Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1883-12-07
A LECTURE ON BOYS.

A LECTURE ON BOYS.
Cousin Ellen advised that the next
john Spicer lecture be upon the sub
ject of. boys. Then some one expressed
the opinion that it would be we'll for
John Spicer to catch himself and put
himself in the row and hear his own
lecture, but as no lecturer could stand
up in front and lecture and at the same
time be sitting in a row, hearing, it was
decided that John Spicer should catch
himself, and put himself in a row, and
that then cousin Ellenherself should de-
liver the lecture. This accordingly was
done. John Spicer caught himself and
put himself in the row, and Cousin
Ellen delivered the lecture, as follows:
Boys are found in Europe, Asia,
Africa, America, Australia and
other places. Some wear clothes
and some do not. The latter are ma
tives of hot countries. The we'll
known and familiar American bow
wears clothes, and wears them a good
deal; wears them out, as one may say,
not meaning outdoors, but Il Boys
of this species, so far as l have known
them, have a great deal to do; steady
business all the year round; indeed,
some are so hurried, so pressed for
time, they can scarcely wait to dress in
the morning, and sometimes hurry so
fast as to get their clothes on behind
side before, in which case they gener-
ally take them off again. Their en-
ployment is different at different times
of the year. In the winter they drive
a brisk business in ice and snow. Hur-
rah for a coast or a skate! Up and
away! No time to be lost. The coast
needs filling in. or smoothing off. or
digging out, or water poured over it.
Snow houses are to be made, snow men
to be nodded. Hurry is the word. A
thaw mag Scme. The ice may melt in
the pond, the school-bell may ring, is
sure to ring. Meals have to be eaten.
On with cap and mittens. No time to
waste.
Business dull in the spring? Not at
all. Spring brings its work. Rubber
boots are in demand. There is valuable
slosh to be waded in. The water pow
er in the cutters is to be turned in.
Chip boats are to be launched on it,
dams of mud and stones built across for
a elbow" The last suowballing is to
be done before the sun shall melt the
snow every bit away. Snow gone, the
bare ground is put to instant use.
Hoops are to be driven on it,
tops spun upon it, marbles rolled
upon it. Willow whistles are to
be cut and blown through. Windmills
to be whitfield out and nailed up. Wind
power is made use OF in whirling these
round and in flying kites. The kite
business in itself is q large one, and in
cludes cutting, framing, shaping, whit
Ting, string-hunting and bobtying.
Also the boat business is large, taking
in all the rigging and sail-making.
Next M summer! Hurrah now
for the woods and the hills and the
fields and the ponds and the seashore!
Tramp, tramp. tramp, the boys are
marciing along the seashore. Oh, SC
much to do! Shells to be found,
stones to be gathered into pockets:
Water warm? Yes. Off clothes and
60 in swimming. Now go on, tramp,
tramp, tramp; crab shells, and horse
shoe shells, and live creatures from
puddles, all to be gathered into hand
kerchiefs; beach grasses to be gathered,
boats to be rocked in. Just one mo-
ment for a stretching out on the warm
sands. Ripple, ripple, sound the waves.
Off clothes again and go in swimming.
Now away to the woods. Tramp,
tramp, the boys are marching, march,
ing among the buttercups and daisies,
chasing butterflies, running. races up
in the pastures over the hills and far
away, picking berries, climbing trees,
swinging on the houghs, gathering cat
o~'-nine-tails. Here q pond. Get some
pond lilies. There's a turtle. Catch
him. Down he goes under. Off clothes
and 90 in swimming. Here's Il brook;
fish with Il pin tish-hook. No fish? No,
not a fish. Sit on the bank and tell
stories-fish stories, bear stories, circus
stories, Fourth OF July stories, any
kind. There goes a great butterfly.
Quick! Quick! over fences, down, up,
over, across There he is? No, he's
gone. Another brook-go in wading.
What's that struggling over the stone
wall9 A squash vine:9 Yes. Now
squash-vine trumpets. loot, toot, toot,
the boys II marching, marching
across the fields, through the orchards,
picking UP apples, smelling the
hay, climbing into hay wagons.
There's a we'll; tug at the ropes, down
goes Il bucket, up comes the other, drip
ping, pitching, spilling over upon the
messy well stones. A drink ali round.
Was ever anything so cold and SO wet?:
The sun is getting low. Pleasant
thoughts of a far-away supper table
ready and waiting in a far-away home.
And now, tramp, tramp, tramp, the
boys are marching home, home, and to
bed to rest, let us hope, for the summer
business must 60 on neNtday, and next,
and next. because there is much to do,
and summer is passing swiftly away,
and autumn will arrive before the boys
will be half ready to begin upon their
jack-o'-lanterns, and to 90 a-nutting,
and play football and baseball, and
other balls, and ride velocipedes, and
all there is to be done before the snow
flies. Heigho! Steady work and plenty
OF it all the year around. For besides
the regular business, the odd times are
to be filled in with hide-and-seek, prison
bar, touch the goal, jumping, climbing,
last-taygsinSg playing horse. mumble-