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Show A Prc!smjn Fur. iBY BLANCHE ELIZABETH WADE. .(Copyright, 1S01, by Daily Story Pub. Co.) Gordon bated cats. To him the 'name cat meant not a round, soft, silky ball, with a contented purr somewheie inside, but a gaunt, prowling creature generally one-eyed and scalloped .eared, and more often with . three sound legs, than with four; a monster haunting backyard fences; a beaUJ 1S vent to unearthly shrieks obadly aimed at the unoffending moon that n-tv,pv n-tv,pv fierce the innermost depths Before the second week wa3 overt John Allen signified 'his determination to see something of out-door life, and fought so frantically at the window-screens window-screens that Gordon took him to the tioarding-place, where there was a strip of yard. This was too narrow to suit His Majesty for more than a day, and as the landlady could not watch him all of the time, he stole out and sought the acquaintance of the alley cats Gordon gazed sadly at the dirty, tangled fur, as Puss strolled in wearily wear-ily one evening. Once more His Highness High-ness took up his abode at the studio. "He ought to be brushed," said Miss of poor sensitivl mortal souls and stir up emotions better not described. Therefore, Gordon did no jump for Joy after he had read the following letter let-ter from a wealthy aunt: My Dear Nephew -.-While the de- , ecription you gave of your new stud o charmed me, I observed that you lack one thing, and that an important one. ("Money! Always did, my dear aunt. ) "That to which I refer, is indispensable indispen-sable to every pretentious studio ("And to every unpretentious purse, aunt") "No studio, my dear nephew should be without a and here Gordon was seized with one of the afore-mentioned better-not-described emotions, for the word he read was-cat was-cat "A cat," went on the letter, is as necessary to an artist's success as is his brush; indeed, I may say, the cat adds a tone," ("Better say a fiendish noise, aunt,"), wnicu ia tained by mere pictures turouh-ings. turouh-ings. Now, I do not mean that I think you ought to take in an ordinary animal-better none at all, than any common type. Knowing you are not go placed as to be able to make for yourself a good selection, I have fione it for you, and am now sending you a "How thoughtful of your aunt" Graham on the following morning, a she tried to separate the snarled locks Gordon bought a soft brush and worked two hours at the fur. While a v,Q ,QfiP a startling dis- most beautiful creature a lun-mu Angora, registered as John Alden and I aged three months. He is valued at fifteen dollars, but as he grows older will increase In worth. Let me know df he arrives safely, and what you think of him; also, do not fail to send me occasional reports of him. : Then followed several pages of directions di-rections for the care of Angora cats proper foods, etc., and Gordon dropped the letter with a disheartened sigh. , ' The next day John Alden arrived. tnus eugaseu ii covery. . '.,, The next day while showing Miss Graham some Puritan studies before beginning work on the portrait, he exclaimed ex-claimed in a tragic tone: "0 Miss Graham, did you know er-t'hat-that John Alden had fleas? "Mr. Gordon!" cried she in a shocked voice. "Did you intend that as a joke? O" suddently remembering. ui course. I had forgotten. You mean the cat!" . , ' "Most certainly," returned Gordon, ,At sight of him Gordon uiu der as he had fully intended to do. Instead In-stead he timidly stroked the long, yellow yel-low fur and laughed when this act started a spinning-wheel ta John A -.den's interior. Then and there of his i 'own accord, with no thought of doing so for the sake of his own interests in pleasing a rich relative, Ernest Gordon imentally swore to do the , rlgh ; thg (by his new possession, and when purrs gave place to hungry mews, hastened to his small inner room, procured a saucepan, lighted his oil-stove, and heated milk according to his aunts ad- emphatically. "Well in that case, I can tell you what to do. Wash him with tar soap or with dog soap and comb them out with a fine comb." Gordon purchased three combs before be-fore he found one that would not break. He bought three different kinds of soap, and returning to John Alden he combed, he bathed he . rubbed and then "Combed aganr. At te end " the tussle John Alden lay snugly sleeping under a warm drapery high on a bookcase and Gordon dressed his own torn and bleeding hands and cap- John -Iden was duly introduced to the .'elevator boy and to the night, iwatchman, each of whom gladly took 'the oath of allegiance to his furry highness. Thus was his installation accomplished, his reign begun. "Your generous gift came safely, wrote Gordon to his aunt. "I like him immensely and appreciate your kind .interest in making the success of my ' " -iA mniPte. I have no doubt tured two live fleas Mi ni, 'r""" He has since come to believe that those insects flourish on strong soapsuds, for after this performance John Alden did little but scratch and dig at hi poor tormented skin. He lost his appetite and grew thin. Miss Graham advised more combing and warm catnip tea. Gordon bought catnip at the druggists He bought also a walnut wasl i recom mended by the chemist and a bottle of 'my Angora friend and I will get on famously together." His lordship was not long in establishing estab-lishing himself as master of the studio disdaining the comfortable basket Gordon' had arranged for him, he care- cat tonic. Stm tne u John Alden diminished. Gordon wrote to his aunt Take, him to a veterinary surgeon, advised sT "for the fleas will kill the cat if Stysaid Miss Graham I -m fp when she heard this. wow. . that entirely unnecessary, loor Pussy kid die there. If you will trust him, to me I will take him home and my, mother will doctor him up for you. We Hve out of town In the summer you', know and there is lots of delicious, grass'for him to roam over and no cats to the neighborhood. We will watch, him closely and he won't rut way. Besides, there are oceans of fresh catnip cat-nip growing about the place, and home dried catnip is different from that com-, pressed stuff you bought. Then too-; y0uyou might come often, you know,; io-tc see how he was getting on. ; John Alden went to the country. A, month later a letter went to the aunt.; -you will be glad," wrote Gordon,, -to hear that John Alden is entirely j rid of fleas, eats like a bear, and is more beautiful than ever. You will be. Trprised to hear that I have found Sat a cat does not add the finish ng traced a Studio. There is something, SsT That to which I refer is a wife "A cat!" I fully selected the most expensive fabrics fab-rics whereon to compose his dainty mbsT scorning the spool -d string provided for his amusement he tore up and down velvet curtains and portieres por-tieres He whisked as lightly as a I Uer, oack and forth, in ar . out. who knows how to tane caio and I of the artist. As you are not so Xced as to make this selection for Se I have done so myself-or rather-?ohn rather-?ohn Alden has at last spoken for as well 'as for himself to the fair Pris-cilia Pris-cilia Her name is Isabel Graham. "Your affectionate nephew, "ERNEST GORDON. among 'costly vases and marbles, and Sough Gordon sometimes drew long breaths he said nothing. " Twee passed, during which John 1 A,den met many enthusiastic admirers chief among whom was. Miss Isabel Graham, who was sitting for her por trow thoughtful of your aunt!" the voung lady exclaimed at first sight of the cat "Mr. Gordon, you must be proud to own that dear creature ," and Gordon was not wicked enough to ask which. ..P- s i forgot to say June thirtieth. "N B. I enclose last month's report: re-port: '...$.50 One soft brush 45 Three fine combs 37 Three cakes soap 05 Catnip "'. 60 Walnut wasn 50 cat tonic 1.25 ffiareS tte countrV:;: Total-One sleek Angora. Two h.arU. that beat as one. |