Smyrna times., 1931-10-28
WEEKLY SOCIETY STORY FOR
EVENING ROUND THE LAMP
READING TO WHILE AWAY
TIME AFTER DAYS CHORES
cupid Gets Out His Bow and Ar
row." an Interesting Story Writ
ten by Dorothy Douglas

- most blOOd-curdling sharpening
of knife that he had ever heard.
Was there to be a tremendous
slaughtering in the fiat next door or
was it merely that someone was
about to carve something?
Certainly whoever was sharpen
ing the knife intended to get a
keen edge on it.
No wonder the gorgeous blue Per-
sian cat, who occupied a sunny
portion of the fence dividing the
gardens one fight below, bounded
frantically up the fire escape out
side JOhnny's window and his neigh
bor's to see what it was all about
John Raymond would like to have
known, too. as his curiosity was
aroused. Every morning, since the
windows had been opened to well
come the new spring, he had lis
tened to that knife-sharpening proc
ess and tried to picture what break
fast dainty could possibly necessi-
tate so keen a knife.
And each morning as the lovely
cat heard it he dashed like
streak Of silver lightning into the
open window.
Raymond had used every cat call
In his vocabulary to lure the hand
some pet into his own fiat, but
Johnny, as he had heard the cat
called, simply stared at him with his
wonderful topaz eyes and kept his
distance.
And the more aloof Johnny kept
himself, the more eager was Ray
mond to induce him inside. Ray
mond was not only cat lover but
he painted animals in so successful
a manner as to have considerable
fame to his credit
Then, like a flash, the truth
dawned or Raymond.
The sharpening of the knife was
some secret code between cat and
master and mistress, whichever the
case might be- No doubt Johnny
knew that bit of meat was to be
cut for him when that sound
reached his ears, and he lost no
time in demanding it.
Consequently, next day, when
Raymond felt that the fiat next door
was empty Of its human inhabit-
ants, he got out one of his own carv-
ing knives and a tempting BIT of
fresh liver and sharpened away with
all his might.
flash, and Johnny had whirled
himself into Raymond's open win
dow. There was no more aloofness.
Johnny was purring and rubbing
most affectionately against Ray
mond's legs and gazing up with his
great topaz eyes. In fact. Johnny
put his two silky paws on the edge
of Raymond's breakfast table and
left two smutty paw marks there.
This was the beginning of new
friendship. Johnny. being left for
several hours a day all by him
self, made himself comfortable in
Raymonds sunny fiat.
And Raymond set to work on a
painting that was later to dazzle
the eyes of the animal lovers world.
Raymond had wisely left a bit of
Chinese blue velvet carelessly on
the sunny window ledge, knowing
full well that Johnny would easily
ensconce himself thereon.
Suddenly into his artists dream
burst the sound of frantic calling.
kitty, kitty, kittyl Come Johnny
Johnny!" And later the
loud sharpening of a knife.
Raymond jumped to his feet and
opened the window, but as a matter
of fact Johnny never moved-he
was well fed and most cozy on his
blue velvet cushion.
Are you calling a blue Persian
cat?" asked Raymond with guilty
look on his face. because if you
are he's in here with me-"
"Well, I like that! Enticing my
beautiful cat into your fiat and
locking him in. | think l will re-
port you to"
MY dear young lady," expostu-
lated Raymond, while he definitely
the speaker-or at least
the little glimpse he had of her as
she leaned from her window. 81
merely wanted to make a portrait
Of your cat-he's the most beautiful
animal I've ever seen"
"Oh!" exclaimed Miss Jarvis,
hanging so far out of the window
now that Raymond was fearful of |
her toppling out. could I just have
4 peep at it,"
Raymond beamed and Miss Jarvis
what she had felt for a
lOng time. unbeknown to Raymond,
that she would like her masculine |
leighbor-she had often watched /
him going in and out of the fiat, but
he seemed always so preoccupied |
hat she had despalred of ever
him.
only upon the condition that you
refrain from reporting me to the
police as cat thief-I haven't any