The Lakeland evening telegram., 1914-08-18
MOUSE AND THE RING
BY MONA MAEHL.
sssesssssseeeeesssssssso.;

III never speak to him!" declared
Cornelia. IF he lives here thousand
years III never speak single word
to him!"
Cornelias cheeks famed crimson as
she announced this fierce and unal-
terable decision.
My dear, said her mother, gently,
his mother is my Oldest and dearest
friend and she would gladly do as
much for one Of you girls.
But he isn't girl" stormed Cor.
neliG. And a man shouldn't thrust
himself upon comparative strangers.
You'll Just have to write and tell her
that he can't come. | won't have him.
hate men-and l despise boarders,"
she concluded, vehemently,
Her mother sighed Then she said
little guiltily, I'm afraid you'll have
to submit to 1t. my dear. for I've al
ready told hs mother that he might
come"
Whereupon Cornelia whirled away
like tornado to her room and wept
/ there.
In the course OF few weeks young
Fred Lambert arrived and took up his
! abode with the fronts. Cornelia, true
! to the spirit If not the letter Of her
] vow, ignored the young man as far as
her early and thorough training in the
school of courtesy would permit.
At the table she responded to his
! friendly advances with most chilling
hauteur When he joined the family
circle In the evening she promptly
made some excuse for leaving it. Mar
jorie, the younger sister, and Fred soon
became the best of friends. Fred, be.
Ing a happy, genial person, was great
ly troubled by Cornelia's treatment Of
him.
81 wonder why your sister dlslikes
me so?" he asked Marjorie one day
Il don't think she dislikes you"
Marjorie fastened to assure him ITS
| just-well she didn't want you to
come, and now she won't give in be,
cause she's the most obstinate thing"
Fred whisted So that's it, is IT,
he said
: II it hadn't been for Tom perhaps
Cornelia never would have given IN.
j But Tom elected several days later to
catch his annual mouse. Being fat
and oyerfed feline, he rarely conde-
scended TO enter the hunting field for
himself and when he did 1t was a
tragieal event In the family. Cornelia
would rather have had the house
swarming with mice than witness
Toms treatment Of one when he had
caught It
On this occasion Cornelia was alone
at home when the ominous humping
and sQueaRng that were sure indlca
tions OF Toms achievement reached
her ears She rushed down the stairs
and into the living room just IN time
10 see Tom release his victim, allow
II 10 wabble away few feet and then
pounce upon 1t once more. Tears OF
indignation rolled down Cornelas
cheeks as she swooped upon Tom
She was lust about to clasp her hands
about his sleek body when he slid out
from under her fingers and with q
petulant swish Of his tail in Cornelas
direction padded away with the unfor-
tunate mouse in his mouth.
Cornelia followed, swooped again
and again was foiled Tom trotted up
the stairs and sought refuge under
Cornelias bed. Cornelia pursued him
with a broom handle and rushed him
out suu clutching his treasure in
his teeth, Tom leaped down the stairs
with Cornelia close at his heels. once
more in the living room, he released
his prey again. gave it farewell slap
with his paw and, unable longer to en-.
dure the nervous strain, gave yoWI
and went into fit!
This was the final blow to CorneIia
Tom in fit was sight from when
she would fee in abject terror. With
A shrek she flew to the front door and
almost fell into the arms Of the
boarderl
Like a drowning person, sne
clutched him. "O.o-ohl" she so5oed'
"Please, please! Toms got 1T ana
a mouse and I don't dare touch him,
and it's over in the corner and l
know It's suffering, because he treats
them perfectly dreadfully and can't