The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1886-12-08
BILL NYE AS A BOY.
he Recalls the Days of Childhood and
TurniPs.

TurniPs.
If we're a boy again, endowed with the
same wild passion for plucking watermolons
in the dark Of the moon, / would no doubt
fall a victim to that overmastering passion
as did before; but looking at itas do now,
! would be wiser Boys cannot however,
have the mature Judgment OF manhood With
out the experience and the rheumatism that
90 with it. Sc it is better that in cur child
hood We may be able 30 eat a raw tuInip
with safety and know something later ON IN
life.
| notice a great change in myself while
comparing my present concition with that
OF Joyous boyhood. Then had 10 sense, but
had a good digestion. Now ! haven't even
the digestion.
The hurrying years have cavorted over
my sunny head till they have worn il smooth,
but they have left a 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 glodsome
period in our lives, and in some respects this
statement may be regarded as reliable, but 1t
is not All joy l have had just as much fun
in later years as did i'll boyhood, though the
people with whom / have been thrown in
contact claim that their experience has been
different ] hope they do not mean anything
personal 10y that
| do sometimes wish that ! could be a boy
again. but ! smother that wish on account
of my parents What they need most is rest
and change OF scene. They still enjoy chill
dren, but they would like a chance to select
the children with whom they associate.
Ny parents were blest with five bright-eyed
and beautiful little boys, three Of whom grew
up and by that means became adults. | am
in that condition myself. | was the eldest Of
the family with the exception of my parents.
| am still that way Ny early life was rather
tempegtuous in places, occasionally hecked
with sunshine, but more frequently with
retributon ! was not very good roadster
when young, and so retribution was most
ALWAYS Just in the act of overtakng me.
While outraged justice was getting IN It's
work on me, the other boys escaped through
a small aperture in the fence.
That is another reason why do not yearn
70 be a boy again.
When we ran away from school 10 catch
CnulJS. ana NlltN we DullL d Hl' W. N''i- ''iii'
and the fire got into the tall dry grass and
burned four miles of fence and sixteen tons
OF hav for gentleman for whom had
HIGH regard, and went back to put out the
fire. tie other boys escaped and have so re
manned eyer since
A inst rctribuion has never had any din
Guilty IN o.er;aiiug me and walking up and
down over NV WishbOne.
When q party of us had been engaged III
gathering Easter eggsi in tie barn OF a gentle
man who was away from home at the time,
and me- returned just as we mad filed our
uocRets will the choicest vintage OF hls sun
kissed hens. the other boys escaped while /
was occupying tine attention Of the dog and
had TO side out the second story OF the
harm. 1t is still fresh in my mind as ! write
wore nv fathers vest at that TIME ana II
asloroer than was necessary. My father was
larger than at that time, for ! was only .
wears of age and had not arrived at my Iuh
stature. In sliding down the batten dls-
covered that the upper end of it was loose
and that my flowing vest had slipped over IL,
so that when [ cot down about four feet
hing with the board buttoned inside my
bosom and the scambled eggs oozlng out OF
nv lnickerbOciers.