Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1880-12-01

One Way,

How would ! 90 TO WORK to Keep my
children from reading sensational
books? The best way to answer this
question is by telling you what have
done. The other evening, coming into
the sitting room, saw James reading
dime novel. At least i thought it
looked like dime novel. Mother had
her sewing, Jennie was working on an
afghan, Tommy was making set Of
jackstraws out Of piece OF red cedar.
Let's have some reading aloud said /.
James you seem 10 have got hold OK
an interesting book, there suppose you
read it aloud 10 u.s. James looked up
with flush on his face:
L don't believe you would care for
this said he. 1t isn't much OF
book
You're mighty interested in it, said
Tommy, for a book that isn't much
book.
Yes! come,' said Jennie, let's
have some reading aloud. Why net
JamesT
Mother wouldn't like this BOOK,
said he.
'WhY not 2? said mother.
oh, you wouldn't, that's all said
James, IT'S just stus.'
If it isn't worth reading aloud it
isn't worth reading at ALL said Jennie.
That does not follow said 1, by
any means. There are good many
books worth reading that are not worth
reading aloud. But if James Is tco
much interested in bis story to put
aside, the rest Of US will form q reading
circle and get something that is worth
reading aloud
'Oh, don't care anything about it,
said James. l was just reading to get
through the evening, If you have got
anything better on hand let's by all
means have it.t With that he laid the
book by with shove that sent it half
way across the table.
What shall it be |? said l.
How would 1t do to begin course
Of history? There's our Hume In
the book case. 1 don't believe that
any one Of US ever read it through.
How would that do?'
l thought to myself that probably
none OF US ever would read it through,
but did not say anything. I waited
for some one else to respond.
i've got jolly book up stairs,
said Tommy.
What is it?' asked.
David Crockett said Tommy. 4
will 90 and get IT, With that, and be-
fore any of US could decide whether We
wanted it or not, Tommy wa, of up
stairs. He is as quick as fash IN
everything. 1t proved to be one Of
Mr.. John S. C.. Abbot's Pioneer and
Patriot series.
What is there jolly about lts' said l
to Tommy, when he had produced it.
why it's full of adventure-about
fellow that IiYed in wilderness when
the country was new, and even Ohio
was as wild as an Indian-what do
you call it?'
Reseryation,' said Jennie.
Yes, reservation said Tommy.
What do sou say, James, said 1;
will you read alOud for US while lso
10 work on the shoe box l am making
for motherT
James SAID he would, and we then
and there inaugurated reading circle.
We have kept 1t up, so far, all winter,
James and l taking turns in reading
aloud, and the rest going on with their
work. Tommy is quite expert with
his knife, and he has begged Of from
the reading to 60 on with his carpentry.
We follow David Crockett with
Daniel Boone and then took up
Mrs. Brassy's Voyage Round the
World in the Yacht Sunbeam We are
reading that with an atlas, and look up
the places in the atlas and Jennie some
times looks them up further iu the
cyclopedia, and tells US more about
them at the next reading.
And haven't seen anything more OF
James's dime novel. Ny way 10 keep
our boys from the bad literature is TO
overcome evil with good.
How can find the time Well, L
believe that he that does not provide
for his own family Is worst than on
in6del. And l think that 1t is part oil
my duty to provide my children with
good books and good company in read
ing them. And will not take so much
work on my hands that | can not DO
something for my own children.
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