The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-06-15
BOWsER's NEW FIND.
1t Brings About Red Hot Time in
the Neighborhood.

AT 2 o'clock the other afternoon a
strange man called at the Bowser
house and asked If he was home yet,
and when answered in the negative
said that he had an appointment with
him for that hour and would wait.
While he sat down on the front steps
Mrs. BowSer cudgeled her brains as to
what he might want. He was long,
lean, lank and solemn looking man.
He seemed a man who had been dis
appointed in the world and had lost
all hope. She couldn't think he was a
man who had a COW or balloon to
sell.
The mystery had lasted only quar-
ter of an hour when Mr.. Bowser came
home. He was walking fast and had
a business air about him. After saying
a few words to the man on the steps
he entered the house. and of course
Mrs. Bowser asked him what was go
ing to happen.
1.-THE man out on the steps is a Mr..
Rasher," he replied. ct have been
talking with him all the forenoon. He
is the man who invented the Catch
Anything" trap. 1t will catch anything
from a bug to an elephant, and the
man who beat him out of his patent
has made a million dollars out of it,
''Is that why he looks so down in the
mouth 2" asked Mrs. Bowser.
That and other. things. He is the
inventor of the doubEe-ended nursing
bottle for twins He brought out the
machine to throw cats off the fence.
He invented pasteboard soles for shoes, !
and all in all he has brought out /
dozen good things. n He has trusted |
men and they have robbed him of the
fruits of his labor" ffAf 7c
"And has he now invented an India |
rubber barrel or something else he
wants you to take up with him ?'' |
f"Don't try to be Ssarcastfc at this |
early stage of the game. Mr.. Rasher |
dropped into the office this morning to |
see me on business. From the first
he could trust me. AS he told me
later, have a frank and innocent |
countenance that is an index of my |
soul. After we had talked for an hour |
he told me that he was the inventor
of a patent fuel that is going to make
of dollars for some one
But there are half a dozen men
making the same claim" protested
Mrs. Bowser, and as far as we know
great has come of it,
Never you mind about the half |
dozen men and their claims. Their
names are not Rasher. This man |
knows what he is about When he
saws that he has a fuel that is going to |
revolutionize the world and drive ten |
thousand coal dealers to suicide you
can get ready for something to hap
pen. What he wants is money enough |
to get this patent He wants me to adj |
vance the amount, and will give me
half his rights. 1 am not to advance a !
cent until after have satisfied myself /
mat the Iuel IS all right nave you
any fault to find with that arrange |
ment?"
why. no, but I hope you will be
satisfied before you go into
such a thing.
Certainly I shall. Mrs. Bowser. |
am no ten-year-oId boy. I think the
man is honest and sincere, but shall
still have an eye on him. If he's
shamming he'll find a man as smart |
as he is
about the fue1?'
1--WE are going to burn. some in the |
furnace. It's pretty hot weather, but |
1 guess we can stand it for an hour or |
so. I shall insist on the severest
tests"
Mrs. Bowser thought there might be
something in it and raised no further |
She had read that others
were experimenting, and why not Mr. |
Bowser? While he was getting into1
an old suit of clothes Mr.. Rasher dis |
for a few minutes. Then a |
horse and wagon drove up with three |
or four bags full of something that
were carried down cellar. Then there !
was a. mixture. AS near as Mr. Bow |
ser could determine. for Mr.. Rashert