Humorous stories; Short stories, English; Supernatural -- Fiction
“Thank you very much for the photograph frame. It was just what I
wanted. Very good of you. I say, do you know what that Kneyght person
has given me? Just what you said he would—a wretched fan. What? Oh
yes, quite a good enough fan in its way, but still . . .”
“You must come and see what he’s given me,” came in Eleanor’s voice over
the ’phone.
“You! Why should he give you anything?”
“Your cousin appears to be one of those rare people of wealth who take a
pleasure in giving good presents,” came the reply.
“I wondered why he was so anxious to know where she lived,” snapped
Suzanne to herself as she rang off.
A cloud has arisen between the friendships of the two young women; as far
as Eleanor is concerned the cloud has a silver-fox lining.
THE PHILANTHROPIST AND THE HAPPY CAT
Jocantha Bessbury was in the mood to be serenely and graciously happy.
Her world was a pleasant place, and it was wearing one of its pleasantest
aspects. Gregory had managed to get home for a hurried lunch and a smoke
afterwards in the little snuggery; the lunch had been a good one, and
there was just time to do justice to the coffee and cigarettes. Both
were excellent in their way, and Gregory was, in his way, an excellent
husband. Jocantha rather suspected herself of making him a very charming
wife, and more than suspected herself of having a first-rate dressmaker.
“I don’t suppose a more thoroughly contented personality is to be found
in all Chelsea,” observed Jocantha in allusion to herself; “except
perhaps Attab,” she continued, glancing towards the large tabby-marked
cat that lay in considerable ease in a corner of the divan. “He lies
there, purring and dreaming, shifting his limbs now and then in an
ecstasy of cushioned comfort. He seems the incarnation of everything
soft and silky and velvety, without a sharp edge in his composition, a
dreamer whose philosophy is sleep and let sleep; and then, as evening
draws on, he goes out into the garden with a red glint in his eyes and
slays a drowsy sparrow.”
“As every pair of sparrows hatches out ten or more young ones in the
year, while their food supply remains stationary, it is just as well that
the Attabs of the community should have that idea of how to pass an
amusing afternoon,” said Gregory. Having delivered himself of this sage
comment he lit another cigarette, bade Jocantha a playfully affectionate
good-bye, and departed into the outer world.
“Remember, dinner’s a wee bit earlier to-night, as we’re going to the
Haymarket,” she called after him.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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