The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1915-12-02
THE BLACK CAT
BY LOUISE OLIVER,

=.
Observation-Disclosures:
Jack Morrow returned late one night
from the office. He had walked all
the way home in vain to find way
out of a very embarrassing dilemma.
Betty Hollister and he were to be
married within the month and he had
just discovered that he was almost
without cent in the world. Donald,
his younger brother at college, had
got into trouble and there was no one
else to help him. The check he had
mailed in the afternoon had just about
cleaned him out. Unless some miracle
happened, there was nothing left in
the stocking.
There was no way he could think
Of to postponing the wedding without
breaking Betty's heart. All of her
arrangements were complete and he
had heard her say once that she
would rather die than change the date
Of her wedding
Yes. there was possible way-just
q mere chance as slim as a spiders
thread! Jim Barlow had dropped in
that day and advised him to invest in
Cascade Steel. Jack never played the
market, but Jim did with more or less
luck, and when Jack had replied that
he couldn't afford it. Jim had offered
to lend him the wherewithal.
He took out his latchkey and un-
hu
clock started to strike IL. AS he
turned the knob, something soft
rubbed against his legs. He opened
the door and the hall light revealed q
Jet black cat that started to pur con-
tentedly as it turned for another rub
against his trousers.
Midnight and black cat!
Jack looked cautiously around. He
had come from a New England town
and was as full of superstitions as a
cantaloupe is of seeds. Surely this
was lucky sign. He must keep the
cat! Nothing could be more hazardous
to luck than to turn it loose now.
But
His landlady hated cats, and, be-
! sides, she was relative of Betty.
Betty must never know about the cat
because the one thing they ever dis
agreed about was Jacks "supersti-
tion," as practical Betty put 1t.
But this lucky sign meant that he
was almost sure to win il he took up
Jim's offer of the morning. 1t had to
be done! He picked up the cat and
held 1t under his coat as he slipped
stealthily up to his room.
Early the next morning Betty, look.
ing pale and hollow eyed, met Jack at
the front door on his way to work
She eyed the travelling bag he carried
curiously. but he explained hastily
that he was carrying papers to the
office.
He had been up since dawn trying
to devise methods of feeding and hid
ing his new pet. For two hours he
had looked out of the window in vain
for milkman. The trunk, the cup
board and each bureau drawer had
elected only dismal yowls of lonesome
ness. There was nothing for it but tC
carry his good luck fetish back anf
forth with him to the office, where he
could feed it and keep an eye on II
through the day. Better the jeers o.
the boys than the wrath Of Betty.
A few days passed-days Of more
than one kind of anxiety for Jack
First, there was Cascade Steel, which
couldn't decide whether to go up Of
down. Then there was the cat which
made him the butt of thousand jokes
at the Office and miserable at the
house nightly for fear of discovery
But, last of all, Betty had taken a no
ton to droop.
but there was something indefinablt
|, about her he could not understand
She protested that she was well-ye
, she was pale and distracted and hel
, thoughts seemed to be miles away
! She started at every sound and flew
to the door every time she heard al
unusual noise.
Jack was worried. Their wedding
day was approaching and Betty go
worse instead of better.
One thing, however-Cascade Stee
was doing well and In couple of day
he hoped to clear all he had lost ant
pay back Jim's loan.
Then the cat could go wither /
would In the meantime he watched
1t with renewed vigilance.
} But the cat got away! One nigh
Jack woke up with feeling of dis
, aster. His first thought was for pus
sy Sure enough-its bed in the opel
wardrobe drawer was empty. A thor
ough search of the room proved fulfil
, and the transom solved the riddle.
He slipped into few clothes ant
peered cautiously out into the hall
then felt his way slowly downstairs
The parlor, by the light OF a match
was catless Then he started for tn
. dining room and stopped, hearing
feminine voice. The door stood opel
just enough for him to see Betty Il
the middle of the floor hugging hi
black cat and rubbing her cheek
again its sleek head. He didn't eve
know she was in the house.
"Oh, Niggy, dear. I'm so glad
found you" she crooned. I've locke
for you for a week, ever since tn
J night lost you over here! And it
such bad luck to have a black ca