The Monticellonian., 1905-03-16
Miss Parkcr'S
 Lost Cat
MISS ANN MARIA PARKER, of
By CLARA AUGUSTA

MI lSS ANN MARIA PARKER, or 1 m Parsbury, kept a cat-a gray i Thomas cat, with white feet and face, and, as. Miss Parker was wont to ob- serve, "a very amiable expression of eountenance"
 Miss Parker was single lady of about 40-plump fair and generally at tractive, and in all probability she would have been somebody's wife long before if there had been anybody of the male persuasion in the vicinity who had not already a wife.
 But Parksbury had only three eligi- bIe men within it's precincts. Peter Hooper. who had only one eye and was doubled up like a jackknife with the rheumatism stood first on the list. Peter was a widower, and the first Mrs. Hooper had never done anything in all her life that pleased him until the day she bade him farewell and en- i joined it upon him to put a silver plate on her coffin. and be sure and have notice of her death in the Parksbury Chronicle stating that she was a good wife, and was much lamented by all her heart-broken friends. and had been an advance paying subscriber to the Chronicle for more than 90 years.
 Peters faith in woman was not very deep and there seemed little likeli hood that there would ever be a sec ond Mrs. Hooper.
 The second eligible man was homas Dunbar, and Thomas stuttered so bad ly that he had never been able 10 pro- pose to any lady. He had made sey- eral attempts to do so, but had never succeeded in getting through with the job in one day. and the next day his courage would be gone, and so he had never been made happy.
 Lastly. there was Jethro Turner, but Jethro had mother and seven sisters to support, so there was not much chance of his taking wife at present.
 Miss Parker had always lived in Parksbury. so you will understand that her chances for committing matri- mony had been exceedingly small.
 She lived alone with her cat, whose baptismal name was Dick. and was very strongly attached to the animal. which was not strange, seeeing he was all the family she had.
 One luckless day Dick failed to put in an appearance at dinner time Miss Parker was strongly exercised over his remissness. but eonsoled herself with the thought that there were rats in her neighbor ThompsOnS barn. and probably Dick was displaying a little strategy in capturing one of them for lunch. But when night came and Dick was still absent. her anxiety in creased. and she eeuld not knit on the gray stocking she was doing for the missionary society-her eyes were so full of water
 Morning dawned. and Dick came not
 Miss Parker put on her bonnet and jacket, and went round to all the neighbors barns and called him. and then she went to all the houses and inquired for him But nobody had set eyes on him.
 One of the neishbors suggested that perhaps he had gone over to the Han son place This farm had long been managed by an agent, and the house had stood vacant, but only a few days before it had been purchased by man by the name of Payson, and Payson had already taken possession.
 Across lots Miss Parker went at the top of her speed, and arrived at last within sight of the Payson domicile
 river ran a little distance from the house. and on the banks of the river Miss Parker espied portly gentleman. walking up and down. with bag in one hand and cane in the other
 And while she ga2ed, a very far off and pla.ntive me-ye-ow." was waited to her ears
 Tt is Dicks cry,' she exclaimed. frantically, and hes in that bag! And that dreadful old wretch is going to drown hint"
 Maddened by the thought she leaped forward and reaching the "old wretchs" side, she made dive for the bag. The man stood on the very edge of the river bank 10 10 15 feet above the water. and the footing was some what insecure. He slipped a stone gave way under his foot and he went over, bag and all. But there was