The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1893-08-28

series Of sketches the title of which has
become household words the country
over and the text given more pleasure
and cured more attacks of the blues than
anything ever published in the English
language. "Peck's Bad Boy" caught the
pnblic fancy from it's inception and add
ed thousands upon thousands of names to
the subscription list Of Peck's Sun 1t
was read and roared over in the homes
of fashion and in the camp on the con
fines of civilization where the hardy
miner toiled for the hidden treasures Of
earth.
The Bad Boy was a general favorite
with all classes. With his very dew
iltry he won the admiration of the par
son and the applause of the layman. He
was talked over and roared over in the
barber shop, toasted in the saloon and
became source of joy in the home cir
Gle. In fact, so solidly did he ingratiate
himself into the affections of the people
that the Milwaukee correspondents Of
number of leading papers received in
structions to capture him as he came
from the press and send him on the mag
netic wires to the home Office
Even the papers could not satisfy the
demand for this genius of mischief He
was brought out between covers of green
and gold and brown and blue and en-
balmed in a book. Then he was turned
over to the playwright and forced to pa
rade his too brief hour behind the foot
lights, while admiring thousands cheered
his every act of mischief for the very
cuteness involved therein The Bad Boy
placed the climax on the coal stove story
and netted his author a fortune as well
as fame in the presence of which the
governorship of even 80 great state as
Wisconsin must be subordinated. 1t was
great English general who said he
would rather be the author of Grays
"Elegy" than take Quebec So mayit be
said that the author of 'Peck's Bad Boy
will live on and. on after Governor Peck
has been forgotten.
AS the early life Of Mr.. Peck was
struggle such as few are called upon to
pass through, so also is his present
achievement the more creditable to the
man. Born in Jefferson county. N.
Y, in 1910, he came with his parents,
when 3 years of age, to the territory of
Wisconsin, then little more than
wilderness. The family settled near
Whitewater, and in q little log school
house the future governor and humorist
struggled laboriously with those three
terrible antagonists to youthful liberty
and comfort-readin, 'ritin and 'rith-
metic. Glad enough was he to give up
the conflict at the age Of Is and enter
the Office Of the village paper rs print
er's devil, position for which his every
instinct eminentfy fitted him.
Having acquired the trade and reached
his majority, he embarked in business
on his own account as editor and pub
Usher of the Jefferson County Republic
an. He was not overwhelmed with
wealth as the result of this venture. and
low diet and hard work having reduced
his ambition he disposed of his Office
and returned to the case as compositor
on The State Journal at Madison.
While thus engaged the war broke out,
and yielding to the demand for soldiers
he entered the army as a private in the
Fourth Wisconsin cavalry. For valiant
service he mounted the ladder Of fame
as trooper sufficient to reach the bars
Of second lieutenant, when his ambi-
ton was again nipped in the bud by the
close of the war.
He returned to the state and estab-
lished a paper at Ripon, where he
achieved considerable local fame by pub
fishing a series of humorous sketches un-
der the title of 1.-The Terrence McGrant
Papers," There was political vein run
ming through these sketches that modi-
fed and in many cases neutralized the
humor, and while giving promise Of the
genius behind them they were as dross
compared to the later achievements Of
their author. However, they attracted
the attention Of M. M. Brick Pomeroy,
then at the zenith Of his fortune and
fame. and Mr.. Peck was invited to take
a position on Poineroys New York Dem
ocrat. Here, as an employee. with his
bubbling humor held in check or called
on to express itself to order and in con-
formity with line of policy totally at
variance with the fountains of inspira-
tion, Mr.. Peck could not work to advan-
tage. ~
He cut his career in the metropolis as
short as possible and hailed with delight
an order from Mr.. Pomeroy to return to
Wisconsin, and take charge Of the La
Crosse Democrat. He continued TO edit
this branch Of the Pomeroy outfit until :
Pomeroy became badly involved.
Like others who have attained fame as
"funny men," Mr.. Peck has tried the
lecture field. "How Samantha and |
Put Down the Rebellion" was his prin-
cipal theme.
AS citizen Mr.. Peck is Democrat
in the broadest sense of the term in all
his impulses and inspirations. Whether
as George w. Peck, the impecunious pub
Usher of an obscure country weekly, or
Governor Peck, the chief executive of
the state, he is the same approachable,
whole souled, jolly gentleman. Political
honors nor fortune nor fame can raise
him above George Peck, the Journalist.