The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1919-06-05
THE DAILY
SHORT STORY
Kitty, My Pretty White
Kitty.
BY 8. 3. hAckLEY.
Copyright, 1913, by the Mcclure
Eewsuaner SYNDICATE

I Copyright, 1913, by the Mcclure
Newspaper Syndicate.l
GeN q house is full up, sab" The
The shining, white-aproned
embodiment of suavity and
. importance, on the steps OF the high.
class boarding house OF the Misses
Loyeioy, In the little health resort
town of Boiling Springs, bowed until
his clipped head well.nigh touched
the elusive pink spider lilies In the
flower boxes beside the piazza steps.
u has TO ostend TO you de intensitest
regrets my ladies, but ebbuh room
Is takened. De last one wah bespoke
by wiah dis foahnoon"
When a man all his fifty years gets
everything he wants and goes 700
miles on his physician's recommended
ton OF the water and baths for rheu.
matte knee, he naturally feels vexed
when, at hts journeys end. he doesn't
get the first Of his wishes granted.
Terry Alderson's fine dark eyes
elouded a bit as he turned away and
started across the high slipping street
toward the Coppell House, recon-
mendcd as the second best boarding
house In Boiling Springs.
And Just then Miss Nellie" little
slim, authenticated and. smiling lady
about thirty.five years of age, with the
gentlest softest brown eyes, came up
the street. Anderson met her at her
gate. His face cleared instantly, and
when she stopped to pat the immense
white car that advanced to meet her,
with kitty, pretty white kitty, are you
glad to see me?" on her lips, an unrea-
coming twinge Of jealousy went over
him. Why should beauteous crea-
ture like that waste affection on a
cat?
That evening Anderson sat on the
upstairs porch that opened off his
room at Mrs. Coppells, and in the full
light OF the moon he watched Miss
Nellie Lovejoy as she stood by the
row Of sweet.scented daturas, whose
great, dew-covered white bells made a
glory OF the Loyejoy side yard Then
he saw her stoop and pet the white
cat that followed her
Il wouldn't mind being that cat" he
thought whimsically.
The next afternoon, coming from
the bathhouse at the springs, some
distance from the boarding place, Al
derson overlook Miss Lovejoy going
home from her work as a clerk at
Framm's store. He spoke to her, and
making a pretense of desiring some
Information, walked along with her as
Tar as her gate.
Ten days of religiously drinking the
mineral waters and taking the baths
and Aderson's rheumatic knee was
nearly well. but he was having strange
feelings In tho vicinity OF his heart.
He had never cared anything for
wome. IS lie knew them in the North,
but he had never before been ac-
auainted with an authenticated south
ern lady, with voice like soft, rip
bling water and eyes like pools in the
forest.
Boxes Of roses began quite frequent
y 70 come down on number eleven"
the late afternoon train. from the near
est Sig town for Miss Nellie Lovejoy,
and fancy wicker boxes OF chocolates
without number. with "T. NJ. Alder.
sons" card inclossd.
And Miss Nellie glowed and tlimpled
and smiled un.!l the Framm custom.
ers. who had always loved her, fairly
worshIpped her.
And in tho seventh heaven of de.
light Jonathan received tho boxes of
candy ana flowers. and watched
through tho 'front.' door screen each
afternoon the Eer.lcA.sn from Detroit.
as he fingered a. the EGte, loath to
lift his Ia! from his handsome gray
head IN goodby to Miss Nellie.
About o'clock one mG.a'H, % the
fifth week OF his stny - po.ling
Springs Anderson was awal.,..,! by a
"meow!ng7 IN the back yara. FOR an
hour there was continuous sauall-
ing. When the cat finally ceased its
noise Anderson, who loved late sleep
ing, could sleep no more He rose
thoroughly e1asperated.
The next night there was a repetf.
ton Of the feline serenade Anderson
bounded from his bed and saw in the
yard below the balcony the big, white
cat that belonged at the Loyeioy
house. He threw convenient golf
stick In its direction and returned to
bed. but sleep was gone.
To whom does the. white cat that
stays at your house belong?" Aide,
son asked bit stiffly of Miss Nellie.
as ne overlook her on her way hon
that afternoon.
Snow Darling? she smiled och.
he belongs to Mrs. Gilman. an old .ady
who has made her home here 8, long,
and we all make pet OF hin she
went on In her musical tones.
II he keeps up that after-,lidnight
noise as he did last night and he night
before" Anderson common Some
body1l make a corpse of y l."
Why. we've didn hear any
noise Miss Nellie rer' strated, you
must have been drec IS, Mr.. Alder
son."
Three nights W.. by before the
white cat again .enaded the ConpelI