The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1905-12-19

LII SA& v 8NT aAA SLIT ~.
ried for fear that he was going to die.
A fortune teller had once told her that
before Mr.. Bowser died he would be-
come almost an angel. and 1t seemed to
her that this was the beginning Of the
end. / didn't look at it that way. Hav-
ing had a husband Of my own. / know
something about their fits and fads.
Ny husband used to get these pussy cat
spells Oh at long intervals. and then
nothing was too good for me. He'd
even buy me three calico dresses at
once. Three days later he'd be shout
ing Woman at me until he could
be heard half "A mile away.
When we were ready 10 sit down for
the evening we found Mr.. Bowser with
the cat in his lap. He looked as inno-
cent and harmless as a boy three years
old.
Are you thinking Of buying a hog
this fall:" / asked in an aggressive
toue.
a hog. mother? Why. of course
not"
Are you looking around for hens?"
Not at all, mother. What do we
want of hen or Il hogT"
"On two occasions, as / have been
/ told, you have attempted to take that
cats life
Yes, mother, it is true, but never
again will l plot and plan against her.
1t was a contemplate thing on my
part"
Are you thinking of fooling around
with the furnace, the gas meter, the
water pipes or the doorbells this fally'
! | asked.
NO, mother" he quietly replied as he
continued to stroke the cats back.
Il suppose you know, don't you, that
the gas bill for the last month is a dol
lar and a half more than for the month
before?"
Only q dollar and a half? / thought
1t would be two dollars more at the
very least. / think Mrs. Bowser is one
of the most economical women about
burning gas hat there is in the state.
l have often wondered how she kept
the bills so low"
was making no progress, and l saw
that Mrs. BowSer was getting very
nervous. l determined to take the bull
by the horns, and I did SO by saying:
"Lemuel, there are a few things l
want to speak to you about"
Eyes, mother"
1.-The cook may not come back for
three Or four days"
well. you will hear no complaints
from me-"
Coal has gone up % cents a ton"
S I've been told. I expected it
would go fifty"
1--WE been telling Sarah that she
ought to go to the theater now and
then"
"Of course she had, and 1 stand
ready to go with her any night"
"She needs handkerchiefs, gloves and
other things, but you are always talk
ing about her extravaganza and so"-
Her extravaganza he interrupted.
why, mother, she is one of the most
economical women in the world! What
ever she needs she shall have right
away. I'll give her money in the morn
Ing, and you two can go down shop
ping"
There's another little matter. When
ySo >SAlS AAoAAAS oUt oA ~ Aook
and shout around here as if you were
a tin god. AS a matter of fact, Mr..
Bowser, you are not the only pebble
on the beach-not by a long shot. If
you were my husband and you came
roaring around I'd throw the teapot at
you"
"And you'd be right, mother-perfect-
ly right" he replied. II know l roar
and shout and think I'm the whole
show, and 1 sometimes wonder how
Mrs. BOwser stands it. 1t simply
shows what a dear, good woman
she is"
"And every time you get beaten in
an argument you yell Woman. at her
and talk of Il divorce. The next time
you do it | want her to walk out of
the house and get Il divorce from you.
Do you hear me, Lemuel:"
L do, mother, and you are perfectly
right-perfectly right. | couldn't have
blamed her if she had got a divorce
long ago, but she'll never have occa-
sion again to apply"
Well, what could / do with SUCH a
man? An Uncanny feeling began to
creep over me-, and Sarah and | went
upstairs and put our arms around each
other and cried. 1t seemed to us that
Mr.. Bowser would be an angel before
morning, but yet at 10 o'clock, when
sneaked downstairs to see what had
become of him. l found him asleep OF
the lounge like an innocent babe, with
the cat lying on his stomach. / shall
stay for Il week or two and see wheth-
er he ives or dies. NJ. QUAD.