The Topeka state journal., 1910-08-05
THE EVENING STORY
With Cupid at the Bat.

With Cupid at the Bat.
GBy Catherine NJ. Patterson.l
Dan Cupid, once upon time, in search
of lille pleasure. sent pretty Phyllis
awandering in her Aunt James garden.
Here she strayed and there, he strayed
ending by and by just this side the
hedge that separated Aunt Gordon's
garden from that of neighbor Caroth-
ers.
Now, in that self-same yard a most
interesting game of ball had been in
progress for some time. Phyllis loved
baseball, both as a spectator and as
player, for at home with her brothers
she had learned to play the game and
play it well.
But that was a long time ago, she
thought with sigh, when she was a
child. Now she was young woman
and according to auntie version and in
depreciation those two words entailed
all sorts of dreadful things. One was
that Phyllis must give no thought what
ever to stray young men who happen
ed to be spending the summer in the
neighborhood, especially those various
-ephews who were visiting neighbor
Carothers
With the latter person Aunt Jane
was NOT on remarkably good terms at
the present. Exact cause? Various
disagreementS, plus occasional attempts
and neighbor Carothers' Pete, Of canine
descent, as the tdramatis personae.
Looking over the hedge. Phyllis,
possessed of an ardent desire to- stir
up something by way of varying the
lnOnotony, was debating whether or not
to bid her neighbors. or one of them
at least, a cheerful good evening the
next time he looked her way.
1T would be nothing more than
neighborly." she remarked to Tabby
,1Ad @Ix
Phyllia's white-shod feet, that were
just visible beneath the hem of he-
frock.
Tabby adored Phyllis. And Phyllis?
She tolerated Tabby and fed her an
occasional tidbit from her plate.
Just at this point the man whom
Phyllis hao decided was the best look
ing of her n ghbors, and he it was
who looked oftenest at that fair audi
ence of one, took his turn at the bat.
Determined to distinguish himself, he
gave mighty swing to his bat. Over
the hedge came the ball. After it, with
the skill of an athlete who could do the
high hurdles in no mean time, came
the batter.
Beg pardon" he said as he landed,
''have you seen my ba-' and here
he stopped short, with CONSERVATION
writ large upon his countehance.
What he saw was the girl, who but
a moment before had been an inter-
ested watcher of the ball game. seated
on the ground and rubbing a much
swollen instep. Beside her sat the ca-,
evidently also a participant in the ac-r
cident, as she was bestowing consider
able attention and much licking on an
injured paw.
Tabitha stopped in the performance
long enough, however, to favor the
cause of all the trouble with a splitting,
spluttering address that, had he been
able to translate it, might possibly
have made the mans blood run cold.
AS it was, his chief concern for the
moment was for the girl, and the cat
was unnoticed.
There's your ball." said Phyllis,
pointing to it. Should say did see It,
also felt it, with an unsuccessful at
tempt at a laugh.
"Oh, hang the ball. said the man,
too anxious and worried to be polite.
You're hurt, aren't you? And. by
Jupiter, so is the cat" he added, as he
looked at Tabby for the first time.
THAT is calamity
Sir said the now enraged Phyllis,
"do you put that miserable cat ahead
of me in Importance? Evidently you do.
and that being the case I presume I
should feel highly honored to think that
you favor me with any attention at
ALL"
Rising to her. feet with difficulty, not
deigning to see the hands held out to
her assistance she attempted mock
ing bow But the attempt ended in
moan of pain from Phyllis as she stag
gered and would have fallen had not
those despised arms caught and held
her while the cause Nof all the disturb
ance, now genuinely alarmed, bent
over the girl
seYou are more seriously hurt than I
thought" said the man. You will have
to let me carry you to the house, Miss
Karlton-"
DO you really think I'm damaged
more than Tabby?" asked Phyllis with
a wicked CLEAN in her eyes as she look
ed down at the cat who was limping
along just ahead of them. And by the
way she continued, "how do you hap
pen to know my name, Mr.. Mr-er-
Carothers, isn't it
sJohn Carofhers, at your service, he
said, between puffs, for Phyllis was not
exactly a featherweight and Aunt
James house was at the other end of
the garden. "As for your name,
knew that before you had been here a
day. And please don't say anything
more about that wretched cat 1t has
already stirred up quite enough trou-
bIe."
"You mean Pete, your uncle's dog.
has caused trouble enough said Miss
Karlton defiantly from Carothers' arms
s'I said, and 1 meant it, that your
aunt's cat has caused trouble enough,
contradicted Mr.. Carothers fatly.
s'Put me down. please" said Phyllis
haughtily.
II certainly shall. with pleasure,
when 1 get you into the house gasp
ed the heavily breathing Mr.. Caroth-
ers as he stumbled up the veranda
steps.
'sSir, you are rude"
"Mademoiselle, you are heavy! But
enough of this unpleasantness." OPEN
ing the screen door, getting himself
and his burden through with difficulty,
and letting the door swing to just in
time to catch the tip end of pussy's
tail as she hobb1ed painfully in. A
wall of anguish Immediately an
nounced a fresh calamity
suffering cats, what have I done
now ?. asked the startled Mr.. Caroth-
ers, almost dropping Phyllis s
That young woman suddenly burst
into hysterical laughter.
1s4f1a TIL oman he