The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1913-05-02
How a City Boy Showed OFF" Before
His Country Cousin.

In the April American Magazine sp-
pears an interesting article entitled
"What My Boy Knows" II is writ
ten by city father who, because Of
what he has found out about his six
] teen year-old son. has decided to move
away from the city and into the com
| try. Following is an extract, which
gives some idea Of how the city boy,
George, looks on his country cousin,
Fred:
II do not desire to convey the idea
| that our boy was a wicked boy. lie
wasn't He was just the average tyne
of what we call the upper middle class
boy. He was merely tuned to the low
moral tone of the city. Vice, to him,
was not monster OF hideous mien. He
had seen it from childhood, and, al.
though he had not done so, he was ~
riying at the embracing stage. H.
scoffed at the idea of visiting Lincoln
park ZOO when his cousin proposed Il,
declaring only rubes go there lie
sneered at the proposal to go TO the
/ University OF Chicago, which he calmly
stated, was only jew and jay school
where no one went. All the real folks
go to Yale or Harvard He admitted
that he had never gone through the
stoekyards, or the city hall, or the art
museum. He didn't know where Ar
nour institute and Hull house were,
In fact, in one week his country cousin
knew more about the city, its eondi-
ton, its institutions, and government
than mine did. He read the papers, dis
cussed happenings, made inquiries about
various parts of the city, and one day
went unattended to the public library,
then to the Crerar to look up some
historical records, and being unable to
find them was directed to the histor.
ieal society, and came late to dinner
full OF enthusiasm. Thinking it good
opportunity, | laughed and asked George
where the historical society was. lie
did not know. Nor did he know where
the Crerar was but said the public Il
brary was that big building near the
Illinois Central terminal. He never had
been in it. nor seen its fine decorations
and marbles.
@'You two / said to the boys, show
me the truth about thing that has
puzzled me for years. and that is why
there are so few Chicago boys holding
Chicago jobs. In our Office there are
seventy men, and / do not think two
of them are natives. The evident rea-
son is that the Chicago boy kSows so
much less about his own city than The
country boy does that the country boy
gets the job
81 thought such examples, brought
to his attention at the moment when
the proof was self-evident, would awak-
en- him to the serious view OF life. The
process, however was slow, and most
OF the time ii seemed as if we were not
making Roadway at ALL 1t was dis
couraging at times. and irritating For
example. one morning Fred said.
"Let's go down to the Field museum
today
George. That won't get you anything.
Say, Dad, there's bully matinee at
the Illinois today, take us to it.
81 took them. Leaving the theatre
with the boys, / observed fabby faced,
loo:e-lipped, young -old man, overdressed,
weary looking, and worn out at perhaph
twenty-five. lettering in the lobby. lie
was type--a type of the cane-earfy-
ing, cigarette smoking, loose-morale'l
youth that is becoming more prevalent,
and so strong was my disgust. ] called
the attention of the boys to him as an
other object lesson.
"'Thsts a product of idlne.s and vie
iousness.' ] remarked. never thinking
but that both would be as Disguised
with the sight OF this semi-degenerate
as I was. "A boy who wastes his time
and money a. he does soon degenerates
into that sort Of travesty on manhood I
q" Him 2 exclaimed my son. oh. he
amt so worsei That's -. His IA
Their is president Of the - - com I
pany. They say he has an allowance /
Of five hundred dollars a month and +
his father gives him a new car when
ever he wants one
you know that ereatureF | de- 4
manded in astonishmsnt.
@'Yes. met him once. Some Of the 4
frat boys introduced him. lie certain 4
" has good time, and he's the bel .
ferret in Chicago.
"'Ferreir asked. What's a fer
retr
Gee. Dad. you're way behind the
times. A ferret il a chicken snatcher.
Hes laying for some show crinoline Z
now. and he's the bramble that eateEss
them