Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1876-11-23
Poisonous Reading.

There Is miSchievous and grow
Ing influence spreading itself into
some OF the homes OF Plymouth. 1t
comes in an alluring and seductive
form and for this very reason is all
the more dangerous. We refer to
the dissemination and reading OF
sensational Ablood- and thunder" ju-
venile newspapers, now generally
retailed by news-dealers all over the
country. These publications, OF their
present character. are OF quite recent
origin and are proving very popular
judging by their immense sales. The
periodicals. to which we refer are
known as ~The Boys of New York, :"
@The Boys and Girls Weekly" etc.
There are all patterned after the same
idea and aiming at nothing worthy
thc attention or interest OF intelligent
boys and girls. In examining them
we fail to find single redeeming
feature-unless 1t be the puzzle de-
while the great bulk OF
their contents consists OF stories
which are neither healthy, instructive
nor natural. They are OF the most
abnormal character, usually contain
ing unnatural and disgusting details
Of the street Arab" life OF New York
City depicted in all its nauseating
filthiness and vulgarity. The plots
OF these stories are OF the most i'm
probable and unnatural character.
nothing being too unreal or impossi-
BILE in this respect for their purpose.
These stories are mainly remarkable
for their silly tragic descriptions
OF impossible circumstances and con-
ditions, while the dialogues given
are generally OF the most degrading
and childish character. No pure and
noble ideas are inculcated, but on
the contrary the main attempt seems
to be to avoid all such features and
to incorporate the disgnstingly vul-
gar slang and sentiments VI the low
est rabble OF the streets and OF the
haunts OF vice and misery.
In order that parents may know
that We do not exaggerate the
character OF these publications, We
give below some extracts. "The
Boys Of New York" now has story
entitled, SHORTY, or Kicked into
Good Luck" by Pad, author OF tom,
Dick and the" Chapter VIII con-
tains this scene.
"Biddy came up TO do the work In
the sergeants room one day, and
Shorty was playing a Jig. She hap
pened to be in the humor OF dancing,
and at it she went, tossing her broom
and dustpan into one corner. and do
ing some OF the heaviest dancing that
was ever seen or heard. In fact, IL
might we'll be called q breakdown
for it was nearly breaking the floor
down.
Shorty was delighted.
Go il, ole gall" he would shout
Put it right down dar on de fio'."
"Begorra, an isn't this putin il
down." she asked as she gave q
whoop and came down In a way that
made every chandelier in the house
rattle.
"Yes. Bully for you. Go I'll" he
shouted, and at the same time quick.
ened the music
"Whoop!' she yelled, and just then
Mrs. Jones came into the room, al
astonishment.
Bridget" she called.
~whoopi Ireland foreverl' she re.
piled, all the while. so excited thai
she never noticed who it was thai
called her.
Bridget; stop this, say"
go il Biddy." said Shorty.
"Whoopl" shouted Biddy.
stop, say"
$50 ter the divill"
Bridget, 1 will call policeman
Call the divil."
stop that music, Shorty"
~Can' do it, ma'am; got contract,
said Shorty, giving his banjo an ex
ira trum.
"Whoopl Come along for dance,
said Biddy, catching hold OF Mrs
Jones, and tresding on her feet Will,
endeavoring to make her join In thu
dance.
The result Of the treading was tina
they both pitched over upon the floor
Biddy coming down on poor Mrs
Jones with a pounce that nearl.
knocked the life out of her"
at had been flrst-rate fur for hin
up to that time but before he knew !
the thing changed and he received
one Of the toughest old bounces tina
|. ho ouor cxof In hia lie In fact fhay