South-eastern Independent. (McConnelsville, Ohio) 1871-1871, 1871-04-21
On ReadIng-A Word to the Boys.

"WE boys love stories" OF course you
do. like them myself, but the danger is,
that with such multitude of exciting, SEN
sational ones, as are sold nowadays, you
will read nothing but stories. And that
would be paying dear for the whistle" I"
would it not? If for the sake of books
that have not the slightest foundation in
truth, nor, indeed, in the probable, written
only to amuse, not more than a single
grain of wheat hidden in a whole page of
chat, you lose all relish for higher and
better style of reading, you do yourself
! grievous wrong.
1 am not condemning you to dry, dull
cooks, indeed, 1 am not My own young
days are not so far away but know quite
well what you want But only think Of
the books that are waiting to take you all
over this great world of ours; up into the
arctic seas; down below the equator /;
showing you all the strange forms of life in
those tropical regions; into the depths of
the sea, and pointing out the still stranger
forms of life there; whole volumes of
travel and adventure that will add to your
stock of knowledge, as well as enlist your
eager interest; and histories without end,
that will charm you like fairy tale, ifyou
only give them a chance; taking you
through, not the world merely, but
through the past centuries, showing the
grand discoveries and dreadful struggles
which have made the world what it is
now.
Then think of the stirring tales of real
heroes, who have fought the battles of
life and come off conquerOrs; have strug-
gled through a boyhood of poverty and
trial, and temptation, into a noble, reso-
lutte manhood. Isn't there enough in such
examples as these to interest? Doesn't it
set your blood tingling to think what 9TH
ers have done and what you may dOg
Now, word about the newspaper
always feel hopeful of boy who reads,
habitually, the daily or weekly paper. l
set all such down for live, wide-awake
boys, when see them taking such an in
terest in the current news of the day. But
l wait first until / see to what part of the
paper they turn most eagerly. If, as the
sheet is unfOlded, they run over the tele-
graph column, to find out what is passing
in other countries as well as in our own,
then l know there isan intelligent interest.
Their ears have been open to the discus
sions among the older members of the
family, and the mind has been at work,
too. There is no excuse for ignorance
now. When all the nations of the earth
are knocking at each others doors, we
may learn what we will. If / see the eye
brighten over some noble deed of charity
to the poor and suffering, then am glad,
for know there is a generous spark down
in their own hearts, that shall yet
kindle into a flame of its own,
and gladden. others some day with other
noble deeds. But if see them with eager
interest reading the horrible details of
crime and murders, hope dies out of my
heart, and l turn away with real pain. 1t
is crying evil of our day, this publishing
in such mi1uteness these lOathsome de-
tails of crime. / see no end or purposes
of justice to be answered by it, but only
fearful harm. Your young hearts should
turn in instant recoil from such brutal
tales. BoysI if the public journal, that
should be school of better morals, spreads
this snare before you, do not you walk
into it. 1t will blunt all your finer feel
ings, and familiarize your mind with forms
of cruelty and sin that otherwise you
would never come in contact with. Every
one knows that any thing made familiar
to the mind loses half its deformity.
Never suffer yourself to read one of these
articles. If your eye catches the startling
heading, pass it instantly by. Do not fill
that mind of yours, which should be all
manly and noble, with these dreadful pic
lures of sin and guilt.
1 have said nothing about those poison
Gus books-low and vulgar-that some
times find their way secretly into some
boys pockets. I trust there is no need to
caution you against these. Never, never,
read any thing you would blush to have
your mother or sister see. Readl but
pray be careful Iohat you read.-HsGrth
and Homs.