The Rutland herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1850-1852, 1850-09-12
THE QrICK-TEliPEKED DOY.

shook herself all over. ...
TIE QrICK-TEAlPEKED boy.
About City years sgo, boy wa.
born in one Of the cities Of New
England, whose life - q lessoa TO al
the youth Of the land, and whose
story We are now going to tell for
their warning and instruction.
I John was a bright boy. He was
sent to school early, and although he
was not smarter than many others of
fhis age with whom he MAS studying.
he seemed to take hold wi,h a quick
ness that gave rrmisc Of progress.
John was known among his school.
mates as clever boy, bu, one who
wonll get mad very quickly, and
while he wa. mad, he wa, d danyc,.
Gus boy to ,ncddle with
John was an only cllid. One
would think that he would on this ac-
count have been watched with great.
or care, anil the bad habits Of his
early years corrected, before they be.
came so fixed and settled that they
could not be broken up. But his
parents let him do as lie liked. Ifhe
wanted to stay home from school
they gave him leave to do 50. If he
wanted to follow the soldiers through
the streets, they let him 90. When
he came to table he helped himself to
what he liked ; and If his father or
mother ventured 10 tell him that this
was not good for him, or that he had
enough already, he would fly into a
passion, and then they would give it
to him to make him qniet. In this
way, he soon found out that he was
master Of the house, and that his par.
ents must do as he said. Perhaps
yon think it was all very pleasant for
the boy, and you wish that you could
have your way in everything. You
dislike to be told that you cannot
have this, aud you cannot 90 there
when you have set your heart upon
it ; and you sometimes think that
yonr parents arc very hard when
they require you to DO as they think
bett, and give you no reasons for it.
Well, John had no such parents
They had bu. this one child, and 80
they let him do as he pleased.
Often he came from school with
black eye or a bloody nose, having
had fight with some Of the boys in
the street, and then his mother was
so sorry for her dear child, thnt some
dreadful wicked boy in the street had
been beating so terribly. She did
not for a moment think that johnny
had been in fault. lie was a dear
good boy, and he could not have
made tie first atrack-but they be.
licycd his story, that he was walking
along the streets, thinking about his
lessons, when big boy came along,
hit him in the face, trippcd him up,
sud then ran of as hard as he could
80.
These stories he was in the habit
Of telling to his parents, whenever he
got into trouble. As they believed
him, and never took any pains to
find out the truth, he was not slow
in learning to tell lies. lie became
a confirmed liar. Perhaps, if his par
cuts lad punished him for getting
angry 80 often, and had punished him
more severely for the lies that he told
to hide his faults, they might have
broken up these habits, or at least
restrained them in a measure, SO that
they wonld not have led to such sad
results in his after life.
When he was old enough. he was
sent to college. Here, in the midst
of young men Of his own aye. he was
distinguished for his ungovernablc
temper. and often was seized aud
held fast when he was about to make
an attack upon his companions. Such
young man was in fair way to ru-
in. lie travelled after he was out Of
college, aud accustomed to being in.
dulgcd i'll everything that he desired,
he gave himself up to the pursui. Of
Of pleasures, and plunged into every
excess Of vice. lie returned home.
His PARENTS were now dead, and they
had left little or nothing for his sup.
port. lie was obliged to do some
thing for himself. lie had had the
best advanta ses for education, ard
his learning was now all that was left
to him. lie became a teacher. lie
married, and q family was gathered
around him. But the habits Of youth
we're stronger than his love for wifi.
and children. lie spent all the mon-
ey he could get in the indulgence Of
his passions. lie had not been tau yht
to restrain them when he wa. voun..
and now they governed him when he
came " be old. His talents lis cdu.
cation, aud bis manners gave him a
high staining in society. Those who
did not know his secret character, re.
spec;ei him as man Of learning and
taste, and his iainil were admired
i f..--0a II -. Il