Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1941-09-11


outside was some sort of dark
green cloth, fuzzy and expensive
looking. Mary sighed, gulped, and
closed the lid on Maltese Mike,
lying there in state.
BURY IN GARDEN
BY phone she arranged that one
OF her aunts, who had a garden
apartment on Horatio street,
would let her bury Mike in the
garden. AS it happened. the place
had been newly Spaded.. awaiting
a Spring seeding of grass and
flowers, so the job would not be
too much for the girls strength.
With the box clasped in both arms,
and a suspicious redness still in
her eyes. Mary started forth for
the last sad rites.
The weight of the box proved a
trifie distressing before she had
gone far. The black velvet ribbon.
too, had come united from the
careful bow. SO Mary walked into
busy corner drugstore on
Seventh avenue. placed the box on
a soda fountain table. tied the
bow again. and then sobbed into
her handkerchief.
She felt the need Of little re-
freShment, so walked over TO the
row of stools. and ordered a black
and white soda. And while her
back was turned a furtive figure
of a man, carrying a raincoat over
one arm. sauntered up and past.
When he had gone the green box
had disappeared.
SHE DISCOVERS LOSS
It had not gone far. though. The
thief was too clever 10 try to get
out on the street and away with
anything so conspicuous. He was
still right there in the store when
Mary made her dismaying and
heartrending discovery.
Jigger Joe was a male shop
litter, skilled in using the raincoat
blind. Once away with his heavy
prize. he strobe slowly around a
corner of the counter, then
descended a flight of steps to the
store basement.
There he calmly entered the
first of a row of phone booths
falling 10 note just one thing
which he probably would not have
of Importance anyway.
The black velvet ribbon had come
united again. and trailed on the
floor.
With grief stricken young
customer on their hands, the
clerks and manager Of the store
did their best to find the missing
box. Mary did not tell them what
it contained so they imagined it
must be something valuable and
very de. to her heart. They
about. upstairs and down.
but no sign of the green cat coffin
come to light.
1t was the sobbing Mary her
self who found the first clue.
Forced against her will to admit
that the thief must have made a
clean getaway. she wanted most to
tell her mother her woe. So,
guided by a solicitous clerk. she
walked down the steps to the row
Of phone booths below.
SEES TRAILING RIBBON
There she blinked through tears,
and looked down-at a length of
black velvet ribbon protrudingI
from a booth, leading right under
the door into an occupied cubicle!
Look" cried Mary. clutching
the clerks arm. That's the
ribbon 1 tied around itw
OF course, all bets were off then.
The clerk took a moment of con-
but then he calle oil
another clerk, whispered explana-
lions. Then the two of them
on the glass. The slumped
figure of the man inside the glass
paneled door did not move. So
they opened the door-and the
body of a man with a raincoatI
slowly slid out toward them.
He was breathing hoarsely,
terrifyingly. There was an open
green box like a coffin there at his
feet. And on his shoulder. purring
contentedly enough after escape
L. Il
Maltese Mike. He seemed no
worse for his attack of-shall we
call it Cat-a-lepsy?
Later, at Bellevue. Jigger Joe,
with awesome difficulty,
between gasps TO a
inferno:
II never cd go near cats" he
croaked. II got an alIergy to
'em. They gimme asthma bad"