Lower coast gazette., 1913-03-22
KITTY COOK IN 4 CRISIS.

nifty Cock left her room, wet
sponge i'll hand. Then, having squeez-
5l the sponge over the twins, who
were, as usual, lazing in bed, she
slammed the door 10 shut in their
screams. She thought Of breakfast.
AZ the mature age OF fifteen, one
cnllks a great deal of breakfast.
she gathered from the clinking OF
cups in a bedroom that mother was
breakfasting abed. The coast clear,
she slid down the banisters. She
was about to enter the breakfast
room ~joyously when she remembered
the sins Of her parent. Last evening
ne had come home from London WITH
out THE plates ne had promised to get
her for her camera He must be
shown that he was in deep disgrace.
She entered thesroom demurely and
said Good morning, father" in a Sc.
we're tone.
As she attacked her porridge she
waited for the remark, whats wrong
this morning, Kitty" But he said
nothing. After a moment or two she
threw an indignant glance at him. He
was reading his paper upside down.
She looked at the clock. It was quite
time he made the usual rush for the
train, but he never stirred.
Something's happened in the fami-
iy that's being kept from me-" thought
the girl. ats shameful. He shall
miss his train. He deserves to-"
At last she relented. "Dad," she
said, "wIat about the eight-thirty-
two?"
He looked mp " her almost tear
fully. "My dear, shan't have to
go today. Yesterday evening | was
paid three months salary and told
that the firm required my services
no longer"
"The shabby beasts!" exclaimed,
| Miss Cook. "Whatever's that for
dad?"
Reorganization said her father.
:The new general manager is a great
advocate for econonay and new blood"
"Weli, what are you going to do?"
asked the girl.
~ don't quite know. dear. First
Of all J must tell your mother. /
ought TO have told her last night, but,
to be frank, ! shirsed it. Her health
is so delicate, you know. But I'll have
TO tell her this morning"
9TH be a tonic for her. Don't you
remember how well she was when the
twins had scarlet fever. Don't you
worry about her, dad"
"But all Of you--the twins and the
baby. It's dreadful to think about"
"Well, don't think about it, dad.
Turn your paper right way up and
eat your breakfast. II we're going
to starve, it's 70 good beginning TO-
day, is it? Now make q good break
fast, like Z sensible old dear"
She Strengthened his paper for him,
poured him cnt q cup Of coffee, and
insisted on his eating another egg.
"Now you go up and tell mother.
She'll take it wonderfully. ] know
mother. Then, if ! were you, I'd go
out and see to those new rose trees.
You were only saying on Sunday that
you'd been home so late the last ieN
weeks that you'd had no time to at
tend to them"
When her father was safely out Of
the way she made & desperate on
slaught on the twins m%oney-box. With
some difficulty she shook out four quar-
ters-that was enough. Then, being
honest at heart, if Inscriptions, she
wrote on a slip OF paper, q Q y both
orc doIlar.-Kitty," and pushed il
through The slit into the box.
She called to the servant that she
was going to hockey practice, and put
on g coat and hat totally unsuitable
Tor such q purpose. After 9 glance
at herself in the glass she threw back
her name Of yellow-golden hair and
sailed demurely towards the station.
Now, she had left herself ample time
for the 1884, but she forgot that as
a rule she sprinted down the Fill.
This morning she walked staidly, be-
cause she was thinking Of important
business. As 4 result the 1884 left
the station when she was q good fifty
yards away.
Sorry, miss said the ticket col
lector: ~ shouted to you, but you cook
no notice. II you'd made o run you'd
have caught it easy. We cant |Eeer
the nine-thirty-four. There's two di-
rectors always travel by it."
The girl looked him straight in the
eyes. "I'm SO GLAD that for once -ou'va
got off g train punctually.
The ticket collector retired snuD-
bed, and remarked to the junior pol-
ter, that if he were Miss Cooks fatls-
er ned slap her.
The Girl Glanced st she DookstaL