The Montgomery advertiser., 1901-12-04
A PROBLEM IN FUR.
Ry BLANCHE ELIZABETH WADE 1901, by Daily Story Pub. Col

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 ,r,,callv at the window-screenst that Iordon took him to the boarding-piac where there was strip or yaro. s sls was too narrow to suit ms majesty a1r more than day. ana as s, ,he me idm tine hs stole out and sought the acquaintanee | of the alley cats. Gordon gazeo sauiy at the dirty, tangled fur, as Fuss stroiieu ', in wearily one eNenihg N;s aboae o at the studio. l lie ought to be brushed, said MISS 1fa- | ham on the following morning, as sue | tried to separate the snarled iocss. Gordon bought soft brush ana worK- | ed two hours at the fur. While thus en- gag ged he made a startling discovery.
 l The next day while showing Miss Gra- ham some Puritan studies before Degan, ead ming work on the portrait, ne eAcioiiuoo N"o. Miss Graham, did you know-er-- that-that John Alden had fieas"
 MT Gordonv' cried she in a shocked voice. Did you intend that as joke! O." suddenly remembering. Of course I had forgotten. You mean the cat:
 Most certainly" returned Gordon em-
 Well, in that ase. can tell you what to do. Wash him with tar soap or with dog soap and comb them out with a Gordon purchased three combs before he found one that would not break. He bought three different kinds of soap, and returning to John Alden he combed he he rubbed bed a and ins then sn,.e gosn Alden lay snugly sleeping under a warm drapery high on bookcase ana Gordon dressed his own torn and bleeding hands and captured two live fieas on his coat sleeve. He has since come to believe that those insects flourish on strong soap suds. for after this performance Jonn Alden did little but scratch ana ois al his poor. tormented skin. He lost ms ap- petite and grew thin. Miss Graham aa- vised more combing and warm catnlp tea Gordon bought catnip at the drug- gist's. He bought also walnut wasp recommended by the chemist and bot, file of cat tonic. Still the fleas increased and John Alden diminished.
 Gordon wrote to his aunt. d,,isad taSe sha n1p
 for feas will kill the cat if not seen | to at once" What a pity" said Miss Graham, | when she heard this Now, l think that die there. If you vii. trust him to me | I will take him ho and my mother | will doctor him up for you. we LVe ous | of town in the summer, you know, ana | there is lots of delicious grass for nm | to roam over and no cats in the neigh- | borhood. Wo will watch him closely ana ! he won't run away. Besides. there arc oceans of fresh catnip growing apo9t. tne | place. and home dried catnlp is dinefent | from that compressed stuff you bought Then too-you-you might come often' | you know-to-to-+ee how ne was ger ting on.''
 John Alden went to the country. A month later a letter, went to the aunt aunt.
 You will be glad, wrote Gordon;
 "to hear that John Alden is entirely rid of neae, eats like bear' and and is hs mHTe a9,re
 prised to hear that I have found that q
 cat does not add the finishing grace to A studio There is something else That
 to which l refer is wife who knows
 hcw to take care of the cat and Of the
 artist As you are not so placed as to
 make this selection for me, l have done SO myself or rather-John Alden has at
 last spoken for me as well as for him
 self to the fair Priscilla. Her name IS
 Isabel Graham.
 Your affectionate nephew,
 | Ernest Gordon.
 "P. s-I forgot to say June 18th.
 | "E. G.
 IN. B.-I enclose last months report. One soft biush.. ......................S 6u
 Three fine combs. ................. .42 Three cakes soap ........'..'''''''' '"I Catnip.. ....s..' ''''''''''''''''- .o l