The Bon Homme County independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1904-1913, 1910-01-13
Handed from
Father to Son

From the Philadelphia Public Ledger.
Tommy whackleton and his veneer
ated father. were just coming out OF an
executive session in the woodshed, the
former with a more or less reflective
look in his eye, and the latter holding
a hairbrush firmly in his hand. bristle
side up. Z
"Now,~ sir" said Mr.. Whackleton,
'wiping the perspiration from his brow
and addressing the opposition. III you
have anything further to say upon TINS
particular subject there is no time Xix
the present."
IT have a few questions to put to the
party Of the first part" rejoined TOM
my.
ing himself on the doorsill
Ibid you not once assure me, IA
ther, that only a rank coward ever
struck, tackled or in otherwise ven
tured an assault upon a fellow that
was smaller than himself?" asked Tom
my.
ayes. my son. said the old gentle
man, IT did. 1t is the height Of coward
ice--but what of it?"
Nothing, sir" replied the boy. II
shall make a note of the fact that un-
less there are exceptions to the rule in
this particular case 1t has been demon
strated beyond all peradventure that
there are In my ancestry certain regret
table tendencies which 1t behooves me
to overcome. Another question, sir"
"As many as you like, my son." said
Mr.. Whackleton, with a glitter IN MS
eye.
"You-er-you have frequently OBJ
served in my presence, have you not"
continued Tommy, that only the veri-
est poltroon would ever think Of attack
ing another fellow behind his back?'
"Yes!' retorted Mr.. Whackleton, his
face growing very red. Yes! Do you
dispute it?"
"On the contrary father" said Tom
my. II not only do not dispute 1t, but
I reassert it on the authority both
your precept and example, sir. / have
asked three questions because l am de-
sirous of getting at some OF the funda-
mental principles Of correct living;
principles, sir, which make for the per-
| lection of character, and by the strict
| observance of which only may l over
come some inherited ~propensities to evil
| which may seriously mar my good
| name In the future. Tell me, sir, dld
! your father do these things to your
HE most certainly did, retorted
Whackleton, reaching out to grab the
youth by the collar, unavailingly, how
ever, since the horse trough now STOOD
between them.
"And his father lie the same to him
before that?' asked Tommy.
"You bet he did-come here!" roared
WhacKleton.
"Then, SIR said Tommy, rolling up
his sleeves and trying his muscle, i
promise you, my dear father. that ]
shall hereafter lead the life which you
most desire me to lead, so that when
my manhood comes / shall be robust
and strong,Sand so that again when my
posterity first butts into life l shall
be ready for 1t. Here is hoping my first
born is triplets!"
"Triplets, my son?' cried his parent.
Nothing less than that, sir, will
suit my flial purposes" returned Tom
my. II shall larrup the first with a
whole heart in memory of my great
grandfather. I shall wallop the second
as few infants have ever been wal
Hoped before, in honor of my grand
father, and as for the third, dear ia
ther, 1 shall lambast, whack, spank,
thrash. castigate, chastise, whopfog,
cuff, swinge and belabor with hair
brush, strap, strop, single, lath and
palm within an inch of his existence,
in loving remembrance of you"
Whereupon Mr.. Whackleton by a
skilfully executed flank movement,
Selling the youth by the ear, gave him
again a full-dress rehearsal of just how
the hairbrush could be most effectively
used IN promoting the moral welfare
of triplets.