Mexico weekly ledger., 1884-05-08
Psel's Bad Bsy and His Pa.

- 4
him to help me SORT over potatoes,
can't stay IN my store. Git." and
the groceryman picked up a link Of
sausage and Looked mad.
80, 60 hate yourself" said the
boy as he drewa knife and cut q
slice OF the grocesyman's weapon,
and began eating it, ~ unconcerned
IS po ssible. "When you want work
done, say 30 and l win help you, but
when you say let's 60. and have
some fun sprouting potatoes or
carrying in coal, that is too thin
When you say that, you are gay
deceivcr, and You are guilty Of false
pretensea. But quit lying and call
is by its right name, work, and you
catch Hennery, but not With funny
chsff. But I have got all the work 1
want on my hands now. have been
appointed pas guardian, by ma, and
I am straining every nerve to keep
pa out Of politics."
"Good gracious, )" said the groce-
ryman in alarm, ~ am sorry for
your pa, If he has got his head set on
going into politics. Twas in politics
one year myself, and it has taken
me five years to get out and pay my
debts, and every ward politician
owes me for groceries. You see,
they came to me and wanted me to
run for supervisor. They said I was
just the man they wanted, a man
with large head, one who was a
business man, and would not kick at
the expenditure Of a few dollars
when he could make q barrel Of
money. They said il / was on the
board of supervisors I could be
placed on . committee that handled
the funds, and could make the pur-
chases Of groceries and provisions
for all the county institutions, the
poor-house, house of correction, in
sane asylum, hospitals, and every
thing and I could buy them at my
own store at my own price, and in
two years I could be rich as any man
In town. Well, I never had q prop.
osihon strike me so favorably, and ]
went in head over appetite. For 9
month I went around our ward night
and day, spending money, and the
politicians came to the store and
traded when ] was out, and had i,
charged, and when the caucus was
held 1 only got one vote for super.
visor, and I voted that myself
Well, the politicians tried to explail
to me, but 1 bought revolver, and
they kept away. Do you know, th,
next day after the caucus I didn't
have twenty dollars worth Of groce'
ries in the store, and the clerk va
dying of lonesomeness? Whateve
your pa does. don't let him 60 int
politics, for he viii bring up in Al
inebriate asylum, sure"
"Well, pa has got it bad, but h
is too numerous. He has been yearn
ing for two years for q politics
campaign to open. 1 don't suppos
there is q citizen who enjoys polite
as much as pa. He stays out night
till the last place is closed. and is th
first man on deck 10 the morning
He has drank with more candidates.
more different times, than anybody
and when he is so full that he can
drink he takes a cigar and brings
home. His guests have been smoi
ing up old election cigars ever sine
the Hancock campaign, and some q
them are awful. But this time the
are going to run pa for alderman
and he has opened the campaign ~it
. cork-screw. Pa thinks the pos
} ton Of alderman is greater than go'
ernor, because aldermen wear
: badge, and have influence. But I
, is OVERRIDING the thing. He wants
please everybody, and he has prom
ised to put ninety-seven men On Il
: police force, has promised forty-fo'
men the position Of bridge-tende
:. and there is only one bridge in b
ward. He promises the saloon kee
e ers to reduce the price Of license
o and allow them to keep open ,
night, and be has promised the pr
!, hibition temperance people to raj
!. saloon licenses to 4 thousand dolls
o and close every saloon in town. 7
:. result is going to be il pa is q
u elected he will kill himself, and IL
y is elected the people will kill bill
# SO somebody has got to cave pa"
"You can't do 1t rs long as {
fever Is on" said the groceryma
a "You have got to watch him, q
II when he meets with defeat or /
IL verses in politics, then fire sol
), sense into him. But as long IS he
" red hot in campaign, nothing "
stop him. have seen q politici
who was full of enthusiasm and be,
he fall into the river and drown. and {
ce police pulled him out and then roll
ut him on . barrel, and pretty soon
came to and the first thing he s,
was sRah for Tilden. Set 'em
" againl' You would have thoue
that man would quit politics, and
l., and lead . different life, but
D. next day he was going whoop
ay around, electioneenng in the sslo'
.c- and ON the street corners, with
nc cork life preserver strapped arou