Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1913-01-01
He CAUGHT THE CAT
BY EDITH coHN.

at the back door of the Simpson nat.
Young Dewberry was cracking ice
on the stone doorstep by way of help
ing Althea make lemonade for the
rest of the callers in the living room.
He had attained this privilege by
sheer force inasmuch as three other
young men had sprung to their feet
when Althea had murmured some
thing about making the lemonade.
Young Dewberry had simply hewn a
| path through their ranks as he head
ed for the icebox and a bit of soil
tude with Althea.
els that so?" he remarked in re-
Spouse to her remark about the thir-
tv-six fats. He looked down into the
huge curved court which nearly BIZ
sected the long building. 1t was a
canvon with walls showing spidery
/ stafrcases and narrow little porches
and it ended in a cement well at the
ground, with an exit through the base
ment to the street.
OH" Althea cried at that mo-
ment. For something 1.-the and gray
leaped over young Dewberry to the
porch and vanished. There goes my
cat! 1 never allow him out at night!
Catch him, quick!"
Dropping the ice. young Derberry
made a leap after the cat. 1t glided
down the narrow staiTcases like a
ghost Breathless, its pursuer reached
the bottom and chased the elusive
feline around the cement court At
last he grabbed its tail and hung on.
The cat, scratching furiously, was
gathered to his manly chest and fur
lively choked.
Now I've got you" young Dew
berry muttered viciously. "Consarn
you! Why should she waste affection
on YOU"
He looked up at the canyon wall
monotony Then, seeing a staircase
near, he started up. Mechanically
after a while he stopped All the
back doors on that floor were closed.
All loked alike. 1t suddenly dawned
on young Dewberry that he was con-
. lIOuleu Dg I'M - -SlA DdCh uOOI . anu
that his chance of finding the right
one was rather slim.
( Peering over the rail, he counted up
from the ground and found that he
was on the third floor. He began
considering doors. Most of them had
names on them and none of the
names was Simpson He had not
realized before how very many other
names there were in the world Final
ly he came to a nameless door and
took a sight out over the court This
must be the one. for the angle was
! similar to that he had seen when
: Althea had called his attention to the
size of the court. He tapped gently
The door flew open with disquiet-
ing suddenness and a fist was shak-
en- under young Dewberry's nose.
! You clear OUT" said the voice that
went with the fist I've been waiting
! for you-and let me tell you, if you
come around again bothering my cook
/ I'll have the law on you! A loafing,
drunken husband and she a hard
. hOIhluS WI men lliG uOOI W d.
! slammed in young Dewberry's face.
Walking very rapidly and very
/ straight, young Dewberry headed for
/ the end of that row of porches. He
was lost and must go at it sensibly.
! Selecting a door, he knocked, After
a while he found the bell and rang.
Presently it opened and a woman
/ peered out over the chain.
Excuse me, madam" Dewberry be-
gan in his politest tones. q have"
/ Good gracious!" the woman cried.
/ An agent at this time of night" It's
/ perfectly disgraceful disturbing peo-
pie who don't want to buy anything.
She slammed the door shut and rat
! tied the chain pointedly.
Young Dewberry leaned against a
/ post and gazed at the cold, twinkling
stars He and the cat were very
much alone. 1t occurred to him that
all this trouble could have been
averted had Althea remained on her
back porch and watched his progress.
He began to feel bitter toward Al
/ thea.
Suddenly he realized that he was
not on the third floor, but the second
he had counted the back stairs up
from the cement basement where he
had caught the cat!
Hastily ascending another fight, he
renewed his scrutiny of doors. The
name of Simpson was not on any of
them. So, still clutching the dis
gusted cat, he went downstairs once
more and assembled the flights on the
opposite side Of the canyon.
Presently he paused before a door.
There were bits of ice on the door
tep! Thus encouraged, Dewberry
turned the knob and entered.
why, where on earth have you
been?" asked Althea in some confu-
sion. She was at the icebox and
young Spriggs, who was with her,
moved aside quickly. You've been
gone ages! They've drunk up all the
lemonade and eaten everything, l
don't think 1t was nice Of you."
oh" said young Dewberry, grim
ly kitty and l have been taking a