Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1888-02-29
HAVING FUN
Lessons for Parents as Well az
Children.

hours mainly in the street. Where else
can they spend themp 1t is all very well
for country fathers and mothers who can
turn their children loose on a ten acre lot,
or, at any rate, give them the run of the
woods and streams abroad, aud the pasture
and wood-house at home, to inveigE
against the evils of street education foI
other peoples children. "BOys must be
boys" if they are eventually to become
men. They must have a chance to run
and climb and TO exercise their limbs,
muscles and voices somewhere, aud what
place can the dwellers in cities find foI
this purpose except the street! And boys
must have "fun;" the play instinct has
been implanted by their Creator in all
young animals for wise purposes. But
what is 'fun?" Let me tell you how
some of the B boys answered that
question;
There was a ring at our bell one morn
ing. answered it myself, and found lit
tie johnnie Pearson at the door, sobbing
piteously. His dirty hands were pressed
into hisSeyes, and the tears streamed over
his face as he sobbed out the words: "My
lovely dragon-fy kite and my beautiful
this morning, and just bought the string
at the store. gave all my bright PEN
nies for it."
'.Well," said 1, with some impatience
for baby Fred was loudly demanding my
attention in the nursery; "did you lose
it?"
''It was your boys; your bad boys.
They cut the string and the kite fled far
away. Oh dear, shall never see it again,
and what can 1 say to my pap
OF course that brought me out into the
street, baby Fred being loft to his own
devices. There stood Ernest and Adolph,
aged, respectively, ten and twelve, gig
Cling With delight, which occasionally
broke ou- into uproarious merriment.
"I'm ashamed of you" 1 exclaimed,
show can you be so cruel to a mere
baby?"
ats only fun" said Ernest; chow jolly
mad the little chap did get and how he
did blubber."
"But, my child, how can you be so dis
honest rs we'll as crue!"
"We didn't steal his kite" said Adolph.
flushing up; 81 climbed ever so high up
into the tree to get it again. See how
tore my pantaloons doing it,"
1t was no particular "fun" to me tc
Il
repairing that great rent, but wisely re-
Trained from saying any thing on that
point, and devoted myself to arousing the
consciences of my boys concerning the
oppression of the weak by the strong, and
ITS extreme unmanliness. This was an
easy matter in this individual case;
prompt apologies were offered; Johnnie's
kite was produced In an uniniured condi.
tion, new ball of string was purchased,
paper of candy was added, and the lit
tie sufferer was sent home, on the whole
q gamer by his misfortune. Then 1 went
mp stairs to the impatient baby, wonder
ing greatly at my boys ideas of ''fun."
Lunch was over, and afternoon school
also presumably, though Earnest and
Adolph had not vet made their appear
ance, when another pull was made at the
much. enduring bell. This time Noah
answered the call. and found an elderly
"Irish gentleman" who excitedly ex.
claimed:
"Let me see the mistress. I'll either
see her or have the law OF her sure. It's
comes to purity pass whin a dacent man
can't attind to his business widout bein'
murthered."
"What is itI" asked 1, coming down
stairs in q great fright.
"Sure thin boys Of yours and lot Of
other rowdies has been peltin' me widin
an inch Of me life wid' broken bottles,
down in the lot; only look at me neckru
And, sure enough. there was an ugly
scratch on the poor mans throat, evi.
IDENTIFY made by some sharp instrument.
Across the street stood my two boys with
faces drawn into a curious compromise
between amusement and fear "Fun''
might possibly in this instance be pro-
ductive of serious consequences.
ave didn't start it," said Ernest, an
swering my signal. "All the fellows were
in it and we only meant 'fun.' Nobody
thought the old fellow would be hurt.
Pm awful sorry any how. What shall we
dor"
"Tske the man to DR.. j, and ask
him to examine and care for the wound
at your fathers expense"
sit isn't fathers fault" said Ernest {.
quickly. "We'll pay for it, AdcIph and 1.
We won't take any pocket money till it's
all made up. But please go to the doctor
with me, mother; / can't tell the story
alone"
Plying my boys embarras smsnt, L put
on my bonnet, and, leaving Fred in
Adoiph's charge, accompanied the wound.
ed man and Ernest TO the house of our
family physician. He pronounced the
wound a mere scratch, applied some
salve, and sent his patient away with the
assurance that he was more frightened
than hurt. Our homeward walk vas de-
voted to explaining TO my boy the rad cal
difference between "fun" and mischief,
which seemed strangely overlooked by
himself and his companions.
As we neared our house WI were startled
by crash, and sight mot my eyes
which l shall long remember. Over tw sn
" small boys were gathered upon my
steps and veranda arouu policeman,
who held one of them firmly by the col.
Ear. Before him lay the shattered frag
ments OF the plate glass window of oui
front door. I am thankful it isn't my
boys this time, was my first thought
Then / turned to the policeman, whs
1 politely informed me that he had caught
bis prisoner In the act Of throwing the
large stone which had produced the
catastrophe.
1T was only in fun" said the cuiprit
sYOur boys are always teasing me; one
Of them's up there at the window making
faces at me now. didn't mean to break
the window, only 70 paw Inn back"
"What shall I do with him. ma amp
said the policeman. looking very nercs