Daily Republican., 1890-05-22
MIR. AND Mrs. BowsER.
By MRS. BowsER.

The other morning we got . telegram
from mother. saying she was Ill, and
asking me to come out for day or two.
and when Mr.. Bowser had read 1t he
said:
"You can 20 just as we'll a. not, and
you needn't hurry back on my account. I"
but the cook left yesterday, and how
VIII you get along" I asked.
"Oh, you never mind me. can sleep
here nights and lunch down town. You
needn't worry about me. Just take the
baby and 20 and sec your mother and
stay 40 long a. you wish."
"ADd you-y0u-"
II shan't elope or get drunk"
"But you won't try to make any
changes in the house while I'm gomez"
"Chauges? Do you suppose Pm going
to put on new doors and chimneysv
"Well, please don't buy any new furni-
tire or carpets, or move things around. +"
"Don't you worry about my buying
anything more this spring. Hurry up,
now, aud I'll telephone for q coupe.
may lock up the house at noon and 20
up to the club house for couple of days.
feel the need of little rest"
MIR. Bowser caught at my going 90
eagerly that l half suspected him of
some deeign, and the more thought 1t
over after getting away the more was
convinced that there was something in
the wlrd. On the morning Of the third
day telegraphed him that was coming
home, and when the train got in be was
ct the depot to meet me. His face
fairly beamed with happiness. and as no
becknned to a carriage he said:
"Here's the keys, as ! can't be up for
q couple OF hours yet. Isuppose It will
take you q couple OF hours to clean up
the mess have made"
/ had presentiment and It was veri.
fed before ! got into the house. Glanc-
lace curtains had queer, strange look,
and rushed in to lind that they had
been washed. They had been taken
down, waahed with bar soap, laid out on
the grass to dry, and then ironed Hike .
sheet. Any housewife can imagi Inc the
result They showed soap stains In a
dozen places, and hung as limp aud lifc-
less as the tail OF kite on Q telegraph
wire. / sat down on the floor and had Q
good cry, and then started out to see
what else had happened.
There was queer, oppressivet odor In
the room, and it did not tako me long
to discover that some one had vanished
the furniture-gone over the natural oil
fnieh with cost Of furniture varnish
aud left bristles from the brush at every
foot. Il could have been no one but
Bowser. His work was further identified
by six queer-lookinR spots on the velvet
carpet. He had spilled varnish and then
tried TO scrub It out with soap. and In
each Instance he had run the colors
sufficient to make blotcb.
After weeping some more ! went into
the sitting room. There was the same
smell here, aud l soon found by the
bristles sticking up oil over 1t that Mr..
Bowser had vanished the sewing ma
chine. He had likewise repaintsd the
radiator, making 1t dark blue, and In
decorating 1t with white and red stripes,
his paint had crawled around like so
many flsh worms. Baby at once wanted
to tie string to It and plny horse. Mr..
Bowser had upset the varnish pail In this
room, aud although he had tried soap
and water q great spot three feet square
remained as sad witness OF his careless
ness. While stool looking 1 heard a
stop behind me, and Mr.. Bowser called
ont:
.'surpri.el surprisel knew I'd sur
prise you'll"
'leB, you nave, answered.
"Why, w.what's the mattsrfr
"If you had only let things alonep'
''Let things alone! This house needed
Sticking up, and I've nearly broken my
back In putting things In tidy shape, and
now you complain OF it!'
I saw the silver water pitcher at that
moment and uttered a howl.
'.What 10 III"
"That pitcherp'
"Yes, 1 know. 1t hadn'. been cleaned
In month"
'But you used sandp aper on I'll"
"Oi course, and you ought to have
seen the way the dirt peeled off Any
thing else to find fault wlth?"
"And you-you sandpspered all the
silverwarei" l shouted as ! looked into
the dining room aud saw everything on
the table.
"Ye,. What have you got your voice
way ny In G. f,r?"
You've ruined It! See the scrstchesr'
THAT'S it-take on and find fault No
one ever does anything right but youy'
And what ails the gls.s over the
mantell"
"It happens to be clean for once. /
worked ht it all OF an hour"
but you sandpapered itp'
NO, uiuht VI useu poWueFeu orichs
! don't know how the scratches came
there. unless the cat did it."
"And these curtains, tool'
"What are you crying about nowi l
got colored woman to como aud wash
them, and know she put 'em through
three tubs and then laid 'cm on the grass
to dry. pinned and hung 'em up my
se.t.
"And they are ruinedr'
"Rntned your grandfather. Perhaps
didn't pick all the grass OFT of them, but
III leave II to any artst in town II they
don't hang perfect. This IL all tho re-
ward get for my hard work."
entered the Kitchen to find that he
had sandpapered the bottoms OF the fat
irons, scratched every tin dish In hum
drtd directions end given the rolling-pin
two coats OF oil to prevent checking. In
trying to dress up the hardwood floor he
had thinned down some raw oil with
Kerosene. and the beauty OF the finish
was eclipsed only BY the smell.
"fou-you didn't touch anything up
ss.iysr ! saspsd.