Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1858-11-26


leys every separate resource for keeping
up commotion that the superatundan
vitality of each can originate. He car
dance like Jim Smith-he has learned
to smack his lips like Joe Brown ant
Will Briggs has shown him how to new
like a cat, and he enters the premises
with new war whoop, learned from Tom
Evans. He feels large and valorous; he
has learned that he is a boy. and has a
general impression that he is growing
immensely strong and knowing, and de-
spises more than ever the conventional
ties Of parlor life; in fact he is more than
ever an interruption in the way of decent
folks who want to be quiet.
1t is true. that if entertaining persons
will devote themselves exclusively to him,
reading and telling stolies, he may be
kept quiet; but then this is discouraging
work, for he swallows story as Rover
does piece Of meat, and looks at you
for another and another, without the
slightest consideration, so that this re-
source is of short duration, and then the
old question comes back: What is to
be done with him:
But after all, Charley cannot be Who'll
ly shirked, for he is an Institutional
solemn and awful fact; and on the an
swer to the question, What is to be done
with him depends future.
Many hard. morose, bitter man has
come from a Charley left to run the
streets, that mamma ard sisters might
play on the piano and write letters in
peace. 1t is easy to get rid Of him; there
are fifty ways of doing that. He is a
spiri. that can be promptly laid, but if
not laid Alright ill come back, oy-and
by, a strong men armed, when you can
not send him off at pleasure
Mamma and sisters had better pay
little tax to Charley now, than terrible
one by-and-by. There IS something
significant in the old English phrase,
with which our Scriptures render US ia
miliar, NAN child-a MAN child. There
you have the word that should make you
think more than twice before you an
swcr the question: "What shall we do
with Charley
For to-day he is at your feet; to-day
you can make him laugh, you can make
him cry, you can persuade, coax, and
turn him to your pleasure; you can make
his eyes fill and his bosom swell with re-
citels of good and noble deeds; in short,
you can mould him if you will take the
trouble.
But look ahead some years when that
little voice shall ring in deep bass tones;
when that small foot shall have mans
weight and tramp; when rough beard
shall cover that little, round chin, and
the wilful strength Of manhood fill out
that little form. Then you would give
worlds for the key to his heart, to be
able to turn and guide him to your will;
but if you will lose that key now he is
little, you may search for it carefully,
some other day, and nerer find it.
Old housekeepers have proverb, that
one hour lost in the morning is never
found all day. 1t has significance in
this case.
One thing is to be noticed about Char
ley, that, rude, and busy, and noisy as
he is, and irksome as carpet rules and
parlor Ways re.to him, he is still social
little creature, and wants to be where
the rest Of the household are. A room
ever SO well adapted for play, cannot
charm him at the hour when the family
is in reunion; he hears the voices in the
parlor, and his play-room seems DESC
late. 1t may be warmed by a furnace
and lighted with gas, but it is human
warmth and light he shive.s for; he
yearns for the talk of the family, which
he SO imperfectly comprehends, and he
longs to take his playthings down and
play by YOU, and is incessantly promis-
ing that of the fifty improper things
which he is liable to do in the parlor, he
will not commit one if you will let him
stay there.
This instinct of the little one is Ma,
ture's warning plea-God's admonition.
o. how many mother who has neglect
ed it because it was irksome to have the
child about, has longed at twenty-five to
keep her son by her side, and he would
not. Shut out as little Arab; con-
stantly told that he is noisy, that he is
awk kward and meddlesome, and plague
in general, the boy has found at last his
own company in the streets, in the high
ways and hedges, where he runs ill the
day comes when the parents want their
son, and the sisters their brother, and
then they are scared at the face he brings
back t. them, as he comes all foul and
smuuy from the companionShip to which
they have doomed him. Depend upon
it. if it is too much trouble to keep your
boy in yo ur society, there will be places
found for him-warmed and lighted with
no friendly fires where he who finds
some mischief still for idle hands to do,
will care for him, if you do not. You
may put out tree aud it will grow while
YOU sleep, but a son you caunot-you
must take trouble for him. either little
now OF great deal by-andby.
Let him stay with you at least some
portion of every day; bear his noise and
his ignorant ways. Put aside your book
or work to tell him story, or show him
A pictures devise still parlor plays for
him, for he gains nothing by being allow
ed to spoil the comtart of the whole cir
Gle. A pencil, sheet of paper. and
few patterns will sometimes keep him qui-
ct by you for an hour, while you are talk
ng, or in corner he may build block
house, annoying nobody. Ii he does
now and then disturb you, and it costs t
you more thought and care to regulate
lim there, balance which is the greatest