The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1907-08-20

had been nard day at the once anu
he was particularly glad to get away
by himself He turned on the electric
light hung up his overcoat and hat,
while visions of his cushioned easy
chair beckoned him delightfully."-.
There it stood, wooing him to its
arms, and in it-Pickham's expression
change; there, on its sacred cushion,
lay huge Maltese cat!
Pickham disliked cats. "Scat!" he
said, sharply, with fierce gesture.
The cat opened it's sleepy eyes and
stared at him, rolled over on its back
and, after apparently trying to stand
on its head, went to sleep again.
1t was simple enough to call the
janitor, but Pickham felt that it would
be little absurd. Surely, he ought
to be able to drive a cat out OF his
room without calling for help! He
went softly up to the chair and reach
ing down took gingerly hold on two
corners of the loose cushion seat,
raised the corners and slid the cat
| to the floor. Scat" he said again.
The cat deigned one glance at Pick
ham, stood up on all fours, gave
tremendous bunch to its back and
such cape that Pickham shivered,
and stretched itself full length on its
side on the big Turkish rug, VIII. the
end of it's tail tapped lazily f. few
seconds before it dropped TT. The
cat was asleep.
Pickham rammed his he is into his
pockets and glared dow at the cat.
Regarded simply as 1T. the animal
was not objectionabl7. Its fur was
smooth and silky; had a plump,
well-fed, prosperous air; moreover; in
its present position Pickham calculat-
ed that it was over yard long. He
would rat have taken up a baby
than the cat-and he was not partial
| to babies
He turned the chair-cushion over,
to avoid possible hairs, and sat down.
The cat was doing no HARM at least;
and the simplest solution of the prob
lem seemed to be to wait for the cat
to wake up, when it might be lured
| into the corridor Pickham gazed
down at the cat-it was a magnificent
| specimen-and something seemed to
stir within him at the suggestion of
| companionship.
Pickham was in his thirties, and
had spent the last Is years in build
ing up a profitable business; it had
| been an absorbing occupation, and
neither cats nor women had taken his
| attention from it. Now, as he looked
at the contented cat, stretched out
| upon the rug, he suddenly began to
! feel domestic
nice girl on the other side of
the rug, with the cat between them
it really might be worth while. Pick
ham felt sudden pang of loneliness.
He glanced about his comfortable
bachelor quarters, and they struck
him for the first time as rather
dreary. The furniture seemed angular
and heavy; the effect was akin to an
interior decorators exhibit in a shop
window He wondered how it would
seem to have a workbasket on the
severe library table, or a woman's
cloak that hung on peg in the din
ing-room where he took his meals,
just back of it's owner, who sat op-
posite to him. He remembered that
one rainy day he had come upon the
owner hurrying along without an UNI
brella and had escorted her under his
to the dlning-room. He flushed a lit
tie, thinking how he had taken it all
as matter of course. Since then she
had never slipped into her seat at
breakfast without a little blush and
shy good morning" Pickham sud
denly reflected that he would miss
that good morning"
Just here something rubbed against
Pickham's trousersleg. He glanced
down. The cat had walked up at last.
and was evidently trying to attract
his attention.
Pickham's feeling toward the cat
being a good deal softened, he said:
Poor pussy" and hopefully opened
the hall door. The cat did not bulge;
it merely lay back it's head and cried
New with a somewhat strenuous
pitch. Pickham left the door open
and walked slowly back to the cat,
who sat down, curved its tail around
its forepaws and gazed steadily and
expectantly at Pickham. 1t had all
the repose and dignity of an assured
social position, and Pickham almost
blushed to think that he should have
said "Scatl" to such a gentlemanly
animal. Nevertheless 1t was plain
that the cat was not to be trifed with.
and as Pickham gazed down at it if.
resolutely, the cat stood up, gave
Pickham a severe glance, and again
cried "Mew!''-this time with sharn
imperiousness; and not deignins
further remarks walked over to the
] closet door
9 light dawned upon Pickham. no
{ opened the closet and took a Jar Of
milk from the little refrigerator. and
pouring a saucerful, set it down Inv
Q the cat, who Tapped it up expeditions.
i ly, When the last drop was gone the
!, cat purred contentedly, and as pick,
: ham stopped to take up the saucer
: the cat rolled over on its back and
stretching put tie had t~4s.-Aa