El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1910-12-08
LITTLE LOVE STORIES
Mabel Herbert Urner On The Kitten

TT was a little kitten. huddled miser-
ably against the lamp post ana
l. mewing piteously. STOPPING over II,
she saw that one leg was cruelty
crushed
you poor little thing, she cried, ana
there were tears in her voice and eyes
And the kitten, seeing in her a friend,
tried to crawl nearer, but was too
weak.
What could she do with it? She could
not-take it to the hotel ana she couiu
not leave it there to suffer. She looked
beIpIessly around for a policeman, one
of those London Boobies" whose pa
thence and Intelligence smooth the way
for so many American tourists There
might be one at the next corner, put
the kitten was watching her plead1ngly.
She hadn't the heart to leave It, AT
any moment it might be thrust off the
curb and run over.
Chance Acquaintance.
Cant I help you? Shall 1 telephone
TO the Humane society?
She glanced up gratefully-a young
man was looking down at the kitten
with eyes full Of sympathy
'-Oh. thank you 1 did not think of
that 1 was going for policeman, but
could not bear to leave it
There is telephone at a chemists.
a few doors below If you will wait
here l will call up the society to come
to chloroform it at once"
Raising his hat, the man hurried
down the strand.
The kitten had now dragged itself TO
her feet and was looking up IN mute
appeal She stopped down and stroked
it gently. Several minutes passed and
he did not return Then ii occurred to
her that perhaps he would not return
He had simply said that he would tele-
phone She felt strangely disappointed
And when, a moment later, she saw
him hurrying through the crowd. 1T
was as though a friend, not a stranger,
was coming toward her
The Acquaintance Progresses.
I'm sorry to have kept you waiting.
but the line was in use. And when 1
did get them, all their men were out 1t
"Oh but it would be cruel to let it
suffer so long"
Her voice was almost a sob.
Il thought he hesitated. eve
could take it to the chemists and have
it chloroformed there"
"Yes, that will be the kindest thing
that can be done" and she stopped to
pick it up.
Wont you let me carry it? You will
soil your gloves"
The passerby looked curiously at the
tall young man carrying so carefully
a wounded kitten.
Two-and ChIoroform.
TT is the kitten 1 was telephoning
about he explained to the druggist.
Cant you chloroform it here?"
Sorry. sir. but I'm the only clerk on
and must stay up front But you can
take it back there in the prescription
room. If the lady gives the chloroform
while you hold it. you won't have any
trouble. It's too weak to struggle
much
But can't I do it alone?' He had
noticed that she was growing very
pale.
you will be more apt to hurt it.
holding it with only one hand" an
swered the clerk, measuring out the
chloroform.
He turned to her anxiously.
Can you stand it?"
'I will try
A Squeamish Task.
SO they took the kitten into the room
beyond and laid 1t on a table. They
made a paper funnel. filled it with
cotton and saturated 1T all with chloro-
form Very gently he held the kitten
while she slipped the funnel over it's
head.
With the instructive fear that comes
to all animals at the approach Of death,
it struggled violently. Even her lips
were white now and her hands trembled
so she could hardly hold the funnel
You can't stand this Let me call
the clerk.
She shook her head and frightened her
hold on the funnel. The blood from the
crushed leg was smeared all over the
gray fur. the sickening fumes of the
chloroform grew stronger. At length
the struggles became more feeble, and
then ceased altogether
The kitten was dead.
Sh leaned against the table with clos
ed eyes horrible faintness was
creeping over her. He led her 10 a