Pike County press. (Milford, Pa.) 1895-1925, 1910-07-01
Fluffy

ed pupils OF dof eyes gloNcu pflG0l
and round IN the moonlight. ana lsr
soft, downy FIR failed to conceal tie
gauntness Of her iank sides.
After a moment Fluffy droprsd
lightly to the top of the sianty, AID
then paused Galutily. The odor OF
the garbage cans was overpower.nz.
and the boards we're wet with dew.
She raised one little pink paw and
then the other. to stand on three fest
and consider the situation.
There was the Moatgomcry's back
yard. siv houses down the avenue. bit
that meant passing where thst awful
dog lived. Yet shere were lovely, hrn.
CRY smells from that direction. Ard
Fluffy felt perfectly sure that II she
only dared venture down the da,k
areaway and across the avenue Itself
there would be something GOOD 20 est
there. Perhaps even soue Of .re
sweet cream in q really ciean Saucer
that once Oh. such long time asol
fused to be Flufiy's whenever she
wanted II.
But an empty stomach is its own
sauce. and at last Fluffy clipped TO
the ground and proceeded to dina
from the things naics aud caeotakecs
had thrown away. For Fluffy was hum
CRY. She had tasted for t,ro d4ys be-
cause someone had been cars III
enough the night before to put the
covers on the cans.
It was not at all IN appetizing feast,
and it was not long before FLUFFY had
enough and was hsck Oh tSe feSce.
Through the whole OF her dainty, DIRT.
hating, cleanlinesg-lovirg disposition
Fluffy longed to sit right down then
and there and perform her toilet. bur
that would not be safe. so she t-ottea
along the fence top 20 the corner, ana
then to the bulkhead. The last fe~
feet were a dash Il n frealy OF fear
just as child VIII walH slowly
through a dark room and then run
desperately when near the door.
Through the tiny hoe Fluffy slip
ped, into the little hollow noxt the
damp earth, where she had made hei
home for, oh, such long, weary
timel
There was one pleasure left in life
Fluffy could dream OF those harpy
days as she sat with half-closed eye:
and delicately washed her face and
combed her fur. 1t used to be such fun
to do this, more like play than duty
but now Fluffy had to pause every few
minutes to rest.
That was partly because OF the lit
tie silver collar OF which Flaffy wai
once so proud. On it was engraved
ITO Fluffy from Alice" Alice wai
| Fiuffys mistress. II seemed such I
long time since everyone had beer
running around. putting things II
boxes and trunks. and then Flui.y hat
been put out of doors and everyone
had gone away.
II must be mistake somehow. Per
haps Fluffy was only dreaming ant
soon she would wake and find hersel
in Mistress Alice's lap. But Just thei
Fluffy did wake, and she was on tn
damp ground. There were some aw
full rumbles and crashes over he
head, and in an agony of fear Fluff,
dashed out through the little hole ant
tore away. It was bright day out
side, and some men in a team wer'
putting big black rocks into Ion!
thing, down which they rumbled an
clattered into the basement of tn
house.
d Fluffy didn't stop to watch. Witl
her tail standing up straight and ever
bit of the soft fluffy fur for which sh
was named, ruffied, she raced dow
the walk to the avenue. Not until sh
was in the middle of the avenue itsel
did FLUFFY pause, and then 1t was tn
hoarse bark of an automobile hor
that made her crouch down, too para
lyzed by fear to move.
The brakes ground onto the axle'
but 1t was too late; at last Fluffy ha
found pence.
In another moment the only occl
pant of the heavy touring car, a clear
cut, leveleyed young man, had sprun
out and ran back to the pitiful littl
huddle ia the roadway.
Poor little pussy" he said, an
then when he saw the soft fur an
gaunt sides he muttered; II don
know, though; guess it's lucky pu
sy. The old story, a pampered p'
through the winter and then its mi
tress gone away to enjoy the summe
and leaves the erstwhile pet TO stary'
Hang it, a girl like that is not fit fC
any mans wife."
Then he gave an exclamation {
surprise as he noticed the little silv'
collar. In another instant the ma
in the roadway had caught up tn
broken. pitifully thin little body an
read. "To Fluffy from Alice"
Fluffy! Affect" he gasped. "AliC
like that!"
Then his face hardened. well. II
glad knew in time" he said and wit
a sudden impulse tenderly laid the Il
tie body on the cushioned seat in II
tonneau and covered 1t gently wit
the dust robe.
Fluffy shall be properly burie
anyway" he said as he climbed in
his seat and released the brake al
threw In the clutch.
= But first he slowly drew a lette
stamped and ready for the post, fro
his pocket. tore It up and dropped u
pieces in the dust.--MABEL hEA
THOMPSON.
Humorist's Wife-John. it's
d I -u-rct of 80, 20 ogt- daar r,afhar ha