The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1913-01-08
THAT BLESSED KITTEN
Stray Black Cat Innocent Means
OF Reuniting Lovers Who
Had QuarreIed.
BY WHEELER M'MiLLEN.

"NSPA'Ah VI Vi d SulSeTl0R,
homeless kitten penetrated to Bent.
ly's room Bently hated cats; and he
va, cal of a Job
But. he declared to himself, this
is toe cold night for even a worth
less cat to be out
Inc Kittens miserable 'me-a-Ow!"
again rose above the shrieks of the
zero wind. 1t sounded as if the VIC
tim OF the frosty blast was giving its
last howl before lying down to freeze
In the snow. The tenderness OF Bent.
Iys heart overcame his long fostered
aversion for anything feline. As he
held the door open. the keen wind
drove fine particles OF snow over the
rug.
The cats cry sounded across the
street. Il could never find 1t there"
Bently slammed the door, and crawled
up on top OF the radiator, which seem.
ed to have given up all effort to warm
the room
Fuller than before of the agony of
the cold. the cry again reached Bent.
ly's ears. He opened the door. As
the snow sifted over his slippers, he
heard soft feet patter across the
porch, anc black kitten slipped into
the room
Bently picked the cat up in one
hand. AS its four feet dangled in the
air, he examined his guest Ice and
snow still hung in its bedraggled
black fur. The kitten. grateful for
warmth and attention. began to purr.
Rently drew a chair close to the ra-
dialor, and put on it, warm side up.
the cushion that had been on top OF
the heater. On this he carefully de-
posted the cat He settled himself
! in th' one rocker that scarcely could
be said to adOrn the room 4 whim.
s'ca! mood stole over him. as he gazed
at the kitten, which was comfortably
rushing its claws into the cushion
as it purred loudly
so you're out Of job and up
O6uauot ~ wv. dtc yOu, TUBS
Puss seemed more inclined to alb,
sOrb the heat that the radiator had
begun in honor of the occasion, than
to engage in conversation Bently
continued his interrogations and OBJ
servations. himself beginning to en-
Joy the situation az much as the cat
appreciated 1t.
Il don't generally like cats, but
believe that you and will be fine
friends. That reminds me that we
haven't been introduced but geniuses
hate fOrmalities. too" Bently halted
in his soliloquy.
Il said | didn't like cats; but
know of some one who does. I'll bet
she'd like to have one like you for
a pet. She would call you a beauty,
though | don't quite agree. Would
you like to hear Of this person who
likes CATS"
For answer, Puss ceased the ablu-
tons that were engrossing her atten-
ton, yawned comfortably. jumped
from the cushion to Bently's knee and
nat down socially In his lap.
We'll, by the shades OF old maids,
do believe you are really interested.
! must tell you all about her.
Once upon time-no, not once
upon a time. because she Is still very
much alive. Iiut II is once upon a
time SO far as | am concerned, so
we'll let II go that way Once upon a
, time, there was "A sweet and independ-
ent young woman. who lived in
room something like this. only more
huneiiht iof ,laA ,hs, ii Wulnan ia il, ia
this very city Her name was Mar.
garet Margaret made her living bv
writing things for newspapers and
magazines. One day, while she was
working at space rates for the paper
on which ! was a reporter. | met her.
Puss, are you listening Well, We be.
came good friends We became such
good friends. indeed that went very
often to see her. and we planned how
we would furnish the fiat we were
going to have together when both OF
US were little more successful
when she had sold her serial and |
got raise in salary.
But she insisted on liking cats. and
would always have two or three
around to care for told you a while
ago that l hated cats. At least had
ii!wavs pretended to hate them. SO |
had come to believe that really did
We quarreled the other day about
that Then. some other things went
wrong. and we QUAR-, led worse than
ever That was terrible. Pussy. You
must never quarrel with any one YOU
love.
by the way. wouldn't you like to
see Margarets picture?'
When Bently's voice paused the
kitten looked up and began to purr
again
Il guess you mean you do
Bently reached for the picture ,h,,
was lying on the table As he held !,
up where both could get a good loor
at it, the kitten stood up and lisht,v
J touched with its own cold nose m.
nose Of the image on the card sa,n,
ing in cat fashion.