Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1910-08-10
The Patchwork Kitten.
BY Rosa KEELEN HALLETT.

ssRSzD
You'll be real tender with him,
won YOU, mister? He's a turrible
frail little mite"
Certainly" assured the agent,
amiably, and Mrs. Wells turned and
led the way to her room. But the
patchwork kitten, that only a moment
before had been basking In the sun
shine upon the window-ledge, had
disappeared; and no one was to be
seen save Mrs. Serena Dodd, drows-
ing in the big rockingham.
Kitty, kitty. kitty" called the ma
iron. Kitty, kitty, kitty" called
Mrs. Wells; and Kitty, kitty, kitty
called the agent. But at last mascu-
line patience was exhausted, and the
agent declared:
I'm I'm a hurry to-day, ma'am, but
I'll drop in again tomorrow"
As %retresting footsteps were heard
along the corridor, Mrs. Dodd opened
a wary black eye. Gomez" she
breathed.
Yes" replied Mrs. Wells. "and
I'm turrible glad we didn't discover
that darling kitty, for 1 do say that
not a. soul ought to begrudge his en-
lying a few more hours Of this bee
yutiful autumn weather."
81 say and I do is diff'runt." Mrs.
Dodd opened wide both bright black
eyes. "samanthy Wells, you shut
that door,"
wonderingly the little woman
obeyed.
Lock it!" was tie curt command;
and Mrs. Wells locked it.
Mrs. Dodd, bending forward, pulled
out a bureau drawer; and raising a
podgy forehnger, whispered: Ssh!
sh! Don't make a noise! If you do"
with an. u%nctuous chuckle, IF you do.
you'll wake the baby up" And
there. sure enough. In the lowest bu-
,reau drawer plaerSty slumbered the
patchwork kitten.
"He.was SO happy" said Mrs. Dodd.
beaming, "a-napping it in the sun
shine, that somehow or mother ]
hadn't the heart to let him be dis
posed Of. So soon's you skipped out
into the hall, I whisked him up just
as easy and popped him in out of
sight. With that crack up behind,
where I'm always shunting things
overheard, I calc'lated there'd be air
a plenty"
You're so smart. Sereny!" said
Mrs. Wells, admtringly. But. oh,
how did You darst?"
Mrs. Dodd bridled. Didn't darst
and Sereny Dodd want ever near
neighbors." she retorted, though I
don't take credit for it! l was born
So" She reached down and lifted
out the kitten. "Ain't little Joseph
hahnsome?"
He lis So" assented Mrs. Wells,
"and Joseph's turrible appropriate.
but a bit elderly. don't you think,
Sereny? How'd Josie do for short?"
IL guess twill be Josie for short,
all right" gloomily commented Mrs.
Dodd. "'Cording to Miss Timpkins
and that Cruelty man! Howsom-
ever"-her face glowed with the sud-
den thought-"my Boldwood always
said what man had done oncet, he
could more'n likely do again. And
don't man include woman? And
amt Sereny Dodd a woman? And IL
I've hid this patchwork kitty once,
can't / hide him again::"
And Mrs, Wells encouraged her:
"Any rate, you can try. And my Abb
salon. he used to say, Try can't ever
be beat"
THAT Their patchwork, kitty is on
UT window-ledge again." proclaimed
Mrs. Dodd, boldly, that night at the
supper-table. "Can't Betty Mecdon-
aid give him a drink of milk" And
Miss Timpkins nodded good-natured
acquiescence.
Promptly at two on the following
day the Cruelty man" arrived, but
again little Joseph had vanished, and
while the matron glanced into the
closet, and Mrs. Wells-O Mrs.
Wefls!-peeped beneath the beds; the
agent observed dryly:
"a window-ledge touching a vine
covered trellis is no prison for q cat.
He's miles away by now, ma'am.
G%ood-day!"
Whereas" chirped little Mrs
Wells an hour later to the assembled
inmates Of the Home, Betty says II
u we ladies will agree, No milk in
our tea she can manage to feed lit
tie Joseph 'thout any extry expense
to the board OF bothering Miss limp.
kins. Resolved. Will we do it,"
1--WE will" was the solemn chorus
During the next week the patch
E a CT