Herald and tribune. [volume] (Jonesborough, Tenn.) 1869-current, 1893-08-30

and successful attempt at murder and
suicide at his home in Auburn Park
today. He shot and killed his seven
year old daughter Leslie, fatally woun-
ded his wife and sent a bullet through
his own brain. Death was instan-
taneous.
THAT BOY.
Whoever has had experience in the
care and management of boys knows
they usually possess the same general
characteristics. There are exceptional
cases of course. There are boys that
are naturally good, quiet and gentle.
manly, who never occasion anxiety or
discomfort, and who, without much
effort on the part of anyone, grow into
an honorable manhood. But such in
dividuals are usually destitute of en-.
ergy, and seldom prove a positive or
an active element in society.
But these qualities are not character.
istic of the average boy. He is active,
dominant and obtrusive. He delights
In noise and action, and anything with
a clatter jam and bang to it has a
charm for him. What to do with him,
and how to amuse him, are subjects
upon which much has been written and
said. He delights in constructive and
manufacturing work. Give him a fine
soft lump of clay to mold into images,
or a piece of pine, a knife and other
tools, and they will afford amusement
for a length of time. But even then, no
matter how absorbed the mother may
he in her work, or thought, she is con-
stantly interrupted and appealed to,
to witness the result of his efforts, or
to listen to his plans, and nothing short
of her undivided attention will satisfy
him.
But even with this employment,
absorbing though it may be, there is
still a demand in the boys nature to
be satisfied. While standing by a
window that overlooked the grounds
of a high school recently, my attention
was attracted to a small boy who was
busily engaged in whiting out pegs,
and driving them into the ground,
suddenly be sprang to his feet, and de-
scribed two or three circles around his
work, leaping into the air yelling in a
manne that would have done creditto a
Comanche Indian, then setting quietly
down to his work again. This action
had no connection whatever with the
work that was engaging his attention,
but was simply anr outbust of an ex-
uberance of animal spirits. The natu.
raj energy, naturally generated, of a
growing, fast developing boy, must
find vent in some way, and active ex.
ercises of body and lungs seems neces,
sary to his existence. 1t is useless to
provide him with a room wherein he
can exercise and work by himself. He
will gravitate to the mothers presence
again, for above all things he is a SC.
cial little animal, and loves sympathy
and companionship.
II wish papa was at home,n ex.
claims the elder sister, who is endeavor-
ing to practice her music lessons. IF
papa was here, young man, he'd quiet
you down in a hurry" There is truth
in the words which the tired, patience
worn mother can not fail to recognize,
and she detects a reflection upon her
want of discipline. If the father
was at home, at the first disturbance of
home quiet, the boy would be peremp-
torily ordered to take a chair, and to
keep quiet. In obedience to this COM
mand-which experience has taught
him not to d~isregard-he would take
his position in the chair with his chin
on his breast, in an attitude of limp
and sullen misery. Even the small
satisfaction to be derived from the dull
thud of his heels, as his oscillating feet
strike against the rounds of the chair,
is silenced by a stern glance from be.
hind the daily paper. To the father at
home mornings and evenings, this
discipline is satisfactory. But the
mother knows from experience that it
could not be long maintained.
Perhaps she becomes weary and i'm.
patient. 1t is easy enough to relieve
herself of the annoyance of his pres
ence, by letting him run the streets g,
and perhaps that boy, with his capa-
bilities for mischief, with an eager,
hungry spirits, reaching out for every
thing that promises amusement, is
turned out to browse along the by ways
OF lise. If lie a not find the warmth
of love and sympathy in a home that
that is not made c~ongenial to him, he
will find it somewhere-you may be
sure of that-where the fires are kept
burning by no friendly hands. He
longs for liberty and good fellowship.
He a find them in the saloon and
he will find ~facinating games made all
the more enticing by the possibilities
of gain. He loves appropriations, and
he will be slapped on the hack, and
called a good fellow.R Persuasive
hands will be laid upon his shoulder
and seductive words will be whispered
in his ear. 1t is almost impossible to
estimate the c%orruptipg influence that
an evil associate can have on such a
boy, distilling sure poison into heart
and mind, until he learns to disregard
and sneer at home teachings and is