The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1895-10-29

81 have bought the paper for the
room, madam! didn t propose to have
you trotting down to the store every
day for six weeks to select and purchase
five rolls of wall paper -
"But II wanted to select it !''
eyes, I presume so, but the paper is
here before you. Instead of being six
weeks about it I selected it in about
three minutes. There it is, and how do
you like it:''
"Why, Mr.. Bowser, it's almost
blaekr' she gasped.
Certainly. I preferred a dark pa
per.
'And it's hall paper H'
Eyes. you could put it on a hall if
you wanted to, but we shall put it on
bedroom. Isn't it artistic?''
''It is simply frightful
'That's as one has been brought up,
Mrs. Bowser. AS you were born and
reared i'll log house. with a frog pond
in rear and a brickyard in front, of
course you know nothing about art If
the pattern portrayed yaller dog chas-
ing a wall eyed cat through cabbage
garden, you d probably go into ecstasies
over it. y
+. who is going to put it on the wall?"
asked Mrs. Bowser. deeming it polite
to ignore his sarcasm.
s. chap about my size. -
"But you-you''-
Stop right there, Mrs Bowser. 7
am not going to pay a paper hanger $50
or $40 and have him around the house
for 2 fortnight to do what I can do in
two hours I'll put this paper on the
wall as if it grew there, and Ill do it
this very evening. You just tell the girl
to make me q pan Of paste and then sit
down and fold your hands Or stick your
nose il novel. You won t be troubled
in the slightest. I'll get the stepladder
and change my clothes, and if l don't
make as neat 4 job Of it as you ever saw
I'll eat my hat. "
Mr.. Bowser. - said Mrs. Bowser, rs
she accom- panied him to the foot of tho
stairs, lean t prevail upon you to let
me see to that room?'
''Why should leave that room alone?
It needs repapering. L can do it. need
the exercise. I can save money enough
to get nae new fall overcoat. What is
the matter with you, Mrs. Bowser?''
Something viii happen-and you
will get mad and blame me-and''-
get out your novel and sit down to read
Nothing viii happen. and 10 one will
get mad, and the work will be finished
by 10 O'Clock. -
He ran up stairs, and she turned away
to give instructions to the cook to make
| the paste and carry il up. A quarter of
an hour later Mr.. Bowser was at work.
He cleared the room of all furniture
hut tho hoI NJ o1r7 4o1,J - I,o
stOreroom to paste on, and when Mrs
Bowser 1ooked in on him he was Just
FASTING his first strip On the wall
You mus have guessed at the length
of the strip, for it's six inches short, y
she observed.
do you know anything about the
business of paper hanging?'' he demand
ed as he looked down upon her
No, bat any one with half an eye
can see that you haven't got that strip
plumb up and down. :"
Never you mind about the plumb
up and down bUsinessl 1 was hanging
paper before you could step over a cat.
| When I want you. I'll call.
Mrs. Bowser had scarcely gotten down
stairs when there came q crash which
made things shake She knew what it
was, but didn't go up. Nj. Bowser
had taken a header from the stepladder
| as he started the second strip. He didn't
call her, however, and SO she waited.
Ten minutes later there was a different
kind Of sound. The first thing was a
/ yell. Then calno jar, and this was fol-
/ lowed by q crash and q whoop. Mrs.
Bowser figured it out as she FASTENED up
/ stairs. Mr.. Bowser had fallen on the
bed and bounded off on the floor and
was probably tangled up with some
thing. She had it pretty straight. In
/ bounding off the bed his feet had struck
! the table and overturned It, and the pan
! of paste had upset and bedaubed his
whole body. He was IL z Gazed condi-
j ton as she pulled the table out Of the
way and began to sop up the paste with
/ towel. and nothing was said for
| couple of minutes. Then as he opened
! his eyes and looked around she asked:
Mr.. B0wser, are you hurt:"
Your little plot didn't quite carry
out, did it:" he exclaimed as he slowly
assumed a sitting position.
What do you niean?'
Don t try the innocent lamb busi-
Dess with me, Mrs Bowserl'' he shout
ed as he got ip and kicked the paste pan
across the room. You were mad be-
cause I selected the paper. You were
opposed to my hanging it. You wanted
your own way about things, aud because
/ you couldn't have it you thirsted Sor
my life .
why. Mr.. Bowser p
'sDon { WY Mr. Bowser me! I'm q
nice looking object, amt I? That fall
would have killed nine men out Of ten.