Maryland independent. [volume] (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1874-current, 1912-04-12
KITTY
She Is the Cause Of
aYOung Mans Sud-
den Change Of Mind


,s-s-l-l:ssll-islsiiil;i
~confound the vomanF' calculated
Bob Folsom as be slammed the door.
I'D like to get hold of that cat II I
did il would never get out alive again
he stalked raoodily TO the window and
listened. as il fascinated by the low
pitched voice Of the woman calling
insistently in the yard below.
~Here, kitty. kitty, kitty, kitty" she
called.
~she's been doing that every night
for week. grumlled Fob, leaving
the window when thu souids had died
away in murmur Of eldearmentss
eff / had only known Their was a cat
loving splnster in the hone would
have stayed on the ortsid No cats
for me-not on your lifew
Bob looked around at IA well fur
nished room containing fFniture Of
his own. The low books1lves were
filed with his books. Evlything IN
the two large apartments WI his own.
He resolved to remain therduntiI that
remote time when he would tll in love
and marry. That may D-neverr
he always told himself cynially
At breakfast be approached his
boarding mistress concerning ats.
"Ah, Mrs. Porter, didn't / har a cat
In the hall Just nowg" be ingired as
he slipped his coffee.
Mrs. Porter smiled impeHonally.
Probably you have heard 4 at. Mr..
Folsom. There are three this
house"
'4rhreer' Bob was aghast "And
are they all lost al night and D their
mistresses have to call them hme at
precisely p. M. and
Dear me, not They are veryquiet.
stay at home cats-that is. all except
Miss Lanes SNOWFALL Hes a. An
CORA and quite valuable. / belieYf He
has been a runaway lately aud does
not come home until poor Miss Lane
has become hoarse with calling him
She has touch Of asthma, you know"
Il hope SNOWFALL gets over bis wan
derlust before long" remarked Rob as
be pushed his chair away from the Ia
bic.
Mrs. Porter looked panied 4 am
very sorry il 1t annoys YOU" she said
rather stinly. but Miss Lane is my
best boarder. and she happens to own
this house, aud SNOWFALL Is the apple
of her eye. Perhaps he will stay In
now"
.'Oh, it doesn't matter" Bob hasten
ed to say, already feeling somewhat
ashamed at his complaint agai e
Snowbail's asthmatic mistress. 4 only
happened to hear her calling every
night and wondered-you know his
voice thrilled into embarrassed silence
as be escaped into the hall and took his
hat from the rack
As be walked toward the front door
Struggling into his overcoat as he went
he observed a handsome white Angora
cat sitting on the newell post Snow
ball, I'll be houndr' he said to himself.
lifting his hand to pat the beautiful
creature But snowbalrs white paw
shot cut and his claws dug deep, leay-
ing long ugly scratch on the back Of
Bob's hand.
Here. kitty. kitty, kitty, kitty call
ed a voice from the floor above
sCome, SnowbalIF'
Snowfall mewed delightedly in re-
turn and darted, a flying streak Of
white, up the stairs.
Bob sent one upward glance to where
a face leaned over the banister of the
second story. A stifiy brushed pom
padour Of gray hair above high fore
head and a pair Of gold spectacles glis-
tened down at him. He turned away
impatiently. Snowball's mistress WIS
all that his Imagination had painted
her.
As be went down the street he men
tally cursed the cat that had admins
tered the ugly scratch. and be was fill
ed with unreasonable wrath at Miss
Lane for harboring the vicious beast.
That's the main trouble with board
ing houses he said to himself. "They
are flied up with old maids and cats
and parrots. / don't believe there is
any hope Of my finding home any
where unless I get marrled-and where
is the right girlsg
Where was she? Up to this time she
had never existed for Bob Folsom. He
had his ideal, and he was especially
convinced that she could not have red
har and be loved by him Neither
coud her eyes be green. Her hair must
be a soft dusky black and her eyes
that rive hazel He reached his Office
at this gncture and was compelled to
drop day treams in the face Of dry re
alities
That evening as be sat before the
coy hearth ire he heard the voice In
the yard calling the recaIcitrant Snow
ball.
Here kitty kitty, kitty Their
were the same feep lower notes liftins
upward to the last piercing. and to
Bob Folsom's neryously sensitive hear
ing. irritating KITTY"
For an hour dc calling continued
at frequent intervals and then Sudden
" ceased, much TO Bob's relief. ''Gra
cious," he miItterea to himself as he
prepared for bed, ana getting to be as
old maidish as Mis- lane can posi-
bly, be- bet Collar her name is Jeui
maj!
1t must have been after midnight
when Bob was awakened BY hide0rf
yowling under his window. Then he
realized that 1t must have been fol
lowing him through his dreams, for
DansIIsyuI uraannsN