The guardian. [volume] (Boston, Mass.) 1901-1960, 1939-12-09
The Persian Kitten
By EMORY SMITH
ASSOCIATED Newspapers.
tWNU Service)

Die Hdu lnOuSnt ner cup OF troubles
full when the bulk of her money had
been lost in the disastrous invest
ment that her son had insisted on
making.
Since that failure she had been
obliged to cut off many of her usual
comforts and she was no longer
young. She had her cottage and
small monthly income and that was
about all.
Jerry, contrite at the result of his
meddling, had been sending her $40
a month. He earned 5000 in the
city and he conveyed to her the i'm
preston of being extremely gener-
GUS when he wrote the note that ac-
companied the check he sent her
every month.
Now he was about to be married
and he could-or would-no longer
send her anything. "You ought to
be able to manage with what you
have. Marcia thinks you have quite
bit for just one person, mother.
And, for goodness sake, let up on
the pet cats. They use too much
milk. Marcia dislikes cats extreme
ly. If we decide to visit you you
must not have one about. Don't for
get"
In that moment Susan's world
seemed a topsy-turvy place of false
values. Jerry seemed to have
turned, almost overnight, from
gay, freckled and impulsive lad into
a stranger who ordered her to give
up her little animals.
Susan dropped the knitting that
was becoming almost impossible be-
cause of her age-stiffened fingers. In
the patch of sunshine on the hooked
rug she had made lay an old scarlet
ball. The once gay color was now a
grayish-rose and the ball was one
that Jerry had possessed. Susan
wasn't looking at the Persian kitten
that rolled the bail with playful
paws and pretended fear when it
approached her.
The old lady saw, instead, fat in
FAINT with unsteady steps holding out
MS nanQS IOr nelp.
Well, Jerry was a man now ap-
preaching middle age. He no long
er needed her. He was taking to
himself young and modern wife
and-Susan was ordered to give up
her dumb little companions. There
must be some way. Before her
daughter, Polly, died she had had
some one to help her think Polly
had ideas and good ones. "You can
find the answer to almost any ques-
ton in the daily papers, mother. A
glance through the want ads opens
many unthought of avenues. Why
don't you ever read them?"
II wonder" pondered Susan,
wishing with the old poignant ache
that Polly had not left her alone.
Polly, the beloved one, gone and
Jerry-she brushed away a tear
thoughts like that were useless, they
led nowhere.
and" she muttered, unfolding a
paper from the nearby city, Jerry
has no idea that I've got seven
cats here now because some of my
friends are away on vacations"
In the column of advertisements
devoted to cats and dogs, Susan
found her answer.
"Wanted-A place in the country
where l can leave my pedigreed
Angora cat for three months while
abroad. Only cat lovers need ap-
ply. Price no object. Write or tele-
phone. Mrs. James Jerrold, No. x,
Walton place"
A few days later Jerry arrived.
"I've been thinking over things,
mother. How would you like to sell
your cottage and enter a nice home
for old ladies?"
Susan reached down and picked up
her pet kitten. mot at ALL" she
said calmly. Look, Jerry, this is a
real Persian"
ooh, WE'LL" he looked somewhat
ashamed, but he'd plainly been sent
out to push the proposition home.
"Of course it's as you like. You see,
Marcia won't keep house-that's
why"
"Why are you worrying about me,
son? You don't need to. I'm max
ing money and expect to make
more"
''Not if you harbor all the cats
of folks who 60 away and let you
hold the bag" he exclaimed.
"The cat is out of the bag" Su-
san smiled. Remember that old
story of the king of the Persians
who lacked guns when unexpectedly
attacked by foes? How he sent his
soldiers into every alley and byway
to gather up stray cats and then adj
vanced on his enemy, each soldier
holding his cat behind him until the
signal, when the snarling biting ami
NAL was flung full into the faces of
the astounded foes. Well, I've turned
my odd fancy for cats into an as
set"
Asset for the milkman, | sup
pose" he said puzzled.
"No, Jerry. I've sent in a stand
ing advertisement for city news
paper to carry and l assure you
I'm not belittling myself by giving
aora too oAoo,N1t, -