The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-12-14
The EVENING STORY
A Home for Pussylin.
(By Temple Bailey.)

(By Temple Bailey.)
Miss Mary flew down the path with
her cat in her arms. 1t was very cold
and Pussykin had never slept out of
doors. There had always been a
basket in a warm corner by the fire..
place, and when the snow and sIeet
had beaten against the windows the
little cat and Miss Mary and the old
father and mother had basked in calm
content, but now the father and
mother were dead and Miss Mary's
sister-in-law ruled in the household.
1t was reign of terror to Miss Mary
and Pussykin. Martha Jenkins did
not like cats, and she announced at
once that there should be no cushions
in her hearthstone corner For sew
eral months Miss Mary had smuggled
Pussykin into her bedroom, only to
be discovered at last, and to hear
Martha's strident voice announcing
that the place for cat was out of
DOORS" and that out of doors Pussy
kin must CO.,
1t was then that Miss Mary had
fed with the cat. in her arms, seek
ing for some place of shelter. The
shed where the horses were kept of
fered little cheer. Miss Mary could
not imagine the petted little animal
comfortable in such a place.
"Oh, Pussykin, Pussykin," she said,
what am I going to do with your
AS she stood in the door with her
bright hair blowing about her round,
troubled face, a man came tramping
through the snow and stopped in the
roadway in front Of her.
you will take cold" he said to her.
''Why, Nathan Crissey!" Miss Mary
exclaimed; when did you get home?"
Last night" he responded, "and
my new house and settling things
Miss Mary held out her hand.
you look perfectly splendid" she
said, land am glad you are
back"
He was big. fellow. broad shout
dered and handsome, in his corduroy
coat and soft hat. When he had
gone to seek his fortune he had been
a raw country boy, one of the poor
whites of the neighborhood in which
Miss Mary's family were the aristo-
Gratis.
ut seems good to be back he
said holding on to Miss Mary's hand
little longer than was necessary.
best thing I've seen since I came. Did
you know I was going to be your next
door neighbour"
s.'Why no, didn't. Have you bought
the Butler place."
He nodded. Eyes, 1 am going to fix
it over. I always liked it, and when
1 was a boy I dreamed that 1 would
go away and make my fortune and
come back here to make my home,
and now my dream has come true.
here" he added quickly, ''it's too
cold"
"I'd ask you to come up to the
house." Miss Mary said, flushing;
but | can't. Martha is cleaning, and
everything is topsy-turvy. It doesn't
seem like home any more, since
mother and father" Her lips trem-
bled.
sI know" he said alphabetically.
when I heard that you were left
oil hurried hack wanted fn
tell you that if there was anything
could do for you you must let me
do it,
A sudden hope sprang up in Miss
Mary's breast. "Oh!" she cried, eff
you would only take Pussykin. Mar
tina has turned her out and won't let
her sleep in the house any more; If
you could find corner for her.
81 will find more than a corner" he
said as he took the big gray cat from
her. "She shall sit on a cushion and
eat cream to the end of her days. She
will be a precious treasure because
she's yours"
ssAt first she won't like it, Miss
Mary said, '.to be separated from me,
but I'll try to see her every day; she'll
run over here"
He wanted to tell her that she need
not be separated, that he had bought
the Butler place with the hope that
she might reign as it's mistress, but
he did not feel that this was the time
to tell her. He was only Nathan
Crissey, after all, and she was the
daughter of a proud race.
He carried the cat in triumph to
his house and soothed her in her rest
less search through the rooms.
"You want Miss Mary he said,
don't you, Pussykin? Well, so do I,
but we can't have her yet"
Over at the other house, Martha
was curious about the cat.
at have given her away" Miss Mary
announced briefly.
That night Miss Mary's brother
spoke of Nathan Crissey.
pile of money! he said. They say
he's going to marry a Chicago girl,
and he's fixing up the house. He
has decorators over there and has
ordered his furniture from New
york. It will be the finest place in
the country
Mary wondered if the new mistress
would like cats. Her interest was
centered in Pussykin- she felt very
ing had frightened her wonderfully.
AS boy and girl they had been great
friends, although their positions were
so different, but now that; he was
going to get married some other wom-
an would make him happy, and he
might just as well have stayed away
for all the good he would do Miss
Mary.
The next morning Nathan came over.
and asked a favor
"I am going to furnish my new
house. Miss Mary" he said, land I
would like to have you help me select
things; I haven't any taste in such
matters
The next few weeks were exciting
adventures into the world of beauty.
Pouring over catalogues and maya
zines, Mary selected things of which
| she had dreamed but had never seen.
| Nathan's living room was furnished
| in mahogany with dull rose hangings
and coppery CLEAN, from Swallowed
corners. It was perfect in every de-
tail, even to Pussykin's basket with
| it's old pink cushions. The bedrooms
were delicate and beautiful. The front
| room had a freeze of white lilacs,
which were Mary's favorite flower.
When she protested that perhaps