Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1897-06-19
HE TURNED KICKER.

He is Il man with II perpetual
scowl. IIo looks cross, and when he
opens his mouth it is usually mere
ly to Growl.
"Yct was not always thus" no
explained one day. "When moved
into this neighborhood, was in.
clined to be good natured. I wanted
to be on good terms with every one,
and for quite awhile I think Twas"
"Then why didn't you keep it
up!'
"It didn't pay. People liked me
because they could walk all over
me. They imposed upon me because
1 was good Hltured, and while they
were imposing upon mo they were
quito ready to say nice things about
me. I acquired an enviable reputa-
tior, but l had to work overtime to
do it. If there was anything to be
done that no one wanted to do, it
was customary for some one to sug-
gest: ooh, let Mr.. Brown attend to
that. He'd just as soon. He's al
ways SO obliging.' But if there was
anything that I wanted done it was
very different matter. My wishes
didn't count any more than tho
wishes of the yellow dog in the al.
ley. They would ovelrun my house
without even waiting for an invita-
tion. If some neighborhood meet
ing was to be held that no one else
wanted around on account of the
annoyance and trouble, they merely
notified me that they had called it
for such and such All evening in
my pGrlCr. If the neighborhood
children started Il game on any of
the other lawns for two blocks in
either direction, they would be
promptly driven away and told to
go over on Mr.. Browns lawn. He's
so good lutured that he doesn't
care. Why, even the conductors on
the suburban trains that 1 patron
lied began to impose on me- IT'S
only Brown, they'd say. He never
kicks. And then I'd get the worst
of it,"
"Um, ye-es; don't know but it
does work that way sometimes.
Don't know! Well, I know all
about it. I got tired of it finally and
landed a good strong kick. began
with the railroad people, and inside
OF week there wasn't an employee
on tho trains 1 patronized who
wouldn't run from the engine to
the last car to seq if he could be of
service to Inc, and two weeks later,
if they slw me coming down the
street they'd hold the train for me,
something that they wouldn t do for
more than four people on the whole
line. Then | began work Oh my
neighbors. This next time they call.
ell Il meeting for my house 1 notified
the chairman that wasn't keeping
public hall, and he had to get out
and chase round the ghborhood
to notify the others that the worm
had turned. The next day drove
all the children off tho lawn in front
of my house, put up a NO Trespass.
ing sign and bought Il dog. There
after l proceeded to kick systematic
ally and vigorously at everything
that did NOS please me. / informed
everybody that l came in contact
with that | was meaner'n n balky
horse and endeavored to live up to
that idea. 1t has been great sue
cess. They don't talk so much about
what nice fellow am, but l am
treated with the most distinguished
consideration. If they want inc to
do anything now, they say, Please,
mister, and they consult mo in re-
gard to everything pertaining to the
neighborhood and give close atten-
ton to all my suggestions. lam ac-
tually beginning to have q very
pleasant and comfortable time of it,
and l don't much care what kind of
a reputation am acquiring. Chi
cago Post.