Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1901-06-27

that Mr.. Bowser had held no corre-
spoudence with any for years and years
Besides, he WAS not the man to let
the death OF distant relative pull him
down to any extent. She wanted to
say so. but 1t suddenly occurred to her
that this was one OF Mr. Bowser's
freaks. AS they sat down to dinner
she began to chat OF the events OF the
day to chase away his sorrow, but he
looked at her roprovingly and said:
Mrs. Bowser. this hIlarlty Is alto
gether out Of place under the circum-
stances. and you ought to have sense
enough to realize It."
81 am not hilarious" she replied.
but / do not see why the death OF
second cousin whom you have not seen
for 20 years should plunge our house
into the depths OF gloom"
Tf you do not, do. and you will
greatly oblige me by keeping your
levity for some other occasion"
He ate very sparingly and sighed fire.
quently. and he forgot to say that the
steak was overdone and that there
were Jumps In the mashed potatoes.
As they adjourned to the sitting room
he sank into a chair with whispered
groan and said to himself:
"Poor Hlraml Poor Hiram! And yet
he IL better Off"
Now. then" answered Mrs. Bowser,
with bustling voice. II want to know
who this Hiram Gordon was. Was he
one OF your distant relatives, who was
always trying to borrow five or ten dol
IarsY'
She meant to rouse Mr.. Bowser. and
she accomplished her purpose. His
face flushed up, and he turned on her
with:
"Is that the way to speak Of n person
who has just been laid to resti
Woman, you seem to be heartlessr'
"But | am not. II seems that you
had second cousin named Hiram
Gordon. Years and years ago he NOV
ed to the west. You never wrote to
each other. and ] never heard you
mention bis name. don't believe you
had thought OF him for Eve years when
you got news OF his death. And what
is his death to usi don't say we
should rejoice, but I don't see why we
should weep"
"No, Of course you don't. My sor-
rows are not your sorrows."
But why do you sorrowT
woman" shouted Mr.. Bowser as
he sprang up and gave the family cat
d scare, II sorrow because ! have the
heart Of n child with the body OF a
mani When we were babies together.
Hiram Gordon and I occupied the
same cradle. In childhood we played
horse together. lie had the same ten
der heart I have got. AS boy he
would 20 a mile out OF his way rather
than walk on a sleeping hog. True.
we drifted apart and lost sight Of each
other for score OF years. but we al
ways carried soft spot In our hearts
for each other. A person with the heart
OF q hyenn cannot understand this, but
there arc others who would even
grieve with me. Poor Hiramw
Nr. Bowser sat down with n great
Jar and sighed and shook his head,
and Mrs. Bowser thought II policy to
maintain silence. The cat came back
and tried TO look solemn, and for FIVE
minutes the house seemed 10 be desert
ed. Then came n sound that brought
Nr. Bowser 10 his feet as II he had
been thrown up by n springbcard. and
he raised an arm and hoarsely whis-
percd:
"By thunder, but what do you call
thAtr
II was the strains OF n fiddle next
door. II squeaked and walled and
squawked M It was being tuned up to
the key OF @ and then started of on
the air OF Buffalo Gals" like n young
colt galIoping across It's pasture.
"By John, but think OF it" gaspcd
Mr. Bowser M his eyes began to bulge
out. MY second cousin dies out In Ne
brnska. and scarcely get word OF II
and sit down to grieve when human
hyena next door starts in 10 work jig
tune out OF his old fiddler
"But our grief In our own" replied
Mrs Bowscr. I'VE can't expect nor
do we nsk the world 10 grievc with US"
II know that. don't II But the world
has no right to play n blamed old fiddle
under our nose when we arc feeling ns
we do tonight. That noise Inns got 20
stopw
II think II we 20 up stairs we shall
not hear H."
"Wc'll neither 20 up stairs nor down
cellar, but stay right here, md TINT
man will either stop that fiddle or I'll
stop his wlndw
but you see we can't do anything"
protested Mrs. Bowscr, with n plead
ing IN her tones. ~ man has n right
10 fiddle IN his own house. Come up
10 my room and let me read you TO
sleep"
Don't talk nonsense TO me. My sec
ond cousin dies out In Nebraska. /
come home TO shed tears to his memo
ry. Az I rricyc there suddenly breaks
In on my ynd memories the high dlddle
diddle notes Of fiddle ns II 90 mock
me. Tell the cook 10 go over there and
warn that nend IN human form 10 shut
up or take the consequence"
"Iiut she wouldn't go on such nm er-
rand M that Ilcnac don't let such n
little thing disturb you. lie may not
plny Eve minutes longer"
you bet hc won'tr' exclaimed Mr..
Bowser ns he started down the hall.