The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-01-16


I'VE burn it because we can't get
wood to burn. Wood has become so
scarce that they are using coal even
IN the farm houses Do you know
how long the coal supply of the world
will last at the present rate of con-
SUMPTION"
Several hundred years, I believe"
You are way off, my dear. I
figured it up three times today, and I
can give you the. exact figures 1t will
last exactly thirty-one years, four
months, five days, seven hours, four
teen minutes and thirty-nine seconds
Nothing like being exact about these
things. And after the coal supply is
gone what then?''
1--WE must use something else"
surely we must. and can't you see
that the man who invents and pro-
vides that substitute in advance is go
ing to reap a tremendous fortune?
''And you think you are on the
track of it2''
Il only need about two hours for
experiment and the battle is won. Be
fore going to bed tonight you will be
a rich woman Also a proud woman
proud of your husbands success"
Mrs. Bowser didn't enthuse, but he
was not discouraged. AS soon as the
cook could vacate the kitchen she
gave it up to him and received per-
mission to go and see her mother and
remain away all night. Mr.. BoWSer
seemed to know just what he was do
ing. The mixture in the jug and the
asbestos was mingled with the sawdust
from the bag and stirred around and
poured into the box to make a solid
cake. Then the fire in the range was
dumped and he was ready to see what
virtue there was in his new discovery.
At this juncture, although she had
been warned to remain up stairs, Mrs.
Bowser came down to view proceed
ings- She shifted and Snuffed and re-
marked that there was a bad odOr in
the kitchen, and Mr.. Bowser re-
piled:
Never mind about the odors. AS
soon as the stuff is lighted the odor
will disappear. Can you catch on to
what / am doing ?"
you are pressing the stuff into a
brick. and the brick is to go into the
range, but how about the cost %
when I get to making them at
wholesale the bricks are to cost three
cents apiece, and one of them will
burn all day. Two Of them VIII run
the furnace twenty-four hours One
hundred of them, at a cost of three
dollars, will run a steamer across the
Atlantic. Mrs. Bowser, the possible
ties of this thing are appaIling-abso-
IuteIy appalling
sFWelI, put in the brick and light it
and let's see"
The compound took fire as soon as
a lighted paper was held to 1t, and
Mr. Bowser had just uttered a yell of
victory when there came great puff
of smoke and flame The smoke was
acrid. After one whif of it
the kitchen was deserted in a hurry.
II didn't stop in the kitchen In five
it was permeating the whole
house, and in ten the BowSerS were
driven into the front yard 1t didn't
take long for a crowd to assemble, and
for some one TO turn in fire alarm
and bring three engines gathering to
the spot. Mr. Bowser attempted to
explain matters but he was eIbowed
aside and the fremen dragged their
hose into the kitchen and drenched
things with a hundred barrels of
water. When they through the
chief turned to Bowser with:
What in thunder have you been up
TO around this houset
ct was trying to discover a new
fuel
well. I guess you have succeeded
The whole top of your range is melt
ed with the heat, and if YOU get rid
of this smell and muss inside of a
week perhaps you'll get a little sense
into your fat head Lord what a lot