Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1883-10-06
ChilGhood.
Backward. turn backward. o Time,
in yoar digit
Make me a child a~ain, JUS feT To-
ni.hsi''

niehsr'
| There is Il time in our existence
to which we love to turn 1T is tlle
tinle Of our childhood. Locked ul
in the secret places IF orr being is
that which we love To cherish. Like
the remembrance Of d lovely day hi
Juue, when the soft spring air, the
songs of birds and the whisperings
of nature all unite to make life seem
like dream, is childhood. Who
can forget those days when life was
all happiness undimmed by the duh
and responsible duties of life 7 Who
can forget the strolls through the
country, the harvest time of urjoy,
the rambles over hills and through
beautiful lowlands The heart is
indeed hard that cannot be touched
by the recoIlections of such scenes.
But childhood is not always happy.
There are many persons who never
enjoyed the pleasures which enliven
childhood. There are homes in
| which parents, not content with
environing their children with the
idea that no pleasures must be had
except through hard work, still go
ore step further and prohibit them
from the sports of youth. Taking
mankind, generally, youth has had
it's pleasures. And why not ? Has
the world in its progress dared to
abridge the liberties and enjoyments
of life's play days? 1t is lamen-
table fact, conceal it as we may that
time in his march has concentrated
all his forces to make many of the
innocent actions of youth crimes
and immodesties What has become
of the free, romping boys and girls
who lived in the time Of eur fathers,
whom they never tire of talking
about? Has the character of their
enjoyments died with their bodies ?
Can it be denied that the youths OF
to-day become men and the maidens
women at an earlier age than did our
grand parents ? No, it seems true.
Persons who are familiar with the
customs of the past generation can
not liken it to represent in many OF
the happy traits which distinguish
the children of that period from
those of to-day. The tongue OF vile
SANDER is tied in the middle, it is
sharp at both ends,and let but SIM
gle act of childish sport ontstep the
narrow limits which society has as
signed to it and it is heralded before
the community rs dreadful mis-
take! God grant that we be ableto
see things as they are intended to be
seen 1t certainly can not be the de-
sign of God to destroy the happiness
of youth in the advancement of
knowledge. But it avails little to
quarrel with the times in which we
live. People, to very considerable
extent, make the customs of their
times. The critic of to-day may
deem the former days of childhood
as spent in an indifferent and idle
manner, while those of succeeding
generations will view the customs
of our time in the same light. Well
has Jas. Anthony Froude written
1--WE who have been born in a ruder
age do not aspire to rise beyond the
level OF our times. We have toiled,
we have suffered, we have enjoyed,
as the nature which we have receiv-
ed has prompted US. We blame our
fathers habits our children may
blame ours in turn, yet we may be
setting in judgement, both of us, on
matters ofwhich we know nothing"
We love our childhood, let GUS
tom condemn it as it may. We love
to think of the happy moment of its
existence. The scenes have chang
ed. But the recollections Of school
days are still vivid. AS "exiles' we
took our way to go through the then
nonsensical grammar, arithmetic
and speller. But while we went me-
chanically through the routine duties
our thoughts were fixed upon the
sports of Saturday. Then came the
months of vacation. The country
was generally the scene of action at
this period The ball, marble and
| top have also their memories. Their
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