The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-08-13

neighbours cat appeared above the
i fence. But few brief seconds the
ed glances of hate. distrust and def
ance, and then coiled on top of the
| fence.
by the great horn spooni" ejacula-
ted Mr.; Bowser, as he rolled about and
| finally fell out of the hammock. BY the
| time he had hit the earth the interlo-
| per was a licked feline and was heard
scrambling over fence three yards be-
| low.
| 1t was evident that the cure had a
| few drawbacks, but after cursing softly
| to himself for minute, the patient
| climbed back into his hammock and
| tried to make himself believe that he
already felt better. He shut his eyes
| tight, determined to sleep, and the pre-
monitory tingle of a second sneeze was
being family felt when there was a
yelp and a hiss, and the cat went up
| the fence and over it like flash, and a
J dog was left whining and growing
within ten feet of the hammock. The
canine had crept under the alley fence,
| and the RowSer cat hadn't waited TO
| ask any questions
by thunder, but can't a man find
| five minutes rest in his own back
yardi" shouted Mr.. Bowser as he roll
as a weapon of offense.
He ran that dog three times across
| the yard before the animal could find
the hole he came in at and get out
again, and when he returned to the
hammock the romance of the night was
gone. If he hadn't caught sight of
Mrs. BoWser peering from one of the
back windows he might have decided
to call things off till next night That
settled matters, however. He dropped
into the hammock and huddled himself
up, and the cat came back and sat on
the fence and looked down upon him
with guardian eyes. Ten minutes stole
silently away, and the crickets had be-
gun to sing low and drowsily when
great clash and clatter and missed Mr..
Bowser and his hammock by only few
by the cIubfooted king, but who did
that?'' he demanded, as he rolled out
to find that the something was an old
tin pail.
He had scarcely uttered the words
when an Early Rose potato whizzed
by his ear and struck the fence with
a bang. and it was followed by Flor
ida cabbage stalk which emitted
moaning sound as it grazed the top
of his head. The cat realized that she
wasn't in it and took a skip, but Mr..
Bowser wasn't to be bluffed.
you reptiles, but I'll have you
jagged for this!'' he shouted, as he
looked around and failed to locate any
one. do you know
An old corset from an ash barrel
came sailing his way like a vulture
of the night, and he felt the fan of
its wings as he ducked his head. Then
to be onions and tomatoes and green
corn cobs and ancient lemons, and all
he could do was to jump up and down
and demand that his hidden foe stand
forth and be slaughtered.
He thought he caught sight of some
one on the alley fence, and he made
a wild charge, but he had no sooner
reached it than the heavens rained
tin cans, bottles, old hats and shoes.
and he was compelled to turn and flee
for his life. Mrs. Bowser came down.
stairs to find him in the sitting room,
white-faced, big-eyed and painting, and
after a look at him she said:
Have you got hardened up for the
hot wave as soon as thts?"
Woman, how dare you look me in
the face?" he demanded, as he turned
on her. Don't you suppose 1 know
all about your little plot to have me
killed. murdered, assassinated in my
own back yard? / say, how dare
you'd better come to bed" she
quietly replied, and as she went up
stairs he slowly followed, and hadn't
another word to say-(Copyright
1904, by T. c. McCIure.)