The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1880-12-02
Wild Oats.

Statistical science, that remorseless
prophet, reports that out of so MANY ba.
bies dreaming on their mothers breasts.
there shall be numbered so many inebri.
ates, so many suicides, so many murder
ers, so many victims of battle, violence,
and sudden death. Inspecting colleges,
the stern.browed registrar records that
this proportion of young men will honor
themselves in their daily walk and con-
vcrsation, and that will wander by de-
vious paths to doubtful ends. Behold.
ing Sweet girl graduates" with unmel-
ting gaze. the seer loretells that these
shall dwell in reputable peace, and those
make shipwreck oftheir lives.
"Forewarned is fore.armed," says the
old proverb. But while we heed the dan.
ger signal for our boys, we are apt to for
get that our girls are threatened. When
young fellow who has been amiable and
correct begins to waste his time and mon.
ey on questionable pleasures, to show an
abnormal cagerness for excitement and
change, to find home dull and his old
amusements tedious, to start off vagabon-
dizing, Strange countries for to see," We
deal gently with him, if we are wise.
He is Sowing his wild oats" we say. If
the crop is narrowed with reproaches and
watered with complaining tears, it is
likely to prove q large and evil one.
We help him with kindness and counsel.
We give him all the freedom possible, we
are wisely blind to much that hurts and
humiliates US, we make home the most
delightful Of resorts. And we do this
because we recognize the fact that NOR
al crisis, spiritual fever, is upon him.
The eager young blood can not longer
temperately keep time, MS ours, and make
as healthful music.
There are laws of physiology as domi.
nant as any law of morals. The adjust.
ment of the human soul to its conditions
is nicer and more difficult than those fine
mechanical adjustments which are the
wonders of the age. The possibilities of
life are so vast, he himself is so little,
the leaping fluid in his veins is SO vital
aud insistent, that it is little wonder he
goes wrong.
Fortunately there are helps on allsides
for him. Gymnasiums, base. ball, cricket,
swimming, hunting, shooting, rowing,
walking, fishing, riding-all these offer
themselves to tire his restless body. So.
cieties, politics, science, art, travel, at
tract his eager mind. Presently the fer
mentation of youth subsidies, and the clear
wine of manhood, rich and sweet and
potent, remain.
At an earlier age than boys feel it comes
kindred restlessness to girls. Some.
times it takes the shape of mild melan.
choly metrically expressed in compost.
tions, or, when it is of serious nature
"strikes in," like bad form of measles.
Sometimes it is seen as a brazen aggres-
siveness, such as young girls show in
horse cars or other public places. Some.
times it is an utter dissatisfaction with
all that their life knows, an unspeakablc
hunger for something other which to
their inexperience, is of necessity bet
ter.
In school, occupation is likely to be
incessant, if not absorbing. But the
average girl who leaves school behind
her, leaves also all definite plan Of en-
ployment, all fixed interest, all healthful
habits of industry. To ambitious girls
full of imagination, energy, and urrecog-
nized aspirations, life of dawdling is
is not enongh. Visiting, dressing, fancy
work, parties, no more satisfy ardent Jane
than the dull routine of shop, or count
inc. room, or Office, satisfies eager John.
John betekes himself, if he can, on an
embassage to the Pigmies, or to fetch
him hair off the great Cham's beard.
But alas for Jane! she may not travel.
She may not hunt, or swing from paral.
lei bars, or go into politics. Usually
there is but one entrance into Wonderland
for her, and that is by the gate of mar
riage. She endues the first man she
meets with the grace of Apollo, the wit
of Mercury, the courage of Mars. If
father and mother forbid the banns she
will elope with him ifshe can, or, fancy
ing herself broken hearted, marry without
love, any man to whom her parents will
give her. Or, if the man of her choice is
unobiectiomablc, and she weds him with
white favors and wedding bells. all the
same may the awakening come when she
sees the ass's ears and can no longer
stick musk. roses in the smooth, sleek
head.
Often and often these early and ill-as.
sorted marriages are simply girls wild
oats, and what harvest will come of the
sowing, who shall say? 1t may be sub
mission, patience, sweetness, disgrace.
But our point is that We do not help
Jane rs we help her brother to feel
her way through the tumultuous
troubles of youth. If she is un.
easy, vacillating, with a liking for
strange company, full of adventure,
reaching ou. for action, addicted 10 man
nish employments, impatient of crochet
and decorative art, We draw her lines
e.oser, instead of enlarging them. Where
we should give the eager mind absorbing
food for thought, the conscious body
sufficient scope for action, we stint the
one and hinder the other.
Mothers can not too carefully study
and cherish their young daughters at
this critical spring-time of their lives. 1t
is not an instinct for evil, it is "a wish
that they hardly dare to own for some
thing better than they have known,
which makes girls unmanageable, head
strong, even "fast." And they have
deeper claim than boys on the utmost
parental wisdom, patience, and tenderness
as their destruction, when they 60 astray,
is more remediless-Harper's Bazar.
"What will you take to drink ?"
asked waiter of q young lad, who, for
the first time, accompanied his father to