The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1860-07-28
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PhRKERS SISTER.

PARKER'S SISTER
The often.iterated statement that the child
is the father to the man, am quite sposeu 20
accept as an axiom; am prepared, lnoeeo, "
,ridan its significance and TO recognize IN the
,,roreadfnrs of youth microcosmic Ieseth-
biauce TO the &C lions OF an early sta'e OF soeie
ty-to trace in tae behavior % ,anc, ~ mm,.
ma Ri ed coiE cidence with the conauct OF ihiiia
tura naople For instance, in the condiLoh OF
life enjoyed by myself and my reno" pupi rs
when at the not distinguished semlhai! %
mr. Swabey at Mortlake, II seems 10 me thaI
cisar connac tion is to he discovered win the
aboriginal circumstances deemed ny ethlcai
and ihsoretic writers 10 attend Inc institution
Of the first social contract; when number OF
individuals drawn into greGdrloushess Dy
common wants and weaknesses, assembled on
an open plain, agreed on and sWOre obedience 10
a code of laws aud elected from among them
Tba Tallest 10 be their dug, duke or leader
king. Konning, kaHntng-'man that kn0tcS or
ans The same system of nomenclature did
not obtain among the community al Lexicon
House-the head or chief being there called,
think the cock-nor was his election OF so I'M
nosipg and cereininous a character, however 1t
might have been on the first founding OF the
Office know, indeed, that Benkinsop Pri-
mus the cock of the school during my time
at Or. Syabey's, obtained power rather in a
raup-d'-e!nf and CromWa FASHION, admin
isteripg a great thrashing to the former chief,
Hobson, bully and tyrant In pitched battle
after a cricket match Oh Barnes Common, and
assuming thenceforward the reiEs of govern
ment { is probable that the first dux held his
apDointme in virtue of mt ch the same quail
ties as constituted Blenkinsop Prmus, cock
at Dr. Swabey's and by reason, very likely, of
his worships broad back, long arm, and hard
fist Certainly we were banded together by
common impulses and bound by implied and
oral laws To resist at all points the attacks of
our enemy the doctor, and Illustrate his every
effJrt 10 improve, punish, or govern us; and
further also, did we carry out likeness to
the habits of unripe nations in our incursions
ai..ta
ueciaIly the orchards-of our neigh bors, in
she scarcity of the precious metals, and of any
conseQ ueut circulating medium in our ne
c4ssary resort to barter IA her than sale-tne
Mace Of a more regular currency being sup
piled by tafrg, marbles apples, and similar
commodities; and in our unchiyairic and I'M
civilized views touching the female portion
OF the state, regarding women very much as
chatiels to be made the subject OF transfer and
arrangement, without much reference 10 any
views they might entertain upon the subject;
the word girl in particular, representing II
term of bitter reproach.
Man is an Interrogative, acquisition, and
combative animal, or, at least, II not caring To
combat himself, he likes TO witness the en-
counters of others. a new pupil at DR.. SWa-
bey's was put through a lively course OF ex
animation on his admission among his fellow
students How old was he ! What was his
father! What school had he been at last i!
How much money had he Had he brought
cake with him Did he want To purchase a
top, marbles or knife Had he any sisters? Ii
so, their names, ages, and the color OF their
com plexiops, ewes and hair And lastly, with
whom would he fight Surely all this is also
savage primitive and unenllghtened enough.
Little Parker a thin, smali-boned blonde
little boy, his mothers kisses sui fresh on his
piuk-and- white tace--the Lady herself Jour-
neying back 10 town alone in her fly, very ner-
vous, and depressed, and dssolate after her
Arst parting with her son-litte Parker, lean
ing against the playground wall, trying hard
10 follow maternal counsels, and not to cry,
but TO be a man. and look forward to jolly
holidays at Christmas. not back upon the DO
Tnestic happiness he was severed from 1or
months with one small hand in his pocket,
clinking the recent deposit OF silver there secHr-
ed 10 MIN by his departure from the parental
roof the governors ZIP OF nve shiliiLgs, Aunt
James half-crown, stingy Uncle Jacks miseTa-
Bile shilling, and a contribution from mamma,
which will pro badly figure in the housekeep
aug book under some other heading for Par ker
s3eYs had forbidden further donation, the boy
having already, he said, more than was good
for him)-littie Parker, l say, was subjected
TO the usual interrogations, as 4 semi circle of
pupils of Lexicon House approached and sur
rounded him, with much jostlipg and crowd
ing, to ms ect the new boy Little Parker re-
piled biusningly, frightened perhaps in mea-
sure. His father was merchant. lie had not
been to school before There was cake In his
box any body might eat il that liked he was
not hungry bit himself Yes, certainly, he
had sister her name was Di. He didn't
want TO fight any body, thank you. OF course,
all that seemed feasible was done TO terrify
him. He was informed that he had come TO a
fearful school for Gaming, they could tell him
they pited him they wouldn't stand in his
shoes for something. Old Swabey on the very
next morning would probably favor him with
the severest licking, by aid of a heavy birch
broom yard long and foot thick, that any
boy had ever received in his life.
Perhaps you think little Parker rather cut
out for a school victim the sort of subject that
the sworn tormentors OF Lexicon House would
prefer TO operate upon. But, as l have seen
occasionally ina melo.drama, when the hero,
in mortal broad sword combat is beaten down
and disarmed and his antagonist on the eve Of
running him through or hewing him in pieces,
Just then, midst the cries, from IN exhilerated
and perspiring gallery, of"A Yah! Would
yerl Bravo! Go it, Smith n' the hero atore-
said plucks pistol from his belt, holds 1t 10
ae nose of his terrified opponent. and becomes
ain master OF the situauon--the scene clos
tLg in on the group 10 very loud music; our
mall blonde boy in the blue jacket aud bright
uttons, however apparently down, is till not
irretrievably defeated by any means. lie car
ries very serviceable weapons in his belt.
First, he is great story teiier-sOmething OF
the tmprcrtsator's talent is possessed by little
Parker. lie can keep whole bedroom full OF
boys spell-bound by his marvellous variations.
Boys even crowd in from other rooms to hear
Parker, sitting up in his night.dress, relate
one OF his thrilling stories, and wonder at his
strange talent in that respect. | remember I.
tie enough OF the stories now, though some
thing Of the effect they created. How he did il,
and whence he derived his romances, whether
they were all inven ton, or partly drawn from
memory and acciden tai reading, no one knew
WAS that all out of your own head Parker p
he was sometimes asked at the conclusion OF
his recital s.ssh
"Yes, Dawkins, it was" he would answer
simply.
certainly, for a small, quiet looking little
boy, ne possessed most active, not to say
Vioisnt, Imagination He was not, by any
means, so amiable and pacific la mind as he APP
peared to be ia body. He was prone TO the N or
bid and the fearfui-dealt largely In horrors
had aruthiess way Of disposing Of his draDra,;s
p1sona-sprinkied about drawn swords and
desperate combats, gunpowder trap.doors.
masks, stabbings, suapguiations and m a. de rs
ano bloodshed generally, with tree hand
ms stories were accented with terror. and
Puhctaa'ed by crime. Sometimes has au-
uiehess rose against the violent sentences
oWafoso 70 his puppets.
u. Parker, what q shamei Don't let Jones
nc cur down like that; hes a brave fellow, he
-. Let MIN guard of The blow just In lime
no. Dawkins; the story req uires it, The
hhsning sword Glove his head Ia twain. and
Cut Fight down TO his waist His brains evers
scattered about right and left aud Jones fell !
bleeding corpse on the floor. %
Oh! aud there In quite SILVER Of horro,
t1fongh The bedroom; aud little Parker. ples ssd
~ this hem mage, pushes his light hair on his
ttA tlps. l.