Middletown transcript., 1883-04-13
THE BAD BOY IN LOVE.

/ hope SO. h answered the grocery man
sI try to do what is right, and hope to
wear the golden crown when the time
comes to close my books. " " Then
how is it that you put out box Of
great big sweet potatoes, and when we
order some and they come to the table
they are little bits of things not bigger
than a radish ? Do you expect to go to
heaven on such small potatoes, when
you use big ones for a sign ?" asked
the boy, as he took out a silk handker-
chief and brushed speck Of dust off
his nicely blacked shoes.
The grocer blushed and said he did
not mean to take any such advantage of
his customers. He said that it must
bave been a mistake of the boy that
delivers groceries. "Then you must
hire the boy to make mistakes, for it
has been SO every time that we have
had sweet potatoes for five years." said
the boy. "And about green corn.
You have few ears stripped down to
show how nice and plump it is, and if
we order dozen ears there are only
two that have got any corn on at all,
and pa and ma gets them, and the rest
Of us have to chew cobs. Do you hope
to wear crown of glory on that kind
of corn ?'' 60, such things will hap
pen,'' said the groceryman, with
laugh. but don't let's talk heaven.
Let's talk about the other place. How's
things over to your house And say,
what's the matter with you !? You are
all dressed up, and have got a clean
shirt on, and your shoes blacked, and
notice your pants are not raveled out SO
at the bottom Of the legs behind. You
are not in love, are you ?" Well, l
should smile, -" said the boy, as he looked
in a small mirror on the counter, COW
cred with fly specks.
GA girl got mashed on me, and ma
says it is good for boy who hasn't got
no sister to be in love with a girl, and
SO kind Of tumbled to it myself, and
she don't go nowhere without 1 go with
her. take her to dancing school and
everywhere, and she loves me like a
house afire. Say, was you ever in love?
Makes a fellow feel queer, don't it ?
Well, sir, the first time l went home
with her l put my arm around her, and,
honest, it scared me. 1t was like when
YOU take hold of the handles of 'lectric
battery, and you can't let go until the
man turns the knob. Honest, | was
lest as weak as cat. I thought she
had needles in her belt, and was going
to take my arm away, but it was just
like it was glued on. asked her if she
felt that way too, and she said she used
to, but it was nothing when you got
used TO il. That made me mad. But
she is older than me and knows more
about it. When was going to leave her
at the gate she kissed me, and that was
worse than putting my arms around her.
BY gosh, l trembled all over, just like |
had the chills, but l was warm as toast.
She wouldn't let me go for much as
minute, and was as tired as though ]
had been carrying coal mp stairs.
didn't want to go home at all, but she
said it would be the best way for me to
20 home, and come again the next day.
and the next morning | went to her
house before any Of them were up, and
her pa came out to let the cat in, and
he laffed and said had got it bad, and
that I had better go home and not be
picked until got ripe. Say, how much
does it cost to get married z" Well,
l should say you had got it bad" said
the groceryman as he set out a basket
of beets. How does your pa like
your being in love with the girl ? Does
he seem to encourage you in it ~ " Oh,
yes. She was up to our house to borrow
some tea and pa patted her on the cheek,
and Rugged her and said she was dear
little daisy, and wanted her to sit on
his lap, but when wanted him to give
me fifty cents to buy her some ice cream
he said that was all nonsense. He said:
Look at your ma. Eating ice cream
when she was girl was what injured
her health for life.' 1 asked ma about
it, and she said pa never laid out ten
cents for ice cream or any luxury for
her in all the five years he was sparkling
her. She says he took her to the circus
once, but he got free tickets for carrying
water to the elephant. She says pa was
tighter than the bark to tree. / tell
you it's going to be different with me.
If there is anything that my girl wants
she is going to have it, if have to sell
mas copper boiler to get the money.
What is the use of having wealth if you
hoard it up and don't enjoy it F? This
family will be run on different plans
hereafter, you bet. Say, how much are
those yellow wooden pocket combs in
the show case I've good notion to
buy them for her. How would one of
them round mirrors, with a zinc cover
do for a present to a girl? There's
nothing that is too good for her. p
Peck's San
THE coal industries of the United
States now represent an annual rroduc-
ton Of about 90,OO0,O0O tons. About
three-ffths Of this is anthracite and five
eighths bituminous. A very small
quantityof anthracite comes from Rhode
Island; otherwise it is found exclusively
in Pennsylvania. Pennsylvania also
produces enough of the bituminous
product to entitle her to the reputation
Of furnishing three-ffths Of all the coal
used in this country. Ohio follows
next, with 1000, 900 tons or so. Illinois