The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1908-01-11

nTcka' 10 buy tea with, and when be
refu sed It she stepped back and said:
at is such brewers as you with tho
big stomarhs on them that are driving
the POOR people to revolution"
Heard a Cricket.
Mr.. Bowser walked on for half
mile and then reached the suburbs.
He had no sooner struck vacant prop
erty than the voice of cricket reacE'
ed him. It was a plaintive voice. Il
seemed to say that the watermelon
season was over. mnce pies had be-
come the fashion again and that tits
world had no longer any use for crlck.
cts. Matches In plenty had been
brought along and the amateur nat.
uralist was soon down on his knees
and flashing the light over the grass.
After five minutes he came face to face
with a cricket 1t was an old she'll
back, who had been hopping about and
singing all summer and now had a
tired and dusty look. He even looked
into Mr.. Bowser's eyes with what
seemed to be an appeal. He didn't
want money, but he certainly had cold
He hadn't burrowed and he hadn't
frozen to death, and the discovery
didn't solve the problem. The insect
had just taken n stiff hoppetytehop
when gruff voice at Mr.. Bowser's
elbow demanded:
Now, then, what sort of racket is
this? What have you lost here on my
lots that you are lighting matches to
see by?"
"My friend. I am looking for crick-
cts" replied Mr.. Bowser as he rose up.
"W-h-a-t!'
Looking for crickets, said"
"Then you'd better have the keeper
of an idiot asylum looking for you!
What in the devil do you want of
crickets?'
"Do you know whether crlckets bur-
row in the earth at this time of year
or simply die of the coldT'
"Do know? Do know?' shouted
the man as he began to swing his
arms about. "You must think I'm a
lunatlc to ask me such question as
that. I'm the owner of that saloon up
there, and have no time to he around
bug hunting BY what right do you
come on my property without saying
word to meT'
"Why, IL you are so mighty particu-
lar about it,
"Well, ! am that. and you get off.
You may be hunting for crickets, and
you may be hunting for geese, and you
can't go too soon to please me-"
Mr.. Bowser went. He realized that
row in the neighborhood would dis
turb all the crickets for mile around.
He continued his walk for half a mile
and then turned aside from the street
again. There was no saloon In sight,
and the nearest house was forty rods
away. He now caught the voices Of at
least six crickets. and he paused to in
terpret them. As near as he could
make out, half of them wanted hot
beef tea and woolen blankets, and the
other half wanted to borrow spades
and pickaxes to do their burrowing
with. He got down and lighted more
matches, and he was carefully paw
ing over the cold and brittle grass
when he heard a horse coming on a
gallop. He had hardly Strengthened
himself up when mounted policeman
halted beside him and asked:
"Who are you and what are you do
ing heret"
"AIy names Bowser, and was look
ing for crickets."
Don't try TO guy me, old man.
wasn't born yesterday"
Perhaps you never heard Of crlck-
ct for all that"
Arrested by Policeman.
ooh, yes, I have. know cricket
from an old yag the minute ] set eyes
on him. You are coming along with
me. You are one of the fellers that
kept the crime wave going last sum-
mer."
Mr.. BOwser fell back on his dignity.
No go. Then he tried bluff. Worse
yet. Then he accompanied the officer
back to the saloon and identified him
| self and stated his object In such a
manner that the cop was finally con-
| strained to say:
"Well, | wouldn't have believed there
was n man fool enough to go hunting
crlckets at night, but perhaps you are
| all right except being little cracked
In the head. I'll see you home, and II
your wife has good sense she'll keep
you off the streets o. nights after this"
| "Aye, she'll have to-" added the sa-
loonist. "I'm sure the old cock was
after my flock Of geese, no matter
what he says. and if he comes again
J I'll jump him seven feet high with a
charge Of buckshot"
Mr.. Bowser wanted to go home alone.
but the officer was taking no chances.
He accompanied him clear to the gate,
advising and warning him all the way,
and he sat his horse until the door
opened and closed again.
"Well," said Mrs. Bowser as she
looked up from her book, have you
found out whether crickets burrow or
freezer"
"We'll see our respective lawyers
about the divorce In the morning" he
quietly replied as he fell into chair
with a sigh Of relief. M. QUAD.