Northern tribune. [volume] (Cheboygan, Mich.) 1875-1885, 1881-01-15
A Place for the Boys.

Place for the Boys.
Johnnie! Johnnie! come here" called
Mrs. MOrehead. So Johnnie came at his
mothers Gala bright, active boy of IL,
with face that denoted fun and good
nature rather that frmness or steadi-
ness.
what do you mean, Johnnie, by max
| ing such litter i'm your room? Why, /
declare it's like carpenters shop, only
worse" said Mrs MOrehead in an indig-
nent tone, as she pointed to the pieces of
boards, the chips and saw dust, and the
general untidiness of the little room
Johnnie called his own. "YOu ought to
be ashamed of yourself" she went on, as
Johnnie stopped and began to pick up
some of his tools. "YOu really ought.
and won't have any more work done up
here, can tell you. 1t is too much trou-
BILE to clean this room every day, and so
you can just take your boards down Gel
lar"
"Oh, mother, can't 1 work up here?'.
said Johnnie i'm dismay. "Why, won't
make such muss again, promise you,
but do love to saw and hammer and
cOntrive things. All the boys have a
place to work except mew and JOhnnie's
bright eyes were quite fearful at the
thought.
But Mrs. MOrehead was firm. She was
neat hOusekeeper, and she prided her
self on her neatneSs. JOhnnie'S room
was the only blot on the perfection of
her well-kept house, and his last fancy
for carpenter work was too much for her
patience. So that very afternoon all the
boards went into the cellar, the apart
ment underwent such busting and
sweeping as only Mrs. MOrehead could
give, and the last trace of disorder was
banished, much to poor JOhnnie's dis
gust.
He went down to the cellar and tried
saving while, but the light was dim
and insufficient, the air cold and damp.
and he soon gave up. Then he went out
into the street, for Johnnie. though he
could amuse himself with tools, did not
find an equal amount of pleasure in
books, and presently he had found three
other boys, all like himself in want of
Occ upatiOn.
Lets play at jack-straws," suggested
one of the three; Eve got box of 'em in
my pocket"
"Yes. do, come up in my room boys"
said Johnnie, and away they all went,
racing in and up the stairs like young
coach horses. But on the head of the
stairs Mrs. MOrehead met them with;
Johnnie, look at your feet! Don't you
see you are running the carpet with your
dirty shoes! won't have any more of
this. can tell your"
At the first sound of her voice each boy
had halted aDruptly-at her first admO-
milton to Johnnie to look at his feet, all
the others had looked down guiltily at
their feet-and before she had quite fin
ished speaking, the three visitors were
slipping down the stairs again, followed
by Johnnie with very red face.
Johnnie, don't stay out long," his
mother called after him; but Johnnie
was feeling very badly just then. His
hospitable instincts had led him to wei
come the boys to his room, and his moth
er's reception had mortified him ex-
tremely. N'
"Guess mother wouldn't like to have
her company turned out of the house!
he muttered to himself as he followed
the discounted boys back to the street.
The rest of that afternoon Johnnie
spent in undergrad around the corn
er, where he heard much conversation
unfit for his bOyish ears, but where he
found room and welcome. He saw boys
no older than himself smoking cigars
he heard prOfane language from boys
and men; but they were good natured
and he found it pleasanter to stay there
than to go hOme-hOme to his neat, clean
solitary room where his mother, who
was really very fond of her boy, was
even then putting up new window cur
tains.
Perhaps if Mrs. MOrehead had known
what associates he was finding, she
would have brought back the boards
from the cellar, even allowed the neigh
boris boys to leave their foot prints on
the stair carpet unrebuked, but she did
not know and SO she went on in her or
derby way without one miSgiving.
Now we don't mean to say that it is
absolutely necessary for any boy to rush
in and out of the house with muddy feet
or to bring his playmates to do the same
Nor do we advocate the Transforming OF
a nicely furnished room into painters
OF a carpenters shop. But we do
say word for the boys, and we believe
that it is far better to put up with some
confusion and litter than to drive Our
boys out of their own homes or to make
them feel that their friends are not well
come.
Suppose your Johnnie is given to occu-
patiOns and amusementS which seem to
you unsuitable for anything but work
shop. dear sister-why then, if you can't
cOntrive to give him the workshop, give
him the privilege of using his own room
Don't grumble, but clear it up for him
and teach him how to be as orderly as
possible with all his work. Let him
know that he has your sympathy and in
tereSt always. Better a sOiled carpet
than the sorrow of knowing that your
boy is happiest when away from home
i Christian Intelligencer.