The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1905-07-20

up. The capitalist who built the house
never intended the back yard to be
used as a garden. That was the rea-
son he filed it in with plaster. brick
bats, old cans, chunks OF wood and
shavings 1t could be turned into 4
menageria if the buyer SO elected, but
never into a garden. Farmer Bowser
worked away with right good will.
however, and before the sun went
down his sundower and hollyhock
seeds had been committed to the keep
ing Of Old Mother Earth. \ few cats
came walking along the top of the
fence to be present on the suspicious
occasion. and now and then Il hooGlum
going home through the alley threw q
beer bottle at the gardener, but things
Went off without any riot Other
ground would be prepared for seeds
the next evening.
i want TO tell YOU" said IIr. Bow
ser when all had been finished for the
night and he had laid the tools away
and lighted his cigar, that | am Il bet
ter man for what | have done this
evening. When l got Off the car man
stepped on my foot and called me Il
behemoth instead of apologiZing. /
called him a liar and intended to 20
out after dinner and lick him. Yes,
was going to pound him to a jelly, but
the idea has fed far far away. If he
should come along here now and ask
me why l didn't use the back of my
neck for my throat I'd only laugh ut
him. The closer one gets to nature the
more he can forgive in his fellow men.
Why, if ten banana peddlers came
along here and each one stopped to
yell at the top of his voice YOU wouldn't
see me get mad"
IF 1 should ask you for 50 to get a
new pair of shoes with, could you
spare it?' asked Mrs. BoWsar.
why, of course, my dear-of course.
That is. l haven't got it right in my
pocketb0ok this minute, but the first
time I have it to spare you can count
on it. DO YOU remember one night
about two months ago when you call
ed up the subject Of my love letters to
you before we were mGuiod:"
YES"
well, I got mad and denied that YOU
had a single one You said I called YOU
deary, ducky. angel, sweetness and all
that, ana I answered that if I did I
must have been a fool"
"Weu:"
'Weli, want to beg your pardon. I
not only called You by all those names,
but probably gave YOU the idea that I
was the biggest jackass in America
If You would take Il club to me about
once a week l should be better man"
The bats came out and buzzed
around, the evening grew Old. and aft
err reading up on sunAowers and holly
hooks Mr.. BowSer was ready for bed
His garden, as he saw from Il back
window. was lying fertile and un-
touched in the bright moonlight and
such a softnCss stole over him that he
picked up die cat and begged her par
don if lie had over called her yaller
eyed and plotted against her life. He
talked agriculture for half an hour and
then fell asleep and Mrs. Bowser soon
followed, thankful that nothing in the
way of q calamity had happened Two
hours later she dreamed that she was
in South Africa and hearing the roar
Of a lion, and the dream was so vivid
that it aWoke her. No sooner We're her
eyes open than she found the roar to
be real
1t was M. Bowser roaring from a
back window. She ran through to him
just as he had heaved the water pitch
er after the washbowl. Down on the
earth beneath the window were six or
eight dogs that had come in through
the alley gate. They had raked and
scratched and rolled, and his garden
and sunhowers and hollyhocks were no
more.
woman" he said as he found her
beside him, "behold your work."
MY work? Why, what have 1 got
to do with it,"
Spite, envy, jealousy! l see your
fine italian hand at every turn. l
wanted garden; you didn't. You
have defeated me, but-but''-
And then he rushed downstairs and
out into the yard, and, Selling a clothes
pole he did his best to Stay and to
slaughter. Under the full moon, with
the earthly smell rising to heaven and
the crickets chirping their notes of
gladness, he jupped up and down and
swore that nothing short of blood
would satisfy his longings for revenge.
NJ. QUAD.