Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1872-04-09
The Boy John.

John is young His tastes are uni
form. His feelings are very far
from being refined. In fact he is a
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, il only it will
give relief to the fdget that siings
him. Not at all refined, he will go
for what he wants whore others go.
And where others 60 he finds the
hunger of his nature coarsely met
Just as tainted meat will fill the hun
ger of a starving man--In the low
| revelry. vile stories, uncleau mirth
of drinking collars and saloons. The
boy does not discriminate very close
ly, and TO the longing of his crude
appetite the entertainment of these
places is infinitely better than any
he ever could find in that place which
be has been taught to speak of as
home
For eating and sleeping and get~
ting 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 learning
something new, for words of cheer,
for professions ofsympathy. for those
genial ways which a boy does love.
and which any boy but Uriah Heep
must love, John will tell even the
minister to his face that home is
nothing to "a street corner. or bill
iard~room with the attachment of a
beer-shop
Well, by and by, just before the
clock strikes ten, the father wakes
from his doze, the spectacles falling
and the paper sliding upon the floor,
and looking round with bewilder-
cd gaze, asks, where is John?"
Where is he? Why, for want Of
better instruction, he is out practic-
ing our modern plan of training him
self up in the way he likes to go, hav-
ing 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 be hears
him not. He wishes bis boy would
not go out so Of nights; but then he
does go out Hs wonders that John
cannot sit down at home like other
boys. What other boys2 And then,
with cery feeling remark that,
John does not do bettsr and become
steady, he will make miserable
shirk of himself" the father goes TO
bed. The mother waits till her boy
comes. By aud by he does come in,
his restlessness blown of, the un-
easy fidget ofthe early evening spent
in relaxations which, of some kind,
q boy must have and then at last
the house is quiet. Sleep and rest
prepare the household for another
day and evening like these.
And when the other evening eomes,
out goes the boy again; and the ia.
Their again wonders, aud wishes that
John would be steady and stay at
home, and very feelingly predicts
that'1f he does not change bis
course he will! very likely come to a
miserable end"
But, good father, why should your
boy spend his evenings at bonner
What is there at home for him?
What pleasant recreation, what hap
ply plan for Willing away the hour,
does he find inviting there, or what
would invite any boy there? What
have you done to make homo attract
i've and winsome as Johns home?
He would like amusements suited t.
his young, restless, trimming nature.
how much real thought and care did
you ever give in schemes, devices,
plans, efforts, with view TO meet
this passionate yearniDg of his mind?
How much do you play with him,
tell stories with him, make riddles
with him, talk with him of what
you have done and seen, of what
your father did and saw? What
games, what sports, what efforts at
skill with slate and pencil, with knife,
saw, and gimlet, have you devised
for him, while your look and action
were saying, "My boy, | want you to
love your home more than any other
spot of earth. IS G. Kendall, in
iScribner'S MOnHLy.