The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1916-05-16

sullea INTO the Judge by his mother.
out ne had found few who had iusti.
ieu II. 1t was real joy to discover
tne depths of Miss Staley's nature
-ie had to go about it slowly. for she
permitted no cessation of their strict
BUSINESS relations. The only subject
which he dared to discuss with her in.
formally was the Office cat. Never
uiu feline acquire Importance more
suddenly 1t became a daily occur.
renee Tor the judge to step in and say
sood morning to 'Pussykin." He put
her milk on the office expense ac-
count experimental with prepared
loods. and furnished fresh and dried
supplies OF catnip, until at last, when
me one-time starving took her
place beside the pot of pansies on
Miss Staley's window, she was a Joy
TO behold.
mus all went well until one cold
morning, when Miss Staley came in
ior dictation. The Judge saw that
her usual self-possession had for
saken her. He gave her three letters
before she broke down, and then she
wrung her hands and said, wistfully,
IKE child: "Oh, I've lost my cat"
How the judge sat up, you
don't mean"
Yes, do. haven't seen her for
TWO days The janitor has had it in
Tor me ever since | told him that if
heard him beating his boy again
would report him to the police"
Well" the Judge stated, he will
lind out that /"
The lanitor, after much compul-
slon admitted that he had car
the cat to the edge of the city, and
had dropped her near the ash dump.
she was mine," was his defense.
Il will get you another cat" was
the way the Judge tried to comfort
Miss Staley.
But Miss Staley shook her head.
oh, no, you mustn't. think the
reason | liked this one was because
she was alone, and nobody seemed to
care for her, and since | came here
among strangers know how 1t
feels"
Then, lest she should seem to claim
his sympathy she turned it off with
little laugh. but | have enough
to eat"
AS if that sufiiced." the Judge
soliloquized, when she had left him.
! Why what she needs is-love-"
The suddenness of the revelation
brought him up with a jerk oh,
look here" he admonished himself
you mustn't think of such thing
you know"
But he did think of it, and the out
come was an invitation to Miss Staley
to so with him that afternoon in his
car to hunt for the office cat Under
stress of circumstances, Miss Sta,
ley consented They did not find the
cat, but the Judge found out where
Miss Staley lived.
During second search, the Judge
discovered that Miss Staley's name
was Margaret, and on the third trip
he had the JOY of buying her bunch
of violets.
The fourth day Miss Staley de-
| clined to go with him. Il am busy,
and | am afraid it's of no use to
/ look further she said.
The judga wasted the next day in
meditation, and having come to a
decision, he went back late to his
| Office to look over a case that was
coming up the next day. Thus 1t
happened that, at midnight, he heard
| in the hall an unmstakable new"
He was out of his room like shot
to find before Miss Staley's closed
portal a shivering foot-sore creature
who dragged herself to him over the
, stone floor
why, Pussykin, Pussykin," he said,
and petted her and carried her back
to his office, and made her comforta-
BILE beside his radiator Then he
| telephoned to the corner lunchroom
for bottle of milk and box OF
fried oysters, and they had their late
supper together, happily.
The rapture of Miss Staley the next
morning was his reward But he was
not content to let It end there. We've
got to plan 1t out" he said, firmly
and shut the door of Miss Staleys
sanctum and sat down and faced her,
while the regenerated Pussykin
purred at their feet. THAT cat can't
stay here-it isn't really businesslike,
you know"
81 know" Miss Staley's tone was
deprecating. But | live in board
ing house, and"
81 don't said the Judge.
You mean" her glance met his,
that you want herr"
81 want both of you" the judge
clared bluntly; my house is
empty, and my heart is empty-Mar-
garet"
When they planned their wedding
tourney the Judge suggested England
in general, and Cheshire in particu-
lar.
because of the cheese?" was Miss
Staleys demand.
because of the cats, was the
whimsical response.
So away they went, and they we're
not missed greatly by Pussykin, who
was absorbed in raising a snowy
family in unparalleled ease and