The Newberry herald. [volume] (Newberry, S.C.) 1865-1884, 1883-07-05
miscellaneous.
A MEAN FEANK.
A LECTURER WHO SUFFERED AT THE
HANDS OF A BOY.

lecturer went to the house of o
prominent citizen where he was to
remain until the next day when be
would discharge the duties OF an
appointment. The lecturer was
rather an old man, who had seen,
as he expressed it. a heap of fun in
his life, and at night, when the fam
ily gathered around table strewn
with temperance papers and set
with the mother of pearl pitcher
of water, the old reformer-related
many amusing s'pranks' played in
the early days of Arkansaw. The
son of the host, a reckless youth,
who never stops to consider con-
sequences, listened with great at
tention and quickly entertained the
idea of heartless joke. Just be
fore the old man went to bed, the
boy took pint bottle of fine bran
DIV that his father secured by
means of a prescription, and put in
under the lecturers pillow. It was
such good joke that he couldn't
keep it, and when he heard the bed
creak, he told his father. The pa
rent, in whom still lurked streaks
of mischief, laughed and slapped
himself, but becoming serious, said:
"John, if it were to get out that
the old man went to bed with a
bottle under his pillow it would
ruin him, SO don't say anything
about it outside the family. In
the morning, before he gets up,
we'll go into his room and have
some fun"
Early next morning the parent
and son entered the lecturers room.
TIE old man lay awake, and his
hands under his head.
aHow did you rest ?" inquired
the host.
'.First-rate never slept better in
my life"
'By the way, Colonel, do you
| know that I heard a very SANDER
GUS report about you the other
day."
"Ah ?"
eyes. I heard that when you
went out lecturing you always
carried a bottle with you, and kept
it under your pillow at night"
I'm getting along in years, but
I can whip the man that started
the report" !" and he arose in wrath
and sat on the bed.
"Of course, I don't believe it,"
continued the host, "and I defend.
ed your honor at the time, but the
fellow insisted that if I looked ur-
der your pillow the next time you
came to my house, I would find a
bottle"
s'The Yenomous liar ?' exclaimed
the lecturer.
II told him that I would look,
just to humor the thing along"
continued the host, "and he bet
me that if I did, and did not find a
bottle, he would give me ten dol
lars, but that if I did, I was to pay
him ten. As I say, I do not place
the least confidence in the report,
believing that it was circulated by
the enemies of temperance, but yoa
have no objection to my looking,
have you?"
"Not the least"
The host lifted the pillow. The
bottle was gone. The father and
son looked at each other. The lee,
turer began to pull on his socks"
II, er-I didn't believe the re-
port, you know
Certainly not. AS a friend Of
mine you could not" and he began
to draw on his boots. "You have
won the bet, you see.'
EYES," faltered the host.
Shortly after I went to bed last
night" said the lecturer, II felt
something hard under my pillow.
Investigating, I found a bottle,
which I threw away.
"Great goodness That was
the finest brandy in this country,
and can't replace it"
ut was not wasted I knew
that you took great interest in my
comfort, and lay here and had a
splendid time all by myself. You
are right, she was fine. The first
drink was genial warmth, the next