The Topeka state journal., 1902-09-13
BOWSER'S QUEST.

nlHcance- e-ReV. LII. r. l. E1aIons Aeln-
BOWSER'S QUEST.
He Goes in Search Of 4 Quiet Summer
Retreat
Eureka signifies I have found it, |
doesn't it ~ asked Mr.. Bowser as he
reached home the other evening with |
smile on his face.
Yes, something like that. believe"
replied Mrs. Bowser. DO you mean
you have found a new patent fire es-
cape or something new in gas burn
ers?"
What mean is this he said as he
produced a newspaper advertisement
and placed it in her hands, We have
been looking for some place out in the
country where we could spend week.
and here I exclaim .Erukea!' In other
words, I have tumbled on good thing
and solved the problem. Read it.
Mrs. Bowser read:
Persons seeking for homelike place
In the country in which to pass q. few
weeks should write to the Crows Nest;
large, airy rooms, pure air.spring water.
fresh vegetables. eggs and milk, plenty
of shade and homelfke surroundings.
table unsurpassed; no children or dogs
takens two minutes to the lake, hve
minutes to the pOstofhce; no mos
quitoes. flies malaria: croquet, golf.
ping pong, ETC.; terms $6 per week.
wen, Wudl 90 you tHlnk OF II ASK
ed Mr.. Bowser as she returned the slip.
II think it's fraud she replied.
That's you, of course. You see
fraud and swindle in everything.
for any money. What's wrong about
this advertisement"
1T promises too much for the
money
farmer and his wife who are lonely for
the society of nice people, and, being
so situated that they can make dozen
or SO comfortable, they are willing to do
it without robbing them. Any one
could tell by the very name that it was
a nice place to go to- I'll bet that farm
er would break his back to make his
boarders happy. How soon can you
pack the trunks?"
what for?. asked Mrs. Bowser.
why, to go out there, of course We
want two weeks of, and we have
found the place. We needn't even wait
to write to them. We want those airy
rooms, cool breezes fresh vegetables
and eggs from the nests | can almost
imagine myself sailing Ger the placid
| waters of that lake this very minute.
| We ought to be able to get away by
| day after tomorrow. can pack my
| own trunk tonight
| Mrs Bowser wasn't obstinate, but she
| was firm. She refused to do any pack
/ ing until Mr.. RowSer had taken a run
| out to Crows Nest and looked the place
lover. He at first fatty refused arguing
| that no one would dare advertise like
| that unless things were all right, bu,
| finally decided to make the trip. While
he was investigating she could be pack
| ing, and SO no time would be lost Dur
| ing the remainder of the evening he was
in the highest spirits. He saw every
| feature of those homelike surroundings
In his minds eye, and over and over
! again he reposed in the shade of the
pear trees or pulled a boat up and down
| the lake. Even in his sleep he was play
l inp h11n ncs
and his impa tience was SO great that
he could hardly taste his breakfast. Mr..
BoWser got away at an early hour,
| leaving instructions that the trunks
should be packed during the day, and
after a ride of two hours on the train
| he arrived at his destination. He was
so good natured on the way that he
passed over several little things of an
unpleasant nature. and when he was
finally dumped out at a country station
the conductor had come to regard him
as kind hearted, mild tempered old
gentleman. Crows Nest loomed up half
| mile away. It loomed from sense
of duty. If it hadn't loomed, there
| would have been nothing but a bob
tailed COW and a stack of marsh hay to
make up the scenery. The prospect
| didn't strike Mr.. Bowser as a CHEEKY
one, but he plodded on through the dust
OF the highway until he reached the
mouse. He might have thought there
was some mistake but for a man at the
gate who answered his inquiry by re-
plying:
| Yes; this is Crows Nest Do you
want boarc?''
Il was two story. unpainted and .un-
nished by four or 1--WE old plum trees and
there wasn't enough grass about the place
to furnish a cow with ten good bites The
lake was behind the house, and it was a
part of marsh.
Come in and see my rooms suggested
the man. who had boil en- his neck and
a cloth tied around his head.
IN dazed way Mr.. Bowser followed
him. There were five or six untenanted
rooms Some were splastered and some
were not. All of them were airy because
most OF the window glass was broken,
The view from the front rooms took in the
highway. an old barn and a field grown
up to milkweeds. That from the back was
composed of the marshy lake and an old
horse standing the shore and wonder
ing whether he would better drink or not.
Come down and see my wife before you
I decide" said the man, and Mr. BowSer
followed him downstairs and into the
kitchen and discovered a redheaded sharp
nosed woman who was making ready to
put mustard plaster on her jaw to cure
the toOthache.
"And now I'll Introduce you to my
| boarder, said the owner of Crows Nest
| and he led the way to the bench under
| one of the plum trees where sat a sore
eyed man, who rose up and said he had
| gained ten pounds in the last week
We'll what room will you take. and
when can we expect your queried the
| host.
Say, now, this is blamed fraudr' ex-
claimed Mr. Bowser as he broke loose at
last.
What do you mean, sir?'
| Il mean that any man who will adver-
| hole as this, ought to be booted all over
| the United States."-(Copyright, 1902, by
C. b. Lewis)