The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1889-04-23
1oWSER'S ATTEMPT TO GIVE
A PARTY.

&@~I
trouble" / responded.
"They have, Ell? Did anyone vote De,
sides you? I saw half a dozen mentloneu
in the papers last Sunday"
at is almost impossible to get thirty or
fortv people together on a certain even
ING. even if all desire to come. Mrs. john
aon calculated on eight tables and only had
enough for five. Mrs. Dart calculated
en-
.fOh, boshl What does a woman's cal
eulation amount to? ?"
"But if people can't come and don't
come, what are you going to do2"
"They can come, and they win come.
It's all in the management"
"Well, I wish you'd try il"
"Do your Very well, Mrs. Bowser; L
shall give a progressive euchre party next
week, Wednesday evening. Ii you'll see
to the refreshments I'll see to the people"
"T1l be glad to, of course, but"
"But what?"
"You must prepare yourself for disap-
p~ointments." ,.
"Oh, I mustl How kind of you to give
me warningl Mrs. Bowser, / don't want
to seem vain or egotistical, but Ill invite
thirty-six people here on that night, and
for every one who fails to come I'll give
you a $40 bill"
"You are very kind, very kind. 1hope
the party will be a great success. You
can begin at once"
During the next hour he had the use of
the telephone to call up acquaintance,
and when he finally hung up the trumpet
ne turned to me with:
Anything very dismal about that, Mrs.
Bowser? I've got ten couple without
moving out of my tracks. "Il have the
ether eight before tomorrow night"
"That is they will promise to come"
"Promisel Promisel Do you imagine
that all other people are like you? Most
folks know their own minds for a day or
two ahead, Mrs. Bowser."
When he came home next night he had
a list of eighteen couples who had been
invited and solemnly promised to come.
Mr.. Bowser had made it a point to inform
each one that the playing would begin at
eight sharp, and all had agreed to be On
hand fifteen minutes before that hour.
"Voted too much trouble-can't get
people enoughl" sneered Mr.. Bowser as
ne looked over the list. ats in the man
agement, Mrs. Bowser-all in the man
agement."
For three days he walked round on tip
toe and took every occasion to Rbrag over
me. Then came the first setback. We
were at dinner when the telephone rang
and MI. Bowser was asked for.
@Hello, Bowserl"
eyes"
"This is Filbert."
eyes"
Il wanted to tell you that we can't
come down to the party"
"You can't?"
"No. My wife has just remembered
that she agreed to go I'VE to Johnson's
on that night. Sorry, old fellow, but l
hope"
Mr.. BowSer shut him off with a loud
bang and turned to me and said:
"Mrs. Bowser, don't you ever darken
Filbert's doors again-neverl They are
liars and dangerous people. I can fill
their places in five minutes"
Before he got out of the honse there
was another ring.
"Hello, Bowser."
eyes"
"This is Watkins"
"When I told you the other day we'd
be down Wednesday evening l forgot
GA0G OO4 HNo 1S W A6WO q O44AAN - pal ON
on the same evening. That knocks us
ss" o.u. o2
COZ course not. Sorry to ~disappoint
you, old fellow, but of course"
watkins is a liar, Mrs. Bowser, a first
class, bold-faced liar I" exclaimed Mr..
Bowser, " and you want to cut the whOle
family as dead as a door nail
He went off saying he could get 2,000,-
600 couples to take their places, and he
returned at evening, just as the following
ing note came by the hands of a mesSen-
ger boy:
"Mr. and Mrs. Jackson present their
compliments, and regret that the death
Of an uncle in China will prevent them
from being present on Wednesday even
ing"
Mr.. Bowser had begun to turn white,
when the telephone rang.
"Hellow, Bowserl"
Yes"
"Say, old man, this is a world Of
change, you know. When | told you
we'd come down to that party 1 never
thought about my sister. She's to be
married that same evening. Ira la, ole
boy hope you'll have a good time"
/ told you 1t would be hard work tC
get so many people out" I remarked.
did you, Mrs. Bowser? How kline
of you'll But I'll show you and thes,
liars and deceivers a thing or two befor,
/ get through"
There were no more destinations unit
Wednesday morning. Then Mr.. Bowse
was called up by telephone.
"That you, Bowser 2"
"Yes.'
is it tonight you have that party ?
"Yes.'
"PshawI 1 thought it was a weeI
from tonight! Well, that knocks us out
We've got to go to the Y. NJ. @. A
Sorry, you know, but this is a previou
engagement"
Mr.. Bowser was jumping up and dow
when there came another ring.
"Say, Bowser, my wife made a pre-
vious engagement for tonight. We'v