Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1903-08-27
A NEWSPAPER Man
j. PECK SHARP WRITES HARD
LUCK STORIES FOR THE
INTER-ocEAN.
Has Ceased Handling the Leather
Sphere and Has Taken to the Pen
His Speciality Deals With Dreams
of Himself.

"a j. Peck sharp, the OLD Tune pail
player, who was a member Of the OF
tunlwa club when base ball was fam
Gus in this city, has a new occupation.
He has ceased the handling OF the cor
nerless sphere and has taken to that
which is mightier than the sword. Peck
ks, now on the story-writing staff of
the Chicago Inter-Ocean and his spe.
cialty is, telling on paper "hard-luck'
stories. 1t seems Peck's thirst quench-
ing establishment, which he recently
established at Keokuk did not pan out
in profitable way and ne has departed
from that quiet little village
III. The following is Mr.. Sharpe's lat
est burst into print:
Warsaw, Ill, Aug. IL. 1903.
"Old Pal Jack
Here | am in Warsaw III at the
street fair. l started what | thought
was a. get rich quick business in Keo-
huk, but about half of my customers
presented me with a bill for gass or
waiter or Ice or cigars and other things
to numerous to mention, so one day
when seen one of my best customers
coming across the street | took the
boat for this place, and when l landed
found out there was street fair, for
stretched right across the street at the
top of the hill was a big sign that real,
Welcome Haweaters.'
$50 i goes up and dident have cent
but / commenced to figure how
could make a piece of coin l saw EN-
selling red Lemonade two glasses for
five cents, so / figured how | could
beat that. went down to the river
4 1,o n,~f ND
a couple of them neworleans molasses
barrels. filled EN- with river water
and had fellow haul them up the hill
set EN- right .clost to corner and
went down the street and picked up a
few orange peals and put into the bar
rels then commenced to figure how
was going to get some sugar to make
the water sweet, when | happened to
think of them being Molasses Barrels
i took a good look at the waiter and it
had the collier all right then tasted it
and it was plenty enough.
Peck Fell Tough.
l 81 put a big sign out. All you can
drink for five cents then seen every
body running down to the next corner
and / asked a fellow what was the
matter and he says the high dive is
Just going to come off and SO l run
down with the crowd. We was down
there about fifteen minutes and seen
this fellow fall off ladder into tank
Of water. then l run back to my or
ange cider and bless your sole Jack if
the farmers wasent watering their
teams out OF, my cidar barrels and the
last drop was gone.
Now Jack I felt awful tough after
maxim a failure at wrestling and UNI
pirjng and at the races. then to break
in business SO soon.
81 went over to the park and went
to sleep and say Jack had the funni.
est dream dremped was umpiring
game of ball and was standing be-
hind the pitcher I holered play ball,
and when the pitcher threw the ball
up their was six or eight fellows stand
ing at home plate with bats, they all
swung at once and hit the ball down to
the short stop l looked to see if he
had got it and when | looked around
to see if the runer was out or not
here went seven or eight horses with
Jockeys on 'em Just rideing to beat
the band. Dick Wells was in the lead
they all run to first and jumped on the
bag with their front feet and then took
for second. Dick Wells was still in
the lead with horse that looked like
Hermis, second and the fellow that
was on hermis was coaching Dick
Wells, when they got clost to second
the Jockey that was on Hermis Holler-
ed slide Dick and he just
doubled up his front feet under him and
made the prettiest slide you ever saw.
Il says touch all the bases or l will