The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1889-02-24


Shirley Dare 10 Boston Globe.
From the beginning bad boys and girls
have drawn such unaffected interest from
the world they live in that they warrant Il
chapter 10 themselves. Divncs have
wasted their brains in speculation as to
the origin OF evil in the abstract. Ii they
studied its beginnings in the habits and
temper Of children they would como
nearer 10 radiance OF it, which is the
greatest point after all.
The first bad boy | remember was q
small, Informed wretch Of eight, perhaps,
vexing The lie out OF his grandmother in
the Rochester depot twenty-five years ago.
The malcontent fascinated IN, for hours
people had to wait for trains then-with his
misbehayor. lie climbed and strddded
the backs OF seats, hid the old lady's par
GELS, hooked things from her sltchcl when
her head was turned, made faces to
scare an imp, cursed when she
lectured him, and rctnrtcd impu.
dence worse than cursng, mcpped
and moved at people whom he caught
looking at him, snarled and snCored with
such galows fitness In every turn, that
have wasted some speculation ms 10 the
crime for which, ere now, he has probably
suffered. That his father was hung and
his mother was a drab, was evident gene
alogy, and the respectable hag, his moth
er's mother, who transported him, was III
dam OF such brood. llarshncss aud
stcalthy yillainy penetrated her. She was
one OF those hard old women common in
country places, who, without ever losing
cast by open acts against social laws, sell
dom lose the chance OF committing mean
ncsses which would mako devils blush.
When we drop the amiablo fiction that
the good in humanity lies just under the
surface, and look ut facts ~ they are, that
nine-tenths OF the world are cankcrrd
spirits ui evil, preierring it. relishing II,
laying II up IN stone, tho iirt step is taken
TO the regeneration oi world. You can't
cure cancer by treating ~ a cold SORE
Every village, II not every circle has its
trial, in the shape OF an crratic boy, whose
mischief Is the grief ofh.s family aud won
der OF his ncigh5on. Lawyers aud doc
tors know The eases, which are hushel up
a. much ~ possible by the friends and
talked about all the moro by the public.
The trial usually belongs 10 a respectable
family and outrdgcs all is traditions OF
honor and rcputc. Aaron Burr was
type oil such apparently born with
out a soul aud wanting Ml moral sense
In the lie of Hawthorne by his son h an
authentic story OF such nature in A
yDnnH and beautiful woman Ut the best
New England family, who almost throws
herself into the arms OF one MAN vino
cars nothing Tor her, and In revenge tells
her buirutucd that this man, hi, bosom
friend, had insutcd her. trc. her best Ia
hnrg duel between them, and h the
death Of the man who loved her. Il | re-
member right IL IL a wonderful story l1r |
novel, but let anything less than mas. |
ttr hand beware such material: IL may |
consume the unskilllul hand
These are characters OF high tragedy.
bus the colnmonrst typo IL veX itiuus, |
futhvr than outrageous dcpravily. Tho
k.rp'pmuniac isH nuisance suspected ia
every neighbprhood. A lawyer tells me
OF one -chrui gifl, eleven yvun. old. who
steals continually. aud has taken 500
from Der parents Her mother goes Ia
him with tran- to know what a. 10 about
IL. She ought Ia ~ TO a doctor aud put
the child on turkey, rhuharb and mustard !
baths, 10 hasten the obsttucii0n oi dirrs. |
turc brain aud prevents the clear sisht If !
good or evil This sicnlngr Is as purely
physical aud mcu,al drpmyity ~ the ap.
pelites Tor slate pencils aud clay. 4 cui.
Gus case, veil known to me, was bright
boy OF thirteen, the son OF u minister. OF
stainless ancestry, Who Tor ten years
stole everything lac could lay hands
ON. Ills mothers spoons aud par
lor ornaments went 10 the village icwclcr
10 bc sold Tor anything they would
bring, and the lcwclcr regularly returns
them To his mother. Books lent Ia him,
or tools, were iound IN second. hand
shop. ~ traded with other boys, who at
last grew shy II dealing with him, not
liking 10 have 60 return pllicfcd goods
Nothing seemed to have any rlicct on the
boy--thc entrvatics aud warnings oi
friends, sharp talks from teacher, and
puuishmcuts, or loss oi his own property.
lie did not seem much mortified at being
found out, aud the THEFT wH repeated dr,t
chance. lie WIS sent away iof training,
and hope that assisted development his
awakened with ycan., ior be- was q kindly
lively lad, well liked, aud the sympathy
Of every one was with his mo,hrr, who
---l-tr.,,r weakness aculcly
how grls oi good family, morc than
rather brilliant girls. Ut hnc manners
- drn serene, Who nt times go frantic, 10.
p uiiing their relatives, dc'y.ns parents aud
bring Outrageous Ia words aud actions. 4
modrsi, quiet rH. AZ q nervous crisis,
throws her SCISSOR across the rooms. niu.s
bee book u corner. smlshes watch or
vase anything io mlkruvfs-h ur nu OK.
pIu~iuu. Friends are OUTRAGED anil nnfii.
be- incNppesibiv. II h. d1rllr, tell as
que iu ah accumulation oi nervous force
winch, like electricity, must have Won't la
a Shock ul some Kind. 1t brlung- To the
clHss ul iraiprut vpilcpiir di.opl,rs which
ihc'u'. 100 tie nervous rt.#.. You can't
fv.r's such n ,uat INTO srli4clntfbl Ruy
it'ic tliin YOU ,'u uUur away tpl.hirbr
Reason Do fpt aside hy nerves. And
healthy outside wills must do their raft 4,
control lhr emf rblcl nature. saup.. br,rf
lut cutting, acted contempt. eco. nu.
thouiy, oven corporal punishment must
b. used 10 bring such eases 90 coutul.
fnrndliuts ~ uu.tiilng such rih would
have o. draw upon, but the deepest ~.
gnrd will most ihilnNbly arm one 10 visit
hcr lupars with such punishment ~ will
prevent repetition Punishment shouII
be Instant aud sharp enough to bc iolt.
hv' htaNy nor oppressive. AMI 10 mu.l iul.
low cacu ilusrunt ohvns' till seventy timr.
seven. The insane aud Wild animal.
learn 90 refrain ifon uilcnsr. whirh min,
ccr.Hu pain. and chidfcn oi uu.rttlri
uini learn rCli.cDnlrol In the only Any