The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1879-09-06
THE GOOD BOY AT THE PICNIC
Described in the Verracu!a7.

The good boy comes home from The picnic
clean discouraged and badly mashed. In
deed, be is often brought home dead. The
bad boy has a whooling old time from the
very outset, and returns HON, huck full of
figs and candy and enthusiasm , 20 again.
When the good boys dad has made up his
mind to take the family to 4 picnic on some
shady island OF distant shore the boy dees
not jump up and declare that he won wear
white pants, or that he is bound to 90 bare
footed, or that he must have half dollar in
cash and 4 revolver. On the contrary, tho
good boys chin is at rest; he is in his
mothers hands, and he trusts her with all
arrangements regarding his sacred person
and property. Before leaving home the
good boy is thus Soleinnly addressed by his
devoted mother, and the "atldreSs - is ac-
csped and filed by his respected father, who
was a boy once himself.
CHOW, then, young man, we are going to
u Sunday school picnic, and want to say Il
few words 10 you. If You lose your hat on
the ears I'll box your ears till they ring,
Ii you don't stay right with me and your
father I'll lick you before all the folks. If
you sit on the grass and stain those pants
you know what you'll get. If you dare go
in a boat, go into the water, shoot Il pistol,
climb Il tree wrestle with Il boy or tease
your father for money to buy candy or
lemonade, I'll take your hide off and hang
it on the fence the very minute we yet
home"
That's the music the good 10, has to face
when he starts for a picnic, and if he
doesn't start out with smiling face and
buoyant step he may get his ears cutied
before he reaches the depot. If any one has
to stand up in the cars it is the good boy
If there are any cinders flying they settle
on the good boy $ white pants and hat and
lodge in his eyes If any one falls fiat on
the platform or into the mud at the eating
off place it is the good boy while the bad
boy, who has come all the way on the roof
Of the ear, having dead-loadS OF fun, meets
with not the slightest accident As he as
cendS. On the contrary, he is almost certain
to find y basket of luncheon which no one
claims and he runs his chance Of picking
up gold-headed canes, bottles Of .inger-ale
pocket books and watches on the way over
to the grove.
The good boys father, on reaching the
grove, buys himself Il glass of lemonade to
yet the dust out of his throat, and follows it
with a dish Of icc-cream to cool the system
The good boy himself ism t supposed to have
Il IT in his throat mr. 70
off If he is very thirsty he can drink
water-provided his mother doesn't catch
him at it. The bad boy Sims up tree,
hangs by his heels, finds Il birds nest, eats
slippery elm and .Juns-bcrricS and the good
boy must sit on a cracker-bo1 and watch
the family umbrella. The good boys
mother braces up with Il tlrau.ht of current
wine, and his father takes some ginger-ale
| to prevent suustr"k-, and then rctires to
shady spot TO smoke cigar II the good
boy feels Ike squandering the old-f:lShioncd
penny he has had in his "bank " for seven
| long wears one look from his mother freezes
him to that cracker box 80 fls; that i pony
couldn't draw him off,
The bad boy has at least fifty cents to
spend as he pleases. He rows Il boat; he
GOES on swimming; he throws stones; he
swings on Il wild grapevine: he climbs hills
and rocks and slides down banks, and
although some deacon with a face us solemn
rs Il garrett window in Il deserted tanncry
predicts that he will be killed or drowned,
he is the liveiest one of the lot when the
party makes ready for the homoward trip.
Instances have been known where good
boy evadcd his mothers eye and bought 4
popcorn ball, but it always cholled him.
If he dared 10 climb Il tree he fell and broke
his arm. If he got hold of peanuts or
lemonade he was made drcadfully sick. If
ha vent near the water he was drowned.
A good boys parents should and do take
! heap of comfort at Il picnic The good boy
himself might as well take seat in grave
yard and try to lie happy with broken
penny whistle, Up TO the time Of taking