Staunton vindicator and general advertiser. (Staunton, Augusta County, Va.) 1858-1860, 1858-12-18

tracts
HIS Regulations aoith tile "CFd HAM,
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 restrained indoors at night,
to be forbidden to 60 in swimming FIVE times
a day, or to be hindered from pinching the
rest of the children just for fun, is an inter-
ference with natural, unalienable rights, ev-
cry way injurious to the feelings. And then
when upon some overwhelming temptation,
Che boy asserts his independence Of paren-
tai control, and receives Canning" with
a switch from ounce 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 afectionate assurance
that it was bestowed out Of pure love-
Sitting a0ith the Girls. The next 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 un-
deniable afhnities which, in after life, would
tend to make the punishment more endura-
bic. 70 be pointed out as 'sgal boy"
to be smiled at grimly by the master, who
is so far delighted with his own ineffable
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 ofno mean magnitude. Yet
1--we have been there and have been obliged to
''sit up close' with big Rachel laughing and
10 ,4o
We wonder where the overgrown frowsy
creature is now, and what the condition Of
her head is?
The First LONG Tai7ea Coat.-We do
not believe that any boy ever put on his first
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 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 cares 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 garnet
window, nod with derision. IF he is obliged
to pass a 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 agita-
ton he could not feel worse were it a dish
cloth worn as badge of disgrace. It is
happy time for him when he gets to church
and sits down with his coat tail 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
tail blue"
Going Home aosth the Giyzs-The en-
trance into society may be said to take place
after boyhood has passed away, yet multi
tude take the initiative before their boards
are presentable. It is great trial, either
to tender OF tough age. For an overgrown
boy to go to door, knowing that there are
a dozen girls inside, and to knock or ring
with absolute certainty that in two minutes
all their eyes will be upon him, is severe
test of courage: To 60 before these girls
and make 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 achieve
ment which few boys can boast: If "a boy
can get SO far as to measure off ten yards Of
tape with one of these girls, and cut it short
at each end, he may stand a chance to pass
a pleasant evening; but let him not fatter
himself that all the trials of the evening are
over. There comes at last the breaking up.
The dear girls don their hoods, and put on
their shawls, and look SO saucy, and mis-
chievous, and impossible, as if they did not
wish any one to go home with them. Then
comes the pinch, and the boy that has the
most pluck makes up to the prettiest girl,
his heart in his throat, and his tongue cling
ing to the roof of his mouth, and crooking
his elbows, stammers out the words, "shall
I see you home?" She touches her fin
gers to his arm, :sand they walk home about
foot apart, feeling as awkward as couple
! of goslings. As soon as she is safe inside
her own doors, he struts home, and thinks
he has really been and gone and done it,
Sleep comes to him at last, with dreams of
Caroline and calico, and he awakes in the
morning and finds the doors of life open to
him, and the pigs squealing for breakfast.
Concluding Reflections. -We have pass
ed over churning, and learning the cate
chism, because we are fearful of making