The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1863-06-16
BOYS.

The race whose name stands at the head OF tins
article is fast becoming extinct. Specimens are,
even now and have been, for good Whlle, opJects
of euriosity. Some years ago, wag, In the town
of Greensborough walking along the street one
day. called to some of his acquaintance, telling
,ben 70 follow him, and he would show them
SIGHT. such as they had not viewed for many
dav Well, they accompanied him, and he stop
ed at cake table of an old negro woman-it was
court weekLwhere they beheld a genuine 10
year-old-boy,' clad in complete suit of copperas
homespun, round jacket, and trousers, eating gin
cerbread, and drinking persimmon beer. There
was no nistaking him, for he was as different from
the modern yearling as if he had belonged to
another and distinct genus.
Bows. say are fading from the earth. The
time will probably come when it will be doubted
whether such beings ever had existence. All au-
thentic records of them may be lost, and men will
be able only to won der and conjecture concerning
them, as they now speculate about the dodo The
only evidence that such race fourlshed Will be
not actual tangible skeletons, like those OF the
mastodon, which we dig out of the earth, but GER
tain anecdotes; certain mental remains, that will
tell something of their natures and habits. Long
ages hence, people may read how young persons
were modest respectful to the old and distrustful
Of themselves; in short the very reverse of any
thing known in that degenerate day. and then
those who read will perceive that those character
istics must h~e belonged to kind of animal then
forever passed away from the face of the globe.
From scattered passages in ancient books, men
will gather materials out of which to construct a
theory concerning species to which they may or
may not give the proper name. of boys.
Nowadays the age of boyhood is skipped; pass
ed over; left out. From childhood to the grown
up state, there is but single leap. In place Of
boys, we have Young Americans; fast young men;
hoys. These have little respect for age. They
have poor opinion Of the wisdom Of parents whom
they call ''the old man" and "the old lady" They
consider sober-sded, decent people old fogies,
who are gnorent of what is fit and proper. Such
amusements as are afforded by tops and balls have
no charms for them. These are too slow; too boy
ish. Minnow fishing and rabbit hunting are be-
meath their notice. They want fast horses, cigars,
billiards and brandy.
The fast youth will not wear boysh apparel
II looks on round jackets with contempt A
long tailed coat must dange around his calves.
Some sort Of wide-awake hat, the uglier the bet
ter, sits jauntily on side Of his skull to show
how empty it is. Fantastic pantaoons encase his
legs. A flaming vest displays itself on his front.
His feet are crowded into high heelcd boots, or
costly shoes, so tight that he appears to walk on
sharp pointed rocks. A garrote collar protrudes
itself out of leopard-spotted neck-tie, and fire.
quently hyena looking shirt completes the ridi-
culous costume.
Such are the humans who are fast taking the
place of those concerning whom we may soon
sny:
"The wind blows out, the bubble dies
The Spring entombed in Autumn lies;
The dew dries up; the star is shot;
The flight is past, and boys forgot