Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1888-11-22
THE soWSER FAMILY.

Eot108 Some Oh 4ts
Mr. BOwser came home the other
afternoon just in time to meet the cook
going away with her bundle. and he
rushed into the house to inquiries:
II suppose you've gone and done it
again."
..WhatP"
ABUSED and maltreated the girl un-
til her sense of justice has impelled
her to leave"
81 hadn't any thing to do with her
leaving"
Then who had? She looked heart
broken as passed her just now"
did she? Poor thing! She got a
letter this morning from her aunt in
Canada, telling her that she had been
left five thousand dollars in cash, and
advising her to come home and marry
q man who owns three farms. She
must feel very sorrowfulr
''Humph! And you didn't put too
much work on herr"
i.No."
'.Nor make her feel her position?"
mo. Her position was in the parlor
about half the time"
''Well, it seems very queer to me
that so many Of our girls leave. Every
thing will be upset now for a week, I
suppose.
'Oh, no. You can cook, you know.
| and you are such sympathetic soul
that you ought to be willing to go into
the kitchen for a day or two. I shall
depend on you. Mr.. Bowser."
| ..Oh. you will? Not satisfied with
driving dozen poor souls to destruc-
| ton, you want rub at me! wouldn't
have your spirit for all the money in
the world!'
| He went away with that, but he was
home an hour earlier than usual, and
when inquired the cause he said:
.'What for? Why, the child and I
have got to have something to eat.
haven't we, and who's to cook it if I
don't take hold?"
81 can COOK
'.Mrs. Bowser, I've long felt it my
duty to give you a few lessons in the
culinary art. have held off, hoping
your pride would force you to take
hold, but the limit has been reached.
The time has come when must sacri-
fee my business to enter my kitchen
and prevent my child from feeling the
pangs of hunger"
please don't"
but I will! I'm driven to it. I've
got a wife who can't cook the north
west end of a last years turnip. and
who can't keep cook over week at
a time. I've put up with it too long
much too long, Mrs. Bowser. / must
sacrifice my dignity to preserve the
life of my child"
''Shan't help you get support"
''Not a help. You'd only be in the
way Just sit down in the rocker,
Mrs. Bowser, put your feet on the
lounge, get cud of gum in your mouth
and sit down and chew and chew and
think what mean things you are going
to say to the next girl to drive her
away. When supper is ready will
call your royal highness."
He disappeared with that.
When he reached the kitchen he
took off his cuffs and coat, pushed up
his sleeves, and kindled a fire. His
confidence began to desert him at this
point and he seemed to be studying
deeply as he filed the tea-kettle even
full and set it to boil. / had some
fresh beefsteak in the ice box, and he
got it out, scratched his head in a
thoughtful way, and laid it on the
kitchen table. Then he went down
cellar after the Ratchet, wiped the
head of it on his right leg, and pounded
away until a good share of the steak
had gone into the board.
Mr.. Bowser's next move was to hunt
behind the pantry door for a spider
which we had never used. He carried
it to the kitchen towel. gave it wipe,
and then placed it on the stove. He
had heard that grease was necessary,
and he put in some butter, dropped in
his steak and soon had it sizzling.
Then he started in for the biscuit. He
got down the dish-pan, filled it almost
full, and then reflected for a moment.
took advantage of the occasion to
open the door and remark:
.'tMr. Bowser, you needn't figure on
an elaborate supper. under the circum-
stances. just make US cup Of tea
and we'll get along"
':Mrs. Bowser, you ought to know
by this time that there is no halfway
work with me" he replied, with great
frigidity. ''You can afford to neglect
the comfort of this family, but can
not Please return to your gum and
your novel"
Then he went ahead just as any
other husband would.
He had heard about soda and short
ening in biscuit, and he mixed the
flour with cold water, put in pepper
and salt, siashed off half pound OF
butter and stirred it in and then re-
membered the baking powder. There
was nearly a quarter of pound in the