Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1875-03-04
A PLEA ZOE ROYH.


And what is the logical inference? Is it
crime to be a boy during the early
years intervening between infancy and
manhood? Would you have but single
bound between the cradle and the posi-
ton of citizenship Would you reverse
nature, do violence to the order of crea-
ton, demanding that manhood in minia-
trlre shall be more sedate, staid, self
possessed and manly than manhood itself?
While the kitten and the lamb are allowed
to frisk and play, and while we esteem
and love them for their joyousness and
playfulness, for their influence in making
life more sunny, shall we not allow the
young of humanity to be natural, to mani
fest some of the playfulness, the exuber-
ances of spirit, some Of the joyous cheer
intended for the springtime of life 2 May
not boy frisk little, open the safety
valve occasionally for the escape of the
excess of the natural exuberance of
spirits, and may he not appear like boy
rather than like man OF seventy years
Why should men forget their boyhood,
and tyrannically demand that the boys
shall initiate them in all of their follie
their crabbedness, and their "morose-
ness9" Still, to be boy is not to be
rude, uncivilized, or rowdyish but sim
ply to be young and appear like the
young-as gentlemanly, polite and good
as the circumstances will warrant-and
yet young, joyous, hopeful and buoyant.
The boys, at least some of them, are
often shamefully abused. If they are
natural, just as the good Father made
them, active and little boisterous, like
the young of all creatures, they are
called rude, awkward, ungainly, good
for-nothing louis" They are often told
that they are worthless, the worst boys
in town, and that they never will be good
for anything" And since their parents
assume great wisdom, claiming unusual
integrity, of course these statements,
made as often as the day returns, must
be believed. If they are nothing, and
never can be anything, the natural in
ference of these confding ones is that it
is useless to attempt any reform.
These boys are common property, to
do the bidding of maiden aunts, morose
uncles, garrulous hangers-on-all who
may fancy lording it over fractions of hui
mainly. They are driven here and sent
there, scolded for remissness in duty as a
matter of course, as if perfection only was
expected of them, while unreasonable
ness, violence of temper and tyranny
were virtues in older persons. If there
is a dirty job, a snnutty stove to be cared
for, q heavy box to be lifted, q difficult
task to be undertaken, one demanding
care and patience, an unreasonable neigh
Der to be pleased and served, an AK to be
ground, a cellar to be cleaned, n frisky
cow TO be milked-anything bad to be
done, and done in the shortest possible
time, and in the best possible style-of
course the boys must be employed. If
there is dull AK or scythe, a balk.y horse
or mule, q faded or questionable gar
ment, a cold room, anything undesirable,
of course they are good enough for boys.
In too many instances not an encouraging
word is uttered, not smile of love be-
slowed, lot a favor granted without as
surfing them that they do not deserve any
such favoEs ); not cent given without re-
minding them of the fate of the "pro1igal
son." Any old q buds will answer for
boys, they are SO destructive > while it
is not known what course they might
pursue if they had something worth car
ing for-some indncement to exercise
care.
is it strange that boys are not more
refined, more dntifrl, when they are SO
often treated with SO much less respect
and consideration than their sisters 2 Is
it surprising, with 50 little sunshine in
the home, SO little encouragement, that
they sometimes fooGshly run away2