West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1906-04-12

OF the house. 1t was halt past Ic
O'Clock. He hadn't waited to tie
his shoes, put on collar or button
his coat or vest. AS he went ur
the street at gallop several people
asked him where the fire was, and a
police jumped out from behind a
tree and tried to head him off.
The drug store had just closed, but
he set the bell to ringing and ac.
companied it with kicks on the
door, and after seven or eight MN
utes a druggist appeared and indig.
nantly demanded:
"What in thunder do you mean
by trying to kick my door mp"
'I've-Ive taken poison !" replied
Mr.. Bowser as he staggered IN and
sat down.
"Oh, you have Couldn't upset
'hlngs any other way, and SO you
took poisonl What was it1'
"Laudanuml IL made a mis-
take. | thought was taking cough
syrup. Don't delay, or I'm a dead
man"
probably grabbed up bottle in
the dark and guzzled away. That's
the way with most men. I'll give
you strong emetic, but I'm afraid
its going to be a close shave"
The idea, of course, was to get
the patient to throw the laudanum
of his stomach, and for the next
half hour Mr.. Bowser was dosed af-
ter heroic measures. The druggist
finally announced that the moment
OF peril had passed, but sent him
home to dnnk quart of strong cof-
fee, and advised him to walk up and
down for a couple of hours. Mrs
Bowser had the coffee ready, and it
was almost human wreck she gazed
at as he entered the house. She
hadn't the heart To reproach him for
his carelessness, and when he had
disposed of his coffee she helped
him find his hat and saw HIM out on
the street. He hadn't paced the
length of block before he fell IN
with tramp who was looking for
lodgings in some doorway and who
was soon informed Of what had hap
pened. He was rough looking
man, but he had kind heart, and
he took Bowser's arm and said:
"All right, Gully. / see how it is.
Tired with the turmoil of life, you
started out to commit suicide, but
thought better of it after swallowing
dose. Just my case exactly. I've
tried it six different times. Easy,
now, old rosebud! Lean on me, and
well walk up and down"
"G'way-g'way from me % Mr..
Bowser got up the strength to ex-
claim.
"Never, my conscience stricken
friend. / shall walk with you, and
as we promenade you can pour your
tale of sorrow into my ear and be
sure of my sympathy"
They had been walking for an
hour and Mrs. Bowser had been di-
viding her time between making
more coffee in the kitchen and look
ing out Of the front door when the
thought struck her to take look at
the bottles. There was the cough
syrup and there was the laudanum,
but the latter bottle had no con.
tents in fact it was as dry as a
bone. As Mr.. Bowser could have
made no mistake, she ran out at
once te inform him Of the fact. The
tramp was still solicilously leading
him up and down and encouraging
him to live. Mr.. Bowser heard the
news, took a moment to digest it,,
and with a wild whoop Of exultation
he slammed the old tramp up against
a shade tree, picked up the cat,
which had followed Mrs. Bowscr,
and made a run for the house. She
followed him, and as the door was
closed behind her and several other
whoops came TO his ears the kind
hearted tourist leaned over the gate
and muttered:
"WhY, / was about to strike the
old coon for quarter, and here he,
gone and got over it and gwen m,
the cold throw down Hang mar
who doesn't know when he's got q
good thing"
William Randolph Hearst, Con
gresham and newspaper owner, ha,
completed plans for a new buildipr