Rensselaer Republican, Volume 27, Number 50, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 15 August 1895 — Boy’s Essay on Cleanliness. [ARTICLE]

Boy’s Essay on Cleanliness.

A London magazine submits the following essay on “Cleanliness” as the product of a 12-year-old boy in a grammar grade: “Do not go and say that you are feared of making yourself clean, just bccose It is cold and it hurts to get the dirt off, or becose the suds get in your eye. For when you are clean people do not edge away from you, never mind about your clothes, but they shy unto you like our teacher that Is next to godlyness. Be thankful unto him becose y our mothers can afford - soap, and becose they make you use it Also when your mother puts her fingers down your coat-neck afore breakfast and peeps to see If there Is any black there, and then sends you back to the sink again to wash yourself better, say unto her, yes mother, also smiling. On Saturday night say also unto her, mother, don’t forget to get my bath-tub reddy for me, and a new pace of soap, for I love to wash myself course of cleanliness for it Is next to godlyness. Do not be same as them there Blacks, and Amerikens, and Ingoos, which Just splashes their faces with water and no soap, and never gets Inside of a tub, only a paddlin about bits of rovers. When you say to a dirty boy, ‘Dirty Dick wants the stick,’ only say it about once, so as he can’t say as you are wicked. Say unto him, look at the thoteful cat, which spits on its pores Just to get a bit of lather for a fair start, and then wipes its nose, and into Its eyes, also behind Its ears, not counting over. Then say unto liim as it will actshelly lick Itself when It can't get its pores, rather Jhan be hitching anywheres round. Tell him to look at the necks of the masters and superintendents and preachers, and he will never find a ring, which Is always a sine as you have not gone far down.”