Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1883-05-22
ALIrTLE SISTER.
And the Bad Boy is Discouraged
Over the Situation.
He Is WOefulIy DeceiVed-.He
Palms OF the Cat ON His
z Detected Pa.


quick SAID the bad boy to the groce
ry man, as ne came in the grocery on a
gallop, early one morning, with no
collar on, and no vest. He looked as
though he had been routed out of bed
in a hurry, and had jumped into his
pants and boots, and put on his coat
and hat on the run.
u don't keep saffron" said the
grocery man, as he picked up a barrel
OF ak handles the boy had tipped
over in his hurry. you want to 20
over to the drug store on the corner,
II you want saffron. But what on
earth is the mat"
At this point the boy sho. out of the
door, tipping over a basket of white
beans, and disappeared in the drug
store. The grocery man got down on
his knees Ga the sidewalk and scooped
up the beans, occasionally looking
over to the drug store, and just as he
got them picked up the boy came out
OF the drug store and walked delibe>
rately towards his home, as though
there was no particular hurry. The
grocery man looked after him,
took up an ak handle, spit
on his hands and shouted to the
boy to come over pretty soon. as he
wanted to talk with him. The boy
did not come to the grocery till toward
night. but the grocery man had seer
him running down town dozen times
during the day. and once he rode up
to the house with the doctor, and the
grocer surmised what was the trouble
Along toward night the boy came in
IN detected sort of way, SIT down
on barrel of sugar, and never spoke.
What is it, boy or girl, said the
grocery man, winkiog at an old lady
with shawl over her head, who We Z
trying to hold paper over pitcher
OF yeast with her thumb.
How in bldzes did you know any
thing about it?' said the boy, as he
looked around in establishment and
with some indignation. We'll, it's a
girl, if you must know, aud that's
enough" and he looked down at tn,
cat playing on the floor with a potato.
his lace picture of detection.
70, don't feel bad about it." said
the grocery man, as he opened the
door fer the old lady. such things are
bound to occur. But you take my word
Tor it, that young one is going to have
a hard life unless you mend your WAYS
You will be using it for cork to a
or to wad gun with, the first
thing your ma knows"
Il wouldn't touch the darn thing
with the tongs," said the boy, as he
rallied enough to eat some crackers
aud cheese. Gosh, this cheese tastes
good l haint had nothing to eat since
morning | have been all over this
town trolling for nurses. They think
a boy hasn't got any feelings. But
wouldn't care gol darn, if ma hadn't
been sending for neuralgia medicine,
and hay fever snuff all winter, when she
wanted to get rid of me. have come
10 the room lots of times when ma
and the sewing girl were at work
on some flannel things, and ma
would hide then in basket and send
me off after medicine. Twas deceived
up to about 4 o'clock this morning.
when pa come TO my room and pulled
me out of bed to 90 over on the west
side after some old women that knew
ma, aud they have kept me whoopiug
ever since. What does boy want Of
q sister, unless it is a big sister. |
| don want no sister that I've got to
hold aud rock and hold bottle for
This affair breaks me all up" and the
boy picked the cheese out of his teeth
With silver he cut off the counter.
We'll, how does your pa take it?'
said the grocery man, as he charged
the boys pa with cheese and saffron
and number of such things.
70, pa will pull through, He
wanted to boss the whole concern I'm
I'll mas ohum, an old woman thai
takes snuff, fred him olt into the hall.
Pa sat there on my hand sled, a per
tect picture of despair, and thought
it would be kindness to play it on
him. | found the cat asleep in the
bath room, aud rolled the cat up in
a shawl and brought it out to pa and
told him the nurse wanted him to
hold the baby. 1t seemed to do pa
good to feel that he was indispensable
around the house, and he took the cal
On his lap as tendeFly as you ever saw
a mother hold an infant. Well, | got
in the back hall where he couldn't See
me. and pretty soon the cat began 10
wake up and stretch himself, and pa
said, 's-h h-tootsy, 60 60 sleep now
md let its pa hold it, and pa he
rocked back and forth on the hand
sled and began to sing by, low, baby
That settled it with the cat. Well
some cats cant stand music, ANYWAY
aud the more the cat Vaated TO geI
out Of the shawl the louder pa sung
and bimeby | heard something rim
and pa yelled, scat you brute, and
when looked around the corner Of
The hall the cat was braeing hisseli
against ma s vest With his toe nails and
yowlng, and la fell over the sled and
began TO talk aaoQt the hereafter Ike
the minister doeS when he gets excited
in church, and then pa picked up the
sled aud seemed to be looking for me
)r the cat, but both Of us was offal
scarce. Don't you think there ar,
lines when boys and Sats are Kind Of
few RtaUnd their accustomed
haGnts2 Pa don't look as thouQl
he was very smart, but he can hold
cat about as well as the aext n, Il
But am sorry fog ma. She was ius,
getting ready 70 80 to Florida for hei
neuralgia and this will put stop to
1t, cause she has to stay aud take care
of that young one, Pa says will have
|, . n c.cc zine this summer pushing the
baby WAGON. By the great horn spoon,
there has got to beHaS dividing line