The Pickens sentinel. [volume] (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, 1890-02-27
ARP'S PHILOSOPHY.
BILL TALKS SABOUTTHE MISCHIEV-
Gus LITTLE ONES.
Tho Difference Between Mischievousncss
and MCanness-Somc Remarks on the
PCCmlinriIicS Of UOYa.

There is wide difference between
mischief and IN auncss. But mischief is
close akin to it, when it Injuries any
body or hurts their feelings, or breaks
the rules or the laws. Most oil boys
love little mischief. uscd ~ .ov" n
good deal. remember when we thought
It ever 50 smart to slip around at night
aud change gases and the signs, or
stretch rope ACROSS the side ewalk, or tie
a goat in the school house, or put one
mans horse in another mans stable. |
have worked mighty hard at such things
and l did think it was just as funny as
it could be, but some how or other |
don't SEC Il bit OF fun III it now. | won
der what IS the matter with me. NV
children inherited mischief, l reckon,
ane. so have to excuse them, but when
my little girl thoughtcssly pulled the
chair away just as was about to sit
down. aud ] came down with shock
I hat Jared the house, and my feet flew
up sud knocked the lamp of the table,
| WAS mad, very mad until l looked at
her and saw how frightened she was, for
she h&drt counted on such catastrophe.
So l tempered down, picked up the bro
ken fragments Gnd never said word,
and was minute before anybody spoke.
Mrs. Arp was the first to break the awful
silcrcc with an explosion of laughter,
and that started the children, OF course
all bus jessie poor little thing, who
came to me and said, Papa l didn't
mean to do it," | knew that she didnt,
but my offended dignity was at stake,
and | got me another lamp and went to
writing. WANTED TO iaugh as much rs
they dld, but | wouldn't. That was
four years ago, aud Mrs Arp. is not done
auyhing at it vet whenever it is alluded
to. | believe it would do her good to
sec me bump the floor and kick over a
lamp about once a week.
| was rumlnatlng about this because
my boy came home from school ahead Of
uuC auu "a! down before the fire looking
solemn and sad. l Was writing by the
window and wondered what was the
matter. For n while Ec never moved or
spoke, but suddenly he locked up at me
aud said, a pitiful voice: Papa, was
you ever suspended" "Suspcndcd?" 2"
said |, Il don't understand you--sus
pended how?' ''SuspCndcd from
school, said he. "Why, no. said 1.
"What makes you ask tha. qu"stion2'
lie chokci up, and said: well Pm
suspended, and so is Tom Miller" "Is
it pDssibIcI' said |, as | laid down my
pen. "What have you been doiug2"
T"3u he told rs how he Ra1 Tom AL
1t - tI.)wing water 1T each Jtne;
while tie professor was in the other
room and how he missed Tom and the
whole dikpcr full. struck the black board
and put out the sum and ran down upon
tho floor, and the professor came in just
at the wrong time and asked who did 1t,
and suspended him and Tom, and told
them to take their books and 60 home.
felt greatly relieved Of course, for
saw that it was mischief and not mean
ness, but | never said anything and
looked solemn and resumed my writing.
Now, it distresses my children to see ne
distressed, and that is Il good sign. AS
long as a boy loves his parents, and is
troubled when they are troubled there
is hope Of that boy. After while he
said: Papa what must do obout itY
81 don't know" Gaid !, "untll / sec the
professor. Not long ago we had up q
) case Of suspension, aud the board reius
ed TO take the boy back, l don't know
;, what they will do with you and Tom.
expect you have been trying the profes
sor's patience for some time. You arc
not bad boys and arc very good scholars
but your disposition to mischief ha,
troubled him aud set a bad example
The other boys arc talking about you
and say tha: the professor ID partial tt
r Hyou aud Tom, and I'm afraid that he is
am glad that he has stopped your mis-
chicf.'
, But il came out all right. The boy
-, were not suspended, and they wen
! back the next morning and apologized
} and now everything is calm and serene
The boys must conform to the rules. |
one boy throws water, all the boys hav
the right to throw water, and tha
wouldn't do, and a sensible boy know
y it. Let every boy act upon principle
Tncy may be tempted to tell story t
get out Of q little scrapc. But it is bette
J. 10 tell the truth. The truth is the thin
:, the biggest thing know Of. If / ha
u q great business that would give. en-
> ploymcnt to u thousand boys, and ha
= TO go about and select them, the fir.
. question I would ask would be "Does
" always tell the truths" / wish the boy
V and girls could realize how much ankle
"" " they give US. Here arc 400 going
~ school in our little town, and in fe
= years they have got to take our plac,
- and make the laws and do the bnsinc
- and make up society and establish I'll
morals Of the community, and upon the
conduct the happiness and good name
the people will depend. The your
IN men of this generation will have to sol,
!, the race problem and the other pro
= lens, and upon them will depend the c
&c istcncc Of the government. We thir
a about this good deal, for it affects OF
y childlen and grand children. 1t tro
e Dlcs us to think about wars and anarcl
and revolution and about tyrants al
:; bad men getting into power and a5o
ld the rich getting richer and the 20
III poorer. | know that it will be all rig
l1i if the people will do right--if the ch
a. dren grow up with good morals al
-, good principles. We have got go
-. schools almost everywhere in the Sout
on | know we have in CaItcrsville. | 6
S'' proud Of the professors and the teach;