Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1889-08-11
MR.. AND MRS. B0WSER
TALK OF PRESENCE OF MIND WHEN FIRB
BREAKS OUT.
How Mr.. Bowser Got Into His Pants While His Wife
Sat and Smiled-Firemen Come TO Qusnch
the Blazs and Call the Old
Man Names.
Detroit Free Press.

DtyOu fftc <Ttces
Mrs. Bowser, it is possible that this
house may take fire some time" observed
Mr.. Bowser, as he laid aside his paper the
other evening.
"Yes."
''If it takes fire while am at home all
1 expect of you is to take the child and get
out doors. shall peril my life to subdue
the confsgratiOn, and if find it cannot be
done l shall save all the valuables."
Perhaps l could help you"
"And perhaps you couldn't You'd 90
more damage that good if you tried to. I
want you to remember and get right out
and stay ont"
81 have been told that had great pres
ence of mind, Mr.. Bowser."
Eyes, and you may have been told that
you were the Empress of Russia. Presence
Of mind! There isn't a woman on earth
who'd have presence of mind enough in
case of fire to save her own shoes All /
want of you is to follow my directions"
1t was singular that the test should
come go soon. In lighting the gas in the
hall up stairs Mr.. Bowser must have drop
ped the match upon rug lying near. We
were hardly in bed before l smelt smoke,
but when mentioned the fact Mr.. BOwser
growled:
Nonsense! The cook probably threw
eggshells into the range when she was
clearing up her supper dishes. Your nose
is always smelling fire or burglars or sewer
gas, and it is always wrong"
He went to sleep and continued 10 sniff
that odor. Ten minutes after Mr.. Bowser
had uttered his first snore thick cloud of
smoke poured into our bedroom all of q
sudden, and at the same moment the dark
ness was lighted up by Pickering flame.
The house was certainly on fire, and
shook Mr.. Bowser and informed him of the
fact.
"W-what is it?" he gasped as he sat up
in bed.
"The house is on fire. Can't you see the
smoke and the blazs?"
was out on the floor and dressing
when he rolled out of he'd, sprang 10 the
door and shouted at the top of his voice:
"Murderl Police Fire! We are all
on fire up herew
"Well, clip on your clothes and see if
you can't put it out. 1t must be in the
bsck hall"
"Firel Fire! Firew he yelled as he
sought to pull On his pants. "Our house
is on fire! We shall be burned alive"
In spite of the peril of the situation |
had to laugh at Mr.. Bowser's antics. He
first got the left leg in the right leg of the
pants. Then he fell over in getting out OF
them; got up and drew them on hind side
before, and he was sprawled out on the
bed and kicking them of when l was all
dressed and ready to leave the room. l
was determined to see where the fire was
before | took the baby and went down
stairs. The smoke was very thick, but
the tongues of flame guided me down the
hall, and l found the rug and Dashboard
and door casing ablaze.
Fire fire. fire." yelled Mr. Bowser at
this moment, as he dashed into the hall.
e. "Come and help me put it ont" l call
ed TO him, but he was already on his way
down stairs to the telephone.
Covering my mouth and my nose as we'll
as l could felt nay way to the lavatory.
There was nothing but tumbler at hand,
but after mad filed it several times and
dashed it's contents along the base l saw
that had the best of the blaze. After
opening window to let the smoke drive
out brought some more water and ex'
tinguished the last OF the fire. Meanwhile
1 could not help but hear Mr.. BOwser. He
rushed to the telephone and rang II con-
tinuously for twenty seconds, and then
yelled:
"Hello, CENTRAL Hello, central! Fire!
Fire Fire. Ny house in on fire! Send
up the police ard three engines right
awayw
He couldn't wait for an answer, but
took three or four circuits around the sit
ting room, and made dash into the parlor
and out by the front hall, all the time
yelling fire." at the top of his voice, and
then it occurred to him to go to the fire.