The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1884-04-30
A Talk With Boys.

My son, drop that dime novel or fash
paper and let's have little chat. Yes,
Indian and detective stories are thrilling,
but don't go too fast. The chances are
that you will never see live Indian out
side of a circus or street parade, and as
for killing 'em-dont. No doubt you
could strap a bowie-knife and revolver
around your waist, and take loaf of bread
under one arm and a 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
invested to any great extent in life insur-
ance, 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 a real detective
or a county sheriff. Ask 'em about Old
Sleuth's DISCUSSES 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 of history now and then you wouldn't
waste your time. The crowd of New
York publishers who are flooding the
country with fash-papers and dime novels
are your worst enemies. No matter to
them whether you grow up respectable
man or a murderer 80 long as they get
your money. Their stories are the basest
lies, too silly even for boy ten years old
to believe. Now, then, look about you
and see 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 will be able
to put our shoulder to the wheel. Even a
decade will retire tens of thousands.
What then Why, my son, this is life
which knows no stop. This is q life
which knows no rest until old age com.
pels 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 mer.
chants, farmers, manufacturers and pro-
fessional men of the future. You will
uoFC w DOoi VIC OuioCuo anu nuAlCtlOc VI
keeping this country on the track of peace
and prosperity, and your voices will sound
from the halls of congress and your pens
write words to burn in the memory of fu
ture generations. Come, now, begin right
Don't get it into your head that an
Indian.ki is about four pegs above g
state senator. Don't imagine that de
tective wouldn't trade places with law
yer very quickly if he had his say about
it. Don't you believe that an embezzler
burglar or murderer is hero, and that mer
admire him. Drop your novels and flash
papers as starter. The boy who feeds OF
such trash gets false impressions of thu
world, and is more certain TO bring up il
state prison than in respectable employ
ment. If you have pistol, fling it aside
The man that carries one about tn
streets is coward, and men mark hin
as such. If you have a bowie-knife OF
hand, turn it over to your mother for {
meat or bread-knife. If you have a sand
club lying around loose, shy it into thu
ditch before anybody finds out how empt.
your head has been. That pair of brass
knuckles can be tossed into the river
"Old Sleuth" and "Buffalo Bill" will
make a good bonfire, and then you ar
ready to begin life and to ask yoursel
what trade or profession shall be your
when done in the school-M. Quad, i
Detroit Fress Press.