The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1914-09-30

A"' "o tIeip XIII. was the reply.
~ / 20 up after dat cat she'll bite NE.
and cat bites mean six months in de
hospital. Its 80 cents or | don't CO."
WHAT'S the use anyhow" uueried
the eighth person who came along. IF
Il cat is fool enough to climb Il tree,
let her he fool enough 10 come down
kgain."
Rebukes Heartless Cnlookers.
Men" said Mr.. Bcwser as be looked
around him. have you no hearts?
Would you deliberately permit the
helpless to suffer-"
But If she is suffering. why don't
she come DOWN." protested three or
four voices in chorus.
Because she's lost her nerve. l
wouldn't have believed such cruelty
existed in the twentieth century,
And Mr.. Bowser got to the top of
the s%tepladder and hung t. the tree
and coaxed again. The cat was ten
feet away and refused to stir. He in.
creased his offer to the boy to 10
cents. but it was refused. He must
either climb the tree or back down.
and the reader knows that MIR. Bowser
is Il mar who never gives up unless
knocked unconscious.
Say. you can't climb that tree!'
shouted one of the crowd below as he
witnessed the preparations.
But l shall."
BET you ten to one you come down
! u.4yiOUv VnYD pyo ton for Roffops <.,,f
the tree down.
An Appreciative Audience.
The crowd now numbered Il score.
OF the fifteen different remarks al
dressed to Mr.. Bowscr as his feet left
| the steuladuer not one was replied to.
He was too busy. His first move rip
| ped his coat under each arm and
harked his knees. and the crowd yelled
| and applauded. There WAS Il m
t"ry hesitation. and then he went
ahead and tore Il piece of cloth out Of
one leg OF his trousers and ripped two
buttons off bis vest. The applause
that followed was enthusiastic ana sin
cere. and n of the crowd followed it
with:
well, if any one had told me that
that old dutfer was such a monkey to
climb. l wouldn't have believed it,"
BY the time the crowd had numbered
fifty Mr.. Bowser was almost within
reach Of the cat. His eyes We're CLASSY
and his jaw set. He knew that Mrs.
Bowser was watching him f;om Il
front window and that he had no other
sympathiZer in the crowd. but he
would accomplish his object If death
overlook him i'll the doing Of ii. He
now got Il toe hold on Il limb and reach
| ed for the Cat. but the feline spat at
him and jumped away. and as he start
| cd back the limb broke. and there was
il Fourth OF July yell from the crowd
| below. MI. Bowser descended like Il
load of brick. but fortunately the step
ladder was below to receive him. He
struck it in Il heap and twisted around
until lie lay across it on his stomach
aud heard far off voices saying:
GO to the drug store and ring for
an ambulance"
Didn't the old duf!er know better
than to climb Il tree: Who knows
where he lives:"
"Dere's a woman comm out. and
mebbe she ovns him." called a boy us
Mrs. Bowser appeared.
Home Again.
She soon settled all doubts Of her
ownership. She asked assistance to
separate Bowser from the stepladdor,
and when he had been st Enlightened out
as we'll us possible four mel volun-
tered to carry him into the house. He
knew he was being carried, but he
made no resistance. He knew when
they bumped his back along the hall
tioor and left him in a disorganiZed
heap in the sitting room and he plain
ly caught Il voice which said:
Here he is, ma'am, and. though he
amt dead. he'll probably let cats alone
after this"
Little by little Mr.. Bowser recovered
from the shock. He opened his eyes
and saw the family cat and Mrs.
Bowser watching and waiting. He sat
up and decided on what he would do,
and as he crawled over to the lounge
and sat down on it he hoarsely whis-
pered:
"Woman. do you think III forgive
you if | live to be Il thousand years
old: Think of me. Mrs. Bowser. Think
of the ridicule ana contempt.
"The cat came down while they were
bringing you ill.," she quietly replied.
do You mean-mean'-
II mean that the cat came down. She
could have come any time. If you
haven't any papers to look over in the
library and don't want to See your
lawyer about Il divorce. you'd better
50 to bed"
And Mr.. ROWSer went.