Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1875-08-05
ANXIOUS TO BE A MAN.

WE were all growing-up boys-some
nearly young men, the rest of us smaller
when Uncle William, who had left the
country when we were little, returned to
pay visit to, his old home and friends. He
was always much interested in fathers
children, and particularly in me, perhaps
| because | was called after him; and [
Trather think he noticed prominent feature
in my character-one of his own, too-the
| unnecessary anxiety to be man before the
| time When we were all together one
| evening, and after he had entertained us
with his adventures, he took the opportu-
nifty OF telling us the following story, which
doubtless was intended for my special ben
| eft: h.rt 8a-s --aItJ
. In the early part of my life," said he,
Just about the time when put on my first
| pants and jacket, and was shod with pair.
OF top-boots, with brass toe pieces, [ was
seized with the ardent and longing de-
sire to become man So much was said
among the school-boys about becoming
| tWenty-one, and so much ado was made
| by parents when their sons arrived at
| twenty-one, and so good and manly a
character most of them had at the age of
twenty-one-they could all dress well,
| carry cane, smoke a cigar, chew tobac
co, take glass, and swear occasionally
that L looked away forward to twenty-one
as If it stood up in the far-off distance, as
the most desirable Of all, and the only
prominent year of my life 1t seemed to
me the sentinel Of all years 1t would be
an epoch in my history. 1t was year the
dawn OF which would make me a man. 1t
was to be the dividing line between the
ages of slavery and of liberty On this
side OF it saw nothing but commands,
rebukes, and good, sound whipping now
and then, or, if it went no further. at
least some severe threatening, as Boy. do
this, and. boy, do that, or I will fog YOU
. AS | grew up these disabilities seemed
to increase proportionately. There was
the endless school-tasks-no escape from
them-nothing but school, school, school
and wretched school-books from January
to December, till | hastily concluded that
L was born for nothing else than to 90 to
school and be kept boy for ever and
ever. Even the Sabbath itself was no re-
lease. To escape from day-school was to
plunge into what was ten-fold worse-the
SaObath-schOOl. Then the tiresome ser
mon to be listened to as if paid atten-
ton; then the text and heads must be re-
ported at home. Oh, how I longed to be
twenty-one! =
Boyhood l thought was slavery, bond
age to ones parents. / was not master of
my own will nor could l follow once nv
own desires. Did 1 wish to spend the
evening out among my admired com
pan1ons, my mother interfered, and said it
was not proper. If I wished to spend the
evening at the theater my father had the
purse. Or if, by strict economy, / had
saved enough to purchase my own ticket 7
had to ask his consent, and that was GER
tain to be denied Everything was so ex-
actly measured out for me; my time. nv
work, my play, NY food, clothing compa.
ny-all must pass under the censure or an
proyal OF my father and mother. Why so
iiAe'Nih iOd my liza not know better
than they what suited me? And then to |
think boy Of seventeen is not bon. but |
man! Quite competent to think and act |
for himself, if his mother were dead and
sometimes the wicked thought occurred,
l wish she was below the sod then I
should be free to do as I please, without
rendering up daily account
las L came near the year of supposed
jubilee, became impatient Nv fever
grew upon me. If at that age 1 had had
the CLOCK OF time under my control. 7
should have showed it forward lust four
years. lime moves SO slowly when one
haStens TO be a mani As it was. I had to
bear aud wait. My grievances increased.
Inc smallest request was an imposition
was oDedlent, but after suky sort. And
my sole comfort arose from the thoupbt
that should soon be free, a recognized
and acknowledged young mani II
" 1t was the Last year of my minority 8