Urbana union. [volume] (Urbana, Ohio) 1862-1872, 1870-12-21
What Are Boys GOOD For.
rFron The clsvland Leader.

&
Oliver Wendell Holmes says a boy
should be put in barrel In infancy, and
fed from the bung-hole till he becomes
| of age. It is certainly expressing the
idea in a very unique way, but every
body who has had any care Of boys will
appreciate the remark,
Washington Irving thought nieCes
very desirable 20 have in ones home;
but he could not understand the possible
use Of nepheWs. II he could read Pier
re Irving's lengthy though entertaining
autobiography Of his uncle, he might
have seen a very wise use for him.
Boys, although the delight Of every
father and the pet Of every mother, are
a combination Of ali that Is trying and
mischievOus. Perhaps this does not
necessarily indicate an alarming amount
of brains, for some gentle, quiet girls
have far outranked them IN scholarship
and position. From babyhood they are
noisy, sly, rough and good hearted
They break WindoWpanes and never
know who did 1t; use profsns language
out Of the home circle, aud mako moth-
ers and sisters believe they are perfect;
fight every body who is q wee bit small
er than themselves, and sometimes are
not afraid to attack theirsuperiors in size
and strength; always hang on to wag-
ons, slide down hill in the worst places,
skate on the ice when mother Is in fe-
yer; 1t is so then, both every time they
can get companion though as they have
instructions over and over again, like
Mrs. PaFtington's to Ike, 'toleaTn to swim
all they chose, but never 60 near the
water stick pins In chairs for somebody
TO sit down upon; make faces at teach
ara y
ways of breaking rules; have q natural
affinity for mud and rents; steal water
melons, apples, ard Walnuts, enioyinp
the fun still more if the proprietor hap
pens to get a view of them as they are
leaving the premises; Gmuse themselves
with breaking valuables, putting fire.
crackers under horses, hanging about
street corners and saloons to hear and
have the appearance, at least, of appTSx-
imating to manhood,
They are afraid of girls, and girls are
equally afraid Of them. They are avk-
ward in society, but perfectly at home
on the streets. They strive and grow
on stray cigars, and what somebody has
read and told them from the Dpvs Do
i71gs. They are generous and prOdigal,
don't mind spending all they have for a
fellow; haven't any little meannesses,
but some large ones; are so full of the
irrepressible boy that they are always
where they ought not to be; as uneer-
tain as the wind, restless and reckless,
often made angular by mismanagement,
the torment of everybody, and yet the
embryo strength and pride Of a nation.
ask myself again and again, What
are they good for ? and almost every
body have asked the same question. II
"a rrDf 10 off = IL
urchins think q great feat, though 10 OIL
der heads a very silly one, the BOYS did
it. II the cat comes home bruised and
lame, know who stoned her Just for
fun--bOys have the queerest ideas of
fun. II the cake is cut the papers torn, I
the sofa muddied, the flOWeT-beds track !
ed, and the green turf matted, the boys /,
of course, did it.
They are quick and vigorous. To-
night watched with great deal Of in /
terest, game of baseball with two /
old canes for clubs and a block Of wood |
for ball. The little fellows became /
very much excited. YOU'RE always in 4
the way said one, as he very uncere-
knocked over little waif of /
seven.
pve got five?
NO you hain't, neitheru till finally
Il little pimp with a satchel on his arm,
who was looking in the opposite direC ]
ton, was appealed to as Judge.
Yes, sir, five ? said he with an air of /
assumed dignity, and the contest was
settled, though he knew know more
about it, than l.
They always SO by cOntraries.
Now Henry, when you 60 down /
stairs don't touch those rolls of lax with /
your candle, said one good grandmoth-
er to one of her boys. He did this er-
rand, the flax looked tempting as he /
came back. He would just see how the .
very ends would burn, so touching the
candle just the least triile, the whole /
mass was in flames. The frightened boy
never tried the same experiment again.
They are always getting lost or having
trouble of some kind and are paid in .
the end very much after the manner of I
Tom Hoods Lost Heir
remember, at the old home, ON the