Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1926-09-30
Cupid and the
Kitten
Copyright,

JANET SAT down at MISS Lanes desk,
j feeling that something very excit-
ing certainly was going to happen.
She had always rather envied Miss
Lane the big mahogany desk, with its
newest books. Sometimes she won
dered If she would ever be In charge
of that branch Of the circulating IL
brary, where so many interesting peo-
pie came to take out new books and
chat for moment with Miss Lane.
Janet summoned up courage some
times to talk with some of them, to
suggest new detective story for cid
Mr.. Hallett, or one of the solid Eng
lish novels for Mrs. Jewett. But as a
rule she quietly accepted the books
people were returning, marked them
on the proper cards, and stamped and
marked the books that were being
taken out. without saying anything.
Today was to be different however.
Miss Lane wasn't coming in, and she'd
have to do everything herself.
Perhaps-perhaps Mr.. Atwood
would come in-Stanley Atwood. He
was an old friend of Miss Lanes. a
mining engineer, and had been to the
ends of the earth. He hated having
to stay in the city, and as soon as he
had finished the work that kept him
there he'd &c. away again, to stay for
a year or more.
The first half of the morning
passed uninterestingly enough. A few
people came in, but none Of them
added to Janet's feeling that some
thing exciting was going to happen.
Then, as she was arranging a pile OF
children's books on one of the tables,
a woman came hurrying in. carrying
a black kitten.
"Just look at this" she cried. "This
darling little cat was walking along
the street, meowfng so piteously-a
boy threw a stone at 1t just as I
passed-and something must be done
about it."
'Oh, it is pretty" said Janet as she
took the kitten. It snuggled against
her and began to purr.
'Tts beautiful said the woman
emphatically "And If I didn't live
with my sister-in-law I'd take it home
with me, but she hates cats"
Old Mr. Hallett came in Just then,
and he toe, agreed that it was a
beautiful cat and ought to have a
home"
9TH tell you" he said at last. I've
got just the thing. I'll telephone my
sister, who lives at Mountbanks. about
ten miles from here. and have her
come in and get it. She has two chill
dren-"
Children are too. cruel; I won't
have this cat in a home where there
are children :" interrupted the wom-
an who had discovered the cat. ''They
tease animals So
"My nieces wouldn't dream Of do
ing that-they're Girl Scouts" Mr..
Hallett told her angrily. They were
deep in bitter argument when Janet
realized that Mr.. Atwood had come
in and was standing listening with
some amusement.
whats the matter?'' he asked her,
quite as if they had been old friends.
She explained. and he offered to 60 to
his hotel a few doors away and get
some milk for the cat
The woman who had brought the
cat in finally departed. and Mr.. Hal
lett, having telephoned to his sister
departed also, saving that he would
return at two o'clock, introduce the
cat and his sister, and take both away.
Atwood sat down on the edge Of a
table and went on talking with Janet,
not Just about books, but about him
self and then about her, although she
hardly realized the turn the CONVEX
sation had taken until she had told
him many things-about how she was
living alone in the city, and was go
ing to save her money so that some
day she could travel, and finally
though she did not realize that-how
lonely she was
Suddenly a young girl rushed into
the room. =
''You steal my cat. she cried,
rushing up to Janet. you steal my
cat, my Pedro. He walk in the street
for the air-you steal him.
Janet stepped back hastily; II
looked as If the excited owner of
Pedro would claw her eyes out
"But / didn't"
you steal my catl" Explanations
were no good at all.
Janet was almost in tears when
Stanley Atwood came to the rescue.
Pedro's owner listened to him more
readily than to Janet even smiled
coyly at him as he talked.
Pedro and his rightful owner de-
parted at last, and Stanley turned
eagerly to Janet.
You've got to have luncheon with
me after that" he told her take
our mutual friendship for Miss Lane
as introduction and chaperon, and
some alongr''
And Janet went
It was two months later, after many
luncheons and dinners and picnics,
that he gave her another order.