Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1916-03-29
Why Boys Gro1p Discouraged
And Leave the Home Farm
(From waIIaee's Farmer.)

muscles demand rest and sleep. Without
realizing it, WI get out of the habit of ex-
pressing affection, and usually it is not
until the first time the boy answers
back that 1t comes to us all at once
that the boy is no longer a baby, but has
IN him a man to be considered and reck-
oned with.
lhat first answer back" marks the
crisis between father and son. We may
De very sure that the thought of 1T has
smouldered in the boys mind for years
possibly before it found expression in
words. "A deep seated sense of injustice
suffered had been growing on him. He
had been driven to feel that he did not
count for much except to work. He had
pecn inundated many times by harsh re-
proofs for slight mistakes sometimes adj
ministered in the presence of strangers,
ana therefore cutting all the deeper. And
so, when the time came, the feelings
which had been burning within him, all
at once burst into flame, just as does the
haymow when. all unknown, spontaneous
combustion has been going on within.
me story this boy has told illustrates
one kind of fuel which all too often feeds
this inner fire. And what a fine letter 1T
is. There is no complaint there against
the father-just n deep feeling of disap-
pointment, and a sense of injustice suf-
fered. He Is a boy to be proud of. And
we feel sure that the feelings he expert
ences are typical of the feelings of thou
sands of other boys.
is is surprising that the boy felt almost
heart broken when his father sold the
stock and kept the money for himself?
That was his stock. His father had given
1T to him. He had cared for it faith
fully. He loved the young things. The
pride of possession swelled with him. He
suffered a heart pang when the stock was
sold. And when the father kept his money
he felt as one who has no friends. No
wonder. after going through this expert
ence several times. the boy appeals to
someone for help and advice.
we can see the fathers side, in part at
least. He did not think. Perhaps he need
ed the money to pay bills that were very
pressing. If he considered the matter at
all. no doubt he reflected thai he could
make better use of the money than the
boy could. And. after all, would not ev-
erything go to the children after he was
gone? This may be a partial explanation,
but 1T Is not an excuse. The point is that
the father has not been honest with the
boy. He deceived him, not once, but sew
eral times. And II a boy can not trust
his father. whom can he trust?
1t was not necessary to give the boy the
stock In the first place; but. in having
given 1t, 1t belonged to the boy. It would
have been quite roper to say to the boy:
You must keep careful account Of all the
iced the STOCK eats, and when 1T Is sold.
you must pay for that out of the money
received. That would have been teaching
the boy a VALUABLE lesson. But to tell
the boy the stock was his, and to permit
him to continue to think so, and Their de-
~liberately to put the money In your own
pocket, that was-well, what shall we call
1t?
What are we living for? Is it simply to
accumulate money. Or Is 1t to bring up
| our children to be fine, clean, honest men
and women. and to be of service to those
with whom they come in contact? And
when We pass on. do we want our boys to
think of US as hard parents, whose chief
thought was to work us as hard az pos
sible. and give us as little as possible? The
man who does not live before his boys
In a way to win their love, respect and
he may have in worldly possessions.
We hope fathers of boys will ask them
selves whether this boy might be theirs.
or whether, perhaps, their sons nave ex-
perienced similar disappointments and
heart burnings. Not all father have been
guilty of the particular injustice which
this boy tells about. although it is all too
common. But very many of us can con-
Wet ourselves of thoughtlessness at times
in dealing with our children.
Take notice of that boy OF yours. He
and his mother and brothers and sisters
are, of all your possessions. the most to be
treasured and loved.