The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1908-02-07
JUVENILE AMBITIONS,
JeaIousles and Yearnings That
Beset the Small Boy.
HIS MISERY AND TRIUMPHs,

The Things That Other Boys Had and
Hs Wanted and Couldn't ost--A Fat
Mans Memory Deeply Stirred by .
Pair Of Sleeve Protectors.
"rhc other day ut d poultry market
| saw chicken butcher wearing a
pair OF those basket sleeve protectors,
and stood and laughed like a fool"
said the fat man. First timc I'd seen
pair OF bnsket sleeve protectors for
years, aud 10 Just had to laugh. Tell
you why. When was tlke used
to look with wonder md awe upon
fellow who wore pair OF basket
sleeve protectors, considered that
fellow with pair Of those things was
MI right. all right. plus some more.
They hs.i kind OF jaunty air
about 'em that couldn't and can't dc.
fine, but II was there, and rcvercd
and reycrcnced etn. made up my
mind that II ever grew up and got
the price, me, too. for pair Of those
basket sleeve protectors, no matter
what sort of work ia happen to tackle.
Queer dickcnses. boys. eh? Mem
ber those patent pencil attachments
that markctnlen used TO haye-may
have 'cm yel hItched TO their aprons?
Well. thought those were pretty nifty
things. TOO. and | used to secretly
banker 10 own one Of 'em. Made up
my mind that would own one OF EN-
too. when got TO be a man. but some
how | never seemed to want one
when ! reached the shaving age.
Guess some Of my ambitions as n
boy were pretty crazy anyhow. was
10 jealous OF the first boy ever met
that could spit through his teeth at a
mark ana hit II that | hated him. That
same boy pretty early In life got a job
driving delivery wagon for grocery.
Well, pretty soon after he got that Job
he was wearing pnir OF those patent
elastic sleeve supporters. or holders, or
whatever you'd call 'em-thlngs with
clutch at either end that pulled the
cuff back from the wrist This boys
pair Of those things were pink elastic.
aud how he used 10 Haunt en- before
my eyes.
"He knew blamed well that those
pink elastic sleeve supporters looked
finer 10 me than any Star Of India or
Victoria Cross could possibly look, anu
he knew besides that because had
10 80 10 school and wasn't earning any.
hing there wasn't a possible chance
on earth for me 10 get pair like EN- -
and 40 he Just held 'eH1 over me and
made my life miserable. Yet when |!
got TO the wage earning age ! never
seemed 10 care at NIL for pair Of pink
elastic sleeve supporters.
Another hoy that hated had o
maroon eolored cardigan Jacket That
was before the day OF sweaters. This
hated boy wore the cardigan jacket
beneath his regular outer coat and so
he didn't have TO wear any overcoat.
That, considered. was gorgeous
blessing-not TO have to wear an over
coat to school. | desplsed this boy for
having II on me that way. Anyhow,
his maroon cnlored cardigan jacket had
couple OF pockets in front that he
kept full OF all kinds Of junk-some-
times he even carried mice to school In
'em. And that made my Indignation
all the greater--the fact that he had
those two fine covered up pockets to his
cardigan jacket.
zone great triumph did come to my
tike llfe, though, and that was the fact
that was the first boy Of my school to
own pair OF copper toed boots. Well,
| sprang the first pair. as say, at my
school, and guess | didn't break the
hearts Of all the other boys or nothin'!
Besides the copper toes, these boots
had red tops. with silver star and
crescent stamped on the red tops, and
that made the blow all the more fright
fui to the other lads that had to see
me stalking around In those boots.
After awhile, though, nearly all of the
other youngsters showed up with cop
per toed boots and thus took the wind
out Of my sails.
"We never see boys wearing peaked
caps any more--notlce? | don't mean
these dinky little cloth caps with peaks
to 'em, but regular soldiers caps with
glazed peaks. First boy that turned
up In our neighborhood with one OF
those things ON made a sensation, all