The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1881-01-22
FIRST TROUSERS.
TRANSLATED FROM TIE FRENCH.

IN lie, Is the wearing Oh tiouSelS.
The first pair of trousers is ali event
desired by the father and dreaded by the
mother. TO the mother, it is the begin
ming of the end. She looks with moist
eyes at the little pettiroat forever aban-
donctl. and says to herself: Il 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 indirid-
uality asserts itself, he is somebody. he
is boy"
The father. on the contrary, is charm
ed. lie laughs in his sleeve rs 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 stands He would like to
see him in boots. and it would not take
much to make him buy him Il pair of
spurs. For the first time he sees himself
reflected in his little boy. He looks at
him as at picture hung in new light,
and for the first time. too, he finds it ex-
cessively agreeable to call him my son. >
As for the baby himself, he is intoXi-
Gated. glorious, triumphant, but all the
same a little embarrassed by the arms
and legs and, if we might hint it with
out oflense, very like a 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 lie feels deeply that trousers in
volve charlottesville he must take ON
new ways, new gestures: if possible. 4
new tone of voice. He even begins to
ape the ways of his father, who, perceiv-
ing it, is not one whit displcased. He
essays masculine gestures. and this strug-
gle between his latent babyhood and his
would-be manhood gives him the most
comical air in the world. His petticoat
follows him persistently, and almost en-
RACES him.
Dear little trousers. love you. for you
are faithful friends. and we meet you at
every turn in life. with all your gentle
following. Are you not the reflection of
each new promise which tickles our
vanity?
You. young officer who look at your
incipient moustache in your mirror as
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 we'll back.
your ktpe over the ear, you walk through
the street; can you resist looking into
the dark windows as you pass? \ REM
niscence of your first trousers, is it not
You will find them again. these first
trousers. when you are made captain, and
receive a decoration. Again, later when,
a gray-moustached 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.
My friend, the day when you will have
nothing more to do with them. you will
be
In the dust, low lying,
for all mans life is embodied i'll this gar
ment. Life holds little else for a man
but to put OH his first trousers, take them
off. and die while looking at them.
| r. =. 7 hot 1,o Tor
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 little rag always stays by us. y
trite of babyhood remains with lis all,
or, to phrase it better. we are but babies
grown big.
And yod, prettiest of women, does not
each new season bring its joys with its
new costumes Do not say these joys
are but secondary. for their influence is
powerful upon both temper and charac-
ter Would it be rude to ask why last
Sundays sermon was so logical. persua-
sive, elegant? Why your blue eyes were
church, and why You were impelled tc
kiss veur husband as soon as you reached
home? You known as well as |. madame.
that upon that day that charming little
old gold bonnet (Which is charming,
admit) was worn Tor the first time
These are the things that cannot be
explained, childish, if you will. but sort
of childishness of which one cannot rio
himself.
| will give you IN instance. Whel
returning the other day from hearing one
of our most eloquent divineS. a pulpit
luminary, your emotions were absolutely
different. \ general discomfort pervadeC
your being. doubts assaulted you, nervous
iritability seized you at each phrase o
the preacher, your mind was in no heav
emily frame and you came out Of thu
church with hot head and cold feet. for
getting yourself SO far as to say, rs yol
stepped into your carriage. that "th'
= reverend gentleman lacked sense. Ant
the coachman heard you say it. And t.
= crown all, as You entered your house
your drawing room seemed too mario"
ard your husband too wide.
Do you wish to know the reason o
; these successive annoyances! If yol
think well you will remember that it wa
, upon that day that you wore for the tim
i, that odious little purple bonnet, whicl
was so frightfully unbecomins. Firs
: | trousers, dear lady.
e Let me give you one more instance
$ Look at your husband: yesterday he wa
sullen. lispleased with his breakfast am
behold. in the evening in he came. JOY
: GUS. happy. with smiling lips and kind
n ness in his eyes. He kissed you wit
ardor; with an easy gesture threw dow
+ his bundle of papers, and at dinner foun
: his soup delicious. and all things to hi
taste. You wondered what had haI
e pened.
c will explain.
IL Your husband had made his first speec
n since his election. 1t was heated di,
cussion. and his were the right word.
;. meeting the appreciation of his party.
s. This is not much, you may think. va
/, he has looked forward to this for man