The clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1883-1888, 1886-07-28
That Uninteresting Boy.

The following plea for the uninterest-
magazine, is worthy the attention of all
mothers. Our boys, if they are unat-
tractiye and uncouth, contain the mate
rial of which manhood of the next gen.
Grafton must be made, and the mothers
who find their children in this forma-
tive period "uninteresting" ard there
fore. through neglect and indifference,
lose their influence over them, have
much to answer for if this manhood
turns out to be of poor quality:
Two young mothers were one day
following with their eyes the movements
of little girl years old. what an
interesting age" said the mother of the
litGle girl; 'but how some children out
grow it. My boys now are just as un-
interesting as they can be-" The other
mother heard this statement with sur
prise, and looked with more than COM
mon interest ever after at the two little
boys that had ceased to be interesting
to their mothers.
There is no doubt that many people
of both sexes agree with the speaker,
and pass by the boy of or II, or Of an
age ranging between these figures, with
an indifference that is not only peculiar
and pathetic, but is hard to understand.
Suggestive as may be the interchange
of thought between our babes and our
selves, fascinating as it Is to watch the
gradual development of intellect, and to
get answers to the questions, "What are
your thoughts, my baby? What in the
world of sense has most impressed you :?
Are you like papa, like mamma, or like
some one elseT' These same questions
asked of the intelligent boy OF 10 will
receive answers that are full of enlight-
enment and that will induce thought.
To be content with observation of in
fancy and of early childhood alone is to
be satisfied with the weIl-sounding title
of book, and to give no heed to the
wisdom of its pages.
Gentleness and patience are qualities
greatly needed by the mother or boy.
She might be helped by the politeness
and good examples of others, but often
she Is called TO sympathize with her son
on account of ahronis offered to HIM by
his superiors. 1t is no uncommon eX-
perience for boy tina: goes on an
errand. and will make his wants known
and pay his money quite as readily as
his father would, to De met IN store or
office with a salutation that chills the
marrow in his bones if he is timid boy
not well padded with flesh. "Here, boy,
get out of herel What do you want,
anyhow" are brutal words and ought
never to be used.
Many boy often exhibits in his daily
life many qualities that ought not TO be
measured by the same high standard by
which grown-up virtues are measured.
Awkwardness and noise are TO be ex-
pected-noise, because a healthy boy
cannot live without it; boy that is
growing SO fast that his hands and feet
seem larger at dinner than they were at
breakfast cannot be expected to handle
knife md fork with grace, and the
lengthening feet may hit againsta chair
or table legs without conscious sin.
There are weighty questions surging
up in these undeveloped brains A
question asked of a mother at bed time,
the tender hour that true mother will
court as a bit of life well lived, if spent
with her children, will sometimes reveal
a startling clearness and depth of
thought. Such question should be
seriously and sincerely
Mamma" said one of these boys, 10
years old, to the mother of whom he
dare ask any question, mamma, l often
ask myself what are we living for, any
way? Does God keep us for pets, as we
keep cats and dogs, or does he like TO
see lighting going on; as boys do some
times 7" On another occasion, after
hearing some conversation in regard to
church debt and those who had no voice
in contracting it being obliged to help
pay, the boy said: Mamma, I think it
is wrong for a church to get into debt.
1t is like firing off q gun on some people
you don't know anything about"
To say that boy like this (and he is
not an exceptional boy) is not interest
ing, that he is not capable of appreciat-
ing gentle treatment, is to say, with the
calm air that ignorance blissfully as
sumes, that black and white are exactly
the same.