The Local news. [volume] (Alexandria, Va.) 1861-1862, 1861-10-26

Cereus in vitium f1ecti, monitorbus asper.
HORACE.
Yielding like wax, the impressive folly bears;
Rough to reproof, and slow to future cares.
FRANCIS.
Among all the changes that have taken
place in Alexandria since 1 left here thirty
years ago, none have struck me more forci-
bly,, during the few days of my present SO.
journ, than the altered conduct and deport-
ment of the boys and lads of the town. I
speak now of the generality of those see
about the streets, and, Of course, do not in.
clude in these structures the ingenious and
well brought up boys, who are in constant
attendance upon their schools, or diligently
learning the trades or pursuing the avoca-
tons which they are intended by their pa.
rents to follow for their future livelihood.
love good boy. think what consolation
and what pride he is to his father and
mother, no matter how humble in circum-
stances they may be! But who sit that can
bear with patience the vulgar, insolent, up
start, impudent rudeness of an ignorant
whelp, who is as brutal in his behavior Is he
Is stupid in his intellect!
we'll remember, when was boy. that
to see youth Of my age with segar in his
mouth, or piece of tobacco in his jaws, was,
at once, to ostracise him from all decent So
eiety-and when . profane oath, or an OBJ
scene word would subject him guilty Of the
offence, to . cuff which he would be apt to
recollecs for many day. The Mayor and
Police were formerly accustomed to pay par
ticular attention, to the conduct of boys in
the streets, and to prevent any exhibition,
on their part, Of rudeness, or cruelty. AT.
ter working or school hours, the boys would
90 to the nearest suburbs, and fly their kites,
play at handy, or marbles, or indulge in any
other innocent, healthful exercise-intsrfer.
ing with nobody, and nobody interfering
with them. To be seen with pack of cards
was q signal for outlawry-snd the rule
was inaexible. Judge my surprise, when l
say, that on Sunday evening recently,
when there happened to be no churches
open, I strolled through the outskirts of the
town, and saw, in every direction, under the
shade Of trees and hedges, boys and young
men, in the open day, with brazen foreheads
and countenances already marked with the
lines of guilt, gambling, with heaps of
greasy cards before them !!
AT every corner, and along every street,
now, you hear from the lips of youngsters
the most horrid profanity, uttered even in
the presence of ladies, without shame. The
air reeks with the fumes of such tobacco as
would stife horse. No respect is paid by !.
these walking nuisances to age or infrmity-f
indeed, it is ten to one, but that grey hairs
or debility of body meet with insult or
abuse. Lost to all self respect themselves,
they do not know how to respect others. In
my day, if boy did not show proper beha-
vior and politeness on the street, he was set
down as an incipient rufian, and affectionate
advice immediately given to 'sake him in
hand" for ho was in "a fair way to the
gallows."
AuotuoI CuuuSc OUSerVe, IL IN the IN.
creased number of boys and lads, who are
lounging about, apparently having nothing
to do, especially having no trade to learn.
remember that the old Orphans Court, and
the other proper tribunals, always had occu.
patton in binding apprentices to some honor.
able and useful trade, properly to acquire
which some years were requisite, and to
work at which as journeymen, the full age
OF twenty-one was required. And no man
suffered his son to grow up in idleness, or
without regular trade or occupation. The
richest men set the example of requiring
their children, when they had left school, to
learn trade, or go into a store or shop, or
to 60 to sea. | am told that in new Alexan.
dria, such thing as binding" boy as an
apprentice is ignored:--he is suffered to do
rs he likes-he is set at some trade stays
long enough to cheat his employer out of
suit Of clothes-learnsj just enough to make
him botch and sloveu at his business
and then, for some within or caprice. walks
of-to saunter along the pavements, lean
against the lamp posts, and indulge in all