The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1915-08-21

eye, and thereafter she had only one
eye to knit with Your father settled
the case for $50. Does the reader feel
chill go up and down his spine
when he reads of the terrible cir
cumstance ?"
Mr.. Bowser gave a grunt in answer.
Your third adventure took place at
Twelve years of age. You went fishing
in the family cistern and fell in Your
mother was deaf and your father away
buying hogs and for four long hours
you were Laundering around in the
cold water, and yelling at the ton of
your voice before any one heard you
and rescued you from the awful peril.
GU had sore throat and an ear ache
as the result. Are you holding your
breath as you listen, Mr.. Bowser?"
Mr.. Bowser looked as if he was. but
would explode later on
In due time" continued Mrs. Bow
ser, you arrived at the awful age of
fourteen. You had safely PASSED
through the crises of the measles and
the Whooping cough. You were going
nome from school one afternoon.
walking with a freckled face little
girl when you heard shouts of mad
dog You looked around and saw
coming toward you u dog which
seemed 20 be as big as a horse barn
and to have teeth foot long, His
eyes glared. The foam from his
mouth flew over the fences on each
side of the road. There was no doubt
mat ne meant TO cIeW you and little
freckled-face to strings. You were
prompt TO act. You left the girl and
scootod for a tree and climbed to the
top of it, leaving the girl to climb an
other. or tumble over a fence The
dog pursued you and let her go AS
you climbed the tree, he bit off both
your boot-heels but failed to inflict
any mortal wound. After ravinE
about for half an hour, and being un-
able to reach you, he walked away and
began a RI nd Of
you descended and went home. You
must have recalled the circumstance
many times, Mr.. Bowser. and IT must
have given you the nightmare a score
of times"
Mr.. Bowser had turned the color of
red barn, as he listened and now
made a move to get up. Mrs. Bow
ser waved him back into his chair
and cODlInued:
"YCu were 10 years old when YOU
played the hero again. Your school
ma ANS dress caught fire as she
passed too near the stove, and you
threw six pals of water on her before
she was burned into a cinder In fact.
she wasn't burned at all Your
prompt and heroic action. didn't give
the flames chance to raise even a
lister. You have saved her life and
it resulted in your falling in love with
her- You proposed marriage to her
and when she refused you, you threw
yourself into a snowdrift and tried to
IL
cold death for you. and you dug
your way out and went home Don't
it make you cold. Mr.. Bowser, when
you recall the incident?"
The redneSs of Mr. Bowser's face
had extended clear around to the back
of his neck, and the eat realized that
crisis was near at hand
your last adventure" said Mrs
Bowser, to the. helpless man before
her, was in saving my life, and / will
agree that it was most heroic action
had gone out in a boat on a creek
about two feet deep. The boat ran on
a log and stuck fast. The thunder
roared, the lightning and the waves
ran mountain high. / realized that /
was doomed and I was repeating a
prayer for mercy, when you came run
ming oct of a turnip field and plunged
into the raging flood and brought me
TO shore. All wet and bedraggled as
/ was. you proposed marriage and in
my gratitude accepted you, and after
hope and despair for over three years
We " ere married. 1t is needless to
add that we have lived very happily
ever since. That adventure does not
exactly curGle the blood, Mr.. Bowser.
but it surely gives one cold feet. Is il
your opinion that a book containing
these terrific adventures will be sold
by the thousand?"
Mr.. Bowser didn't answer. but there
was murder in his eye. as he looked
at the cat and then walked down the
hall arc put on his hat and left the
house. At the gate. he met the pub
fishing house man, who soapily said:
"Ah. Mr.. Bowser / was just coming
in to have another talk with you. I
think your adventure"
cit. Skip, Humph. Dust" shout
ed Mr.. Bowser as he flourished his
arms about
"-Why-what-"
Cit, or I'll break your necki"
And the man from the publishing
house saw that all was lost. and he
get"
And sIr- Bowser took walk for
taif hour and then returned to the
family hearth and nothing more was
said about publishing a book.-(Copy-
right. 1915. by the Mcclure Newspaper
Syndicate.)