118 



THE CENTURY BOOK OF FACTS. 



property of his own does not relieve the par- 

 ents from supporting him. They can, how- 

 ever, by applying to the Court, get permission 

 to use a part or all of the income from the 

 child's property for his support. Beyond this 

 the parents have no claim upon or control over 

 the child's property. 



Children's Rights and Obligations. 



1 . A child can own property over which 



the parents have no control, except the use of 



the income of the same for the support of the 



child, as stated above. 



2. Where it is shown that parents are un- 

 able to support themselves the child is under 

 legal obligations to support and care for them, 

 at least do what he can toward such support. 



3. If a child commits a premeditated crime 

 he is personally liable ; parents cannot be held 

 responsible for crimes committed by their minor 

 children. 



4. Guardian. A guardian may be ap- 

 pointed over an orphan child, or the child 

 may choose his own guardian, who in a legal 

 sense exercises all the authority of a parent. 



LAW OF APPRENTICESHIP. 



An apprentice is a minor, male or female, 

 bound by due form of law to learn some art, 

 trade, or business, and when so bound is un- 

 der obligation to serve the master during the 

 time of the apprenticeship. 



The Contract should be signed by the ap- 

 prentice and his father, or in case of death or 

 incapacity of the latter, by the mother or 

 legally constituted guardian. It is executed in 

 duplicate, one copy going to the master, the 

 other to the apprentice. The minor cannot be 

 bound for a longer time than until he becomes 

 of age. Without the consent of the parent or 

 guardian, the contract would not be binding 

 upon the minor. 



Consent of Minor. The minor cannot be 

 bound without his consent, which consent must 

 be stated in the contract, 



Duties of the Master. Tt is made the master's 

 duty by the contract to teach the apprentice 

 the trade or business which he himself follows, 

 to provide him with suitable food, clothing, 

 and shelter. He has no right to employ the 

 apprentice in menial labors not connected with 



the trade or business which he undertook to 

 teach him. If he corrects for misbehavior, 

 the punishment must be moderate and reason- 

 able. 



l)nficK <>f the Apprentice. He is under obliga 

 tion to serve his master faithfully and well ; 

 to obey all lawful commands ; to guard his 

 master's property and interests, and to faith- 

 fully endeavor to learn the business, and to 

 perform what is required of him in the con- 

 tract. 



Termination of Apprenticeship. His time of 

 service ends when he becomes of age, or in 

 case his master, dies, unless the contract in- 

 cludes the master's executors and administra- 

 tors. 



If the apprentice runs away, and enters the 

 employment of another, the master is not 

 bound to take him back, but is entitled to 

 whatever he may earn, provided he can prove 

 that the new employer was aware of the ex- 

 istence of the apprenticeship. 



The apprentice cannot be compelled to leave 

 the State, nor can he be assigned, to anyone else. 



BILLS OF LADING. 



A bill of lading is a document delivered by 

 a master or owner of a vessel, or the officer of 

 a transportation company, and signed by such 

 parties as an acknowledgment that the goods 

 have been received for transportation. 



The bill constitutes the contract between the 

 shipper and the carrier. Three copies of the 

 bill are made out, one is kept by the shipper, 

 another by the party transporting the goods, 

 and the third is sent to the person to whom 

 the goods are directed. 



Bills of Lading are transferable and assign- 

 able, and the assignee may sue for the recovery 

 of the goods. 



If the goods perish without fault of the 

 master of a ship, the freight must be paid, 

 otherwise the master or owner of a ship is 

 liable for damages. 



Railroad companies, as common carriers, 

 are subject to the common State laws regula- 

 ting such business ; their bill of lading usually 

 states as to how far they hold themselves re- 

 sponsible for the safe transportation of the 

 goods. 



