The Camden chronicle. (Camden, Tenn.) 1890-current, 1905-02-03

Polly had recovered her equanimity
and was slowly winding the ball of
worsted toward her. The cat was
watching it coyly, but fascinated.
He won't run after it," said Polly,
IF 1t Is too easy to reach"
"Oh, | see," / remarked. HE feels
about it as fellow does when he
knows a girl is sitting up in the draw
ing room waiting for him."
yes; or when she visits his sister,
or drops in at his Office for a chat, or
makes him sofa pillows, Or"
"Or, in fact, bats her hook and
doesn't hide it."
Exactly" said Polly; land that's
why l often do this
DO what?"
Draw the string the other way"
said Polly, as she watched the cat
chasing the bright-colored worsted
ball. Perhaps you have noticed it,"
Il haven't" I observed coldly.
"And yet" said Polly, gazing dream
lily at the cat, you have been whole
hours and hours getting kiss, and
whole weeks waiting to know whether
or not was going to accept your in
vitation, and whole year doubling
-
"And all the time, Polly Lee" said
|, putting down my cigarette and gaz-
ing at her reproachfully, you had
your mind made up!"
Yes said Polly, smiling at the ex-
cited cat through half-closed lids, "but
a lady's fayors are like the worsted
ball-only valuable when hard to get"
Nonsense" said l. 81 once knew
a girl who hid her light under a
bushel and now she's forty and she
is still paying her own gas bill"
Polly looked at me through droop-
ing lashes.
Il didn't hide the worsted ball un-
der the sofa pillow" she said softly.
1T isn't necessary to wear brown
crash skirts instead of chiffon ruff1es,
nor common-sense heels instead of
French ones, nor to forget to curl
your hair or powder your nose in or
der to prove your Indifference to
man. 1t is not the kind of Indifference
which makes a woman yawn in a
mans face that fascinates him, but the
kind which takes her out occasionally
on the evenings when she knows he
will call; the kind that is born Of an
interest in something or somebody
else besides the man; the kind that
never discourages him, but always
keeps him doubling; the kind that the
fisherman practices, when he bats hin
hook and then let's the line hang limp
ly and apparently unnoticed at his
sidei the kind"
Look out, Polly!" exclaimed as,
the playful cat crouched for a spring,
Il was perfectly prepared" said she
as he landed full tilt in the very midst
of set of chiffon ruffies. Dear ola
fellow! How he loves rrffies.
That's masculine, at any rate" said
and sugar." said Polly, picking
violet bonbon out of the box | had
brought, and feeding it to the brute.
Maybe he'd like green one too"
said l, fishing out pistachio cream.
mo, MOI" cried Polly. mot any
more. He has had quite enough.
'Why?" said l. Hes got nine
lives
But only one stomach" said Polly.
Besides, like everything else mascu-
line, he is more difficult to hold than
to catch. Now, if l should feed him
too much sugar.
COR rub his fur the wrong way" I
broke in.
"Or hold him too tight"
"Or nag him."
why he'd simply go scudding off to
more attractive ruffles," l agreed
Naughty Tommy" said Polly,
shaking her finger at the cat, who was
shifting wistfully at the candy box,
why won't you be satisfied One is
enough for you
"One would be enough for me-" |
said, softly, getting up from the arm
chair and going over to the divan;
"just one"
"Sh!" sad Polly, go away, You're
frightening him."
"And l wouldn't beg for any more"
/ pleaded, sitting down as near Polly
as the cat would permit me.
DON'T" exclaimed Polly; you
I reached over and smoothed the
cat.
Never mind, old fellow" said I;
she's only pulling the ball of worsted
away from us"
"Mr. Heavyfeather!"
"And she'll give us both the sugar
after awhile"
"Mr. Heavyfeather. will you kindly
go away while l have this cat in my
lap?"