Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1910-09-09
THE INTERFERENCE OF BUZZ,

1t all happened because Billy was not
naturally disposed to like cats-and
Althea was.
They had been engaged for month
before Althea discovered this regrettable
trait of his and it was a great shock
TO her, for she was devoted to members
Of the feline race-especially Buzz.
Bnlvs views on the subject had been
discovered when they came to discussing
the various details Of their future home,
and he had rashly suggested that Buzz
would be happier in her mothers care.
Althca looked upon him with the eye OF
cold suspicion: then she inquired very
gently-so gently that a wiser antagonist
would have taken warning and proceeded
with at least some degree of wariness
if he did not love cats-Buzz in par
ticular Thereupon Billy Immediately
rushed upon destruction and freed his
mind. When he had finished, his position
on the subject was clearly defined.
Althea might have grown very ar
glimentative. or have burst into tears.
or have done any one Of the many fem
mime things that would naturally he eN-
pected OF her at such a crisis But she
did none of these things. She sat silent
~ twirling the engagement ring upon her
finger and gazing before her with vacant
stare.
The outcome was uncertain, but just
at this crucial moment the bone Of con-
tention entered in the person OF Buzz.
himself
He came straight to his beloved mis-
tress, as was his wont, and jumping into
her lap. stretched out his tiger skin-cov-
cred bulk with loud purrs of content.
Althea looked down at him and her
lip quivered; then she stopped twirling
the ring Her face was white. Billy
turning Just then, caught the expression
~ MI r1-ith i'm
He opened his mouth to speak. but it
was too late. He was weighed in the
balance against Buzz-and found wanting.
The words stuck in his dry throat. II was
the stllest silence that Billy had ever
known.
Althea set her lips in a straight line,
slowly drew off the ring and held it out
| to him.
"Althea" That cry might have pene-
trated to the heart of granite sphinx,
| but il had small effect upon Althea. The
hands that held the ring trembled a little,
but her voice was steady as she said:
A man who will not give a home to a
net Of mine, Just because he is too selfish
to be fond of cats, is not the man for
| me TO marry"
Her tone carried note of fnality.
! Billy lost his head
( And YOU choose between me and a
CATE The words came so scornfully that
lace.
! She lifted the great. purrinS cat 10
| her shoulder and pressed her flushed
! cheep against his soft fur then she spoke
| with studied deliberation.
1t is fortunate that l have found out
in time" She looked him straight in the
| eyes. I-choose-Buzz," she said dis
tinctly.
Now Billy began to realize that the
matter was going rather too far He
dropped his tone of anger to humber
| cadence and even pleaded with her, but
| Althea was obdurate. 1t was very evil
dent that he had wounded her past for
| giVeness When at last he stumbled out
into the street and sought his home neXt
| door, ii was with dazed, bewilderet
/ feeling that a feather had alghted sud
| denly upon his heart and turned to lead
As for Althea-when the door CLOSED
behind his detected figure, she buried he
face in Buzz's fur and sobbed out he
grief and disgust and disappointment.
The morning mail brought a lette
from Billy the contrite-a pleading, meel
and sorrowful letter-but Altheas hear
was hard, In vain he pleaded that h.
would henceforth be the enthusiastic AM
faithful guardian of Buzz, but Althei
refused to notice the communication.
Days passed, and one evening as Bill
was composing himself to sleep, there wa
sudden rattle at his window, whic
was over the front porch, followed by
particularly loud meou of distress.
Billy sat up and listened. He realize
that his slumbers had been somewha
broken since the trouble with Althea, 70
he had lain awake, Vowing TO cheris
forever and a day all cats whom the lad
of his heart might adore, II only sh
would take him back into her good grace
and allow her smile Of approval to shin
again in his direction. But he secret
hated the cause of the trouble for a
that Now, as he heard the meou, shri
with misery, 1t came to him that perhaT
: the unfortunate episode and the conse
! quent d-heartedness of Althea ha
partially unhinged his reason. Was h
to be haunted forever by endless reinca
\ nations of Buzz, the interloper? Again
listened.
"Meou!" There was not the slightet
shred of doubt that the sound called f
( investigation on his part, So, slowly ar
a with evident reluctance he got out
!, bed and went over to the window.
The houses were close together, so thi
the roof beneath almost reached the sic
I Of the one next to 1t. He looked acros
= The dim light that usually burned in II
- hall of Althea's home was out. ThC
g there was a soft football on the pore
roof. and Buzz, the cause in Billy's ey
. of all the trouble, fiattened his huge for
u against the glass. How had he con
I, there? Not from the next house, (
n all The windows on that side were plain
+ closed he must have climbed up fro
"a below. Billy gazed al him in undisguis
disgust
y 1t was a cold night. the porch 70
is and window-sill were covered with IL
and the winter wind cut keeny. Bui
the pampered, realized all these unfavo
D able conditions and resented their eXi
k, tence with a long drawn and most plat
tive meou.
Billy exulted basely at the dscomftu
re of his enemy; nevertheless 1t was born
upon him that something must be dol