American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1872-06-22
WHAT THE BOYS DID.

There was not mean-lOOking boy in
the crowd. had watched them so often
on their way to school, neat and fresh and
gentlemanly in appearance; or coming
home again little flushed and rumpled,
but merry and full of life, that l knew
every face among them. Now they were
all gathered about the corner, and their
pleasant voices drew me to my window.
What do you suppose saw? Why, every
boy held one hand behind him in which
he had stone or a stick, and the whole
party were doing their utmost to coax n
poor silly little puppy to run out from the
shelter of his own premises that they
might have shot at him. Come, John
ny come, Johnny! nice fellow! poor fell
low ~ in all sorts of soft, insinuating
tones; but the puppy had doubtless learned
wisdom by sad experience, and only poked
his black nose through the fence, peered
wagged his tail in a friendly way.
Then the boys tried another maneuver.
Two of them marched boldly up to the
gate, and the puppy, in his zeal to defend
the premises, barked valiently. The boys
ran in feigned terror, and the puppy fol
lowed, fairly bursting with what in men
we call heroism, or patriotism, or some
other ism. Pell nell came the sticks and
stones ; not boy missed his chance for
back to his intrenchments, yelping in dis
may, while a chorus of shouts and laugh
ter fairly made the air ring. l looked at
those boys, as they went on their way,
in wonder. How happy they looked !;
how merry they were over their success
full maneuver. l don't believe one of
them had the slightest suspicion that he
had done anything mean or cruel. TWAS
just a good joke, and hurt nobody, unless
- =, u
he only got two or three knocks pup
pies don't mind rough handling. 1t is
a pity to spoil good joke but oh! you
dear, brave, noble boys, that make your
mothers glad and proud every day of your
lives, it is a greater pity to spoil with IA
little faint of cruelty anything SO good as
the manhood into which you are capable
of growing, and that is why | looked
sadly after you that day, and had no heart
to read you lecture. | meant TO give
it to YOU, though and here it is, where
l know some of you will see it. Nobody
need call me a croaker, and say boys will
be boys, and it's boy nature to delight in
teasing. Perhaps it is. I've read that
every mans nature is part angel and
part demon, and sometimes one part
outgrows the other. Which part will
you have, boys? Now is the time to
decide. If YOU don't want the ugly,
cruel ucI1lpU 10 SToN ultll lt SCtS lHt HIS
terry of everything good in your natures,
YOU must be careful not to feed him. Keep
him down; chain him; beat him back
whenever he shows his head or his cloven
foot God made you to be glad, and lie
made the world for you to be glad in, and
you may be sure there is plenty of good,
genuine fun to be had without intlicting
the smallest amount of suffering upon any
of the weak, innocent creatures which
share the world with you. Thousands of
men and women are using their influence
all over this country, in the prevention of
cruelty towards animals, but after all
there is very little hope except in raising
up new generation, whose feelings have
not been scared as with a hot iron, and
who will shrink from cruelty as from any
other sin and shame. Boysl l speak for
places in that new generation for each
one of you.-LuNo Corporal.