The Arizona champion., 1884-05-17
SHORT TALK TO BOYS.
BY N. QUAD.

My son, drop that penny novel or flash paper and let's have a little chat,
 Yes, Indian and detective stories are thrilling, but don't go too fast. The chances are that you will never see q live Indian outside of circus or q street parade, and as for killing 'em- don't.
 No doubt you could strap a bowie knife and revolver around your waist, and take a loaf of bread under one arm and the pamphlet life of Buffalo Bill under the other, and go West and slay Indians by the cord, but don't think of it.
 An Indian has feelings, the same as white man, and as few of them have laid by any bonds or mortgages, or in vested to any great extent in life in- surance, you must realize that the widows and orphans of your victims would be left in sad plight.
 As for detective stories, go and talk with real detective or a county sheriff Ask 'em about cold Sleah's" disguises and exploits and magic luck and then listen carefully while they tell you what fool you are making of yourself by grinding the end of your nose against pages of such trashy fiction. We want you to read, but for the lands sake look about for something different! There are good boy-books, your father takes the daily papers, and if you should read a page or two of history now and then urn,t1lnft
 That crowd of London publishers who are flooding the country with fash papers and penny novels are your worst enemies. No matter to them whether you grow up respectable man or a murderer so long as they get your money. Their stories are the basest lies, too silly even for boy 10 years old to believe.
 Now, then, look about you and soc how many men in our stores and factories and offices and upon the streets are getting gray and wrinkled and old, Twenty years from now not one in ten of us whom you see in business to-day will be able to put our shoulders to the wheel. Even decade will retire teas of thousands. What thenl Why, my son, this is world which knows no stop. This is life which knows no rest until old age compels it.
 When the men of to-day are laid up in dry-dock the boys of to-day will be the fresh set of hands called on deck to work the ship. They will be the merchants, farmers, manufacturers and professional men of the future. You will have to bear the burdens and anxieties of keeping this country on the track of peace and prosperity, and your voices will sound from the halls of Con gress and your pens write words to burn in the memory of future generations.
 Come, now, begin right. Don't get it into your head that an Indian-killer is about four pegs above State Senator. Don't imagine that detective wouldn't trade places with lawyer very quickly if he had his say about it. Don't you believe that an embezzler, burglar or murdereris hero, and that men admire him. Drop your novels and flash papers as starter. The boy who feeds on such trash gets false impressions of the world, and is more certain to bring up in prison than in respectable employ ment. If you have a pistol fling it aside. The man who carries one about the streets is a coward, and men mark him as such. If you have bowie-kniie on hand turn it over to your mother for a meat or bread knife. If you have a sand-club lying around loose shy it into the ditch before anybody finds out how empty your head has been. That pair of brass-knuckles can be tossed into the river; cold Sleuth" and "Buffalo Bill' will make good bonfire, and then you are ready to begin life and to ask yourself what trade or profession shall be yours when done in the school.