The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-11-21
BILL NYE'S SKETCH.
Why He Would Like To BE Boy Again
and Why He Is Satisfied as 1t Is.

| Why He Would Like To BE Boy Again,
and Why He Is Satisfied 1t Is.
| If were boy again endowed with the same
| wild passion for plucking watermelons in the
| dark of the moon, would no doubt fall q victim
| to that overmastering passion as / did before
but looking at it as do now, would be wiser
| Boys cannot. however have the mature iudg-
| ment of manhood without the experience and
| the rheumatism that go with it. So it is better
| that in our childhood we may be able to eat q
raw turnip with safety, and know something
| later on in life.
notice great change in myself while COM
pairing my present condition with that of Joyous
boyhood. Then l had sense but l had
good digestion. Now l haven't even the diges-
ton.
The hurrying years have cavorted over my
sunny head till they have worn it smooth, but
| they nave left good deal yet for me to learn.
| am still engaged in learning during the day and
putting arnica on my experience at night.
Childhood is said to be the most gladstone
period in our lives. and in some respects this
statement may be regarded as reliable, but it is
not all JOY have had just as much fun in later
years as did in boyhood. though the people with
whorl have been thrown in contact claim that
their experience has been different l hope they
do not mean anything personal by that.
l do sometimes wish that l could be boy
again. but smother that wish on account of my
parents. What they need most is rest and change
of scene. They still enjoy children, but they
would like chance to select the children with
whom they associate.
My parents were blessed with five bright.eyed
and beautiful little boys, three Of whom grew up
and by that means became adults l am in that
condition myself. / was the eldest of the family
with the exception of my parents. / am still
that way. My early life was rather tempestuous
in places, occasionally fecked with sunshine,
but more frequently with retribution. l was not
a very good roadster when young. and so retri-
button was most always just in the act of over
taking me. While outraged justice was getting
in its work on me, the other boys escaped
through q small aperture in the fence.
That is another reason why do not yearn to
be boy again.
When ran away from school to catch
clubs, and when we built a fire to cook them,
ard the fire got into the tall dry grass and
burned four miles of fence and sixteen tons of
hay for gentleman for whom had high re-
gard, and went back to put out the fire. the
other boys escaped, and have so remained ever
since
And just retribution has never had any diff
Guilty In overtaking me. and walking mp and
down over my wishbone.
When party of US had been engaged in gath
ering Easter eggs in the barn of a gentleman
who was away from home at the time, and he
returned just as we had filed our pock-
cts with the choicest vintage of his
sun kissed hens, the other boys escaped
while was occupying the attention of the dog
and had to slide out the second story of the
barn. 1t is still fresh in my mind as write /
wore my fathers vest at that time, and It was
larger than was necessary. My father was
larger than at thas time, for ! was only nine