The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-10-05
BOWSER, THE HERBIST.
He Sets Out to Gather Some of "Moth-
er's Remedies"

Mrs. Bowser was not little aston
ished at 8 o'clock the other afternoon
to have Mr. Bowser walk into the house
three hours ahead of his usual time,
He wasn't ill and he hadn't met with
terry of the matter for five minutes he
asked. .z--.-..-.,-l- I'd --,-1--... ~.
Mrs. Bowser, have you planned to
gather any herbs for winter use-any
eatnip, smartweed' mayweed or
peppermint ?" -ot ~
sWhy, no. she replied. Where
should l gather them, and of what use
would they be?' . t''
"That's about the reply I expected
of you. The bargain sales of the last
sense out of women's heads. You had
a mother"
Naturally
"That mother wasn't looking for So
cent hosiery reduced to twenty-five
cents. She was looking after the health
of her family. She wasn't calling the
doctor every week and p1ltng up big
bills, but she was making use or Ma,
lures cures She gathered and used
sage, catnfp, mayweed, smartweed,
spearmint, peppermint and the leaves
of the horse radish. She accomplished
a. much with mustard leaves as doc
tor would with all his f1umadoodle pre-
scriptions. With these things she
carried you through the chicken-pox,
the Group, the scarlet rash, the wnoop-
ing cough and the lands only knows
how many cases Of collie. ~,
eyes, mother used to doctor US
children with those things" she adj
nitted.
"Of course she did, and saved your
lives a dozen times over. .Thev were
as good for adults as for children, but
have we got anything of the kind In
the house? If 1 was dying for the want
of a bowl of sage tea have you the
herb to make il?
Certainly not, but you see we don't
have to gather and save those things
now. The druggists have them for safe
in compressed form.'
"Yes, and they have marsh hay ana
cornstalks in compressed form. Go TO
a drug store and ask for catnip and
you might get burdock or planta1ns.
Mrs. Bowser, I don't want to criticize
you, but must say that you have
been very remiss. I might have died
at any time during these last ten
years for the want of these remedies.
1 was talking with a noted doctor this
forenoon. and he told me that one
bunch of catnip would save more lives
in a year than the skill of any three
physicians" - -
II thought it was about time some
doctor came around and gave another
Jolt" observed Mrs. Bowser with sigh.
woman. don't make use of vulgar
terms and don't sneer at well known
facts. We ought to have supply of
herbs in the house and you know it. AS
a housewife, you should have supplied
them. AS you have not done SO and
as you have no Intention of doing so, |
I must leave the office for the purpose.
I have made up my mind that no doc
tor shall step foot in this house for the
next year. If we are afling we will
have the cure right at hand. There is
nothing to beat mothers remedies"
"And you came home to gather
them?" she, dueried.
Exactly
And where are you going to do it?''
"Out In the country. of course. I'm
going to take suburban car out
abossf ave miles and then drop Off and
gather. If either one of us are sudden
". taken with COMMISSIONS tomorrow we
VIII have cure IN the house"
And y6n are sure you know catnip
from skuriks cabbage?"
Mr. Bowser htIshed red and glared at
her, and the cat made a sneak under
the piano to get out of the way of fly
ing slivers. None flew. 1t was an aw-
full insult on him, and the only way he
could meet 1t waste walk out Of the
will YOU be back by dinner timer"
she asked as he started to CO.
IF YOU are delayed viii you tele-
phone?' @ 81
II hope you won't meet with any. ac-
Mr.. Bowser drew himself up stif1y
and descended the steps and marched
off with all due dignity. Two blocks
away he took suburban car and went