The Copiah signal. (Hazlehurst, Miss.) 1882-1883, 1883-10-25
CouutrJ boy. snd City I,oJs.

Country boy. snd City I,sIs.
A correspondent wants TO know why
II Is that the proportion OF country boys
In the United States who succeed in lifc
Is much creator Than that of city boys,
who seem TO have many advantages
over their rural br0lhe.s.
There Is no way OF determining
whether the statement made by our cor.
respondent Is well founded, though II
undoubtedly uccords with the prevailing
impression. There are abundant rcni
sons. however. why tho successful men
who wcro country.brcd should oven In
cities outnumber the successful men
who were Of city birth. 1.-The country"
a. distinguished from tho city popula.
tion. even now embraces considerably
moro than tho majority Of tho people
In tho United States, but the difference
In favor OF tho country was relatively
much greater rs tho territory was more
iparsoly settled. Great cltlcs are OF re'
cent growth In the United States.
Thirty years ago there were but nine
cltios In tle Union with population oi
90. 900 or tpw ard each. In 1890 thcrc. .werv
but sixteen. In 1880 thorc wcrc thirty.
tivc. Tho mon who were boys In 1850
are comparatively young yet. and the
cities which have sincc arisen 10 mngnt
tudc necessarily drew largely upon the
country for the blood and enurgy which
have made them what they are. While
Il Is, therefore, true that o majority Of
our successful men were country boys,
II Is not necessarily trus that the pro-
portion is any larger. although this may
be the case.
Respecting the intimation Of our cor.
respondent that city boys have an ad
vantage over country boys, VIC think
that II o balance were struck II would be
found TO DO largely In favor OF the
country boy. He may not have the
polish Of tho city youth. nor bc n well
versod In the ways Of the bustling city.
but he has characteristics which abun'
dainty make up for these deficiencies.
He Is taught, for example, almost from
his infancy the lesson OF self-help. HE
skill and Ingenuity arc taxed In mul.
titude Of ways. That quality which
New England people 80 happily cau
'.fscultyn Is developed. Tho boy h
indoctrinatcd with habits Of thrift and
industry. II one thinks for moment
Of tho variety Of farm work, no will also
be prepared TO conccde that tho coun.
try boy. awkward though he may sccw
In comparison with his city cousin, has
many and varied accomplishments. He
Il early familiar with thccaro and man.
agemcnt OF horses and cattle. learns
much Of tools and how TO Use them. 10
often compelled unaided TO face and
overcome difficulties and emergencies,
and this breeds within him sturdy,
rosolute spirit. When he attains man.
hood, his fortune Is assured II he 70.
mains In the country; whilc II. smltten
with the city fever, he tries his fortunes
there. no has at least good, solid foun-
dation upon which to build.
With city boys tlicro Ii altogether too
much hottie llfo. Many Of them are
dwarfod and stunted from their birth.
They arc coddlcd and indulged. Too
many Of thsm pre brought up with false
notions Of what IL honorable and man.
ly. Their parents arc fastidiouA With
out being sensible, In the choice II 90.
cupations for them. and thcy arc In con.
sequence handicapped through lifc.
They have, perhaps. greater variety
OF pleasures than country boys: but
there arc many manly exercises from
which, from numerous causes, most OF
them aIe debarred. Thus every coun.
try boy, almost as matter Of course,
learns TO swim. hunt and break horse;
while the larger tho city Is the fewer
relatively the number OF boys who can
do any or all OF these things. These
may seem Insignificant accomplish.
n,cnts. yet each involves q physical and
mental training which can not fall TO be
beneficial In after life.
Country boys also possess = marked
advantage over city boys In the lack OF
the temptations which Surround the lot.
ter. There Is infinitely less danger OF
their attaining young manhood with
.hoir mental and moral powers undor.
mined. and with wrong or feeble inn
pulses. Living rs they do. too. 80 much
10 tho open air. they gain physica!
health and vlgor OF constitution which
arc not only incstimable blessings in
themselves, but admirably ct thcm for
tho battle Of life.
On the whole, therefore. whether
country boys do or do not succeed in
life bcttor than city boys. thcrc Ia no
reason why tho former should rcpino OF
be discoatented with their lot-Dctroa
Free Press.