The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1890-04-06
Mr.. AND MRS. soWsER.
The Head of the House Becomes n Phi
anthropist, with Unexpected Results.

The Head of the House Becomes a Phil
anthropist, with Unexpected Results.
One day, just as we were seated at the din
| ner table, Mr.. Bower queried:
''Mrs. Bowser, what have you done for
charity this falla"
II have sent about 500 worth of money
and clothing to our poor relatives in Ne
braska."
''Humph | said charity"
swell, if you mean how many old tramps
have fed howmany beggars baskets l have
filled and how many quarters l have handed
out to frauds can answer you that they are
very few What has started you on the sub
ject of charity all at once.n
GAN at once? The subject has always been
of the deepest interest to me- have always
felt sorry because 1 had SO little to give.n
We said no more about it, but took meas
ures to discover what he was up to. He owned
lot with an old, dilapidated and untenanted
house on it. He was intending to give this
house to any one who would tear it down or
remove it, but humanitarian advanced a
brighter idea. He also owned an old house.
but it was occupied by four or five families.
He could get no rent, disliked the notoriety
Of ejecting them, and so he suggested to Mr.
Bowser that our old shanty be put in repair
for the reception of some poor and worthy
people he knew Of Mr.. Bowser fell into the
trap He bought lumber, hired carpenters
and had paid out $500 before the house was
nabtable. He tried to keep it all from me,
but / kept posted on the work. nevertheless
When everything was ready four families
swarmed into the house and blessed Mr.. Bow
ger. When he came home that night his heart
was full and after little szirmishing around
ne said:
''Nfrs Bowser, something happened today
to melt my heart.n
'tYes What was itr'
81 let four poor families move into our old
house over there, rent free, and you ought to
have heard them asking Heaven to bless me.
1t made me feel like woman-like child
wish was rich enough to help ten thou
sand poor folks"
swell, l hope they will appreciate what
you have done.n
'sWhy, of course they will Any one of
them would crawl on his hands and knees for
me.n
''But will they be satisfied with what you
have already done?n
about it, you'd lock the doors and burn 'em
all up Satisfied OF course they will be
and are-more than sat-
The bell rang, and the girl said it was a
man to see Mr.. Bowser. He went to the
door, and the caller said:
''Had a deuce of time to find you, old
chap, but I've finally hit it, Say, do you
know my wife feels imposed upon! You give
that Clark family the best rooms in the
house, and they are no better than we are
I'll do my best to coax the old woman to be-
have herself, however, but you will have &c
come down with some tin. | want So for
grub and fueln
Mr.. Bowser gave it to him and hurried
him out of the house. | pretended not to
have noticed anything but he continued to
look anxious until bedtime. We were just
through breakfast next morning when a
woman came to the door and inquired for
Mr.. Bowser. As he went into the hall she
said:
''And is this the way you treat poor and
unfortunate fanily?"
''My good woman, what is it?'
"a good deal, sir. Only one penstock for
four families to get water at, and there's
rats in your old shanty sir-ratsl And do
you know we have no wood to burn? Think
| of Christian man expecting people to get
along this weather without wood"
| He gave her some money and hurried off,
and they gave him a rest for two or three
| days. Then two women, who had evidently
been pulling hair all the way over, reached
our house as Mr.. Bowser came up They
wanted something settled. They wanted it
settled then and there. They didn't care so
much about the absence of door plate, but,
as one of them demanded:
''We want. to know, sir, who owns them
front door steps, and whose children have
| the right to knock out the Sindow glasSgn
| don't know how he settled it. When he
came in he looked so uncomfortable that l
did not ask any questions. Next day there
was man to see him, and on the day fol
lowing woman. came to make complaint,
and for six weeks hardly day passed that
some of his free tenants did not show up on
one excuse or another. The last one came
from whole fainily-husband, wife and
| five children. We were in bed whoa they
came. They pulled the bell until Mr.. Bow
ser raised window and asked what was
wanted.
1--WE want you to come downrn replied the
man.
''And give an account of yourselfln added
the woman.
Mr. Bowser went down. They gave him
fits about the water, the stairs, the front
gate, the woodshed, the cellar and the cell
ings They wanted all the other families
turned out, the street paved, the house paint
ed and the rooms papered. They were out of
meat, potatoes, wood and flour. He argued
and discussed, and finally told them to go to
the county house. At this they all jumped
for him, and nothing but strong door saved
him from violence.
WAS it some one who wanted the doctorg
l asked as he came up stairs.
Mrs Bowser, do you hear me?' he replied
as he struck an attitude under the dim gas
light.
| 81 do"
''Then let me warn you that this has gone
far enough! / am done with charity! If you
ever get ME into another such scrape you'll
hear from my lawyer as soon as can file a
bill!n
"But didn't GET
"That's enough! You'd squirm out of q
knot hole! I'll go over and set fire to the
whole business tomorrow"
But that very night the old house burned
to the ground, and Mr. Bowser didn't expires:
his qualification that all the inmates escaped
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