Waterbury evening Democrat., 1908-11-18

this worid-oceans Of sadness. As 1t says fin the Scriptures, we are here to- day and gone tomorrow. I left the house in the best of health this morn. ing. but how did you know that would return alive7 How could you tell that at this very moment you would not be q widow with scalding tears of grief chasing each other down your cheeksY'
 "Yes, life is a risk, but we should not bs sad over it. There came pretty near being an awful dog fight in front of the house half an hour ago. l wish you had been here to sick the little dog on."
 "Oh, what's the usef" he said as he nibbled at a piece of bread and turned his face away. "When am thinking of how my dear old mother died do you think I want to hear about dog fights? Yes, she-she died."
 But you were only four years old then, and you are forty.eight now"
 Misses His Mother.
 Tt doesn't make any difference. My poor mother was called home. can't go to see her, and she can't put her lov- ing arms around my neck and call me her cherub. as she used to- Had con gestive chill and passed right away. And my father is dead, too and my brother Jim is dead tell you there's grief and sadness abroad in the land"
 Mrs. Bowser looked at him for a full minute across the table and sniffed at the atmosphere suspiclously and then Eaid:
 'I'm sorry about your father and mother and your brother Jim, but of course you couldn't expect them to keep right on living. I have lost my own fa- ther and sister, as you must know"
 "Then why ain't you sad? What are you talking about butchers and dog lights for? Here we sit in the best of health and surrounded by happy influ- ences. and not two blocks away there are houses of mourning. tell you, Mrs. Bowser-I tell you"-
 But before he could tell her she rose up from the table, and he followed her upstairs. She wanted to do something to effect a change in him. and she be- gan to play with the cat, but after talk ing two or three turns across the floor he said:
 And my sister Mary is dead, and my Uncle Jim, and my Cousin Betty-yes, dead and gone. I don't s'pose I could find their gravestones if I set out to look for them-dead and gone, and you are playing with that blamed old yaller cat as if nothing had happened"
 She Refuses to Mourn.
 But what do you want me to doT she retorted. "Is it going to bring the dead to life if sit down and weepT
 "Hark to that" he exclaimed after q moment and without having an- swered her question. There is ped dler shouting 'Watermelonsv at ths top of his voice. Just hear him"
 "Why, you have heard him every evening for days and days. He has got watermelons to sell. Probably nine out of ten of them are as green as grass, but let him sell them if he can. The more cholera morbus the better for the drug stores and doctors"
 But the cry goes right to my heart" protested Mir. Bowser. My poor fa- ther died after eating watermelon and my Uncle Jim because he hadn't any teeth to eat one with. The ped dler knows 1t and is hollering to add to my grief"
 Don't be childish, MT. Bowser. The man doesn't even know who lives here. Did tell you that I wanted to get at my housecleaning next month";
 "And now he's yelling 'Gooseber- riesr"
 well, let him yell"
 But tell you he knows that Bow ser lives here, and he wants to spite me by adding to my grief. It was gooseberry tarts that killed my sister Mary and plain gooseberries that killed my cousin Betty. Betty ate four quarts of lem right down and next day was no more."
 Il don't wonder at 1t. But let's talk about something more cheerful. Do you think the next congress is going to take up the tariff question:"
 Stirred Up by a Song.
 MT. Bowser might or might not have answered the question, but before he could get around to 1t hired girl in the next back yard who was taking clothes of the line commenced singing at the top of her voice:
 Tn Scarlet town, where was born.
 There was a fair maid dwelling.
 And she was known both far and near
 As lovely Barbara Allen"
 Great snakes, but must I submit to thisw groaned Mfr. Bowser as he start ed up. Here I come home loaded down with grief and sadness, and peddler must yell 'Watermelonsv and 'Gooseberriesr at me from the front and hired girl must warble a song at me from the backv' ...... !.
 But have patience" counseled Mrs. Bowser. These people know nothing of your sadness. See, the peddler has driven on and the girl has stopped singing. Let me ask you question, please. Did you partake of any fall tonic today?"
 And my sister died after eating