The Arkansaw traveler., 1883-03-03
HIS PA GETS BOXED.
BY GEO. N. PEG K.


 You don't want To buy a good parrot. do you. said the bad boy 10 the grocery man. as he put his wet mittens on the top of the stove to dry. and kept hts back 10 the stove so he could watch the gro- cery man and be prepared for a kick. If the man should remember the rotten egg sign that the boy put up in font ei the grocery last week.
 Nav. don't want TO parrot. l. had rather have | fool boy around than Il par rot. Bl; whats the matter with your mas parrot: l thought she wouldn | part with him for anything.
 Wei. she wouldn't until "Wednesday night. bu; now she says she wlll not have him around. and may have half can get for him. She told me to go te some saloon, or some disrepatable place and sell him. and though, maybe ne would abou, suu you." and the boy broke open bunch of celery and took out few ten der stalks and rubbed them on a cod-fish. to salt them, and began 10 bite the stalks. while he held the sole of one wet boot up against the stove to dry t, making a smell of burned leather that came near turning the stomach of the cigar sign.
 Lookahere, boy, don't you call this a disreputable place. Some of the best people m this town come here," said the grocery man. as he held up the cheese knife and grated his teeth as though he would like to lab II into the youth.
 Oh. that's all right They come here cause you trust. But you make up what you lose by charging it 10 other people. Pa will make il hot for you the last of the week. He has been looking over your bill, and comparing it with the hired girl, and she says we haven't ever had a prune. or dried apple, or a raisln, or any ein- namon, or crackers and cheese out of your store, and he says you are worse than the )Ames Brothers, and that you used 10 oc three card monte man, and he will have you arrested for highway robbery. B., you can settle that with pa. l like you, because you are no ordinary sneak thief. You are hightoned, gen tlemanly sort of bilk and wouldnt take anything you couldn't iift. Q. keep your seat, and don't get excited. IL does a man good to hear the truth from one who has got the nerve to tcllit. But about the parrot. Ma has been away from home Tor week, having high old time in Chicago, going 10 theatres and things, and while she vas gone guess the hired m or somebody learned the parrot some Rew things to say. A parro, that can snly say Polly wants a cracker don, amount 10 anything. What we need Is new style parrots that can converse on the topics of the day. and Say things original. Well, when, ma got back guess her conscience hurt her for the way she had been Carrying on in Chicago. and so when she heard the basement of the church was being frcscoed she invited the committee to hold the "Wednesday evening prayer meeting at our house. First. there were tour people came, and ma asked pa .to stay and to make up quorum. and pa said seeing he had two pair, he guessed he would stay in, and If ma would dea, him queen he would have fall hand. i don't know what pl meant. bat he plays draw poker sometimes. Anyway. there was eleven people came including the minister. and after they had talked about the neigh bors spell, and ma had showed ihewo- men new ucy sine had worked for the heaihen, wlth motto on l, which pa had taught her. a contriie heart beats bob tailed flush. and pa had talked to the men about religious silver mine he was selling stock m, which he advised them as a friend'to buy for the glory of the church. they all went in the back parlor and the minister led in prayer. He go, down on his knees right under the par rot's cage. and you'd dide to see Polly hang on 70 the wires of the cage with one foo, and drop an apple core on the min isier's head. Ma shook her handker- chief at Polly. and looked sassy. and Polly got up on the perch and as the minister got warmed up, and began to raise the roof, Polly said. Q, dry up The minister had his eyes shut but he opened one oi them little and looked at pa. Ia was tickled al the parrot, but when the minister looked a, pa. as though il was him making irreve.en, re- marks, pa was mad. The minister got to the Amen ard Polly shook hisself and said, What you giving us,' and the minister go, up and brushed the brd seed of his knees and he looked mad. thought ma would sink with mortihca- ton, and was sitting on q piano stool. looking as pious as Sunday-school su- perintenden, the Sunday before he skips