The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1915-07-09

cat 0WOke from q nap ON the SlCCl1S
room rug and passed out into the back
yard and the sunshine to try a little
promenade on the fence to get the
kinks out of her legs.
The cook was at the grocery and in
| quiring for her soap and accepting the
clerks invitation to attend a picnic
with him at the same time when Mr..
Bowser drove UP to the deserted house
with a farmer in his wagon. 1t took
| him but a minute to rush through the
house and find Mrs. Bowser and the
cook absent. From a rear window he
saw the dear old cat" on the alley
fence, and hustling back to the wagon
he had the horses galiop around to the
alley gate.
With an empty potato sack on his
arm and a smile of hypocrisy on his
lips he approached the innocent victim
of his wiles with:
kitty, Kitty. Come here, old cat. l
am going to give you a little vacation.
That's right. Show your trust and
confidence in one who has never be-
trayed you"
With that he dropped the feline into
the sack and made for the wagon. and
two minutes later MI. Bowser, the
Bowser cat and the farmer and his
wagon were out Of the neighborhood.
The cook had intended to make a
two minute job Of buying the soap. but,
Of course, it was twenty minutes be-
fore she got back to the house. Her
mind being on that picnic, 1t was half
an hour more before she looked around
for the cat. Grimalkin was gone. MOI
could an hours hunt reveal hide nor
head Of her.
When Mrs. Bowser reached home no
securing had been done. No prepare
lions for dinner, but nothing but tears
and signs and reproaches had taken
place.
1.-THE cat-the cat is gone, mum!'
was the doleful news communicated.
'But I told you to keep your eye on
her"
II had to go to the grocery for SOAP"
"Are you sure Mr.. .Bowser didn't
come homer" asked Mrs. Bowser.
HE might have come while l was ut
the store, num-"
Mrs. Bowser looked for the cat for
the next half hour, and not finding or
hearing Of her she gave it up. Her
mind was made up as to the fate Of
the cat, however. and the policy that
she was to pursue wa adopted.
Mr.. Bowser came home at the usual
hour. and he found Mrs. B0wser's at
titude the same as usual. No excite
ment, no perturbation. He looked at
her closely and made up his mind that
she had not yet discovered his heinous
offense.
Dinner passed of as usual. II there
was suspicion abroad he did not feel
that it8rested on him. Once or twice
during the meal he started to give. q.
chuckle or a cackle, but at once sup
pressed it. 1t was only when he was
seated again with a newspaper and CT
gar that he said in a careless way:
1T seems kinder lonesome without
the cat around. I wonder where she
Isl" N N... d..
"Oh, l guess she is around some
WHERE replied Mrs. Bowser in equally
careless tones.
II should hate to have her lost at
her age after having lived with US so
long az she has" .'....
II am not worrying any"
Five minutes passed, and Bowser
chuckled. Five more, and he laughed.
Two or three more, and he said:
"Somehow I am afraid that we shall
never see our dear old cat again."
81 think we SHALL" said Mrs. Bowser
us she rose up and called to the cook
through the tube:
maggie, is the cat down there"
Eyes, mum"
"Then bring her up. Mr. Bowser
wants to see her."
And In another minute the cook came
up Juggling that dear old cat" looking
a little weary, but not much worse for
wear. AS she dropped the feline to
the floor there was a purr Of "hOme
again." and Mr.. Bowser raised his
hands and exclaimed:
"It can't be! It cant be-"
"But It u.s." laughed Mrs. Bowser.
"She returned while we were eating
dinner. It Il a cat habit, You know"
Mr.. B0wser looked from the cat to
Mr., Bowser and then back.
Mrs.. Bowser looked from Mr.. Bowser
to the cat.
Then they both chuckled and smiled
and grinned and burst out laughing,
which was continued for five long min.
utes. Mr.. Bowser put his arm around
her and asked to be forgiven.
And tie cat chuckled. and smiled and
laughed With them: It was the first
time III years that Bowser had not
threatened divorce. but he was seeing
the funny side of things.