Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1888-04-20
THE MEANEST MAN.
Burdette Tells About The MeaneSt
Man in America.
There Are Plenty of Mean Men in
This World And 1t is Time a
Law Was Passed Giving
Bounty on Their
ScaipS.
Chicago Evening Journal


The meapest man in all this land OF
United America, went down from Lincoln.
Neb,, into Kansas, the other day. Mind
you, he wasn't a Nebraskau; he was an in
ter State Immigrant coming from some
where east of the Mississippi. At Wy
more there is a merchant VINO carries his
stock in a basket, and he is famous all
that land over for his popcorn. He came
on the car with his wares. and this mean
man, who was travelling with his wife, little
child of perhaps years, aud his father
IN law, asked the price OF popcorn. Five
cents package" That was too much
lie didn't want any. After the merchant
left the car, the mean man said: II want
some . that ere popcorn, but l kin git
1t cheaper n that" Presently ne went
out on the platform and said 10 the
dealer in the fruit that cheers but not
Ine-hic briates: Say, mister, | want
some of taat popcorn, but l hain't
got o'ny cents. Now, if you kin
lemme have r paper of it for cents all
right; but | k ain't give no more for il, be-
cause hain't got o'ny that much money"
Well, after some dickering the merchant
finally let him have Il paper of pop corn
for 3 cents, anG the mean man came in
the car, sat down beside his wife and little
child, and began munching his popcorn
Never crumb did he offer to anybody.
He said: II have enough money to buy
his whole basketful, but | knoweG could
get it fur less'n 5 cents" As he munched
mis- father-in-law and wife seemed to un-
derstand that they were not in on the treat,
but this child began to reach up its little
dimpled hands and in the sweetest child
ish accents beg for some popcorn. Save
to hold the package up out CT reach of the
pleading little hands the man paid not
the slightest attention to the baby, but
kept on eating. Presently the mother
spoke to him and said the child wanted
some of the corn. "Well," repled her hus-
band, ''if the child is any huugrier. n l am
an want this popcorn more'n | do
he'd ought to have it." Bot he
kept on eating it himself and never a
grain did tho child get. Pretty soon the
little fellow began to cry for the corn.
This may have annoyed the father, be
cause he soon arose, PUT the popcorn
up in the rack out of the childs reach, and
went into another car. While he was gone
the child continued to cry and reach
after the banquet, and the mother took
the popcorn down and gave some TO the
little one. While this was going on the
mean man came back. Furious? You
never saw anything like it. He snatcned
the popco III away from the child and
poured 2 torrent abuse upon his wife for
daring to touch his popcorn. Then he
put it back into the rack and at intervals
got up and ate some of it until it was all
gone.
Now, il q case of that kind-and the
above is truthful narrative and actual
occuCeace-is not lynch law justitiable?
Is not that kind of man more valuable
and useful as a fertilizer than anything
else? Isn't he a curse to society SO long
as he lives? And might he not prove
blessing to the medical student and bar
ren land when he dies? Then why not
kill him and make a blessing of him?
The world has no use for a mean man. A
drunkard, liar, swearer, thief a
tramp a sSindler, a murderer, may have
good traits and have some sphere of use
fuIiness in this world, but mean man,
pure and sim pls-God wasted mud when
He made him.