The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1907-01-11

want TO lose you"
1T can't be a new cloak. because
you don't know my size"
Il saw no need of a new cloak, rs
the one you have Is only three years
old. Guess again"
"You-you wouldn't buy me a new
dress?"
He gave me q loving smile and then
stood up and made a great ado over
opening the bundle. heard the cat
~chuckling I 0 himself, but dared not
look around. When the paper fell of
I saw d number of bright colored gar
ments, but before / could draw my
breath Mr.. Bowser was holding up a
lady's jacket belonging 10 a suit. II
was of red velvet and trimmed with
gold braid and gilt buttons, and moth
ing could have been more gorgeous.
What do you think Of it," be asked
as his smile grew blander.
IL Where did you get it?'
He reached down and picked up the
skirt to il. That was eve more gor-
geous, as it had more gold braid on It
Isn't It a daisy:" asked Mr.. Bow
Ser.
But they are secondhand. And
where did you get themf
He reached down and brought up
the hat to match. 1t was a big red
hat with a long red plume and a red
bird on it. AS q matter OF fact, the
whole thing was a masquerade cos
~, W. For n civil ~ CararTnnn Such a
costume could not have been worn
even in a ballet. l sat like one turned
to stone. I'd have given my right
hand if Mr.. Bowser hadn't done it.
Well, why don't you whoop and
rave?" he asked as he turned the hat
round and round
/ said it vas awfully kind of him,
and then l was foolish enough to break
down and begin to cry. Some women
might have carried it off better, but it
was not for me. If my life had de-
pended on it | could not have kept the
tears back. For q minute he thought |
was weeping for JOY, and he patted
me on the back and said nothing was
too good for me. Then lie happened to
nee TIE cat SlluAlQS. anu Lc SOl sOS-
pici0us.
We'll, let's hear from you," he said.
How ane You TO get tbem?" | final
iy asked.
"WEy, | was going by a secondhand
store and saw them displayed at a bar
gain figure. | asked the WOman about
it, and she said YOU would look like a
rival II, +h,-n 1hinrc lro,1II no va
done better yourself"
1t was n hard thing to go through,
but | had to do il. | had TO tell MIR.
BowSer that he had been shamefully
taken in and done for; that the cOlITs
did not become me and nothing fitted
within a mile and that moths were al
ready eating at the skirts Of the dress
and a mouse had nibbled off the end Of
the red plume. He didn't say a word
for three minutes. / didn't dare look
at him or draw my breath during the
interval. Then he uttered a wild yell
and jumped up and down. Then there
was a ripping and tearing and stamp
ing, and the air was full Of fragments.
/ looked up at him, but he had finished
and stood painting.
There they are!" he exclaimed, point
ing to the strips and tatters. 1t was
for your birthday. ! wanted to please
you. l poured out my money like wa
ter. | have made a jackass Of myself,
but never again, Mrs. B~owser-never
again! You can take your old birth
days and go TO the pot with them"
LTa -oc down or Tho .oo lltron md into
his overcoat and hat before | could find
words to reply. Then the door banged,
and he was gone. | had hurt his feel
ings, and | felt sorry for him. | put
Oh my things and set out on his trail.
it was a wild evening, with q gale
blowing. | called at the drug store, the
butcher shop and the plumbers, but
Bowser. | made inquiries Of pedes-
trians. hut only II could tell me any
thing. lie was Il cross eyed man with
a limp in his left leg. and. after think
ing the matt"r over. he replied:
Yes. | ret Il fat. sawed off man
within two books of the river. and he
was humping along ard talking about
gold braid ana red plumes and IN
grateful wives. If he was your hGs-
band. madaE. you are a wilder this
blessed mint or I'll eat my hat"
It is two days and two nights now
The hours drag slowly away. and !
look out of the window for my
tears. Should any one meet Mr.. Bow
ser as he wanders up and down the
like a cost soul or sits bumped
up on a log out in the country and can
not believe life worth the living, please
tell him that there is one waiting for
him and that her name is
SARAH BOWSER.
Wife Of Mr.. Bowser.
Per III. Quad.
Short Term Alteration.