The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1890-03-29
A BOY WORTH HAVING.

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lady say to gentleman caller
ing her hand caressingly upo
shoulder OF boy of ten years;
This is my little man. He
uses slang, never swears, never
a saucy word to his parents il
life, does whatever he is told, a.
boy his mother can trust imp
itly." IS
"Ah," said the visitor (who is
man of extensive business relaticf
THAT is the kind of boys me-.
made Of
And he Immediately CONF
casting about to see if he
need of such a boy in his
ment. There were several. y
he could offer, but the mot
her head, smiling, and said
No. he is in school n
want him to fit himself for
est position he can reach"
When the visitor was rel
said to the happy parents:
such a boy is beyond price
you are rich indeed in your possS
sion.
Now, little boys, what do you
think of such boy? A boy who
never swearS, never uses slang
phrases, nor is saucy, nor disobedi-
ent, and whom his mother can
trust?"
Did you ever think how much
this means?
"Whom his mother can trustp'
Do you know it is the highest rec
ommendation boy can carry into
the world with him? 1t means so
much, and only what is good and
worthy of aspiring to.
And this little boy Is not pale
goody-goody boy, who exists only
in stories. He IS a bright. manly
little fellow; loves his skates, his mar
Bile, his ball, and, oh! dearly loves tq.
play! And sometimes it is a gre
trial to leave his sports and run !.
rands that seem always to claim
time.
But he goes cheertully about
chores, and, when they are fnishe
enjoys his play all the more for has
ing a clear conscience. Instead O.
racing about the streets at night, he
either works at his lessons, or ques-
tions his parents into explanations Of
some mystery which is puzzling his
awakening brain, and is never weary
OF hearing of the wide world of won
ders, of which he is just now catch.
ing bewildering glimpses.
| wonder how many boys are to
their mothers what this little fellow
is to his? All, l hope-many, |
know. l wonder how many of them
realize how dearly they are loved,
and how many bright hopes are
woven about their happy little hearts?
They are noisy and trying, at
times, we know; the little restless,
harumscarum boys, who can no more
help giving vent to their ear-splltting
shrieks than they can stop breath
ing; who know every nook and cor
ner, indoors and out; who are per-
petually asking for more string, an
other top, or new knife, and whose
pockets are always loaded down
with every species of accumulation
broken tops, bits of glass, pebbles,
old rusty nails, disabled knives,
pieces of string, marbles, balls, pen
cils, bits of chalk, and oh, | never
could tell you the half! Who whistle
funny little tunes, and sing snatches
of songs that nobody but them will
ever know, and which make mother
nervous and impatient; who are al
ways hungry; who litter up the car
pet with splinters and whittlings, and
are so sociable as to entertain any
chance visitor with any amount Of
scraps of family history (Which we
would vastly prefer should not be
known) and who seem the incarna-
ton of noise and hustle.
Dear. little, breezy creatures! We
would sadly miss the life, and bright
ness, and energy, if ty some regret
full chance, we have to do without
them. There is nothing in the world
like a boy.
But while we want you to make
the most of your years, exercising
muscles, and lungs, and brain to the
fullest, we want you to remember to
be gentlemen. Reminder, a good
man cannot be made from a bad boy.
And how enjoyable it is, when a
boy is a gentleman at home-to his
sister! When mother is in hurry,