The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1883-03-24

nlneS. her gymnasium mas not been
open very long but she already boasts
of remunerative number of pupils.
DO not suppose that the ladies who
take lessons from her come from her
own walk of life. On the contrary,
they are nearly all rich, and cultured
young women. who in their idleness
have ruminated upon the converse
lions of their brothers, husbands and
perhaps fathers, on the proves of the
SHADES, the Maces, the Sullivans, the
Edwards and the lesser lights of the
P. r., and then been seized with a
desire ofgoing and doing likewise.
The most remarkable proof of the
extent of the mania. however, l OBJ
tanned yesterday morning. Leaving
a barber shop where have been hu-
manized for years, met the propri-
etor's boy, good looking strong
youngster of ten years at the door.
He had his books under his arm and
was going to school. II say, Mr."
said he, "come around here about
half past ten and you will see some
fun. My father is gong to attend a
meeting, and after he has left and
the shop is closed, the workmen are
going to clear the place and 1 and
another boy of my weight are going
to have set-to." I could not help
bursting out into a laugh, This
seemed to hurt the boy. "You
needn't laugh" he remarked. "This
Is going to be square fight. I have
been in training for three weeks, and
I'm going to knock the other fellow
out. He thinks he can fight, but
Pm going to show him a thing or
two. Harry, lone of the workmen
in the shop has been handling me
and he's pretty good boxer. He
learnt it in England. and Pm going
in to win. Don't say anything about
it. There are only going to be about
thirty men there to look on, and if its
good show, say something about il
in the paper"
The assurance and quaint old fash
Loneliness of the boy was simply
amazing. Thinking life too short tc
waste an hour in looking at two boys
hammering away at each other in an
alleged scientific manner" l did
not attend what the boy called his
"show." This evening, however, ]
met his father, He seemed very
much put out. Anything wrong"
l asked. "Oh nothing MUCH" he
said, "but those villainous young.
sters give us a heaD of trouble. What
do you think that young rascal o.
mine had regular prize fight in my
shop last night. He says he knock
ed the other boy out, but l would
} like to see the beaten boy. He must
be subject for the coroner. My con.
querer has both his eyes BACKED, his
face is bruised and he is now sick in
bed. When / came home last night
y" and they told me what had happened
1 got strap. and taking the bed
clothes off him, ! whaled him sound
ly to rouse his spirits and restore the
circulation of his blood. He is sick
now"
Is it not time that some steps be
taken to stem the spread of this ma
mia, when boys like these who be-
long to respectable parents initiate the
brutes ofthe prize ring and aspire to be
Sullivans?
For the last three days we have
had the most charming spring wealth
er imaginable. The sparrows who
seem to have been reinforced by en-
igration from Massachusetts where
they have been Outlawed are supera-
bundant. and nearly every morning
/ have been awakened by their v0-
ciferous chirping on the trees in iron
of my window. The tramps too
have reappeared from their winter
lurking places, and bask themselves
on the benches in the public parks.
They are all there, the former Ger
man professor with blue spectacles
who addresses you in half dozen
different languages. the ex-army Of
ficer, and the thoroughbred degraded
bum, who seems not to have been
born but to have grown up on some
heap of refuse. Soon they will leave
town and 60 on their usual summer
pilgrimages through the country,
working when they must, begging
when they can. but enjoying them
selves thoroughly. For business peo-
pie this mild weather is a godsend.
The spring trade in fancy goods, mil.
linery, dressmaking, etc., has been
wretchedly bad thus far. The pro.
longed cold and wet has made the
warmest kind of wraps indispensa-
BILE, and as for looking nice, as all
ladies like to do, it was impossible
when rain and slush ruined every
thing except rubber cloaks. The