Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1899-02-18
Tie isowSers Troubles.

ing on the lounge with bandsge
around her head, he was sorry for
her, II cuurse--jnst rs sorry as the
average husband. And, like the
average husband, he stood and
glared at her for moment and then
blurted out;
"Well, I've been looking for it
every day for year past, and e
here at last Finally got yourself
fat down, eb?"
Its nothing" she family replied.
"Ohi it isn't? Nothing for wife
to lop down and upset the whole
house, supposed Well, I've ben
looking for some sort Of racket,
SO I'm not surprised. Mrs. Bowser,
it's a wonder to me that you or any
other woman in this town is out OF
her coffinla
"It's only-only aheadsche, dear"
ayes, only headache, but what
do headaches lead to? II you ere
not dead woman before Saturday
night you may consider yourself
lucky. Didn't / warn you not TO sit
in a draught-not to wear thin shoes
not to eat too much track? Little
good it does to talk to woman.
She'd go her own way if she knew
that it must end 10 a broken neck.
II mea were as reckless as your sex
the country would 60 to the dogs
zone can't help feeling bad ocea-
sionally,' she replied as she got up
to wet the bandage around her head
"Oh, they can't eh? Mrs. Bow
ser, look at me! When am | ever
ailing? When do you hear me com.
plain? Neverl And why is it2
Because, Madame-beeause don't
cram my stomach with watermelon,
buttermilk, gumdrops, custard pie,
sweet cake, ginger ale, and all that;
Because / don't 60 around with my
feet soppiDg wet. Because | know
enough to come in when it rains.
Because l exercise a little common
sense in taking care OF myself"
II think I'll be better by morn
ing" she replied.
81 hope so, and l hope this will
lie lesson 10 you in the future. l
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 ba-
nsnas did you eat today"
"Don't be foolish, Mr.. Bowser!'
But forty-eight hours later the
tables were turned. Mr.. Bowser
came scufling along home with his
shoulders bumped up and his face
the color of -four, and it was plain to
see that something had happened.
"What's the matier?' asked Mrs.
Bowser as soon as he stepped into
the hall.
"Got a. sore throat and L feel
feverish. II think l am going to
be s;cky'
Everything about the house was
ordered TO go on tiptoe, and even
the cat was put out and the clock
stopped. After bis throat had been
tied up, his shoes taken of and II
quilt thrown over him, Mr.. Bowser
plaintiyely inquired:
"Don't you think you'd better
send for doctoi2"
Not just yet, dear. l don't think
it's serious"
"Ahl how / suffer-how I sufferl'
he groaned "You may be n widow
before the week is out. | hope you
will always be kind to our child.
have tried to be a good husband,
and-and-V
Mrs. Bowser laid her hand on his
forehead and the tears came to his
eyes with food and he broke down
and sobbed like a 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 imprudent things to bring
on his Illness she didn't mention a
single one. After couple of hours
he woke up feeling better, but he
wanted tea, toast and jelly. and sym.
pathy, and was as petulant as baby
until put to bed. He was a new man,
however, when he woke up next
morning, and when she asked after
his throat, he replied:
"Throat-hump! Mrs. Bowser,
for about five hours yesterday Twas
lowering between life and death.
Had it been you, you would have
died ten times over, but grit pulled
me through"
"Grit2" she queried.
"Yes, Observation-Disclosures
courage and fortitude. l let none
Of you know how badly 1 actually
was, but just shut my teeth and de-
tarmined TO live, and here is the re-
suit of it. Alb Mis-. Bowser, if you
only had the hundredlh part of my
courage and will power you'd be
far different woman from what you
are nova far different woman"
fTwu2 UnW.,nW .En Rationale