Montpelier examiner. [volume] (Montpelier, Idaho) 1895-1937, 1907-07-05

he was particularly glad 10 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 1t stood, wooing him to its
arms, and in it-Pickham's expression
change; there, on it's sacred cushion,
lay huge Maltese cat!
Pickham disliked cats. "Scat!" he
said, sharply, with a fierce gesture.
The cat opened its 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 a little absurd. Surely. he ought
to be able to drive O 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 tours, gave a
/ tremendous bunch to its back and |
| such a cape that Pickham shivered 1
/ and stretched itself full length on its
side on the big Turkish rug, wh.--o the |
end of it's tail tapped lazily f. few
seconds before 1t dropped (. The
cat was asleep.
/ Pickham rammed his h. is into his
pockets and glared dow at the cat.
Regarded simply as It. the animal
was not objectionabl Its fur was
smooth and silky; had plump,
well-fed, prosperous air; moreover; in
it's present position Pickham calculat-
ed that it was over yard long. He
would rat have taken up 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 mred
into the corridor. Pickham gazed
down at the Gait was magnificent
specimen-and something seemed to
stir within him at the suggestion of
companionship.
Pickham was In his thirties, and
had spent the last 10 years in build
; ing up a profitable business; 1t 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 a sudden pang of loneliness.
He glanced about his comfortable
= bachelor quarters, and they struck
f him for the first time as rather
dreary. The furniture seemed angular
hoo flnkA off WA n
interior decorators exhibit in a shop
t window He wondered how it would
n seem to have a workbasket on the
severe library table, or a woman's
J cloak that hung on . peg In the din
c ing-room where he took his meals
6 Just back of its owner, who sat op
posite to him. He remembered that
one rainy day he had come upon the
It owner hurrying along without an UNI
- brella and had escorted her under his
to the dining-room. He flushed lit
:. tie, thinking how he had taken 1t al
% as a matter of course Since then she
had never slipped into her seat a
breakfast without a little blush ant
a shy good morning. Pfckham sud
denly reflected. that he would mis-
10 that good morning.
10 Just here something rubbed agains
4 Pickham,s trousers-1eg. He glance'
down. The cat had walked up at last
III and was evidently trying to attrac
~ his attention.
re Pickham's feeling toward the ca
being a good deal softened, he said
Poor pussy" and hopefully opene
q the hall door. The cat did not bulge
q. | 1t merely lay back its head and eric
New" with somewhat strenuou
- pitch. Pickham left the door ope
OF and walked slowly back to the ca
ed who sat down. curved its tail aroun
- its forepaws and gazed steadily an
M expectantly at Pickham. II had a
n. the repose and dignity of an assure
social position, and Pickham a1mos
- blushed to think that he should hav
." said ''Scat!" to such a gentleman
on animal. Nevertheless 1t was plat
en- that the cat was not to be trifled witt
=. and as Pickham gazed down at 1t i
90 resolutely, the cat stood up, CAV
pie Pickham a severe glance. and agai
cried "Mew!'-this time with shaI
imperiousness; and not deignin
hes further remarks walked over to IL
'en closet door.
ere A light dawned upon Pickham:
:, opened the closet and took u jar
milk from the little refrigerator, ar
pouring a saucerful. set it down I
rec the cat, who Tapped II up expedition
J., ~. When the last drop was gone, Il
cat purred contentedly, and as Pic
ege ham stopped to take up the sauc
les the cat rolled over on its back an
stretching out its head, intimated.