The suburban citizen., 1901-10-26

] hAAls eAABAA NNPANeeANAAs AAN 81 NNAN
me as being cynical and without any
particular interest in life. About two
months after George and his mistress
came TO live with us q change came
over the cat. His manner grew more
lively and animated and he slept much
less Miss Mullen noticed this. too,
! and remarked that she guessed the
change of air had done him good. 1t
was a week later that 1 discovered
what was going on.
Our next nelghbor each morning
threw out crumbs for the birds. This
was q very reprehensible practice, in
Miss Mullen's opinion. and she de.
nounced the neighbor unsparingly.
One morning l stood at an open win
dow when the sparrows were having
their breakfast. Suddenly there was
n violent commotion among them. l
looked, and there was George with a
sparrow in his mouth
"Why, Georger exclaimed in sur
prise, remembering his vegetarian
bringing up. He heard and looked at
me with a guilty appealing expression
! on his face.
In spite Of my half-joSing cham
plonship Of P0sscr Domesticus l did
not like the birds much better than did
Miss Mullen, so L quite approved Of
the good work George was dong. What
is more, I did my best TO keep bis Sc
crCt, conniving at his guilt, and get
ting Miss Mullen to do something in
another part OF the house during the
hour for Georges morning sparrow
After he had been ont a little while
he would come briskly in, sit down in
the sun and wash his face, purrlng
loudly. 1t sometimes happened that
he did not succeed in catching a spar
row, and then he would be cross, the
black imperial giving an added stern
ness to his countenance. think he
appreciated the fact that there was a
secret between US.
One afternoon Miss Mullen had 4
caller, gentleman, and induced her
TO make him stay to tea. The rest Of
the family happened to be away, so
we three sat ut the table together. Mr..
Coleman was a pleasant man, and as
looked at him | had a feeling that
had seen him somewhere before. rat
length it dawned upon me that he was
George OF the tintype. though he did
not wear an imperial now. My deci-
sion was confirmed when George the
cat came in.
This is my cat, Tommy, Nh Cole.
man." Miss Mullen said, and she gave
me a defiant look. Several times she
spoke to the cat and called him Tom
my, and 1 could but admire her abil-
ity to remember his new name. Mr..
Coleman took but little interest in the
cat, but at length he showed Miss Mul-
len picture Of his dog.
ooh, she's a smart little dog, Midget
is, he said proudly.
Miss Mullen passed the card to me-
"They always make me think of a
linty dishcloth, poodles do" she said.
1T is a. very fine photograph"
said. 1T must be professional work, 4"
4 and l turned 1t over TO see the photo
grapher's name. Across the back was
written, Flora. Taken Jan. is, '9S"
AS handed the picture back to its
owner his eyes met mine, and his face
said MS plainly as IL he had spoken,
Don't give me away"
"There Is some mystery here" 1 told
myself, and the next day l said to Miss
Mullen, 1T Is funny, 1 don't know
your first name
| gg ell,
lover liked It,"
Once, when something was said
about Mr.. Coleman, she blushed q lit
tie, and said, 1--WE used to be pretty
good friends, but we had a serious
quarrel, and for years we did not
speak to each other"
For several weeks I went around
9th the three secrets--George's, Mr..
Coleman's and Miss Mullen's-heayy
on my mind then one OF them slipped
from me. Miss Mullen saw George
catch a sparrow. l shall never forget
: the expression on her face and the
; struggle that / could see going on
there-the sorrow and dsmay at
, Georges crime and the fierce exulta-
81 tion at the death of Passer DOmesti.
Gus.
? "Oh, George" she cried in a low
, tone OF remonstrance. Il am sur
( prised at you. What shall do to you?
: You ought to be punished, but It would
t not do any good" A pause, while her
p eyes were full Of reproach, then she
5 said sayagely, "The abomnable little
{ pests ought to be killed, and IL you
I don't do anything worse than catch
10 them l won't say word" In a mo-
| ment more, with feminine inconslst.
l ency, she said pitfully, "Oh, the poor
t little birdP
Q Mr. Coleman called at our house Of.
t ten after that first time, and once he
/ said to me, "When I've been here and
e then 90 home it does seem lonesome
TO have nobody but dog waiting for
r me; though Midget does the best she
( knows how, suppose"
s 1t was after Miss Mullen found ont
D Georges secret that she seemed n lit
t tie troubled and unhappy in Mr.. Cole.
4 mans presence. At length, one even.