Windham County reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1901-1906, 1902-10-03
Nv
BY CECILY ALLEN

street in a manner so capable that he
boarders regarded her in the light of {
genius and spoke with scorn of bach
elor apartments and furnished flats
Her name is irrelevant and inmate
rial.
Her daughter was fair positively, fa1
negatively and at least twenty years
on the right side of forty. She pre-
sided with admirable tact over the long
table in the dining room, dispensing
the culinary triumphs Of her mother.
Her name was Kathleen.
Dangler, who held a post in the NJ. Il.
and A. freight offices and went in for
athletics was in love with Kathleen
and invested in a tandem on the in
stallment plan. Seward, hoorwalker
in the silk department of 1.-THE Fair"
had similar cardiac afflicti1h and
showered the object of his affection
with the latest editions from the book
department, purchased at the custom
airy discount allowed clerks at 1.-THE
Fair"
The situation was rapidly becoming
tense, and betting on the outcome
among the remainder and less inter-
ested quota of boarders was about
even when Jim appeared on the scene.
He arrived in the dining room one
night, doing in Dangler's arms.
Miss Kathleen" remarked the atm
letic young man in his most confident
tone, II know you won't turn this poor
doggie ont to Craze on concrete and
asphalt. | came up with him wander
ing disconsolately In the freightyards.
III wager he's somebody's pet. He's
so slick and well fed. His owner will
probably turn up in the Lost and
Found column tomorrow"
Miss Kathleen promptly relieved Dan
gler of his burden and petted the i'm
passive animal as only a woman can.
This plainly annoyed Seward, and as
Dangler rushed off to prepare for din
ner his rival glared unreasonably at
his unoffending soup plate.
But it was the little woman who
taught a sewing class at the settle
ment, read Thomas a Kempis and alb
horred Sunday newspapers who dis
covered the ad. in the Evening Herald:
LOST.-A pug dog. answering to the
name of Jim; fat and slightly asthmatic
finder treat him kindly, as he is an old
family pet; liberal reward. Marsden. l70l
Green street. Telephone 7s6-A.
AS she finished reading seventeen
voices simultaneously exclaimed Jim"
and the pug, now comfortably en-
sconced on the ruffie of Kathleens
gown, uncurled himself, licked his
chops suggestively and wheezed asth-
matically.
DANGER shot a triumphant look at
Seward and remarked:
Il tell you what, Miss Kathleen-Ill
telephone old Marsden right after din
ner, and when he comes after the pup
you claim the reward. Marsden's rich,
and it ought to be worth a couple
pounds of candy anyhow"
Half an hour later Dangler returned
from the telephone booth in triumph (
Most of the boarders We're either in the
parlor or chatting in the dim entry.
Say, folks. maybe you think the old
couldn't come down tonight and
trust one of the servants, SO
would we keep Jim till tomorrow morn
ing He'll surely be here by 10. And,
by the way Miss Kathleen, he says
the pups getting old. and if he doesn't
have a pillow to sleep on he'll-hell
snore. And he can't eat meat unless
It's cut very fine"
Kathleen. with visions of candy
dancing before her pretty eyes, car.
led Jim off to the kitchen and person
lily prepared delectable supper for
he weary canine, after which the an
.idote for snoring was speedily pro-
luced.
That was Saturday night. 1t was
how prompt the boarders
III We're for Sunday morning break
asst. Seward, who seldom appeared
Until noon, was first at the table, calm.
DOL and pale, in a satin quilted smok-
ne jacket. Miss Ainsley, the lady re
'orter. who worked until a heathenish
Iour each Saturday night was next.
n fact, every one seemed on tiptoe
With curiosity, though Jim and the
eward were never mentioned during
be breakfast hour.
1t was singular, too, how the board.
RS, who usually spent Sunday morn
1g in their rooms. fingered in the par
Or. Seward, holding the morning pa.
er at most peculiar angle, held the
ONT of vantage in the bay window.
he little woman who went in for set.
ement work clasped her prayer book !
ervously and wondered if ''he" would
ONE before time for her to start for
hurch Dangler got no further in his
for his usual morning
pin awheel than TO don his snowy
.hite sweater with glowing crimson
ands Conversation languished.
Suddenly Seward dropped the paper
nd exclaimed:
Here he comes"
The moment was tense with excite
ent. The bell pealed shrilly, and
athleen cried nervously:
"Oh, dear! Who's going to talk to
m? can't
DANGER looked uncomfortable. Then
: caught the eye of the lady reporter.
e smiled in relief.
You'll do it, won't you, Miss Aims
Y? You reporters have all kinds of
,rve. You'll know Just how TO tackle
e old gentleman"
Before the lady reporter could pro =