Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1882-09-21
Played a Joke on His Father.

y boy went into Il store the other morn
ing, limping. and seeming to be broke up
generally. The proprietor asked him if he
wouldn't sit down. and he said he cnuldnt
very well, as his back was lame. He seemed
discouraged, and the proprietor asked him
what was the matter.
'Ncll, said he. there is no encourage
mcnt fora boy to have any fun nowadays
ltn boy tries to play an innocent Joke, he
gets kicked all over the house You see my
Ola man is no spring chicken. and though
his eyes are not like they used to be. yet he
can see pretty girl further than ! can
The other day wrote note in fine hand
and addressed it to him. asking him to be
on certain corner at 7:3O OH Saturday eve-
ming. and signed the name Daisy to it, At
supper time pa was all shaved up and had
his hair plastcred over the bald SPOT. and he
| got on some clean cuffs. and said he was going
10 the lodge to initiate some candidates, and
he might not be in till late. He didn't eat
much supper and hurried oil. | winked at
ma, but didn't say anything. At 7:3O went
down town, and he was standing there bv
the postotlicc corner ina dark place. | went
by him. and dsaid: Hello, pa. what are YOU
doing there?' He said he was waiting for
Il man. ! went down street. and pretty
soon went up on the other corner and he
was standing there. You sec. he didn't
know what corner Daisy was going to be on.
and he had to cover the whole four corners,
asked him il he hadn't found this man vet.
| and he said no: the man was little late.
went up street and saw pa cross over by
the drug store. and could see l. girl .oin,.
by. with Il waterproof on but She skited
along, and pa looked kind of solemn, the
way he does when Task him for new clothes
turned and came back, and he was standing
in the doorway: and ! said, "Pa, YOU will
catch cold YOU stand round waiting for a
man." Pa said. Never you mind YOU 20
about your business and | will attend to the
man. Well. when 4 boys pa tells him to
never mind, my experience is that boys
want to get right away from there. and
went down the street. | though, | would
cross over and so up the other side, and see
how long he would stay There was 4 girl
or two going up ahead of me. and | saw Il
man hunying across from the drug store
10 the other corner. 1t was pa and as the
girls went along and never looked around.
pa looked mad and stepped i'll the doorway.
1t was about eight o'clock then. and pa was
tired, and ] felt sorry for him, and asked
nm Tor half Il dollar to go to the theatre.
never knew him to shell out so quick.
He gave me IL dollar and told him would
go and get il changed and bring linn back
the half dollar, but he said needn't mind
the change. 1t is awful mean of Il boy that
has been treated well to play it that way ,n
his pa; ami felt ashamed. AS turned the
corner and saw him standing there shivcr-
lh%, waiting for the man, my conscience
troubled me, and told policeman to 90
an" tell pa that Daisy had been suddenly
taken sick and would not he there that
evening
well, when got home the Joke was so
?ood told ma about il, and she was mad.
guess she was mad at me for treating m
That way. | heard pa come home about IL
O'Clock, and ma was real kind to him. She
told him to warm his feet, cause they were
ike chunks Of ice. Then she asked him
how many they initiated in the lodge, and
ne sad slX and then she asked him if thev
initiated Daisy in the lodge, and then she
oesan TO cry, In the morning pa took me
into the basement and gave me the hardest
talking to- ever had with Il bed slat. He
sad he knew wrote that note all the time,
and he thoug ht he would pretend that he
was looking for Daisy just to fool me. But
what did he give me that dollar for? Ma
ana pa don't seem to call each other pet
any more: and as for me, they both look at
me as II was Il hard citizen. lam ponu
out TO Missouri to take Jesse James nloce
!here Is no encouragement for "a boy here y
ana the boy limped out to separated couple
OF dogs that were fghting.-Peck's Sun.