The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1895-03-31

and break windows they would be ex-
3ected to pay for them. Another spot
would be at the corner OF Harrison ana
Grace streets, where tfere are empty lois
about two squares long, another one Is
on Floyd avenue, and / see no reason
way boys should not be allowed 10 play
tneTe. or course, malicious o@ohess,
Wherever II should show itself, snouIu
be punished TO the full extent OF tne
law, and In that manner the parents OF
mischevous boys would become interest
ed in the views taken by the authorities.
l remember very well. when j was
boy, how my mother tried TO collect out
or my hide by means OF a leather strap
the sum Of $50 which she mad 10 pay
for window that ] had broken: vi
course that incident made me cautious
and L was caught no more Thereafter
THE BOYS HAVE THEIR RIGHTS.
There is no doubt. in my mind that
boys have their rights as Wen as grown
people, and as long as they oehaFe them
selves, they ought to be allowed 10 pay
ball. The Allen lot on the corner OF tlfth
and Main street would be splendld pan
ground for boys living in that portion OF
the city, provided the windows or the
adjoining houses were protected. There
are about half a dozen different games
of ball going on every day near tue Lee
monument, and the only rouole Is N4t.
having boys from various sectloHs Oh
the city congregate in one locdi,y' thdt
at the end Of their games they Will usual
~ start row among themselves w ',
often terminates in rock oattle'
OFFER Poitiaux. who nas for some time
pest, been given charge of the 'istrict
that has been. until recently. Deen made
a scene OF terror by the Hobos IS oe-
cidedly in favor of the efectlng Or some
arrangements by which the Auen lot
might be placed at the dlsposdl OIL inc
boys for ball playing. He tholSnt that
the parents of that section OF the CITY,
II they went about II right might secure
permission for the use of the grounds
and. If a wire screen was put up to pro-
tect the adjoining property, as the boys
had already promised they would DO, ne
did not see any reason, why they shoulu
be hindcred In their sports, as long as
they acted in an orderly manner. Inc
difficulty was in that section OF tne
city that there was no other aValidDle
spot of sufficient size than the lot just
spoken OF. while in other paris the Dogs
could easily 20 to the outskirts, wheTe
they could find all the space desiied.
Thre was only one resident near the
Allen lot who objected to its use as
ball ground and even he had at one
time given his consent, but soon WIN
drew it on account of the Objectionable
language used by the boys.
JUSTICE oRUTcHYrYLD COMEDIES.
Police Justice CrutchHeld fully coin
cides win the other citizens seen ana
says that there should be places set
aside in this city as play grounds Tor
the boys. AS It was at present, the law
provides that whenever more than three
boys were found together they should
be ordered to move on. II they played IN
n lot and the neighbors did not OBJ
ject he thought they should not be inter-
fored with by the authorities. AS long
as they had no places TO congregate
for innocent games the natural conse-
quCnce would be that they would be
driven TO gambling houses, bar-rooms
and other places OF dissipation. lie
thought the citizens should do some
thing for the boys I'm that direction. The
great difference and difficulty between
the present time and when he was a
boy was that now all empty lots I'm the
centre Of the city were built up, while
at his time the boys had plenty OF space
10 play. there being plenty of corner lots
for such purpose with building only on
one side. lie remembered well the time
when corr er Of Fourth and Broad streets,
the gully at Seventh and Clay streets
and even Monroe Park were favorite
resorts for the boys 10 play on.