The Sedalia weekly bazoo. [volume] (Sedalia, Mo.) 187?-1904, 1883-10-23

8OCc nus GRIZZLY TIC oSfVOiS "a "AS7s
ling that / have described. Such an
expression of emotion beats all that i
have ever seen on the stage. If that
athletic sort of love making should be
adopted in country villages the front
gates would inevitably be torn from
their hinges, as though by cyclones.
.. Peck's Bad Bow. f
New York Tribune.
Ifitbe true that Mr.. HOwells and
Mr.. MARK Twain"-a strange con-
iunction-have undertaken the joint
authorship of a work on American
humor. they cannot properly omit, 10
their survey of this vast subject. some
consideration of "Peck's Bad Boy"
A good many of our readers may
never have heard of this particular
bad boy, but he ia of considerable in
terest as type because he represents
some of the worst tendencies OF our
newspaper humor, and some, perhaps.
of American life. 'Ptck's Bad Boy
is the creation of Milwaukee writer
by the name of Peck, who found him
so successful with certsin classes OF
readers as ne xspaper character that
he has made more books about him
These are said to have had large
sale on railroad trains and elsewhere,
and are distressing examples OF the
crimes against good taste and decency
, that are committed in the name OF
American humor. The humor OF
!. these books lies in a single theme
the practical jokes played by boy
upon his father; and upon this there
are many variations. The bad boy
, knows that his father has been drink
ing hard, introduces him into the pres
ence of three or four Spiiz dogs who
have been dyed various cOlOrs, ASSURES
. him they are white, and cow n ,es him
that he hss delirium tremens. TINS
> exclusively humorous episode occupies
whole chapter. There are many
others equally delightful and amusing
The boy is hideousand precocious
and vulgar, full of slang and Profani
ty, and as ready with jeers al church
| es and Surday-schools rs he is with
Jokes at his fathers drunken habits.
In a word. he is a most disgusting
little animal, and the fact that such
books have a ready sale is in itself n
curious feature of American life. anu
not pleasing one.
We hope the newspaper humorlsts
wont fly at us when We say that Peck {
Bad Boy represents some OF the tend,
3 encies that a,e found in too much Of
: the humorous writing nowadays. We
r recall no:bing else so STRANGELY vulgar
! as this, unless i, is Mr.. Mark Twains
own deIcately humorous account OF
. the misunderstanding Occasioned BY a
: box containing a Limburger cheese
being placei in the same car with a
: corpse on its way to the grave. But
:. in his habitual hooking at all subjects
s that are worthy of reverential treat
4 religion. the home, the parental
| Peck's Bad Boy only nten'
t sites qualities which are too often
u seen in other newspaper humorists OF
e the class that has grown SO large in the
, West and South. Many of them il is
9 true, are successful, even amid the
T. keen competitions of their work, in
}. keeping within the bounds of good
r taste, and now and then some of them
o have produced matter, to perish In
e day, which, fit had appeared III
n some more available form, might have
taken a permanent place in literature
t But the Bad Boy might serve as
j warning to some. just as the hopeless
: drunkard is a sufficient example IL
9 the geuteel Upper. A little more
+ delicacy in dealing with domestic ant
n religious subjects would raise the gen
It eral level Of newspaper humor. which
is is as much of distinctive develop
II ment as the American newspaper II
NJ self. 49,
Re We hope, too, it viii not seem Ink
lie too much of al exaggeration, 1t W
2. saw tina. Peck's Bad Boy represent
r, some of the unfortunate tendencies Q
n American lite. He represents tn
ne law;ess impertinence OF youth, the lac
H. of Difference for age and for parents
rs that 80 often strike foreigners VI
lis pleasantly in American children
1e There never was such a boy as tn
re one,of course ;.but it is impossible
er avoid the uncomfortable reflection ths
ey like all caricatures, this one, gross
st it is, has some foundation in fact.
ly .-. -..
&c Only Two Bottles. Messrs. job