Preble County Democrat. [volume] (Eaton, Ohio) 1857-1859, 1858-12-09
A Boys Trials.

The Springfield Republican has a
capital article on this subject. Here
are some extracts
HIS REGULATIONS WITH THE GOLD MAN"
We suppose that the first severe tri-
al boy has to undergo is to submit his
will to the old man, whom he is taught
to consider his father. To be restrain
ed in doors at night, to be forbidden to
go in swimming FIVE times day, or to
be hindered from pinching the rest of
the children just for fun, is an intcrfe-
renee with natural inalienable rights,
every way injurious to the feelings
And then, when upon some oyerwhelm-
ing temptation, the boy asserts his in
dependence of parental control, and re-
ceives a tanning" with swith from
quinch bush, either upon his back or
his bare feet, it becomes really very
serious thing. We never could see
that the smart of an operation like this
was at all assuaged by the affectonate
assurance that it was bestowed out of
pure love.
SITTING WITH THE GIRLS.
The next great trial of that boy is to
be Obliged by cruel master te sit with
the girls at school. This usually comes
before the development of those unde-
niable affiuities which, in after life,
would tend to make the punishment
more endurable. To be pointed out as
'gal boy" to be smiled at grinly by
the master, who is SO far delighted with
bis own ineffable pleasantly as to give
the little boys license to laugh aloud,
and to be placed by the side ofa girl
who had no handkerchief, and no knowl-
edge of the use of that article, is, we
submit, trial of no mean magnitude.
Yet we have been there, and have been
obliged to .'sit up close" with big Ra-
chel, laughing and blushing till We
came to hate her name. We wonder
where the overgrown frowzy creature is
now, and what the condition of her
head is2 ...-
THE FIRST LONG TAILED COAT.
We do not believe that any boy ever
put on his long tailed coat without a
sense of shame. He first twists his
back half off looking at it in the glass,
and then when he steps out of doors it
seems to him as if all creation was in a
broad grin. The sun laughs in the
/ sky; the cows turn to look at him, there
are faces at every window; his 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
spectacle, and the old pair of pantaloons
that. stop light in the garret window,
nod with derison. If he is obliged to
pass a group of men and boys, the trial
assumes it 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 of
his own agitation; he could not feel
worse were it dishcloth, worn as a
badge of disgrace. 1t is happy time
for him when he gets to the church and
sits down with his coat tails under him;
but he is still apprehensive with think
ing Of the Sunday school, and wonders
if any of the children will ask him to
"swing 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 multitude take the initiative
before their boards arc presentable. II
is great trial either to tender or &
tough age. For an overgrown boy tc
go to door, knowing that there are q
dozen girls inside, and to knock oil
ring with absolute certainty that in two
minutes all their eyes will be upon him
is severe test of courage. To go be-
fore these girls and make a satisfactory
tour of the room without stepping on
their toes, and then to sit down and
dispose of ones hands without putting
them into ones pockets, is an achiev'
ment of which few boys can boast. Il
boy can get so far as to measure of
ten yards of tape with one Of these girls
and cut it short at each end, he may
stand chance to pass pleasant eve
ming, but let him not fatter himself thai
all the trials of the evening are ovcr.-
There comes at last the breaking up
Tho dear girls don their hoods, and pu
on their shawls, and look so saucy and
: mischievous, and unimpressible, as il
r they did not wish any one to go home
with them. Then. comes the pinch, ant