to grow with the
most surprising results. The lettuce
had remarkable roots. but no tops. A
sufficient quantity of small pale leaves
were procured from the bed one day
to garnish a dish of cold ham, and
that was the first and last appearance
of Mr.. Grimston's lettuce in public.
The radish leaves were large and
strong. but their roots We're pale and
attenuated; the tomato plants grew
tall and vigorous and produced two or
three tomatoes the size of cherries.
Aunt Deborah from the country sat
down on the ground and laughed when
she visited the garden.
"You don't mean to tell me, Oliver.
that you tried to raise onions from
the seeds?" she said. "Why didn't YOU
get the sets?"
Il didn't know that there were such
things. as onion SETS" said he. "They
wouldn't have done any good if | had
planted them. l had tomato sets
if that's what you call them-and look
at them now! They seem to have had
the notion that they were intended to
be currant bushes"
Aunt Deborah laughed again, and so
did Mr.. Grimston, but not so heartily.