Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1856-03-05
Boy Love.


One of the oueerest and funniest things to think
of in after life. is boy. love- No sooner does boy
acquire tolerable stature than he begins to ina
pine himself man, and to ape mannish ways
He casts side glances at the tall girls ne may
meet. becomes regular attendant at church, or
meeting carries cane, holds his head erect, and
struts little in his walk. Presently, and how
very soon, he falls in love yes, fall, is the proper
word, because it best indicates his happy. .delirous
self abasement. He lives now in fairy region.
somewhat collateral to the world and yet, t,blended
somehow inextricably with it. He perfumes his
hair with fragrant oils, scatters essences oyer his
handkerchef,and desperately shavss and annoints
for beard He quotes poetry, in which Glove"
and s.dove" and "heart" and "dart" peculiarly
predominate and he plunges deeper in the deli
cious labyrinth, fancies himself filled with the
divine afl,tus, and sudden by breaks into scarlet
rash-of rhyme. He feeds upon the Looks OF his
beloved is raised to the seventh heaven 1t she
speaks pleasant word is betrayed into the most
astonishing ecstacies by smile and is plunged
into the gluomiest regions Of msanlhropy by
frown. fs; -1.st. s.a H1
He believes himself the most devoted lover In
the world There was never such another. There
never will be. He is the one great idoater! He
is the very type of magnanimity and self abnega
,ion. Wealth he despises the groveling thought
Proverty, with the adorable beloved he rapturous-
ly apustrophzes as the fist Of all earthly bless
ings and "Iove in outage, with water and a
crust" is his beau ideal paradise of dainty de-
lights. = r.s.q az ,.,1e l.i r,,gps r.qc
lie declares to himself, with the most solemn
emphasis, that he would 90 through fire and
water; undertake pilgrimage to China or Kan
schatka swim storm -t,sscd oceans scale impass
able mountains, aud face legions Of bayonets. for
bu, one sweet smile from her dear lips. He doats
upon flower she has cast away. He cherlshes
her glove-a little worn in the ingers-next his
heart. He signs like locomotive letting off
steam He scrawls her dear name over quires OF
foolscap--a "a fitting medium Tor HE insanity. He
scornfuly deprscates the attention Of other boys
of his own age cuts Peter Tibbes dead because
he said that the adorable Angelina had carrotty
hair and passes Harry Bell contempuousy for.
daring to compare ''that gawkey Mary Jane"
with his incompatible Angelina. 9i@
Happy! happy fouish boy-Iove! with its joys,
and lis hopes, and its fears lis sorrows, lis jeal-
uusies and its delights; lis raptures and lis tor
lures It's ecslatic eryurs and terrible heart burn
ings; its suemn ludicrousness and its intensely
prosalc termination. rii -i a' ai-4
The MorHER AND THE WIpow-The follow
ing we'll portrayed picture take from religious
paper Ii there is any situation which deserves
sympathy and commands respect it is that of the
mother left by the loss of her husband her earthly
stay and support, 10 buffet the elements Of adverse
fortune alone 80 stf e#ai'4 10
"We are slow to acknowledge any womanly
character. living or dead, superior to that of the
good mother-such as we find her in all our COM
mupties. She is perhaps called to no single great
act of devotedness- her whole life is sacr-
flee for the good of Others How she works 10
bring up her children. No labor is too hard. She
denies herself every comfort 10 give them an edu-
cation. She would part with her own hearts
boud 10 make them happy.
"This deyotedness becomes more remarkable
when, ty the death of the father, the mother is
left alone to struggle on through life. If we were
to set ont to explore this city, we should find
many poor widow, with Ave or six children de-
pendent upon her, struggling for their support with
a patience and courage tEply heroic. With no
friends to help her, and no means of support but
her needle, she undertakes to provide for her little
family. She makes her home in an attic and
there she sits and struggles with poverty. No
one comes to see her. She hears only the cry ofl
those hungry little mouths, which call to her for
bread. And there she tolls all day long, and often
half the night, that she may not want And yet
she does not complain. If only her strength holds
out, and her efforts are successful, her mothers
hear! is satisfied and grateful"
METAL AprIFIry.-A vacant mind invites
dangerous inmates, as a deserted mansion ,empts
wandering outcasts to enter, and take up their
abode in its desolate apartments. |