West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1902-05-22
Old MAN BOWSER
Gets Sentimental and Plants Some
Catnip In His Backyard,
And About N Thousand Cats Come In
To Get n Nip at H.

There was sofiness aud a sadness in
Mr.. bowser's face as he came home the
other evening, and Mrs. Bowser was pug.
slcd TO tell whether he had found nickle
on the street corner or heard of the death
Of cousin.
After dinner. during which he mentioned
his childhood days and signed over the
passing OF years. he proceeded To- exclsim.
"Do you know that we have become cold
hearted. inherent and selhshi" he asked
as he heaved a sigh aud shook his head In
a solemn way
Not in particular" replied Mrs Bow.
SER who remembered that she had fed
four tramps within week
But We have Just the same How often.
as we sit here OF an evening. do we call
up and discuss the days of our childhood.
OF our boyhood and girlhood OF the dear
old homes that sheltered us before We
wen, out into the world' Not once in ten
years. My father aud mother are dead as
well as your faihcr--''
And what elsep" she asked as he
paused
lie suddenly remembered that her
mother was siill livins aud was wondering
why death had not also claimed her. lie
thought IL best not 10 say anything about
Il. however, and went on;--"and the dear
old houcs have passed into the hands OF
strangers. Do we ever speak OF the gar.
deus, the meadows. the old pear trees.
the lanes and the orchards Never.
There are the hills we used TO slide
down in winter, the brooks we padded in
when summer came the groves with their
swings and the big walnut trees shading
the front porch. bu, we never recall them.
Instead OF lh.t we sit here and read or
play euchre or SO to the thcater, and our
hearts grow hard aDd selfish We ought
TO be- ashamed OF ourselves
Mr. Bowser got up and wiped at The
corner Of his eye and walked around and
the cat Came out from under the piano aud
sat up aud looked solemnly ai the figure
OF the carpet
And what happened TO day to start this
train of thought1' asked Mrs. Bowscr
after awhile.
~'rhe merest lriae,' replied Mr.. Bowscr.
ION the street saw vcnder OF flowers.
Among his flowers hc had two punches OF
was carried back 10 my boyhood days
In our homey old garden we had thyme
and holyhocks and pinks and creeping
Charlie and ca,nip Yon mus, remember
cainip2"
yes ..
"'rbe scent of IL comes To- me through all
these long years | remember nothing OF
the past so wildly as catnip."
"ihey didn't make you eat catBip soup
when lou were boy, did theyl" she
asked
Madam answered MIR. Bowscr as he
s,opped before her md Riared. don't run
this thing into burlesqucl II YOU have got
a brickbas where your heart ought to be-
| havept. I am still human being. al.
though you have tried your hardest to
make me n man OF stone
Well. you saw two bounches Of cainip.
II did. and bought them a, once.
have brought lhrm home. and ! am now
going to Dian, them 10 our back yard
am going TO have something around to re-
call tho happy days Of the past don't
want to forget that was once young and
innocent hearted by thunder but that
cat ; got bone IN her throat and is chok-
Ing to DEATH
The cat had one eye cooked up TO the
ceiling and was gurgng and choking. but
as Mr.. Bowsor stepped forward she made
a dive under the lounge. and Mrs. Bowscr
quietly said
"Sle often does that when she $ amused.
rOh. she does! Then there's something
10 amuse her. ! take II. Let her do any
more gurgIing around here tonight and
III wiring her old neck You and the cat
make a nice pair "
Then you are going TO plant the catnip
IN the back yardf" qGeried Mrs Bowscr
lie made no reply. bat. getting the parcel
from the front hall he passed out OF tile
back door and looked around for a suit
able spot.
Is IL anything thats going to swell up
and bust up aud tear the house DOWN"
anxiously inquired the cook.
No my good woman Didn't you ever
hear OF cainipl'
Seems as II ! did DIDN'T the Spanish
blow up the Maine in Havana with the
same bad luck to emS"
Mr. BOwser smiled In his benign and
patcrnal way and set about the work OF
planting. aud In ten minutes tho job was
done.
Then he stood back and surveyed the
plants with = miSturc Of sadness and
graiifcsiion and said to himself
"Remcmbraoces Of the happiest days
of my life days before met Mrs. Bowser
When feel that mercy pity and charity
are being crowded out Of my heart. will
come out here and sniG the fragrant odor
Of this cauip lis bot a homcly plant
but lis full Of sweetest memories
Then hc returned 10 The sitting room 10
say 90 Mrs. Bowscr;--
4 want to give you and the cat and the
cook fair warning that II come home to
morrow evening and hnd that catnip dam
aged or missing there will bc a row around
here"
Why should you say that" she asked
Because you have no sympathy with
me. The past docs not appeal to you
don believe you c,il np old times once
year. Should 40 old tramp come 90 the
door and prove TO be playmate OF your
childhood you'd hit him in the eye with
cold potato instead of ciasping his hand
Mrs. Bowser wcut ap stairs and icft him
reading h paper and half an hour had
passed when Wild. weird yeowl from the
back yard raised What little hair he had on
his head
u also brought thc family cat out from
under the lounge and her eyes glarcd and
her tail grew bushy
HIS exclamation was cut short by y stu
wilder yeowi followed by rst1ing aud
a banging on the back fences