The Canton advocate. [volume] (Canton, D.T. [S.D.]) 1877-1897, 1881-06-16
First Trousers.

Droz for the Ne,o York Mail: The strong
est desire of the boy is to become man.
Now, the first evidence of manhood, the
first serious step made in life, is the wear
ing of trousers.
The first pair of trousers is an event de-
sired by the father and dreaded by the
mother To the mother, it is the beginning
Of the end She looks with moist eyes ut
the little petticoat forever abandoned, and
says to herself: 81 have lost my baby
my reign has ended and, alas! how soon.
He will have new tastes new desires; he
is no more mine, his individuality asserts
itself, he is somebody, he is boy"
The father, on the contrary, is charmed
He laughs in his sleeves as he looks at
the slender calves which emerge from the
trousers, He feels the little body so clearly
outlined under the new garments, and says
to himself: "How well he is formed, the
jolly little dog--he will have my broad
shoulders and sturdy legs-how strongly
he standsw He would like to see him in
boots, and it would not take much to make
him buy a pair Of spurs. For the first
time lie sees himself reflected in his little
boy. He looks at him rs at a picturehung
in new light, and for the first time too,
he finds it excessively agreeable to call him
my SON."
As for the baby himself he is intoxicat-
ed, glorious, triumphant, but all the same
a little embarrassed by his arms and legs,
and, if we might hint it without otlcnse,
very like young goose which has been
plucked, at the approach Of warm weather.
The greatest annoyance OF the poor lit
tie man is his past. How many grown
men have been annoyed in the same man
ner! He feels deeply that trousers involve
bligations-that he must take on new
ways new gestures; if possible, new
tone of voice. He even begins to ape the
ways of his father, who perceiving it, is
not one whit displeased. He ESSAYS mas
culine gestures and this struggle between
his latent babyhood and his would-bc man
hood gives him the most cOmical air IN the
world. His petticoat follows him persist
emily, and almost enrages him.
Dear little trousers, | love you, for you
are faithful friends, and we meet you at
every turn in life, with all your gentle fol-
lowing. Are you not the reflection of each
new promise which tickles our vanity?
You, young officer, who look at your III
cipient moustache in your mirror, rs you
don for the first time epaulette and spur;
what feeling moves you as you hear your
sword click at your side: Belted, booted
and brushed, elbows well back, your kepe
over the ear, you walk through the street;
can you resist looking into the dark wiz
dows as you pass? A "reminiscences of your
| first trousers, is it not?
You will find them again, these first
trousers, when you are made captain, and
receive decoration. Again, later, when q
gray mollstacied old soldier, you will take
little wife to rejuvenate you. Again you
will put them on, but this time the little
wife will help you to wear them.
Ny friend, the. day when you viii have
nothing more to do with them, you will be,
In the dust low, low lying,
for all mans life is embodied in this gar
ment Life holds but little else for a man
but to put on his first trousers, take the,l
of, and die while looking at them.
Is it true, wonder, that the greater
part of our joys have no more serious
cause than the joys of childhood? Are
we so silly? Yes, my friends, we are silly
enough to think we are wise. We never
quite get rid of our baby clothes; some lit
tie rag always stays by us. A tritle of
babyhood remains with us all, Or, to phrase
it better, we are but babies grown big.
And you, prettiest of women, does not
each new season bring it's joys with it's
new costumes? Do not say these joys are
but secondary, for their influence is power
full upon both your temper and character.
Would it be rude to ask why last Sundays
sermon was so logical, persuasive, elegant ?
Why your blue eyes; were filled with tears
as you came out Of church, and why you
were impelled to kiss your husband as
soon as you reached home? You know as
well as I madam, that upon that day that
charming little old-gold bonnet, (which is
charming l admit and makes you twice as
pretty as usual) was worn for the first
time.
These are the things that cannot be e2-
planned; childish if you will, but 81
of childishness of which one cannot III
himself
| will give you an instance When re-
turning the other day from hearing one of
our most eloquent divines, pulpit-lumi-
nary, your emotions were absolutely differ
ent. A general discomfort pervaded your
being, doubts assailed you, nervous irrita-
5ility seized you at each phrase of the
preacher, your mind was not in q heavenly
frame, and you came out of the church
with hot head and cold feet, forgetting
yourself so far as to say, as you stepped
into your carriage, that the reverend
gentleman lacked sense" And the coach.
man heard you say it. And to crown all
as you entered your house, your drawing.
room seemed too narrow and your husband
too wide.
Do YOU wish to know the reason of these
successive annoyances? If you think well
YOU will remembey that it was upon that
day that you wore for the first time that
odious little purple bonnet, which was Sc
frightfully unbecoming. First trousers
dear lady.
Let me give you one more instance
Look at your husband yesterday he was
sullen, displeased with his breakfast; and
behold, in the evening i'll he came, joyous
happy, with smiling lips and kindness il
his eyes. He kissed you with ardor; will
an easy gesture threw down his bundle of
papers, and at dinner found his soup deli
cious, and all things to his taste. You
wondered what had happened.
will explain.
Your husband had made his first speech
since his election. 1t was a heated discus
sion, and his were the right words meeting
the appreciation of his party.
This is not much, you may think, yet hi
has looked forward to this for many
months, and once more puts on his frs