The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1913-05-31

shoes? Is this house to be upset be-
cause some cobbler didn't keep his
| word ?"
do you know who you are talking
?" he clustered as his face grew red
and he waved his arms about.
Il do, sir, and want you to know
| who you are talking to as well, You
knocked that vase down yourself this
morning in looking about for your
cigarholder. The clock isn't going be-
| cause the key is in your pocket. You
took it several days ago to wind the
clock at the office. / haven't broken
two cents worth of bric-a-brac in five
years, but you smash something every
week. There is neither waste, extrava-
gance nor destruction in this house
except what you create, but if you are
discouraged and want to hang your
self, go ahead"
And you-you talk this way to
mel" he gasped, beginning to lose his
buster.
81 do" she replied. ''You came
home tonight all primed for a row,
and I'm going to give you one. You
talk about my being this and that sort
of wife, but let me tell you that most
wives would have broken your head
years ago! You have never had to
sew ON a button or use a darning
needle, and you know it, and as for
extravaganza, look at the money you
have fooled away!"
Il have fooled away money, have I?'
he asked as he sat down.
nave
been what they call soft mark for
years and years. If there is man in the
state with any old spring tonic or flea
bitten horse to work off, he comes to
you. It's a burglar alarm one week, a
fire escape the next and goodness knows
what on the third. It's a wonder there
sell you three-ply action windmill to
run a churn or a washing machine. If
there was, you'd buy it and then lay all
the blame on mel!
And YOU are talking To me. and my
name is Bowser?" he unused he looked
up at her in a wondering way.
Yes, talking to you, and your name Is
Bowser. You have been GROWER, fault
finder and kicker. I want you to under
stand that this house is being run as well
as any woman on earth could run 1t, and
that your bulldozing has got to stop. 1t
will either stop or one of us will walk
out of it! Whenever things go wrong you
talk about a divorce. If you want one
go ahead with your case!'
She talks thus to me-to me-" whis-
pered Mr.. RowSer he looked at the
cat and slowly shook his head.
That's about ALL said Mrs. Bowser
as she sat down. II can't stop you from
buying cross-eyed cows, razor-backed
were born that way, but you've got to
stop bulldozing me and finding fault over
trifles. I'm no servant in your house, ana
1 won't stand it. I'm now going to bed,
and you'd better sit here awhile and
think things overi'
He watched her disappear up stairs and
awake. He was, and he decided to get
out into the air to If his legs had
lost their power of movement. He donned
his hat and overcoat like one in a dream,
and as he looked at the cat he couldn't
tell whether she was grinning or not.
There were wheels in his head and
roaring in his ears as he got outdoors.
and he had only reached the gate when
a belated canvasser came along with a
picture under his arm and said:
''Oil painting, sir? Charming view of
the Hudson-rea1 acknowledgements
bargain of the century. If you want this
gem, sir
Mrs. Bowser's assertion that he was
an easy mark flashed across Mr.. Bow
sers brain, and he uttered warwhoop
and sprang upon the canvasser. Mrs.
Bowser flung up her window and looked
out, and upon the grass Of the front
yard she saw two objects rolling over
and over in a deadly embrace while the
cat looked on from the front steps. Mr..
Bowser was trying to murder the man
with the real masterpiece, and the man
was fighting for his life.-(Copyright, 1913,
by the Associated Literary Press)