The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1877-11-01
What DO the Children Read

We have been trying to say some
thing about the possible ignorance of
parents concerning the matter in books
'Andpapers which perhaps their own
children read. The REPLY is a little inn
patient: "My,boy does not buy these
trashy tales; he has no taste for such
things; he is too pure-minded to like
them. Only ilf-bred boys on the street
can possibly care for such vile stuff.
have no fear. "-g r. ss2 '.na an,
Let a moments attention be given to
an authentic incident. 1t occurred in
the experience of one for. whom the
writer vOuches by name. A lady was
visiting in the familyof friend where
there were lovely children. One day,
as she wasssitting at her window, she
heard a sweet childish voice reading
aloud in the garden near by. On look
ing out she saw group of young girls
and boys gathered around bright lad
of about ten years in age, who was
amusing them with a story paper. She
was particularly struck with the sight.
1t was picture fit for painters pen
Gil. Three or four were most intently
and eagerly listening, actually drinking
in every sentence with childish enthu-
siasm. 1t was beautiful! So refined
and literary, almost; SO much better
than those rude sports and forfeit
games!
What could more delight a mothers
heart than to see her innocent boy thus
willing to please his companions? She
noticed it again. This reading aloud
was frequent occurrence. 1t was the
habit of each day. She felt glad to en-
courage it. ...-..
The lady watched the happy group
for some time, when suddenly word
caught her ear, which caused her to
give attention. To her intense sur
prise, the story was immoral and shock
ing in character.
Calling the lad to her, she examined
the paper. She trusted to his candor,
and explained the nature of the fiction.
He put on an air of bravado, and pro-
nounced it bully" And then he said
he read just such every week.
Of course the mother of that child
was Mortified when told of the facts.
But she confessed that she had never
looked to see what those boys and girls
were doing. Thus warned, she forbade
them to purchase any more of such pas
pers. Several weeks subsequent to this
she took occasion to reprove the news
dealer who sold such matter to children.
Then she learned from him that he
had a large custom among the juveniles
of the neighborhood. Moreover, this
man told her, to her dismay, that her
own boy was still purchaser regularly
at the. stand. Even now he surrepti-
tiously procured and read the forbidden
sheets. 1t was the custom of that news
dealer to give these issues on credit to
children, when they had not the five
cents to buy them with!
A writer in the Boston Commercial
Bulletin says: sT .-i
The reason that there is so little
public Indignation ut these literary out
RACES is because the respectable and in
tellectual elements of the community
are actually not fully aware of the
nature or extent of the evil. People
casually glance over a newsstand, and
seeing 4 fashy array of pictorial pa
pers, turn contemptuously away, Won
dcring how anyone can waste time and
money ON such trash.' But contempt,
however strongly expressed, is futile
against such a public ard popular
enemy. Your sons and daughters, re-
spectacle friend, do not share your
feelings by any means. See how they
gloat over the ticsh-pots! See how
eagerly they pick out their favorites
and hug them to their bosoms. See
how they roll the polluted paragraphs
under their young tongues as sweet
morsels! See how they follow the
fortunes of The Boy Highwayman,''
Daredevil Dick, The Pretty Girls of
New York. and such reeking abomina-
tons. See them curled up in a COM
Portable corner with such companion
ship as this''-N. Y. School Journal.