The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-07-20
BowsER AND THE BowsERs.
A Reunion and a Hot Time for Five
Members of the Family.

Mr.. Bowser was nervous and
He sat down as he stood up. Then
he walked to and fro.
He finally remarked that he had to
go out for an hour or so.
rs it business that calls you ?'
queried Mrs. Bowser, although she
knew it wasn't.
Yes, something in that line You
know / have been anxious for several
years to complete my family record.
can trace the Bowsers back 400 years.
There's a skip between Moses and
Elijah Bowser, and another between
Aaron and Nicodemus. 1 have been
trying to fill in the gaps, and 1 think
1 have got hold of the right string at
last"
Have you found some old records ?"
II have found that there are two
other Bowser families in town, and
I'm hopeful that they will have the
if they have
81 don't exactly see why you should
care about any Bowser 200 years DID,
said Mrs. Bowser.
But 1 do care a great deal 1t
makes quite q difference whether your
ancestors were ditch diggers or kings,
or at least it does to me. AS for you,
OF course you don't care a pin. You
were a Tompkins family, from No.
down and none ever amounted to any
thing great
But the Bowsers have?"
''Well, the family tree, as far as
rons, lords and statesmen among
them"
"Then the family must be on the
declinel'
Woman, what do you mean by
that?" shouted Mr.. Bowser as his hair
began to crackle. do you mean to
insinuate that 1 am. an unworthy de-
scendant of the name?'
mot at ALL" she quietly replied,
'tonly there doesn't seem to be any
more princes and dukes around. If
1 were you, I'd let it all go.
81 shall do nothing of the kind [
may not be a prince or duke, but that
bear the name of Bowser is enough.
AS this matter is of no earthly interest
to you, and as old Tompkins was prob
ably hung for murder, you need not
sit up for me-.
The cat attempted to follow him
out, but he thrust her back and walk
ed swiftly away. There was a Bow
ser family living six blocks away. 1t
was in a tenement house, and there
were five flights of stairs to climb.
Mr.. Bowser found the other Bowser
with a pipe in his mouth and his feet
on the stove. and one of his five chill
dren had just gone out with the
growler. The subject of genealogy
was introduced at once. and the new
Bowser took his feet off the stove
and stood up to say:
$50 you are hunting up the old Bow
sers, eh %
81 am
well, I'll give you two minutes to
get down stairs! My grandfather was
hung for murder, my father was shot
for a sheep thief. and my brother had
a vacation in Sing-Sing, but 1 don't
propose to have anybody come here
and rake my feeling over it. You put
it down that there was never a Bow
ser yet who was any too good, and let
go at that"
Mr.. Bowser got out. There was an
other to call on, but he was out He
lived over saloon, and Mr.. Bowser
had a little talk with the saloonkeeper
and then returned home. Mrs. Bowser
was reading and the cat asleep, and he
was not questioned as he got out his
family tree to look it over. Not five
minutes had passed, however, when
the bell rang and the door was opened
to a man who gave the name of Bow
ser and added:
"WeH, what's wanted?'
81 was seeking to trace the Bowser
family back" replied Mr.. Bowser.
Then maybe I can help you sir,
as I have lots of papers"
what 1 want to find out first is
who came between Moses and Eli
jah?"
Then I'm your man, sir. I'm the
one as comes between Moses and Eli
jah, and if there's a dollar coming to
me I'll take it now"
''But you can't be the man, sir. |
Moses Bowser died over 200 years ago, |