The Arkansaw traveler., 1884-05-24
SHORT TALKS WITH THE BOYS

M- Quad, Tn Detroit Free Pres.
 So you want to run out o nights, eh {
 We'll, my boy, If there is one single habit more than another calculated to bring lad to evil ways Il IS that of run ming around a village, town or city O nights. All the bad Tn human nature begins 10 bubble as soon as the sun goes down. You wouldn't dream of doing mean act 10 your neighbors by day light, bu, after dark il seems good joke 10 lug of gates, upse; ou;houses. seal fruit CT raise d false alarm of fire. IL may seem fun 10 you, but when you come to $, down and think Il over you can't help but admit that is small busi- ness. Any action of yours which puts anyone else tn trouble and expense may be questioned 10 your detrlment
 Find a murderer, burglar or thief point out to me the biggest loafer in your town-and will show you man who began hiseareer by running ou, O nights don't say tha, George Washington or Thomas Jefferson or Abraham Lincoln didn't throw down lumber piles or rob fruit trees at To o'clock al night, but if so they started out just right to become bad men.
 Don't wan, boy to have iun
 You bet do and, by and by, I'm go- ing 10 put you up to a dozen dlfferen, things in that line. Bu, this grabbing your hat after supper and sneaking out over the back fence IS a mean piece of business when you ome to figure |, down. Down on the corner you meet linn this or Tom that. You go lover town ' and are seen hanging around this or that place. You may sneak lnio saloon to see a game of billiards. but you hate your self for il. You may st iu smiths grocery and hear lot of old bald h eadcd liars spin thei- yarns and abuse religion. but you go ou, feeling tha, you could kick any one of them who dared bow 10 your mother.
 You'd go hose and go to bed if ii wasn't for linn or Tom. He wants little fun and he drags you into II. What he calls fun IS strlnging rope across the sidewalk. IL doesn't occur to him tha, some person may break limb sad be pu, to several hundred dollars expense or even be killed outright He thinks |: cute thing to roll or barrels of salt. barrie ade the bridge. SC, an old shed on fire or stop up the ,himueys on a wd- ow's house. When you have played such tricks il comes very easy 10 play others which the law won't look at in the funny light.
 There IS to-day in the Michigan state prison boy whose career watched for two years. 1 tirs; saw him prowling around O nights. He had an honest face and good heart. but his father had seemingly never been boy himself. He let this lad go and come as he willed. and within three months the police had to caution him. Inside of six months he belonged to gang of juvenile thieves. within two years he was burglar. When he stood up ln eour; ;o receive his five years sentence women wep, ;o see that one so youn had driited so rapidly to the bad.
 What cap you do O nights if you re- main home.
 Scores ot things. my boy. In the frs, place there's the checker-board. and III the next place your father wants 10 sit nigh, down and teach you all he knows about Il. Outside oi the interest in a chance game yovr wits are made the sh'rper by such struggles. \ good che cker player will never be rash busi- --ss man. This very training makes him cautious in his dealings. There are Cn ems of good-boy books to be had. and your father had better buy you two or three per week than turn you over 10 the town. There's no end of mechanical tops and toys and games, and if you were my son and wanted to learn the game of euchre should teach it 10 you. The tact that cards are used by gamblers is no argument why they shouldn't be used in your home, and the theory ,ha, some folks hold to the effect that be- cause you know how to play cards you must drift to a saloon is the silliest non- sense.
 And suppose you learn how 10 draw or paint! Look al a watch and you Will realize that all the wheels asd springs and shafts and jewels so 10 make up perfect time-piece. us, so with a man There are lots of one-wheeleC. men in this world. They can sell goods, make boots. run an engine or keep a butcher shop, bu, outside of tha, one thing they are all al sea. IL is the handy maa who is helping the world along-the man who is full of wheels and springs. Don't be afraid because you have planned to study law, to read up on philosophy and sci ence, to learn how 10 handle tools. to analyze steam, to post yourself on what ever is worth knowing.
 You will discover as you grow up that the man who knows the least is the great est bigot to argue with, and the meanest man with whom to transact business. Not one in twenty of our high school pupils knows how a mason mixes his mortar, or a painter his colors. They never saw tinsmith at work, or a grain CT initiating the various woods. Now, then, when you find the evenings dull ask your father to put on his hat and help you post yourself Did you ever