Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1880-04-19
HOW TO KEEP OUR CHILDREN
FROM BAD BOOKS.
MR.. HARDCAP's WAY.


thing l jest tell him net to. and that's
the end of it. He understands it. I'm
master in my own household, and they
all know that I'm master | believe
that doctrine-Dr. Dullard calls it the
headshlp of man. He preached last
summer capital sermon on Eli; he
showed US how God punished parents
that don't make their children stand
round.
Just how should | go to work if |
found that one of my boys was reading
dime novel ? Well will jest tell you
how | did 60 to work. l came into the
sittin' room the other night and found
Robert with copy of the Ledger In his
hand. 1t had come into the house-that
found out afterwards-wrapped round
pair of boots from the shoemaker's.
He was reading Of it. "What have
you got there, Robert ?" said l. And he
showed me. | picked it out of his hand
sooner than flash of lightnin', and
threw it into the fire. :'Don't you ever
let me see you reading of any such
stuff as that agin," said l, "or you'll
hear from me. If catch you reading
of any sensational literatoor you'll get a
sensation from me, can tell you" And
he knows what that means. Some peo-
pie say they don't believe in the rod. l
do; and my boys know it.
"But father said he, "Dr. Hall
writes for the Ledger.''
. "Never you mind who writes for the
LEDGER - says I. "You amt going to
read it, not if the angel Gabriel writes
for it. And no more he amt; and I'll
warrant you that | shan't catch Robert
with the Ledger in his hand again in a
hurry. And then | told my wife that |
didn't want to see copy of the New
York Ledger in my house agin; and
what's more, wouldn't
sit came wrapped around bundle of
shoes" said she.
II don't care if it did," said l. Don t
you let any more of them papers come
in this house; not if you never get an
other pair of shoes. What's feet to the
mind Id rather my boys should 60
barefoot all their lives than that any of
them sensational papers should ever
come under my roof. won't have it,
and that's all there is about it." What
did she say to that? Well, she didn't
say nothin'. reckon that Mrs. Hard
caps too good wife to say anything
when her husband tells her what to do.
Amt | afraid that my boy will 60 of
and read worse papers in secret? Well
| should jest like to see him do it, that's
all. | guess he wouldn't do it more'n
once. Don't think that when he grows
up he may take to worse books ? That's
what the Deacon says. But tell the
Deacon that's none of my business. If,
when he gets to be of age, he chooses to
take up with bad literatoor that's his
lookout, not mine. Besides, if you train
up child in the way he should 60, be
won't depart from it. That's the promise
and reckon it's safe to 60 on that.
won t have my children readin' of any
fiction. Walter Scott? No, not Walter
Scott. Not thing. Not a single thing
They shall read the truth and nothin
but the truth as long as they're under
my roof. When they get out they car
do what they please.
THE DEACoN's WAY.
How would | 90 to work to keep my
children from reading sensational books
The best way to answer that question il
by telling you what have done.
The other evening, coming into the
sitting room, l saw James reading a
dime novel. Mother had her sewing
Jennie was working on an afghan Tom.
my was making set of jackstraws out
of piece of red cedar. "Let's have
some reading aloud" said l. James
you seem to have got hold of an inter.
esting book there, suppose you read il
aloud to u.s." James looked up with a
flush on his face.
Il don't believe you would care fol
this" said he; sit isn't much of a
book"
You're mighty interested in it, said
Tommy, "for a book that isn't much Of
a book
"Yes come,'' said Jennie, diets
have some reading aloud. Why not
James 2"
"Mother wouldn't like this book, y
said he.
"Why not?" said mother.
"Oh you wouldn't. that's ALL" saie
James. "lts just stuff
''If it isn't worth reading aloud i
isn't wofth reading at ALL" said Jen
ME.
THAT does not follow" said l., "b
any means. There are good man
books worth reading that are not. wort
reading aloud But if James. is to
much interested in his story to. put
aside, the rest Of us will form :. readin
circle and get something that is wort
reading aloud"