The Monitor. [volume] (Woodstown, N.J.) 1884-1892, 1890-05-09

THE TREATMENT OF BOYS.

Not long ago, at a concert where there
were no reserved seats, two neatly dressed,
bright-faced little boys, perhaps ten and
twelve years old respectively, arrived early
and took possession of two of the best seats
ia the house. 1t was perfectly proper that
they should do this, for they had come very
early, on purpose to get good places. They
had scarcely seated themselves when an
usher came forward with several fashion
ably dressed ladies, and looking Grossly at
the boys, beekoned them to come to him.
They obeyed, and were shown to other
seats not nearly as good as their original
ones, which they accepted unmurmur-
ingly, while the ladies were given places
from which the unoffeDding boys had been
so unreasonably elected. Presently. as the
house filed up, the same usher again made
the boys give up their seats to some more
ladies, and move to still poorer ones. The
boys did not look as though they liked this
treatment. but they moved ON again,
like little gentlemen, as they were. The
blood of at least one spectator of this inius-
tice boiled with indignation. Ifthese bows
had been asked to move again, there would
have been at least one earnest protest enter
ed, which might or might have not shamed
the bullying usher. 1t would AVE been
uttered at the second Infringement upon
their rights if it had not been for the pop
ular prejudice against making a scene
A boy of twelve recently said to his
mother. 9When we are on the ice, mamma,
If the men want us to move, they come
along and say. as cross as they can, Move
along, you young ~rascalsi Nobody allow
ed on that part 9 But If it is lady they
speak 10, it is all bow and smile, and, Ny
dear madam, excuse me, but on this portion
Of the ice no one is allowed to go just at
present; | am sorry TO disturb you.' Nov,
we were behaving every bit as we'll as the
ladies'. They are real mean to talk SO to
us, but they always do. 81 pose it's cos
we amt any thing but boys
If a boy is sent toa store on an errand,
be is not served half as properly as a grown
up person. and very likely is charged more.
His protest, If he make any, is usually
unheeded, and the child has no means of
furnishing proof of what he says. In a
dozen ways like this, boys are made con-
stantly to feel as though they were .'blots
upon the face of nature" and as though
every mans hand were against them.
Doubtless the boys are somewhat to blame
for this state of affairs. They are .strying,r
many times, it must be confessed. But
who wouldn't be trying when, being in
%nocent, he is treated Ikea criminals We
usually rise, says a great writer, to the opin-
ion which is held of us. If you
make a boy feel as though he were an
object Of scorn and suspicion, he will
doubtless respond accordingly-for, above
all beings, boys are the creatures of
impulse and instinct. If you trust
him. OF the other hand, as you ought to,
as an Individual with rights to be respected,
with good intentions to be honored, and
with a loving little soul to be found under
meath that careless mass of freckles and
m~nd-spots and slang, ten to one you will
find him a compaEionable, affectionate little
fellow, who will be as wax under your hand.
Give the the boys a chance. They are COW
the football of society; they ought to be is
friend and eomrade. and they would be, if
society would only treat them, as the poor
boys themselves express it, halfway
decent. r-CRristian Union.