| Show raint painted d the preachers nag nam I 1 always take particular pains to secure the good will of small boyn the small all boy is a thorn in the ride side of those lie be dislikes ft a three cornered pebble ln the patent leather of his enemy when tieh e years old I 1 lived about fifteen miles from peoria ills and our next neighbor was a pedantic old preacher who mistook gall for giolli godli biess lie ile was always pe aching on me and retting getting ine me licked I 1 resolved to play even 1112 them cre was to be a big fourth of july celebration in fit peoria and the preacher and lin family were going they would heart before cayll ht as the weather was bit he ile always drove au an old white plug whose ribs might be counted at halt half a mile thedac the day before the fourth I 1 the old the painters had been at work on oil our houie and arid the carriage house was well stocked with colors I 1 ran him in thero there and anti went to work on him I 1 painted his ribs red his lis spine blue and necked flecked it with stars I 1 gave him yellow legs green ears and painted pa sited spectacles ou on him I 1 kept him confined until after dai daik k then drove him home well air the preachers old carryall reached the heart of peoria just before sunup everybody was astir thousands of people gathered around that circus pageant and laughed till they cried they do eny fay that the preacher icher swore he ire turned around and arid drove home tho the entire population following him to the city limits lie ile relied rushed 0 er to on r is on se i in n a towering n g rage but johnnie had gone for a drummer boy and still was wm beyond the reach of his ire interview la in st sr louis globe democrat |
