Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1901-10-02

\ THE CAT DID. 81
& BY MI
= GILBERT L. LYON. &
s. Copyright, 1901, by II
81 Gilbert L. Lyon. TX
~ CHRISTOPHER MELVILLE
III was deaf; yes, very deaf. he
E%ES1 could not hear n word with
lSSSg out his ear trumpets, Of which
he had n good many, long ones and
short ones, and he was always leaving
them around, to the great annoyance
of the dodgers. If any one sat down
ON q chair, like as not they sat on one.
or one would be found on the dining
table.
He was n rather short, stout man,
with very little hair on his head and
no whiskers OF mustachc. He was very
pleasant, and when he smiled he smil-
ed all over his fnce, so that he seemed
to beam on one.
He had large maltese cat named
Joachim that he thought the world of,
and often when he came home Mt night
he brought some little tidbit for Joa-
chin; rushing up to his room at once
to see his pet. OF course, in lodging
house, he was obliged to keep the cat
in his own room, where during the day
it would lie in the sun on the broad
oil ot fcr1,t ~ c1 will,
him.
Now, no one had ever paid Mr.. Mel
Vile any attention until Miss Abigail
Manning came up from Somerset to
spend the winter in London.
Miss Abigail Manning was spinster
Of that uncertain age not mentioned by
the fair sex, She was short, with dark
hair and gray eyes. She had little
property-enough to live on comforta-
bly-but she had always been looking
for man and, not finding one in Som
ersetshire, had come UP to the capital,
determined to take. the first eligible one
that was presented.
The truth was she had not dreamed
at first Of catching Mr.. Melville; but,
seeing that the poor man was left abso-
lutely alone, she overcame n dislike to
the queer shaped trumpets and talked
to him half an hour ut time.
Mr.. Melville was delighted. Here was
some one that he could talk to-. and,
not herring half that was said, he
thought Miss Abigail Manning agreed
with him in everything.
"Do you like cats" was one of the
first questions he asked her, and he un-
derstood her to say that she liked them
when what she did say was that she
could not endure them.
"You can have Joachim, then" said
Mr.. Melville, whenever you please
down in your room"
Now, it was about this time that
Miss Abigail. having questioned Mrs.
Jenkins, the landlady, and found that
Mr.. Melville had quite little proper
| ty, decided with herself that the said
Mr.. Melville was the very man she had
been looking for. 1t was also about
this time that Mr.. Melville found that
in a couple Of weeks business would ne
cessitate his going to Paris for some
| time.
What should he do with Joachim?
Mrs. Jenkins had refused once before
to take care Of him, SO he could not ask
her. All at once brilliant idea oc-
Cured to him. he would ask Miss Alb
igail to take care of the cat. She had
said that she was SO fond of cats. He
would ask her that very day and have
i it off his mind.
But 1t happened Miss Abigail did not
come home to dinner that night, and
in the morning did not come down
until after he left, so Mr.. Melville de-
cided to write note and leave it with
the maid when he went out. BE wrote
and carefully directed the following:
Dear Miss Manning-I am going to ask great
favor of you. You know how love Joachim
and as you are fond of cats am going to ash
you to take care Of him for few days. shall
be obliged to go to Paris on business tho 2sth o.
the month and shall be gone four or Eve weeks
would not ask you to keep him the whole time
but my brother James is coming to town about
the LIST OF next month to attend to some bushes
in Piccadilly, and he will then take Joachim hom
with him, If you will kindly sec to all arrange
! ments in regard to his departure. Tho basket h
travels in and the pillow and the bottle for mill
are all In my closet. II you will kindly consen
to do this for me, shall be most greatly obliged
Most respectfully yours.
CHRISTOPHER MELVILLE.
This note the maid promised to de
liver to Miss Abigail but, alas, +
slipped down through her dress lininl
and was lost and forgotten, SO tina
Miss Abigail never received 1t.
That night Mr.. Melville waited unit
dinner was over and then, retiring t,
the dining room, found Miss Abigail
alone. Walking over to the window
where she sat, he said:
Miss Manning, l am glad to fnt
you alone, as want to talk with you
AS you know, always have the inter
est Of those dear to me at heart. o
course you received my note?" he add
ed. "Oh, dear, where IRE my trum
pets?"
II have received no note" said Mis-
Manning, but Mr.. Melville was mean
while looking all over the room for
trumpet.
"There is one" said Miss Abigail
coming to the rescue, ION the plat
warmer"
"Oh,, thank you," said Mr.. Melville
Please be seated" drawing up chail
"and will explain all of my plans. l
is SO unfortunate. that the house ha
no private sitting ROOM"
Eyes, indeed" replied she. ut l
awkward at tines"
II will repeat what said, that wha;
ever love have the greatest possibl
interest In" Miss Abigail blushed.
"And l know" continued Mr.. Me-
vile, chat it is asking great deal O
you to devote your time to an animal.
ooh, no! Oh, mol" said Miss Abigail
deprecating his calling himself an ani
NAL. "You must not say such things"
"Then you will accept?" said Mr.. Mel
vile, radiantly beaming on her, 70