St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1883-10-26
What Shall We Do With Our
Boys!

Not a surprising question from one
who expects to find time to raise boys
and do anything else. For six or seven
years, as the boy frOlics in the nursery.
and on the playground, with HE sis-
tors, in picturesque iankats and short
pants, it is comparatively easy to get
along with him. But by and by the
soft hands grow rough, the pockets
swell with nails, sticks, and old knives,
the knees wear out in "marble time" "
skates are polished with handkerchiefs,
which are found in rusty wads in over
coat pockets, and kite tails are manu-
factured with bran-new strips of ruff
| ling. Then, too, he keeps your heart
i'll your mouth, as he responds to your
call from the top of Il fruit-tree, or
leaps from a roof. or slides down the
! banisters.
While his sisters are behaving like
ladies, with dolls and books and toys,
he grows noisy and rude every day
| His childish beauty is usurped by Il
weather beaten, freckled face. seldom
clean, and surmoUnted 10y Il head of hair
| that always ''needs cutting" or has
just been ''cut too short" His wrists
and ankles will make unsightly eXhibi-
| tiOnS of themselves, unless Il fathers
purse can meet Il frequent tailOr's bill.
His voice grows harsh, and manners
ungainly he will brag of clicking big
| boys and blush like II peach when
asked to sit down to the table with II
guest. Unless he can whistle, pound,
whittlc, wreStle, and kick, he is miser-
able.
What shall he done with him Send
him to school, and there's the long va
cation Give him the barn to play in,
and ten chances to one that he will
break his neck from the hay-mow, or
set the latter on fire, learning to
smoke. He can't fish and hunt all of
the time: neither make garden nor
pile wood all day. He must have home
and love and iireSide. The more
energetic, robust and active the boy
becomes, the more annoying to all
about him. He is in his sisters way.
1t puzzles his father, busy with money
making. to manage him. He is angry
at the antics and follics of which he
himself was guilty at the same age,
and is both ashamed and proud of his
boy.
The Devil improves this time to en-
! ticc the boy to places where he will
have a hearty welcome, and full play
fn'' Li> """rgics He has books of oh
sccnity and reckless adventure, which
he is taught to hide in chest or secret
drawer. or ont in the barn compan-
ions and vicious amuSementS, suited to
every nature, where none shall remind
him that he is ''always in the way :"
where his awkward movements and
hoisterous manners pass unrebuked, or
are greeted with coarse laughter.
At home he is unwittiugly taught To
deceive his father, 10y constant scOlding
and the fear of punishment. He is
afraid To own to his father when he has
| transgresscd, because there is no patti
ent forgiveness, and loving "GOd help
you, my boy" awaiting his confession.
| Before he is old enough for business,
temptation has planted seeds for Il
harvest of misery, for aStonishcd
friends, who wonder where "our Char
ley that used to he so good and low
able, has learned so much wickcdneSs.
The divine Father foresaw all this,
when he placed mankind in families,
and gave the ungainly lads into the
hands of Il mother. filling her with
love with which he compares his own
Infinite love. This unfathomable heart
place for the dear boys. Hers will not
he weancd by his waywardnesS, or
hredleSsnesS, or later sins. She de
| lights in his rugged growth. She can
90 with her undiminished love, and the
sweet grace of her motherhood, into
that secret chamber where none other
but the holy Christ could enter. She
is the only one to speak the gentle
word of apology to the father and
friends for the boy ways, the vigorous
outgrowth of early follies. She may
teach him, with lips like an angels, the
mysteries of his physical nature, that
his body is the temple of God, and
| therefore holy.
! When he takes advantage of her
wondrous love, and acts the bOOr, she
passes it by, knowing that the remem-
/ brance of her unspeakable tenderness
and forbearance will bring him back to
her side. All with prayer, Watching,
and patience, the wise mother can defy
the world for her boy. OF all earthly
undertakings, none pays better than
| the broOding of an awkward boy.
"What shall he done with him
! Why, bear with him and brood him, as
none but mother can. His destiny is
i'll your hands. Take an interest in his
boyish affairs Win his confidence,
and then respect it! Go to his bed
side at night, with kiss and bless
ing. Don't mind if the baby and
younger children do call Justify for
mamma" your boy needs you most.
| Tuck him in and chat with him above
all, sometimes kneel and pray with
him. If you don't know how, learn.
| Never mind if your heart does fly and
leap into your mouth. Kneel at his
bedside, and though he should pretend
slumber, he will tell his wife of it,.
years after
When your boy sees that You are
less offended with his rudcness than
grieved with his want of integrity
that You are proud of him, and in true
sympathy with Iim,-h will make his
mothers great heart of love sure rest
ing place. He will never go far astray.
because he cannot forget whose idol
and pride he was, when he was in
every one else's way, and who was
patient with him when every one else
blamed Sunday School Times.
DO Birds Think!