Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-07-09
CALL OF THE WILD
CHILDREN GET ENJOYMENT FROM
PRIMITIVE PAsTIMEs.
From the Kansas City Journal.

PRIMITIVE PASTI MES.
From the Kansas City Journal.
There are many scientific men who believe
that our remote progenitors lived in tree
tops wore sscanty clothing and were at all
times close to nature and enjoyed to the full
her varied destinations. Many traits of an
cestry. 1t is well known, early develop in
children and there is not one which Is more
common and pronounced than the call Of
the wild, which in the spring and early sum-
mer draws children, be they city or country
bred. out of doors. just as our forest-dwel1-
Ing forefathers emerged from their semi
winter liberation, in their rude dwellings
of leaf and twig. to q summer Of enjoyment
in the woods and streams. Modern civili-
cation, with all that has accompanied It,
has, however. made the child of the period
somewhat more difficult to amuse than his
tree-dwelling grandparents of remote times.
The up-to-date children of the present day,
when at play out of doors, are doing all the
things that those of former times did, be-
sides initiating their elders in many new
ones.
Possibly 1t is when among horses that the
children of today provide most general en-
tertalnment III is no new thing for boys
and girls to have their own ponies. That
has been a custom among the well to do for
generations, and the sturdy Shetland, that
would go under the saddle or could be har-
messed to cart or a small carriage, is an
old story. And the country boy has always
ridden a horse.
But some children of today are not salts
fed with the common variety of wagon that
would have seemed the acme Of elegance to
their grandfather and grandmother The
smallest Of the family may go driving in the
big basket cart. that will carry not only the
TIMES, but the nurse or governess as we'll
The up-to-date boy may have his pony dog
cart, miniature reproduction of that driven
by his father. A rumble behind holds the
perfectly equipped groom, who Is a part of
the turnout. The boys dress Is In keeping
with the trap and Is modelled on the costume
of his smart elder brother. Or perhaps the
child driver may have his toy trotting suIky.
such as one may meet driven by grown-up
men on the speedway. He will tell you with
pride of the time his pony has made, and
gravely compare notes with other drivers
upon the merits of their respective steedS.
Required Practical Knowledge.
Many sensible fathers insist that their
sons shall know all they can learn about
their ponies. They must recognize the
points of horse and be able to tell at a
glance what are his good qualities and what
are his defects. They must be familiar with
every detail of the harness, whether the
horse is in the shafts or under the saddle,
and must be able to put on his trappings or
take them off in a workmanlike manner
The boys are not required to assume the alb
solute care of the horses so far as groom
ing and feeding them are concerned, al
though there are sons of some rich men who
do this and even continue to perform the
toilets of their pets when these are at the
horse shows. coming there each morning to
rub down their horses and see for them
selves that they are properly cared for in
details of food and drink.
Boys who were lucky enough to live near
bodies Of water have always had boats
The ordinary boy may yearn for something
better than the fat-bottomed craft that
happened to be the family property, but as
rule he approaches manhood before his
desires are realized Then he earns it and
likes 1t all the more for doing SO. Now the
small son Of rich parents, of course has
pretty much what he wants in the line of
water craft. He has his own rowboat or
his canoe and his launch. He also has his
sailboat, generally a small catboat, in which
he may sail to his hearts content. In the
rowboat he Is trusted alone, but he is a
well-grown lad before he Is allowed to go on
more than a very brief sailing expedition
unless there Is some responsible sailorman
along who can be relied upon In case of
emergency. The steam or naphtha launch
must have its engineer, too. although the
small nominal master Of the boat probably
thinks he is able to handle 1t himself.
When golf was first played In this country
1t was regarded as a sport purely for adults.
Now 1t Is game for children as we'll They
have their golf bags and their outfits of
clubs and balls and go about the game in q
businesslike and professional fashion that
is at once impressive and amusing.
Old Amusements Best.
But with all the out-of-door amusements
of the times children are children still. in
the city and in the country. in riding boots
or barefooted. all eager for the outdoors
and the first game that pops into their
minds They are, perhaps, a more instinct
i've democracy than their elders. for a
child's intuition about the boy underneath
the clothes is quicker than it will be in
after years.
New outdoor games are created and for
gotten every hour. Such Is the creatIveness
herents and the automobile has already
been adapted to the use OF children. For
the sake of the children autoists, small ma
chimes have been built and. although these
are as yet rare, they will doubtless increase
with the demands. Toy tracks and make
believe trains still run. to the JOY OF boy
dom, but q real train of cars. with real
locomotive and real tracks. is not altogether
q novelty.
When everything has been said. however
about the modern child and his modern out
of-door playthings there is very little Qves-
ton thai he still has 50 much OF the afore-
mentioned forest dwelling ancestors In him
that he yet gains the most enjoyment out
OF the recreations and amusements which
are as old as his race What boy can name
any pleasure greater than going fishing?
And to the city-reared youngster, on his
first visit to the country. nothing IL more
fun than making garden or helping the
farmer repair the hen house or feed the
chickens, while the picking OF Wild flowers
seems to have the greatest fascination for
every little girl