The river press., 1914-11-11
and the cat winked an eye as she saw

anu tue cat WIukeu an eve as Sne saw
his neck growing red.
"a percentage Of the people. how
ever. want the ratio to rpn,rii, the
same and to retain the gold standard
1t seems to me. though | am only a
woman, that our standard ought to be
the same as that of the strong CONNER
cial powers of Europe. The standard
Of country's currency is her credit.
isn't it?"
Thinks He'II Bluff His Way Out.
Look here. woman. what are you
trying to get at?" almost shouted Mr..
Bowser as he decided to try bluff. Il
set out to post you on the issues Of the
day, in order that you may at least
listen understandingly. and what do
you do? Do you listen and get posted
or do you interrupt ME with nonsense?'
"Well, then, 60 ahead with other is
sues. Don't you think this country
was overreached in the Hay-Paunce-
fote treaty regarding the Panama ca
| nal?"
"Treaty? Treaty? never heard of
any treaty"
"But you must have"
"And you have been reading treaties
| when you should have been overlook
| ing the house,!
Cant you overlook your office and
do the same thing? We wanted a ca
nal to connect the Caribbean sea with
the Pacific and save us the long voyage
around Cape Horn. We wanted it to
be an American canal and to control it
ourselves. England for one would like
| 1t to be an International affair. The
canal was Il government undertaking.
Isn't that the way you understand it?"
"Never!' he shouted as he jumped at
the cat.
"Then how is it"
But eluffing Fails of Its Purpose.
Il refuse to say! If you think you
know it all-and you evidently do-go
ahead and have it your own way.
What fool Il husband is to ever talk
to his wife about anything beyond
clothes and novels"
"Why. | don't see anything to get
mad at" she replied. II just asked if
|
way l did. We will drop it, of course.
but l want to ask you about the issues
put forward by Mr.. Bryan since he
became secretary of state"
| He's for America, Of course" re-
piled Mr.. Bowser, being unable to
think of any other issues.
| 'Or he wouldn't be where he is, of
course. What is his general policy to-
ward other nations?"
| Mr.. Bowser couldn't say. He hadn't
read much about recent developments.
AS she waited for him to reply he de-
cided that he must raise a row to save
his prestige.
Mr.. 6owser Goes Up In the Air.
"Woman," he shouted, II have been
insulted in my own house and by own
wife, and don't propose to stand it.
Instead of going to the club this even
ing and enjoying myself stayed home
to give you few pointers to hide your
ignorance. and this is my reward
this-this-this"-
And he kicked over n chair, scared
the cat half to death and sat down
heavily on the divan.
"Will you tell me what have done?"
quietly asked Mrs. Bowser.
"You have tried to make out that
you-you''-
"That I know more about the politi-
cal situation than you?"
"That's it-that's your old trick!
While you don't actually know wheth-
er Woodrow Wilson or Jim Jones is
president. you go on as glib as if you'd
read every line of politics for the last
twenty years. Mrs. Bowser-woman
you mark what I tell you when l
say
But he didn't finish. The doorbell
rang. and, delighted at the Interrupt
ton. he fastened down the hall to
open the door.
Does Mr. Bowser live here? queried
a man who stood on the steps.
''He does. but you can't gum game
him for cent. No cold victuals, no
old clothes. no cash. You'd better
hump right out of this"
Mr.. BowSer returned to the sitting
room and sat down to read and smoke.
1t was a long fifteen minutes before
Mrs. Bowser asked:
! "Do you know who that man WASP"
'Tramp, of course" he growled.
But it wasn't. 1t was our minis
teri
l