Thomas County cat. [volume] (Colby, Kan.) 1885-1891, 1888-06-07
THE. MeANEsr MAN.
NOD Burdetto Discovers Him ON . West.
ern Railway Train.

Dob Bnrdette Discovers Him ON . west
ern Railway Train.
The meanest man in all this land of
United America. went down from Lin
coin. Neb-, into Kansas, the other day.
Mind you. he wasn't a Nebraskan; he
was an Interstate immigrant coming
from somewhere east of the Mississippi
At Wymore there is merchant who
carries his stock in basket, and he is
famous all that land over for his pop
corn. Five cents package" That
was too much. He didn't want any.
After the merchant left the car, the
mean man said ~ want some o. that
ere popcorn. but I kin git it cheap
er n that" Presently he went out
on the platform and said to the
dealer in the fruit that cheers but
not ine-hic-briates: "Say, mister.
want some of that popcorn. but
l hain't got o'ny three cents. Now.
If you kin femme have paper of it
for three cents all right; but KANT
give no more fur it, because l hain't
got o'ny that much money" Well.
after some dickering the merchant
finally let him have paper of pop
corn for three cents. and 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 was just
enjoying it. He said: Il have enough
money to buy his whole basketful. but
l knowed l could git some fur less'n
five cents" As he munched his faith
er-in-law and wife seemed to under
stand that they were not in on that
treat. but the child began to reach up
its little dimpled hands and in the
sweetest childish accents beg for some
popcorn. Save to hold the package
up out of reach of the pleading
little hands the mean man paid not
the slightest attention to the ba-
by, but kept on eating. Present.
ly the mother spoke to him and
said the child wanted some Of the
corn. WELL" replied the husband.
IF the child is any hungrier'n am
an wants this popcorn more'n do.
he'd ought to have it." But he kept
on eating it himself and never a grain
did the child get. Pretty soon the
little fellow began to cry for the
corn. This may have annoyed the
father, because he soon arose, put
the popcorn up in the rack out of the
child's 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 any thing like it.
He snatched the popcorn away from
the child and poured a torrent of
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, in a case of that kind-and the
above is truthful narrative of an act
ual occurrence-is not lynch law JUST.
fable? Is not that kind of man more |
valuable and useful as fertilizer than
any thing else. Isn't he a curse to So
ciety so long as he lives? And might
he not prove a blessing to the medi-
cal student and barren land when he
dies. Then why not kill him and
make blessing of him? The world
has no use for mean man. A drunk.
ard, liar. a swearer, thief. a tramp,
a swindler, murderer, may have
good traits and have some sphere of
usefulness in this world. but a mean
man. pure and simple-God wasted
mud when He made him.-Bob Bar.