Randolph County journal. [volume] (Winchester, Randolph County, Ind.) 1855-1862, 1859-04-21
Boys Rights.
From the Wool Grower.l

From the Wool Grower.l
People make great ado about
women's rights, and we all know that
tho rights of men are neither ques-
toned nor infringed on, but nobody,
except Fanny Fern, ever thinks Of
advocating boys rights.
Boys are considered, generally speak
ing, an unmitigated nuisance. Young
America. especially, is denounced as
rude and noisy, and impudent beyond
all endurance. They are thorn in the
side of all quiet, mannerly people,
and the peculiar aversion of fastidious
young ladies. But, as Mrs. Stowe
says, "it is the nature of the institu-
tion." They can not help making a
noise. Their superabundant activity
must have scope in some way Fun,
mischief, noise. are the safety-valves
pertaining to this ingenious piece Of
mechanism, and are as necessary and
important as an escape pipe to steam
engine
We are too apt to look upon them
in the light of present annoyance,
forgetting the mighty power they will
one day WELD for good or i'll.
To-day these little noisy urchins,
playing marbles on the sidewalk, are
only your neighbors' children; to-
morrow they are your partners in bus
mess, your constituents in politics,
your cotemporaries in all the affairs
of life-in a word, your fellow men.
Now, they are a necessary evil, or,
at best, troublesome comforts. But
look ahead few years; see them
planting and building; see their fleets
and navics, their railroads and canals,
their public works and stately
dwellings, the thousand improvements
in art, science and agriculture.
Whose energies will accomplish
these things? Whose will be the
heads to plan, and the hands to
perform all these achievements in the
progress Of the race?
Why, these very boys. And the
will, the energy, the power to do these
things are the products of this same
activity and restlessness you so much
complain Of. Take away that activity
and love of mischief, and the boy
would be a machine, an automaton, a
stupid dolt, who would never be fit for
any thing.
Some people seem to think it is
quite waste of politeness to bestow q
"please, SIR" or "thank you" on a
boy; but, if they only knew it. there i.
no one who will appreciate it better
or is more benefited by it. Boys
don't like to be ordered about. 1t il
just as easy to say "please" to them,
and if you wish them to be polite tc
others, You must be polite to them.
was quite amused on a Sunday
evening, at church, not long since. A
lady came in with little boy of FIVE
or six years, and taking seat, PLACED
the child beside her. The service hac
not vet commenced, and the child go
off his seat to stand up and look abou
him little. In the meantime anoth
er lady came in, and, seeing the sea
unoceupied. took possession Of it. TIL
boy looked his astonishment and indig
nation. but said nothing. The lad,
who had so coolly taken his seat turn
ed to him and said. in a whisper
"Why. bub, I've got your seat, hav
en't -" He nodded his head. an,
she whispered again. "Well, you vii
, let me sit here, won't you?" The DO,
; nodded again. and the lady retainc
, the seat; so, of course, the boy had
stand-up ticket for the rest Of tn
, evening. l suppose she thought h
, would not know the difference betwee
: sitting down and standing up.
] frequently hear mothers say, wit
E regard to their boys clothes. "Oh
I what is the use Of dressing up tina
boy? 1t will not be ten minutes be
5 fore he will be in the dirt"
!, / know and by experience. too,
!. that it Is rather trying to ones pat
encc to see boy down on his knee
o in the mud, with new pair Of pant
I on that YOU have been all iay making