The Lincoln County leader. [volume] (White Oaks, Lincoln County, N.M.) 1882-189?, 1883-01-13
That Boy of Mine.

I
tion and worry to me now. He
has grown up like 4 butter-wccd
and he is just as awkward and
gawky as he can be. His voice is
a peculiar one. 1t rs not a mans
voice, but rather half and half.
When he begins in treble it ends in
bass, or if he begins a sentence in
bass he is sure to end in treble. 1t
is funny and makes him look ridi-
culous. It looks like lie is putting
on. He SAYS, "No, / am not put
ting on; [ can't help it," and his
voice runs up and down just as
written on the line. His chin and
upper lip have soft, white fuzz on
them, like a thin crop Of duck
down, and the little goose seems
proud Of it. lie rubs and strokes
his chin and keeps pulling at the
tuzz on the upper lip just like there
was beard and moustachc to stroke
and pull. lie talks about shaving
until | get disgusted and want to
kick him out OF the house. lie
thinks well Of himself, there is no
doub, of that. | really don't be
licye hc knows what fool he is
making ofhimself.
The little goose is nearly dead
about the girls. lie wants to be
with them all the time. | must
confess he displays taste and some
sense III the girls he prefers. had
rather see him with good girls than
with bad boys. lie is awtully silly
in some Of his ways with the girls,
and tries to say and do smart things.
| want to whip him for it, but the
girls are just as silly as he is. They
simPcr and snigscr, and laugh and
clap their hands and seem to enjoy
what he says and does. 1t makes
me sick at my stomach. l can't
help saying, "The little tool" |.
go off and try to hide myself. |.
take my son off and talk to him. |
but what's the use! He does the
same thing over. want him to
be man, but he won't. He says
he is trying his best to be man, |
but he is mighty awkward aboutit. /
The other day when | was talking
to him about his silly ways, he
said, " Pa, were you never a boy? .
and did you not love the girls Z"
just then | thought | heard the
pigs in the garden, and | went out
to see about it in a hurry before |
had time to answer his question.
My mother thinks my Oldest son
is a smart boy. The other day .
was telling her what fool he IS.
and how silly he acts, and how dis
coWaGed ] was about him. Mother
looked me in the eye and said
I'll tell you, my son, there never
were two human beings more alike
than You and your son when You
were lis age" Whoop! got hot
all over, but said nothing. knew
] never was so silly. ! began to
talk about the war in Egypt, and
gave mother a birds eye view of
the situation in that country. |
When | paused, mother said:
"Ics, my son, sympathize with
you greatly ! know how bad tits.
/ went through all this trouble
with You when You were a boy, .
ana an ask or YOu now Is TO be rs
patient With your SON, as ! was
with YOU" / asked mother how
the crops We're in her country. She
said Very good. My son, you
must remember that boys will be
boys while they are boys, and you
can't make men out Of them till
they are grown. Your son will
come ont Of all that Stiffness when
hei is older" just then | remem-
bered that ] had not been to the /
Office for my morning mail, and !
asked mother to excuse me till | /
could 60 for it. "Certainly," she
said, ~ know You viii be back .