The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1868-01-30

ripe. chestnut bursting out Of its burr!
How he will fight But this i can say; II
Johnny Is as cruel IS Caligula, he is every
bit as brave as Agan1enln6n. never knew
him 10 strike q boy smaller than himself.
never knew him TO tell o lie when 9 Ne
would save him from disaster. - 80
AT present the General, as I sometimes
coll him, Is IN hospital. he was serl-
ouslv wounded ut the battle Of the Little
Go-Cart. ON the 9th Instant. On returning
from nv office yesterday evening l found
the SCARED veteran stretched upon sofa
in the sitting-room, with patch Of brown
paper stuck over his left eye, and con-
victing smell of vinegar about him.
"Yes," said his mother, dolefully,
I" Johnny's been fighting again. That hor-
rid Barnabee Boy (who is eight years old
If he is day. won't let the child alone"
rWell," said I, 81 hope Johnny gave
that Barnabee Boy athrashing." -
aDidn't ], thought" cries Johnny from
the sofa. g Z bet ~ II reh IL
so, Johnny! y says his mother. I.
Now, several days previous to this a q
dressed the General in the following terms
"Johnny, if I ever catch you in another
fight of your own seeking l shall cane
you" ea ;,
In consequence of this declaration it
became my duty tc look into the circum-
stances of the present affair, which will be
known in history as the battle Of the Lit
tie Go-Cart. After going over the ground
very carefully found the following to be
tha otota of tho oasat u.s.
It seems that the Barnabee Boy
speak of him as if he were, the Benicia
Boys the Oldest pupil in the primary
military school q think it must be o MILL
tary SCHOOL,, of which Johnny is arecent
member. This Barnabee, having whipped
every one of his companions, was signing
for new boys to conquer when johnny
Joined the institution. He at once made
friendly overtures of battle to Johnny,
who, oddly enough, seemed indisposed to
encourage his advances. Then Barnabee
began series of petty prosecutions, which
had continued up to the day OF the hight.
On the morning of that eventful day the
Barnabee Boy appeared in the schoolyaro!
with small go-cart. After running down
on Johnny several times, with this useful
vehicle he captured Jobnny's cap, filled 1t
with sand, and dragged it up and down the
ward trit1mphantly In the go-catt: This
made the General very angry, of course,
and he took an early opportunity OF zklck-
] ing over the triumphal car, in doing which
he kicked one of the wheels SO far into
space that it has not been seen since.
This brought matters to crisis. The
battle would have taken place then and
there; but at that moment the school-bell
rang. and the gladiators were obliged to
give their attention to Smiths Spe1ler.
But gloom hung over the mornings ex-
ercises-a gloom that was not dispeued in
the back row, when the Barnabee Boy
stealthily held up to Johnny's vision q
slave, wherein was inscribed this fearful
message: ,ts
ime Going to Lick you at Recess.
Johnny got it "put down in writin ;"
this time =" o...a
After hasty glance at the slate the
/, General went on with his studies CON-
posedly enough. Eleven o'clock came,
| and with it came recess, and with re-
cess the inevitable battle. n-
Now, I do not intend to describe the
details Of this brilliant action, for the suf-
fcient reason that though there was
seven young gentlemen connected with
the primary school) on the field as war
correspondents their accounts of the en-.
gagement are so contradictory as to be
utterly worthless. On one point they all
agreed-that the contest was sharp, short
and decisive. The truth is, the General is
| quick, wiry, experienced old hero and
/ - tab I'M, fn "a
nabee Boy, who was in reality q coward, as
all DULLES and tyrants ever have been and
always will be.
don't approve of boys fighting I DOM
defend Johnny; but if the General wants
an extra ration OR two of preserved peal
he shall have it.
I am we'll aware that, socially speaking
Johnny is black sheep. I know that
have brought him up badly, and that there
is not an unmarried man or woman in the
United States who wouldn't have brought
him up very differently. It's great pity
that the only people who know how Il
manage children never have any! At the
same time. Johnny is not black sheep al
over. He has some white spots. His sins
if wiser folks had no greater-are the re
suit of too much animal life. They belong
to his evanescent youth, and will pas
away; but his honesty, his generosity, hi
bravery, belong to his character, and ART
enduring qualities. The quickly crowded
years will tame him. A good large pane
of glass, or seductive bell knob, cease
in time to have attraction for the mos
reckless spirit. And I am quite, confden
that Johnny will be great statesman, O.
a valorous soldier, or, at all events, gooG
citizen, after he has got over being 4
Young Desperate. * -oe