they'll be trustin' Flannery t' water th' cat. Flannery has loads av
time. 'Tis no need fer him t' spind his time doin' th' ixpriss business.
'Git th' sprinklin'-can, Flannery, an' water th' cat. Belike if ye water
it well ye'll be havin' a fine flower-bed av long-haired cats out behint
th' office. Water th' cat well, an' plant it awn th' sunny side av th'
house, an' whin it sprouts transplant it t' th' shady side where it can
run up th' trellis. 'T will bloom hearty until cold weather, if watered
plinty!' Bechune thim an' me 'tis me opinion th' cat was kept too long
t' grow well anny more."

Mrs. Warman was very much surprised that afternoon to receive a letter
from the express company. As soon as she saw the name of the company in
the corner of the envelope her face hardened. She had an intuition that
this was to be another case where the suffering public was imposed upon
by an overbearing corporation, and she did not mean to be the victim.
She had refused the cat. Fond as she was of cats, she had never liked
them dead. She was through with that cat. She tore open the envelope. A
woman never leaves an envelope unopened. The next moment she was more
surprised than before.

"Dear Madam," said the letter. "Regarding a certain cat sent to your
address through our company by Hibbert & Jones of this city, while
advising you of our entire freedom from responsibility in the matter,
all animals being accepted by us at owner's risk only, we beg to make
the following communication: The cat is now in storage at our express
office in Westcote, and is sick. A letter from our agent there leads us
to believe that the cat may not receive the best of attention at his
hands. In order that it may be properly fed and cared for we would
suggest that you accept the cat from our hands, under protest if you
wish, until you can arrange with Messrs. Hibbert & Jones as to the