The -American Boy 135 



and I think American boys will always feel more in 

 sympathy with Aldrich's story, because there is in 

 it none of the fagging, and the bullying which goes 

 with fagging, the account of which, and the ac 

 ceptance of which, always puzzle an American ad 

 mirer of Tom Brown. 



There is the same contrast between two stories 

 of Kipling's. One, called "Captains Courageous," 

 describes in the liveliest way just what a boy should 

 be and do. The hero is painted in the beginning 

 as the spoiled, over-indulged child of wealthy pa 

 rents, of a type which we do sometimes unfortunately 

 see, and than which there exist few things more 

 objectionable on the face of the broad earth. This 

 boy is afterward thrown on his own resources, 

 amid wholesome surroundings, and is forced to 

 work hard among boys and men who are real 

 boys and real men doing real work. The effect 

 is invaluable. 



On the other hand, if one wishes to find types of 

 boys to be avoided with utter dislike, one will find 

 them in another story by Kipling, called "Stalky 

 & Co./' a story which ought never to have been 

 written, for there is hardly a single form of mean 

 ness which it does not seem to extol, or of school 

 mismanagement which it does not seem to applaud. 

 Bullies do not make brave men; and boys or men 

 of foul life can not become good citizens, good 



