The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1912-11-20
basement door Just as Mr.. Bowsey

came homer"
There was. inum."
"And who was it,"
THE old I'M who came around
for stale bread"
Are you sure:"
"Why not. mum? She has been mere
6fty times. and tonight when 1 said |
had nothin' she called me a liar to nv
face"
THAT will do. Nora"
When the cook had disappeared Mrs
Bowser turned to MIR. Bowser with n
question o II her face.
The Search.
" understand 1t ALL" he replied
mora is either mistaken or Is q liar
It was the woman Of my dreams. and
nothing on the face Of the earth can
make me believe to the contrnry-the
same eyes. the same mouth. the same
despair. And IL l am not mistaken
and l don't think I a be-she moaned
out as she passed me. VIII no one in
this great city give me a nickel to save
my husbands lifeT'"
"Then why didn't you give her q
nickel? ! am sure l should"
because it came upon me 80 sud.
denly that | did not know just how to
act"
But you know now, and IL you 60
wandering around the streets asking
for an old woman who collects stale
bread to feed her chickens you will
probably hear Of her."
"By the horn spoon. woman. you
have a heart of fint!" roared Mr.. Bow.
ser as he almost jumped up and down.
II deny 1t. | have just as kind a
heart as any woman. but I'm not taken
in by dreams and beggars."
And the Inference is that l ann"
"In this case you are raising a row
about nothing. There is no dying hus.
band. no wife with "a pitiful mouth. It's
an old oma weighing about zoe
pounds in the best of health who is
after stale"-
Mr.. Bowser started down the hall
toward his hat and cane.
where are you going?"
He slowly made ready to go out and
then turned and said:
II have been told in my " house
that I'm visionary, a dreamer. IN
idiot. My story about a fearful woman
has been laughed to O l am going
to prove that l am right in this mat
ter, and when l have proved it-wheu
l have furnished the most in~controvert.
ible and incontestible proofs that l am
r%ight-then, Mrs. Bowser. them
And be was gone.
Mr.. eowser Passes.
"Poor Mr.. Bowsery" sighed Mrs.
Bowser as the door banged after him,
and the cat came and rubbed her foot
and looked up in a puzzled way.
Mr.. Bowser set his face toward the
tenement district. but he had not gone
q block before he met an old woman
with a basket on her arm. She looked
to be a beggar. and he stopped and &C
costed her with:
MY good woman, can you tell me
IT,
keep away from me! Keep away
from mel" warned the woma as she
backed of.
"Why, woman, l am no highway rob
Der. l stopped you to simply ask
"And don't you be stopping me OF
I'll scream for the police. It was only
two nights ago that an old villain OF
your looks stopped me to ask a ques
ton and then choked m and took
away my 10 cents. Back with you o.
I yell"
Mr.. Bowser backed, or at least stood
still while she passed on. He was a
trifle discouraged, but he kept on until
he came to Il saloon. There were five
or six men in front. and when he en-
tered they followed him.
"What's it to be-" asked the bar
tender.
But I'm not here for a drink" softly
replied Mr.. Bowser. Pm here to-
"You are not going to treat the
crowd?"
"Of course not. l called in here"-
"Rouse NIT him, boys!" exclaimed
| the bartender. "Give him the grand
bounce!"
And MI. Bowser got it. He was run
OutuoOlo oAIu AAACSu I'LL hAo ACCI ohS
chucked head first into a coal box, and
when he crawled out he found it nee
essary to strike a gait Of a mile a min,
ute to leave the crowd, behind. Mrs
Bowser was reading when he softly
opened the front door.
swell, have you found the woman
with the pitiful mouth?" she called.
No answer.
"And have you got those incontro
vertble and incontestible proofsT"
No answer
Then she went out into the hall and
found tracks leading upstairs-grea'
big tracks OF mud. MI. Bowser hat
lodged the issue.
Suburban Habits.
"Who Is that woman sitting on you
side porchT"