The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1889-05-31
THE BOWSER FAMILY.
How Mr.. II. Conducted Himself Undei
Very Trying Circumstances.

lecting, man-like, but one evening he
said:
'eGive me the name of that magazin
and | will get letter off tomorrow.
''It's gone,n answered.
"Who sent it?"
Il did"
s.sHumph! Do you mean to tell me
that you wrote business letter."
Il do. ordered the magazine and
sent in a years subscription. !"
"What did You writer
30, in the usual FORM"
"And chucked the two dollars into
the letter, SUPPOSED"
Yes. sir"
'Well, that's about what would ex.
pect of you. You'll never see money
or magazine again"
II won't? Why?"
because, in the first place. it stood
just as good a chance of going to some
machine shop as to a magazine Office,
with your style of directing an envelopes
and because, secondly, if some post
Office official doesn't steal the money.
they will gobble it at the end of the
route and swear they never got it. Mrs.
Bowser, you are as simple as child.
But it may come all right"
eyes, and we may discover a box Of
gold in the back yard. There but one
way to do business"
'How's that?"
''See this P. o. moaey order for $58:
l am going to send that to Boston to-
morrow. 1t will 60 straighter than q
crow, and there is no cause for worry.
However, it's useless to try to learn
woman how to do business"
Three or four days went by, and then
he suddenly inquired:
'Have you heard from that maya,
zine, Mrs. Bowser?"
mot yet"
81 suppose not. When you do hear
please let me know. After forty OF
fifty experiences of this sort you may
learn how to do business.
Two days later he asked me again.
and [ was then able to show him let
ter acknowledging receipt of the
money, and copy of the magazine.
'1t seems to have gone through
he said as he handed the letter back.
''but that was owing to Providence.
Probably the parties had heard of me
and hesitated to defraud you for feal
I'd raise row."
"What about the order you sent Off
Mr.. Bowser?"
He jumped out Of his chair and
turned pale and gasped:
by gum! but i'd forgotten about
that! l ought to have had an &C
acknowledgements three days ago
Cant have been lost, eh?''
''N-no."
lit was the only proper way to dc
business, wasn't it?''
''Of course it was, and Of course il
got there all right. I'll probably get
letter tomorrow"
When the morrow came l asked him
if he had heard from his order.
"Not exactly" he replied, "but ]
am certain that it got there SAFE
''But they ought to acknowledge it.
yes"
There is but one way of doing bust
reess, Mr.. Bowser. When | send ot1
money l receive an acknowledgment
of it's arrival. You are sure you sent
it?"
Sure l sent it? Doyou take me for
a lunatic. Mrs. Bowser?"
but it's so queer"
81 don t see any thing so queer about
it. wrote again two days ago, and
shall have a letter tomorrow begging
my pardon for the delay"
a letter arrived next day. l saw by
Mr.. Bowser's perturbation when he
came home that something was wrong,
and he finally handed me the letter. 1t
read:
mo post-office order has been re
ceived from you. Please do not try
any more chestnuts on u.s.
"But you did send it" protested.
''Of course did,
DIRECTED your letter all right?"
Certainly"
stamped and posted it?''
"Look here. Mrs. Bowser, you talk
as if 1 didn't know enough to get
aboard street car and pay my fare!.,
But it's so queer. There is but one
business way of doing business. Mr.
Bowser. Aft forty or fifty expert
ences of this sort you may learn how
to do business.
He glared at me and was too insulted
too reply. He went to the post-office
and made complaint, and for the next
two weeks that lost order was the topic
of conversation. The officials sought
to trace the letter. and Mr.. Bowser
made afidavits to this and that, and
the hunt was still going on when, in
busting off his secretary and straight
ening up his loose papers, found
letter sealed and addressed to the Bos.
the missing order. l quietly handed
it to Mr.. Bowser as he came up to din
ner, and his face turned all colors be-
fore he could open it.
'Mr. Bowser," said. "you men
folks have curious ways of doing bust
ness 1t is sing"
I'D like to know how this letter got
here!'' he demanded.
"You left it here, of course"
Never! Because / scolded you
about your careless way of sending off
money, and because you wanted to get
even with me for it, you took this let
ter from nv pocket and detained it.