The Pickens sentinel. [volume] (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, 1886-06-03
TnE Old nov AND rmn NEW nov.
| Their Points OF DifTeronce Compared--A
Question as to Which is the better.


;hings which minister to comfort and
pleasure. The new boy, even if his
parents are only moderately blessed
with this worlds goods, has a ward
robe which would have astonished the
Did boy. Instead of the unlinedi|
,owhide boots..-ottene" shoes-rodgh
woolen or rougher fur cap, coarse cot
ton shirt, coat and pantaloons cut
down from the cast-otf paternal gar
ments, rarely an overcoat 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
sealskln or cloth, neat linen, substan-
hal underclothiug, 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
a watch and chain! He would have
been q greater curiosity among his
companions than a trick elephant.
From the time the new boy is out of
his cradle he has full assortment of
"store toys;" and as he gets older
money provides him with marbles,
tops, kites, balls, bats, knives, wagons,
sleds, skates, bycicles 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 Il silver dollar to cut
his teeth on, an improvi, ed rattle
and rag baby. Toys of larger
growth he manufactured himself,
"swappcd' for, got somehow bv "hook
or crook" or borrowed or did with
out; they were seldom or never bought
for him, and Christmas and Santa
Claus never favored him with their
viSitaiions-whiic New Year was pro-
verbally stingy and Thanksgiving only
stuffed his stomach. Now and then
he had few coppers in his pocket,
but silver was quite beyond his reach.
"A warm sleeping apartment in winter
Inc never enjoyed, unless on the sick
list. in cold room, usually no
bigger than Il closet, he crawlcd be.
tween icc-cold sheets, and with chat
tering teeth saw his breath 90 out in
white vapor. In the morning he often
broke the ice for washing water, half
dressed himself with numb fingers and
finished his toilette by the kitchen
stove. The new boy has an infinite
variety of literature, prepared espc-
cially for him; that Of the old boy was
OF tic ancient Sunday-sChOO sort, of
which no more need be said to those
who have tried il. The new boy pocs
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-ccrtainlv
not for him. The new boy begins
with kindergarten and ends with col
lcgc or ut least high school. The old
boy was fortunate if he obtained his
"thrcc RS" from some rural pcdagoouc
or at best was ground through much
poorer educational mill than negroes
have nowadays.
When out of the mill he was setHto
work and thought himself well paid
with indifferent board and clothes.
The Scntccl idlCncss of the ayerayc
new boy, which SO often dcgencrates
IN Va%nbondism, was not tolerated
iltty years ago, and, unlike the average
new BOY, the old boy had no money to
spend until he made it. lie had no
uad'S cash bank to draw upon: ONLY
the revenue of his own toll aud thrift.
Ierhaps 1T is only all old boys par
unllty for Old ways, but it seems to MS
thht the hard experience of tic old
boys dld more for them in many ways
than The softer and easier LOT Of the
new boys does for them. The former
were quite as happy with the little
they, had as the latter are with their
much, and they were taught-what the
others arc not-economy, industry,
ingenuity, sclf-denial, sclf-reliance, the |
value Of money, the necessity Of labor,
and, most of, all, the line in the primer
which declares that
Satan finds some mischief still,
For idle :ands to do.
Probably the new method of trainiuo
ooES makes more gentlemen, but the
old method made more men; and tbc
world needs men more than il does
gentlemen. We cannot, OF course
revive The OLD conditions, but can we
not graft some OF the old principlcs
and practices upon the new conditions?
1t wonld be worth while irving The
experiment, If only for Il changc-aui
II might make decided Improvement
IN the present status and future pros
pccls OF the rising generation, whose
;hlel ambition seems to be to BEGIN
where their fathers leave of.
'hicago'S "oalthicst Preacher.