The Wellington enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 1867-188?, 1883-06-27
A Word to the Small Boy.

The season is nigh at hand for the an
nual appearance Of the small boy with the
small toy pistol that carries cartridge.
1t is q season of anxiety for all those who
take an interest In the small boy, since
they have learned to their sorrow that IN
less the toy pistol is handled with unusual
care 1t becomes dangerous weapon. And
since the average small boy is not care
full creature, the toy pistol, as the list Of
casualties which newspapers are called
upon to print after each recurring Fourth
of July demonstrates, is justly to be re-
garded as one OF his worst enemies,
What thenS Shall we proceed earnestly
to entreat the small boy to practise total
abstinence from the toy pistols. We have
done that in other years, but with no great
success. The small boy, like his fellow
creatures of larger growth, cannot readily
be persuaded 10 forsake his besetting in
diligence; and the fact that the toy which
gives him so much pleasure may give him
wound whose end is lockjaw perhaps
imparts to it that strange fascination
known as the attraction of repulsitn. So
this time we do not propose 10 reason with
the small boy. We merely desire to direct
his attention to law which was passed
last winter. 1t is good friend OF his, al
though he may not think so just now. He
will think so when he arrives at years of
discretion, when he comes to have a real
izing sense. The first section of this law
Io fol- uNn rrn6ar 1n
age of eighteen years shall have, carry or
have in his possession in any public street,
highway or place in any of the cities of
this State, any pistol or other firearms of
any kind, and no person shall, in such cities,
sell or give any pistol or other firearms to
any person under such age" The small
boy will see that this legal provision puts
an end 70 his local option touching the use
Of the toy pistol that fires cartridge, or of
any other firearms 1t is an absolute pro
hibition. Any small boy who fires toy
pistol this Fourth of July-a day which,
with the small boy, commonly begins about
the middle of June-will become a law
breaker, and as such will render himself
liable to severe punishment. The second
section of the law provides that "any person
violating any of the provisions of this act
shall be guilty of a misdemeanor." The
punishment OF a misdemeanor is fine or
an imprisonment at the discretion of the
Court.
But, Of course, the small boy has no in
tention Of becoming law-breaker. He is
too good fellow for that. He may have
his own opinion of the Legislators who
combined together to pass a measure
which interferes with his amusement, but
he can be counted upon to render a more
OF less cheerful obedience to its mandates.
And when the Fourth is over and gone
he will experience the satisfaction which
attends the reflection that but for the pro
hibition he might be down with the lock-
jaw, or wanting q finger or other useful
member. That philosopher was wise for
all generations who penned the advice,
"Let your to-dsy's dissipation bear to-mor-
rows reflection" We commend it to the
small boy that this year msy be lamenting
the loss of his toy pistol.
Just another word to the small boy. Let
him keep his eye upon reckless merchants
who have toy pistols for sale and see to il
that they also comply with the law or suf-
fer the consequence Of their inexcusable
disregard of human life-of the life of the
small boy.-N. Y. Tribune.