Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1859-01-06
a Boys Trials.

4
| His REGULATIONS WITH THE OLD MAN"
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 in doors at night, to be for.
hidden to 60 in swimming FIVE times day, OF
to be hindered from pinching the rest of the
children for fun is an interference with natu.
raj inalienable rights, every way injurious to
the feeling. And then. when upon some over
whelming temptation, the boy asserts his inde-
pendence of parental control, and receives a
tanning" with q switch from ounce bush,
either upon his back or bare feet, it becomes
really a very serious thing We never could
see that the smart of an operation like this was
at all assuaged by the atfectionate assurance
that it was bestowed ont of pure love.
SITTING WITH THE GIRLS
The next great trial of the boy is to be
obliged by a cruel master to sit with the girls
at school, This usually comes before the de-
velopement of those undeniable af6nities which,
in after life, would tend to make the punish
ment more endurabe. To be pointed out as
gal boy" to be smiled at gImly by the mas
ter, who is so far delighted with his own in
effable pleasantly as TO give the little boys
license to laugh loud. 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 of no mean magnitude Yet We
have been there and have been obliged to ''sit
close, with big Rachel, laughing and blushng
till we came to hate her name. We wonder
where the overgrown frowzy creature is now,
and what the condition of her head now is p
TIE FIRST LONG TAILED 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 of looking
atit in the glass, and then when he steps out of
doors il seems to him as if all creation was in
a 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, be dare 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 garret window, nod with
derision. If be is obliged to pass q group of
men and boys, the trial assumes its most terri
fc stage. His legs get all mixed up with en-
barraSSment, aud the flap of the dangling ap-
pendage is felt upon them, moved by the wind
OF his own agitation he could not feel worse
were it dish, 10th, worn as badge Of disgrace
1t IS happy time for him when he gets to
church and sits down with the coat tails under
him but he IS still apprehensive with think
ing of the Sunday-School. and wonders if auv
of the children will ask him 10 swing his
long tail blue"
GOING HONE WITH THE GIRLS
The entrance into society NAV be said 10 take
place after boyhOod has passed away, vet 4
multitude take the initiative before their boards
are preSeAIable. 1t is a great trial either TO
a tender or q rough age. For an .overgrown
boy 10 60 10 door, knowing that there do
zen girls inside, and TO knock or ring with alb
Solute certainty that in two minutes all their
eyes will be upon him, is severe test Of cour-
age. To 60 before these girls and make sat
isfactory 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 90 so far as 10 measure
of tape with one Of these girls, and cut it short
at each eUd, he may stand q chance TO pass a
pleasant evening, but let him not aat,er him
self that all the trials of the evening are over
There comes at last the breaking up The
dear girls don their hoods and look SaucT. and
mischievOus, and unimpreSsible. as If they did
not wish any one 10 go home with them Then
comes the pinch, and the boy that has the most
pluck makes up 10 the pre:tieSt girl. bis heart
in his throat, and his tongue cliBging TO the
roof of his mouth, aud crOOking his elbow. STAN
merS out the words Shall see you homer
She touches her fingers TO his arm, and they
walk home abOCt foot part, feeling as awk-
ward IS = couple of gOSliHgs- A soon Is she
Is safe inside her Own doors he struts home
aud thinks be has really been and gone and
done 1t. Sleep cones TO him at last, With
dreams Of Caroline and Calico. and he awak
ems in the morning and finds the doors OF life
open TO him, and the pigs squealing for their
breakfast
CONCLUDING REFLECTIONS
We have passed over chHrning. aud learning
the caiechism, because we are fearful Of making
this article too long. although we might have
talked OF the butter that would not be PerSna-
dsd TO come. and perplexities Of literary taru
o. mind, and head that measured ssTen and 3
quarter when asked what ;he chief end Of Haa
was BoyhOOd is . green passage in mans ex-
perience In more senses than one II 5 a
pleasant thing TO thiak over ard laugh about
GOV, though ID wss SeFiouS enough then. Manv
OF our present trials are IS ridicG.oas as those
which nov touch the riSibles in tie recollec-
tiOn. aud when We 20 10 the other world ana
lOok upon this, sud upoa iRfaucy Of the soOl
through which we passed here, we hare no
doubt that We shall grin oFer the trials which
Ee experienced when Ne lost oGr fortunes. when
cur mills we're swept away or bCraei, and when
We dida't ge, elected 10 the Legislature Mea
are bat boys Of larger growth
CoBdemn no naa for not thinking IS yOa
think Lei every one enjoy the fuli and free