Idaho semi-weekly world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1875-1908, 1888-10-12
THE eoMsER FAMILY


e.
l knew by the way Mr. Bowser
looked across the supper table at me /
That he had something to propose. and /
also felt certain that his proposition
was mixed up with the glorious Fourth.
Pretty soon he said:
I'VE are to go on a steamboat ex-
eursion to Harsen's Island on the
Fourth
Please don't. We can enioy our
selves far better right here at horne.''
Mrs. Bowser. your forefathers
fought. bled and died that we might be
free people,"
Yes
lit is a time when every patriot
should show his colors. / propose to
go of with select few and have a
good timen
But nothing is select ON the Fourth
II don't believe you care two cents
whether we are slaves or freemenr' he
holly exclaimed.
Yes, do
Then get ready for the excursion.
Only select few are going. We shall
have nice. cool ride, basket-lunch
on the island. and return in time for
the fireworks in the evening"
but If any thing happens you'll
lay it to me-"
ANY thing happen? Lay it to you?
Mrs. Bowser. do you know who you
are talking to?H
but you'll say dragged you off,
and that it was all my fault.
Il will, Ell? Very well. You and
our wall-eyed infant can stay right
here. I'm going on the excursion!'
lyielded the point after awhile, as
wife always does, and the excursion
was agreed upon We were ready and
| on time. and it did seem as if we were
&C: tain of enjoying ourselves until we
rot 10 the boat. Then Mr.. Bowser's
'1>ssct few" tnrned out to be mob of
four hundred people of all sorts, sizes
| and colors, and we had scarcely found
seats when a man came up, slapped
/ him Familiarity on the back and called
| out:
Halo! old rutabaga, did you bring
your lung-pad along?n
Ma Bowser turned very red and
then very white, and / had to talk to
him. told him that this one loafer
had slipped in by accident. and that no
one should notice him. He must re-
member Washington, Paul Jones. Put
nam and the host of other patriots.
and let nothing vex him
{Tbap fLa hoat i,
was loaded down and every body was
smoking cheap cigars and feeling good
natured. Even the dozen fellows who
had had their heads punched or theil
ey1's BACKED while waiting seemed t.
forget it as patriotism dubbed up.
was looking around for the .sselect
few" when a young man who didn'
die at Banker Hill, because he WASH
OLD enough. crowded along to US ant
SAID TO Mr.. Bowser:
'.Shay, ole tan. We licked EN-, didn'
v.ss"
| Tr. Bowser turned red, but touche,
HIN with my foot.
Shay, ole man, give US a ittl
Fo'th shuly speech, Will your con
tlnued the patriot
Mr. Bowser turned white, but I 90
him by the elbow.
: ''Sho you won't speech. eh? The
you are an old Tory, You are! I'll gi
er boys and pitch you overheard,
will r
. | had to talk with Mr.. Bowser.
had to tell him how Washington su
! fered at Valley Forge-how the tru
! patriots of the revolution starved an
hungered-how we fought on unit
victory came at last, and by and b
, | auieted him down. He had just *
3 his patriotism back when middl
: aged man, who had always felt vet
sorry that he didn't see Cornwall
: surrender at Yorkton. came along an
. ehucked me under the chin and said:
, SHAY. sis, got yer fel'r Ions
:. Cause if yer got yer fefr long | k
a lick him in two mizzen by er watcl
r Hooray I'm forefazzer, am! l she
'er blood. did p
held Il conversation with Mr.. Boz
ser. 1t was about how we whippt
o the British and gained our indepe
. dence, and why. for that reason, eve
true patriot should go off on a Four
of July excursion and have a go'
a, time, and he was in pretty good hum
;, when thu boat landed. Circumstance
. were against me, however. We h
- scarcely got seated in the shade VIII
= Mr.. Bowser discovered that some o
had changed lunch baskets with |
: The one We had contained only t7
. sandwiches and a euchre-deck. VIII
n he made this discovery he turned
me with;
le IN hunt this island over ana f
p that thief ard break him in two.n
But he didn't. l interested him
y, the revolution, aud finally made h
III realize it was his duty as a true !
NJ triot, to make sacrifices. Washingt
H. had staked his all that we mig
d. breathe the air of liberty. Could
e the Bowsers stake a lunch basket Il
= Americans might continue to We
u their hats on their ears. He saw
ce point and we ate the two sandwich
= drank some river water and sat 8
fought mosquitoes for three hou
We were not left entirely to oursely
however. On several different oc
sions some of Mr.. Bowser's ''sel
60 s.,,,.- ,,,,,,oanb a1 ms and SNl1oht to