Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1890-03-07
Mr.. AND MRS. BOWSER.
THE RESULTS OF MR.. BOWSER'S
CHARITY EXPERIMENTS.

Oub uhJ uOIlCou Judt d Soublo'
man detained Mr.. Bowser in front
of the house for a quarter of an
hour or more, talking very ear.
nestly, and naturally suspecting
some new departure 1 asked as he
came Iu:
"Was that some one who wanted
to sell you horse 7"
"No, ma'am was his curt reply.
"You are not thinking of run
ning for Office again 7"
He made no reply. ...
"Mr. Bowser, hope you have
too much sense to go into thepoultry
business again"
Still silent.
Cor to buy another pig, or to re-
paint the house, or change the car
pets, or ge: another fire.escape."
When we got seated at the din
ner table he qneried
"Mrs. Bowser, what have you
doLe for charity this fall 2"
81 have sent about one hundred
dollars worth of money and cloth'
ing to our poor relatives In Ne.
braska.n
"Humph l said charity"
"Well, if you mean how many
old tramps | have fed, how many
beggars' baskets | have filed and
how many quarters l have handed
out to frauds l can answer you
that they are very few. What has
started you on the subject of chari-
ty all at onceW
"All at once 7 The subject has
always been of the deepest interest
to me. l have always felt sorry
because | had so little to give"
"What you have given has only
helped sou.e fraud along"
"What! What's that Mrs. Bow
ser, wouldn't have your heart for
all the money on earth2 You suspect
aud mlstrust everybody. Ifyou had
your way you'd hang or drown all
poor and lowly, simply because
they hadn't money. It's no wonder
that poor men and women avoid
this street or shiver with fear as
they hurry past our house."
"Mr. Bo yser, you have a project
on hand"
~ have"
sit is connected with charity"
sit isl
every well. You will do as yor
are mind to, of course, but it vii
come out like your other philan
thropic maneuvers. "You new
"When did I ever make move
that didn't come out all right" !" he
interrupted, waving his knife il
one hand and his fork in th'
other.
"Ob, well, let's say no NOR
about it p
"You bet we won't I was &c
ing to ask your assistance in
matter which would have gratifiet
and pleased you all your life, bu
now [ won't-not by a dozen jugs
ful You look out, old lady. Prov
idence will put some awful punish
} ment on you to pay you tor th'
t way you act. l shouldn't be bi
surprised to wake up some MORN
ing and find you cross'eyed Oh
/ tongue-tied."
We said no more about it, but
} took measures to discover what h'
3 was up to. lie owned a lot will
l an old, dllapdated aud untenanteC
house on it. He was intending b
< give this house to any one VIII
1 would tear 1t down or remove il
!, bat humanitarian advanced
b, brighter idea. He also owned a
0 old house, but was occupied by fou
| or five families. He could get n
e rent, disliked the notoriety of eiec
|. ing them, and so he suggested
n Mr.. Bowser that our old shanty b
|" put in repair for the reception {
:, some poor and worthy people b
Q knew of. Mr.. BowSer fell into th
n trap. He bought lumber, hire
carpenters and had paid out tv
d hundred dollars before the hou'
d was habitsbIe. He tried to kee
l. IT all from me, but kept posted G
b the work, neverless. When evel
'e thing was ready four famili'
W swarmed into the house and bIes
!. ed Mr.. Rowser. When he can
t. home that night his heart was fuI
d and after little skirmishir
'e around he said:
"Mrs. BOwser, something hap
b. peued today to melt my heart
he Eyes. What was itF
70 81 let four poor families mo'
q. into our old house over there, re-
IS free, and you ought to have heaI
It them asking Heaven to bless m
1t made me feel like a women--lll