West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1899-09-14
BowSER S TROUBLES.
HE MAKES ENPLRIuENTs TO
SAVE HALF THE GAS kIIIS,
But CONES TO GRIEF As
USUAL.
Blows Himself Up And Is Nearly
Killed But Lays IL All On his
wife.

evening MIR Bowser slipped out OF
the house without "a word, and when
he returned, half an hour later, he
had two packages under his arm Mrs.
Bowser didn't say n word, knowing
that IL ho had anything on his mind
he would presently explain, and after
a bit he began;
Mrs. Bowser, wo have been using
gas for years and years.
Yes, she replied,
And every month for tho last 10
years we have been robbed IN Ihe
most Shame.fdced manner. Knowing
that we were being robbed. but feeling
my helpleasness in the matter, have
At tunes spoken rather sharply to YOU
about ths gas bills"
Yes You have raised " row every
month, though you knew was as
careful as could be-"
II wouldn't assume that tone II
were you" he continued as his face
sobered up. You may have been care
ful or eXtravRgant, but with that we
haye nothing to do at present. hg.
ure that in the Last 10 years we have
been robbed of at least 81 900 by the
gas company"
lis II possibler
lit is not only possible. madam. but
IL lie n fact. Figures don't lie, and here
sro tho figures We have been ns saw.
ing aS possible, and yet tho less gas we
burned the more we have been robbed.
The last hair has been laid on the
camels back. propose to stop tho
highway robber dead in his tracks"
Are wo to burn kerosene ?" she
queried.
No, madam, we are not. We are TO
continue To burn gas, but 1t will be our
own gas, and we will pay for only
what we burn, We can light every
burner in tho house and keep EN- going
all night for about 80 cents week
"You--you have got some new fad -
stammored Mrs Bovser az she locke
at the packages,
81 don't know what you moan by
fad ! have never had one in my
life. No man is clearer OF them.
what / propose doing is 90 make my
own illuminating gas and save about
826O year, and II you have any fault
10 find with that go ahead Some
wiYOs would cheerfully enter into the
spirit of the thing. but OF course you
will throw cold water over it."
"ilow will you make gas?r
Simplest thing ia the world. fiji
a two gallon jug nearly full Of water.
Thou ] add this pint Of ulphurIc acid
and this pound Of nails. Then 1 ex.
heust the air from the jug. put gas
burner through the cork, aud by means
Of pipe lead the gas 10 tho meter.
The formula is right IN the oncyclo
pedia, but never got on TO it until to
day. III get jug from the cook and
20 right NJ IT, That is. I will prepare
things for tomorrow evening"
1t would have done no good 10 tall,
TO him Having set his mind on the
experiment nothing but broken leg
would have stopped him. He found
juR In the kitchen and charged IL &C.
cordiug 70 directions. and for fear Of
accident II was placed alongside tho
back fence. When Mr. Bowscr return
ed to the family sitting room his face
whs beaming and he was rubbing his
hands with satisfactiou.
"Our own gas plant and saving OF
$3.50 year T. he ohucklcd IN give
that acid - hours in which 20 eat mp
the mails, and then I'll show you
whether I'm man OF fads or straight
business"
Mrs Bowser couldn't be drawn oct.
but he didn't let that fact dampcn his
ardor He talked OF roihing but gas
plants during tho evening. aud he
went 10 bed to dream ~ juRs md acids
and nails and gas burners and high.
way robbers. when nc left home jn
the morning he gnve explicit directions
shat no one should 20 within Eve feet
OF the jug, and his impatience brought
hiu hono haf an hour ahead Ofbi-
usual time in the afternoon Hs found
the jug all right, aud after bolunV his
dinner be announced his readiness to-
20 90 with tho experiment
Just how arc 700 going 30 pro
coed p queried Mrs Bowssr as he rose
from the table.
why, The directions arc as simple
~ a, B, Co. he replied. y insert
burner into the ;ork and touch d match
20 it,"
But I've been reading mp about 81
Don tyou see IT says you must first OK
haust 'be air in the jug2 How will
you do it?"
That's all nonsense IfI take out
the cork the air viii escape, os mat
ter oi course. propose 20 Iotit es.
cape"
" don't believe TINT willdo. II it
Gays exhaust the air. then IL means -"
Pm running this experiment"
interrupted, land think know what
Im about want burnor and some
thing 20 bore a hole through tbe cork.
and then l'll make an illumination Co.
astouish the neighbour"
Ten minutes later all was ready
The jug had been placed in the middle
OF the yard, and Mrs Bowscr had gone