Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1913-02-26
Usefulness Of
F1ypatia

room OF which Mr.. Bellamy and sew
eral of his crOnies had met on Thurs
day evenings to play skat and enjoy
other festivities appropriate to the
occasion, the burning question of the
hour became what to do with the club
house cat.
zone of you fellows" said the man
who owned the house and incidentally
had owned the cat, fought to take
care Of her. Hypatia is good cat and
fine locker. 1t would be shame to
turn her out into the street with no
home and no friends. Bellamy, she
has always been fond of you. What's
the matter with your taking herr"
"Me?" exclaimed Bellamy "Me?
Good Lord! My wife hates cats"
Meow interrupted Hypatia, and
rubbed patches of her new summer
garments off on the leg of his trous-
ers. Bellamy softened at that mark of
confidence.
Never mind, old H." he said, 81
won't go back on III. Well go up
to the house togethe and see what we
can do"
Bellamy carried Hypatia home in
hat box. Mrs. Bellamy viewed the
bundle with suspicion and alarm.
''What have you there?" she asked.
"Just a little surprise" said Bel.
lamy lamely.
He raised the lid of the box and
Hypatia, released from her unwonted
confinement, jumped half way across
the room.
GA cat!" she cried. ''Why, Harvey,
that is a cat. What did you bring her
here for?"
''To kill the MICE" said Bellamy.
''Mice?'' she echoed ''Why, there
isn't mouse about the place."
"'There ain't?" said Bellamy ex
citedly. "Great Scott, haven't you
heard 'em? Why, the way they ram
page through the walls every night
playing golf and baseball is enough
to wake the dead. haven't been able
to sleep for week on account of the
racket. That's the reason I got Hy.
patia. I want her to kill them Off
So for one night at least Hypatis
was permitted to enjoy the hospital
ity Of the Bellamys. The next morning
Bellamy took his time at dressing
His wife, being curious concerning the
welfare of her unwelcome guest, pre-
coded him to the store room where
Hypatia had been quartered for the
night, and cautiously opened the door
AS Hypatia rushed out she looked in
and straightway sounded a ringing
call to arms. Be1lamy bolted down
hoI In
cook from the other.
''What is the matter?'' they asked
CA mouse!" responded Mrs. Bel
1amy, weakly, and keeled over against
the wall. Bellamy held the rodent al
arms length and fourished it by the
tip Of the tail triumphantly.
''What did I tell you?" he said
Didn't I say the house is alive with
them?"
eyes, admitted his wife 'Tt's funny
I never heard them, though. I sup
pose we'll have to keep Hypatia an
other night now.
Immediately after breakfast Mrs
Bellamy summoned the janitor and
pointed to the moribund mouse.
Henry she said severely, what is
that?"
A look of CONSERVATION overspread
the big Swedes infantile face.
GA maas," he gasped. ga MAS.
WHARF you gat heem?'
If the cultivation of mice in a pri.
vate apartment had been the height of
human ambition Mrs Bellamy could
have betrayed exultation no more
complete than that which thrilled her
voice as she replied:
''Here. Right here in our own fat
/ want you to clean out my storeroom
and take up my carpets and rugs and
stop up all the rat holes. The things
will eat us alive if we don't get rid of
them
Although the bewildered Swede
worked until bedtime tearing UP car
pets and moving furniture, neither
mice nor their means OF egress and in
gress were discovered. Nevertheless
that night Hypatia slew two more of
her hereditary foes.
st am going out this afternoon to
look for a fiat. I can't stand it to be
eaten by mice" said Mrs. Bellamy.
She really did start, but she had
got no further than her own hall door
when she met boy who wanted to
see Mr.. Bellamy.
''What do you want to see him
about?" she asked.
ooh, nothin' much" was the vague
reply.
Mrs. Bellamy opened the door to
the widest limit
Little boy" she said, with seduc-
tive graciousness, wouldn't you like
a dish of pudding and some fruit?"
Eyes, ma'am," said the boy.
She entertained him for half an
hour. AS a result of the interview she
abandoned her intention of looking for
another fiat
ct am glad of that" said Bellamy
that evening when appraised of her
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