The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1891-07-31

stead this afternoon said Mrs. Bows
er after dinner the other evening.
''Did, eh?" Just week since you
picked it out, isn't it
"Only four days"
"Curious how everybody takes adj
vantage of you. They wouldn't have
dared fool me that way!"
"That-that carpet isn't down YETI
"There's another specimen of your
style of running things The infer
nal falsihers agreed to be here two
months ago !"
"Oh. no, dear. They said some
time this week"
''And they'll fool around till Sep.
temberl Mrs. Bowser, l don't want
to find fault with you but | do wish
you knew more about business. You
let everybody walk on you as if you
were worm of the EARTH"
But can / bring the men up here ?"
she protested.
GLOW is it that everything order
gets here on the minute Because,
Mrs Bowser, | do business in bust
ness way. If should let you have
full swing here, where do you sup
pose we'd land at the end OF six
months However, | will show those
carpet men that they can't fool with
Jonas J. Bowser, no matter what ex-
cuse they can palm off on his wifi.
I'll slip up and put that carpet down
in about seven minutes"
"You-you don't mean it," she
gasped.
Certainly, l do. I don't care
about saving dollar or two, but /
propose to assert my independence.
Where's the hammer ?"
81 wish YOU wouldn't. A carpet
has got to be nicely put down."
Exactly. have seen one or two
carpets in my life! Where's the
tacks ?" as m .H
"But, | know how it will end" she
persisted, You'll get tired out, get
mad, and them
"And then, what?" y 81
"But, remember, it is against my
wishes. If anything happens don't
blame me-" .
"When did l ever blame you?
When did anything ever happen ?"
She gave it up, and he removed his
coat, vest, necktie and collar and dis
appeared up stairs. The carpet lay
in a heap on the floor, and he un-
rolled it, pushed up his sleeves and
was about to begin work when Mrs.
Bowser opened the door and observed:
81 don't see how you are to get it
down without stretcher.' u.r,
'Perhaps not. There are a great
many things in this world for you and
every other wife to learn, Mrs. Bow
SER"
She returned and two minutes later
heard the sound Of the tack hammer.
Size stood it for five or six minutes, and
then went up and looked in on him
again. He had got the carpet tackled
along one side, but she called out
"Why, you are tacking that carpet
ON the bare floor There's the lining
on the windowsill You'd have made
nice job of it, wouldn't you" !"
He couldn't crawl out of it, and he
contented himself with rising up and
pointing sternly towards the door. She
went out, but listened and heard the
rip rip rip as he pulled up his work
1t was quarter Of an hour before she
dared enter again, and then it was in
response to yell which made the
cook drop seven plates and the dog
howl mournfully. o' [
"W-what is it?" she gasped, as
she rushed in to find Mr.. Bowser stand
ing on one leg against the wall.
"What is what ?"
"Why, you whooped like an Indian.
Your face is as red as fire, and some
things happened" !"
Mrs. Bowser. | am not in the hab-
it of whooping !" he sternly replied,
land nothing has happened. Wnen !
want your valuable services III call to
you. The exclamation you heard
probably came from some one in a
balloon passing over the house.
He had hammered away for about
ten minutes when she looked in on
him again. He had three sides of the
carpet down and was tacking the
forth. Just as she reached the head
of the stairs he rolled backward out of
the bedroom door with suppressed
veil and great crash. .,
"Wnat on earth are you trying to
do, MIR. Bowser?" she asked,
''You up here again !" he shouted
IN reply. "Didn't tell you to go
downstairs and stay there ? Does it
take 100000 people to put down
one confounded carpet3'
"But can't l help?"
"No, you can't help I'll put the
thing down alone or pull the side of
the house down No wonder the car
pet man hasn't come up here to lay it
They cut ~ n foot tnp chprt On, thic