The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1902-10-31
ANN MlLLET'S CAT.

ANN MILLET'S CAT.
There were no clouds in the whole sky
except few bleak, violet-colored ones in
the west. Between them the sky showed
clear, cold yellow. The air was very
still, and the trees stood out distinctly.
''Ihar's goin' to be heavy frost, sure
enough" said Ann Millet t'l'll hev to git
the squasncs M
She stood in the door, surveying the
look outside as she said this. Then she
went in, and presently emerged with a
little black shawl pinned closely over her
head, and began work.
This was white painted house, with a
door and one window in front, and lit
tie piazza, over which the roof iutted,
and on which the kitchen door opened OH
the rear corner. The squashes were piled
up on this piazza in a great yellow and
green heap.
"A splendid lot they air." said Ann.
I'D orter to be thankful" Ann always
spoke of her obligation to duty, and
never seemed to think of herself as per-
forming the duty itself. a, I'D orter be
thankful" said she always. II :
Her shawl, pinned: closely over her hair
and ears showed the small oval of her
tace. The greater part of it seemed to be
taken up by heavy forehead, from un-
der which her deep set blue eyes looked
with a strange, solemn expression. She
looked alike at eSerything,' the clear sky
and the: squashes, seberly and solelnnly.
This expression, taken in connection
with her: little delicate old face, had
something almost uncanny about it.
Some people complained of feeling nerv-
Gus when Ann looked at them. >, .
'Thar's Mis- Stone COMM" said she.
"Hope to- goodness she won't stop an
hinder me. Lor' sakes! I'd orter hev
more patience"
A tall, STOPPING figure came up the
street, and paused at her gate hesitat-
ing]y.
Good evenin', Ann"
Good evenin', Miss Stone. Come in.
won't ye?"
Mrs. Stone came in the gate, and
walked up to the piazza, and stopped.
"Gettin' in your sGuashes, amt your
Eyes. l didn't dare risk 'em out to-
night, it's SO cold. left 'em out last
year, an they got touched, an it about
spoiled 'em.''
''Wcll. I should be kinder afraid to risk
'em, it's a good deal colder than I had
any idea of when came out. I thought
I'd run over to Mis- Maxwelps minute,
SO jest clapped on this head tie an this
little cape over my shoulders, an I'm
chilled clean through. don't know but
I've TUX cold. Yes; I'd take 'em in. We
got ourn in last week, such as they was.
We amt got more'n half as many as you
Eev. shouldn't think you could use 'em
all, Ann"
We'll, I do. I alters liked squashes,
an Willy likes 'em too. You'd orter see
him brush round me, a-roundin' up his
back an purrin' when Pm a-scrapin' of
EN- out of the shell. He likes 'em bet
teri fresh meat.
Seems queer for cat to like sech
things. Ourn won't touch 'em; he's aw-
full dainty. How nice an big you cat
looks a-settin' thar in the window!"
"de a-watchin' of me. He jumped up
thar jest the minute come out"
He's good deal of company fur you,
amt he?''
'Yes, he is. WHAT on airth I Should do
his long winter that's comm, without
him, I don't know. Everybody wants
somethin' that's alive in the house."
THAT'S so. It must be pretty lone
some for you anyway. Ruth an me
often speak of it, when we look over
here, specially in the winter season, some
OF them awful stormy. nights we hev."
"Well l don't mean to complain; any
way, I'd orter be thankful. Pve got my
Bible an Willy, an a roof over my head,
an enough to eat an wear; an good
many folks hev to be alone, as fur as
other folks is concerned, on this airth.
An perhaps some other woman amt
lonesome because am, an maybe she'd
be one of the kind that don't like cats.
an wouldn't hev got along half as we'll
as me. No; I've got good many mer-
cies to be thankful fur-more'n I kin
count, an more'n I deserve. l never
orter complaint
WELL if all of us looked at our mercies
more'n our trials, we'd be good deal
happier. But, sakes! I must be goin'.
I'm catchin' cold, an Pm hinderin' YOU.
It's supper time, too You've got some
thin cookin' in the house that smells
good"
Yes: it's some stewed termarter. I
pepper on sech a night as this
'0A. oouCtuAA VI C1ldL k1uO Is QOOd.
Good night, Ann"
Good night, Mis- Stone. Coin t.,
meetin' tonight?"
Pm goin' eff Ruth don't. One of us
has to stay w1h the children, you know.
Good night"
Mrs. Stone had spoken in very high
pitched tone all the while. Ann was
somewhat deaf. She had spoken loudly
and shrilly too; so there was a sudden
lull, and one could hear a cricket chirpine
somewhere about the door.
Mrs. Stone, pulling her tiny drab cape
tighter across her STOPPING, rounded
shoulders, hitched rapidly down the
street to her home, which stood on the
opposite side, a little below AIMS, and
Ann went on tugging in her squashes.
I'm glad she's gone,' she muttered,
looking after Mrs. Stones retreating fig
ure. L didn't know how to be rendered
minute: I'd orter hev more patience"
She had to carry in the squashes one at
a, time. She was a little woman, and al