The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1911-12-06
Mint. said Ampley, carelessly

"Catnip." contradeted Ampleys
wife. decisiycly.
Ampley regarded her with the be-
nignly plying look men reserve Tor
erring and Wcak-minded members OF
their families "Gcraldine," he said
in panied tone do you suppose I've
lived all these years and escaped an
intimate acquaintance with mint IN
It's various forms? 1t is just as easy
10 toll mint when you see 1t as II Is
70 recognize a potato. This Is mint.
Mrs. Ampley dropped her golf clubs
and sat down plump in the middle Of
The disputed green stuff At the eight
zenith hole they had wandered off the
course into the inviting autumn woods
bordering he links. Her cap was one
sided and her face was flushed.
You may know mint" 81" admit
ted crieply. I've not the slightest
doubt that you could tell il in a tail
glass mile away but let me inform
yen that when il comes 10 catnip
brought up on eatnip-almost,
Haven't gathered il by 4 lushcl
fur tie cats and kittens We always
had ~ home? =
Fine aroma. in'crruptc! Amplcy.
twisting the sprig lie held beneath his
nose With the nslddening air of a con
noiss"ur Il don't know when I've
stumble on IA finer bed OF mint,
really"
You'd inluriatc me if you weren't
So silly remarked his wife. And
you are so absurdly stubborn"
"What're you doing?" demanded
Amp,y with curiosity as she began
picking handfuls of the herb and
stuffed them into her sweater peck.
etc
Mrs. Ampley regarded him coldly.
Il am picking catnip." she informed
him, TO take home to the cats next
door--and | intended to incidentally
prove to you that am in the right"
ANY sane cat" scoffed her hus.
band, would be insulted II handed q
bunch Of that stuff! It would collect
all its intimate friends and sit out on
the back fence and yowl at you In
disgust"
His wife shifted. ANY cat would
be my friend for life." she contradict.
I'd. THE poor thing would be hys.
tcrical with Joy! Did you ever see a
cat playing with catnip?"
NO, but | am curious to observe
one having a jag Of Joy on plain
MINT" said her husband. 1T will be
novel,"
'ShOo!" said Mrs. Ampley six times
to the golf club cat, which seemed de.
termined to tag them into the station
bus.
What ails the animal?" asked Am.
pley
"Catnip." explained Mrs. Ampley.
swectly.
"l'mph." commented Ampley. Walk.
ing up the avenue to their home in
the dusk Ampley fell over some ami.
NAL twice. What the" he began.
Il think" said his wife casually,
that it must be that big black cat
I've seen in this block SO much. II
probably has shifted the catnip in my
pockets"
"Oh. fudge" growled Ampley.
lust as they sat down to dinner
there was a new from the front
porch II was an insistent call and
Mrs. Ampley beamed.
The dear thing" she murmured.
Cats are SO intelligent! dropped a
leaf of the stuff on purpose as came
la and it's calling for more. Listen
there are two of them now"
Ampley got to his feet violently.
Have We got to endure this serenade
all through dinner" he inquired with
awful sarcasm. Just because some
fool cats can't tell mint when they
see it,"
lie opened the front door to scare
away the lllNdutiS, Uut tuSy NuhiShSu
suddenly. For moment he thought
he saw shadowy forms fit by him. but
when he glanced back into the hall
nothing WAS to be seen.
1t is really remarkable" unused
Mrs. Ampley. how cleverly cats will
discover catnip and search 1t out!
See how those two on the porch
That was mere coincidence" Am
pley insisted "A cat wouldn't wall
A foot To smell of mint. And I'm tell
ing you that il was mint you picked!
"Catnip," said Mrs. Ampley serene
ly.
Ampley went upstairs TO bed a lit
tie later. murmuring contradiction!
things under his breath about thu
green leaves plucked by his wife
few hours before out at the club
Then presently he yelled. So weir'
and alarmed was his cry that Mrs
Ampley came running 10 his assist
ance
When she got the room light turne'
on she discovered Ampley crouchin