Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1892-10-25
A PLEA roR In1 eAsnrul BOY.


Mas. FA,oRnrrA rAn~kLL
i "
A PLEA FoR THG BASHFul BOY.
In presenting this subject To tn. read
ers of the Democrat, q matter long With
held Tor fear of my Inability To do the
matter Justice, I am under the ne,rsslty
OF presenting II In the form of an auto
biography, aud II any should feel incllD-
ed to criticise the manner or matter, by
persulng the following lines, charity may
take the place of contempt.
IA boy underwent all the horrors
of ba.hfulncss, which none can under
stapd or appreciate but those thus al
f!ic,sd. Added 10 this, frail con.titu-
ton, necc.sltating q secluded life, wherc-
a. II had been blessed with robust
constitution to battle with material
things, it might have worn on to a great.
cr extent.
I.ing possessed of dcslrc for an esiu-
cation, but handicapped by reason of III
health, aud the mcsgTe facilities afforded
10y ia. town schools, as l grew Older j
thought io avail my .slf of the advantages
of the high oT pri.at. schools In vogue
Ia those days. Itra,eled quite distance
To a school taught by q female, Who In
these days would be termed "maiden
lady" u. IL understood that there IL NO
Intention on the part of the writer Ia
commence a TRADE against old maids,
for among my earlier teachers wer, some
of these, who looked after my physical
aud mental welfare with motheriy kind
ncss, aud though they long since have
passed over the river, their memories
ever cherish, aud thlnk Of them q. among
the friend. of my childhood.
lie Que whom ! have mentioned Ia
connection With thi. subject MAS possess
,d of aristocratic prorli,itics. Good
or bad. she could not help II. sh. in.
heiiteI II. ", must write. We must
compose. could not. tried. II VAS
an impo..lbiliiy, so u secmcd "a me.
80. a man thinkcth, so l. he" Instead
of speaking encouragiDgly, she would
a.k nc u I Wished To IT, considered q
fOol, aud What my parents sent me to
school for, when la Tact my parent. did
not send mc, IL va. an act of my own
choosing, but could not muster courage
Ia tell hrT.
kept quiet, hoping the terror misht
pass, but II came thicker aud faster Tor
eight weeks, when took my books aud
departed.
The following autumn, the same teach
sr established a school quite near my
homc. With fear aud trembling ] de-
cii.i To tTy IL again. The same monster
Of hiieous mi.n appeared In my path,
aud at my bidding would not down, anu
weekly I sas admonisbcd that another
must not pass. One day after her tongue
had performed It, Office, taking q
book, paper aud pencil, repaired to the
soOi. hoping to gather Inspiration from
the trees, the leaves, or some iavisabie
.our,., hut, alas, the "idce" would not
.hoot might have shot some small game,
but when II came 10 word. on the point
Of nv pencil. they stuck.
Returning 10 the school room, on en.
tsring, made the awkward attempt Ia
hang up my book Instead Of my hat.
causing a tiitcring all around the school
rOotn, which Que may Imagine did not
Opcrst. "a balm Ia my already crushed
..n.ibilities.
Eight weeks Of thi. term passed, aud
With these, your humble servant also. !
va. not alone In my grief, yet there were
other. Who wcr, oi more importanc.,
socially considered, Who we're granted
any favor.
Dl.gu.tei with the manner, matter
ani all thing. connected With the school,
4 decided there was no alternative Tor
nv ..lf bat Ia labor and toll, though the
bl...ing. Of a robust constitution we're
never ,ouch.afrd me. Acting on this I'M
pulse I have gone ou aud lived With the
unfortunate. Of my Kind, for lie u known
mine l. not AN Isolated case.
Others With whom i sm personally
Acquainted, have met the same obstacle
.pd .uccumbcd To it, terrors, and are
living along, all the time rrgretting their
lack Of confidence la their youth, -
victims of circumstances over which they
had no control, when II their teachers
had been possessed of q little of the
"milk of human kindness" they might
have been useful citizens la the eo'ii-
munity, and what Il of more Importance,
they might have felt that they were inen
among neu. Many have shared Ike
ml.fortune. from like causes.
Who was To blsmes The teacher
meant we'll, no doubt. She MAS aristo-
cratic. This she could not help. As j
stated before, she inherited IL. She Was
po..es.ed Of exalted ideas,-the Ideas Of
/ blue biood-snd knew nothing of the
.trugyle. of the bsshful boy. This class,
N po..e.sed Of aristocratic leanings,
generally have Il bad. They assume dis
| tinction for themselves aud relEtions,
are willing. and even anxious, to take
upon themselves the mental culture of
| ali their relations, aud often assume an
air Of superiority over those OF more
modest mien; but when quality is at
hand, then suayity In abundance IL at
their command.
To sum Il all up I arrive at the fol-
Low Ing conclusions; that In my youth.
having q thirst for knowledge, and
poetry belng my favorite literature, go
when age began To work its changes, Tore
.hadowing second childhood, then came
A Ike desire, and 10 while away an hour,
have taken to doggerel verse (knowing
nothing Of poeticAl rules, and caring
ir.s.) becoming q bore To the editor, aud
shocking the sensiblliiies Of poetical
dudes.
We. dude. they are. whose f.iher.' sought.
| And wasted Substance on euhafei th"eshs
Ifa liberal education had been thrown
I'm INV way, might have known enough
10 have kept quiet. whereas ] sm now
ike the man Who, having been bereft OF
prop~rty aud friends by the msrsuder's
hand, lies In ambush for the author OF
his mi.fortunes. 40, too, j essay TO
thrust thorn where naughty minds at
tempt to crush the bashful boy: