Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1881-11-25
WHOLE NO. 1893.
Boys Powers For Mischief.

Although the records are silent on
the subject. there can be little doubt
that the Vandsls who desolated Rome.
destroying its proud and elegant monu.
ments, prostrating its temples, it, stat
ues and its amphitheaters, we're not
the huge. tawny-bearded, half.savsgs
men they are usually represented q
being. Their ranks were undoubtedly
composed of boys from 8 to Is years Of
age. None but boys could have been
so ruthless; none bus-boys. so reckless
and wanton in their destruction.
wrought such thorough ruin, and re-
Joiced in the desolstion they made.
No one acquainted with the habits and
doings of boys - individuals or in
small groups can think without shud-
der OF the mischief they might do
were they ever to take il into their
heads to unite. The rabbits are but .
feeble folk" but they can overrun .
territory like . prairie or forest fire.
Sc too can the still feebler ants, grsss-
hoppers and locusts whom combined in
myriad armies. They can leave .
country in q worse condition than vhea
an army of human beings passes over
it.
Imagine, however, tho terror the I've
or three million boys in the United
States might inspire should they unite
to overrun the country, stealing ell the
fruit, breaking down all the fences.
smashing all the windows, carrying Of
all the gates, treadipg down Ill tho
grass, losing all the hammers, scattering
all the sand and building materials that
workmen are using in the erection Of
houses, and turning on all the pen.
stocks! Suppose they should combine
simply to undo at night or on Sunday,
az they might. all that had been done
during the week in the construction Of
buildingsl Compared with their work
the ravages of tie white ants of Africa.
or the tornsdoss of Iowa and Ksnsas
would be child's play. Nor 10 this a.
sertion as exaggerated a. it seems. A
Cincinnati house-owner, who had con-
tracted with carpenters and painters TO
renovste his handsome dwelling, and
who on Saturday night was notified
that it was nearly finished, was NOT, on
visiting it Monday morning, ct all in
the mood for thinking the comet or the
drouth, or the sun spots less malignant
and powerful for evil than handful OF
boys. The walls, newly painted and
whitened, were besmeaYed alI over with
yellow, white. black. red and brown
paint. The bath.tub. which had been
left standing on end. had received .
whole bucketful Of the oily matter, and
q fine marbleized mantel was complete
ly ruined by the uss Of the brush. The
rail to the staircase, which had beea
set of in oil colors. was besmearsd al
over with paint of ell colors. The
paint left in the house was 90 badly
mixed up Is to be wholly useless. The
carpenters tools were ell Injured, and
in the kitchen a piece of lead pipe.
about two feet in length, was out of.
Two boys. one aged Ia and another
. years, were found to be implicated.
kus on their parents agreeing to make
good the damage, they were not arrest.
ed. Altogether eight boys were On.
gagged 10 the work-if " work A" il the
proper name for it--and the fsthsrs
of the other six - whose names are
knoWn-will be called upon to pay for
the Sunday amusement Of their OF.
spring. Boys powers for mischief are
something absolutely appalling, and
the world can scarcely be too thankful
that wise Providence has not implant-
Cd within them that 90. operative instinct
for mischief which has been bestowed
upon insects, squirrels. rabbits and
Easlish sparrows.-[D Detroit Press.