Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1901-03-06
THE YELLOW KITTEN

81 7 was the yellow kitten who did it."
Miss Priscilla Price said at the
church social in her most positive
manner. and no one, not even Mrs.
'Lias Miller, pretended to contradict
her.
Its the truth, indeed" Mrs. Sarah
Crump agreed, with her fat, comfort
able chuckle, and the society in body
responded, That's SOL
Yes. the yellow kitten was response
BILE for the wedding that was to come
on tomorrow and that would thus
unite forever not only two very attract
i've young people, but also the we'll
known families of Price and Campbell.
But we have begun at the wrong end
Of the story, for Miss Priscilla ought to
have made, and in fact did make the
remark about the yellow kitten at the
end OF the narrative, and not at the
beginning. And thus, to get things
straight, we will start over again in the
old-fashioned orthodox way.
Once upon a time mot SO very long
ago, either the little village of Pine
Vile fourished like green bay tree.
1t lie true II. had not arrived ut trolley
cars or electric lights, but 1t was a very
charming place to visit nevertheless.
bicycling was not entirely unheard of,
though those who rode We're scarce-a
few visitors at the summer boarding
house in the little hills just outside the
village had introduced the wheel, but
the most conservative Pinevillians,
Miss Priscilla Price at the head, quite
frowned down upon the sport, and Miss
Rebecca Slow has said, in season and
out of season, that ''if any,niece of hers
so demeaned herself as to be guilty of
such an unladylike worldly amuse-
ment, she would be sorry, that's ALL"
and then an expression of having al
ready made will would pass over her
austere countenance.
But to the story! There were two
prominent families in the village who
had lived there since the very existence
OF the settlement, and with whom all
the best people craved to be connected
In some way. They were the Campbells
and the Prices, and Miss Priscilla, who
insists upon getting into print just as
IL she were a heroine, was one of the
most respected members of the latter
tribe. AS 1t has been limited before,
this is IN old-fashioned story, and has
genuine heroine, to wit, Mabel Camp
bell. OF course, there is hero, too,
whom the girls said was just too
sweet to live" and their mothers de-
clared that he was perfectly safe
young man, while the fathers and
brothers, though not going quite SO far,
had only good words to say of Charlie
Price, at your service.
Now the gentle reader or, as some
writers prefer.to say, the sfair reader"
has doubtless guessed the sequel.
Charlie was in love with Mabel, and
the wedding, though properly opposed
by the powers that were, was a natural
consequence. But where or when did
the yellow kitten come in? All in good
time, my friends.
The Campbells and the Prices had a
feud of long standing, originating in
the years gone by over the fence
boundary, each head of the family
claiming twelve feet more of ground
than the other considered his due. For
tunately this sfeud was conducted in a
quiet and perfectly lawful manner, and
poison, bowie knives and pistols did not
figure In 1t. But the feud was a posi-
tive one, notwithstanding. No Camp
bell or Price had ever been known to
shake hands, not even at church so.
cial, which Mrs. 'Lias Miller and Miss
Rebecca Slow denounced far and wide
as "onChristianlike." But in spite of
the dlsapproval Of many of their COM
mon friends, there was apparently no
chance of any Of the members making
up until-well, just before this story
Z was written.
The places adjoined, as the disputed
boundary line suggested; in fact the
whole village had grown up around
them, and what was once an old coun-
try lane where their gates stood, was
now a smart village street.
AS children, our hero and heroine had
several times displayed much contempt
for the family fuss, and had been seen
playing together. though often forcibly
separated by-.indignant parents with
threats of being sent supperless to bed
II the offense was repeated. Evidently
they had inherited none Of the iii feel
ing of theh. ancestors, which was
mighty unnatural, Miss Priscilla
thought, though, as she always said,
she blamed the mothers on both sides
who certainly had not inculcated the
proper spirit of righteous resentment
and unappeased wrath in their off,
spring
But when childhood was over, Mabel
Campbell was estranged by circum-
stance from Charlie Price as complete
ly as IL an ocean had been between
them instead of n paling fence. When
she was IS she came back from board
ing school and was pronounced old
enough for plcnics and socials, and
was, indeed. tile acknowledged belle of
the Young Peoples Pleasure Club, and
the favorite even Of matrons and spin
sters at sewing bees and Dorcas socie-
ties, and a perfect idol at home. She
was an only child, and the love that
seemed to overflow from father and
mother was expended upon innumer-
able pets. She had two fat YORKSHIRE
puppies, pug dog, parrot, and cat
who recently had added to the process
sion yellow kitten. of the story. This
small animal was up to mischief of all
kinds, and had the most exploring turn
of mind, for she was forever getting