Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1879-01-25
THE YOUNG IDEA.
One Of Bob IngersOlrs Theories Put
to the Test.

pers:
Colonel Ingersoll says he keep
ga pocket-book in an open drawer
and his children go and help them
selves to money whenever they wan
it. They eat when they want to
They may sleep all day if they
choose, and sit up all night if they
desire. l don't try to coerce them
I never punish, never scold. They
buy their own clothes and are mas
ters of themselves"
A gentleman living on Marshall
street, who has a boy that is full as
kitteny as his father, read the ar
ticle, and pondered deeply. He
knew that Colonel Ingersoll was a
success at raising children in the
way they should 60, and he thought
he would try it. The boy had caused
him considerable annoyance, and
he made up his mind that he had
not treated the boy right, so he
called the boy in from the street,
where he was putting soft soap Oh
the lamp-post in order to see the
lamp-ighter climb it, and said to
him:
"My son, [ have decided to
adopt a different course with you.
Heretofore / have been careful
about giving you money and have
wanted to know where every cent
went to, and my supervision has no
doubt been annoying to you. Now,
| am going to leave my pocket-book
in the bureau drawer, with plenty
of money in it, and you are at lib
erty to use all you want without
asking me. | want you to buy
anything you desire, buy your own
clothes, and to feel as though the
money was yours, and that you had
not got to account for it. Just
make yourself at home now and
try and have good time
The boy looked at the old gen
tleman, put his hand on his head as
though he hat "got EN- sure" and |
went out to see the lamp-ighter
climb that soft soap. The next
day the stern parent went out into
the country shooting, and returned |
on the midnight train three days
later. He opened the door with a
and a strange yellow
dog grabbed him by the elbow of
his pants, and shook him, as he
said, {" like the ager.''
The dog barked and chewed until |
the son came down in his night
shirt and called him off. He told
his father he had bought that dog
of a fireman for 81, and il was
the best dog bargain that
had boon made this season. He
said the fireman told him he could
sell the dog for 500 if he could
ind man that wanted that kind of
l dog.
The parent took his pants-what
he dog had not removed-and in
The hall he stumbled over a birch
bark canoe the boy bought of an
Indian for 50, and an army musket
with an iron ramrod fell down from
he corner. The boy had paid Sc
or that. He had also bought him
elf an oVercoat with a seal-skin
.ollar and cuffs, and q complete
'utft of calico shirts and silk stock
ngs.
In this room the parent found
he marble top Of a soda fountain,
. wheelbarrow, and a shelf filled
With all kinds Of canned meat, pre-
erves and crackers, and a barrel of
Lpples. A wall tent aud six pairs
# blankets were rolled up ready
or camping out, and a buckskin
hirt and a pair of corduroy pants
ay on the bed ready for putting on.
Six fsh.pcles and a basket full of
ish-lines were ready for business,
nd an oyster can full of grub
worms for bait were squirming on
he washstand. The old gentleman
Ooked the layout over, looked at
lis booklet book in the bureau
drawer, as empty as contribution
,ox, and said:
young man, the times have been
90 flush. We will now return to
! specie basis. When you want
money come to me and | will give
7ou nickel, and you will tell ne
what you intend to buy with it, o.
I'll warm you. You hear me %
And now that man stands around
from the effects of the encounter
with the yellow dog, and asks every
man where letter will reach Bob
He says he will kill In~
yersoll if it is the last noble act he
ever aecomplishes.