The organ of the temperance reform. (Cincinnati, O. [Ohio]) 1852-1853, 1852-03-12


inzzas in the pit from those who had the ylces
,ut not the virtues Of the red-shirted hero
This piece did more 70 degrade those already
degraded, and to vitiate the language with slang
han would Be presumed, II the B'hoys are to
be exhibited, exhibit them as they arei show
their defects, and make no attempt 10 gloss
them over with tinseled ialsshOod
The Bhoys IN the ci afe certainly very
numerous, aud have contributed much 10 the by
no means enviable reputation Of rowdyism it
has acquired. Inferior a. they may seem, they
have great influence in giving town a charac-
ter. Upon them depend its notoriety, and in
q great measure its quiet. They it is who fig
ure so prominently in riots and "mnsses" gen
orally; who swear 20 Tremendously on excita.
Bile occasions; and make threats that would
have done Lueius Catalne good to think Of
They are always sin" for scene, and never
fail to make the most Of it. Ii they can fright.
en- any one, they are highly repaid Tor the ez.
ercise to which they have put their lungs and
the amount Of gaseous compound they have
permitted to escape in snch detonating volumes.
They have remarkable ambition to be what
johnson calls
Lords OF the streets and terrors of the wayI''
and with peacesbly disposed citizens havesuC-
ceeded.
The question is often asked, what profession
the B'hoys follows They have no regular
one, and some none at all. Their vOcations art
various, although they frequently abandon ev'
cry thing to play the B'hoy and how that sup
tports them is q matter they osst understand
themselves. A few Of them are, or have beer
mechanics, who, if they labor at all, do so only
once or twice month. These, usually, how.
ever retire from business very soon after they
have embraced the society Of the B'hoys, and
acquired the knowledge Of the lOafer and tht
'rounder" which enables them to live upon
their wits or others generosity or industry
The larger portion Of the Bhoys never seem
to have done anything in particular. but every
thing in general; though the every thing be.
longs to the past rather than the present and
the future. They continue to live anyhow,
and that is all any Of us can do.
The B'hoy, generally speaking, has had but
little education and less breeding. Frequently
he has been left parentless, and thrown upon the
world at very tender age, to buffet the rude
waves Of life With no one to cultivate his
mind, to enrich his heart by gentle teachings,
to arouse his spirit to the sense of obligation he
owes to himself and his country, he grows up
ignorant, careless, and self-willed. He has no
guide but his passions, and all the feelings Of
our nature speak 10 his rude heart ridiculous,
because an unknown, tongue. No poetry is
there in his soul above that which can make
him enjoy negro melody. The most delicate
sentiment passing through his brain would uu-
dergo the change of the medium, and settle in
to coarse form amongst the crowd of course
ideas gathered there. He laughs and shouts and
swears, and never pauses to think if he has a
higher destiny, and if be did, would hardly be
able to arrive atany definite conclusion.
The B Bhoy delights in mischief, and frequent
! ly in villainy. So obtuse in fact, is his com
| prehension that there are times when he can no
distinguish between the two What brings hin
pleasure and sport, he thinks, must have simi
lar effect upon everybody else, and if it don't
he cares not Had he reflected upon the fabl
of the boys and frogs, he would perhaps chang
his opinion. But here is the difficulty. HI
has read nothing. IL he had, he would be wise
and consequently better
, favorite place Of resort for portion Of th
3 b hoys is our engine houses. They greatly lov
to run to fires, as this produces an exeitemer
q which they so much desire. When they fin
no prospect of a small conflagration and al
, anxious for a run they very probably give OIL
of the false alarms for which Cincinnati is
deservedly celebrated They usually distir
guish themselves exceedingly at fires, as we
by their activity and diligence in queling II
flames, as by making more noise than any Otht
5 persons in the neighborhood. Thefew 'rumpuse
D which take place upon these occasions if the
D owe not their origin to the B'hoys. find thei
4 participators before their close. When bricks al
flying, spanners flashing and clubs descending
! they seem to be in their element, and crack
"chum" over the head with as much good wi
as they would peanut, when some distiH
. guished trsgedian is striving to out grin
e Brazilian ape in a hOrrid death scene. The
e have not, We are happy TO say, much pastiH
a Of this kind afforded them. Did i, depeu
e upon their vote they would never let fire pa
t without being enlivened by a small number
cracked crowns and black eyes.
To the engine houses they are all much a
= tached, as they serve for loafing places. Tit
. makes these a SOFT Of rendezvous, where
q meet their companions and iuflict most dis
b greeable comments upon the passers.by. Th
they can do with impunity, as the r charaCt
8 and number both have the effect Of obviatir
punishment. Here too the B'hoys can condu
almost any kind Of riotOus proceedings, and a
ter the labors Of the day lie down and 20
e Sleep method embracing economy and col
VenienCe.
, Bawdy houses they much infest, as we'll fro
inclination as policy. They are sometimes el
plUyed here as bullies s'-tO knock down mi
who have an objection to being insulted or rO
bed without complaint. We are not sure th
those who get sound drubbing do not merit
for frequeuting these haunts Of infamy, eV
h from such a source. Oftener, however,
II B hoys are " lovers" or 4" fancy men" W.
If could fancy them to be meni) Of the Cypria
o attached to the brothels. They snPpJrt ther
It selves upon the profits Of the awfal traffic viii
e their SWeet-hearts coBdnet In thair absence, O
!. with them form preconeerted plans to fright
off their admirers and rob them Of the va
d ables they may have about them. This bu
e ness, we suppose, is pretty lucrative, from
n partlality which is shown for It by the B'ho
:. They do not spend all their time at the broth,
# but divide it between them and the grOgger
re where, if their finances be low they can be
re ed to drink-ahd they can't refuse with g
grace.
"a This is most admirable manner Of pass
m ones existence What susceptible, elega
ne high-toned gentlemen must they be! II
;. would not take more than dollar from 20
2. they knew you had no more They must c
4. taiuIy pant
n, - "TO win the wreath OF fame,
- And write on memory's scrol deathless nam
eL Besides, the B'hoys have their other Ii
81 amusements which they do not permit to 9
er fliet with the more important ones. AT nit
nc after having poured down Sufficient quan
30 of spirits to make them reckless, they 60 ah
7; the city in bands, insulting and often CONN
"a Z, ting irreParable injury upon defenceless
u men who are obliged to be out after dark
- They take the name Of regulas0rs now and u
n and ''clean OUT some Of the estsblishm'
Is whose inmates bava rend daraa fhaynseIves ohm