Semi-weekly south Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1883-1889, 1886-05-18
Peok's Bad Boy.


IPeck's SUM-
"IIcllo," said the groceryman, as he
stopped marking higher prices on the
goods, and put the pencil behind his
ear, as the bad boy entered, "Got
back, have you? Now l suppose we
shall hear nothing but California for
the next year. What kind of time
did YOU have? Tell us all about it,"
and he came around from behind the
counter and offered the boy piece
of dried apple. i
40, | don't want to bore you about
California" said the bad boy, as he
tipped the dried apple out of the
door, and cut off a ripe banana from
bunch, and began peelingit. What
you marking your goods up for"
"On account of the Strikes" said
the groceryman, as he watched the
banana, and wished it would choke
the boy. "You see everybody is oil a
strike, and business is bad, so l just
mark groceries up about twenty-five
per cent, to restore confidence. You
see, If man quits work voluntarily,
and won't let his neighbors work,
they can't buy goods, SO l have to
make it up oil you folks whocan buy.
Eli"
"Well, that settles you. You are
boycotted from this minute" said the
bad boy, as lie threw the banana peel
on the floor. aus boys will stand at
the door and tell everybody that you
have marked your goods up twenty
five per cent. without just cause or
provocation, and you will be the
lonesomest man in this ward. What
do you say? Will you sell goods at
the old prices until this labor ques-
ton is settled, or shall blow my
whistle for the gang?' and the boy
pulled out dog whistle and began
TO blow the dirt and lint out of the
holes preparatory 10 sounding the
loud timbrel. 10 81
~ surrender" said the groceryman,
and he began to remove the marks
on the lea chests and things. ~ don't
want no boycott, not if know it."
''Now you talk sense, "said the bad
boy, as he tried the raisins to see if
they were as good as the California
article. "What you and all the rest
of the blokes that make living out
of the trade of laboring men want to
do is TO let nature take her course,
and keep your hands off in this fight
between labor and capital.
"Well, hold on now," said the gro
ceryman," no lecture. No more high
priced goods. Now tell me, did you
have any fun with your pa while you
were out west? Did you paralyze
him any in the old-fashioncd way, OIL
were you truly good while you were
gomez"
80, wasn't any too good. Idon't
think boy who has been on the wal
path for several years can easily break
himselfo having fun when he gets 8
chance. l meant to be good, bu
there were so many chances to make
pa jump like box car, that had {
picnic all the way TO California
PAS anxiety was to see some COW
boys. lie had been reading abou
how the highwaymen robbed trail
and how cowboys stopped train OF
which there was an opera troupe, ant
compelling the Italianstto climb u
on the wood box in the car and sing
at the point of revolvers. Pa said
passengers would stand up for thei
rights in such cases, and not be afrai
of cowboys, il would overawe III
cowboys, and they would slim
away and let the train alone. Ii
said if anything Of the kind occurre
he should try and rally the men i
the car, and drive the cowboys ava,
Well, one day we passed lots of Ii
dians, and pa was getting ncrvou
] told him the train men expecte
the train would be attacked thu
night, and they wanted to know
there wasn't some brave passengt
who would lead them to repulse Ii
boys or Indians, as the oal
might be. Pa got kind of pale an
said lie didn't feel very well, and tol
me it was not necessary for boy
be blabbing about his fathers bra'
cry, all the time. He said he WI
brave enough, but he didn't want
excite ma by fighting cow boys an
Indians. After dark the train stop
ed at a station to meet freight trai
and when all was still l got the thr,
brakeman to yell like Indians an
then the freight train brakeman the
yelled, and a lot of boys at the st
tion began TO whoop. Then / WEI
out on the platform and took son
fire crackers out of my pistol pock
and touched them off, and then
groaned. BY this time 1 got sort
anxious about pa. I was afraid |
would rally the passengers and {
out and kill somebody. So we
In the car to our seats, to tell pa
wasn't going to be much of a fgf
/ was going to tell pa to spare Il
poor cowboys. Well, you'd di,
10 have seen my sire, baby min
There was some pants in sights, g,
IDENTIFY with a man in 'em, but i
head was down between the sea
with valise OH one side and a lun
basket OH the other, and he W
crawling further down all the tir
and trembling like eager. l touch
pa on the pants, and from away do,
under the seats came still SIN
voice, saying, "You will find l
pocket book in my pistol pocket
there. The money is in the left ha
side, but spare my life and my re-
road passes" o, but that took t
reverence for fathers bravery 0
of me. touched him again, a
said 'Pa, there is no danger. 1t "
only inc firing 6re-crackers.'
looked up with one eye and sa
'Ain't there no Injuns nor cowboy
/ told him there want nothi
Then says, pa, as brave as posi-
come down here and help me f
your mas umbrill. That Niger p
Ter is always losing our baggai
Then ma came I'M out OF The lun