Mexico weekly ledger., 1895-10-17
MIR. and Mrs. BOWSer.
THE HEAD OF THE FAMILY IN A
CHEERFUL MOOD.
He Admits That He Is the Great
American Crank, But a Little
Word Kindles a New
Flame.


Mr.. Bowser had been reading fol
an hour tie other evening when hi
laid aside his paper and said to Mrs
Bowser, who sat near him sewing:
81 was just wondering what mel
do who have no homes, and how
many of those who have homes APP
preciate them as l do mine"
81 am glad to know you are salts
fed with your home," replied Mrs
Bowser.
"Of course Pm satisfied why
shouldn't ! be? / don't believe there's
a house in the State better kept than
this. 1t is always spic-span clean,
nothing is wasted, and your bump OF
order is something remarkable"
"Vm awfully glad to hear you say
So" replied Mrs. Bowser, as her ace
lighted up. 81 try to do my best, u
there are times when-when-"
"When Pm a regular old crank"
he finished, with a laugh. "Weh,
don't let that worry you. No matter
how big a crank 1 am, you are duiy
appreciated. It's funny what notions
a man gets into his head, isn't ii?"
"Y-e-s," she reluctantly replied,
fully realizing that he was treading on
dangerous ground.
"Ha! hal ha! Do you remember
how I tried to put down that bed
room carpet to save fifty cents? That
was one of my cranky notions. And
don't you remember how | tried TO
Gle an house--hai ha! hap
"But we get along all right" said
Mrs. Bowser, wondering how she
could lead the conversation to some
other subject.
"Of course we do, although there
are times when 1 ought to be kicked
for my foolishness. On the street car
the other day | got to thinking about
my buying that fire escape, and |
laughed till everybody looked at me.
Wasn't that a daisy-that fire escape
ha! ha! hal"
"Any news in the evening paper?"
she queried, as he held his sides and
gurgled.
"Nothing to speak of. And don't
you remember of my taking a fit to
sleep in q hammock on the roof, and
how one of the ropes broke n night
and-ha! hal ha! If some of these
funny men could get hold of my ad-
what a lecture they could
Have you forgotten when /
took a dose of that dandruff- eradica-
tor for spring tonic-ha! ha! hal"
"That was funny, indeed" laughed
Mrs. Bowser, in spite of her fears.
Funny! 1t was dawg-gone funny!
And the time 1 had the grippe and
thought I was going to die-ha! ha!
ha! Iexpect Pm the boss crank of
America, and you deserve a pension
for bearing with me &c patiently. Do
you recall the day / came home and
jawed around about the set of my col
lar, and you discovered that I had
been wearing my night-shirt all day
hal hal ha! It's a wonder that you
have stood it with me as long as you
you've had a good many whims
and notions, but I hope you'll reform
in that direction. 1 expect you've
thrown away three thousand dollars
we were married in indulging in
your Oddities"
'How thrown away?" sharply
Mr.. Bowser, as he instantly
sobered up.
"Wby, you paid as high as three
hundred dollars for a horse not worth
fifty dollars; you've bought pigs at a
high price which you had to give
away; you've bought hens at two
dollars apiece which never laid an
egg, and"
"Are you talking to me, Mrs. Bow
he demanded, as he rose up and
stood before her.
"Why, yes" she replied. "We were
a good-natured talk about
some of the foolish things you have
lone, and /"
"What foolish things have I done!
Just name n single thing, will
your"
Didn't you pay three hundred dol
lars for a horse which ran away and
smashed everything and nearly killed
us both the first time you drove him?"
she timidly asked.
81 bought a horse for three hundred