The independent press. (Abbeville C.H., S.C.) 1853-1860, 1857-11-13
Henry Ward Beecher on Bows.

A boy Is piece of existence quite scpa-
rate from all things else, and deserves scpa-
rate chapters in the natural history of man
The real lives of boys are vet to be written.
The lives Of pous and good boys, which
enrich the catalogues of great publishing
houses, resemble Il real BOYS life about :ls
much as chicken picked and lar,led upon
a spit, and ready for delicious eating, rcsem-
blcs free fowl in fields. With some few
honorable exceptions, they are impossible
boys, with incredible goodness. Their pic
ty is monstrous. A mans experience stuf.
fed into n little boy is simply monslrous.
And we are soundIy skepticaI of this whole
school Of pate dc .toie gras picty. Apples
that ripen long before their time are either
diseased or wvrm-bttcn.
So long rs boys are babies, how much
they are cherished But hy-and-bv the
cradle is needed for another. From the
time babe becomes boy, until he is Il
young man, he is in an anomalous condi-
ton, for which there is no special place as
signed in nature. They are always in the
way. They are always doing something to
call Gown rcbuke.. They are inquisitive as
monkeys, and mcddlesome just where you
don't wish them to be. Boys have period
of mischief as much as they have measles
or chickcn-pox. They invade your drawers,
mix up your tooth-powdcr with l,air-oil
pull your laces and collars from their repos-
itories; upset your ink upon invaluable
manuscripts; tear up precious letters, scatter
your waters, tick everything up with expert
mental sealing wax, and spoil all your pens
in the effort Of spelling all your paper
Poor boys! What arc they good for?
1t is an unfathomab!c mystery that we come
to our manhood (as the IsraeIites reached
Canaan) through the wilderness of boyhood
The are always wanting something they
must not have: going where they ought not
to bc, coming where they arc not wanted,
saying the most awkward things at the
most critical times. They will tell lies, and
after infinite pains to teach them the obIiga-
tions of truth, they give us the full benefit
of frankmess and itcralness by Llurtinc out
before company whole budget Of family
secrets. Would you take quiet
nap! Slambang 60 whole bevy of boys
through the house! Has the nervous baby
at length, after all manner of sin@ings, trot-
tings, soothings, and maternal bosom opiates,
just fallen asleep? BE sure an unmanncrly
boy will be on hand to bawl out for permis.
sion to do something or other which he has
been doing all day without dreaming OF
leave.
The restless activity Of boys is their ne
cessity. TO restain It is to thwart nature
We need to provide for it. MOTTO attempt
to find amusement for them but TO give
them opportunity to amuse themselves. 1t
is astonishing to soc how little it requires to
satisfy boy nature.
First in the list, put strings. What
grown up. people find in thousand forms
of business and society, boy secures in q
string! lie ties up the door for the exou
site pleasure of untieing it again. lie lar
nesses chairs, ties up bis own fingers, halter
his neck, coaxes lesser urchin to bocom,
his horse, and drives stage-which, will
boys, is the top Of human attainment
Strings are wanted for sDarcs, for bows ant
adfrows, for whips, for cat's.crades fos kites
for fishing, and hundred things more tha,
l can recollect. A knife is more excitin,
than string, but does not last 80 long, ant
Is not SO various. After short time it i
lost, or broken, or has cut the finger. Blu
a string is the instrument of endless devices
and within the management and ingenuity @
boy. The first article that parents shoul
lay in, on going to the country, is a 'lary
ball Of ttoine. The boys must notk now il
. II they see whole ball, the charm is, broker
). It must come forth, myeteriously, unexpec,
edly, and as ifthere were no more. ..l,..
For iDdooro. next, we should place upo
the list pencils and white paper. AZ lea,
One hour in every day will be SAFELY secure
J, by that. A slate and pencil are very goo,
! But az children always aspire to>do via
men do, they ACCOUNT the Unused half of.
= letter apd 4 bit of pencil TO ba. worth fwis
= as mich .as any Slate. II s:;gEe7ys.s.I a;tr !;
~Upon the whole, we think arsafe, stseal
3 Of water near by affords The grsatssf fafaou,
I Of enjoyment among all natural Objects