The mountain Democrat., 1863-10-10

n StUuuaT COUu1Sk ~ uUOTueO between
Jones at Harrow; dirty handed, red.eared
greedy for sweets and beer, and given tc
boxing, and Jones, six months -alterward
up at Trinity, with, his hair parted with
the greatest evenness, with charms on his
chin, not averse to Moselle for breakfast
and owning q heart that can be touched
by In MemOrium. The metamorphosis is
astounding to his younger brother, who Is
still amid the jam pots, but that young
gentleman will himself slough his old
school skin, after some different, but as
complete fashion.
Certain feeble poetasters are always
mourning, that they are no longer in the
Classical or Commercial Seminary Of their
younger days, but l believe there are q
few honest men who do not look back up.
on their school life without shudder. !
vas not a very bad boy myself, believe,
but the comparison of my Now with my
Then is certainly not odious. | can now
meet cat without wishing !N-kAl it;
can now meet two dogs without yearning
to set them by the ears; can listen to the
twitter of a hedge sparrow without long
ing for horse-pistOl; can pass in the
street an individual smaller taan myself
without an uncomfortable desire to jerk of
his hat and throw it over the wall. When
| 60 to church, | take church service in
my hand, and not novel of similar ex-
ternal appearance | do not extend my
pockets with filberts purloined from my
hosts dinner table; do not smoke bits Of
cane until am sick; do not think it uu-
gentlemanly to ride in bus; | am no
longer attracted for any barrow full of
strange delicacies, such as Albert Rock or
Alicompaine and if | we're, the fruit Of
all others which | should leave untouched
would be exposed slices of cocoanut--
When find any foreign substance, ,wheth-
er Of sticky nature or otherwise, upon
my fingers, nature does not impel me on
the instant to put them in my mouth; the
appearance of domestic fowl, or of a
donkey, or Of an artizan upon ladder,
does not urge me to pick up a stone a
policeman is not my natural enemy, nor a
dog with bow legs and bulls head my
friend. Upon the whole, in short, fat
ter myself that my relations to society are
improved since l was that dreadful being
"a Boy.
With such convictions, it is needless to
say that do not court the society Of young
gentlemen in statu pupillari, but avoid
them by every means in my power, from
the ragged youth who plays 'tipeat-to
the peril Of her mJesty's lieges-in the
London streets, to the Etonian who, be-
dizzened with scarlet coat and sword
on the 4th of June, calls himself Captain
of the Boats, which take to be the apo
gee Of boyhood-the position nearest
heaven in the eyes Of that dcluded genius.
Still, as long as boys are permitted to 60
about loose, one is liable to meet with
them, and met with specimen only last
week, which shall not easily forget.
was starting from the Waterloo Station by
an afternoon train for Hampshire. but
meeting with four military friends who
were going to Farnboro Station Tor Alder
shott,) ! got into their carriage. Beside
US five, there was an Eton Boy. There
is no mistaking that description Of the
race; they are always dressed in the hight
of fashion in ths vacation, although at
school they delight in n hat with half its
hEiEn. ST.. and, moreover, they all wear
stiff little white ties, which give them the
appearance of duodecimo ministers Of some
juvenile religious sect The little wretches
are as naughty and reserved as North
American Indians; and the individual Of
fourteen years of age or so whom we had
on this occasion for our fellow traveller,
looked as though the entire railway sta
tion, plant and valuable house property
adjacent, belonged entirely to himself
My soldier friends, however, "a class that
has generally proper contempt for boys)
paid no sort of attention to him, and as
for me, Twas delighted to ignore his pres
ence.
Now, jack said my friend, two Of
whom were my college chums, and all oi
them intimates, you will let US smoke we
know, although not fond of it yourself.
We'll, replied I, it will probably make
me i'll; but otherwise | have no objec.
tions.'
AS soon as the train began to move,
they accordingly lit their cigars; they had
not. however, taken three puffs before the
child in the white cravat (whoSe wishes
nobody had thought Of consulting,) re-
quested that they should put their cigars
out, because smoking was offensive to
him, and contrary to the bylaws.
The soldiers stared as though the car
riage lamp had uttered an observation, and
then all four burst into roar of laughter.
You will find it no laughing matter,
gentlemen, when you get to Farnboro; or
at all events, the joke will cost you two
pounds apiece. You have been warned,
as the act directs; object to your smo-
king in this carriage
Then get into another, you little imp,
observed Pepperpot, Of the 10th and,
indeed, have a great mind to drop you
out of the window as we 60 along
4 will thank you for your name and ad-
Dress returned the phenomenon, stiff1y /;
here is my card at your service. Be SO
good as to name your friend
Smith, of London, replied Pepperpot;
only give me time to write to my wife and
family. What bloodthirsty young crea-
ture it is.'
lie is very plucky.' remarked Norman,
of the kits, approvingly, 4 will say that
| for him; but what cheek what cheek I
lam obliged to you for your good opin-
ion,' returned the little wonder, drawing
ont a gold repeater, but if within one
minute your cigars are not all extingulsh-
ed, l will appear against you as sure as |
am living Man. Ny time is of no con-
sequence, and I had as soon get out at
Farnboro as anywhere else; so you may
be sure you will not escape me. feel it
my duty. to prosecute you upon public
grounds
Once more did Pepperpot glance at the
window, and even stretched his hand to-
ward the human gadHy,as tho he would
have nipped him I'D between his finger