The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1906-09-21

The most characteristic feature OF
Mrs. Roswell's countenance was the
deep, bow-shaped line that indented
her forehead just above the bridge OF
her not at all remarkable nose.
Her maiden sister, Georslana
Keith, bore the same distinguishing
mark, and it was likewise reprcduc-
ed, in slighter degree, on the youth
full brows of Mrs. RoswelPs two
daughters, Elizabeth and Dorothea,
All four were what Mr.. Roswell call
ed born workers." and Mr.. Ros-
wells name for the bow-shaped mark
was Mother Keith's anxious puck
err" because his mother-in-law pos
sessed the deepest anxious quicker
of all, since hers was the monument
of seventy years OF unmitigated wor-
rying.
Yet at the time of this tale Mrs.
Roswell was certainly the most ac>
tive worrier of the entire quintet. 1t
was that little womans habit to Wor-
~ for three months about the spring
housekeeping, and actually to ac-
complish the dreaded task in less
than three weeks. She worried for
two nights and a day over the con-
cocting of cake that really required
less than half an hour for the bak-
Sng. She worried for weeks over DIS
charging a cook. when the actual
deed could be accomplished in rather
less than two minutes.
Nov, Mary" Mr. Roswell said on
one occasion, when his wife confess
ed that she had worried all night
over the problem of using up an oy-
enlarge roast of beef, you've been
in a bigger stew for twenty-four
hours than you can ever hope to
make of that meat. If you can't get it
off your mind any other way, you'd
better go downstairs at once and put
1t ON the stove-or in it. You do
enough worrying over managing this
one small household to run all the
affairs of this country, and Russia be-
sides"
81 know it's foolish Mrs. Roswell
had replied, "and l don't mean to
worry, but / can't help doing it."
Why a certain lean, homeless, ne
elected half-grown cat with a tremen-
dous craving for human sympathy
should have selected the Roswell cot.
tage for a permanent home is one of
the things that are past finding oIt.
Mrs. Roswell, her mother, her sister
Georgiana and her two daughters had
always felt that they had enough to
worry about without acquiring cat.
But the Roswells had nothing to
say about it. The cat claimed them
as his own, and refused to give them
up. He was not prepossessing pus-
sy. His fur was dingy and matted,
. his paws were stained with mud, and
his long, extremely slender tail, had
a curious spiral twist some inches
from the tapering end.
But never was there a more loving,
more demonstrative cat. Henry, as
they finally called him, cuddled in all
the Roswell laps, leaped to all the
FRoswell shoulders, twined himself
tenderly about all the Roswell ankles.
The affection, however, was all on
Henrys side. No neat and tidy Ros-
we'll could bring either himself or
herself to the caressing of such a
decidedly unkempt c-oature.
Dear me-" said Mrs. Roswell,
that cat is so dreadfully grimy that
it isn't possible to tell what e. Tor he
is. He must have lived in somebody's
coal-bin before he ciame to u.s."
''He has licked one leg quite clean, .
said Elizabeth, dislGdssing Henry from
her lap. HE seems to be yellow,
with a pinkish cast, like Aunt Geor-
giaHna's changeable silk waist"
Hes just the shade OF maple
frappe," observed Dorothea, hastily
tucktng her ankles under her to save