The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-12-05

out please DO the best you can.
There were tears in Mr.. Bowser,s eyes
There were also tears in Mrs. Bowser s
eyes. There would also have been tears
in the eyes of the family cat if she
hadn't made a great effort and crushed
them back. The fearful interval lasted
for three or four minutes, and then Mr..
BOwser said:
Yes, I have wasted thousands of doll
lars investing in gimcracks, and each
and every time against your advice.
for years and years, but I couldn't see
1t. The end has come at last, however.
The next man who takes me for a fat
is going to get badly left"
Il am glad to hear you say So" re-
piled Mrs. BowSer. Although lots of
other men have probably been Just as
foolish. Is business at the Office good ?''
Il can't understand" he continued,
ignoring her question, about my buy
ing that old COW last spring. The men
warranted her to be a new mich COW,
and only four years old, but you told
me he was lying about it. Instead of
needing what you said, I went and
paid $45 ar the animal, and how did it
turn out!''
"Oh, well that was months ago. Do
you think we are going to have snow
before morning?"
Il know it was months ago, but what
COW. Instead of ten quarts of milk per
day she dropped to three. Instead of
being four years old she was nearer
IA. l tried to stick 1t out and bluff you
down, but was ashamed of myself all
the time. The day I got rid of her for
SIS 1 heaved a great sigh of relief. That
reminds me of another thing 1 want to
own, up to-
But why not let it all go, deal? Let's
run over to the Browns for an hour or
two
Il can't letsit 60 I must make clean
breast of things while I am about it.
told you 1 got $50 for the cow
t'Y-e-s, but"
Hold on, I lied about the price. I
told you that man bought her to
TO the president. I lied about that.
Yes, I lied like a trooper. She was
bought for her hide and soap grease.
When I think of How I lied about that
COW. When 1 think"
Mr.. BowSer'S emotions overcame him,
and tears stood in his eyes again. Mrs.
Bowser, as a loyal, loving wife, couldn't
do less than wipe tears from her own,
but the cat puckered up her mouth and
purred softly. and seemed to be saying
to herself:
Eyes, this is where the tears come
in, but you wait a little while. If the
court knows itself. this performance is
not yet half over"
And there's another thing began, Mr.:
Bowser, as he steadied his voice and sat
down and got up again two or three
times. II wanted to buy hog, and you
said"
At that moment the doorbell rang. and.
the girl being out, Mrs. Bowser went to
the door A boy stood there, and as soon
as the door was open he pushed cob
ble-'s bench into the hall and went
whistling away.
What on earth is this?'' was asked
of Mr.. Bowser, as he came down the hall.
'I-I-bought it at auction" he STAN
mered, as he colored up. Il had forgotten
all about it"
But it's a cobbler's bench!"
Yes, l know"
'-And why in the name of goodness did
you buy it? Are you going to turn cobbler
and cobble shoes for the neighbors?''
You know 1 am pot" he answered in
pungent tones. II bought it a SOU
venir, of course That bench is over 200
years old. 1t used to stand in the place
of Henry the-the something of Eng
land"
WHO said SOP"
THE auctioneer. 1t may be only a SIM
pie eobbler's bench. but think of the an
tiquity and the associations. Henry might
have been sitting on this bench when he
was summoned to the scaffo1d- 1 only
paid 81 for it, and it's worth every cent
of $3.50. In fact, man