The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1890-10-02

timed, as he dumped the last of the
clothes out of tho hamper.
"But what has that hamper to do with
it?"
Every thing. Mrs. Bowser, did you
over hear OF spontaneous combustion?"
COZ course
"Wcll, there hasn't been day That
all tho clements necessary to .pontane-
Gus combustion haven't been present in
this hamper. Also, in various other
narrow escape"
"You-you haven't gone and got an
other firc-cscape. have you?''
There yougo! Always ready to throw
up something! Isupposc you'll can this
notion Of minc?"
"What has spontaneous combustion
got to do with our clothes hampor?"
EVERY thing. Here arc the clements
right here to start 4 fire. Hero arc cot
ton, n and silk crowded together in
temperature of at least ninety de-
grees. Nothing could be moro favor
able"
81 don't believe it,"
"What! Whats" shouted Mr.. Bowser
holding up a FELLOWSHIP in one hand and
one Of baby's stockings in the other.
"You don't believe in spontaneous com
bustion!"
Under certain conditions. yes, but
those conditions can not be found here.
Some one has been working on your
Imagination
"oh! They have! On my magma
toni" he softly whispered. "When
every scientist and scientific publication
believes in spontaneous combustion.
when it is practically demonstrated
every day in the year, when
it is fact is as we'll known as that
horse has tooth, you stand there AMI
tell me that I have been played or!
Mrs. Bowser, will you have the kindness
to go down-stairs?"
went down, and he took every article
from the hamper and spread them ont
on tho floor. Then he went through
every clothcs-closct and bureau drawer
and it was fully two hours before he
came down and hcaved great sigh os
relief, and said:
''Therc! We shall not be burned alive
not tonight
"Thcre was no danger" 1 replied.
''Therc wasn't, CHI! Mrs. Bowscr, l.
I-r
opportunity to say:
"Why don't other peoples houses burn
up through spontaneous combustion?"
No answer.
II haven't seen any thing in the papers
about clothes-hampcr explosion"
Mr. Bowscr gritted his teeth.
IF it has got to that pass that the
sheets off the spare bed can't come in
contact with the babys stockings with
out striking fire, we'd better fill the cell
lar with tin boXes.'
Mr.. Bowscr kicked at the cat, but
missed her by about two feet.
"But thcrell be fire, of course. You
have overlooked an old vest somewhere,
and it will get down off it's hook and
walk over to ono of your old shoes and
wink tonight"
Mr.. Bowser circled around the room
three times with great dignity, and then
went off to bed. When he was out Of
the way went out and had n talk with
the cook. The result was that we
brought an iron kettle into the front
hall, got out some cotton-batting, and Us
l won't upstairs, she whispered to me:
81 understand, ma'am. In exactly
half an hour I'm to touch it off,
Mr.. Bowscr was in bed, and though I
spoke about the cool wave, baby's cold
and other things, he had nothing to say
wasn't hurt, however. got into bed
and waited. 1t wasn't over ten minutes
until the odor of burning cotton was
plain enough in tho room, and | sat up
and gave Mr.. Bowser dig and asked:
Don't you smell smoke?'
Smoker he shouted, after sniff or
two. III smell fire.
Perhaps the cook lighted the gas
with paper"
Perhaps the COMPOUNDED house is