The guardian. [volume] (Boston, Mass.) 1901-1960, 1940-05-18
Peace Is Restored
By JANE FIELDING
Mcclure Syndicate-WNU Service.l

sential to the brain worker, and he
lived alone to escape the distrac-
tions of womankind For company
he kept only an airedale dog, and
by way of unhappy diversion, he
cooked his own meals.
Flo Donegar lived in a cozy cot
tage next door, and her screened
in living room was directly opposite
his study windows. For companion
ship she kept a cat. It was sicken-
ing to see the way she pampered
the thing-letting it sleep on a cush-
ion, and all that sort of thing.
That woman, Ted judged, must be
the usual cat-loving old maid.
Terrence (the dog), and Pom-Pom
(the cat), were not quiet and self
effacing neighbors; they found life
monotonous without a daily scrap;
and they did their. best to relieve
that monotony. During their en-
counters the air was punctured with
banks and bowls and caterwauls.
Not infrequently Ted and Flo be-
came involved in the scrimmages.
With the first weapon ready at hand
Flo would fly to the rescue of the
beloved Pom-Pom, and in agonizing
fury would demand of Ted that he
"can off his brute" Ted, with
equal energy, anathemized that
demon" of hers. Altogether the
four of them failed to live in restful
harmony.
How could d man concentrate I'M
der such conditions? Back into his
study he would stamp, and try to
settle down to the task upon which
he was engaged. A look across to
that screened room where she could
be seen sitting sewing or reading
peacefully revealed to him the shall
lowness of the feminine mind-and
yet, confound it! She looked so
deucedly comfortable-and so did
the cat.
One day things came to climax.
An unusually vigorous and vocif-
erous row had been staged by Ter
renee and Pom-Pom-and, in con-
sequence, an equally vigorous word
battle between the humans. Flo, in
the course of her frantic lunges at
the "big brute" tripped and fell.
There was nothing else to do so Ted
picked her up and carried her into
her house. This, however, only ag-
gravated matters, and the battle
still ragged. "See here, Miss Done
gan, why in thunder do you make
such a fool of yourself over a cat?
Why don't you get rid of it? What
are you going to do about it any
way, for this sort of bedlam can't
continue?"
A quick glance around revealed
to him mighty pretty room, with
books, books galore.
Flo, between breaths, had thought
that he might even be interesting.
This thought was Immediately swal-
lowed up in fury at his suggestion
concerning her Pom-Pom. She fair
ly choked at the audacity of the
man. ooh! Oh! Do you mean kill
my cat and let your beastly dog
| llVe-nOI II +
Suddenly they became conscious
of cessation of hostilities without,
and silence that could be felt.
There stood the "big brute" on Pom
Pom's side of the lot, with an idiotic
doggish grin spreading over his ugly
mug, looking down upon his feline
foe, who was-contentedly rubbing
herself against his legs, and purring
her supreme satisfaction.
Flo and Ted took it all in at a
glance, then their eyes met in mu-
tual understanding of the situation.
BY George! but she was pretty when
she smiled, with that lurking humor
in her eyes! Intelligent, too! Any
one could see that.
Scraps? Yes! to relieve the intol-
cradle boredom of a too civilized
life. Had the humans been at all
aware of animal psychology they
might have known by the noisiness
of the encounters, that the cause
was not deep-rooted. Animals Tin
GLIDING the human) when in ear
nest, fight grimly and silently to a
finish. These scrimmages were like
the quarrels of children at play,
that pass away within fact are
part of-the game. At heart the
friendship was secure.
A Whit from the kitchen broke
the spell.
They dined together that night,
while Terrence and Pom-Pom, at
peace with the world and with each
other, waited eXpectantly.
In fact, on many more evenings
the four of them dined together,
and there were long talks, not alone
upon scientific subjects, but upon
the more intimate personal inter-
ests of the former combatants,
while, with stomachs well filed, the
other two slept the sleep of per-
feet peace.
It is wonderful, the satisfying eff
feet of a good meal. especially if
the material meal be accompanied
by its intellectual counterpart.
To say that Ted and Flo were
happy ever after would be begging