The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1898-12-16
THE BowsERs' TROUBLES.



on the lounge with a bandage around
her head, he was sorry for her. OF
course-just as sorry as the average
husband. And, like the average hus-
band, he stood and giared at her for
moment and then blurted out:
We'll, I've been looking for 1t every
day for a year past, and it's here at
last! Finally got yourself fat down.
chr"
ITS rothing." she family replied.
"Oh! it isn't? Nothing for wife to
flop down and upset the whole house, /
suppose! Well, I've been looking for
some sort of racket. so I'm not sur
prised. Mrs. Bowser. it's a wonder to
me that you or any other woman in
this town is out of her coffin!"
tits only-only headache, dear"
Yes, only headache, but what do
headaches lead to? If you are not a
dead woman before Saturday night you
may consider yourself lucky. Didn't I
warn you not to sit in a draught-not
to wear thin shoes-not to eat too much
truck? Little good it does to talk to
a woman She'd go her own way if she
knew that it must end in a broken
neck. If men were as reckless as your
sex the country would go to the dogs"
"One can't help feeling bad OCCASION
ally she replied as she got up to wet
the bandage around her head.
"Oh, they can't, Ell? Mrs. Bowser,
look at me! When am I ever ailing?
When do you hear me complain? New
er! And why is it? Because, Madame
because don't cram my stomach with
watermelon, buttermilk, gumdrops,
custard pie, sweet cake, ginger ale, and
all that. Because don't go around
with my feet sopping wet. Because 1
know enough to come in when it rains.
Because / exercise little common
sense in taking care Of myself"
81 think I'll be better by morning."
she replied.
II hope so, and hope this will be
lesson to you for the future. / tell you
that no woman can slosh around the
way most of you do and live out half
her days. How many cocoanuts and
green apples and bananas did you eat
to-day?"
Don't be foolish, Mr.. Bowser!"
But forty-eight hours later the ta-
bles were turned. Mr.. Bowser came
scuffing along home with his shoulders
bumped up and his face the color of
-four, and it was plain to see that some
thing had happened.
Whats the matter?" asked Mrs.
Bowser as soon as he stepped into the
hall
Got a sore throat and feel feverish.
IL think I am going to be sick!''
Everything about the house was or
dered to go on tiptoe, and even the cat
was put out and the clock stopped. At
ter his throat had been tied up, his
shoes taken off and a quilt thrown ovel
him, Mr.. Bowser plaintively inquired:
Don't you think you'd better send
for a doctor?"
Not just yet. dear. don't think it's
serious"
"Ahi how l suffer-how / suffer!"
he groaned. you may be widow be-
fore the week is out. I hope you will
always be kind to our child. I have
tried to be a good husband, and
and"
Mrs. Bowser laid her hand on his
forehead and the tears came to his eyes
with a food and he broke down and
sobbed like BOBBY. She sat down and
held his hands until he finally fell
asleep, and though she might have
charged him with doing a score of i'm
prudent things to bring on his illness
she didn't mention single one. After
couple of hours he woke up feeling
better, but he wanted tea, toast and
jelly, and sympathy, and was as petu-
liant as baby until put to bed. He was
new man, however, when he woke up
next morning, and when she asked af-
ter his throat, he replied
"Throat-humpi Mrs. Bowser. for
about five hours yesterday 1 was hover
ing between life and death. Had it been
you, you would have died ten times
over, but grit pulled me through"
"Grit?" she queried.
Eyes, grit sand = pluck Spartan
courage and fortitude. let none of
you know how badly actually was,
but just shut my teeth and determined
to live, and here is the result of it. All!
Mrs. Bowser, if you only had the hun
dredth part of my courage and will
power you'd be far different woman
from what you are now far different