Saint Paul weekly Minnesotian., 1859-01-01

= A. IL, M-lstINlsN
filing the house, with glad uproar, an hour
before their parents usually rise. But who
would have a house at Christmas, without
children, even though the little mad-caps
deafen the ears with their noisy gladness
Alas alas for the homes, where, this year,
no little feet patter about overhead, on Christ
mas morning, as they did q twelye-month
ago. 2! '' 'f ~
elg A Boy,s Trials. s-ll- a.z-5 .
The Springfield Republican has capital
article in this subject. Here are some ,ex-
tracts .-...,as et.3 So --gi.-ia
HIS REGULATIONS WITH THE ",oLp MAN."
We suppose that the first severe trial that
boy has to undergo is TO submit his win to
the old man, whom he is taught to consider
his father To be restrained in doors at night,
to be forbidden to gosswimming FIVE times a
day, or to be hiHdered from pinching the rest
of the children just for fun, is an interference
with the natural inalienable rights, every way
injurious to the feelings. And then, upon
some overwhelming temptation, the boy as
serts his independence of paternnl control,
and receives a tanning with a switch from
a quince bush, either upon his back or his
bare feet, it becomes really serious thing
We never could see that the smart OF an op-
Grafton like this was at all assuaged by the af.
fectionate assurance that it was bestowed out
Of pure love. 1
/ SITTING WITH THE GIRLS
The next great trial of that boy is to be
obliged by cruel master to sit with the girls
at school. This usually comes before the de-
velopment OF those undeniable affinities which,
in after life, would tend to make the punish
ment more endurable. To be pointed out as
a gall boy" to be smiled at grimly by tho
master, who is SO far delighted with his own
lneiiaDie pieasanlry as 70 give the little boys
license to laugh loud, and to be placed by the
side of girl who had Ino. Handkerchief, and
no knowledge of the use of that article, is,
we submit, trial of no mean magnitude
Yet we have been there, aud have been oblig-
ed to 'sit up close" with big Sally, laughing
and blushing till we came to hate her name.
We wonder where the overgrown creature
is now, and what the condition of her head
is?
THE FIRST LONG TAILED COAT. ra
We do not believe that any boy ever put on
his 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 III
a broad grin. The sun laughs in the sky; the
cows turn to look at him ; there are faces at
every window his shadow mocks him.
When he walks by the cottage where Emmy
lives, he dares not look up for his life. The
very boards creak with consciousness of the
strange spectacle, and the old pair of panta-
looms that stop light in the garret window,
nod with derision. If he is obliged to pass
eroup Of men and boys, the trial assumes its
most terrific stage. His legs get all mixed
up With embarrassment, and the flap of dang
hing appendages is felt upon them, moved by
the wind of his own agitation he could not
feel worse were it dishcloth, worn as badge
Of disgrace. 1t is a happy time when he gets
TO the church and sits down with his coat
tails under him but he is still apprehensive
with thinking Of the Sunday school, and won
ders if any Of the children will ask him to
'swing his long tail blue"
GOING HOME WITH TUE GIRLS
The entrance into society may be said TO
take place after boyhood has passed away,
yet multitude take the initiation before their
boards are presentable. 1t is avgreat trial
either to a tender or tough age. For an
overgrown boy to 60 to door, knowing that
there are dozen girls inside, and to knock or
ring with absolute certainty that in two min
utes all their eyes will be upon him, is a severe
test Of courage. TO go 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 achievement
which few boys can boast If boy can get
so far as 10 measure off ten yards of tape with
one of these girls, and cut it short at each
end, be may stand chance to pass a pleas
ant evening, but let him not hatter himself
that all the trials Of the evening are over.
There comes at last the breaking up. The
The dear giris don their hoods, and put on
their shawls and look so saucy and mischiev-
Gus, and unimpressible, asif they did not
wish any one to 60 home with them, Then
comes the pinch, and the boy who has the
most pluck makes up to the prettiest girl, his
heart is in his throat, and bis tongue clinging
to the roof of his mouth, and crooking his
elbow, stammers out the works. "Shall see
see you home ?'' She touches her fingers to
his arm, and they walk home about foot a
part, feeling as awkward as coup,e-of young
goslings. As soon as she is safely inside of
her own doors, ne struts home, and thinks he
has really been and gone and done it. Sleep
comes to him at last, with dreams Of crino-
line and calico, and he wakes in the morning,
and finds the doors of life open to him-and
the pigs squealing for breakfast
CONCLUDING REFLECTIONS
We have passed over churning and learn
ing the chatechism, because we are fearful of
making this article too long, although we might
have talked of butter that would not be per-
suaded to come and perplexities of literary
turn of mind, and head that measured sew
en- and quarter when asked what the chief
end of man was. Boyhood is a green passage
if mans experience in more senses than one
1t is pleasant thing to think over and laugh
about now, though it was serious enough then.
Many Of our presant trials are as ridiculous
as those which now touch the risibles in the
recollection, and when we get to the other
world and look upon this, and upon the infan-
cy of the soul which we passed here, we have
no doubt that we shall grin over the trials
which VIC experienced when we lost our for
tunes, when our mills were swept away or
burned, and when we didn't get elected to the
Legislature. Men are but boys of larger
growth. .5 ,s5as
Anecdote OF Prof. Morse.
Lieutenant Maury, during the delivery of
his lecture on the Atlantic. Telegraph, at Cleve-
Iopd rrh,,rc1oy p;obt r.lafo6 tho folfo,v;,r