The independent-reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1909-1955, 1912-05-23

There was a man and his wife and
after a while girl came home from
college, having been graduated with
honors Gee, she's As smart as whipi
And, honest, 1t doesn't keep her from
being pretty. either"
Il am really surprised" said Loret-
Ia.
Well, somehow we got to be good
frlends," tho young man went on. dole
fully. Too good friends for my COM
fort 1t seems Anyhow, | got inter-
ested In her chickens-which are real
ly fine ones. you know, not the COM
mon kind al all. could understand
how proud she was of them. She was
fond of any kind OF pets and she had
cat that was dream. 1t had q
long. plumed tail and had taken q
prize at every cat show for several
years She positively worshipped that
cat.
After a while mothers vegetables
came up and lot OF flowers. for she's
master hand at growing things.
Then, Just as III luck would have 1t,
something camo and dug up her grow
Ing things. 1t certainly was the limit.
Mother got so discouraged that she al
most cried. | declared that I'd kill
the creature that did 1t on sight, what
ever 1t was
"Reckless!"
We'll, never thought of the chick
ems" he proceeded, It'll found Ida
Flanders kind of chilly toward me.
asked her over the fence one morning
what the trouble was and she
said very pointedly that her most
valuable chickens were disappear
Ing at the rate Of one night"
why didn't you tell her that you
didn't know anything about her chick.
ens?"
Tell her!" repeated the young man.
As II l didn't tell her! II said 1t
once | said 1t thousand times. But
/ do you think she would believe me
with that chickens head lying at my
/ feet? Not much! And you wouldn't
have either. not after my silly threat
to kill watever 1t was that tore up
mothers garden"
What did you do about 1t after
that?"
AT first I didn't think there was
thing | could do" he sighed. "Lida
wouldn't let me come near enough to
speak to her. 1t made me wild to see
her smiling at everybody else"
lJrtt nrtu bar
ond thought since she was so unjust"
"Oh, yes, you would" the young man
assured her. ut would have been all
very we'll to talk like that in the
spring, but 1t was too late for me to
quit thinking OF her then. Why, l lay
awake nights trying to fix 1t up and
It was not until last week that had
an idea.
ut was the very day she bowed to
me as she was going out with young
Saunders You know, he squints or
something. Well. bowling to me was
more than she had done for so long
that sort Of took heart and sharpened
my wits. had been 80 downhearted
that l hadn't really tried before.
AS result or that inspiration /
made the finest trap you ever saw
neat, too. by Jove! 1t was sort of
original, because / had to fit 1t
against the side OF the chicken house
and make 1t large enough to squeeze
mans arm as we'll as kill rat.
AZ had 1t there two nights before 1t
caught thing and then when l went
to look at 1t before going down to the
Office / found 1t had worked. There
was a cat in 1t caught just as securely
as you please and dead as doornail."
"Oh, how splendid!" Loretta cried.
THAT surely will please your fair
neighbor."
The young man looked at her sor-
rowfully. do you think sof" he asked.
You see, it WAS her cat!"-Chicago
Daily News.