The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1909-03-06
THE RESIGNATION OF ALICIA

-Fido and Peter Strlding behind me
and pretending not to see each other
Il noticed with growing alarm that
Alicia's air of preoccupation grew
and grew, until at last, not being able
to stand it any longer, I suddenly
asked, Everybody we'll :"
"Why, George !" exclaimed Alicia,
"Why, George, what a strange ques-
ton p
And Alicia looked at me reproving-
iv, while I noticed with new alarm
that she had discarded the little white
| frill that she usually wears round her
neck, and that instead of her Gus
tomary pompadour, her hair was
combed back and parted on one side !!
Whereupon, not knowing what else
to do, sought to cover my confusion
by giving Fido bit of meat, which
he proceeded to eat with such an air
of superiority and distain at Our other
pet, that Peter, looking inexpressibly
piratical, made leap, snatched Fido' S
| morsel, and made his exultant way to
safety behind Our kitchen range.
Whatever is the matter with Fido
and Peter?" I cried, quite aghast at
such scandalous behavior.
"Pay attention to them, George"
said Alicia. "They have been that
way ever since 1 returned"
"Returned?" l asked. Returned,
Alicia"
eyes," said Alicia. "From So
ciety."
"From the society 7"
eyes, the society. And I was elect
ed secretary p
Peter, having finished his meat be-
hind the range, came out from his re-
treat, and sitting on the threshold of
the dining room, in plain view of us
all, fixed a blank look on Fido, and
began to make his toilet with every
appearance of happy cat who had
had his dinner and is thankful.
Fido, seeing this hateful sight,
wrinkled his nose and worked him
self into temper, punctuating the
rumbling of his thunder by smart
clap of barking every time Peter
heightened his arm and drew his paw
round the back of his neck.
Peter, seeing that this item of his
toilet was particularly irritating to
Fido, broke forth in his loudest song,
and gave all his time and attention to
washing the back of his neck. And
the more Peter washed the louder
Fido barked; and the louder Fido
barked, the more violently did Peter
wash until 1 reached down at last
to take Peter by the scruff, as a pre-
paratory step to dropping him out
into the night, at the same time CIV
ing Fido sympathetic and reassur-
ing glance.
1 had immediate cause for regret
ting that glance, because the moment
I took my eyes off Peter be ceased his
ablutions, stood up like bear, reach
ed for my descending and unconscious
hand, clawed it, waved his tail, cir.
cled the room, feinted at Fido, and
slipped through the door and up the
stairs with such an insulting ease that
could not help but remark
"Drat that cat ~
"Why, George !" cried Alicia.
"Why, George !'
l hung my head in shame.
"And didn't hear you use that
same slangy word this morning when
you cut yourself!" continued Alicia,
with touch of her old-time spirit.
I had my face behind the table fern,
and could only preserve silence until
aroused at last by gesture over the
fern dish. 1 looked up and followed
Alicia's finger as it pointed to her lit
tie windmill bank that stands upon
the corner of our sideboard.
Every time you use that word
again you must put quarter in the
bank" said Alicia. "And 1 will
keep it for the society +; we're out ol
funds"
A week passed, and Alicia still
combed her hair back, and was sc
strict and digni6ed with the pets thai
Fido spent his evenings in n-sighs and
mournfulness.
AS for Peter, that independent cal
stayed away altogether, and his his
tory became fragmentary. He wa:
heard of one day as fighting strange
dog, and seen few days later limp
ing along rakishly on three legs and
caring not for any man."
"Why, George p said Alicia, one
night. "You haven't put single
quarter in yet !"
NO." 1 answered proudly, mo-
one p
Whereupon Alicia looking some
what dubious, ratified the empty bank