Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1889-06-12
Mr.. and Mrs. Bowser.


when Mr.. Bowser came home, and af-
ter she had gone he asked:
"How long was Mrs. Blank here p
"About half an hour"
"And you talked about fashions, |
suppose p
"Yes, mostly; what should we talk
about 2"
"Mrs. Bowser, did it ever occur to
you that there was anything in life
beyond millinery, dress goods and
dress makers ?"
"How ?"
"How! Why select some subject
of sense-art, science, minerology, the
labor question, or self-government,
and discuss it with calmness and JUS
tice, and learn something worth re-
membering for half an hour. You
women-folks might as well been born
with a pumpkin on your shoulders in
place of a head"
l made no reply to this, but deter
mined to catch Mr.. Bowser in his own
trap before the week was out. For
tune favored me. 1t was only two
days before neighbor called over as
he was at work in the back yard, and
for two long hours those men sat down
ON a ladder and discussed the question
whether back gate should open in
wards or outwards, and the advan-
tages offered by either situation. Mr..
Bowser contended for the gate open
ing outwards, and the neighbor for
the opposite, and the discussion result
ed in Mr.. Bowser getting red clear
back of the ears and jumping up to
exclaim:
"Well. let us drop the subject right
here. There can be cranks on alley
gates as well as on politics and relig-
ion."
"And there can be lunatics outside
of the asylums," hotly replied the
neighbor.
Don't call me a lunatic 7"
"And don't you call me crank ?"
"Go home and hang your old gate
to the moon !"
"Pll hang it according to the rules
of common sense, and don't you for
get it."
When Mr.. Bowser came in to wash
his hands | observed:
"Mr. Bowser, did it ever occur to
you that there was anything in life
beyond hanging a back gate p
He replied with "humph % of dis
gust.
Select some subject Of sense, Mr..
Bowser-art, science, minerology, the
labor question or self-government,
and discuss it with calmness and judg-
ment and learn something worth re-
membering for half an hour
He looked around in desperate,
helpless wav, and put on his hat and
went off without word in reply. |
wasn't going to let him off on that,
however. When he came home that
evening l had Mrs. Orfendorf over to
supper, and as soon as we were seated
at the table queried
Doesn't it strike you that Ger
many's policy on the Samoan question
is one of Cancellation instead of aggres-
sion ?"
at certainly does," she replied,
"but there may be hidden motive
behind this seeming submission
Trace the record Of the man back as
far as you will, and his policy has been
either aggression or strategy"
Mr.. Bowser looked from one to the
other of us in astonishment.
81 notice." said |, as passed the
biscuits. "that the Spanish colonial
policy is working towards radical
change. Incited by the example of
other and stronger nations, it is about
to extend its arms and enfold new pos
sessions"
The stare Mr.. Bowser favored me
with made my flesh creep.
81 do so hope you can come down
to the next meeting of the Woman's
Scientific, Political and Literary
Club" said Mrs. Orfendorf, as she
toyed with her strawberries. "Those
gatherings are very, very interesting
At our last meeting we discussed the
Drift Period and at the one next
week we shall discuss Two Proposed
Amendments to the Constitution OF
the United States"
"Oh, I'd like to go ever 50 much
and / think | can promise you l will
be there. Can Mr.. Bowser come too?'
"Well, hardly. Men take such lit
tie interest in such things that they
are Instructions"
And Mr.. Bowser sat there, turning
red and male bv turns. until his chai,