Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1901-12-19

/ fallen In. and she seized the Opportu-
/ nifty to whisper to Mrs. Bowser:
rs it powder or dynamite this time.
ma'am: If we are to be blown up or
/ scattered in pieces III take kindly to
! ye to give me time enough to pronounce
my mothers name before l die"'
! When Mr. Bowser had the room to
4 himself, he gave the old bookcase sew
era! sturdy kicks and then dragged it
I aside and tossed the books after IT,.
| In a quarter of an hour he was ready
to tackle the piano When he jumped
| for 1t, he hadn't the slightest doubt in
his mind that 1t would prove an easy
customer. but after a tug and a pull
which broke both suspenders he real
| tied that 1t had settled down TO stay.
/ He took a rest for a minute and then
braced himself for a push. After an
effort that bulged his eyes and REDEEM
ed his face to seashore sunburn he
effected a move Of two inches. but
could not gain another hairs breadth.
I Mrs. Bowser came down and suggested
that she call in a passing pedestrian,
and the cook called up from the base
ment that she was used TO toying with
ice chests and barrels of ashes, but Mr..
Bowser yelled at them:
Didn't | say | was bossing this job?
It's simply that the blamed old thing
has settled down in the quicksand or
something"
Then he seized 1t by corner and
braced his feet against the wall and
hcaved, but there was no give.
He worked his way In behind it and
gave mighty push, but only the brick
wall behind him seemed to give way.
lie crawlcd under it and sought TO
move It by humping up his back. but
though he persisted till his spinal col
umn was twisted out of plumb nothing
moved
TIE law of mechanics ought to APP
ply to a piano. but 1t doesn't. Mr.
Bowser sat painting and studying for
five minutes before he decided that it
didn't and that he had got to spring a
sudden surprise or acknowledge his
defeat. He got up and walked about
In careless way. and when the cook
called up that she had once moved an
Ice chest weighing 900 pounds with her
own hands he didn't reply. He was
giving that piano time To disSipate its
suspicious aud relax its guard. 1t was
only twenty minutes before he felt that
the time was ripe. and then he eau
tlously spat on his hands. edged into
position. and of sudden he Sprang
forward ana grabbed corner of the
instrument and put forth all his
strength. Mrs. Bowser and the cook
heard the grunt uttered by a man
when he tries to push q smokehouse
up hill, and this was followed by
crash. Mr.. Bowser had lost his hold
and gone rolling over the floor When
the women got to him. he was sitting
up and looking about him IN IA dazed
way and wondering If he had pulled
the side Of the house out or yanked the
piano across the street. Not a word
was said for long minute. Then Mrs.
Bowser softly observed:
You will find the arnica on the
mantel in my room, and If you will give
your back a good rubbing and get into
bed I'll fix up the bookcase with the
help of the cook
Mr.. Bowser looked at her with an ice
cold glare. and once or twice he open
ed his mouth as il to speak. but pres
emily he got TO his feet In weary way,
made a faint kick at the eat and went
creeping up stairs like man who had
40 further interest in life. NJ QUAD.