The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1906-03-23
you a five dollar watch for $40 and
came home dead broke"

your part. A year or SO later you took
800 with you to buy a horse. When
you got there the money was missing.
There vas a hole In your pocket. A
little later you paid a man $50 by mis-
take for S."
Mrs. Bowser, I command you to-
Eyes, / know, but let's talk things
over. When we were at Niagara Falls
you left your wallet under the pillow
at the hotel, and the chambermaid or
some one else took $50 out Of it. |
didn't say you were a fool man and
not to be trusted with money. but, Of
course, / had my thoughts. When we
were in Boston you left the change Of a
twenty dollar bill on the cigar counter
and never heard of it again. When
we were at the Chicago exposition you
lost $50 out Of your vest pocket"
Mr.. Bowser had been flushing red
and white by turns and trying to wilt
her by a glare. The tables had been
turned, and be was fishing around for
a way to save himself. .
Mrs. Bowser," he sternly asked,
have you taken leave of your %senses"
81 trust not"
"You realize whom you are talking
to, do your
81 do"
THAT | am Mr.. Bowser-Samuel
Bowser-the Bowser and your hus-
bandY'
81 certainly do, and / want to call
your attention to some further acts of
! reprehensible carelessness on your
part. 4 few months ago you went
over to the grocery to get a five dollar
bill changed. You got to talking poll
tics with the plumber and probably
twisted the bill up and threw it away.
at least you have w found it
since. You took off the pendulum to
regulate the clock and carried 1t off
days later, you threw it at a dog. You
started downtown four weeks G to
pay a gas bill of 81. When you reach
ed the gas office the money was gone.
l am citing a few little instances to
prove that the carelessness is not al
ways on my side"
Mr.. Bowser was now rocking back
AllO Ol Ills ACtlS duu kOCS anu
fairly gasping for breath. When he
could clear his windpipe he hoarsely
exclaimed:
by the horns of the forty bulls,
woman, but do you know you have
driven me to the dead line? Do you
know that you have made such state
ments and used such language to me
that l can never get W. it?"
And only last week." said Mrs,
Bowser as she ignored his remarks,
you were down the cellar fddling
away with the furnace for a whole
hour one evening. The next morning
after you had gone the cook went
down to put On coal and found 50 that
had dropped from your pocket. You
had not even missed the money"
Mr.. Bowser raised his right hand in
a dramatic way and started in to say
something, but concluded that there
were no words in the English language
to express his feelings. He therefore
started down the hall and put an bis
overcoat and hat.
"If you go to the club, DON'T leave
your watch behind, al 0 did three or
four weeks ago." called Mrs. Bowser
after him.
He clinched his fingers and .gritted
his teeth and passed out into the win.
ter's night. He felt that he must walk
INC plan. Mrs. Bowser had got him
in q box, and his prestige was at stake
He walked for an hour, and his plans
-voro Vo+ want ,n~fo.<cI xrho, - I,~c,
to snow and blow, and be had to get
back to the house for shelter. AS be
was ready to open the front door his
hand went UP to his breast pocket in.
stinctively. Ike carried his wallet there
1t was gone. IT contained $14, and he
was sure he had it when he went out
With a gasp of fright and a groan of
despair he leaped down the steps and
ran over the route he had taken in his
meditations. No wallet. He covered
the distance twice. No wallet. Some
pedestrian had picked it up. Slowly
be made his way homeward. Slowly
be unlocked the door and entered. He
was sneaking upstairs when Mrs. Bow
ser came out into the hall and called:
Have you got back without losing
anything, dear?"
IL have-}os my Wallet" be
groaned in reply.
Where? When?"
Heaven only knowsr"
by John. but that's just like a fool
mani" she said as s.e turned away,
though next minute she was saying to
herself:
"Poor Mr.. Bowser! He's got it bad".
NJ. QUAD.
Using Him.