The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1911-08-19
to 20 over Certain points in his mind
Cate Observe the viniI.

Cats Observe the Vigil
within the next hour forty different
cats walked the fences and looked
down on that hundred-year.old plant
and the man guarding 1t. but com
mitted no overt act A dozen different
boys from ns many hack windows
also looked down and realized what
target was before them, but they went
to bed without throwing single lump
of coal. Even the stars and the south
wind consplred to make the research
an unqualified success.
At II O'Clock Mr.. Bowser began TAX
ing notes. He gave the plant close
scrutiny and then wrote:
'In one short hour the mystery win
be solved.
Il cannot believe that the man who
cold me this plant Is liar, and am
almost conscience stricken to think
beat him down from $l5 to $40.
Mrs. Bowser. in her envy and jcal.
ousy. may have bribed the cool, to slip
out here and scald the plant, but see
no signs of IT,
Tomorrow my name will bp flying
over the wires to the uttermost parts
OF the earth A golden opportunity
canes once TO every man, and this IS
mine.
"It is now 1890.
Il am very calm. l wonder II Or.
Cook was as calm as this when he dis
covered the north pole.
No Faking Permitted.
"There will he no taking about this
II the King Of sweden invites me to
luncheon he shall be satisfied that
there is no fake about my discovery.
"a moment ago | thought heard n
moaning In the air--a soft aud gentle
moaning, like child falling to sleep
That was what the man said was to
look for first
Think Of it-a plant q hundred years
old! IL ii could speak what would II
tell us?
ut Is now quarter to II. DO
hear moans and signs or do not?
try to be very. very calm. and yet
think l tremJlc. | wonder II Hum
boldt felt this way when he discovered
the Andes.
Ten minutes TO 10! ! flnd my hear
palpitating. must feel like De Sot,
did when told that the Mississippi riv
er was around the corner.
Those sighs and moans hear can
not possibly come from cats.
"a century ago, when this plan
sprang from the seed. we had hardl!
been recognized as a nation! There
wasn't n cook in the United States
who knew enough to fry oysters. Tn,
forty-nine cent corset. marked dowi
from dollar, was thing neve
dreamed of by the most sanguinc. !
long hundred years and
Five minutes to the event of cen
turyl
Thought of Possible Fraud.
"The thought that the man who sol,
me the plant lied clear down to hi
boots flashes over me, but l repudat
1t with scorn.
AsThere are means!
"Therc are sighs.
"There are whispers all around me,
"The century plant Is bursting int,
bloom! 1t is either that Or
II was something else Three shad
owy forms entered by the alley gat,
and stole across the grass and grabbc,
| Mr. BOwScr He was thrown ON hi
back and robbed of his hat gown. slip
ners and watch. and as the shadow
retreated one Of them carried the po
and plant. 10 be found in the ale!
next morning.
Mrs. Bowser, who had wine 'sed al
from u back window, FASTENED dowl
and aided Mr.. Bowser 10 get On hi
legs and get the grass out OF his hal
and ears and mouth. As soon MS IL
could speal; he shouted:
| "Woman. Tll-I'll"-
"Hush!" she whispered "YoI Gr
| not hundred years old, but YOU hay