The Council Bluffs nonpareil. [volume] (Council Bluffs [Iowa]) 1857-1867, 1858-09-11
From the Springfield Republican.
RAX.S tidal

laugh Mt Tompkins when ask him show he
carried his soup?'
From the Springfield Republican.
BOYS TRIALS.
1t is hardly the fair thing, that the trials
Of moving machines, fire engines, ocean
steamers, patent medicines and horses,
should occupy the mind to the exclusion of
those trials which all boys have to suffer,
in agreater or less degree, before arrival at
the age of twenty-o one. We propose to
consider some of them. We suppose that
the first severe trial boy has to undergo,
is to submit his will to the old man whom
he is taught to consider his father. TO be
restrain ned in doors at night, to be forbid
going in swimming five times in n day, or to
be hlndcred from pinchns the children, just
for fun, is an Interference with natural ina
!ienable rights, every way injurious to the
feelings. And then, when upon oyerwhel
ming temptation, the boy asserts his inde-
pendence of parental control, and receives
n 'tamng,' with switch from ounce
bush, either upon his back or his bare hand,
it becomes really very serious thing. We
never could see that the smart of an opera
ton like this, was at all assuaged by the af-
fectionate assurance that it was bestowed
out of pure love.
The next trial of the boy is in the con-
sciousness of the low estimate which his
parents place upon his judgment. He feels
himself entirely able to take care of himself
if he could only have his own way. But his
plans are laughed at, and he grinds his teeth
with mpaticnce and anger. We remember
little cahal of boys, who used to assemble
behind barn, to talk over great plans of
enterprise. 1t was finallv V agreed that all
should run away, and somewhere in the
golden empire of the West, lay the founda-
tons of n fortune which would enable US to
return to our homes as rich as nabobs. In
to their plans entered the enriching their
parents with untold gold. They have not
doubt of success. 1t was grand scheme,
above the wisdom Of plodding fathers; and
it seemed to be the only thing that could
possibly emancipate them from the yoke of
parental bondage. Two of these boys final
ly agreed to act rs pioneers. They procur-
ed II box of essence to pcdd!e by the way,
and, in the deep and dark night, started in
search of freedom and fortune. They were
to write to the others when the proper time
should come. There was great rumpus in
the neighborhood when the flight was dis
covered, but they were followed and caught.
1t was said they were glad to get back be-
cause their feet were sore. One of them is
now n blacksmith with seven children, and
the other n wireworker, in comfortable cir
cumstances. What they would have been,
if parental tyranny had not reclaimed them.
it is, of course, impossible to say; but if
they had been anything less than members
of Congress, it would have been.a pity
The cabal met, expressed their Indignation,
and voted that they would have fought the
captors to the bitter end before any one Of
would have been taken. OH if parents
could but appreciate the wisdom of their
boys, what world this would be!
The next great trial Of the boy is to be
obliged, by cruel master, to sit with the
girls at school. This usually comes before
the development of those undetinnblc SYM
pathies and uthnitles which, in after life,
would tend to make punishment more endu-
rable. To be pointed at as gal boy to
be smiled at grimly by the master who is so
far delighted with his own incifable pleas
antry as to give the little boys license to
laugh aloud, and to be placed by the side of
girl who has no handkerchief, and no
knowledge of the usc of that article, is, we
submit, II trial Of no mean magnitude. Yet
we have been there, and been made to 'sit
up cIosc,' with the big Rachel laughing and
bluShing till we came to hate her name
We wonder where the overgrown, frowsy-
headed creature is now, and what the con.
dtion of her head is?
The next trial in order is the assumption
of the long tailed coat. We do not believe
that any boy ever put on his first long tailed
coat without n sense of shame. He first
twists his back half off looking at it in the
glass, and then. when he steps out Of doors,
broad grin. The sun laughs in the sky; the
cows turn to look at him: there are faces at
every window; every shadow mocks him.
When he walks by the cottage where Jane
Ives, he dares not look up, for his life. The
very boardcrs creep with consciousness of
the strange spectacle, and the old pair of
pataloons that stops light in the Garret
window. nod with derisision. If he is
obliged to pass group of men and boys,
the trial assumes its most terrific stage. Ills
legs get all mixed up with embarrassment,
and rs the flap of the dangling arpcnJage
is felt upon them, moved by the wind of his
own asitntion, he could not feel worse We're
it a dish cloth, worn as badge Of disgrace.
1t is happy time for him when he gets to
church, and sits down with his coat tail un-
der him; but he is still npprchcnsivc with
thinking of the Sunday school and wonders
if any of the children will ask him to Swing
his long tailed bluc.'
After the boy has become wontcd to his
long tailed coat, his extreme youth becomes
q trial to him. Various resorts are adopted
to hasten the Development Of manhood. He
watches for the dawning Of beard on his
upper lip, and when ut last the shadowy
promise comes-hoats into his vision on its
downy wings-he borrows the first razor,
and goes at it. His mother, or his sisters.
catch him at it, too, and suggest n dab of
cream and cat as better adapted to his
case than lather and razor. Perhaps lie
undertakes TO chew tobacco, and gets terri
bly, sick, or, possibly, he undertakes, with
many aual,ns of conscience, a little profani-
ty, on private account. Sometimes, indeed
if he can overcome his bashfulncss, he goes
to see girl, or walks home with one from
spelling school. Still the years hang on,
and We know of at least one who believed
his parents were cheating him in regard to
the date Of his birth, with a design Of get
ting twelvemonth more Of work out of
him. 1t was David Copper erfeld, we believe,
who Was so sadly affected by his own con-
scousness of extreme youth, and there is
no man who has ever had n genuine boy
hood who will not recognize the touch as
one of the most natural which the pencil Of
Dickens has revealed.
The entrance into society may be said to
take place after boyhood has passed away,
yet multitude take the initiative before
their boards are prcsentable. 1t is great
trial, either at tender or tough age
For m overgrown boy to 60 to door know
ing that there are dozen girls inside, or to
knock or ring with the absolute certainty
that in two minutes all their eyes will be
upon him, is a severe test of courage. To
60 before these girls and make 4 satisfacto-
Is tour of the room without sterripc on