Semi-weekly south Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1883-1889, 1886-01-22
Peok's Bad Boy.


slows business ?" asked a young
fellow with faint moustache, new
clothes and tough look, of the old
groCcryman, who was wiping the
mould off of some dried peaches with
a dirty cloth, and the boy took up a
handful of the peaches, smcllcd of
them, looked as though he was sea-
SEX and added: "They ought to
hang a man for selling such stuf.'
Cuisines is none off, your business"
said the groceryman, Sand young
person if you don't like those peach-
es you needn't buy any. Dried peach
es were considered great luxury in
an early day. In 1856 Iremember-"
"Yes, these are 1855 peaches" said
the boy, interrupting the old grocery
man, who was getting mad. 'HBlt
tell me, a few years ago there was an
old fellow kept grocery here Oh this
corner who was the worst old fraud
in the world. He would charge two
prices for everything, and charged
things TO a man three times, and he
sold decayed Goldfish, glucose for su-
gar, and the neighbors used to say
he would steal. Where is he now /?
Got rich | suppose, and gone on a
trip around the world. | used to
know hm, and he was bad lot"
II am the same man." said the gro
ceryman, blushing. 81 have been
here ten years" And then recogniz-
ing for the first time the "Bad
Bay" he adde,l, 81 was ruined by
young william who used TO hang signs
around my place, advertising dead
cat sausage, and such things. lie
made my life burden, but he went
away year or more ago, and | have
been told he was engaged in stage
rJbbing ont West, and had built up a
good business. | took all oath to Kill
him on sight, and you look so much
like the bad boy that think l will
run this cheese knife into you a cou-
pile of times for luck,' and the gro
ceryman made jump for the boy
apparently perfectly frantic.
"Stoperw said the bad boy, as he
stepped back and let loose one of his
old laughs that used to Tighten up the
gloom in the grocery. "Stay your
hand, rash man, or you will dull
your knife. Embrace me lam your
long lost mascot !" and the boy OPEN
ed his arms and raised the roof with
such a happy laugh as the lonesome
old groceryman had not heard ound
the place for year.
"Kil the fat prodigal, the calf has
got back" shouted the groceryman,
as he dropped the cheese knife and
hugged the bad boy, and then push
ed him of and looked at him. ~
would have known you in minute
If 1t had not been for that mould on
your upper lip, like this mould on
the dried peaches. BY gum, l am
glad to see you. Where have you
been, and does your pa know you
have got back? Have you been In
Jail, and how did you get out? Are
you going to stay long, or have You
an engagement TO rob a bank. Tell
me all, for have missed you, you
young whelp."
40, 90 take a walk with yourself,
andlose yourself,' said the boy, as.
he disengaged himself from the em-
brace of his old friend. "Yes, pa
knows I'm back, and he is resigned
TO his fate"
"Do YOU know, l thought you
might have got home when l heard
somebody yell murder over 10 your
house last night" said the grocery
man. "What was you doing? Come
and sit down on the old soap box,
and spit at the stove, and play some
trick on me, and tell me all about
yourself. 1t has made me grow old
the past year, not to have a single
trick played on me, and nothing hap
pening TO get me mad. A man wants
excitement or he is no good;' and
the groceryman pushed up the soap
box for the boy, and drew the halt
bushel measure for himself, and as
the two sat down and looked at each
other as though they, expected some
thing to happen out Of the ordinary
run, the sight was a picture worth
seeing. Itt ~
"Well," says the boy, as he brushed
off the soap box TO see If there was
any bent pin, or any shoemaker's
wax for him TO sit on, "old gentle-
men, you have had a furlough for a
year now, and it has not done you
any good. You look pale. What
you want is something to think of,
to wake you up. For week or so l
shall be at home, and l want you to
feel natural, Just as though you ex-
pected the floor to fall In tho cellar,
or the roof to blow off, or a can of
dynamite TO explode any minute.
Where have / BEEN? Been to college.
have got an education that would
surprise you. Look at my head,
Bumps have grown out on IL all over
as big as hickory nuts. That is
brain, enlarged from study. 0, /
have drank from the fountain of
knowledge until II is a wonder l have
| HOb SOt lHo cuuCdtiOHdt ulOpsy :
Studies that it takes ordinary pale
boys years to master, / have tackled
and mastered in day. am loaded
for bear"
"You look it," said the groceryman,
as he reached over and felt of some
of the bumps on the boys head.
"Say, this bump may be from an en-
largement of the brain brain, but II
looks to me as though you had been
hit with sledge hammer"
Ssh! Don't give it away" said the
boy, as he winked out of his left eye,
"You are right. In our class in
gymnastics there were some fellows
very handy with their fists, and at
the graduating exercises | was knock
ed silly. One of the amateur Sulli-
vans in our class knocked me all
around the. recitation room. But
you ought to see me recite in lawn