The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1885-04-23
BOY S.!
ARE THEY GETTING BETTER, OR
WORSE?

"Are boys any worse now than they were
when you and were boys?" asked a friend OF
u.s. a few days ago. After prayerful considera-
tion of the subject, we do not believe they are.
There are many methods of mischief employed
by the boys of the present day, but the boys of
twenty five to thirty years ago, for downright
meanness, could get away with them, every
time. For few of the pastimes of those nights,
compared with the mean boys of the present.
In the old building corner of Broadway and
Pearl streets, many years ago there was an Art
School, run by an old man named Johnny FL
srom. This old man was subject to fits, during
which he would become excessively violent,
generally seizing the poker and going into
promiscuous pounding of benches and desks.
While in these fits he would make peculiar
grunting noise. The boys were not long in cul-
tivating this grunt to perfection. While the
school would be in full blast, and the old man
would be busily engaged in fnstructing his
large class. group of innocent-looking boys
would be standing upon the corner, outside the
building. Presently boy would edge up to the
window, place his mouth close to it, and emit
the old mans grunt in vigorous manner!
Immediately there was transformation within
the School, as this mocking always threw the
old man into a fit. The students would have to
take to their heels, pel-mell, and it is needless
to say that the boys on the outside did likewise
The old would come tearing out like
race -horse-and the poker always came with
him. The old man is doubtless long since gone
to a country where mischievous boys trouble
not. Some of those boys also gone, and let
us hope that those who remain are much bet
ter now than then.
Another trick which used to be carried out
with some degree of fendish satisfaction, was
the tying of ropes across the pavements. A
point would be selected where at tree stood at
the outer edge of the pavement, and stout
rope would be secured so as TO catch person
coming along in the dark. Then crowd of
graceless imps would hide near by, and await
developments. Presently a solemn, easy going
man would come along, at a leisurly pace, and
the gentle pressure of the line would prevent
his further progress. With exclamation of
surprise, he would stoop. pass under the line
and go on his way. The next to come, perhaps,
would be quick, nervous. bustling fellow, who
walked as though running race with a fellow
around on the next square. He pulls up against
the rope with sudden grunt, and with some
questionable rema rks about the simple woman
who has tied her clothes-line across the street.
he takes out his knife and cuts the rope. This
ends the entertainment for the evening, and
the inps get hence without unnecessary. delay.
Away back in the days before the war a
principal streets of Jackson. He was a good
natured, inofensive kind of man, and it would
naturally be supposed that the boys could not
find it in their hearts to bother him. But he
came in for his share OF the annoyance, after a
while. The boys hit upon this plan: One Of
them stuck his head in at the door and asked,
"Mr. -, has - been here this evening?"
naming some well-enown comrade The gro
cery man would give polite reply, and pretty |
soon another boy would come along and ask
for the one who had just been there. This went
on, through the whole string of boys, and by |
the time the last boy got around, the store |
keeper was in a state of mind which rendered |
it convenient for the boy to travel with consid-
cradle speed. |
Speaking of the utter meanness of town boys, |
the late Benz. F. Scott, old gentleman of very
positive convictions, and generally sound ideas, |
in conversation with citizen of this place, |
expressed grave doubts as to the value of Sab
bath Schools in a community. When assured |
that such Schools were powerful agents in in
structing the young in ways of righteousness,
replied "Well, my boys and my neighbors'
boys were raised out in the country, where they
did not have the Sunday School facilities
that you have in town; you can come to my
bouse and be treated like man, your horse put
up, and everything done to make your stay
pleasant. When / ride my horse to town,
where you have all your Sunday Schools and
educational facilities, the boys swill actually
cut the skirts off of my saddle!" And the worst
Of it was. the old gentleman spoke in the light
Of experience.
1t cannot be denied that in some respects boys
are better now than then, while in other re-
spects there has been no change. The little,
dirty, miserable urchin, with the cigar stump
IN his mouth, and the oath on his lips, was here
shen, and he is here now. The boy who went
1shing on Sunday, and told lies about it, was
here then, and he is here now. Many types of
he bad boy are common to both periods, but
or genuine, downright cussedness, we believe
he average boy of to-day stands better than
he boy of generation ago.
The announcement that the real name of the author
# 1.-The Prophet of the Great Smoky Mountains is |
lot Charles Egbert Craddock, but Mary N. Murfree, |
will many readers of the May Atlantic to turn
that story continue 1t in the light of that
discovery. The two chapters contained in this read
BILE numb Der among the best pieces writing yet
iven by this author. Mrs. Oliphant's serial is
yer some new leaves in his delightful New Port
olio,r and the genial articles MADAME Mohl and
er Salon" completed all too soon. Important
hort of this issue John Dwights article
n Bach: 16S5-lS75,n Richard A. Proctor's essay
The Misused Fl of England "Children in Early
hristianity. by Scudder and Y