Rock Island daily Argus., 1893-11-08

esy1 f3Y Ami.salh 0jup ssAp Z
S1nGhhe sHRbsea cek6sivS In -
1Seseeethspsaesa1aWtiAaneSasiDe.
eeoce change IN oCdin61y event a HBs
into roaxine fGkct. : U.irfG.s-,
soon after his arrival IN llilvsukee
n. Feck, Observing with keen iuterest
ne mischief looking propensitieso Of Mn
son, then . boy in short breeches end
roundabout, caught the inspiration foe 4
series of sketches the title Of which -
become household words the countrv
over and the text given more pleasure
ana CURED more attacks Of the blues than
anything ever published in the English
language. 'Pecks Bad Boy caught the
puoisc fancy from its inception and odd,
cd dthousands upon thousands Of names 10
the subscription list of Pecks Sun. II
was read and roared over in the homes
OF fashion and in the camp ON the con-
nnes OF civilization where the hardy
earth.
Ane Bad Eoy was q general favorite
Win All e:asses. With his very dew
Atry he won the admiration Of, the uar-
son and the applause Of the layman. He
was talked over and roared over in the
barber shop, toasted in the saloon and
became q source.of joy in the home cir
Gle. In fact, SO solidly did he inuratiate
himself into the affections of the people
that the Milwaukee correspondents Of q
number of leading papers received in
struct,ons to capture him as he came
from the press and send him ON the mag
netlc wires to the home Office,
Even the papers could not satisfy the
demand for this genius Of mischief. He
was brought ont between covers Of green
and gold and brown and blue and en-
balmed in book. Then he was turned
over to the playwright and forced to ma
rade his too brief hour, behind the foot
lights, while admiring Thousands chessed
his every act Of mischief for the very
cuteness involved therein. The BadRo
placed the climax on thecoal stove story
and netted his author fortune % we'll
as fame in the presence of which the
governorship of even SO great a state as
Wisconsin must be subortliiated.. ID was
great English general who said he
would rather be the author Of draws
"Elegy than take Quebec! $50 hay it 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 a
struggle such rs 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 lS40, he came with his parents,
when 3 years of age, to the territory of
Wisconsin. then little more than a
wilderness. The family settled near
Whitewater, and in a little log school
house the future governor and humorist
struggled laboriously with those three
terrible antagonists to youthful liberty
and comfOrt-readin, 'ritin and nth
metic. Glad enough was be to give nm
the conflict At the age of 15 and enter
the oekce Of the village paper rs print
er's devil, position for which his evsry
cminently fitted him. -,
Having acquired the trade and reached
his majority, he embarked in businees
on his own accOnnt rs editor snd)uuba
lisher Of the jefferson County Republic
m. He was not overwhelmed Nth
wedafA q the result Of this venture; and
low diet and hard work having reduced
his ambition he disposed Of his sollce
and returnedtD tie casess , eonDoitor
On The State journal at Madison.
While thus engaged tho Snr broke out.
md yielding to the aemand ,fuAsoldiers
be entered the army rs . private in the
Fourth Wisconsin cavalry. For valiant
service be rindt0 the ladder a fSme
- trooper sufficient to reach the bars
of . second heutenant, when his ambi-
hon was again nipped in the bud by the
lose of the war.
He returned to the state and -estah
Ahed . paper at Ribon, .vhe&e III
achieved considerable local fame by pub-
ishing series Of humorous sketches un-
Ter the title q s'TAe Teffences MIGRANT
Papers" There was q political vein run
hing through these sketches that modi.
led and in many cases neutralized the
,umo, and while giving promise d The
yenius behind them they were ~ dross
compared to the later achievements Of
heir author. However, they attracted
he attention Of N. n. (BricH PUnHeroy.
hen at the zenith of his fortune and
anne. and Af.y8cck was invited to take
J position on PolneroyS Rev York Dem.
'crat. Here. as an employee, with his
humor hsld in check or called
n to express itself to order and In CON-
ormity with line Of policy totally at
'ariancs With the fountains q inspira-
ion, Mr. Peck could not worn A>advan-
age. .......-..... .,-7,----lN
He cut his career in thu lnetropoi1s as |
hort as possible and hailed With deaaGht |
n order fron 1r. Pomeruy 10 retsES to
Viscontin md take chaEye of L. La
,rosse DpopEat. He continned to edit
his br1hh - the Pomeruy outfit until |
'omerCy becans badly involved.
Like 0(sm who have attained fame as |
funny men," Nr. Peck has tsisd the |
.cture Aeld. 'sHoW Gamantha and |
nj nnwvsn <l.a na2,~I1;~-0