Shoshone journal. [volume] (Shoshone, Idaho) 1884-1931, 1923-08-17
The Homeless
Black Cat
By wINIFRKD DUNBAR.

~ RoOd sui OF clothes, indulge In q Oh
= ing bath and place himself under
- DOCTORS care for a week. 1t was
h. for q cat, Z skinny, homeless, I'LL
tured black cat only-the feline h
: ieaped into disaster from the SO
graceful arms OF the most radia
n young girl Croft had ever seen.
He had been only 4 week at Durha
: and was stranger here. He hf
. worked too hard for five years for
! great oil concern Ia the city and ha
! broken down. Valued and popular. Ii
. giant monopoly had given him tw
months' salary In advance and a Ill
r eral bonus and had told him to get on
Into the country and build I'D.
II was dull at the dead little tow
he had come to. He had come upoI
the girl on q rustic bridge crossing
narrow but deep stream. At gIanc,
Croft saw that she was In direful dis
tress. She had been carrying half-cov
cred up In light wrap the black cal
In question. 1t had given a sudden
leap for freedom. The animal missed
the rail aimed for, and with resound-
Ing howl and splash struck the wa
ter and disappeared under 1t.
There was vivid scream from the
young lady. Croft leaped lightly over
the rail. There was second splash.
Nina screamed again.
with apologies from BOTH" OBJ
served Croft with a faint smile as he
held the wlted and bedraggled feline
towards her.
"Oh, why did your cried Nina, her
eyes sparkling. her lips dlstended, her
hand resting gratefully on his arm,
dripping as 1t was-"but OH how
grand -
1T was worth it--for the cat" de-
clared Croft as Nina caressed the res
cued animal. She flushed and tried to
change the direct theme.
"You know l teach music in the vii
lage,' she went on In her artless way.
i would ask you to the cottage"
proceeded Nina in deep embarrass-
ment, but you must be--dried."
THE sun will do that" insisted |
Croft gaily. "The cottage-your home,
presume? And in this lovely spot?
should like to see it." and thus, I'M
Iempt as he was, the venturesome
Jroft glided along by the side of the
lainty little miss, an lnsistent and ad-
hiring cavalier, and-caught the cold
# his life.
lie went to sleep that night dream
ng OF stroll to that same woodland
ottage. He awoke with a sore throat
nd a fever and 9 doctor sent for.
lore than once, after a day or two
when he was over the crisis, he heard
gentle feminine voice speak In the
utter apartment. His landlady told
lin It was Miss Vincent
Then there was beautiful bououet
( Wild flowers brought to him each
ay -. -. z . z r ss,s-as-s
Ihe next day Croft essayed one Of
is customary walks-of course to-
ards the woodland cottage She had
hided herself as the cause Of his III
ess-a rush OF words, to check her
III with a conscious blush In the midst
telling how he had not left her
loughts. eas Ey aszszs ;,ss,ss elgs, = ~
Hence these tears?' he intimated
I
"Oh, dear, mol" she disclaimed-"it
Cleo"
"Cleo?' he repeated ignorantly. T.
CLEOPATRA, the black cat"
,n.lar.to,.1
roft I'm trouble again?" u
in dreadful trouble" declared Nina,
nd the corners Of her pretty mouth =
'ew down dismally. From the first '
inty has rebelled-says a black cat
ings bad luck. have traced her a
burrow over near the creek, but u
can't coax her out" u
Let me help you"
Behold the convalescent, lively as a
lcket one-half an hour later bending %
er rock-strewn spot with q match
"a looking down cavernous hole -
here two bright eyes glowed.
tive got her." he announced, and I,
ew out the truant. As Croft did so ht
dropped the lighted match into a In
tie pool at one side. There was a al
sh. a
'Oilw he said, In some surprise. yo
ute a find. Miss Vincent, wish to
'estigate this" ca
One week later Miss Clarinda Mes
walked into town TO sign over the 10
farm for royal sum to the great KIN
monopoly.
She carried in her arms, tenderly fil'
.rished, the former token OF misfor- ca
'e, OF III luck. now transformed 10
: giorified vision into a yerltable ss
scot-Cleopatrs. Tor
Ind IN her wake like cooing lovers w
He'd Croft and Nina. she wore an fuI
ring, and he the cherry tri
and stolen from Cleopatra through
om golden fortune and happiness he
cone. s0t
~~---- flo
Nsy Be- nss Meat supply
.sindser iifs on the frceless Arctic s0l
DC, where Ia summer tley fes6 0n,