Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1871-01-12
What are Boys Coed For ,

Oliver Wendell Holmes says d 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 to have in ones
home; but he could not understand u e
possible use of nephews. Ii he could read
Pierre Irving's lengthy, though entertain
ing, biography of his uncle, ne might
have seen very wise use fer him.
Boys, although the delight of every
father and the pet of every mother, are a
chievous. Perhaps this does not neces-
sarily Indicate an alarming amount OF
brains, for some gentle, quiet girls have
far outranged them in scholarship and po-
sition. From babyhood they are noisy,
sly, rough and good hearted. They brake
window panes and never know who did
it use profane language out of the home
circle, and make mothers and SIS
ters believe they are perfect; flight
every body who is wee bit small
er than themselves, and sometimes
are not afraid to attack their superiors in
size and strength always hang on
wagons, slide down hill 10 the worst
places, skate on the ice when mother is
in fever, it is 50 thin; battle every time
they can get a companion, though as they
like Mrs. Partington's Ike, "to learn to
swim all they choose, but never go near
the water stick pins i'll chairs for some
body to sit down upon make faces at
teachers behind their backs; seek out
new ways of breaking rules; Fave q
natural affinity for mud and rents steal
watermelons, apples and walnuts, enjoy
ing the fun still more if the proprietor
happens to get a view of them as they are
leaving the premises; amuse themselves
with breaking valuables, putting fire.
crackers under horses, hanging about
street corners and saloons to hear, and
have the appearance, at last, of approxim-
ating to manhood.
They are afraid of girls, and girls are
equally afraid of them. They are awk-
ward in society, but perfectly at home on
the streets. They strive and grow on
and told them from the Days Doings.
They are generous and prodigal, don't
mind spending all they have for 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 uncertain as the
wind, restless and reckless, often made
angular by mismanagement, the torment
of every body, and yet the embryo strength
and pride of a nation.
They are quick and vigorous. Tonight
[ watched with great deal of interest, a
game of base ball with two old canes for
clubs and block of wood for ball. The
lutte fellows became very much excited.
You're always in the way said one as he
very uncermoniously knocked over a little
waif of seven.
I've got fver
No you hain't, neitherp till finally d
little pimp with satchel on his arm. who
was looking in the opposite direction was
appealed to as judge.
Yes, sir, five ! said he with an air of
assumed dignity, and the contest was
settled, though he knew no more about it
than l.
They always go by contraries. Now,
Henry, when you go down stairs don't
touch those rolls of fax with your candle
said one good grandmother to one of her
boys. He did his errand. the fax looked
tempting as he came back. He would
j ust see how the very ends would burn,
so, touching the candle just the least trifie
the whole mass was in flames. The
frightened boy never tried the same ex-
pertinent again.
They are always getting lost or having
trouble of some kind, and are paid in the
end very much after the manner of Tom
Hoods "Lost Heir" L remember. at one
old home, on the old-fashioned wells weeps
that hung so high 1 was almost afraid to
see tie big stone attached to it go up in
the air, one of our small brothers was OBJ
served one day swinging his bands and
enjoying the ride up, as another boy drew
the bucket into the well. The mother
was nearly frantic. It was sure death if
he fell, so with the blandest words and
least apparent anxiety, she induced the
darling little fellow to descend, and when
once down whipped him vigorously
enough to last for year.
They ciroumvent not only indulgent
mothers but stern fathers. A prominent
lawyer of our city and his brothers were
in the habit, in boyhood, of training With
a gold-headed cane, that belonged to the
venerable paternal of the family. There
was much wholesome fear in those days
By little too energetic drilling, the cane
was broken. Father must not know it. SO
after much planning, the useltss thing
was buried by a rock away in the meadow.
Nobody knew anything about the cane.
and, after fruitless search, it was con-
cluded that the hired man had stolen it,
Years after. when the boys were grown to
manhood and were joking about boyish
days, they offered to find the cane Tho
rheumatic sire, leaning on a poorer one
than that so sadly missed, followed the
sons, who, to his utter amazement, dug up
the cane gold head and all. Strange to
say, the old gentleman did not enjoy the
joke nearly so well as they expected
As the boys come into their later teens,
they develope much that is noble and ig-
noble, while the love of fun and the rest
less, enthusiastic nature crops out con-
stantly. They study or commence bust.
ness, but the rollicking boy overtops the
man. They wrestle, hare, fill chapels
with hay, have mock trials, are neighbor-
hood nuisances, and get the admiration of
everybody, if they are not malicious.
When the twenties come, if they have
been kept of the streets at nights, and are
free from habits that stain and destroy,
the boys that we have been wearied by,
begin to show something of the grand
part God intended men to take in his
work. They are certain, for the most
part, rude specimens at the beginning, but
perhaps, they take brighter polish Sat the
last. Girls make home charming by their
Sweetness. beauty, musing and tender
hearts, but boys the old question comes
back. What are thy good for ?'-Sarah
Kn0aoles Bolton.
A CONSCIENTIOUS QUAKER David
Davis, one of the early citizens of Lewis
ton, Maine, now gone TO his reward, was
! most excellent Quaker a man of un-
spotted integrity. Some years before his
Heath, be went to his son-in-law, Awake
ield, Esq, and said to him :" | hear
here's pasture for sale (uaming it) for
800, and / believe I'll buy it," He
bought it, but told the owner it was