Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1885-08-29
FTEND CHILDREN.
Fr. salt's Name for some fe""H "'''


Mr, sals'. Name for sOmc Yeuns An'''''""''
Ina letter to the London Telegraph
describing his trip from San Francisco
10 the Hawaiian Islands, George Au-
pustus Sala writes The Australia was
infested by small but determined gang
of what may term fiend children, J
am sorry TO say and | am sorry to
add that they were all the children OF
saloon passengers. There were several
well-enough conducted babies in the
stcerace. and few tolerable toddlekins
in the immediate cabins but a more eX-
asperating set of little desperadoes, male
and female. than the iirst-class brats, 1t
would be difficult TO imagine. ! am
nassionately fond Of what Leigh Hunt
used to call 1.-The small infantry who
20 TO bed by daylight and kno"
that I love and fancy that | under
stand the pretty ways OF ordinary
children; but when the "sInall IN
fantry" assume the aspect OF so many
diminutiye zaptichs and Bashi- ia
zouks in miniature when they de-
cline to 60 to bed by daylight, or by
lamplirht either. until they are driven
Ike sheep into their hunks; when
from sunrise to supper-time they
never desist from their impish
tricks, the "small infantry " become
to you objects. not Of tenderness and
svmnathy. but of terror and horror.
The leader Of tho gang was an attenu-
ated girl-demOn OF about nine or ten.
She and the salow-faccd little COLLINS
whom she led made our lives miserable.
They ran races in the saloon they
made raids on the stewards pantry
they blocked up the companion they
worried the cooks in the gallery; they
raised connections in the forecaStle {;
they sprswlcd about the hurricane
deck, stopping up with yells of
exultation the yentilators which should
have given little air to the
hapless passengers sweltering in the
cabins below. They perched on the
taiirail, and were in continuous peril Of
tumbling overheard; they hung on the
rigging and made Gordian knots Of
carcfully-coiled ropes; they burst into
the smoking-room and disturbed the
quietude Of the five gentlemen who
were constantly playing poker in that
divan; they ran between the legs and
all but destroyed the equilibrium Of the
smoking-rOom steward, who periodi-
cslly brought drinks to the five
pokcr-Players; they overturned the
deck chairs ard made holes in the
awnings; they derided rcbuking quar-
tcrmastcrs, and spoke to the man at the
wheel; and sll this they did. not IN
the cxuhcrance Of inlantile animal Sp;r-
its. but in a sheer spirit of wantonacss
and " cusscducSS." wholly unchecked
BIZ their mammls or other female reil-
tiyes, who were either too seI-Sick or
too lazy TO look after and control them.
our captain vas shocked, but he had
the navigation of his ship to attend
70. The pur.er had never seen
such children. hc aycrrci-sinre
the last run from frisco 20
Sydney, | should say; the doctor
admitted that his small compatriots
were just little worse than Australian
larrhin " children the American
lady doctor and her sister-hoth un-
married ladieS-werc scaulaliled 1T the
ill-bchavior Of this troop Of small pa
rates Of the Pacific. aad suggested
"spanking " all round as cure for the
evil; but it was not until late in the
voyage We had had one or TWO good
"northers and southerly bus
ter that is 30 say, stiff gales with a
heavy sea rmning--that Scasclness
came to our aid, and, for awhile, par
TALLY paraIyzcd the activity Of these
inps of the ocean.