The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1905-04-14

NY oau cIoI1es On because | have start
ell out to live
Well. you start cut OF this,- ex-
claimed the conductor rs he took his
arm and led him TO the rear platform
and damned his back against the rail-
ing.
When Mr.. Bowser reached his own
gate he was Sc mad that he waited a
moment to jump up and down and then
kick at a passing dog. but he had got
control OF himself and worked up a
smile a he entered the house. Mrs.
Bowser met him as usual and said:
Il have been thinking Of you all day
long Ii Is very brave in you To start
out to live an entirely new life at your
age. and you can depend upon me TO
encourage you in every possible way.
II | spoke discouragingly last night I
am sorry for it. and ii shan't happen
again. | have got your simple dinner
ready for you"
So she had. It was a big potato
with its jacket on. and it had been
baking all the afternoon. Beside ii
was a goblet Of Ice cold water. For
her w dinner Mrs. Bowser had fried
oysters, celery. asparagus. canned peas.
biscuit and honey and fragrant tea.
Mr.. Bowser looked over at it. with a
| smile on his face, but in his heart he
said he would never forgive her il he
lived a thousand years longer. The
smell Of those fried oysters as they
were brought on to the table lifted him
a foot high, and the aroma of the tea
and the sight Of the clover honey made
him wriggle around as IL he had struck
a tack. He realized that it was a put
up job to hurt his feelings, and he stiff
ened his heart and ate and drank with
such gusto that Mrs. Bowser was al
most deceived.
through the day, and he naturally lied
like a trooper when he said that he
hadn't enjoyed himself so we'll in TWEEN
ty years. He eve went beyond that
and said he had made four or five con-
verts and that he was thinking of going
III into the country to live in a cave
and subsist on roots.
Mr.. Bowser fingered over his dinner
as long as he could and several times
expressed his pity for the rich and
their ignorance in overlooking their
stomachs, and he smiled in a fatherly
way at the zoo as they left the table
for the sitting room. When they were
seated Mrs. Bowser said:
"You are right about the theater.
It is no place for such simple people
as US. You were also right about bot
any and natural history. / sent over
to the drug store today for some roots
and herbs, and we will now take up
botany. 1 have also captured two cock
reaches and a house fly, and we will
put them under the microscope and
stick pins in their backs and learn all
we can about natural history"
/ Mr.. Bowser turned red in the face
and choked up. Never in all his life
before had he so wanted to jump up
and down and yell "Woman!" at her.
and never had he been so handicapped.
"Is it your collar that's choking you.
dear?" solicitously queried Mrs. Bow
ser. eff l vas you 1 wouldn't put n
on tomorrow morning when I got up.
It is a useless piece of dress, n the
day will yet come when the most fash
ionable man will consider an old stock
ing tied around his neck plenty good
enough for all purposes"
There was no jawbone Of an ass ly-
ing around for Mr.. Bowser to Stay
with, and so he had to smile and go
ahead with botany and natural history
and keep his wrath bottled up. He
was assembling fairly we'll when Mrs.
Bowser said:
"You brought home two bottles Of
port the other day, and today when a
lady called to tell me about several
sick families l gave her the two to take
away. OF course you will have no
further need of vine"
What" he exclaimed.
"And l rugged q tramp out in n Of
your suits and gave him some extra
collars and cuffs. He was very thank
ful, and when l spoke about his turning
to a more simple life he said lie was
going naked and live on burdock leaves
next summer. He may call this even
ing to get some pointers from you"
"If he does I'll be hanged if | DON'T
"What did you say, dear?"
"I-I said. my love. that if he called
I'd be glad to talk with him."
Eyes. of course you will. I spoke to
the man today about turning off the
gas. It's q useless waste. Tallow
candles are plenty good enough for Us.
The cook knows what to get for your
breakfast. 1t will be bread soake in
water and fried and a dish Of Goldfish.
Are you going to take a walk before
bedtime. as the pastoral people OF
Egypt used to do?"
Mr.. Bowser went out and walked.
He walked up and down, and the snow
fakes flew and the wind howled
around his ears, and now and then he
shut his teeth together and Kissed into
the darkness and the storm:
"You just wait, old lady: you just
watt" NJ. QUAD.
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