The vidette. (Iuka, Tishomingo County, Miss.) 1912-1967, 1923-01-11

eO py mcclure Newspaper Syndicafe)
1t was not 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 1t, ION his own"
On his ascent from the cellar way
he found the kitchen door had blown
open. and wintry gusts of snow were
cascading in. He 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 crimson
ribbon. Evidently she had slipped in
when the kitchen door blew open.
After some skillful stalking, which
did not make his world any the hap
pier. he cornered the kitten. He had
reason to believe 1t 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 entered the
kitchen his doorbell rang and he has
tened through the bungalow.
mine o'clock and breakfast twenty
miles awayl" he groaned.
He opened the door and found him.
self facing a slight figure muffled in
a fur coat.
81 wonder If you have seen my kit
tenn" sweet voice queried.
Il just deposited feline Of the de-
scription over the backyard fence"
he replied with some GOODNESS as befit-
ting the time of the year, the subject,
and breakfastless man.
"Oh, you did," the sweet voice said
with increasing chill. II thank you |!
But, if | am not mistaken, just saw
the kitten back of you! I"
He started to say impossible"
but remarked that nothing seemed to
be impossible that morning; and it
certainlyawas probable that the kitten,
dropped over the fence, had found
some familiar hole and tagged him
straight into the house again.
He looked around, exploded mild
expletive In his mind, snatched the
kitten from under a davenport, sus-
pended it by the nape OF its neck and
extended it to its mistress.
Now, if that kitten should come
again I'll have an excuse for going
over, and perhaps I can make better
Impression than l did this morning"
he thought to himself.
He made his usual morning trip to
the post Office and returned by way
of the street on which the pretty own
err Of the kitten lived. Her home was
attractive, there was no doubt about
that. He wondered II he could catch
a glimpse of her.
The effort to do so was fatal. The
deceptive snow sheltered an icy
stretch made more icy by the sliding
feet of schoolboys, and John cascaded
down the walk in front of her house
with more speed than grace.
Once more in his snug and comfort
able study he set himself to work, but
1t was 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.
II am gone-there's no doubt of 1t |!
Now, if that blasted kitten would only
appear again." he communed with
himself. He even made, to his dis
grace number Of trips to the kitch-
en- door, but no kitten appeared.
The afternoon wore on 10 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 unmistakable
Meow" He rushed to the door and
gathered to himself the kitten that
was to be his furred excuse.
He donned the proper. garb and
started. He walked brislSly until he
came in front of her house, Then he
paused, remembering. In the shadows
he saw something dark. stretched
across the walk where he had fallen
He dropped the kitten and bent over
1t was the girl, unconscious 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 John
was looking into brown eyes that re-
garded him oddly.
81 saw you tumble out there this
afternoon and / was amused-there
was so much of you'll" she laughed.
"And then had to do 1t, too. 1t
serves me right for being so disagree
able to you this morning"
"I'm afraid should apologize. /
was trying to get my own breakfast !"
he said.
She smiled. "That explains It; you
are forgiven and l suppose"-her
brown, muslng eyes were upon him
" suppose because the kitten likes
you so well ought tot"
John accepted the cigar her father
offered him just then as he said with
decision: II agree with you, and l
am certainly grateful to the kitten !"
Describing II.
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