No one seemed to hold him in much regard, excepting the wild striplings of the place, who were captivated by his open-hearted, daring manners, and the negroes, who always look upon every idle, do-nothing youngster as a kind of gentleman.
"Bracebridge Hall, or The Humorists"
Washington Irving
Glenning ran towards the engine, which had halted in the center of the highway, and at which some striplings were tugging in a vain effort to move it.
"The Man from Jericho"
Edwin Carlile Litsey
The assemblage was composed of all who were capable of bearing arms, from gray-headed veterans of the last war, to the striplings who had not yet been mustered on a training field.
"A Hero of Ticonderoga"
Rowland E. Robinson