The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1883-05-08
NUMBER l3
The Wrong Kind OF Boy.

Speaking about boys. Did you.eser
notice how some boys make an { fort to
get along IN the world. When a young
man Starts out in lifehe commences by
looking for position in which be may
earn his daily bread and find clothes to
cover his nakedness. If he is one of
these reckless, -yagabond sort OF boys
whose thoughts don't run rod into the
future, or hardly keep. lace with the
things going on around him, or had
grown up about as does lonely xntf
isolated weed 10 the garden that obtains
its strength from a rich spot In The
ground and dtaws nonrisbment from the
better fed plants and vegetables that
from their value receive care and attefi.
ton, it is safe to say that he is one Who
never thinks OF what the next day,
month or year may bring forth, and
though nearing the age of manhood he
is about as capable Of filing the posi-
lion of man as muley calf. Still, he
makes a pretense at caring for himself
and claims TO be doing all in his power
to get along 10 the world.
Such boy starts out to obtain sit.
uauon. He is reckless about bis. per-
sonal appearance. His hair is uncomb&
ed, face and hands unwashed, and the
general appearance OF tramp is his ex.
|terior Recommendation. II be applies
for position, the man who happens to
need young man sizes him up and con-
c'udes that he had rather employ Dig
ger Indian, if he has got to reform and
make clean the person whom, be hires.
And again, be will wander around for
days rnd weeks, hanging around places
where they have no more use for boy
than dog has for two tails. He spends
one day loafing about the depot, expect
ing some one will come around and Of
fer him fine situation at four dollars
|per day and board. He will stand
around and talk with the baggage man
at the depot, or, help the lunch counter
clerk carry in coal for his dinner. aud IN
the afternoon he Ioafs around some
more and scrapes the acquaintance. of
the brakeman in the yard and helps him
couple ears nd.unload freight, while The
brakeman fills him full of taffy about
how easy it is to get. q soft thing work.
ing for q. railtoad Company. The next
day he srends at the police court listen,
ing to the cases tried, loafs an hour or
two at the post Office, awhile in BILL
lard hall and winds up with visit to .
saloon. All the time be is fairly aching
to have some one give him q position
and he curses the country where young
man can find nothing to do.
Men don't hire boys from under the.
caves of saloon,e aud when they are
hooking for young man to do a Job Of
work they do not go through the crowd
loaing around the depot with search
warrant. and pick out the dirtiest young
tramp among the number. No one ever
heard of man who wanted to hire
young, bright, active, stirring boy, with
fire in his eye, energy and yigor 10 his
constitution, looking over the loafers al
the police station for such boy. At
such places all the boys you would find
would only have energy enough to mas
ticate chew of tobacco, or hold down
a dry goods box on street corner alI
day, and swear through the evening
about the cursed country where there
was nothing for boy to do. s
When farmer comes into town look.
ing for boy to help at the spring work,
at fifteen dollars per month and board,
be don't look through the corridors Of
the postofice and pick out the slouchiest
locking loafer In the crowd, or hunt up
a billiard hall, and hire the boy who can
"pocket" the most balls at pool, or drink
the most beer. Many boy with holes
In his boots and bis coat torn, but whose
face and hands were clean, his eyes
bright, and his system fall of energy
has carried off the persimmons when
others and better dressed boys have
stood around with their hands in their
pockets cursing their luck But the boys
can make up their minds. that while
business man sees them loafng around
depots, police-courts, the post Office, or
street corner, he would not hire any one
of their number to carry swill to his
pigs That's about the way business
men feel about it, and it is time the boys
knew it. The cleanest, brightest boy is
the one who catches on every time
PecksSrn. Is s.s oag scs