St. Cloud Democrat. [volume] (Saint Cloud, Stearns County, Minn.) 1858-1866, 1858-12-23
hours at least. But he comes home nois-
ier and more breezy than ever, having
learned Of some twenty other Charley's,

hours at least. But he comes home nois-
ier and more breezy than ever, having
learned of some twenty other Charley's,
every seperatc resource for keeping up a
comnotion that the superintendent vitality
Of each can originate. He can dance like
jim Smith-hc has learned to smack his
lips like Joe Brown-and Will Briggs has
shown him how to NEW like cat, and he
enters the promises with new war whoop
learned from Tom Evans. He feels large
and valorous; he has learned that he is a
boy, and has general impression that he
is growing immensely strong and knowing,
and despises more than ever the conven-
tionalities 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 stories he may be kept
quiet; but then this is discouraging work,
for he swallows story..as Rover does a
peice Of meat, and looks at you for anoth-
er and another, without the slightest con-
sideration, 50 that this resource is Of short
duration, and then the old question comes
back: What is to oe done with him?
But after all, Charley cannot be wholly
shirked, for he is an institution-a solemn
and awful fact and on the answer to the
question, What is to be done with him :?
depends future.
Many hard, morose, bitter man7 has
come from Charley, turned of and me-
elected; many s; parental heart-ache has
come from a Charley left to run the streets,
that mamma and sisters. might play on the
piano and write letters in peace. It is
easy to get rid Of him; there are fifty ways
Of doing that. lie is a spirit that can be
promptly laid, bat if not laid Alright will
come back, by-and-by, a strong man arm
ed, when you cannot send him off at pleas
urc.
/ Mamma and sisters had better pay a lit
tic tax to Charley now, than a terrible one
by-and-by. There is something significant
IN the old English phrase, with which our
Scriptures render us familiar, MAN child
"a Man child. There you have the
word that should make you think more
than twice: before you answer the uues-
tlon "What shall we do with Charley 2"
For to-day he is at your feet; to-day
you can make him laugh, you can make
hin cry, you can persuade, coax, and turn
nm to your pleasure; YOU can make his
eyes till and his bosom swell with rccitals;
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 a man S
weight and tramp; when rough beard
shall cover that little round, chin, and the
wiltul strength Of manhood fll out that lit
tic 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
loose that key now he islittle, you may
search for it carefully, with tears, some
other day, and ncOea' find it.
Old housekeepers have O. proverb, that
one hour lost in the morning is never
found all day. It has a 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 are to him, he is still a social little
creature, and wants to be where the rest
Of the household are. "A room ever so
we'll adapted for play, cannot charm him
at the hour when the family is inre-urion;
he hears the voices in the parlor, and his
play room seems dcsolate. Il may be
warmed by a furnace and ligh:: cdwith gas,
but it is hwnsan warmth and light hcshiv-
ers for; he yearns for the talk of the faii1i-
ly, which he SO impcrfectly com mprchcnds,
and he longs to take his p aythings down
and play by you, and is necessarily prom
ising that Of the fifty improper things he
is liable to do in the parlor. he will not
commit one if you will let him stay.
The instinct Of the little one is Natures
warming plea-God's admonition. O,how
many mother has neglected 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; constantly told that he is
noisy, that he is awkward and meddle-
some, and a plague in general, the boy
has found at last his own company in the
streets, in the highways, and hedges, where
ne runs till the day comes when the pa
rents want their son, and the sisters their
brother, and then they are scared at the
tace he brings back to them, as he comes
all foul and smutty from the companion.
ship to which they have doomed him.
iepend upon it, ifit is too much trouble
to keep your boy in your society, there
will be places found for 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 and it will
grow while you sleep, but son you cam
,H& Al l. ~