Monmouth weekly herald. [volume] (Freehold, N.J.) 1854-1860, 1858-12-02
A Boys TRIAIs.

uSA4 As~RA9AAkaA LIS q SOP
ital article on this subject. Here are
some extracts:
HIS REGULATIONS WITH THE OLD NAN"
VIZ suppose that the first severe trial
a boy has to undergo, is to submit his
will TO the Old man whom he is taught to
consider his father. To be restrained
in doors at night, to be forbidden T. go
in swimming Eve times a day. or 10 be
hindered from pinching the rest of the
children just for fun, is an interference
with natural! inalienable rights. every way
injurious to the feelings. And then. when
upon some overwhelming temptation. tn
boy asserts his independence of parental
control, and receives a tanning" with
a switch. from a ounce bush. either upon
his back or his bare feet. it becomes real
ly a very serious thing. We never could
see that the smart of an operation like
this was at all assuaged by the affection
ate assurance that it was bestowed out Of
pure love.
SITTING UP WITH q GIRLS.
The next great trial of that boy is to
be obliged by a cruel master to sit with
the girls at school. This usually comes
before the development of those undenia
bic affinities which, in after life would
tend to make the punishment more dura
Die. To be pointed out as a gal boy
to be smiled at by the master. who is SO
far delighted with his own inefable pleas
antry, as to give the little boys license to
laugh aloud, and to be placed by the side
Of a girl who had no handkerchief, and
no knowledge of the use of that article
Is, we submit, a trial Of no mean magni
tude. Yet we have been there, and have
been obliged to sit up close with big
Rachel, laughing and blushing. till We
came to hate her Fname. We wonder
where the overgrown, strowsy creature il
now. and what the condition Of her head
is?
THE FIRST L~oNG-TAILED COAT.
We do not believe that any boy eve,
pus or his long tailed coal without a sens
of shame. He first twists his back hal
off, looking at it in the glass, and then
when he steps out of doors, it seems tt
him as if all creation was in a broa(
grin. The sun laughs in the sky tht
cove turn to look at him there are face
at every window his very shadow mock
him when he walks by the cottage where
Jane lives, be dares not look up for hi
life. The very boards crack with con
seriousness of the strange spectacle. anC
the old pair of pants that stop a light il
the garrett window nod with derision.-
If he is obliged to pass IA groupe of mer
aud boys, the trial ssumes it's most ter
rifle stage. His legs get all mixed ~
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 a dish
cloth, worn as a badge of disgrace. 1t il
a happy time for him when he gets to tht
church, and sits down with his coat tai
under him but he is still apprehensivt
with thinking of the Sunday School, an(
wonders if any Of the children will ash
him to swing his long tail blue"
GOING HONE WITH THE GIRLS.
The entrance into society may be sale
to take place after boyboed has passe(
taway, yet a multitude take the Initiative
before their boards are %presentable. L
is a great trial, either to tender or tough
age. For an oyergrown boy to go to {
door, and to knock OF ring with absolute
certainty that in two minutes all theil
eyes will be upon him, is a severe test O
courage. TO go before these girls anC
make a satisfactory tour of the room
without stepping on their toes, and ther
to sit down and dispose Of ones hands
without putting them into ones pockets
is al achievement which few boys car
boast of. If a boy can get so far as. te
measure off ten yards of ,ape with one O.
these girls, and cut it short at each end
he may stand q chance to pass a pleasant
evening, but let him not 1atter himself
that ali the trials of evening are over
Then comes at last the breaking up
The dear girls don their hoods, and put
On their shawls, and look so saucy and
mischievous, and impressible, as if they
did not wish anybody to go home with
them. Then comes the pinch, aud the
boy that has the most pluck makes to the
prettlest girl, his heart is in his throat,
and his tongue clinging to the roof ofhis
mouth, and crooking his elbows, STAN.
mers out the words, shall | see you
home? She touches her fingers to his
arm, and they walk home about a foot
apart, feeling as awkward as a couple of
goslins. AS soon as she is safe inside of
her own doors, he struts home, and thinks
he has really been and gone and done it.
Sleep at last, with dreams of Car
cline and calico, and he awakes in the
morning and finds the door Of life open
to him, and the pigs squealing for break
fast.
CONCLUDING REFLECTIONS.
We have passed yer churning, and
learning the catechlsm, because we are