Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1910-12-20
EVENING STORY.
A HOME FOR PUssYklN.
By Tenple Bailey.

!. . a
Copyright, 1910 by the Associated
Literary Press).
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 warm corner by the fire.
place, and when the snow and sleet
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 struggled
Pussykin into her bedroom, only to be
discovered at last, and to hear
Martha's strident voice announcing
that 1.-THE place for cat was out Of
DOORS" and that out of doors Pussy
kin must go.
It was then that Miss Mary had
fled 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
ooh, .Pussykin, Pussykin,' she said,
what am l going to do with you?"
AS she stood in the door with her
bright hair blowing about her round.
troubled face 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? y
Last night" he responded, land |
have been busy ever since, opening
my new house and settling things"
Miss Mary held on, her hand.
"You look perfectly splendid" she
said, land am SO glad you are
back"
He was a 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
raw country boy, one OF the poor
white of the neighDorhood in which
Miss Mary's family were the aristo-
Gratis.
1T seems good to be back" he said,
holding on to Miss Mary's hand lit
tie longer than was necessary. Then
he laughted little. You're the best
thing I've seen since | came. Did you
know was going to be your next door
neighbour
why, no, / didn't. Have you bought
the Butler placer
He nodded. yes, I am going to
fix it over l always liked it, and
when was boy | dreamed that |
would go away and make my fortune
and come back here to make my
home, and now my dream has come
true. But mustn't keep you stand
ing here" he added quickly, "it's too
cold.''
"I'd ask you to come up to the
house." Miss Mary said flushing;
but l can't. Martha is cleaning and
everything is topsy turvy. 1t doesn't
seem like home any more, since
mother and father Her lips
lips trembled.
Il know he said, alphabetically.
when heard that you were left
alone, l hurried back. | wanted to
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 III
you would only take PussylIin.
Martha has turned her out and won't
let her sleep in the house any more;
if you could find corner for her"
Il will find more than corner he
~Oil y h Ia Py.Nt,
her. "She shall sit on cushion and
eat cream to the end of her days. She
will be precious treasure because
she's yours
Sat first she won't like it, Miss
Mary said, ito 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 its 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
|, but we can't have her yet"
Over at the other house, Martha
was curious about the cat.
Il have given her away Miss Mary
announced briefly.
That night Miss Mary's brother
spoke of Nathan Crissey.
.tHe is back from the west with a
pile Of money" he said. They say
he's going to marry Chicago girl,
and he's fixing UP the house. He
has decorators over there and has
ordered his furniture from New York.
1t will be the finest place in the
county,
Mary wondered if the new mistress
would like cats. Her interest was
centered in Pussykin. She felt very
forlorn and lonely. Nathan's COM
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 to some other
woman would make him happy, and
he might just as well have stayed