The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1907-07-10

a me bouquet. She accepted II witt
n~utter!ng heart. and when he meekly
sat Town to take the curtain lecture
she was always sure to give him she
round herself unable to begin It. I,
was a glad relief to her when he said
he guessed he'd drop into the club TO,
an hour or so. With the slightest en-
couragement on her part he would
have kissed her au revoir as he wen,
out. When he was clear of the house
she returned to her daughter and de-
handed:
Nov. then. how long has this thina
been going on:"
do you mean Mr.. Bowser?"
Noticed a Change.
"Of course l mean Mr.. Bowser
When did you first notice the change
in him?"
Mother, Mr.. Bowser is all right.
He's just the same as other husbands.
He has his good spells and his bad
ones. Sometimes if he finds a hairpin
on the floor or a broken dish in the
back yard he'll stand up and scold and
Jaw for half an hour and tell how we
are going to the poorhouse. Again,
might break three or four windows
and he'd have nothing to say. You
have happened to hit him with one
OF his good spells on"
1T may be SO; it may be So" NUT.
tered the mother as she shook her
head in a doubtful way. Does he
keep an AK down cellarT'
Il believe there's an old ak down
there"
"Then tell the cook to get it and
hide it. She should also hide the
butcher knife. Have you paris green
or rat poison in the house?"
"Nota bit. You don't suppose
sarah, You listen to me. Samuel
may have what you call one of his
good streaks on. or he may he as crazy
as q bedbug and assembling for a
certain object. That object is my
death. l have made him sit up and
take notice. l have made him sit
down and shut up. l have bluffed
him out Of his boots. Don't you forget
that he would like to get even with
me. Suppose he brings home poison
with him: Suppose he sets the house
ahre tonight and rescues you and
leaves me to perish in the f1amesY'
She Was Suspicious.
Now, mother, you are talking as II
you were crazy yourself" chided Mrs.
Bowser. mo mar is in love with his
mother-in,law, but they generally re-
spect them. You have given Mr.. Bow
ser many a hard rub, but l am sure
he bears no enmity."
The mOther-in-law walked over to
the telephone and called up the family
doctor and asked:
doctor, what are the first symptoms
OF insanity in a man:"
"Just what do you mean?" was quer-
led in reply.
II am Mr.. Bowser's mother-in-law."
eyes. l have heard of you"
Il arrived here this evening""
Eyes"
"Mr. Bowser found out some way
that was coming, and he was at the
depot with a carriage to meet me-"
You don't say! That's the first
time l ever heard of such a thing In
all my life"
"And wouldn't you consider it a sign
of insanity on his part:"
II should. The man must be as
crazy as a loon. When you 60 to bed
tonight double lock your door. pile all
the furniture against it and sit up all
night with a hatpin in your hand"
THAT settles It," said the mother-in-
law as she hung up the receiver. "Sar-
ali, I'm going to a hotel to pass the
night"
"Why, mother!"
"No use to talk to me. I've felt that
my life was in danger from the mo-
ment l saw Samuel at the depot, and
now your own family doctor, who
knows him from head to heel, has con-
firmed my worst suspicious. have
not come here to be murdered in my
bed!'
Half an hour later MI. Bowser came
home. He asked for mother" and
Mrs. Bowser replied:
'She's gone to a hotel for fear Of
you"
But what's the matter with me?"
You are too good"
"Oh, -" said Bowser as he sat
down with a chug. NJ. QUAD.