The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1906-01-09


Of some one paving over 1t. When It.
had continued for q couple Of minutes
she went down the hall and swung the
door wide open. With the aid OF her ex-
tended hand. Mr.. BOwser entered. In
spite Of the fact that he was barehead-
cd and all mussed up. that his coat
pockets were full Of hay, that porous
plaster had been stuck ON the back Of
his overcoat and his patent leather
shoes painted over with white paint it
was Mr.. Bowser.
Come in and tell me all about It."
said Mrs. Bowser as she hung up his
coat and led him along to the sitting
room.
He looked ut her in an owlish sort Of
way for minute, and then the tears
ptartedSin his eyes. When he could con-
troll his emotion he said:
swell. l got there. Everybody glad to
see me. Everybody said was good
Teller. Everybody slapped me ON the
back and said, Hello, Bowser.'"
And Of course you had drink or.
two
Eyes"
And then the voting took placer"
eyes"
And when the votes were counted
Up 1t was found that you had been de-
clared the most popular member?"
Eyes. But how did you hear Of it?"
"Oh, knew about how 1t would co.
replied Mrs. Bowser, with laugh.
well, you were elected What hap
pened then?"
All the Old Jays took a drink at my
expense. Then the president of the club
congratulated me, and we had another
drink. Then they called OH me for a
speech"
"And you remembered. what 1 told
you. hope:'
mo. didn't. couldn't remember
nothing. made a speech about Chris
topher- Columbus crossing 'er Delaware,
and you just ought to have heard them
Old Jays clap and yell. Mrs Bowser,
That speech was n corker. Best speech
ever delivered in my life.''
His utterances were getting thick and
his neck becoming too timber to sup
port his head, and Of sudden the tears
came to his eyes again.
"Well, after the speech? queried
Mrs. Bowser
Everybody whooped and yelled and
clapped their hands, and some Of 'em
didn't get over laughing for ten min
utes. I can tell you felt proud, Mrs
Bowser--proud and glad that I was
Bowser. Had drink. Had another
drink. Had three or four drinks. Then
the Old Jays jumped on to me-"
How jumped on to your"
'They said was an old sport and a
good Teller. and they put me in blan-
ket and tossed me up to the ceiling
Yes, tossed me up over thousand
times. It was awful, awful, awful!
When they got tired Of that they sand
papered my bald head. Yes, Mrs. Bow
ser. they sandpapered the head Of your
loving husband and scratched matches
on IT.
His tears flowed and his lip trembled,
and it was a long minute before he
could go ON.
ssrhen they rolled me on a barrel,
painted my shoes and poured sand
down my back, and when they let me
go was almost dead. Twas all turned
around and didn't know the way home,
and it's Q wonder I ever got here.
Wasn't 1t awful. Mish Bowsher-wasn't
titus awful?"
II told you 1 was afraid they'd play
some game on you"
"Yesh, you told me, but didn't be-
lieve it. believed you was jealous be-
cause ! was such great man. I was
wrong, and you was right. Will you
forgive me, Mish Bowsherr'
There's nothing to forgive, but If I
were you I'd resign from the Old
Jays"
"You bet l will! Never again will
'er Ole Jays make jay of me!
Where's 'er cat?"
What do you want of herr"
"Wanter beg her pardon too. tell
you, Mish Bowsher-I tell you it wasn't
right, and you know it, and the cat
knows 1t, and the Old Jays know it,
and"
II guess you'd better be getting to
bed" said Mrs. Bowser as he sat blink
Ing at her with his sentence unfinished.
"Yesh. Most popular or Jay better
be gettin' to bed" he replied as he took
her arm and was assisted upstairs.
M. QUAD.