The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1912-04-19
Cupid and
the Cat
BY A. Howard Gunter

Ambrose. remarked Mrs. Grant
wood. Jack Wilton is a very clever
boy. He has written some poetry to
Genevieye."
Unfortunately. Mr.. Grantwood was
prejudiced against poetry. statuary
and the theater. for he knew that
these things had nothing to do with
the hardware business. and he felt
that they were apt to be improper.
So he banged his fist down on the
table and cried: Poetry! Then the
boys an IDIOT
He's very much In love with Gene
We've" replied his wife irrelevantly
We'll. why cant he court her with
common sense and plain prose? Did
write poetry to you. Lily Mande-
ville?"
Now, Dad" declared Thomas
Vaudeville Grantwood. who was
stanch admirer OF Jack Wilton. he
reasonable. You couldn't. you know.
for Lily doesn't rhyme with anything
but silly and chilly and Vaudeville
with Ill and pill The combination
OF words was against you"
Anyway, the verses were very
pretty. persisted Mrs. brentwood.
whose idea OF poetry was bounded on
one side by the Psalm OF Life and
on the other by "Curiew Shall Not
Ring Tonight" '"rhey began, oh,
Genevieve. for You to grieye. And he
brought cat, too, when he brought
the poem Genevieve told him that
/ the rats We're taking the place
MIR. brentwood was Modified at
once. Good, | always knew that boy
had some sense. could scarcely
/ sleep last night for the rats. They
marched around the room like sol
ders.'
AS donor of the cat, Jack Wilton re-
ceived warm welcome that night
from Genevieves father. yet tho
young mans usually cheerful cOunte-
nance was clouded. He had deter
mined to try his tate that evening, to
tell Gcneyieyc that he loved her, that
! HE was nothing without her, and q
number of other beautiful remarks
that he had carefully prepared tor
the occasion. He had practiced hts
speech in his room, had told his Aunt
Sallie that it should be- now or never,
and had LETT home with Astounding
! oil cf,p hn 70 n nj
the brentwood home he experienced
familiar and sad sensation. his
courage began to dwindlc at the front
door ii had sunk below the waist
the parlor it had ebbed entirely away.
Jack Wilton was not afraid OF the
choleric Mr.. GrantwOod or the neu.
resthenic Mrs. GrantWOod; It was the
girl herself who held him silent.
| Whether 1t was the smOOthness OF
her blonde hair. the Wilderness OF her
stiflly Numbered dresses, the passion
less common sense shining In her
| eyes; whether II was any or all OF
these things the young man could not
tell. but certain it was that he had
never been able to make love to
Genevieve, though he had served long
and faithfully In her train. Many
frantic efforts he had made, but Gene
We've was neither sentimental nor
tlirtatiouS, and her cheerful friendli-
ness confoundcd his romantic flights.
SO now he gazcd In dumb misery
from the rug at her feet to The clock,
while Gencvicvc sang him all her lit
tie songs and told him all the Jokes
in the last installment OF the WON
ans F'ircsidc Friend" II was already
1920, and at 1890, as Jack Wilton
knew, Mr.. brentwood would be heard
coughing violently in the dining
room, and at that signal all visitors
must depart. The time was near and
yet he could not speak.
Meanwhile, upstairs, Tommy Grant
wood awoke with start at slight
sound in his room, and there on the
table was a great gray rat that was
their nightly visitor. Remembering
a molasses pie that he had loved and
lost. Tommy was preparing to fling
shoe at the visitor when 1.-THE form
sprang from the darkness to the Ia.
BILE. The cat was quick, but the rat
was quicker, and with a startled
squeak It jumped for the door and
scurried downstairs, the new cat hard
behind 1t.
Mrs. brentwood, lying in bed and
watching the clock, decided that 1t
was time for Ambrose to begin cough
ing in the dining room. Ambrose"
she called, but the words died ON her
lips, for suddenly there was a strange
humping and humping on the stairs,
and huge rat, pursued by the new
cat, rushed into the room. They ran,
both the pursued and the pursuar,
right over the sleeping form of old
Ellen, the negro nurse. who lay on q |
pallet by Mrs. Grantwood's bed
"Oh. Lord" cried the old woman,
let can't Judgment day. amt |
dressed proper to rise In glory"
Mrs. Grantwood rose In bed and.
quick OF action, threw the brass can
destick at the rat as 1t rushed past.