The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1913-01-20
He CAUGHT THE CAT
BY EDITH COHEN.

y
flats in this building?" Althea Simp
son inquired casually as they stoo,
at the back door of the Simpson nat
Young Dewberry was cracking ic,
on the stone doorstep by way of help
ing Althea make lemonade for tn,
rest Of the callers In the living room
He had attained this privilege b,
sheer force. inasmuch as three othel
young men had sprung to their feel
when Althea had murmured some
thing about making the lemonade
Young Dewberry had simply hewn q
path through their ranks as he head
ed for the icebox and q bit Of soil
tude with Althea.
is that So" he remarked In re.
Spouse to her remark about the thir
ty-six fats. He looked down into the
huge curved court. which nearly bi.
sected the long building. It was a
canyon with walls showing spidery
staircases and narrow little porches
and it ended In a cement we'll at the
ground. with an exit through tho 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! / never allow him out at night.
Catch him. quick"
Dropping the ice. young Derberry
made a leap after the cat. It glided
down the narrow staircases 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 choke!
Now I've rot you" young Dew
! berry mutttrti viciously. "Consarn
YOU Why sh@ nd she waste affection
on you"
He looked Up at the canyon wall
and was Tap. sod by its UNMARRIED
monotony Then seeing a staircase
near, he started up Mechanically
after while he stopped. All the
hack doors on that floor were closed.
All lOked alike 1t suddenly dawned
on young Dewberry that he was con.
frented by thirty-six back doors and
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 nameless door and |
took 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 tanned gently
The door flew open with disquiet-
ing suddenness and fist was shak-
on under young Dewberry's nose.
You clear OUT" said the voice that
went with the fist I've been waiting
for you-an let me tell you. il you
come around again bothering my cook
I'll have the law on YOU A loafing, /
drunken husband ard she hard. |
working wo-" Then the door was +
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 % at 1t sensibly. !
Selecting door. h. knocked. After
while he found tn bell and rang. /
Presently it opened and woman .
peered out over the chain.
Excuse me. mazda m" Dewberrv be-
gan in his politest tones. II have"
Good gracious" the woman cried. /
An agent at this time OF night" It's
perfectly disgracetul disturbing peo-
pie who don't want to buy anything"
She slammed the door shut and rat
tied the chain poiate,ily.
Young Dowberry leaned against A
post and gazed at the cold, twinkling
stars. He and the cat were very
much alone. II occurred to him that
all this trouble could have heen
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 staira mn
from the cement basement where he
had caught the cat.
Hastily ascending another fight Ia
renewed his scrutiny OF DOOR. rhe
name Of Simpson was not on any az
them. So. still clutching the dis.
gusted cat. he went downstairs once
more and ascended the flights on thu
opposite side Of the canyon.
Presently he paused before a dooa
There were bits Of ice on the doo,.
tep! Thus encouraged. pewhe,ry
turned the knob and entered.
Why. where on earth hav. rou
BEEN" asked Althea in some cons,,.
Sion Sho waa =, ~ A.. |