Daily national Democrat., 1858-10-23
For the National Democrat.
OUR SCWOOL-BOY DAYS.


Who that has arrived to years of manhood,
has not at times looked back along the path.
way of his past life, and called up in his
memory the scenes and pleasures of school.
boy days? Who has not, at times, even
amid the hustle and business of active life
stopped for time, to dwell with feelings of
deepest, purest pleasure, upon the innocent
sports, the lively games, the bright antcipa.
tons and fattering hopes which character
lied his earlier years
He who having passed through the happy
scenes of childhood, yet finds in his memory
no bright spot upon which their picture
is engraven-who remembers the cheerful
sports, the sparkling joys and the full ii ;e of
constant delight which were continually
poured out upon him in his school boy days,
but yet cherishes in his heart no image of
pleasure from the remembrance, is dead alike
to one of the main sources of human happi-
ness, as we'll as to some of the finest feelings
of the human soul
When in our struggles with the world we
meet with disappointm entsa and misfortunes-
when cares, vexations and difficulties sur
round us-whcn pleasures cup is overturned
before it reaches our lips, and only sorrows
draught is always near-when all around is
dark and foreLoding and surrounding cir
cumstances force us to feel that actual life
hath no pleasure in it, then should we turn
in pleasing and fond remembrance to our
innocent school-boy days, and we shall find
in the contemplation of the past that happi-
ness which the present hour denies.
A great portion of mans surest happiness
depends on trihes light as air" and is fur
nished, not by the present moment, nor by
things which surrounded him, but by CON
temptations of the past and anticipations of
the future. The remembrance of the old
school house; the church in the adjoining
grove; the wcl-trodden play grounds; the
troops of laughing, noisy boys at base or
ball or hoop; and it may be the remembrance
of the little blue-eyed girl, who used to claim
usjIor her sweetheart, and who now sits in
one corner of our rarlor with fac simile
edition of the little blue eyed girl upon her
knee-affords more real pleasure than any
circumstances with which we are at present
surrounded.
All these "reminiscences come around us
often and pass in review before our minds,
leaving impressions there scarcely less pleas
ureable than their actual realization would
be
Youth is the time for pleasure, for true and
unalloyed happiness. Then let our children
enjoy the moments as they pass. Let not
their affections be perverted, nor the innocent
promptings of nature warped into a channel
unsuited to their real enjoyment. Let not
their manners be shaped after an unnatural
model; and let not their young, boyish hearts,
be shut up to scenes and pleasures upon
which they long TO open and feast them
selves Let nature have her course, guided
alone by that reason which, instead of dam.
ming her stream, or turning it into new and
| uuJlltu CildhhSio, VIII AahbiANi oNNN " iS"i"fN
the rocks and snags upon which youths frail
bark would be most apt to dash and ship
wreck their brightest hopes, and most joy
Gus expectations.
Our schoolboy days are our days of plea
sure, In them only are we freed from the
chickering's, heartburnings and jealousies
which worry us in after life In them only
are all the cares and vexations of active life
removed from our vision. In them only |:
the human heart unacquainted with the de
ceit and malice and evil which embitter oul
maturer years. 1t is the pathway of you'll
W hich is all along strewn with the brigh
flowers of Hope, and by the side of whicl
the sparkling fountains of pleasure spring
into life, and flow only to the music which
the heart sends forth when full of Joy. Their
let the schoolboys enjoy the season of pleas
ure while they may, and let US who have
passed through these scenes accustom our
selves to recur to them as a means of present
happiness and from the remembrance o
pleasures which passed unheeded then, learr
to appreciate and enjoy the few that are
passing now. W. P. W.
YuBA CITY, Oct. 2lst, 1858.