Charlevoix county herald. (East Jordan, Mich.) 189?-1953, 1907-12-14

| lad little more than 20.
After graduating from - univer-
sity, studied law, and at the time
of which l write-thanks to an I'M
usual amount of influence, my dear
fathers name enabled me to COM
mand, and my own logged persever-
ance-was fast acquiring large eli
entage and quite an enviable reputa-
ton.
1t was toward the end of the Sec
ond summer after her return that we
first became acquainted with DICK.
He came in one evening with our
friend and neighbor, George Morris,
who had several times expressed de-
sire to introduce him to us.
An unusually handsome fellow he
was, with strong, well knit figure
and pleasant, if somewhat restless
dark eyes; and though, as we came to
know him better, he developed some
strange but rather irritating eccen-
tricities of character, he was in the
main true hearted and generous spir-
tied.
From the first evening Of their ac-
quaintance, his admiration for my
beautiful sister was apparent; and he
soon become one of our most fire.
quent and welcome visitors.
OF Dicks antecedents | knew moth
ing then. He never spoke of his past,
and what knowledge l have Of his
life before we knew him, came to me
long afterward unsought. On one oc-
casion l confess my curiosity was
aroused, and l most sincerely wished
he could have been more communisa-
tive about himself
l have said that Dick possessed
some irritating and singular traits of
character. One of them was a most
violent antipathy to CATS an antip-
athy so intense and morbid, that it
seemed an instinct, and was beyond
his control.
1t was but week before the end,
when, one afternoon, having taken
longer tramp than usual 1--WE were
fond of walking and many and many
a mile have we trudged together),
and feeling rather tired of the glare
we were beginning to long intensely
for drink of water and cool place
to rest We looked for a spring, but
could find none. Our search brought
us to little cottage nestled among
some naples and almost covered with
honeysuckles. The very place for
tired man to rest and be refreshed.
will ~, fSxp
some water l suggested, and Dick
offering no objections, l knocked at
the door. 1t was quickly opened by
kindly smiling old woman, who, when
she heard what we wanted, Hospitality
ushered us in to the darkened parlor
and babe us be seated until she re-
turned with some refreshments.
Dick threw himself on the sofa,
while | seated myself at the open
window. Presently from the next
room, whittier she had gone, presum-
eddy to prepare the promised repast,
we heard our kind old hostess say:
Pussy, pussy"
Meow" came plaintively from the
other room; and before l could inter
pose Dick sprang madly through the
half open door. There was a shrek,
an agonized cry, and as ! reached the
doorway ! saw Dick, now utterly be-
side himself with passion, fling cats
lifeless body from him and, in spite of
the angry remonstrance of the old wo-
man, and my own stern and indignant
protests, take from a box nearby a
kitten, and mercilessly kill it before
our eyes. All this was done in an in
slant My feelings Of horror and re-
gret at this exhibition of ungovernable
passion, as well as for the poor old
woman's evident grief at the loss Of
her pets, battles description. Overcoms
by anger and indignation at his con-
duct, | sprang upon Dick. Grasping
him by the throat, / cried, You
brute!" and struck him-struck him
twice. He offered no resistance, but
stood looking at me with an express
sion of mingled reproach, sadness and
shame. Then he hurriedly left the
house.
We buried the well beloved cat and
! its kitten under grapevine in the
! garden. | dug the grave, and at the
poor old lady's request left a little
mound to mark the spot. This cere-
mony completed, | walked sadly home.
bordering on the strange infatuation
of my friend Dick.
AS / neared the house | saw Marian
seated on the piazza, looking cool and
! lovely in her white dress.
Back again, Roger?" she cried
where's Dick? He went with you,
/ didn't he?"
Then I told her what had happened
"The brute" she exclaimed with
flashing eyes. "He shall never enter
the house again"
There is SO much that is lovable
and generous in Dicks nature" said:
/