The Plymouth weekly Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1860-1869, 1869-01-28
THE BOY OF THE PERIOD.
A Dirty, LayyleSS, Lying. Co n
ScienCelcSs, UnbearabIe
Bar barian and NUi.
S1ElCC.

been subjected to the sarcasm and
anathemas of the Saturday Review and
its imitators for the last twelve month
singularly enough, the boy of the Pc
rid has escaped uncensured. His ex-
emption from criticism is certainly un.
accountable, for he is vastly more OBJ
noXlouS than the NEST obnoxious type
of the much abused girl. The latter
is rarely unpleasant to an unenduralb e
extent, except during the brief period
of her transition from childhood to
girlhood, when she is yet uncertain
whether innocence requires the unre-
strained display of her ankles, or mod
esty demand that they should be ex-
hibited only through the aid Of care
fully arranged accidents. AT this age
in her existence the girl is usualyl dis
agreeably pert, or stupidity bashful, and
in either case is almost invariably al
undesirable acquaintance But this
period is, at any rate, brief one, while
the boy, from his tenth to his fifteenth
year, is a skillfu combination of every
thing that is agsrsviously unpleasant
in human nature A great awkward
BOBBY.
As a rule, he is totally Indifferent to
the distinction between truth aud
falsehood This arises partly from the
undeveloped state of his moral facul-
ties. and partly from his ignorance Of
what is meant by honor. He in,aria-
bly, extricates himself from difficulties
by lying, and is uniformly ready to ac-
cuse another of his own misdeedS He
is cruel both to his fello boys and to
defenceless animals that fall within his
power. Ordinarily he is dirty, and al
most invariably he is rude. Appar-
antly he is totally devoid Of conscience.
and were it not for occasional Instances
which prove the contrary, we might be
justified in concluding that the boy
never becomes possessed of personal
soul until he reaches the age Ct fifteen
or thoraobouto
These moral defects Inherent in the
boy of the period are, however, of little
consequence in comparison with the
more heinous qualities which distinguish
him. Gifted with sharp and strident
voice, closely approaching in quality
to the cry of a saw suffering the ago
MES of the file, he basely delights to
torture the ears Of humanity with his
ceaselcss outcrics, and when in the
service of the proprietor of fruit or
fish wagon makes the music of the fish,
horn seem melodious by contrast.
At the opera or theatre he is seen in
his wiekedest glory. Armed with
" books of the OPERA" and fans"
which he attempts to yell the public
into purchasing, he browns the music
Of the overture, and makes the au-
dlence look forward to the entr' actes,
when he shall again be let loose upon
them, with dismay and horror.
Provided, by shameless men, with
handbills, he iniests the sidewalk and
thrusts himself perpctually between
the feet of unfortunate pedestrians, and
lacerates the feelings Of Clearly men
by touching them with his unpleasant
hand. Nothing is sacred to him, and
the personal features of men or women
which excite his attention are made the
subject of his abusive yells. Wrapped
in his sublime seli-coDceit, he thrus.s
himself into every place where his
presence is especially undesirable. lie
sits next TO US in the street cal and
eats apples and peanuts in way tina,
ought to be made statutory offence
At church he arouses our sinful pas
sions by his tendency to persistent sniff
ling, and at the theatre he disturbs oul
equanimity by talking during the i'm
important moments Of the play, and
chokes us with dust by aTpIauding at
unreasonable times with his undesirabl |,
feet.
In whatever place he may be found
he is never otherwise than a persistent
intrusive, and uncomfortable nuisance OF