Northwest enterprise. [volume] (Anacortes, Wash. Ter.) 1882-1887, 1883-11-03
ANACORTES w. T. SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 3, 1888.

when he showed up they run him into
the police station for tramp. l
think we both have demonstrated
that this climate does not agree with
the prodigal business, and however
much they may try to teach us the
beauties of such stories, they do not
expect us to try to initiate them.
When 1 go to Chicago after this l
shall go in a parlor car, with lunch
enough to last me, and return
ticket. l don't understand it at all.
Now 1 didn't do half the mean things
in Chicago that the prodigal son of
old did in the far off country, and yet
he got taf1y when he got home. and
l got my spine broke. 1t may be all
right, but they do things different in
the old country. you know"
"If l understand the kind of a
prodigal son you are," said the gro
ceryman, as he sprinkled the floor
from a wash basin, preparatory to
the semi annual sweeping out. "you
have got even with your pa before
this, fol his outrageous treatment.
That is, mind you, don't suggest
anything for you to play on him, but
from what l know of you the account
is evened up before now. Am 1
rightw
"Well. l should remark. Any per-
son who thinks l cannot resent such
an insult makes a mistake as to the
sort of prodigal son l am. We had
company at dinner to day, and pa is
always in his element when we have
company. He prides himself on his
carving We had roast of beef,
and before it went on the table took
the steel that pa sharpens the knife
on, and made two holes right through
the roast, and then / took rawhide
whip that pa basted me with once,
cut it in two, and run pieces of the
rawhide in the holes of the beef. Pa
begin carving with smile, and asked
the minister if he would have his
beef rare, or an outside piece. He
was bearing gently OH the carving
knife, when the knife struck the raw
hide and it wouldn't go any further.
Pa smiled and said he guessed he
had struck barbed wire fence, and
he turned the roast around and cut
again, and he struck the rawhide.
The minister drummed with his fork
and spoke to ma and said we had a
splendid meeting Wednesday night
and ma said it was perfectly gorgeous,
and pa began to perspire and turn
red in the face, and he said some
words that would sound better in a
brewery, and he tried to gouge off
some meat, but it wouldn't come, and
the minister said, Brother, you seem
to be having a monkey and a parrot
time with that roast and that made
pa mad, and he said he could carve
his own meat without any sky pilots
interference, and ma said, why, pa,
you should not be impudent,' and pa
said he could whip the butcher that
sold him that piece of work OK, and
he sent the beef out to the kitchen
and the company ate cold liver The
girl set the meat in the ce-chest, and
pretty soon l went down cellar, cause
l didn't like cold liver, and pulled out
the rawhide. and / had all the fatted
calf wanted, and gave the rest to
that lame dog you see me have here
a spell ago. o, a boy can get enough
to eat il he has any originality about
him. l think if pa would show a
christian spirit, and wear slippers
when he kicks me, 1 would do any
thing TO make it pleasant for him,
but when man wears out hunting
boots on his own dear little prodigal,
l think the prodigal is apt to get
hard. Don't YOU"
The groceryman admitted that
perhaps the boy was right and he
raised such dust sweeping out that
the boy coughed, took few peaches
off the top of basket, and went out
whistling, "Home again, from for
eign shore"IPeck's Sun.