Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1872-04-19
The Boy John.

S. c. Kendall says some very true
and suggestive things about "The
Boy John" in the April number OF
Sc''ibner's. We quote as follows:
John is young. His tastes are
uniformed. His feelings are very
far from being refined. In ia he
is little gross in his sympathies.
He wants amusement. Every bone
in his body aches for recreation, for
play, fun, laughter. He does not
care-he has never been taught to
care-what the fun is, if only it will
give grief to the fidget that stings
him. Not at all refined, lie will 60
for what he wants where others go.
And going where others go, he finds
the hunger of his nature coarsely
met-just as tainted meat will fill
the hunger Of starving man-in
the low revelry, vile stories, unclcan
mirth of drinking cellars and sa-
looms. The boy does not discrim-
mate very closely, and to the long
ings of his crude appetite the en-
tertainment of these places is in
finitely better than any he ever
could find in that place which he
has been taught to speak fas home.
For eating and sleeping and getting
his clothes mended, he feels that no
place can be equal to Christian
home; but for good time, for pass
ing dull evening hour, for learn
ing something new, for words Of
cheer, for professions of sympathy,
for those genial ways which boy
does love, and which any boy but a
Uriah Hecp must love, John will
tell even the minister to his face
that home is nothing to a street
corner, or 4 billiard-room with the
attachment of beer-shop.
Well, by and by, just before the
clock strikes 10, the father wakes
from his doze, the spectacles falling
and the paper sliding upon the floor
and, looking round with bewil-
dered gaze, asks, "Where is
John?"
Where is he? Why, for want of
better instruction, he is out practic-
ing our modern plan of training
himself in the way he likes to go,
having no thought that when he is
old he will care to depart from it.
But the father who has inquired for
his boy rubs his eyes, looks out into
the darkness, and listens; but he
hears him not. He wishes that his
boy would not 60 out SO of nights;
but then he does 90 out. He won
ders that John cannot sit down at
home like other boys. What other
boys? And then, with very feeling
remark that, eff John does not do
better and become steady, he will
make a miserable shirk Of himself"
the father goes to bed. The mother
waits till her boy comes. BY and
by he does come in-his restless.
ness blown off, the uneasy fidget OF
the early evening spent in Relations
which, of some kind, boy must
have-and then at last the house is
quiet. Sleep and rest prepare the
household for another day and even
ing like these.
And when that other evening
comes, out goes the boy again; and
the father again wonders, and
wishes that John would be steady
and stay at home, and very feelingly
predicts that, eff he does not change
his course, he will very likely come
to miserable end"
But, good father, why should you,
boy spend his evenings at home!
What is there at home for him!
What pleasant recreation, what
happy plan for Willing away the
hour, does he find inviting hin
there, or that would invite any boy
there? What have you done to make
home attractive and wiEsome to hin
as Johns home? He would likt
amusements suited to his young
restless, brimming nature; how
much real thought and care did yo'
ever give in schemes, devices, plan:
efforts, with view to meeting this
passionate yearning of his mind
How much do you play with him
tell stories with him, make riddles
with him, talk with him of what yo'
have done and seen, of what you
father did and saw? What games
what sports, what efforts at skill
with slate and pencil, with knife
saw and gimlet, have you devisc'
for him, while your look and actor
were saying, "My boy, l want yo'
to love your home more than an.
other spot of earth?"