The Washington herald., 1912-10-24
BNCROACHING UPON
RIGHTS OF OTHERS
Boys Without Respect for Property
Of Others Grow Into Unde.
sirable Citisens.
BY FRANCES sHAFFER.


Late this summer and fall when the
fruit trees and grape vines hung Low
with their luscious burdens. almost ~
erybody in the city who owned . single
tree or a diminutive orchard daily sx-
pected something to happen
Each morning and evening a. they
slipped out to look over their treasures
and watch them change from green to
lovely, ripened tints. they feared that
the boy despoiler had been there before
them. knocking down the fruit. break
ing OF branches. trampling and de-
stroying everywhere.
| Then some fine day. when they had
begun to believe they might escaps.
after AL. they made the usual visit.
| And
Those who never have tried Il. do
not appreciate Just how Disappointing
It II, In lieu Of perfect trees and vines,
with their r1pened fruit. to ind broken
boughs and fruit quite gone. They can
not understand It. for they think the
fruit is not 50 valuable and worse things
than that happen every day without q
ripple Of excitement anywhere.
They do not reckon with the real
pleasure Of following that bit Of nature
from the Towering time to the day Of
the rpened fruit and think II 10 much
ado about nothing to fume and fuss
over the loss of q little fruit because Il
happens to be ones own.
But some time they will set out young
trees; will watch them grow and grow
until they are old enough and strong
enough to bear their beautiful burdens.
And then. when the fruit ID stolen and
scattered. they will understand.
The Plain Fact.
But 1t Is not the individual loss that
counts the most. for that 10 soon for
gotten. It is the deplorable disregard
Of property rights on the part Of young
lads and elder boys who some day are.
going to take their place in the world
with the full rights Of citizens
Apparently they will take II without
the slightest thought or care for prop
erty or any other rights than their own.
Of the communities where they live.
The plain fact Of the matter Is that
these boys, weil-dressed, ill-mannered
and very. very bold. probably never
have heard anything more about prop
erty rights and the duty of respecting
them than the blunt instruction CEN
tering upon stealing and the Jail"
If they happen not to care so long
as they are not found out and punished
soSs sASy SooAs chooSh P0So lEohi ok
trees to something where the plunder
may be greater and the consequences far
more heavy.
And somebody Is remiss In duty, In |
the homes or In the schools when boys |
are not made to understand that prop
erty and individuals have rights which |
they are bound to respect: that IL. II |
they do not want to become entangled |
In q mix-up with the law.
somethiag Wrong.
Something 10 wrong in any home where |
boys and girls are not taught that they |
can go SO far and no farther without |
upon the rights Of others. |
And whatever one may say Of the moral
end Of overreaching their rights. whether
by boys and girls or men and women.
there is another viewpoint that cannot
well be ignored. That Is, It cannot, and
make for comfortable living.
And that Is the unpleasant fact that
boys and girls grown into men and
women unmindful Of the rights OF others.
needless Of interests not their own. are
as citizens, friends orwell.
they are Just undesirable anywhere and
For most Of folk are rather Jealous
of what they deem their rights and
Il they are ready to keep well within
them. they also expect the same con.
sideration from others. And they grow