Semi-weekly south Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1883-1889, 1885-01-09
The Bad Boy.


"Ah, Merry Christmas to YOU"
said the grOceryman TO the bad boy,
"and here is a Christmas present, a
cake Of soap for you, aud another
beet for your father and the gro
ceryman handed him a cake of red
soap, and picked large red beet out
ola basket for the boys pa.
"Well, snum," said the boy as he
looked sad. IL don't care for this in
suit OH my own account, for lam iuiil.
and can stand it, but sending this
emblem 10 pa will break him up |
You may think il smart TO thus call
my IA a dead beat, but if you could |
90 to his bedside now, aud see him. |
as he tears what little hair he has got,
and groans, you would not do it.
But will take it TO him. and the
boy wiped his eyes on his coat-slee,e, G,
and started to 90.
"lIold on" said the groceryman as
he snatched the beat away from the
boy.
II was only joking. What ails
your pa? Is lie sick?'
"No, he isn't exactly sick, but he is
mad," said the bad boy las he put the
soap in his pocket and sat down on a
keg of Malaga grapes, and began
digging them out of the sawdust and
eating them. "Iou see pa has been
buying Christmas presents orthree
days, and getting them together, and
last night he gave me list of the
places where they were TO go, and |
got my chum TO go with me 10 delly-
er them. Seems as though some-
thing always happens to me when i
try 10 do anything right. Just as we
were going by she windy corner at
the court house, aud my chum was
wheeling the hand cart, looked at
the list TO see which package went TO
the minister, and the wind took the
list and blew it into the air clear to
the dome oftbe court house, and then
ii sailed over the lake. Well, l didn't
know what TO do. Pa had gone out
somewhere 10 spend the evening, and
knew couldn't find him, so we
concluded to deliver the presents pro-
mlscuously. l knew all the places
they were to go, and l thought it
wouldn't make so much difference if
they did get mixed, SO we went
around with them, and then went
home and went to bed. This morning
l got up early 10 see what was in my
| sock, and heard pa and ma having a
j quarrel. II seems that pa had inten-
ded to p5ve ma a seal skin cloak, but
she found q pair of red corsets IN her
stocking, about five sizes too smal
aud she was giving pa fits. Pa ex-
planned that he had bought the cor
setsfor the young woman who sing:
in the choir, so she could lace them
up tight and make her voice smaller
so she could reach the highest notes.
lie was going to do that for joke
While he was explaining it TO ma
the mSn who cleans off snow from
the minister's side walk rang the bel
and handed the girl a package for pa
: and he opened it and found it was I
pack of cards and u lot ofpoker chips
with note from the minister to pt
, giving him old hundred for sending
a minister of the gospel present o.
: such tools of the devil. The minister
said he was prepared for insults ii
this world, but that was someshins
: he could not stand, and he wouldn'
. be responsible for his action when Ii,
met pa. Pa called me in and asked
; why didn't leave those poker chip
and cards at the club, and then l hat
= to tell him about the wind blow
ing the list where it listelh
and how we did the best we coul,
I, without it. Pa wanted to die, and /,
: guess he wanted me and my chum t,
die also, but the bell rang for break
fast and we went down to the dining
room. Ma was mad aud poured on
the coffee as though she wished itwa
II pisen, and pa tried to swallow some
s. thing, and couldn't, and l tried I
/ pray, cause | thought pa would brea
D. my back after breakfast. While Nv
y was at the table note came from tn
/ choir singer thanking pa and ma fc
10 the sealskin cloak, and saying that
ss filled long felt hat, or somethin.
TX and that.it was appropriate, and {
le thoughtful in them to so kindly rem
IL ember poor girl who had nothin
II but her voice with which 10 pu
( through cold world. She said 81
10 hoped the Consciousness OF haviil
70 done a kindly action would cau'