The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1915-12-18
BOWSER'S OLD COAT
And Why the Ragman Didn't Have
the Wallet in His Old Clothes
Sack.

sack.
References have been made in these
articles to Mr.. Bowser's wallet and
the care he takes of it o. nights. Mr..
Bowser inherited this prudence from
male ancestors. dating back hundreds
| of years Only about one man in
fifty-that is, one observation-disclosures
his wallet so carelessly about that it
| becomes n temptation to his wife.
Mr.. BCwser is neither stingy man
nor a suspicious one. He is simply d
prudent man. He realizes that should
Mrs. Bowser have feroclous attack
of insomnia some night at midnight,
while he was peacefully snoring away.
she would get up and walk the 1loor-
Her eye would catch the end of his
wallet sticking out q She vest pocket
| of his coat, and she would naturally
withdraw that wallet. She would nat
urally also open that wallet and count
the contents AS wife, she would
| feel that a third of the wealth be-
| longed to her and she might take q
ten dollar bill and lay it aside for flu
ture use When Mr.. Bowser came to
| count the contents in the morning and
| discovered a shortage, he would be
! perplexed as to whether he gave it to
| heather the day before or a burglar
| had entered the house during the
night.
Mr.. Bowser, like other husbands,
| has been known to carry his prudence
so far as to hide his wallet under the
front steps just previous to bedtime
He has hidden it in the house in forty
different places and he has always
heaved a great sign of relief when he
has found it safe in the morning. The
other day, while hunting for an old
hat in his clothes closet, he saw one
of his old coats hanging on a hook.
1t had tail pocket. The wallet might
be placed in that pocket time after
time and Mrs. Bowser would never
discover it. He made mental note of
this and that night the wallet rested
in a new place.
Next morning as Mr.. Bowser was
yawning and stretching and preparing
to arise and go down to his breakfast,
a dog fight took place in front of his
house. He jumped out of bed and
yelled to the smaller of the two dogs
to go in and win. At the breakfast
table he was still excited over the
scrap and when he started for his Of
flee the wallet still remained in the
pocket of the old coat. He had street
car tickets and did not discover the
loss until he came to pay for his noon
day luncheon. Then he could not pay.
He had neither change nor wallet.
The waiter observed that no such
game could be played on the house,
and Mr. Bowser had to leave his watch
as security for thirty cents. He re-
membered where he had left that
wallet and he started for home in
stanter. He did not take the trolley
car. 1t was too slow for him. He
started off on a fast walk which |
gradually grew into a hobble and the |
hobble into a run. In the last half
mile of the race he carried a red face, |
his eyes bulged out and his hat was
in his hand. Scores of men called to |
him to ask what was the matter, but |
he never answered nor paused for |
moment. He was racing against time. |
At any moment Mrs Bowser might |
find that wallet and extract a bill
Mrs. Bowser got great shock when |
Mr.. Bowser burst into the hall and |
had to sit down on the lower step of |
the stairs and gasp for breath. While |
a hundred feet from his gate he had
seen an old rag-buyer pass out with |
haps Mrs. Bowser had been selling
him his old clothes and that old coat
was among the garments
What on earth is the natter" she
exclaimed, as she leaned against the
wall for support.
did you-did you-
Did 1 WHAT?
Did you Sell that man any old
clothes?"
why, yes. But what has that got
to do with you coming home this sort
of a way?'
'You-you sold my old clothes, did
you. Woman. you have ruined me-"
And Mr.. Bowser jumped up and
dashed out of doors and down the
steps and looked for the ragman. He
was just turning distant corner and
he was pursued. He entered the
house two blocks below and Mr.. Bow
ser missed him. He was running
about like a dog seeking a lost TRAIL
when a policeman stopped him and
asked him if his house was on fire
or his wife was dying. Just then, the
old ragman showed up a block away
and Mr.. Bowser broke from the po-
liceman's grasp and galloped away.
The old man heard the clatter of his
feet behind him and looked around,
and then started off at his best pace.
No old man can run very fast with
the big sack humping his back at
every jump, and Mr.. Bowser soon over
hauled the fugitive and had the sack
n his possession.
What you fight me for?" was de-
handed of him.
You bought some old clothes on
Third Place. half an hour ago. 1
want coat you bought"
Il no buy a coat there"
Don't lie to me, you old villain,
Where is that coat?"
And Bowser was pulling the gar
nents out of his sack and the old man
vas trying his hardest to prevent,
when the policeman came up. In re-
ponse to his demand, two stories were
old and as they did not agree. he ,
walked the two men to the station
house. When the same two stories
we're told to the sergeant at the desk,
lie replied:
We will have the sack searched
nd see.'
1T was searched and there was no
oat in it.
He stopped somewhere and hid it,"
houted Mar. Bowser
Il no buy coat there. I see no
VALET 1 was some poor and honest
mani" protested the old man. 7
is Ynrr wife at hnme y, asked the