Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1904-07-28

ears and shying at the old bottles and
tomato cans, and once or twice he
showed an inclination to stand on his
hind legs and look into the neighbor-
ing yards. The rider quaked and
trembled, but knowing that his spine
was at stake he summoned all his
courage. He had ridden down the
alley to the next street and back again
five or six times when a wild desire
seized him to show off. At that mo-
mcr, barn door opened and hostler
showed himself, and when he had
looked Mr.. Bowser and the horse
over, he asked:
Whats the object, if I may ask"
"The object of my riding horse
back ?"
"Yes."
"For my health.
"Got cousumphon?"
mo, my spinal column is out OF
plumb, and the doctor says that this
will cure it.
"Well, mebbe, but keep your eye
on the boss You don't know no
more about riding than do about
playin' the fiddle, and if he makes a
bolt for it, you'll go dyin'. It's like
boostin barrel up there. ~
Il can TAX care of myself, sir,
stialy replied Mr. Bowser, but the
words were scarcely out Of his mouth
when the horse stood up on his hind
legs and whirled around.
To Mr.. Bowser's great amazement
he was not uoseated While he lost
both stirrups and his hat and felt his
hair curl, he managed to settle down
in the saddle again, and then the I'M
pulse to bluff that horse Mrs Bowser
and the general public proved irres'
istable.
81 came out here to amble, and I'll
amble OF break this things neck, he
growled to himself; and seeing hls
way clear up the alley he uttered 4
cluck and chirp, and the horse was
of.
If the animal had broken into a
lope Mr.. Bowser could have held to at
least one strrup and hung on the
name, but there was no Looping. The
horse reared, squealed, and then came
down to buck and Jump sideways and
then rusL away like a wild locomotive
Mr.. Bowser didn't 20 along with him.
He went up with the horse and came
down with him, but the "buck
shot him off sideways, and the last
thing he remembered was that Nj
agara Falls hackman had once charged
him So to drive him from the foot
bridge to the whirlpool. Fortunately
for him he landed on an old mattress
which had served its day and been
turned out into the wide world, and
the fall broke no bones. He struck
with such thud, however, that the
breath was knocked out OF him, and
when Mrs. Bowser, the cat, a police
man and the hostIer reached him be
seemed to have left all earthly things
behind him.
II told him to look out for that
hoss, but he wanted to plumb up bis
spine, explained the hoster.
q would not go for to say whether
he is dead or alive" added the police
man, after bending over the body for
a minute, "but one thing am certain
of and that is that if his spine amt
plumb now it never will be on this
earth Of ours. l. he your husband
ma 'am?"
"Yes, replied Mrs. BOwser.
81 know him. He's Bowser. Al
ways something doing with him. WelI'
ma am, you go ahead and get the
lounge and the camphor and the Poul-
tees and bandages ready aud well
follow with the late deceased"
It was an hour later when Mr.
Bowser opened his eyes, and after
taking FIVE minutes to collect hls
thoughts and finding that he was
]
still a citizen Of North America, be
finally asked
"What-wbat's happened p
Hush, dear, and smell this cam
phor rag" replied Mrs BOwser. The
doctor has ordered you to be very
quiet for the next year or two, but
may tell you that your spinal column
has clicked back into place, and when
you get able to walk out the people
will think you VI got crowbar down
your back"
Night Was Her Terror.
! UT ,rould cough nearly all night long.