South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1873-09-26
Do Boys Ever Think ?

e1cepf, perhaps, one IN thousand, who
at the age of six OF seven, has an old mans
head on boys shoulders
Because boy neglecfs to put in Sir
and 'Ma'am' at every word, of course 'he's
50 il-bred and very thoughiless. IL he
should chance, by some strange inattentive-
ness, to see the deacon nod in church. or
hear him snore aloud, and being unable to
restrain his risibles, should 'sricker out.
the good oil Squire Dabbs gravcy shakes
his head aud sieruly pronounces him uu-
pardooably wicked, and, thoughtless of the
pllce in which he ats. But it is long
time indeed since the squire was boy, aud
now he is not q proper judge them. He
IS only compeieD; to a buse and SANDER them,
and represent that they arc entirely igno-
rant OF what's right or wrong. 1t is no
great wonder that the boys DO not admire
the squire very much, because he's always
fndirg fault, and nevot spoke kindly word
10 one of them in all his life Boys are
Ftf,y times more thoughtful, aud know a
great deal more than we give them credit for.
When was younger than am now, aud
understood the boys language, aud could
sympaihize with them in their modes of
trickery, | knew a boy who thought of
things that wise philosophers have never
yet been able fully to comprehend. He
thought that when il rained the man who
holds the watering-pot upset it in the sky,
and down the water came in drenchipp tor.
rents. He thought the winds were closely
held in dark mountain caves, and that when
they escaped, they rushed with fury over
the far-extending country, sweeping houses
and forest-trees before them. He thought
the winter snow was piled up in those great
white clouds which look like heaped up
rocks ready to tumble down at any moment
lie knew the earth itself could not be round
like BALI as the geography tells us for
how could that be so with great big noun
tains on it, yes, aud woods, aud lakes, and
valleys. He was perfectly sure that the
earth does not 'turn round upon It's axis
once 10 twenty -four hours he saw the sun
rise in the East, and then mount higher
and higher still, until it was noop, and in
the evening down he went behind the wes-
tern clouds and sank clear out of sight. -
But how the sun got hack again in time to
rise next morning in the East he did not
know but wisely let the question rest a.
mong the other vast and unsolved myste.
ries for future ages aud unborn philoso-
pliers to explain.
lie thought too, if the earth was upside
down at night that he and all the village
would fall off, and that before the morn
ing there would simply be general confu.
sion Of affairs. Houses and barns, wood
piles and hay-stacks, fences and rocks, eve
rything that could get away would be fy-
ing in all difections-a universal mixing up
OF thlngs-before the IN orning when the
earth would get its right side up. He had
heard OF antpodes from the walking eucy-
clor9 liza Of universal knowledge, the viii
lage school-master, but though propounded
by so great authority, be was nevertheless
most sceptical regarding them. For how
could they-the people on the other side
OF the globe-keep walking from morning
to night with their feet against ours, like
flies against the ceiling of the paror, or how
could they ever accomplish anything while
holding by ;be tops of trees to keep from
falling oil ! He knew that there was a new
moon every month, because be saw it, but
what 1t was made Of be could not say
Grandmother said, 'of green cheese but
this he did not credit. What was done
/ with Old ones was mystery. The stars
were easily accounted for He thought
them nothing more nor less than little holes
| punched 10 the SKY through which the light
came peering IN, and there thoy sparkled
and twinklcd brightly, away up 10 the arch
/ ing heavens.
/ This LITTLE boy had thoughts on religion,
/ too. He had read bis Bible often, as ali
boys ought to do, and hl committed some
| passages to memory. The twenty-third
| psalm was called bis favOrite, and be could
recite it from first to last. lie knew the
/ Lords Prayer quite as WELL and prayed Il
often without his mothers telling him to
/ @ and say bis prayers. He was sadly
frightened once because the Bible said that
the devil, as a roaring lion, walkcth about
seeking whom be may dsvour;' for when
ever he went out into the fields or woods
alone be expected every moment 10 meet
this roaring lion. IL wisely told bis trou-
bles to bis mother, whom be considered "a
not a whit behind the minister in clearing
up his theological perplexiiies.
This lad bad often good and serious
thoughts when bis mother supposed him
plotting mischief, and upbraided bin for
general wickejness. llo thought Of hea-
ven. How pure and lovely place i, is.
Where al are good no pain. 20 crying /;
where litls sister Annie and brother vii.
Use are, aDd where his father and bis moth
er and the rest--his brothers, bis sisters.
and himself-should live forever blessed
lie thought Of God. How great and holy.
and how good. How kind Of him 20 send
his Son into the world 20 de Tor ng. lie
thought bow much better a boy il than the
dog or cat, because they must die some
time and never live again bur he could