The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1886-06-02
THE OLD BOY AND THE NEW Roy.
Their Points of Difference Compared-.A
Question as to Which is the Better.

Their Points of Difference Compared-.A
Question as to Which is the Better.
(bIom tho 50. Louis Republicans
There is a vas, difference between the
boys of to-day and those of fifty years
ago, more especially as regards the
things which minister to comfort and
pleasure. The new boy, even if his
parents arc only moderately blessed
with this worlds goods, has a ward
robe which would have astonishcd the
old boy. Instead Of the uplincd
cowhidc boots--Oftenc" shoes-rouoh
WOODEN or roughcr fur cap, coarse cot
ton shirt, coat and p~aptaloons Gu;
down from the cast-off paternal gar
mellts, rarely an ovcrcoat and still
more rarely any underwear, except
the aforesaid shirt and homemade
socks-the new boy has his button
shoes, rubber boots, handsome cap of
sealskin or cloth, neat linen, substan-
tlal underclothing, knickerbockcrs,
coat and vest of fashionable cut, with
overcoat TO match, all bought for him
at first hands, and frequently a watch
and chain. Think of an old boy with
u watch aud chain! lie would have
been II greater curiosity among his
companions than a trick elephant.
From the time the new boy is out of
his cradle he has Il full assortment of
''storc toys" and as he gets older
money provides him with marbles,
tops, Kites, balls, bats, knives, wagons,
sleds, skates, byciclcs and nearly
everything else in the shape of play
things that can be imagined.
The old boy, in his infancy, was
lucky if he got n silver dollar to cut
his teeth on, an improvised rattle
and a rag baby. Toys of larger
growth he manufactured himself,
"swappcd' for, gotsomchow by "hook
or crook" or borrowed or did with
out; they were seldom or never bought
for him, and Christmas and Santa
Claus " favored him with their
visitati0ns-whiic New Year was pro-
verbally stingy and Thanksgiving only
stuffed his stomach. Now and then
he had Il few coppcrs in his pocket,
but silver was quite beyond his reach.
a warm sleeping apartment in winter
he never enjoyed, unless on the sick
list. In Il cold room, usually no
bigger than a closet, he crawled be.
tween ice-cold sheets, and with chat
tering teeth saw his breath 90 out i'm
white vapor. In the morning he often
broke the ice for washing-watcr, half.
dressed himself with numb fingers and
finished his toilette By the Kitchen
stove. The new boy has an infinite
variety of literature, prepared cspc-
cially for him; thar of the old boy was
OF the ancient Sunday-scho0l sort, of
which no more need be said 10 those
who have tried il. Tho new boy goes
TO the theatre, circus or at least to the
dime museum; but these places of
amusement and recreation were hardly
known in the old boys timc-certainlv
not for him. The now boy begins
with Kindergarten and ends with COL
legc or at least high school. The old
boy was fortunate if he obtained his
three rs" from some rural pcdagogue
or at best was ground through Il much
poorer educational mill than negroes
have nowadays.
when out of the mill he was set.to
work and thought himself well paid
with indifferent board and clothes.
Scntccl idlcncss of the average
new boy, which so often ~dcgcneratcs
in vagabondism, was not tolerated
fifty years ago, and, unlike the average
new boy, the old boy had no none to
spend until he made it. lie had no
dads cash bank to draw o only
the revenue of his own toll and thrift.
Perhaps it is only an old boys par
tiality for old ways, but il seems to MS
that the hard experience of the old
boys did more for them in many WAYS
the softer and easier lot of the
now hove IInS for tlnn, MI ,..
were quite as happy with the little
they had as the latter arc with their
much, and they were taught-what the
others are not--economy, industry,
ingenuity, sc%lf-denial, sclfreliancc, the
value OF money, the necessity of labor,
and, most ofFall, the line in the primer
declares that
Satan finds some mischief still,
For idle .andS to do.
Probably thcncw method of TRAINING
boys makes more gentlemen, but the
old method made moro mcn: and the
world needs men more than il does
gentlemen. We cannot, of course.
the old conditions, but can we
not graft some OF the old principles
and practices upon thcncw conditions?
IL would be worth while irving the
if only for a changc-and
it might make Il decided improvement
~ the present status and future pros
poets of the rising generation, whose
mel ambition seems to be to begin
where their fathers leave off.
Chicag"'s WcaIthiest Preacher.
The only rich dominic in Chicago is
he Rev. DR.. Ryder, the eloquent
Jnivcrsalist divine, who only a few
ears ago retired from the pulpit.
lie made all his money outside Of his
profession. In II SCI Of rich men
wing ON the South Side, in the vicin- /
ty of his old church, Dir Ryder has
llways ben Il great iavoritc, and they
howcd their preference in Il practical
way. When an Investment could be
made probably in the city railway