Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1884-02-07
Peck's Bad Boy and His Pa.
TIE OLD MAN COMPLAINS THAT IT Is
TOO QUIET SINCE THE BOY BE
CAME GOOD, so THE Roy AND
HIS CHUM MAKE 1T IN.
TEREsTING FOR HIM.

| want to talk with you" said the
groceryman to the bad boy, as he
came in laughing and slapping hi'
hands on his legs. 81 have heard
something to-day that has hurt me as
much as though you was my own boy,
and the groceryman looked as though
it wouldn't take many good sized
onions to make the tears come.
Great jewhillikens, what is il"
asked the bad boy, as his face sobered
down at the look of pain on the face
Of his mercantile friend. "What is
the matter? Won't your creditors
accept ten cents on dollar? p and the
boy looked like "A lawyer, ready to
help a client out, and reached into n
ciuuamon bag and took out handful
of cinnamon.
No. nothing of that kind, said the
groccryman. IL have concluded not
to fail. But am told on good au-
thoriry that you have become bad
again, and that you have been playing
the meanest trick on your pa that you
have ever played. The minister told
me he was coming in from a country
funeral the other day, and he over
took your pa on the road with gun,
and asked him to get in and ride, and
your pas pants we're all torn, his boots
and gun full of snow. and he wss so
scared that he kept looking around all
the way to town, expecting to be shot
in the back. Now, what kind Of a
way is that to treat the author Of your
being? Say, you will have through
ticket to, the bad place, and your train
will leave on schedule time, and arrive
at the grand central depot in hades,
just as the fire Is kindled. You bad,
bad boy. Ihave been proud of you,
and thought you would come out all
right, but now | know you are bypo-
critic" F".
There, there, don't put on any
extra sadness" said the boy, Is he
quartered an orange. "Pa is all right.
He wanted us to stir him up. You
see, since I have been good, pc has
been neglected, and be has become
sour, and his clothes don't fit He
told ma that what be wanted was ex.
and be had got to have il.
lie said when the boys were playing
things on him, and making him scratch
gravel, aud he felt as though house
was going to fall on him every minute.
he enjoyed himself. had 3 good appe-
iite, and felt equal to any emergency,
but since the boys had become good,
and let him alone, his life was a bur
1co, be had failed in business, and
"verything went wrong, and unless
there was a change soon, he would lose
his mind. He said he sighed for the
I'D tim 5, when he didn't know whether
h. was afoot or a horseback, and when
something was liable to happen every
He said he was brought up
to be surprised, and fall through holes,
aud to have everything stop, and to
lead quiet life, and just eat, drink
aud sleep, with no cyclones, no happy
laughter OF children raising the deuce.
vas more than be could bear. Ma told
nrc about it, and the state of mind pa
VA. in, and l felt sorry for pa. Ma
told me to try and think up something
that would sort of wake up pa, or be
would relapse into a state Of melan.
enolic, and have to hire 3 doctor. !
told my chum about pas case, and he
aid it was too bad 20 see man suffer
that way, and We most do something
Ia ave bis life 50 we agreed TO take
pa out rabbit hunting. | asked pa II
he didn't want to go with US, and he
jumped right up and yelled, and said
it would tickle. him half to death to
20. ! told him whore erthsre was d
place about fonrimiIes OUT Of town,
shere there was dead loads Of rabbits,
hot the man that owned the farm
drove everybody of r. said there
couldn't no man drive him 90, and for
u. TO come on. Well. you'd 2 dide.
rs wasn't afraid Of anybody. until the
man hollered % him to-gitI You see,