San Marcos free press. [volume] (San Marcos, Tex.) 1877-1892, 1882-06-08
A JOKE On s'DAD."
And Why Young Hopeful is Wearing Lame Back.

A young fellow who is pretty smart
on general principles, and who is al
ways in good humor, went in store
the other morning, imping, and seemed
to be broken up generally. The pro-
prietor asked him if he wouldn't sit
down, and he said he couldn't very well,
as his back was lame. He seemed dis
couraged. and the proprietor asked him
what was the matter. "Well," said he,
rs he put his hand on his pistol-pocket
and proaned: "There is no encourage
ment for boy to have any fun nova
days. If boy tries to play an inno-
cent joke he gets kicked all over the
house."
The store-keeper asked him what
had happened to disturb his hilarity.
He said he played joke on his father
and had been limping ever since.
"You see, I thought the old man was
little spry. You know he is no spring
chicken yourself, and though his eyes
are not what they used to be, yet he
can see pretty girl further than 1 can.
The other day wrote note in a tine
hand and addressed it to him, asking
him to meet me on the cornor of Wis
consin and Milwaukee streets at 7:3O
Saturday evening, and signed the name
of Daisy to it. At supper-time pa he
was all shaved up and had his hair
plastered over the bald spot, and he
got on some cuffs and said he was go
ing to the consistory to initiate some
candidates from the country, and he
might not be in till late. He didn't eat
much supper, and hurried off with my
umbrella. I winked at ma, but didn't
saw anything. At 1880 I went down
town and he was standing there by the
post-office corner, in O. dark place. 1
went by him and said: Hello, pa, what
are YOU doing there?" He said he was
waiting for man. went down street
and pretty soon went up on the other
corner by Chapman's, and he was stand
ing there. You see, he didn't know
what corner Daisy was going to be on,
and he had to cover the whole tour
corners. saluted him and asked him
if he hadn't found his man yet, and he
said no. the man was little late. 1t is
a mean boy that won't speak to his pa
when he sees him standing on corner.
Invent up street and saw pa cross over
by the drugstore in sort OF hurry,
and I could see a girl going by with
waterproof on, but she skited right
along, and pa looked kind OF solemn,
the Way he does when I ask him for
new clothes. turned and came back,
and he was standing there in the door
way and l said: PA, you will catch
cold if YOU stand around waiting for a
man. You go down to the consistory
and let me lay for the man. Pa said :
Never you mind. You go about your,
business, and 1 will attend to the man.
We'll when a boys pa tells him, never
Won mind, and looks spunky, my ex-
nerience is that boy wants to go right
awav from there, and I went down the
street, 1 thought l would cross over
and 90 up the other side and see how
long he would stay. There was a girl
or two going up ahead OF me, and l saw
a man hurrying across from the drug
store to Van Pelt's corner. 1t was pa,
and as the girls went along and never
looked around, pa looked mad and
stepped into the doorway. 1t was
about s O'Clock then, and pa was tlr' d.
and 1 felt sorry for him, and l went up
to him and asked him for half a dollar
TO 90 to the Academy. 1 never knew
him TO she'll out so freely and so quick:
He gave me dollar, and L told him l
would 90 and get it changed and bring
him back half dollar, but he sald l
needn't mind the change. 1t IS awful
mean for a boy that has always oeen
treated well to play it on his pa una,
way, and / felt ashamed. as l tu .Ln1a
the corner and saw him standIng Ineie
sbiverinq. waiting, waiting for the man.
NV conscience troabled me, and told
a policeman to 90 and tell pa that DAISY
had been suddenly taken with worms
and would not be there that evening