West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1902-12-18
Old MAN BOWSER
BREAKS OUT AGAIN IN A NEW
PLACE.
He Undertakes 10 Prove Whether the
Grasshopper sleeps at Night or Not.

anu MIS-. bowser was wondering
whether the police or kidnappers had
gotten hold of him when he turned up
with bland expression of counte-
nance and explained
al had a call from Prof. Girdle-
stone just as / was ready to leave
the Office and was therefore detain-
ed for a few minutes"
''How much did he want to bor-
rowf" innocently asked Mrs. Bow
SET.
Borrow Borrow Who said he
wanted to borrow"
'No one but / thought he might
have heard of you and dropped in
to ask ioan."
''What sort of talk is this1" de-
handed Mr.. Bowser as he flushed
up and grew belligerent. "Do you
mean that Prof. Girdlestone might
have heard of me as a soft snap2"
"But you do lend money don't
your
"Neverl Never in this living
worldi / never loaned a red cent
to any human being in all my life
and you know it,"
al thought you told me of about
so different parties who had dead
beat YOU"
"Neverl never told you of one
No man has ever dead beat me.
The idea that man like Prof. Cir
dlestone cannot call on me without
wanting to work me fora loan /
don't like such innuendoes and /
want no more of them"
81 don't remember TO have ever
heard of Prof. Girdlestone" quietly
remarked Mrs. Bowser after min
ute or two.
ooh you don'tl Well he is on
earth just the same and he happens
to rank as one of the greatest ento-
mologists of the age. / may further
inform you that he called to see me
professionally"
"About entomology"
"Yes about entomology. He
wanted my assistance in certain
matter and promised to aid him
all l could. You may not regard it
as an honor to be professionally as
sociated with the foremost man of
his profession but do. only wish
l was so situated that / could drop
everything else and take up the
study of entomology. 1t is one of
the most interesting things on
earth"
Mrs. Bowser realized that Mr..
Bowser had been "worked" again
but as to what direction and to what
extent she must wait for his explain
alton. 1t was not long in coming.
After walking up and down for three
or four minutes he stopped and took
a paper box from his pocket and
said:
81 have here grasshopper. 1
presume you have seen such an
insect7"
eyes"
"a question has arisen among
entomologists in regard to his habits.
Some contend that he sleeps dur
ing the hours Of darkness; others
that he requires no sleep at all. /
am to observe him two or three
nights and report. Isn't he a fine
specimen of his class1 He is awake
now of course but later on when the
house gets still he may seek Stun.
ber Let us study him a minute as
he is. Can you fathom natures
object in making his hind legs so
long1"
Mrs. Bowser had no need 20 an
swer the question. Those hind legs
gave a kick and the hopper rose out
Of the box and landed half way a.
cross the room but hardly had he
struck the floor when the cat leaped
off the lounge and snapped him up.
"By thunder" shouted Mr.. Bow
ser as soon as he could get his
breath. "By thunder and Saturn
and Mars and the great hornspoon
but III have her life for that"
lie didn't get il though. With
the dead hopper in her mouth the
cat made three circles Of the room
and then went out Of an open win
dow into the back yard and the
study Of entomology was knocked
into a cooked hat for the time be-
ing.
"But you can easily get another
suggested Mrs. Bowser IN a consol-
ing way.
81 shall get another Of course"