The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1910-09-26
THE OFFICE CAT
BY TEMPLE BAILEY.

machine Every morning s,s upon MISS s staley as
hTS Sst and later os
nierco,r.a was the beginning and the end OF theis
II Vas ars The Judge was very busy man ana
n gave exasperated attention Expertness s ,n
the human Ia. Hence the first time he saw
of q shock 'S s'aiey II came as something
as far has, feedng the Office cat That forlorn feline
traa,t Pooled reproaeh the community There was
living was sne lived by catching But such
a ABOUT lean and lank. and somewhat nIaintva On
cs but in cold weather cnrsd herself apoo9s
ject always to a sh IN corner of the hail. sub
bo oday, however things were changed There wa.
cur had BEEN 1 on Miss staleys and her sponge
ee sat ate the little ady Watehes
ing OF her slender figure which made he. rec *
h Time to the judges eyes exquisitey feminine
vbi Inc Judges post of observation was his window
@ looked across arshaft into Miss saiey.s small
nobbed WITH a typewriter and great oak desk hob
IN moved by a sudden impulse he raised his Windows
~ no,i IS' and the girl came blushng to hers
- couldn't help it,, she confessed across the sna
sn nSvh rs such ,, poor little creature
demanded d'an Tvs some Of Us men think of M the judge
We s srt men mare are so busy" her defense
do so b oat IT. woman-oh. it's womans privilege ia
Fhe Judge liked that So many wo,,sr NJ h,a ou,r
pa sion na 70 nave forgotten the claims
mother a and al bs times the Judge remembering his
n Ire eVlaehce OF brooding tenderness
girl Yet here Miss stsley looking after distress
ca animal as his lady mother would have done
aee S II and making bed it in a paper box:
and saying as that woman would have said thar
r,an were too busy and that this "a woman's
- He thought about it much after he left the ONCE
tnat the next day Miss Staley surprised by large
parcel upon the delivery which Judge came over
to make explanations ~ -
In keeping with the of the furniture"
u NAG CHOSEN It OF sober brown wicker and there
weekly. ~ AN "~sNo1
oh Pussykin Pussykin.. Miss stslev re,o,cea -vou
VIII To do witt %
, sut heT eyes were shining she thanked him "Now
she can keep her fur white. 1t IL hard for her, poor
thns when there are many ashes."
me screen made such effective hiding place that
no one but the Judge Mics staey knew Of the
good fortune that had the once eat 1t FUR
nished them. too with little delightful
bachelor life freshness was a relief from the
seemed to satisfy his club-feows
reverence for women had been nstied into tina
3uoge oy his mother but he had found who had
OF Miss stalsys nature He had to about it slowly.
relations The only subject which he dared discuss
with, With her Informally was the office cat Never did
q daily occurrence for the judge to step in and say
eee sxpshss me put her err, mix on the
foods and Furnished fresh supplies Of cat
her place beside the pot pansiss ON Miss sialeya
WINDOW. shs was JOY TO behold.
Miss staley in for diotaton Judge saw that
her usual self possession had forSakan her He
Erans her hands and said. wssfuly, like child. 'oh.
How" .Lw this .adse sat you aons mean.
Yes do I haven't ssen her for two days. Ths
II heard him beating his boy again would repors
him aw to the -, police Ice. ..,.. Co.,. -, -
The jantor after much compusion. admitted thai
he had carried the cat to the edge of city and
had dropped her near the ash dump ~she MINE.
Il will get you another cat" the way the judge
tried TO comfort Miss staley,
But Mias stslsy shook her head. "Oh. no. you
cause she was alone and nobody seemed to for
her and since came here-among strangers-I know
Then. lest should seem to claim his sympathy,
she turned It of with "a little laugh. But have
AS If that suaiced" the Judge soiaoquized. when
she had LEFT him. Why what she needs is-ove-"
The audiences OF the revelation brought him up
you mustn't think Of such thing. know"
Bur he did think OF it. and the outcome invi-
in his hunt for the Office Under OF
sne Miss Staey consented Iney did nos
lived wv ''~ '''''N ',''''S'
During second search the judge discovered that
he had the joy of buying her bunch of viole,s
Il am busy and am afraid it's of to look
further" she said.
The Judge wasted the next day in meditation. and.
having come to decision. he went back late to his
office to look a that coming the next
the hall unmistakabls NEW"
s.aisy's portal shverins sore crea-
ture who dragged herself TO him the stone floor.
why, Pussykln, Pussykin,' he said, and petted hef
carried her back his office. and made her oom-
Portable beside his radiator Then he telephoned
the corner lunch room for a bottle of milk box
OF fried oysters and they had their late supper together
happily.
The rapture of Miss Staley the morning
his reward But he not content to let It end
there We've got to plan 1T out. he said firmly and
shut the door Of Miss Staeys sanctum. and down
and faced her, while the regenersted Pussykn purred
at their feet THAT can't heret isn't really
businesslike, you know"
Il know" Miss Staley's deprecatng. But
live In boarding house. and
II DON'T said the judge.
You mean he glance met his that you want
herr"
81 both of you" the Judge declared tlunty:
my house is empty. and my heart Is empty-Marga-
ret"
When they planned their wedding journey the Judge
suggested England in general and Cheshire in par.
ticular
Because of the cheese?" Miss Staieys de-
mand.
Because the cats" the whimsical response.
So away they went and they not missed greatly
by Pussykn, who absorbed In raising snowy
family in unparalleled and opulence.