The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1871-11-10
A Spoiled Child.
From Hearth and Home,

we this time found a strange visitor.
The stranger was lad of seventeen,
and a curiosity which we feel called
upon to describe.
Unfortunately he was not SO rare
curiosity as we could wish. He was "a
young man who had been spoiled in all
that makes manliness, health vigor,
brightness of life and spirit, by two
mistakes on the part of his parents and
sisters.
In the first place, this unfortunate
young man had been allowed no respite
from drugs and doctors. When he was
an infant he had begun with soothing
syrup and baby drops; he had adj
vanced into ipecac, grown upon squills
and guiacum, and eliminated with
calomel and quinine. No drug had
been allowed to dodge him. No breath
of fresh air was allowed to blow upon
him. He had been laid down like a
carpet upon which the sun was never
To be allowed to shine he was taken
up as if he were glass, and brittle. In
consequence he was Trailer than the
violet, and more colorless than the lily.
OF course his appetite and his powers
OF digestion were pretty nearly gone in
consequence Of this treatment. 1t was
amusing to see his doleiul air at dinner
lie seemed to regard potatoes as poison
Gus and strong meat as a mocker He
had to be urged to eat; and serious
question arose about each mouthful
Could he chew it? Could he swallow
it? Could he digest it?
The poor lad was too delicate to walk
a. mile; and the girls were vexed to
hnd-ior beaus were scarce in the vii
lage, and the evenings were then made
charming by the full moon-that the
Estate OF his health did not permit him"
to attend any Of them home.
But this was not the end of the poor
fellows failings. He was the most
effeminate young man that we ever saw.
His friends thought him handsome, but
his beauty was simply that of tolerably
regular features and the pallOr of com
plexion which many persons. even in
these oommonsense days, think TO be
interesting" His voice was weak and
drawing, he was nervous and timid,
though, being y gentleman born and
bred, he was not bashful, and behaved
himself well enough but for this lack OF
manliness. Without having any definite
ailment, he seemed to be, and was. a
continual invalid With every advan-
tage, or the possibility Of every advan-
tage, that his parents money and posi-
ton could buy, he remained nonentity.
And the oldest part of the story is that
his parents were healthy, breezy, stin ing
people OF the world, and except in two
important points, sensible, exccllent
people.
Now let us ask what possessed these
excellent persons to make such an
etfemnatc good for nothing of their
boy at seventeen years of aye
1t WAS two evil spirits that led them
away-the witch of dosing, and the
witch OF overpetting.
They had given him so much medi-
cinethat his physical vitality was wasted
away. To be sure, as they thought, that
he should receive no injury, they had
kept him from the play. ground, and
from outdoor air and sunlight. They
had caressed him and fondled him at
home, and kept him in such ignorance
Of the rougher outer world that as
child he had no heart or desire to seek
playmates, or, later, friends and fellows
there. He was very religious he was
determined TO be q minister, but how
could he face the college and the semi
nary? The thought of the rough treat.
ment he might expect to receive from
a boisterous class of young men made
his check grow paler than ordinary
when the subject Of his future studies
were mentioned. And, indeed. be was
most tempting subject for college
hazing" or smoking out" His help.
less air invited rudeness, and should he
ever get to college we may be pretty
sure that his experiences will 90 on
record among those of the worst-used
freshmen of his day.
Now, what is the value Of this forlorn
character TO us? Simply to show an
instance OF those sad mistakes which
are made not merely by ignorant and
foolish parents and sisters, but by those
who are in the main sensible in respect
to this matter Of dosing and humoring
boys. ii boys, fortunately, cannot be
spoiled III these ways, but here was IL
young fellow, perhaps of delicate con
stitution at the start, who was, except
in a moral sense ruined by the foolish
and otiicious care that had been taken
of him from infancy. He was taught
to be self-conscious, dyspeptic, a recluse
to whom sunlight and society were dis
tasteful. 1t was an admirable training,
perhaps, for a monk, but it was a ruin
Gus one for man.
Let the medicine chest, then, severely
alone in most cases. Don't be afraid of
q little, or Of great deal of air and
sunlight. Encourage your boy, if he be
at all delicate or nervous in constitu.
ton, to seek the society of his fellows.
Don't shut him up with his sisters all
day long in the library. Books are
good enough, and sisters petting is
an excellent thing. Even ca!omel has
its uses. But the best instruction for
the growing child is a hearty life out Of
doors. The sweetest sisters friendship
may injure if it keeps boys at home
from school, and cuts them off from the
healthy life and friendship Of the play
ground. That other msused thing, the
family medicine chest, is like battery
sf mitraileuSeS, only good in time of war,
When disease makes determined