The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1886-10-19
ATALK WITH MY BOY.
BY HOLLIS W. FIELD.

| BN holsblS W. FIELD.
Ny dear boy, this is your 18th
birthday, and to commemorate the
happy event want to give you some
wholesome advice.
l have observed that physically
and mentally you are ripening un-
der the democratic influences of a
free school, and l wish to encourage
YOU in this attention to study. II
it wire not for studiousness on the
part of our boys this great country
would be destitute of a Legislative
Congress. OF course, don't intend
to say how much better it would be
without a Congress, for in that ]
should be DEPRESSING.
But concerning school. l have nc
doubt that you can whip the teach
er. should occasion demand, but
don't do 1t. Content yourself W ith
assuring the other boys of the fact,
and learn to let him have his way.
If however, you should some time
be determined to tender him a chas-
tisement, choose some boy whom you
dislike and persuade him to do it;
the result could not be other than
gratifying.
You are now approaching crisis
in life. At your age a boy begins
to grow in love with himself and at
Is he has what cold, unfeeling
world, calls the big-head. l trust
to you to be rid of it before yousare
81, but if not, it will by that time
have become chronic, and you will
find that an, unsympathetic public
will, at every opportunity, take ioc-
casion to punch it.
At your time of life men,, things
and books are in league to take you
through a systematic course of lies.
Some day you will think that home
and the old folks are slow, and some
night, in the still watches, you will
get up from sleepless pillow, tie a
few clothes in a handkerchief and
start out to see the world.
Now, don't take the clothes, and
don't como back until you get good
look at that great old fraud you
have been reading and dreaming
about.
mention the clothes, because you
will be likely to take clean ones, and
will so muss them in your travels
that yoHr- mother will have them to
wash when you come back. But 1
want you to go when you get ready
Il wouldn't give copper for boy
who hadn't, at some time. taken it
into his head to run away.
You have often expressed the wish
to be man, but don't hurry old Fa.
ther Time His knees are shaky
and his limbs are rheumatic, but his
gait is deceptive. Be a boy as long
as you can and when you are man,
don't let the public see that you
have forgotten all about it.
Try to be sensible, and, if any
thing conservative, but let man and
boy call yen plain Bill all your life.
Have head of your own. If, you
don't believe the sun is stationary
and that the world turns, say so.
You Will be respected, even while
you are asked for your proof.
Try to bear with the world, as you
will be obliged to leave it pretty
much as you found it. Remember
it has been running along in about
the same groove for several thousand
years, and that the public would be
likely to discourage any attempt at
c radical change.
Yes, put up with it, my boy. Some
day when you are a man, and feel
compelled to flog boy of about
your present build, think itoyer, and
fyoa have not found my advice to
be for the best, you may conclude
that your father was an ass.