Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1890-04-16
RATES OF ADVERTISING,
B0wSER'S CHARITY.

"No, ma'am," was his curt reply.
"fou arc not thinking Of running for
office agsi1?'
He made no reply.
When he got seated az the dinner.table
he queried -
"Mfs. Bowser, what have you done for
charity this fall?"
81 have sent about 800 worth of money
and clothing to our poor relatives in Ne
braska"
"Humph! said charity"
"Well, if you mean how many old tramps
have fed, bow many beggars' baskets I
nav nlled, and how many quarters I have
handed out to frauds. can answer you that
they are very few. What has started you
on the subject of charity all at once?''
"All at once? The subject has always
been of the deepest interest to me. / have
always felt sorry because had so little to
give"
"What you have given has only helped
some fraud alopg''
"What ! What's that {! Mrs. Bowser. l
wouldn't have your heart for all the money
on earth! You suspect and mistrust every
body. If you had your way you'd hang or
drown all the poor and lowly simply be-
cause they hadn't money. It's no wonder
that poor men and women avoid this street
or shiver with fear as they hurry past cur
house.
hand"
81 have.n
SIS it connected with charity?"
"It is''
Every well, you will do as you are a
mind to, of course, but it will come out like
your other philanthrop.o maneuvres. You
nev-"
"When did l ever make move that
didn't come out all right?" he interrupted,
waving his knife in one hand and his fork
in the other.
ooh, well, let's say no more about itp'
"You bet we won't! l was going to ask
your assistance in matter which would
have gratified and pleased you all your life.
but now l won't-not by dozen jugfuls!
You look out, old lady. Providence will
put some awful punishment on you to pay
you for the way you act. I shouldn't be
bit surprised to wake up some morning and
find you cross eyed or tongue-t1ed."
We said no more about it, but l took
measures to discover what he was up to-
He owned a lot with an old, dilapidated
and untenanted house on it. He was in
tending to give the house to any one who
would tear it down or remove it: but
humanitarian advanced brighter idea
He also owned an old house, but it was oc-
cupied 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 re-
pair for the reception of come poor and
worthy people he knew of. Mr.. Bowser
fell into the trap. He bought lumber.
hired carpenters, and had paid out 5000
before the house was habitable. He tried
to keep it from me, but kept posted ON
the work, nevertheless. When everything
was ready, four families swarmed into the
house and blessed Mr.. Bowser. When he
came home that night his heart was full,
and after skirmishing around he said -
"Mrs. Bowser, something happened to-
day to melt my heart"
"Yes. What was it?''
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 NE. It made me feel lik, woman
| like child. wish l was rich enough to
help ten Thousand poor folks.''
"Well, hope they will appreciate what
you have done"
"Why, of course they will! Any one of
them would crawl on his hands and knees
for me-"
"But will they be satisfied with what
| you have done?"
"There you gol If you had your way
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
| man to see Mr.. Bo1ser. He went to the
door, and the caller said:-
"Had a d of time to find you,
old chap, but I've fually hit it. Say, do
you know my wife feels imposed upon?
You gave 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 behave herself, however, but you will
have to come down with some tin. I want
$5 for grub and fuel.''
| Mr.. Bowser gave it to him and hurried
him out of the house. pretended not to
4 have noticed anything, but he continued TO
look anxious until bedtime. We we've lust
through breakfast the next morning when
woman came to the door and inquired foI
Mr.. Bowser. As he went into the hall she
said -
Sand is this the way you treat poor
and unfortunate family?''
| 'My good woman, what IS ita''
ga 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 a Christian man expecting to get
along this weather without woodv'
He gave her some money and hurried off,
and they gave him rest for two or three
days. Then two women, who had evident
| ly 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
the doorplate, but as one Of them de-
manded -
"We want to know, sir, who owns theur.
front doorsteps, and whose children have
the right to knock out the window glass?''
l don't know how he settled it. When
.e came in he looked so uncomfortable that
did not ask any questions. Next day
there was man to see him, and on the day
| following woman came to make COM
plant, and for six weeks hardly a day
passed that some of his free tenants did nos
show up on one excuse or another. The
last one came from whole family-hus-
band, wife and five children. We were in
bed when they came. They pulled the
bell until Mr.. Bowser raised window and
asked what was wanted.
"We want you to come downp' replied
the man.
Sand give an account of yourself I" ad-
ded the woman.
Mr. Bowser went down. They gave him
| hts about the water, She stairs, the front
gate, the wood she'd, the cellar and the
| ceilings. They wanted all the other fami-
lies turned out, the street paved, the house
painted and the rooms pspsred. They
were out of meat, wood, potatoes and -four.
! He argued and discussed, and finally told
them to go to the county house. At this
| they all jumped at him, and uothing but
strong door saved him from violence.
"Was it some one who wanted the doc
| tors' I asked, as he came upstairs.
"Mrs. Bowser, do you hear me?" he re-
piled, as be struck an attitude under the
dim gaslight.
81 do"
"Then ies me warn you this has gone far
enOaghi l am done with charityl If you