Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1900-07-06
SOMETHING ABOUT BOYS.
no "Jokcrr from "PolIy. "

ton three specimens of our boys
First, the bashfuI boy. He is 9
poor unfortunate fellow who never
knows If he should cross his feet in
his lap, put his hands on the floor
or hold them at an impossible angle
to each other; he never dares venture
to sit on more than one-third of his
chair, and his frantic efforts to main.
tain his equilibrium while thus partly
balanced keeps all near him in &
state of laughter. If word be
addressed to him, he bushes furious
ly, and altogether shows such con-
fusion as to make the speakers con-
science prick him for cruelty to
animals. But, to his honor be il
said, the 6ashful boy is usually good
natured, kind-hearted and honest
often favorite, and only owes it tc
his extreme sensitiveness that he
thinks every one around him is study
ing him as an unknown quantity,
when, if he but knew it, no one is
thinking of him unless he has done
some unusual freak. But woe to the
bashful swain who starts upon a
"courting spree; The timid advances,
the half-choked utterances and
stolen glances bestowed upon the
maiden of his choice are all noted
and commented upon. And of
ten is he "too backward in
coming forward" as the Irish
say, for the girl who waits for
the expected proposal from him will
have to be as patient as Job, exercis-
ing the wisdom of serpents with the
harmlessness of doves, for fear of
frightening him off; one case which
came under my own observation will
somewhat serve to show how girl
will have to endure the uncertainty
of years, perhaps, if she waits for her
bashful lover. A young man, friend
of this writer, had been paying his
attentions to young lady for three
years and rumor said that wedding
bells were to ring in the very
near future; some asked him if the
report were true, and his reply was
that he had never mentioned the sub
Iect of marriage to her, but it was
his expectation to do so. Boys, don't
be too bashful-your girls patience
may wear out.
Second, let us consider the
tiresome young man; there are
really two kinds, the one who talks
too much and the one who
won't talk at all, but of these two
evils the first, though dreadful, is to
be preferred. The mighty"Ego" takes
first rank and precedence of all else.
But yet is he to be preferred to the
silent young man, who though you
may talk yourself deaf, dumb and
blind maintains the same obstinate
silence, and when you have conversed
on every subject you know, you
receive only the monosyllabic
answers, eyes" or "no," so, of courae,
you finally give up in despair and
resign yourself to fate. He makes
one remark, his only one. and that
one on the single subject you have
not thought to mention; you feel that
ii you are forced to talk to HIM five
minutes longer there will have to be
a lunacy blank filled out against you,
so you beat an ignominious retreat
and send the worst little brother you
have to entertain? him. Little boy, if
the rats have stolen your tongue,
don't you go to see the girls; you just
stay at home till it grows again;
those girls don't want you; if they
have to talk to you they abuse you,
and if they can get out of talking to
you, they ridicule you, so take my
advice and let them alone.
But then We have the nice young
man; | am not going to say we have
no nice young men, and for one, am
thankful to say that we have, though
not enough by any means. We have
boys to-days, who, though they have
their faults, are trustworthy, honest,
industrious and brave boys on whom
our nations honor may some day
safely rest; boys to whom woman
may turn for help in her hour of
peril with the assurance that her
trust is not misplaced; young men
who place their own high standard
of honor and duty above all else,
living up to their own convictions of
right and not needing the sneers and
criticisms of meaner souls beneath
them. Such man it is an honor to
a woman to love. But never, never
do we find man like this ready to
hurl his merciless shafts of criticism
at the weaker sex to whom mother.
sister and wife belong, but rather
would he defend her weakness by his
own strength, admitting her faults
and excusing them by his own; ad-
mitting her virtues and encouraging
her to higher aims; reposing his
honor in her keenino with tba fnli