Year: 1859

-
| A Boy's Trials.


The Springfield Republican has capital
article in this subject Here are some ex-
I tracts


! HIS REGULATIONS WITH THE OLD MAN."
| We suppose that the first severe trial that
| boy has to undergo is TO submit his will to
the old man, whom he is taught to consider
| his father To be restrained in doors at night,
TO be forbidden to go;swimrning FIVE times a
day or to be hiadered from pnching the rest
of the children just for fun, is an interference
with the natural inalenable rights, every way
injurious to the feelings And then, upon
some overwhelming temptation, the boy as
serts his independence of paternnl control,
and receives a tanning with switch from
ounce bush, either upon his back or his
bare feet, it becomes really serious thing
We never could see that the smart of an op-
Grafton Ike this was at all assuaged by the af-
fectionate assurance that il was bestowed out
Of pure love.


SITTING WITH TIE GIRLS.


The next great trial of that boy is to be
obliged by cruel master to sit with the girls
at school This usually comes before the de-
VI
i'll after life would tend to make the punish
ment more endurable. To be pointed out as
gall boy" to be smiled at grimly by the
master, who is 50 far delighted with his own
lneiiaoie pieaaanlry as W give the little boys
license to laugh loud, and to be placed by the
side of girl who had Ino. handkerchief, and
no knowledge Of the use OF that article, is,
we submit, trial Of no mean magnitude
Yet we have been there, aud have been oblig-
cd to ''sit up close" with big Sally, laughing
and blushing till We came 10 hate her name
We wonder where the oyergrown creature
is now, and what the condition Of her head
is


TIE FIRST LONG TAILED COAT.


We do not believe that any boy ever put on
his long tailed coat without "a sense of shame
lie first twists his back half of looking at it
in the glass, and then when be steps out Of
doors il seems to him as if all creation was III
broad grin. The sun laughs in the sky; the
cows turn TO look at him there are faces at
every window his shadow mocks him.
When he walks by the cottage where Emmy
lives, he dares not look up for his life. The
very boards creak with consciousness Of the
strange spectacle, and the old pair of panta-
lOoGS that stop light in the garrct window,
nod with dcrisiOn. If he is obliged to pass
rroup Of men and boys, the trial assumes its
most terrific stage. His legs get all mixed
up with embarrassment, and the flap of dang
llng appendases is felt upon them, moved by
the wind Of his own agitation he could not
feel worse were it a dishcloth, worn as a badge
Of disgrace. 1t is happy time when he gets
10 the church and sits down with his coat
tails under him ; but he is still approhensive
with thinking Of the Sunday school, and won
ders if any Of the children will ask him to
'swing his long tail blue


GOING HOME WITH THE GIRLS.


The entrance into society may be said 10
take place after boyhood has passed away,
yet multitude take the initiation before their
boards are presentable. It is great trial
either to a tender or tough age. For an
overgrown boy TO 90 to door, knowing that
there are dozen girls inside, and to knock or
ring with absolute certainty that in two min
utes all their eyes will be upon him, is severe
test Of courage. 70 go before these girls and
make a satisfactory tour OF the room without
stepping on tllcir toes, and then to sit down
and dispose Of ones hands without putting
them into ones pockets, is an achievement
which few boys can boast. Ii boy can get
so far as 10 measure off ten yards of tape with
oue Of these girls, and cut it short at each
end. be may stand chance to pass a pleas
ant evening but let him not hatter himself
that all the trials OF the evening are over
There comes at last the breaking up The
The dear girls don their hoods. and put on
their shawls, and look so saucy and mischiev-
Gus, and unimpressble, as if they did not
wish any one to go home with them Then
comes the pinch, and the boy who has the
most pluck makes up to the prettiest girl, his
heart is in his throat, and bis tongue clinging
TO the roof of his mouth, and crooking his
elbow, stanmers ont the works. "Shali see
see yOu home p She touches her fingers to
his arm, and they walk home about foot a.
part feeling as awkward as a coupie-of young
gosiings, As soon as she is safely inside Of
her own doors, ne struts home, and thinks he
has really been and gone and done it. Sleep
comes to him at last, with dreams Of crino-
Dnc and calico, and he wakes in the morning,
and finds the doors of life open to hinl-and
the pigs squealing for breakfast.


CONCLUDING REFLECTIONS.


We have passed over churning and learn
ing the chatCchlSin, because we are fearful of
making this article too long, although we might
have talked Of butter that would not be per-
suaded to come, and perplexities Of literary
turn Of mind, and head that measured sew
en- and quarter when asked what the chief
end Of man was. Boyhood is Il green passage
if mans experience IN more senses than one.
1t is pleasant thing to think over and laugh
about now, though it was serious enough then.
Many Of our presant trials are as ridiculous
as those which now touch the risibles in the
recollection, and when We get to the other
world and look upon this, and upon the inlan-
y of The Scui which we passed here, we have
no doubt that we shall grin over the trials
which VIC experienced when we lost our for
tunes, when our mills were swept away or
! burned, and when we did mt get elected to the
legislature Men are but boys of larger
growth.