The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1922-11-13
E0ening Story
A Deferred Excuse.
BY A. W. PEACH.

BY A. w. PEACH.
1t was not a happy world to John
Stuart He was trying to get his own
breakfast. His housekeeper had been
suddenly called away, and he was, as
the expression has it, ION his own"
On his ascent from the cellar way
he found the kitchen door had blown
open, and wint-y gusts or snow We're
cascading in. Ee closed the door and
went about his labors, when an I'M
mistakable meow warned him that
he had a visitor. A scouting expedi-
ton revealed the visitor in his study
a kitten, decorated with a crimson
ribbon. Evidently she had slipped in
when the kitchen door blew open.
After some skilful stalking, which
did not make his world any the hap
pier. he cornered the kitten. He had
reason to believe it belonged next
door, SO he decided to drop it over the
fence. He performed this act with
due ceremony and retreated to his be-
lated breakfast. AS he enterd-the
kitchen his doorbelI rang and he has
tened thru the bungalow.
''Nine-o'c clock, and breakfast twenty
miles away" he groaned.
He opened the door and found him
self facing a slight figure muffled in
a fur coat.
IT wonder if you have seen my kit
ten ~ a sweet voice queried.
II Just deposited feline of the
description over the OdCkydT0 IcHCSs
he\ replied with some GOODNESS as be-
fitting the time of the year, the sub
1ect, and a brcakfastless man.
"Oh, Sou did!' the sweet voice
said with increasing chill 81 thank
youi But, if 1 am not mistaken, 1
just saw the kitten back of your
He started to say Impossible" but
remarked that nothing seemed to be
impossible that morning; and 1T GER
tainly was probable that the kitten,
bod
some familiar hole and tagged him
straight into the house again.
He looked around, exploded a mild
expletive in his mind, snatched the
kitten from under a davenport, sus-
pended it to its mistress.
You need not be quite so savage
about itvi she said as she received
the kitten, and turning sharply about
went down the snowy walks, her
small overshoes leaving quick i'm
prints behind her.
He closed the door and retreated to
his belated breakfast. AS he ate, the
unhappy world took on a roster as
pect, and he suddenly realized that
brown eyes of a remarkable depth
and beauty, and her eyebrows, and
the curve of her cheeks above the
furs-
4'By Jove, she was downright pref
ty, and Pm just awake to the facti"
he advised himself.
He was a newcomer in the neigh
borhood. Probably she lived in the
attractive house just back of his on
the other street. AS for the kitten,
housekeeper had fed the youngster.
Now, if that kitten should come
again I'll have an excuse for going
over. and perhaps can make a bet
ter impression than I did this morn
ing" he thought to himself.
He made his usual morning trip to
the postoffice and returned by way
of the street on which the pretty
owner OF he kitten lived. Her home
was attractive. there was no doubt
about that. He wondered if he could
catch a glimpse of her.
The effort to do so was fatal. The
deceptive SHOW sheltered an icy
stretch made more icy by the sliding
down the walk in front of her house
with more speed tn. grace.
He gathered up the outspread linn
its of his six feet of extensive pro-
portions and thought as he did so;
This is SrievouS day. The Bible
is right again: He was tempted and
he fell! I'll make tracks for home
and stay therei''
Once more in his snug and comfort
able study he set himself to work.
but it WIS of little use. In front of
the page he saw brown eyes so deep
his glance could not fathom them; the
curve of rosy cheeks and the hint of
heavy coils of brown hair under the
fur cap.
'T am gone-there's no doubt of it!
Now, if that blessed kitten would only
appear again. he communed with
himself. He even made, to his dis
grace. humber of trips to the kitch-
en- door, but no kitten appeared.
The afternoon wore on to evening.
He prepared and made way with a
very satisfactory repast and was
smoking a pleasing cigar when his
heart jumped. At the kitchen door
there sounded an unmistakabIe
'Me-ow!" He rushed to the door and
gathered to himself the kitten that
was to be his furred excuse.
He donned the proper garb and
came in front of her house. Then he
paused, remembering. In the shad-
ows he saw something dark, stretched |
across the walk where he had fallen |
He dropped the kitten and bent over. |
II was the girl, unconSciousneSS from
the force of her fall on the snow |
covered, icy walk. He gathered her
in his arms, thrilled at the sense of
the firm, slight figure in his arms; |
then he went to the house.
Her father came to the door. There |
was excitement and confusion for a |
time, but fifteen minutes later the |
troubled. waters were quiet and J0hn |
was looking into brown eyes that re- |
garded him oddly.
at saw you tumble out there this
afternoon and / was amused-there /
was so much of you'll" she laughed.
'.And then I had to do it, too. 1t
serves me right for being so dis
agreeable to you this morning"
I'm afraid I should apologize.
was trying to get my own breakfast!"
be said.
She smiled. That explains it: you
are forgiven and I suppose"-her
Brown, musing eyes were upon him
Il suppose, because the kitten likes
you so well 1 ought TOT
John accepted the cigar her father
offered him just then as he said with L
decision: II agree with you, and 1