Extravagantly Dressed Children

One of the featnres of Long Branca is tli e number of extravagantly dressed cliildrua one feos on every hand. Tiie lmost total absence of the spontaneity and natnralness uf cbildhood strikes one most painfully. Insttad of romping, sun-burnt, rollicking cbüdren, one toes palo, delroate, littlo miases, in mauve and blue silk, with valencieunes over-drcss, wlio cim't go dotvn tn the bench becausf; tlie dampness takfla all the crepe out of tbeir hair, or pluy croquet beeauso tbe grass makes ugly btains on tbeir delicate olored boots. Poor little creatures! - Martyrs to ruffled petticoats and silk stockingH ! Gut otï f rom all the amusement nf childliood, they take to apios tbeir elders, and swing their skirta aud toss their curls, and challenge the admiration of every male passèr-by in a way tliat n'ould be ludicrous if it were not diatrefsing. The custom of decking littlc obildren with diarnondn is getting to be quite eommon. Indeed, it isunusual to see the weo daughters of weitltby papas without clusters or mediuin-sizod solitaires in tbeir tiny cars. Young America, too, considera his case a hard odc if ho is denied a gold hunting-caee watch and ft diamond ring 80t in black enarnel. The sufferings mflictcd on littlo cliildrcn by amhilious ntothers o their etiorts to show thetn off cali loudly for tbo tonnatiori of a society for ibe prevention of cruelty to childien. On the occasion of a grand juvenilo ball at the Contiuentol, last week, :i milo of a thÍD, three yenvs o!d, nppeared as Madamo Pompadour. lier triiin. more tlian twice her lenglh, was of wliito satin, witli a bodicc Hiid bunohed over skirt of autitjuc brooade. The poor little head was ladeu witb falso hair and powdir, and the inns and neck witb jewela. At eleven o'c'ock, liatlied in teurs, and prote:-ting "I don't want to go 1 I won't go !" she was bribed and throatoned into a grand entree ; when the floor wa iniiDeditttely cleaied, und the flushed, excited little creature, eutered &t last into the spirit of the BOebe, made the tour of the ball room alone, moro elateci, probalily ly her triainph ttinn w:is her noted predecesor "t the hotnage of a King. Tbe continue wprn by this petite young ladyissaidto have eest fuur hundred dollars. I give you this incident as au illustntiou of the foolisb - 1 bad alinost said criminal - course pursued ly motliciH at fabionablo watering places. If it is trua that ihe ciiiid is fatlier to tbe man or womun, tbc country may as well prepare itself for a race oí' irritable, selfib, gtílf-indulgent men, and nervous, helpk-ss, delicate womeu, such as it bas never befure seen. The population of Boston is 253,323, BgainHt 231,407 in 1865. Ualtinioro aud Chicago are each ahead of B.)ston. The population of Pitteburg, Pa., is 86,254, an increase of '20,156 :-e. 1 1860Í