The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1858-12-02
WHAT is TO BE DONE WITH OUR
CHARLEY?


Yes, that is tho question: The fact is. there
seems to be no place in heaven above or earth
beneath exactly safe and suitable, except the
bed. While he is asleep, then our souls have
rest-we know where he is, and what he is
about, and sleep is gracious state; but then
he wakes up bright and early, and begins foot
ing, pounding, hammering, singing, meddling,
and asking questions; in short, Overturning
the peace of society generally, for about thir-
teen hours out of every twenty -four.
Everybody wants to know what to do with
hm-everybody il quite sure he can't stay
where they are. The cook can't have him in
the kitchen, where he infeSts the pantry, to get
hosr to make paste for his kitos, or melt lard
upon his head. III ne ne up gs,..->.-l
yoS think for while that you have settled the
problem, till you find what boundless field
for activity is at once opened, amid all the
packages, boxes, bags, barrels, and cast-of rub
Dish there. Old letters newspapers trunks of
MISCELLANEOUS contents, are all rnmmagod, and
thee very reign of Chaos and old Night IS lnstl-
tutsd. He sees endless capacities III all, and
he lis always hammering something pr knock
ing something apart, or saving and planning,
or drawing boxes and barrels in an directions,
to build cities or lay railroad tracks, till every
body's head aches quite down to the lower floor,
kept out of the garnet.
Then you send Charley to school, and hope
yo. are fairly rid of him for a few hours at
least. But he comes home nOisier and more
breezy than ever, having learned OF some TWEEN
ty other Charleys every separate resource Tor
keeping up a cOmmotion that the superabun-
dapt vitality of each can originate. He can
daace like Jim Smith-he has learned to smack
his lips like Joe Brown-and viii Briggs has
shswn him how to NEW like n cat, and he en-
tiers the premises with n new war-whOOp, learned
from Tom Evans. He feels large and valor-
GUS he has learned that he is boy, and has
general impression that he is growing I'M
mensely strong and knowing, and despises
more than ever the cOnventionalites Of parlor
life; in fact he is more than ever an interrup-
ton in the way of decent folks who want to be
quiet.
1t is true, that if entertaining persons Will
derote themselves exclusively to him, reading
aud telling stories, he may be kept quiet; but
then this is discouraging work, for he swallows
story as Rover does piece OF meat, and
locks at you for another and another without
the slightest consideration, so that this resource
is Of short duration and then the old question
comes back, What is to be done with him?
But, after ALL Charley cannot DO wholly
sh.rkod, for he is an institution solemn and
awful fact and on the answer TO the question,
What is to be done with him depends future
Many hard, morose, bitter man has come
| from a Charley turned off and neglected many
| a parental heart ache has come from Charley
| lett to run the streets, that mamma and sisters
might play on the piano and write letters i'll
peace 1t is easy to get rid of him there are fifty
| WAYS of doing that. He is spirit that can be
| promptly laid, but if not laid Alright, will come
! back by and by, strong man armed, when you
| cannot send him off at pleasure.
/ Mamma and sisters had better pay little tax
| to Charley now, than a terrible one by and by
| There is something significant in the old Eng
| lish phrase, with which oar Scriptures render US
Eftmiiiar, man-child-a man child. There you
have the word that should make you think more
than twice before you answer the question
"What shall we do with Charley ~
For to-day, he is at your feet; to-day, you cal
make him laugh; you can make HIM cry; you
can persuade, coax, and turn HIM TO you
pleasure YOU can make his eyes fill and hr
bosom swell with recitals of good and noble
deeds in short, you can mould HIM, If you wal
take the trouble. But look ahead some years
when that little voice shall ring in deep has
tones when that small foot shall have man
i weight and tramp; when rough beard shal
cover that little round chin, and all the willfu
strength of manhood fill out that little foru
Then you would give worlds for the key to hi
Heart, to be able to turn and guide him to you
will but if you lose that key now he is little yo
may search for it carefully, with tears, som
,iay and never find it. Old housekeepers hay
q proverb that one hour lost i'll the morning
never found all day. 1t has significance
this case One thing is to be noticed abol
Charley, that, rude aud busy and noisy as he i
and irksome carpet rules and parlor ways al
to him, he is still o social little creature, all
wants to be where the rest of the household ar
A room ever 30 well adapted for play cam.
charm him at the hour when the family Is
reunion he hears the voices in the parlor, an
, shis play-room seems desolate. 1t may be warme
by furnace, and lighted with gas, but 1t
, human warmth and light he shivers for
I yearns for the talk of the family, which he
> imperfectly comprehends, and he longs to tai
cessantly promising that, of the Fifty improP
a things which he is liable to do in tho parlor,