The Nevada Democrat., 1858-12-29
al ROY,s TRIALs.


A BOYS TRIALS. -
The Springfield Republican has capital arti'
Gle on this subject. Here are some extracts;
HIs REGULATIONS WITH THE "oLD MAN"
We suppose the first severe trial q boy has to
undergo is to submit his will to the old man,
whom be is taught to consider his father. To
be restrained In doors at night, to be forbidden
to 90 In swimming five times day, or be him
dered from pinshing the rest OF the children
just for fun, is an interference with natural in
alienable rights, every way injurious to the
feelings. And then when upon some over
whelming temptation, the boy, asserts his inde-
pendence OF parental control, and receives
"tanning," with q switch frem ounce bush,
either upon his back or his bare feet, it became
really very serious thing. We never could
see that the smart Of an operation like this was
at all assuaged by the affectiOnate assurance
that is was bestowed out of pure love.
SITTING WITH THE GIRLS.
The next great trial of the boy is to be oblig-
ed by q cruel master, to sit with the girls at
school. This usually comes before the devel-
opment OF those undetinable sympathies and af-
finities which In after life would tend to make
the punishment more endurable. To be point
ed out as "gal boy" to be smiled at grimly
by the master, who is so far delighted with his
own ineffable pleasantly as to give the little
boys the license to laugh aloud, and to be
placed by the side of o girl who has no handkor-
chief, and no knowledge of the use of that arti-
Gle, is we submit q trial Of ne mean magni-
tude. Yes as we have been there, and have
been made to "sit up close" with big Rachel,
laughing and blushing till we came to hate her
name. We wonder where the overgrown frouzy
creature is now, and what the condition Of her
head is?
THE FIRST LONG-TAILED COAT.
We do not believe that any boy ever put on
his long-tailed coat without sense of shame.
He first twists his back half of looking at it in
the glass, and then when he steps out of doors
it seems to him as if all creation was in broad
grin. The sun laughs in the sky; the COWS turn
to look at him there are faces at every win
dow his very shadow mocks him. When he
walks by the cottage where Jane lives, he dares
not look up, for his life. The very boards
creak with consciousness of the strange specta-
Gle, and the old pair Of pantaloons that stop q
light in the garret window nod with deriHion.
If he Is obliged to pass group Of men and
boys the trial assumes its most terrific stage.
His legs get all mixed up with embarrassment,
and the flap of the dangling appendage is felt
upon them, moved by the wind or his own agi-
tation; he could not feel worse were it dish
cloth, worn as badge of disgrace. 1t is hap
py time for him when he gets to church and sits
down with his coat tails under him; but he is
school, and wonders if any Of the children will
ask him to Saving his long tail blue"
GOING HOME WITH THE GIRLS.
The entrance into society may be said to take
place after boyhood has passed away, yet a
multitude take the initiative before their boards
are presentable. II is a great trial either at o
fauHor or ION 0h hnu
to 60 at door knowing that there are dozen
girls inside, and to knock or ring with absolute
certainty that in two minutes all their eyes
will be upon him, is q severe test of courage.
To go before these girls and make satisfaetO-
ry tour Of the reom without stepping on their
toes, aud then to sit down, and dispose of ones
hands without putting them into ones pockets,
is an achievement which few boys can boast.
II boy can get 30 far as to measure off ten
yards Of tape with one of the girls, and cut it
short at each end, he may stand chance to
pass pleasant evening, but let him not fatter
himself that all the trials of the evening are
over. There comes, at last, the breaking up.
The dear girls don their hoods, and put on
their shawls, and look so saucy, and msohiev-
GUS, and unimpressible, and independent as if
they did not wish any one to go home with
them. Then comes the pinch, and the boy that
has the most pluck makes up to the prettiest
girl, his heart IN his throat, and his tongue
clinging to the roof Of his mouth and crooking
his elbow, stammers out the words-"Shall ]
see you home 7" She touches her fingers to
his arm, and they walk home foot apart, feel.
ing as awkward as couple of goslings. As
soon as she is safe inside her own doors he
struts home, and thinks he has really been and
gone and done it, Sleep comes to him at last,
with dreams Of Caroline and calico, and he
awakes in the morning and finds the doors of
life open to him, aud the pigs squealing for
breakfast.
CONCLUDING REMARKS.
We have passed over churning, and learn
ing, the catechism, because we were fearful of
making this article too long, although we might
have talked of butter that would not be per-
suaded to ceme, and perplexities of literal
turn of mind and head that measured seven
and a quarter when asked what the chief end
of man was Boyhood is green passage in
mans experience in more senses than one. II
is pleasant thing to think over and to laugh
about now, though it was serious enough then.
Many of our present trials are as ridiculous as
those which now touch the risibles in the recol-
lection, and upon the infancy of the soul thro'
which we passed here, we have no doubt that
we shall grin over the trials which we expert
enced when we lost our fortune, when our mills
were swept away or burned, and when we
didn't get elected to the Legislature. Men are
bat boys Of larger growth.