The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1867-08-15
KENosHA, WISCONSIN, THURSDAY, AUGUST l5 1867

be done with it, but | don't think | shall
, ever be good little boy, and other people
don't think so too, for l wasn't never called
a good little boy but once, and that was
when Uncle John asked me where [ stood in
! my class, and | told him was next to the
head, and he said that was right, and he
gave me quarter, and then he asked me
how many boys there was in the class, and
, | said there was only two, myself and lit
tie girl, and then he wanted me to give him
back the quarter, and [ wouldn't and he
ran after me and stumbled over chair, and
broke his cane, and hurt himself, and he's
been lame ever since, and I'm glad of it; for
he isn'tm father, and hasn't any right
| to lick me, for get enough of that at home,
and the quarter wasn't good one either.
| don't like Uncle John, and | guess he
knows it, for he says amt like any of the
family, and he expects III go to sea and be
a pirate instead of respectable member of
society, and | shouldn't wonder, for | had
rather be pirate than soap boiler like
him, and don't care if he is rich, it's mas
ty business, and shan't have to be pirate
either, for one can make lots of money with
out that, and they're always talking to me
about being rich and respectable, and goin'
to Congress, and being President and all
that sort O thing, but { don't want to be
President; there's Lincoln, he was President,
and L guess he's sorry for it now, and there's
Andy johnson, | guess he don't like it
much either, and Teller doesn't have to
be respectable to be a Congressman; there's
John Morrissey, he's made money, and he's
gone to Congress, and he has nice curly |
hair and nice clothes, and he don't do any |
work either ! shouldn't like to be fight |
er like he is, for shouldn't like to have my
nose smashed as his is, for it looks Just like
my mothers big squash did after the COW
bt chunk out of it, but / should like to
have nice, curly hair, nice clothes and lots
OF money and cane, and have people look
at me when | walk down the street, and
say that's him, and don't care who knows
1t, for don't want to be soap boiler like
Uncle John, nor tanner like Uncle Hiram;
and all the good people l know off are soap
boilers or tanners, except Mr.. Stebbius, and
he's school teacher, and that's worse than
either for he has to board round amongst
the neighbors and they never put apple
sass on the table when he's at the house.
heard Miss Spriggins tell Aunt Polly so,
they wait till he's gone out to spellin school
or to see the minister's wife and talk about
Tneuhatlz ana red flannel and hot poultices
for sour chests, and after he's gone they
bring out the nee things and eat 'em by
themselves, with lots of pickles. de don't
get anything but bread and cookin' butter
and stale doughnuts that are left over from
Saturdays bakin', oh, | know how. them
things are done; but there's Bob calm me.
and we're going bird-nesting, for l know
where there's yaller bird nest chuck full
OF eggs, mother says it's cruel and the BIRDS
don't like it, and that | wouldn't like to
have my eggs stole if was a bril-, and
don't think | should, but amt bird yor,
know, and that makes difference, and if
you want to print this you can, for next to
being stage driver and pirate, I'd like to
be an editor, for you fellers don't have to
tell the truth, and you can go to the circus
without payin'.
JOHN PAUL.