Alexandria Gazette

Sling Shots.—The boys are having a fine time just now with their sling shots. So perfect have they become that a pigeon can be killed on the roof of a house a hundred yards off, or shot in their boxes. Nine belonging to one gentleman have been killed, one by one, the last one being shot yesterday, by a youngster who will end his days pulling hemp. A favorite amusement seems to be in breaking windows of vacant houses and churches, gas lamps, &c. When those cannot be found lighted windows in the night answer their purpose. A few years since one of the large plate glass windows in Witmer's dry goods store was broken. Nobody knew how, but it is easily explained now, and it is to be hoped that our vigilant police will take this matter in hand, and arrest all boys found with sling shots in their possession. The boy who would want only destroy property in this way would disgrace the chain gang.