The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1892-01-08
THE SMALL BOY.
Something About a Very Need
full Institution.

The small boy is an institution IN
himself and we like him.
The most bcautifal sight in the world
Ito parents) is the dear little fellow
when he has just 'donned his first pair
of trousers and stands with head erect
and both chubby fists thrust deep in
his pockets, looking proud and happy
and too sweet for anything.
And his charms grow apacc untis his
trousers lengthcn and suspenders take
the place of the pretty shirt waists
when, according to some grumpy old
folks, he becomes considerable of Il
nuisance and oftcntimeS Il terror.
The small hoy is the ncarcst APP
proach To perpetual motion" than we
are likely ever TO see.
lie * never stiu or at rest. Even
when asleep nc is kicking the bed COW
ring off continually.
He wants to know everything and
-he questions he asks puzzle the wisest
scholars to answer.
He is a curious mixture of coztrari-
ness.
If there iE anything he hates II is
-vvater-whcn he is being washfd-as
all mothers know who wrcstle with
him on such occasions.
Yet if he can find a pond or a canal
inside of ten miles he viii revel in the
water and take his chances of drown
ing for the pleasure bath gives him.
He is at times the LATEST of living
things-at other times the most indus
triOus-
If asked by his parents to weed the
garden, do an errand or any little
household chore, he Immediately is so
tired and looks so mournful that in
Ditv for the delicate and overworlled
title humbug he is allowed to slide ont
IF it.
Ten minutes afterwards he may be
1und helping a neighbor's boy work
lrice as hard racing around the
ases in a game of baseball, shouting
ith Joy and Hvelicr than cricket
The small boy is always eating. The
NY time he doesn't is when at the
ole, for his appetite is then spoiled
r proper and pourishing food by his
,quent visits to the jam pantry or 10
c fruit trees in his or somebody elSes ;
rden The greener the fruit the bet
he likes it and stomach aches In
Jnsequence have TO terror for him
No one loves to tease more than he
his sister knows TO her sorrow, and
Gems to give him the intensest de-
ht: vet. If he is te8sed he thinks he Is
aadtully treated and makes an awful
ne about it,
Fhe collections of bric-a- brac that a
laI boys pockets contain has ever
scited our wonder.
when the little chap is asleep and
is fond mother takes his tiny trousers
% put one or more patches OH the
.nees and seat she is always surprised
hat such a small garment should have
such great weight.
And she can't understand ii until she
happens to strike the pockets. Then
out come the curiosities one after an
otber and carefully they are laid out on
he table before her. At last the
pockets are emptied, but not before the
explorer thinks they are, like magic
box, ineXhaustible and endless.
She forgets about the needful patches
for awhile to gaze at the queer array of
treasures and wonder what On earth
hey are good for and how the dear
mild ever got them.
There's "A top and a piece of string
lstened to big wooden button. jack
ones, marbles knife without blades,
ills, beans. wad of chewing gum,
more string, bits OF lead and tin,
whistle, cake crumbs, nuts, fishhools
she nearly got in her fingers, cigarette
pictures, bent pins which have been on
the railway track and run over, broken
its of toys and tools. stones, bear
shooter, leather sucker, a ball, pieces
OF looking glass and colored glasses,
,ome putty, Il tip eat, rubber rings,
postage stamps, circus programme,
peach pits, a cork float and lots of other
things which only a boy knows the
names Of
When the patches are finished each
and every article is carefully replaced
in the pockets for the mother is well
aware that if one was left out il would
quickly be missed and no peace in the
house until it was found
Next to seeing the small boy trudging
to school with books and slate under
his arm we love to watch him at play.
What energy and enthusiasm and
skill he shows. How his eyes sparkle.
How rosy are his plump cheeks. What
a snap to his voice. You can hear his
merry shouts far away. Little he cares
if the weather is cold or hot or rainy.
He's having fun and--suddenly his
mother calls, "Johnnie.' He don't an.
swer and keeps right on playing, though
less spirited and shouting no more,
'.Tohnnier' The other boys look at