Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1884-05-01
Peck 8 Bad Boy.

eral. "He is alive, amt he? Is he in
politics yet +" and the groceryman
took small rusty mackerel by the
tail and slapped it against the inside
of the barrel to get the brine off, and
wrapped it in some thick paper, heav'
ier than the FISH before he weighed it.
Hold on there please said the boy,
who was watching the proceedings.
"Weigh the mackeral separate, please
and then weigh the paper, and charge
the fish to pa and charge the paper to
yourself. That is all right. Yes, pa
pa is alive, but he is hot in politics.
He was throwed out of politics, head
first, on two occasions the night before
the election. You see pa is an enthu'
siast. Some years he is in one party,
and some years in another: just which
party gives him the best show to make
speeches. He has got Speaking on
the brain, and if he can get up before
a crowd and say teller citizens, and
not get hit with piece of brick
house, that is a picnic for pa. This
spring he went with the temperance
and saloon people. You know the
temperance people and the saloon peo'
pie sort of united on a candidate, and
pa was red hot. He wanted to speak.
The fellows showed pa that he had got
to be careful and not get mixed, and
they turned him loose TO speak. The
night before election pa went in hal
where there was to be a meeting, and
he got up and said what the people
wanted was the highest possible license,
enough to drive out half the saloons.
He was Just going to demonstrate what
a blessing it would be if there was on
ly one saloon, when some one took him
by the neck and threw him through
a window. 1t seems that it was a
meeting of people who were opposed
to any license, and who believed ev.
erybody should he allowed to sell liz.
uor for nothing. A policeman picked
pa up and took the window sash or
from over his neck, and picked the
broken glass out of his vest and pants,
and walked him around, and told him
of his mistake, and pa admitted that
what the people wanted was free trade
in whisky. He said now that he
thought of it there was no justice in
making people pay for the privilege OF
engaging in commercial pursuits, and
if the policeman would take him back
to the hall, he thought he could set
himself right before the assembly.
Well, the policeman is the meanest
man in this town. He took pa to an.
other hall, around the block, where
there was a meeting Of the high Ii.
cense people, and he went in, thinking
it was the one he was in first. He was
kind of surprised that they did not
attack him, but they we're busy sign.
ing n petition for high license. Pa
waited a minute, to think up some.
thing to say, aud then he got up on a
chair and said, Mr. Chairman, this is
matter we are all interested in, and
The humblest citizen may speak. AZ
ter studying this matter thoroughly,
at it in all its bearings, and
summing up an experience Of forty
years, ! bave come to the conclusion
that the city should not grant puy IL
cense at all That tickled the crowd |
cause they thought pa was in favor Of
stopping the sale Of liquor altogether.
and they cheered him. Pa got his
second wind and continued As long
as liquor is recognized as an article Of
commerce, like sugar and meat, and
soap, every man should be allowed to
sell it without any license at all. Let
be free to sell liquor. and
we shall Pc didn't get any farth.
er. Somebody throwed wooden wa
ter bucket at his head, his chair va,
knocked out from under him, and sew.
eral men took him by the collar and
pants and he went through another
window. The policeman met pa a.
he came out the window, and asked
him If he didn't find it congenial in
there, and pa said it was too darned