The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1907-07-26

Inree or fOuF O4o DCxo6 were knocked
to pieces and a fire started in the fur
mace, and when, there . good
blaze going the inventor said:
I'VE will now shovel the mixture In
and you will e something wonder
full"
The wonderful thing occurred two
minutes later. A. sort OF explosion
blew the furnace door open, and n
great puff of acrid smoke went floating
all through the house. At tho same
moment all the FIRE In the furnace went
out, and Mrs. Bowser called from the
head of the cellar stairs:
"Mr. Bowser. what On earth Is hap
pening down there?"
Nothing. 1t vas just a back draft
from the furnace, probably by a a t
nest in the chimney. There is no call
for you to get excited"
ut may be that / didn't get in the
right powder" explained Mr.. Rasher
as he peered into the furnace. mo; I
think / didn't. II you will hand me
So I will go and get the other thing"
"But, man, don't you know the prop
er ingredients?" asked MIR. Bowser.
Haven't you got them written DOWN.
NO. I might lose the memoranda,
yon see. l want to be careful this
time. Being a little excited, | may
have asked for the wrong powder"
He took the money and was gone ten
minutes and then came back with a
five cent packet Of Rochelle salts in
his hand and let Mr.. Bowser see the
label on it to show that he trusted
him. He didn't return the change
| from the bill. The fire was rekindled,
the salts sprinkled on the heap, and
after ten minutes a shovelful Of the
mixture was dumped in. with the DID,
! SeryatiOn:
Must Close All Drafts.
I'VE now have sufficient fuel in the
| furnace to last for Il week. As soon
| as THINGS get re,!llot we must close all
the drafts"
But things cid not get redhot. There
was Il HnutteT.DG and a steWing inside
| the furnace for two or three minutes,
| and hen there seemed to be nothing
| further dong. Mr.. Bowser and Mr..
| Rasho" sat on their boxes in silence
! and expectation. and the gas meter ut
| tered a sort OF wall and registered an
| other 0 feet. Finally the inventor
| arose. tiptOed over to the furnace and
| opened the door.
All inside was %blackness and dark
: ness. There was no Reimbursement
by Il jugful.
The thing don't seem to pan out
| said Mr.. Bowser in hard tones.
"No, but l see the reason. l should
have burned a certain powder to clear
the flues IF dust first. In my haste
| and anxiety l forgot that. If you will
| give me SIS l will u over to the drug
| store"
Whats the name of the POWDER"
Excuse me, but l will tell you later
, on. Once the dust is out Of the fUes
/ all will be we'll. You might be shaking
| the stuff out while I am gone"
Mr.. Bowser gave up g~rudging!y. He
was losing faith in Mr.. Rasher and
dreading Mrs. Bowser's words and
looks. The inventor departed, visited
the drug store and a saloon and re-
turned after awhile with a lump OF
something in his hand.
81 thought you went for powder?'
Gueried Mr.. Bowser.
Meant a Lump.
"Did I say powder? I often say that
when I near lump. We will be all
right now"
isn't there some change coming to
me?'
Il believe so, but I can't stop just
now. In with your paper and kin.
dliurs."
When q fire had been lighted once
mere the powder was thrown in, and
the men stood back. They needn't
have done so. That lump Of something
was ouly chalk and had 10 idea Of ex
rIH,!:ag. After two minutes some more
O. tie patent f1el was shoveled in
ard NJ. Rashcr smiled and said:
There won't lie any more .disap
nni2twcats. Hear the furnace roar"
T.. t,lnre was DO rOar There came
4 c3rld Ike Il lean woman fryinc
,cia GacoG 0vcr \ Cor2cO5 fire, anC
| Hen t,le:e VA y flicker. and all wa
rs SIN as tie gave. Mr.. BoWSer look
ell into the furnace to fad the samf
Old blackness. AS he turned to ask Mr.
Rasher what in !! ! ! he mean
by the inventor made fol
the stairs. There was a yell, and MIR
Bowser made after him. The fleeing
man ran through the kitchen hall ant
out of the area gate, but before h'
could leap the front gate Mr.. Bowsel
caught him. Fifteen minutes later a:
Mrs. Bowser was putting salve on I
skinned nose and washing a bitten ca
she quietly observed:
"Never mind, dear. You have got
shovelful of sand and lime left dow
cellar, and we will try and get alon'
some way until you can invest in
new burglar alarm and make $1,000,
OOO." NJ. QUAD.
Can't ALWAYS TelI.