The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1890-02-08
ORDEALS OF BIG BOYS.
There are Youths whosi Lives arc Made
Miserable.
Torture, Which Attend Young Mans First
Visit 10 a Barber shop for a Shareholder
Mean Things He Ecsts wh,a Lsaving His
Teens

Teens
You people who think lie Is all
dream OF bliss 70 youth OF eighteen
are much mistaken. The individual
who treads the path which separates
happy youth from established manhood
has more kinds OF trouble than an ele.
vator boy. He knows he isn't an in
FAINT and yet he knows he dare not as.
sert claim to mans imperial estate.
He is constantly getting in the way oil
grown people. and recoils from their
assault In fear and trembling. only 10
be shocked into imbecility by the small
boy whose well-contained nerves feel
no modest fancies. He would gladly
give two years OF his life for any inn
aginable consideration. but finds years
drug on the market, and can only
struggle along through this painful
transition period until Father Time
shall kindly make a mitn OF him. He
puts on new suit OF clothes and ven
lures forth into the free air, sweating
his fears through every pore, selects
the most unfrequented ways and runs
In speechless embarrassment right
into the presence OF some dainty maid
en- who might sit as n painters model
OF composure.
How he longs for the yenrs when he
can be n calm young man with a mus
tachc, 10 stand even before grown girls
and handy repartee without being
hampered by that ossified Intelligence,
and with the marvellous fortune to so
acquit himself that they shall admire
himl
Speaking OF boards how eagerly he
scans the advertisements Of "a drug
warranted TO produce fine beard in
five days. How often he buys IL and
tries IL! How bitter his disppoint-
ment when the same old chin comes
up as naked as an egg from every new
application How miserly he saves
his few dimes and buys shaving out
ft of an unpleasant clerk, who can
wear pomade on his lip adornment.
and how clumsily he attempts his first
shave. Oh. how he longs for n
inustache! But dull razors that he
cannot sharpen drive him at last to the
awful resolve for an assault on the
barber
How boy suffers when he goes for
his first shave. The stillest hour OF
the afternoon is taken when no one
Is likely TO be Ia the shop-but the I'M,
happy painter after age walks past a.
dozen places because they hold too
many witnesses. He enters one at
last in sheerest desperation. sweeps n
IA frightened glance about, and half
expects 10 hear them shout: Coin TO
git his first shave hal han aud tn en-
he breaks for the first chair.
"Shavegn asks the barber, with n
pretense OF respect, while the youth
knows all hands have quit their occu-
pations TO see him. He wriggles far
Their back in the chair, Tuning and
boiling because his courage will not
come. till the barber says again, more
sternly this time shaver"
mo. hair cut" gasps the victim,
and his chance Is gone. He knows ms
well as the terrible man who is making
merry with him that the hair doesn't
need cutting. But the deepest depth
OF his heartrendering trouble comes
when he reflects he only brought
money enough for n shave! However
will he get out OF this scrape?
These things may look like folly 20
bearded men who haye outgrown all
boyish foolishness aud these men may
suggest the use OF little common
sense as nn excellent preventive as
we'll as cure for this unwelcome Attic
ton. But common sense Is just what
the victim cannot command. To tho
large majority OF maturing youths
some morbid crosslight falls upon the
scene. and he loses the hold on things
OF even balance Little by little fate
mitigates his sen tencc. until with man
hoods years and pressing cares the
nerves are forced an conduits and kept
in strict control. The budding youth
has passed To soberer maturity. aud
finds bis only recompense OF distant
pain by watching here and there
another victim in the tolls OF time.