Heppner gazette. [volume] (Heppner, Morrow County, Or.) 1892-1912, 1910-09-29

But she would not tell him, and
Jealousy getting the better of him he
insisted that she should. The quar-
rel that followed made the white kit
ten cringe and then fly down the
beach toward the gray cottages. Late
that night. however, she scuttled
back to the ledge. 1t was moonlight.
The waves seemed crested with sill
yer. The white kitten stretched her
snowy length along the ledge. half
closing the opening to the mail box.
The man who came later moved her
gently. When he had gone there
peeped from the hole the edge of a
white envelope.
The spring breeze blowing from the
ocean beat against the bit OF paper,
and the cracking made the white
kitten sit up and take notice. She
patted the paper with her paw. 1t
gave q little and came half out from
the hiding place, Helped by the kit
tens eager paw and by the wind 1t
lay fluttering on the ledge. Then the
wind took 1t again. down the beach.
Once 1t went sailing over the tops of
the waves, like some strange bird.
only to be brought back for the kit.
tens plaything.
The next morning the kitten was
again on the ledge when the girl
came She was alone, and when she
had looked and found no letter she
sat down on the sands and cried.
Presently a man came along the
beach. and seeing her came toward
her.
"Radclitf." she looked up startled.
Il thought It was Richard"
did you get my note yesterday"
he asked Perhaps l should not
have written, nor have put 1t here.
But l had seen you two people ex-
changing notes, and It seemed inter
esting to see what would happen"
She looked at him reproachfully.
Your joke has made me very un-
happy" she stated You know how
jealous Richard is. He wanted to see
the note, and made SO much out of a
trifie that l would not let him-just
to punish him. / told him that he
must write to me and apologize. l
thought, OF course, he would. but he
hasn't"
In the days that followed. the kit
ten and the girl sat often together on
the sands. Both OF the men had left,
and the girl was very lonely. Now
and then she played with the kitten.
but usually she sat looking listlessly
out to sea.
The kitten played, however, racing
up and down the sands. chasing the
waves, leaping after every stray
thing that fluttered In the wind.
One day there came flying down
the beach a bit OF yellowed paper
The kitten pursued 1t, leaping high |
In the air after 1t as 1t was carried
aloft by the strong breeze She fat
tened herself on top of 1t when she
had gained possession. The girl
laughed at her antics and. growing |
caught up the bit OF paper
1t In ball to throw toward
he eager animal AS she did 1t, a
Inc of writing caught her eye. It
was a familiar masculine scrawL
With eager haste she opened 1t and
'ead the letter that the kitten had
lrawn from the hole two weeks be-
ore.
Why" the girl murmured. he did
write and he begged my pardon"
The kitten sat and looked at her.
She had been a silent, witness to the
whole story, the petty quarrel, the
ragedy Of parting and Of loneliness
which had followed To her the let
er had been a plaything: to the girl
t meant life.
The girl flung her arms out with
| glad gesture toward the sea. IT
hall write to him tonight" she said.
and tomorrow, oh, waves, you shall
,ring him back to me-"
She sped toward the hotel and the
citten was forgotten. But the kitten
vas content For her there was the
and. the sea and the wild song OF
he waves and of the wind.