Semi-weekly south Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1883-1889, 1886-05-28
Peok's Bad Boy.
TPeck's SUM-

YIN . ohhsl
Say" said the bad boy TO the gro
ceryman, as he made a customary,
call, "let me have half a pound of raj
sins and wait for your pay till | draw
my pension"
"Pensionw said the groceryman,
"what are you giving me? What you
going to get pension for?'
"Holding horses for the cavalry at
the armory during the riot, and car
rying baked beans" said the boy, as
he took salt pickle out of barrel.
II was down at the armory every
day, and when the cavalry would
come in from a scout, would hold
horses, and when anybody wanted a
pan full of baked beans sent 10 the
armory had to carry them. | sup
pose there amt better bean carrier
In this town, but there is too much
danger holding horses. 1 have got
wounds all over my feet, where
horses stepped on me. l asked the
governor if he didn't think / could
get pension, and he said it wouldn't
do any hurt to make application. He
said people had asked for pensions
from the government for less than
being walked on by horses"
"Well, let me give you pointer"
said the groceryman, as he covered
up the pickle barrel, and laid a piece
ola bar of railroad iron on top of it.
"You won't get no pensions, and you
won't get no raisins. But where is
your pa? lie has not showed up for
ten days"
ave don't know where pa is, but
we have telegraphed TO several places
to try and head him oil, but we can't
find him. He started for the woods
just as soon as it began TO rain dead
Polax, and he is safe unless he has
run against tree. You see, pa has
been taking good deal of interest in
the labor question, and he has attend
ed all the meetings and drank some
beer, and he has told the men in the
saloons that all they had to do was to
get up and make the fur fly, and the
bloated capitalist would cry 'penuk,
and grant anything. lie became quite
a socialist himself, and was in favor
Of dividing up all the money in the
country every thirty days. lie told
the Polax to go down to Bay View
and then the soldiers would run.
When they started to clean out the
soldiers, pa got in street car to ride
down there, cause he was tin ed work
ing his jaw. When the soldiers fired
on the mob, and the crowd began to
run, pa crawled under the seat of the
car, and just then the off mule began
to kick the tin dashboard of the car,
and pa thought it was artillery or dy-
Mantle, and he began to pray, and he
crawled out the window and run.
The mob yelled, and pa thought they
wuz after him, and he whooped il up
pretty lively for fat man, and pass
ed the Milwaukee Garden just as the
police was clubbing the mob there,
and pa got hit, of course, and he kept
running. Ma thinks he will stop
when he gets to the Mississippi river,
cause pa never was fond of water. II
pa had taken my advice, and kept
his mouth shut, and just held horses,
or carried beans and other fixed am
munition he need not now be an out
cast. But some men never have any
sense. The street car driver said we'd
dide to see pa crawl under the seat
and tlatten himself out thinner than
a case knife, when the firing began
"By gracious, Lam sorry your pa
has gone," said the groceryman. "Not
particularly because he owes me fol
groceries, but 1 always hate TO sec
the head of family leave such great
responsibilities on boy. Now you
will have to support the family, won't
you?"
swell, 1 suppose l shall have to dc
the managing" said the boy. "But
ma is no SLOUGH. She has already got
two boarders, and l can work a meat
man that am acquainted with, for
liver. Ma can cook liver in more diff.
ferent ways than anybody. She's
fooled the boarders three days now
on liver, and they think they have
had spring chicken, a la mode beef
and spring lamb with mint sauce
We have got six hens, and am go.
ing 10 trade my roller skates off for a
rooster. They are digging a sewer
in our street, and if worse comes to
worse l can take up a collection Of
lunch out of the tin pals that the
workmen leave on the sidewalk. O
things are not as bad as you would
think, with big head like mine &c
plan. Say, how would you like to
trade good mackerel for a Chinese
god? Ma said 1 might trade Off the
Chinese god i'll could realize on it
We haven't got no use for Chinese
god when pa is away"
III don't want any Chinese god,
said the groceryman, "but there il
nothing mean about me, and you will
find that l am open for trade, o.
anything TO help an honest boy out o
trouble. Now, how would you Xix,
to trade couple of your hens for
likely setter pup"
"Nope," said the boy decisively
1--WE can't use pup in our business
cause our boarders won't touch sau
sage no how. But / will trade you
an eight day clock for some dried ap
Piles and Goldfish. What you say !?
"Well, dried apples and Goldfish ar
cash." said the groceryman, "but
will trade you wooden clothes pin
for the clock. You could 20 aroun
town washing days and trade til
clothes-pins for something, or SCI
them for cash, and come here wit
your money and buy food for tn
boarders, What do you say?"
7 "No clothes-pins," said the boy
"But it is getting along towards din
ner time, so 1 guess l will borrow
your fish pole and go catch fish 70
the boarders, and after dinner vii
bring over some bric-a-brac and trad
? you for something for SUPPER" an,
the boy shouldered the pole and wen
out Whistling, "WhO will care TO