The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1884-05-07
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Our Boys.

The years of adolescence are often full
OF restlessness. The boy is, perhaps, over
flowing with vivscity, and his gay spirits
lead him to do and say things which look
idle and foolish to grave middle age. On
the other hand, he may develop ten
dency to morbidness, retiring into himself
aud repelling sympathy. Either way he
requires delicate handling. 1t is an in
estimable benefit to boy to be confiden-
tial with his mother at this period of life,
telling her his trials and troubles, and re-
ceiving her counsel. As a rule, mothers
do not pet their older children enough.
The sweet, soft words, the caresses which
are lavished on the babies are not freely
bestowed on the older children. And yet
q mothers tender hand smoothing her big
boys brow, her fingers straying through
his hair, her kiss in passing him, are
tangible evidences of her love, which are
beyond price. 1t is beautiful to see the
knightly grace, the lover-like devotion
which some sons show their mothers. Be
assured if you would have this crown of
crowns, that you must win it by being your
boys friend all the way on from his baby
hood. Do not be afraid of demonstration.
Many hungry soul is halffamished in
the midst of plenty, simply because those
around him are 80 afraid of showing their
affection by speech and smile and touch.
There ought to be some place in the house
for boys possessions. If he likes tools
he should have liberty to use them and
place for workshop. If he is fond of
dumb animals, tolerate his cats and dogs,
pigeons, chickens, pets of all kinds, even
though you dislike such creatures your
self. If he has craze for collections,
whether OF minerals, ores, postage-stamps
or butterflies, assist him to follow his bent.
Let your boys be permitted to bring their
companions freely into the house. There
are mothers to whom this advice is super.
fiuous. There are others who care more
for clean and shining porches, for stair
ways and halls, carpets, oilcloths and
paints then they do for the welfare of
their'sons. So, very complacently, they
send the latter off to play with Tom or
Harry, whom they (the mothers) do not
know, somewhere quite out of sight and
hearing, and then they rejoice in their
clean, well-kept houses. Dear friends,
well-brought-up boys, happy boys, summing
themselves in the atmosphere of Chris
tian home, are worth thousand times
more than handsome houses and luxurious
furniture. DO not, if you can possibly
avoid it, force your boys to wear clothes
which they have outgrown, or of which
they feel ashamed, or which make
them in any way conspicuous. OF
course, when poverty compels a lad to go
threadbare or patched, when his parents
cannot afford to dress him decently, he is
manly to bear the privation without com.
plant. All things being equal, however,
and parents having it in their power to
dress their boys neatly and becomingly,
they may take it for granted that a pretty
necktie, nice pair of cuffs, properly laun-
dried linen, and good suit of clothes.
are all means OF grace to growing lads.
Look out for boys reading. Crowd out
the bad by supplying him with plenty of
good reading. The little fellows who
were disarmed of pistols and knives in
a Philadelphia school the other day, juve-
nile highwaymen equipped for career of
plundering on the Western plains, had
been reading "fiash literature" What
were their mothers about to let the boys
get hold of the papers which contain such
poison ? There are papers and magazines
which are quite exciting enough to please
any boy, yet are pure and wholesome.
Then there are on the home shelves, or in
the public libraries, great many authors
whose charm for the young is perennial.
A boys evenings at home should be made
bright and pleasant. Evenings in the
street are fatal to many lad. Not too
much training, mothers, if you love your
h0u L., l.,
up to intelligent self-government. Never
lose sight yourselves Of your own account
ability to God as mothers, and keep be-
fore the boys the feeling that they, too,
are responsible, and must answer to God
for the talents entrusted to them.-Mrs.
Sangster in IntelGgsncer.