The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-07-02
BowsER's TUBERCULOSIS.
He Feels 1t Coming on and Sleeps Out
Doors.

Mr.. Bowser had come home drag
ging his legs and his shoulders hump
ed up.
He had tried to look pale when he
entered the house.
He had sighed heavily and YEARLY
as he went down to dinner.
Now and then he had cast his eyes
up to the ceiling of the dining room
and carried his hand to his chest.
OF course, Mrs. Bowser noticed
these things, and of course she asked
what they meant. After she had ask
ed three or four times over Mr.. Bow
ser slowly answered in a pathetic
voice:
on eating corned beef like farmers
hired mani"
But got this kind of dinner for
you. You told me to be sure to-
We'll, never mind. A dying man
| does not care to dispute about such
| things"
But what are you dying of? You
were whistling when you left the
house this morning. Have you got
letter from the Black Hand that they
are going to blow up the house?"
He waved his hand to her in a sort
| of farewell.
ut can't be your health, for never
| saw it better. Last evening you went
over to the grocery and got turnip
| and came home and ate it raw. You
days"
Mr.. Bowser flushed up and was
| about to say something, but shut his
| lips, rose up and walked up to the sit
ting room. Mrs. Bowser, was natural
| ly alarmed, as any good wife would
be. but being she was at the dinner
| table she thought she might as well
| finish her meal. 1t was therefore 20
| minutes later when she followed him
upstairs to find him sitting in a rock
/ ri o ir-x wit
as if glued there.
Now, them" she began, whats
| all this about? Have you got a boil,
a soft corn or the collie? %
| A sigh, ending in a groan, was his
response.
| You said something about being a
dying man. What's happened that
you are going to die? don't see any
signs of it,
mo, of course you don'ti" he blus-
tered. L might be gasping my last
and you wouldn't see any signs of it.
1 have been dying man for the last
month, but you have noticed nothing.
If had been brought home dead in
a moving van you'd have been greatly
j astonished.''
h ii.But I'm sorry if you've been dying
4 and l haven't had the least hint of
: it. Is it lumbago?''
/ 'Lumbago!" he shifted.
Can 1t be your liver?"
n.
Then what can it be? Have YOU
lseen a doctor today?"
t. Yes, Mrs. Bowser, I have seen
/ doctor today. DR.. Schiflinger, DID.
IL. D., was in the office just after
dinner. He's specialist on the great
| white plague, you know"
II didn't know and never heard of
MIN, but go on. suppose he looked at
your tongue and told you that your
lungs were affected, didn't hep
| subject with levity or sarcasm, for 1
won't stand for it, I've a good mind
not to say another word but as he said
/ / must warn you I will state that he
did find my lungs are very much af-
l'fected. He said that if I didn't take
action at once was doomed man.
. Did he sound your lungs?' she
asked.
"Of course, he did,
And found symptoms Of tubercu-
losis?"
Advanced symptoms, Mrs. Bowser"
And charged you s10?"
mo matter what he charged. If I
paid $40 to find out that was a dying
man that's my business"
'fWell,'' said Mrs. Bowser after a Bit
81 suppose he told you to go off and
live In the mountains for several
| months %
Yes. he suggested that. but when I
told him it was impossible he suggested
something else. 1 am going to sleep
out in the back yard every night for
the rest of the summer. I must have
fresh air to heal my lungs"
Nothing very hard about that, Mr..
Bowser. You tried it two three
years ago, and 40 cats came and fought
over your sleepy remains, but perhaps
they won't come again"
YES, 40 cats came, and who coaxed
them to come? Woman, don't plan TO
try that trick on me again! If one
single cat appears therell be a row
that you won't forget to your dying
dayp'
y 1--WE have got cot in the garnet and
if you'll get it down TIL have the girl