The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1911-12-09
MIR. BowsER's SPADE.
He Makes a Night search for It.

When the first snowfakes came Mr..
! Bowser hunted up his spade and stood
| it by the kitchen door to be used as
a snow-shovel during the winter. The
other evening he strolled into the back
/ yard to see how many clothes pins he
could recover and raise a row about
/ and he glanced around for that spade.
1t had vanished. The matter called
for an immediate and vigorous in
vestigation.
The cook hadn't lent it, and the cat
hadn't eaten it, but it was Mrs. Bow
ser who held the key to the mystery.
| She had caught sight of a strange man
in the back yard that afternoon. She
had taken him to be a working man
from next Goor, but he must be held
responsible for the disappearance of the
spade.
by thunder, but you are a nice
woman!' shouted Mr. Bowser as the
awful truth became plain. You sit
right here and let a thief enter our
back yard and prowl around for an
hour or two ana then get away loaded
down with plumber! Did he promise
to divide with your"
Il simply got sight of him as he was
climbing over the alley fence.
ION, it was simply, was it? And did
you veil at hin?''
~Of course not. Why should I yell at
a strange mar?
Not yell, eh?"
NO sir"
and You didn't telephone the police?"
NO
Wen, that's your way of doing
things. If he had stolen the back doors
off the house, you wouldn't have said a
word. a bold faced thief enters my
back yard in broad daylight and steals
my spade! My wife sees him and never
saws q Word. She even encourages him
to return and steal my pickax and
crOWbarl By the chin or my grand
what is it?" asked Mrs. Bowser as
his face lighted up with q smile,
Hush Keep quiet! Ha, hal!
But what is it?'
IN encouraging that bloody minded
thief to return here tonight and steal
the fence you have played into my
handsi BY John, but 1 won't find an
other word Of fault with you! Woman
you have given me a golden opportu-
nityi''
1t was a quarter of an hour before
Mr.. Bowser would explain. His plan
was to disguise himself and play old
SIeuth and make a capture and strike
terror to the hearts of other thieves
He would leave the crowbar, the pick
AK. the rake and the lawn mower in
plain sight, and when the thief came
to bear off the plunder-biff!
But why not hire some one to
watch % suggested Mrs. Bowser.
Because it is for me to fasten my
claws on the thief and make his heels
break his neck. I wouldn't miss the
chance Tor STU, OUO
you'll surely get yourself into
trouble
And I'll get some one else into
trouble Before midnight tonight, the
mystery of the missing spade will have
been solved and justice will have over
taken the guilty party"
Spurred on by his enthusiasm, Mr..
Bowser hunted up an old plug hat, a
worn-out Prince Albert coat and a, pair |
of bicycle shoes. From an old catskin
muff left by cook he made himself a
chin whisker. and when Old Sleuth
was ready for business even the cat
didn't know him.
you don't mean to tell me that you
are going to parade up and down the
alleys in that rig!" gasped Mrs. Bow |
ser as he stood before her in his dis
guise.
"s-s-s-h! Not so loud he whis-
pered- Il am now about to take up |
the traill''
But the man who took the spade