The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1884-05-10
Our Boys.

lhere is one element IN the nome
instruction of boys to which too little
attention has been given; and that is
the cultivation of habits ofpunctuality,
system, order and responsibility.
In many households boys lives be-
tween the ages of twelve and seventeen
are generally the calmest of their exist
Son for Breakfast; f G3fRGing nofGIhg 'S' Is do but
start off early enough not to be late,
looking upon an errand as taking SO
much time and memory away from
enjoyment; little thought of personal
appearance except when reminded by
mother to "spruce up" little finding
his wardrobe always where mother puts
it; in fact having nothing to do but
enjoy himself. Thus his life goes on
until school end. At this point he,
perhaps, meets with his first great
struggle. Many times during our bus
iness experience have we witnessed fail
ures caused by the absence of thorough
home discipline. How the boy with
out this advantage fails is thus fairly
described by the Scientific american
He goes into an office where every
thing is system, order, precision. He
is expected to keep things neat and
orderly, sometimes kindle fires, or do
errands,-in short to become a part of
a nicelyregulated machine, where every
thing moves in systematic grooves, and
each one is responsible for correct
ness in his department, and where, in
place of ministers to his comfort, he
finds taskmasters, more or less lenient
to be sure, and everything in marked
contrast to his previous life. In many
instances the change is too great.
Errors become very numerous; blum
derS, overlooked at first, get to be a
matter ofserious moment; then patience
is overtasked, and the boy is told his
services are no longer needed. This
is the first blow, and sometimes he
never rallies from it. Then comes the
surprise to the parents, who too often
never know the real cause, nor where
they have failed in the raising of their
children.
What is wanted, is for every boy to
have something special to do; to have
some duty at a definite hour, and to
learn to watch for that time to come, to
be answerable for a certian portion of
the routine of the household; to anti
cipate the time when he ''Ae,' o:.+.. .'- .
ranks of business, and to be tortlhed
with habits of energy, accuracy, and
application, often of more Importance
than superficial book learning.
s9~Many worthy Americans who
has been for a season in Paris, and who
may be blamelessly free from pride in
all other particulars, are exceedingly
sensitive to any hints at imperfection
in their mastery of the French tongue.
One of of these gentlemen was recent
ly introduced at a great gathering in
Washington to a distinguished foreign
diplomat, and Immediately assailed
him with flood of what he considered
to be the most exquisite French of Paris.
Taken breath for moment, he apollo
gized with an air of bland self-conCeit
for his imperfect command of the
French tongue, but he was little taken
aback when the diplomat, with what he
meant to be complimentary smile, re-
piled, "Not at all, not at all; can
understand you quite WE'LL" Another
of our Gallo-manics was scarcely less
fortunate in inquiring of one of the
French Legation with whom he was
conversing, "How much would have
to say before you knew by my pronun-
citation that l was not a Frenchman 7"
"One word," was the prompt and de-
cisive reply.
B4~"No, SIR" said the worldly
young man to the life insurance agent,
81 don't feel prepared to have my life
insured yet. do not care to feel that
would be worth more dead than l am
alive"
Eternity is long enough to make