Boys and Girls

In a recent lecture the Rev. Robert Collyer told the following anecdote: He was at a children's party, one Christmas eve, and, seeing a little boy sitting in one corner and not dancing, he approached him, and asked why he did not join the others and dance. "I'm not danthing," said the boy solemnly, "becauthe I don't think danthing ith the great end of life." "Now, you know," added Mr. Collyer, "if that was my boy, I should think he was meant for a minister, but I should be sorry for the church that had to take him."

At Bradford Junction, O., there is a boy who, being weaned at the age of two years, then refused such sustenance as boiled milk and arrow-root, and would not be pacified except with tobacco. Under the strange regimen of a cigar a day he found his stomach to thrive, and from a weakling became hale and hearty. Soon the child smoked twelve cigars a day, which, however, injured his nerves to such an extent that his supply had to be cut down to five weeds per diem. Now he is in excellent health, and, a mere child, uses up his box and a half every month.

When a boy sees a cat moving along unsuspectingly, within easy range, he will involuntarily look around for a brick-bat, we care not how good and noble he may be. — Mayfield (Ky.) Monitor.

A girl and boy, between the ages of fifteen and seventeen, were noticed in a long and close conversation in the Atlanta depot. At length the boy began to weep, his loud boo-hoos attracting a crowd. "What's the matter," asked a sympathizer. "He wants me to marry him, and I won't," replied the girl. The spectators withdrew.

A lady in Connecticut not long since visited a brother who resides in a distant city, taking her little daughter with her. Fatigued with the long ride, the child was impatient to retire in the early evening. "You must wait till your uncle prays." "I didn't know that uncle prayed; I thought he was a Democrat."

A resident who reached Detroit by a noon train yesterday, after an absence of two weeks, was met at the depot by his eight-year-old son, who loudly welcomed him. "And is everybody well, Willie?" asked the father. "The wellest kind," replied the boy. "And nothing has happened?" "Nothing at all. I've been good, Jennie's been good, and I never saw ma behave herself so well as she has this time!" — Detroit Free Press.

A policeman at the city hall asked a boy leading a big dog around, "Boy, where did you get that dog?" "To home," was the prompt reply. "How long have you had him?" "Oh, ever so long." "You didn't pick him up anywhere?" "No, sir, we raised him from a little child!" was the grave answer. — Detroit Free Press.

A Detroit mother (says the Free Press) was telling some lady callers the other day about her intention to celebrate the anniversary of some event, and her plug-ugly of a boy came into the room just then and asked, "Maw, what is an anniversary?" "I'll tell you some other time," she replied. "I know," he wickedly replied; "you are going to pick up the shovel and chase pa down cellar again!" After the ladies had departed, the mother took the boy up stairs and removed his false impressions.