The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1858-12-29
SPLlNTERS ANn FAG-ENNS.


A Boys fetal.
The Springfield Rep0jlic,a has cap
ital article on this subject. Here are some
extracts:
HIS REGULATIONS WITH THE GOLD MAN.
We suppose that the first severe trial
boy has to undergo is to submits his will to
the old man, whom he is taught to consid-
er his father. To be restrained in doors
at night, to be forbidden to 90 in SWIM
ming five times day, or to he hindcred
from pinching the rest Of the children Just
for fun, is an interference with natural in
alienable rights, every way injurious to
feelings And then, when upon some
overwhelming temptation, the boy asserts
his independence of parental control, md
receives staining" with u switch, FROM
ounce bush, either upon his back or bis
bare feet, it becomes really very serious
thing. We never could see the smart Of
an operation like this was at all assuaged
by the aifcctionato 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 to sit with the
girls at school. This usually comes before
the development of those undeniable az
fnities which in after life, would tend to
make the punishment more endurable. To
be pointed out as gal boy" TO be smiled
at grimly by the master, who is so far de-
lighted with his own ineaablo pleasantly
as to give the little boys license to laugh
aloud, and to be placed by the side Of
girl who had no handkerchief, and no
knowledge 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 Rachel,
laughing and blnshing till we came to hate
her name. We wonder where the over
grown frowzy creature is now, and what
he condition Of her head is?
THE FIRST LoNG.rA1LED COAT.
Re do not believe that any boy ever
at on his long-tailed coat without 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 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 spectacle and the old pair Of
pants that stop light in tne garnet win
dow nod with dersion 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 OF his
own agitation, he could not feel worse
were it dishcloth, worn as a badge Of
disgrace. 1t Isl happy time for him
when he gets to the church and sits down
with his coattails under him but he is
still apprehensive with thinking Of the
Sunday school, and wonders if any of the
children will ask him to "swing his long
tailed blue"
GOING HOME WITH THE GIRLS.
The entrance into society may be said
to take place after boyhood has pa sed
away, yet multitude take the initiative
before their boards are presentable. Iii
great trial, either to a tender or tough
age. For an overgrown boy to 20 to Il
door, knowing that there are dozen girls
inside, and to knock Or ring with abse-
lutte certainty that in two minutes all
their eyes will be upon him, is severe
test of courage. To 90 before 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 them in ones peck.
cts, is an achievement which few boys can
boast. If boy can got so far as to mes
ure off ten yards of tape with one of these
girls, and cut it short at each end, he
may stand chance to pass pleasant
evening, but let him not Aatter himself
that all the trials of the evening are over.
There comes at last the breaking IN.
The girls don their hoods and nut on
their shawls, and look so sa0oy and mis-.
chievous, and unimpressible, as if they
did not wish any one to 60 home viii
them, Then comes the pinch, and the
boy that has the most pluck makes
up to the pIettiest gin his heart in
his throat and IL.