Dodge City times. [volume] (Dodge City, Kan.) 1876-1892, 1881-02-05
had ! friend THO could rive him exact


Information about steamships, and that
would give him that friends address
in case he should wish to obtain definite
information. But Idon't let him think
that I know what, in fact, do not
know" ist-
"But HI cases where exact informa-
ton is not SbtainableT' FE1p
"In those caseslI tell him that it is
not obtainable, at the same time assur-
ing him that may be mistaken in the
matter. give him all the Information
that is accessible, but never want him
to think that the subject is exhausted;
and try to leave the question open for
future discussion. so that his mind is
free to think healthily about the matter
in the future don't want him when
he has grown up ever to look back upon
anything and say; MY father showed
there want of respect for truth Fur
Their, don't want him ever to get into
his own mind any lack of reverence for
truth from an observation of lack of
such reverence on my part. want him
to see that l have never told him as
truth anything which was not true, and
that have never told him as true
things which l merely had reason to
suppose might be. true"
boys sometimes pick up bad words
from street boys. and the first thing you
know they are ventiiating their acqui-
sitiOns upon their nurses or mothers"
swell, l tell my boy that as gem
tleman's son he is under obligations to
himself to be better and decenter in his
70 Ialx AI.. h.
street are; and have explained to him
that swearing and blackguardism gen.
orally are wholly unworthy of a gentle
man. A boy who has a gentlewoman
for a mother and a gentleman for a
father ought not Il tell him) to act as a
boy would who had been brought up in
a stable"
Your boys don't read dime novels
surreptitiously?'
''That is hardly conceivable"
"Why?"
because from their earliest child
hood they have always regarded me as
their best friend and most Intimate con-
fidant. They conceal nothing from me,
because they are not afraid Of me-"
"Of course. you don't encourage
either of them to report to you the pee
cadilloes of the o.her?'
mo. My whole theory and practice
of education and government with both
my boys has been to develop manliness
and to set up in their minds as an ideal
a type of manly frankness, truthfulness,
courage and purity. l have discouraged
everything that initiated against this,
encouraged everything that worked for
it. and generally in everything l have
done have given them the reason in
order that they might understand what
l was trying to make out OF them and
work with me to the same end. If one
has not tried it it would surprise him
to discover how readily bows may be |
made to feel that parental action is de- |
signed for their good and improvement |
and happiness. and how heartily they |
will second every effort in that direc- |
tion-precisely as they will help you
when you are getting your fishing tackle
ready if you propose a days fishing in |
which they are to join"
Perhaps your boys are exceptional
" good boys?''
Not at all. There is not q trait of
the prig in either of them"
"They have in their lives done what
you would call bad things-lke other
bOysT'
Yes, and l regard their bad conduct
as | do bad cold, and have tried to
cure it as l would a cold. because it
would hurt them, and have taught
hem to look at it in the same way"
do your boys ever fight each 9TH
erP"
'.Yes. a good deal"
"What do you do?''
81 interfere and stop the fight. /
reat that as another bad cold"
why not let them fight it out?'
"Because l don't think the indul-
yence in naSsinn Ia good for them -