Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1885-08-07
The Boys Club,
ST. Nicholas

And trust they'll come back some day
The Boys, Club,
st. Nicholas.
The Boys Club j. not a school nor a
lecture-ro nor any kind of meet
ing. 1t was only club for the East
side boys, where every fellow can read
or play games, or talk, or tell stories
or do anything that is regular out and
out fun, and not mischief,
The superintendent has one or two
Logs to help HIM, one to look after
the hats and caps, another to keep an
eye on the wash room, and another 10
take charge of the drawing materials
used by the boys who are busted with
the study of drawing. These officers,
if YOU have mind to call them 50.
take turns. 80 that every Young mem
Der of the Boys Club has IA chance to
make himself useful, and may be pro-
NOTED to the highest position if he
shows himself tit for the honor.
Every night at half-past seven, eX-
cepting on SUNDAYS. the doors are
opened and the boys Tile in. down the
tairs TO the big basement where the
club holds its Jolly meetings. Show
your tick4t at the door, give up your
hat. and take "A check for il. Will you
read the picture-paper>, sir, or play
checkers? Will you read a tory-book,
or indulge in Go BangP' A game.
Ell? all right; show your ticket to the
librarian. He takes ii and punches a
hole in it, and keeps it while YOU have
your ZANE. Here are Il table and five
chairs.
On the walls OF the room are posted
the catalogues of the books in the IL
brary. Half dozen little fellows are
reading the entic.ng lists. and of they
90 To the librarian, and present their
cards for their books. Here's a good.
quiet place i'm corner. where fellow
can read in peace. There is great
clatter of voices, with every one talk
as fast rs he can; but your city boy can
read anywhere.
Every hoy can talk and laugh as
freely rs in his own home Make all
the noise you like, within reasonable
bounds. 1t is good for the lungs.
Who ever heard of boy who could
fold his arms and be truly good all the
time. In the Boys Club every fellow
can be as lively as he pleaseS. provided
he does not interfere with any other
boy fun. Only house fun is in order;
and. if any boy feels that he must race
about the room. the fatherly policeman
Soddenlv wakes up and Mr.. Race
house is invited int the street. where
he can run to his hearts content He
can not come again u the club till he
learns how young gentlemen behave
in the house.
OF course there are rules Of some
kind. To enter the club, the boy must
apply for ticket, and this ticket is
only good for m nth If. during the
month. a boy behaves badl, in the
clubro m. h wiz lose his ticket. and.
perhap, not get another for long
time. N che be- who show that they
wish to do tlrc right thing, and treat
the club and each other properly, have
their tickets renewed every month.
You see from this that really. the club
is practically free to any little East
side fellow who w She 10 es ape from
the dismal streets. and j. willing To
behave himself for the sake of the
good time the club affords him.
A Kind Little sister, aud VIVA, She Did for
EIer Brothers.
Youths Companion.
Please make me a bean-bag, man.
MAJ
Bettie's brothers had small gym
nasium in which some of the neighbors'
boys came to play with them, and had
great fun with bean-bags.
Mamma took piece of strong,
coarse netting which lay in her work
basket. and scwed it into a bag. Bette
though, it nicer than those the boys
had, for when she went to put the
beans in they showed through.
When mamma sewed il up she went
out to play with it, and found il very
nice indeed. much nicer than ball. for
il was easier to catch. and never hurt
her hands.
II do hope every mamma makes
bean-bag for her little girl, ~ she said to
herself.
1t got dirty very soon. though, with
being flung freely about the garden
paths aud the dusty porches. Bette
made up her mind il wanted washing.
so she laid it under the pump and gave
it a good soaking She thought it looked
very much improved, and sat il care
fully away to dry.
And I'll wash all the boys bags"
she said. What "A nice little sister
they'll think | ann
No one saw her as she brought them
all by turns and gave them thorough
shower-bath. then carried them back to
the gymnasium, and piled them up as
she had found them.
The next day she went for her bag
but what had happened to it?
IL seemed so crowded full of beans
that il was MS hard rs Il ball
Laws. chile!' SAID old Dinah. with
q smile at her little dismayed face;
"don't yer know beans'll allus swell
when yer vets emp
lis il all spoiled?" asked Bette,
looking ruefully at it.
"Mebbc dey II shrink IL yer dries it,
but mebbe not. J."
Bette laid il on the piazza in the
bright sunshine. and went to see what
her little brother Ray was 50 rcry busy
about on the lawn.