The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1913-12-06

fore the glass and forgot to turn the
burners on"
That's nonsense. You sat up one
night to finish a pirate story"
Mrs. Bowser 1t il absolutely GRIM
inal to bring such q charge against a
man who tolls from daylight to dark
ness to make living for his family"
Whats the matter with the car
pet? see you looking at it,
Moths. Mrs. Bowser!" he whis-
pered with tragic gesture. Large.
fat, juicy moths which you have de-
household stun. They have grown
fat and lazy feeding on my carpets.
See that hole-and that-and that %
There isn't q moth in this house,
and defy you to find one!'' she spir-
itedly replied. This carpet is begin
ming to wear. but I've no money %
buy q new one"
Don't talk back to me. Mrs. Bow
ser! When say q thing is SO. that
ends 1t. Every night for a month
past I have been bitten and clawed
and wounded in my bed. BY WHAT
Who went out and borrowed them,
and put them in my bed to harass
and annoy and spite me? And N
top Of that you ask me If I'm I'll!
Great Scots, but such cheek!"
Mrs. Bowser walked over and sat
down by q back window and packed
up newspaper. Something had gone
wrong with Mr.. Bowser at the office,
or his stomach or liver had become
upset. and he must have q victim
That's the way with tho average hus-
band. When things 60 wrong hs
must take it out OF somebody, and If
he can't find anybody else his wife
will do She realized that he had one
of his "spells'' on, and that anything
she could say would be useless.
"And look at this mirror!" he went
on AZ he wheeled around and
drummed on 1t with his knuckles.
Here's a glass that cost me SIS, and
because you thought wasn't going to
the poorhouse fast enough you stand
on with a club ana whack and pound
and mash and break and ruin it!'
Mr.. Bowser paid only $50 for that
glass, because 1t had q damaged spot
down in one corner-the spot he was
now pointing at with arm OUT
stretched. He knew 1t, and Mrs. Bow
ser knew that he knew 1t, and SO she
maintained silence. He shifted and
around. and presently broke out with:
And look at this furniture! Is
there a chair in this room that isn't
knee-sprung and lopsided? Is there
a spring left unbroken in that lounge
Who called in a tramp from the street
and gave him fifty cents to take a
crowbar and pound my favorite arm
chair to pieces? How did he happen
to leave this one leg ana one arm
unbroken?"
Mrs. Bowser turned her face away to
SMILE but preserved a discreet silence.
and Mr.. BOweer walked up and down
with tramp! tramp! and it was sever
al minutes before he could find any
other excuse for opening his mouth. All
OF a sudden the clock stopped. 1t was
an eight day clock and a pet Of his,
and nobody had ever been allowed to
wind 1t but him. He had neglected to
attend to 1t and it had run down.
And there goes the clockr' he fair
~ yelled as he danced around. There
being nothing else left to break and
destroy some one has bored a hole in
this clock with an augur or baked It
all day in a hot oven! Woman. do you
hear me-the clock has stoppedr'
1T has run down." she replied.
But why-why has It run DOWN.
because you didn't wind 1t up as
usual"
.Oh. didn't! Didn't wind 1t up, Ell /.
It hasn't been thrown into the back
yard, kicked down cellar or tossed up
mev'
"Yesr'
ct am going to my room! I must
not be disturbed! Early in the morning
i VIII send Tor my lawyer to arrange
about the alimony, and you can prob
ably take the 2 O'Clock train for
your mothers! Woman. go out ard
get a fence rail and use It to smash
doors and windows and furniture. and
thus make clean wreck before you
go! Good night to you; good night
''Just wait q moment, please" called
Mrs. Bowser.
well, madam"
You might as well know the worst.
Two clothes pins are missing"
He flushed up.
And a handle il loose on one Of the
kitchen knives!'
He went pale.
And the cook has broken the han
die off q tea-cupr'
Woman
'.And I think the rats are eating up
the coal!"
"You-you-''
And found trouser button down
cellar todayr'
Mr.. Bowser tried his best. but II
wouldn't come.
'.And-and,'' concluded Mrs. Bowser
81 brike the eye out Of q darnine
needle this afternoon! I am a. sorry
as can be, and stand ready to-
But she was aloneL( Copyright, 1913
by the Mcclure Newspaper Syndicate. J
Felt 1t Home.
He had been around from church Il
church trying to find . congenial congre.
CATION, and finally he stopped In q nttI<
oh 4rauf t1.a