Democratic Sentinel, Volume 15, Number 25, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 10 July 1891 — He Was Off. [ARTICLE]

He Was Off.

He was getting a shine on his boots as he leaned up against the postoffice building, and, observing that the bootblack had a black eye, he remarked: “I am afraid you are prone to belligerency, my son.” “What’s them?” asked the lad. “You have been engaged iu a physical contest.” “I don’t catch.” “In other words, you resorted to muscular force where argument would no donbt have been far better.” The boy rubbed away for awhile and tried to straighten the kinks out of the several expressions, and then suddenly looked up and queried: “Oh! you mean my black eye, don’t you?” “Of course I do.” “You mean that I’ve been in a fight?” “Yes.” “And got licked?” “Perhaps. It is very sad to see one so young walking in the path which leads to sin and disgrace.” “You’re off, old man —way off!” replied the lad with a good deal of spirit as he chucked his brushes into his box. “I wasn’t scrappin’ wid none of de kids. Seven big fellers was a robbin’ of a man on Second avenue de oder night, an’ I jumped iu an’ saved him an’ his boodle, an’ got dis eye for me reward.” “Oh, that’s it! Then I’m sorry to have said anything. I hope I didn’t hurt your feelings. Here’s a nickel extra.” “My feelin’s was burted, sir, but dis makes it all right Scrap wid a kid! never, sir!” “That’* right, my boy! A brave boy will not fight when he can avoid it” “Ho, sir, and besides, it was his elbow he hit me wid, and all by accident, and de way I did lam de stuffin’ outer dat messenger boy and make him holler would hev made all your hair climb right up! Thankee, sir; I’m alius open to advice !”—New York Sun. Common brown sugar may be sweetest, but loaf sngar is u>'>re refined.