Hopkinsville Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1889-1918, 1915-05-20
At MIssCADY'szOO
Violet Lane Found Both Home
and Happiness in It.
BY JOHN TRENT.

per Syncicate.)
Among the frivolous young folk II
the village Miss Arabella Cadys select
boarding house was known as "Tht
Zoo" AS Sally Hecker vivaciously
explained II to her fellow teachers al
the high school. 1T is a human zoo
anyway, IL there could be such q
thing -,
First" said Sally, there is odT
own reverend principal, Mr.. Dale-is
he not a perfect bear, big, growly,
grizzly bear? And Doctor Coleman is
a perfect polar bear. SO cold and un-
mannerly and restless! And Miss
Twitchell is a feline-soft and purry
and with sharp claws that scratch.
and a biting tongue. And" Sally
giggied, Il heard Mr.. Dale say that
the new boarder, the young man who
works In the drug store, was a puppy,
and everyone knows what silly
goose Mrs. Jones is, and all the rest
OF the house, full are just as funny
and freakish. oh, no; Miss Lane,
don't go to the Zoo to board!"
Violet Lane, the new teacher,
smiled mirthfully at Sallys descrip-
ton of Miss Cady's boarders.
"You are too late, Miss Hecker; I've
engaged board there and don't care
what you say about the rest OF them,
but / do think Miss Arabella is a per-
feet dear"
A gale of laughter greeted her re-
mark.
"A dear! What did | tell you,
girls?" cried Sally. "Oh, don't mind
our foolishness, Miss Lane; you are
a dear yourself and entirely eligible
to go to The Zoo. Perhaps you can
do some missionary work among
them ALL"
Violet smiled and was silent. She
could not explain to these giddy girls
how pleasant and homelike was the
little chintz-hung room at Miss Cady's,
where she had unpacked her belong
ings that very morning. How quiet
was the home atmosphere of the place
and how delicious the well-cooked
food!
They could not appreciate what this
position in the Vineland school meant
to girl who had worked her way up
from an orphaned and friendless
childhood, who had paid for her own
education and who had never known
what real home was like.
To Violet Lane Miss Cady's Zoo was
a charming colonial home filed with
delightful people. 1t was more than
that, 1t was home.
So, accompanied by the .unwar-
,ranted pity of her companions, Violet
Lane turned in at Miss Cady's gate;
smiled as they hurried away in af-
fected fear of its inmates, and was
still smiling as she opened the front
door.
The smile died away as she met the
fierce, dark gaze of Homer Dale, the
principal Of her school. Mr.. Dale, a
tall, dark, misunderstanding man,
growled greeting, tried to smile and
failed utterly. before he desperately
bottled into the sitting room and hid
himself behind Newspaper.
Violet was puzzled. 81 don't believe
he likes me-" she thought, as she
mounted the stairs. At the top she
met little Miss Twitchell, who had
lived for many years at the Zoo. She
had a little, dried-up face and form,
and spoke in a rasping little voice.
ooh, it's you, Miss Pane-Lane or
Dane, did you say? Oh, Lane!
'eally thought you were a little girl; !
out la! when our school teachers wear |
such short skirts and f0unce around |
10, how is a body to know? Humph!"
"She is scratchy!" decided Violet |
Is she removed her hat and slipped ]
III her gown preparatory to dress
ng for supper. But, don't cars
/ real home has cats and dogs, and
suppose. a tame BEAR
Ind l may as well make friends with
hem; make pets OF them. perhaps"
She sat down at the crowded; tas
Die, with violet eyes and rosy HIPS and
cheeks and hair like pale corn silk;
surely this flower face did not belong
here among these sterner counte-
lances.
The drug clerk passed the butter
.wice to Violet and ventured a re-
mark about the weather. Mr.; Dale
at his overtures and again
passed the butter to the new boarder.
Miss Twitchell made a scratchy
remark and fat Mrs. Jones giggled-
Violet blushed and Doctor Coleman
emerged from his polar-bearishness-
long enough to remark that she