The Sedalia weekly bazoo. [volume] (Sedalia, Mo.) 187?-1904, 1884-10-21

would at first appear. As with the
advance of civilization the American
forests are rapidly disappearing, 50
Is the true American boy becoming
gradually a tradition. IF here and
there one can be found, he is almost
as much curiosity as full blooded
Indian. Go out on the streets of an
American city and try to find g
hoy" Do you think that little
fellow over there, with cigar in his
mouth and high collar round nj,
neck, is boy? No, he never was
one. He sprang from babyhood into
a knowledge of evil, desire for good
clothes, knowing way of manipulate
ing a billiard cue, and a thorough
contempt for the old fashioned sports
of boyhoOd. What are kites and
marbles and ball bats to him /?
Nothing but the relics of an an
cient barbarism-the childish toys of
an uncivilized generation. He has
views on religion and politics, knows
all about the best horses in the coun.
try, and, though never playing base
ball, can tell the professional scores
for weeks back. It's just possible he's
married. At an age when his father
would have blushed to speak to a
girl, he lays a plan for a sensational
elopement. A boy of sixteen ran
away from Canada a few days ago
with young girl and they are now
somewhere in this country. The tel
egraph columns contained recently All
account of three boys and girls, near
Ottawa, Ont, whose ages ranged
from thirteen to sixteen, who had
made their plans for clipping and COM
ing to this country to earn their liv-
ing. Fortunately their parents were
a few years older than they were, aud
prevented this Wholesale creation of
future misery.
On board a ship a "boy" may be
fifty years old, or, in fact any age.
The reverse is the case On shore, and
We have 'men'' at all ages now from
ten years up. Of course this unwhole-
some precocity is observable in Amer
lean girls as well as boys. 1t is to be
doubted if boy of twelve ever con-
ceived and executed a more remark
able piece of villainy than the young
girl of that age whose exploits in Bos-
ton were telegraphed recently. She
stole 5000 worth of her mothers
and attempted to elope |
with youngster who had more of |
'the spirit of the age" than he had |
If years and discretion. Such facts
Ire startling when considered In con-
lectiOn with what is before our eyes
continually. We are so accustomed
o seeing the cross between a worn
Dut youth and an unhealthy man
which walks our streets in tight pants
md an English hat, that the signifi
,ance of such a sight escapes our
lot;ce. "Lost boy" is the great cry
If our generation, and steps should
It once be taken to find him. A CON-
nittee of able bodied men should be
ormed in every large city with full
to at once proceed in the
earch for the lost article. Every
'outh under the age OF twenty should
We made to put on loose clothing, to
leanse his pockets of cigarette cases
nd whisky TASKS, and to make up
lis mind to wait a few years before
himself a man. The
committee should then drive these
'recOcious youngsters to some place
where they could play ball, tennis.
tc., and add some size to their
drunken calves.
The great truth that only a slow
.rowth is healthy growth seems lost
light of in our age and country.
titles spring up in night, fortunes
re made with the tick of telegraph
ey, the whole tendency of American
ife is TO produce rapid but often un-
nduring results. But of all shaky
nd worthless fabrics that this
endency of our civiliz alton produces,
one is so dangerous to our future
sefulness as a race as the half
eveloped man who has all the habits
nd ambitions which should belong
My to men of twice his age without
ne bodily strength to warrant them.
Unless this growing evil is checked,
Dming generations of Americans will
Irse the day when their ancestors
ave up the healthy simplicity of old
lshioned boyhoOd for the weakening
IstOms of the present generation.
Battlef1 Id Humor.
he Century