Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1912-03-07
KITTY
She Is the Cause of
aloung Mans Sud-
den Change of Mind
Ry CLARtSSA MACklE


"Confound the woman" calculated
Bob Folsom as he slammed the door
I'D like to set hold Of that cat II l
did it would never set out alive again"
He stalked moodily 10 the window and
listened. as If fascinated by the low
pitched voice of the woman calling
inSiStcutly In the yard below.
Here, kitty, kitty, kitty, kitty" she
called.
she's been doing that every night
for week." grumblcd Bob. leaving
the window when the sounds had died
away in a murmur Of cudearmcntS
"lf had only known there was Il cat
loving Spinstcr in the house | would
have stayed on the outside, No cats
for me not on your life
Bob looked around at the we'll fur
niShcd room containing furniture OF
his own. The low bookshelveS We're
filed with his books, Everything In
the two large apartments was his own.
He resolved to remain there until that
remote time when he would fall in love
and marry. THAT may be never"
he always told himself cynically.
At breakfast he approached his
boarding mistress concerning eats.
"Ah. Mrs. Porter. didn't hear a cat
in the hall just now?" he inquired as
he slipped his coffee.
n
Probably you have heard cat, Mr.,
Folsom There are three in this
house"
Three Bob was aghast. And
are they all lost at night and do their
miStresses have to call them home at
precisely Q y. H., and
Dear me, no! They are very quiet,
stay at home cats-that is. all except
Miss Lanes SNOWFALL. He's an Ar
CORA and quite valuable, | believe. He
has been runaway lately and does
not come home until poor Miss Lane
has become hoarse with calling him.
She has touch of asthma, you know"
81 hope SNOWFALL gets over his wan
derluSt before long" remarked Bob as
he pushed his chair away from the Ia
BILE.
Mrs. Porter looked panied, II am
very sorry IL 1t annoys YOU" she said
rather stiffly. "but Miss Lane is my
best boarder, and she happens to own
this house, and 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 against
Snowhal's asthmatic mistress, 81 only
happened to hear her calling every
night and l wondered-you know" his
voice truiled into embarrassed silence
as he escaped into the hall and took his
hat from the rack.
Az hc walked toward the front door,
Struggling into his ovcrcoat rs he went
he observed a handsome white Angora
cat sitting ON the newell post. "Snow.
ball, I'll he bound"' he said to himself
lifting his hand to pat the beautiful
creature. But SDowball's white paw
shot out and his claws dug deep, lcav-
ing Il long ugly scratch on the back of
Bob's hand.
Here, kitty, Kitty, kitty, kitty" call.
ed Il voice from the floor above
"Come, SNOWFALL"
Snowfall moved delightedly in re,
turn and darted, a flying streak OF
white, up the stairs.
Bob sent one upward Elnnce TO VIII re
4 face leaned over the baniStcr OF { he
second story a stihly brushed pom
padour of gray hair above II high fore
head and pair of gold spectaclcs glis-
tened down at him. lie turned away
impatrntly, Snowball's mistress was
all that hi. imagination had painted
her
rs he went down The street he men
tally cursed the cat that had admins
tered The ugly scratc h, and he was ill
ed with unreasonable wrath at Miss
Lane for halb ring the vicious beast
"Ihat's the main trouble with board
ing houses" he said 10 himself They
are hIlpd up With Old maids and cats
AMI parrots. don't believe there Is
any hope ~ MY finding home any
where unless ! get married and where
is fl,c right GirlE
Where was she? Up 10 this time she
had never existed for Bob Folsom. He
had his ideal. and lac was especially
convinced that she could not have red
hair md be loved by him. Neither
could her eyes be green. Her hair must
be soft dusky black and her eyes
that rare hazel He reached his office
at tnis juncture and was compete to
drop day dreams in the face Of dry re
alitics
That evening as he sat before the
co"y hearth fire he heard the voice IL
the yard calling the recalcitrant Snow
ball
Here. kitty, kitty, kitty" There
were he same deep lower notes lifting
upward TO the last piercing, and tc
Bob Folsom's nervously sensitive hear
ing, irritating kitty"
For an hour the calling continued
r. fy,f, 10 -,