The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1916-03-29
The
Talking Cat
BY Lawrence Alfred Clay

tween Edward Chalmers and Irene
two in the courtship. Neither one
would have admitted to an atom of
jealousy in their makeup, but each
had betrayed it, The husband had
been popular young man, and the
wife had had many admirers. They
but the feeling had not been quite dis
sipated.
Before six months were up Mr..
Chalmers came home from the insur
ance Office where he worked, and
swore He had been bullied by his
superior. and he said damn it," in
plain, unmistakable English. The
young wife ought to have realized as
girl that there are times when all
men swear, and TO have been prepared.
but it hit her a surprising blow. She
began to cry at once.
Mr. Chalmers having arrived AT the
age of twenty-four and having bow
ing acquaintance with at least so
women, ranging from old married
women to girls in short dresses.
should have realized that no wife cries
in order to rritate her husband. They
pointed them, or because the latest
thing in hats doesn't become them.
They have been known to sob over the
erroneous idea that this is sad old
world. Mr.. Chalmers wasn't posted
on this point, and therefore when the
front He had been bullied at the
office, and now she was rubbing it in
on him at home.
All the rest of us could have
Strengthened things out in Is minutes
and then gone to the theater, but this
misunderstanding hung on. There
were dinner and tears and mental
oaths, and romance jumped the fence
and disappeared in the bushes. Things
might have changed for the better
next day but for the god of chance.
The wife went to the butchers to or
der meat, and on the way met Jerry
Simpson.
Jerry was one of her old admirers,
but the admiration was all on his side.
At any other time he would have been
different Mrs Chalmers was mad at
her husband. She stopped and shook
hands with Jerry and told him how
glad she was to see him. and at the
end of ten minutes she thought she
| had done smart thing
At lunch hour, when Mr.. Chalmers
| went out for his bite, he met Miss
| Gator. There was once a report that
they were engaged. At any rate, they
| were pretty good friends. He was glad
to see her, because he knew that his
bride didn't like her a bit. He was sc
glad that he asked her to lunch with
him. and the bill presented by the
waiter took his last nickel
The Chalmers had cat She WASH
anything to boast of as cat, bu
good enough to begin housekeeping on
Mr. Chalmers entered the hous,
with his mind made up not to speal
first. All the husbands he had eve
talked with had told him that in cas-,
of family row the husband must holt
himself as stiff as a poker and maxi
the wife do the kneeling act. Mrs
Chalmers had decided not to rush fol-
ward and greet him with kiss Sh
might look up as he entered, and
encouraging she might smile, but be
yond that it must be mutual thing
Only two weeks previously her MAJ
: ried sister had solemnly said to her:
Irene, you and Ed will have quar-
rel some day
Never"
1T may be your fault and it may b
his, but stand on your dignity. Don
be the first to give in. If you do tn
heel of the tyrant will be on your nee
forever"
) Well the tyrant was there with hi
heel Just let him try to put it on he
proud neck. For a moment he SCENE
inclined to, and then turned to tn
cat.
We'll, pussy, it's been cool gay,
said Mr.. Chalmers.
Yes, pussy, it has" said the wife.
Pussy, you can tell your mistres
that this looks like mighty poor dill
ner for hungry man"
And, pussy, you can tell your ma
ter that he trotted off this mornin
without leaving any market money
1t wasn't the case of person tall
ing through his hat. but talkin
: through his cat The feline stretch e
. and yawned and purred. and SCENE
to say: "Oh, cut 1t OUT" but she wa
held to her job That evening. for tn
first time since his marriage, NJ
, Chalmers thought of his lodge b
a fore leaving the house he said to tn
] cat:
E Pussy, am going to my lodge I
0 night. and | may not be home muc
n before midnight"
e And while Pussy closed her ey,
e and didn't appear to care Gel
d where he went or when he got bac
the reply came from the wife
r PUSSY. | am going over to see 81
ter. and | may not be back much
fore one o'clock in the morning"
Mr.. Chalmers did not 60 TO h
e lodge. That was all a bluff Mr.
Chalmers did not go to her sister
h That was all bluff to match the OF
e er bluff At the back end of Il
r grounds they occupied was a pom
a The former owner of the premises h;
I. created it for a fish pond He hi
l. also bUilt pagoda on its brink. H
idea was to sit in that pagoda