The weekly Shasta courier., 1873-05-24

Yet who of US can say that any such kick
was administered? At that early stage of
his existence, the controlling mind of Cain
had not yet given away.
1t is no light matter to be the first man
in a world like this and Cain certainly was
preparing to hold that position, Adam, his
father, was created for purpose. Like
Minerva, he sprang into life full grown
therefore, though We may safely consider
hm-as the first human creature, he certain
ly was not the first man. For how can one
be man who never was a child
Here we have another argument in favor
of Cain. Besides having no bad boys to
pattern after, he was under the constant d.
rection of his parents, who certainly, if only
from an instinct of self-preservation, would
have trained him never to be passionate or
cruel, when in his right mind. To be sure
they labored under peculiar disadvantage.
Herbert Spencer himself, coming into the
world booted and spurred, with no child
hood to look back upon, might have been
at loss how to manage the first boy. We
must never forget that there was a time
when instinct aud reflex action had the
start of the doctrine of precedent and law
of consequences when the original l told
you SOL" had yet to be uttered. Even the
warning example of Cain was denied to the
moral advancing of this first boy.
Still the situation had its advantages.
There were no fond uncles and aunts, no
doting grand parents to spoil the child and
confound the best endeavors of Adam and
Eve. Fortunately for the boy, poor Rich
ards Almanac was yet unwritten; George
Washingtons little Ratchet was never
brandished before his infant mind and
Casabanca had not yet struck his attitude
on the burning deck. So young Cain was
spared host Of discouraging influences. In
short, there is every reason to believe that,
in spite of depressing conditions and sur
roundings, he grew up to be at least bet
ter man than his father, who never had any
bringing up at all. That he did not kill Abel
in his boyhood is proof enough of this.
There was discipline somewhere.
And in the name of developed science
and Christian charity why not, in consider
ing subsequent events, make due allowance
for whatever chronological excuses the
Uranium of young Cain may have possess
ed! An intelligent father of to-day, fgura-
lively speaking, can take his childs head
by the forelock. He can detect what is
within it, and couuteract proclivities. If
an ominous bump rise near his baby's ear
he is ready to check combativeness with
Mary had little lamb Children, you
should never let, " and other tender dtties
In word. he may take observations from
the little mounts of character on his child's
head, and so, if he be wise, direct the young
life into safe and pleasant places. But
Adam knew nothing of phrenology. Nor
have we great reason TO believe that, if he
had known of it, he would have discreetly
followed its indications. Children are not
always cherubs. We all know how the
dearest of our little ones sometimes become
so "aggravating as to upset our highest
PHILOSOPHERS. Was Adam more than hu-
man? Say, rather, he was the fountain
head and source of human passion.
Again, both children were the victims of
an abiding privation. They had the natu-
raj propensities of childhood They had
teeth, stomach, appetite all the conditions,
we will say, of cholera inlantun--except
the one thing for which they secretly yearn-
ed-green apples These of course were
not to be had in that house. They were
not even allowed to be mentioned in the
family. Not once in all their lonely child
hood were those children comforted with
apples Think of the possibilities of inheri-
ted appetite, and then conceive of the effect
of these years of unnatural privation
Again, who shall question that at times
the deepest and most mysterious gloom per
vaded that household? Even if Adam and
Eve did not confide in their children, their
oldest boy must have suspected that some
thing was wrong. What rds H?-the ter
ribe something to be read, and yet not read,
in the averted faces Of that doomed pair?
They had evidently seen better days.
Where? Why? How? What had be-
come of some vague inheritance that Cain
felt was his by right? Morning, noon, and
night, misty and terrible suspicious haunt
ed his young mind. Night and noon and
morning, the mystery revolved and revolved
within him. Was this conducive to sanity?
Conceive of the eject of the animals seen
in the childrens daily walks There were
no well-ordered menagerie specimens then,
with Barnum or Van Amburgh in the back
ground as foil against terror Savage
beasts glared and growied and roared at ev-
cry turn. Whatever biologists may say to
the contrary, we must insist that the ante
diluvian animals did not necessarily antedate
Adam. Taking the mildest possible view
Of the case, the plesiosaurus, pterodactyl,
mastodon and megatherium, in their native
state, could not have been soothing objects
of contemplation to the infant mind.
Well, the boys grew up. But how bleak
their yoang manhood No patent leather
boots, no swallow-tails, no standing collars,
no billiards, no girls to woo, no fellows to
hoUt. Nothing to do when the teamwork
was over and the sheep in for the night but
to look into each others untrimmed faces
with a mute " Confounded dull !" more ter
rible than raving.
Fathers of to-day, would your own child
rem pass unscathed through such an exis
tence as this? Your little Abels might
stand it, but how about your little Gains
Would they not "put head on some
body? Would they not become, if not
stark, staring mad, at least non compos
mentis2 Gentlemen Of the jury, these con-
are not to be lightly passed by.
In judging Of Cain, look at the situation.
On the one hand, terrible family mystery,
no schools, no churches, no lectures, no so
ciety, no amusements, no apples! On the
other hand, the whole burden of humanity
borne for the first time +; paternal discipline;
undue chronological Developments; monot-
onous employment; antediiuyian monsters;
antediluvian parents, and an antediluvian
good brother in whose mouth butter would
have remained intact for ages.
Undoubtedly that brother had an exasper-
atlng smile. He was happy because he was
vlrtuous. He had way of forgiving and
forgetting that for a time would deprive the