The Wahpeton times. [volume] (Wahpeton, Richland County, Dakota [N.D.]) 1879-1919, 1911-08-17

THE proverbial small boy" muir
INJURED young Mrs. Allison. with q
groan.
"L'enfant terrible" put in the girl
who affected French quotations.
I The fluffy haired blonde scowled at
them both. impartially. "Just a plain
little BROTHER" she corrected, with
sternness Ellis name is Edward and
most of you know him perfectly well.
Now. am telling this story or am
not?"
The girl who affected French quo.
tations retired to her fancy work with
offended dignity. but young Mrs. All.
son beamed with visible Joy at hav.
ing drawn heated retort. Go on.
dear" she urged. sweetly. I'VE love
to hear you prattle Of your innocent
baby brother"
The fluffy haired blonde smiled In
turn. Baby brother 10 going into
long trousers before school opens IN
the fall" she Informed them. "As for
his being innooent-oh. well. Il wasn't
his fault this time. anyway.
you know" she went on, he has Q
big yellow brute Of = cat he calls
Saunders. though t. sure don't
know why"
Il do" said young Mrs. Allison. She
nodded around the sewing circle,
meaningly. I'VE lived in the same
block with Saunders for year. He's
cahny. let me tell you. know that
cat personally. He used to lick the
tops Of my cream bottles of a morn.
ing-never the milk bottles. But I
didn't argue the matter with him, be.
cause ! was always too much awed by
his apparent contempt for the whole
human race. When he walked down
the back steps and went over tho
fence the very. flip Of his tail was elo-
quent Of his low opinion of the quality
Of my cream. Moreover, was forced
to agree with him." she added.
WELL" said the fluffy haired blonde.
gravely. II believe you're right. saun-
ders 10 not-um-open to argument,
but he scorns deception and he's.
shrewd. He eats our neighbor's
squads by the dozen. but he eats
them In broad daylight, when the
neighbor hesitates to wiring his neck,
as should. But Edward loves him
with positively touching devotion
and has him in the library every eve
ming at study time. |
might before last, however, the
Desseltons were dining with us, and
both Mrs. Desselton and Ernestins
are MORALLY afraid Of cats. Ernestine
shrieks II one comes into the room
and Mrs. Desselton likes one about a.
much as you like snake. So Ed
wards little playmate was put in tho
garage and the garage door supposed.
~ was shut. Very likely it was really
shut, too, for there are q score of con.
venient cracks around the floor and
the windows which an enterprising
cat can get through, though Edward
maintains learnedly that no feline will
attempt to escape through any hole
where his whiskers touch. !
Anyway. we had all gone into the
library after q comfortable dinner and
father was entertaining. 10 with the
hopes Of his summer fishing trip.
Mother had Just gone upstairs to get
q picture to show Mrs.. Desselton.
when the bell rang and the maid
brought mo . card. It was MI. 81
Bennington Saunders. who has come
here from tho east to live, Jon know.
II slipped through the drawinf
room to meet him and bring him III
tor IN Introduction, and Just % rot
half way In and hs WAS approaching
With . bland smile and IN out.
stretched hand heard mothers 70
turning step on the stair and mothers
horrihc voice from the landing.
Edward she cried. :EdwardiI
Saunders has got in. Come and put
him out at once. Hurry. I tell your"
The fluffy haired blonde laughed
ruefully. Edward came" she aid.
For myself. ! had only timS to iiipt
once.
There before me stood 8. Bennins.
ton Saunders, with one hand OUT
stretched, but paralyzsd with disuay.|
His face turned from a sickly whitsl
to . fiery red while was strugglins
to ind my voice. Finally, without Al
word, he dropped his arm and wslkedl
into the hall.
Then ! came to and rushed altar
him. Don't go!' ! eatrsated, .Oh.|
aop't 60. Mr.. Saunders. ssItss-it's notI
Tou, you know. It's saunders-sr-I
the cat
Il held out my hand this time ana
be shook It hesitatingly. Then. @ the
truth dswned upon him. he grinnsdI
nobly. #
But, I say he protested. 90 I LED
him toward the family. I ~. you!