The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1853-1911, 1858-12-16
MONROE COUNTY, PA. DECEMBER Ie, 1885,

or OF newspaper announcement. Thou
sands of parental hearts are wounded, u
pon whose unhappiness the public prints
are silent. Sisters weep with vexatiou,
and conceal their tears. 1t is some paii.
alton to misery when it not public, tho
1t were hard to say what is public and
what not. Family and friends are our
dearest world and when in that cherish
ed circle our grief and shame are known,
1t matters not SO much who, beyond that
learns our sorrow, boys will make their
debut as clowns, sisters and mothers
blush for them, and fathers almost hate
them. just SO long as the incpient steps
towads the customs of barbarism are not
merely winked at in youth, but encour-
aged.
The boy who, for any reason, makes a
habit of spending his evenings abroad and
prefers places where his sisters and their
companions cannot accompany him, is in
training for his debut as a clown. His
laurels may be won in the lager saloon,
or the engine house, or on the street cor
ners; but wherever first are worn they
will soon "cluster thick upon him." and
the 'inexpressible modification" of his
family is certain consequence. Cigars
aud tobacco, which mothers and sisters
cannot abide, are found to be no bar to
his welcome in less fastidious company;
and many young man makes his debut
as clown and married man, by misal-
lance which disgusts bis friends.
The lad whose taste inclines him to
read of "milling matchess," and who
knows the slang names of the fighting
men--who affects rat killing dogs, and
studies the lower descriptions of newspa-
pers-who is neither interested in home
pursuits, nor able to get the sympathy of
his friends in his own amusement is a
promising candidate for that questionable
fame which has the honor of the ring
clown, without his emoluuents. He is
the g lory OF bis own audience, and the
arbiter in their disputes. And if be has
only reached the favor of underlings of
the theatres and the worshipful fraternity
of bar tenders, so that he can presume
faniliarly to say, GLOW are you Bill" to
them, his graduation as clown may be
considered as fixed. He is, to use the ell
egant phraseology current in those dis
circles, zone of EN-"
Circus companies, and many other
matters of the sort are, we suppose, "in-
With all their disadyanta-
ges, they are things that cannot be abol-
ished without stretch of authority,
which would produce worse evils. Man
has need of relaxation and amusement;
and with every individual rests the dis
cretion and responsibility of selecting his
own. The current too closely checked in
Que place, will force for itself outlets iu
others. But admitting all that can be
said in favor of these doubtful things,
therc should still be, in young men, that
decent pride which would keep low COM
pany at distance. We may laugh at
monkey. without taking him to bed with
US; if we could not, it were better never
to laugh at all. The man is known by
the company he keeps. Not only is he
known, but made what be is, by bis cbo-
sen associates. If there are classes and
they may be necessary-who wiifully
make Bohemians of themselves fer liv- /
ing, it is no part of wisdom, ccrtai3ly, to
envy them. Still less should youth will /
liUgly come in contact with "last people"
or find amusement in doubtful company.
He who does it elects to himself the same
and is clown without the per-
quisites and without the paint.
Even circus clowns are sometimes a
shamed of themselves. We have seen
posted up full-length Siamese of clown
in his FOOLS cap, and clown in the dress
by which the tailor strove to make gen.
tleman of him. But Harlequin was evi
dent, even in the broadcloth. The smooeh
of burnt cork is difficult to remove, aud
the stain of low company is iuveterate.-
So will those young men find who oyerdo
democracy by leveling themselves down,
and who are weak enough to be ashamed
of decency, or of taste SO low as to pre-
fer the free and easy manners of people
morally beneath them to the society Of
their equals. There is no true freedom
without that mutual restraint which en-
sures courtesy and gentle manners. He
who foregoes the proprieties of life, is in
danger of undertaking. and forfeiting the
probities as well.-N0rth american.
A Beautiful Extract.
A new naDer called the Trumpet