The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1884-06-12
A Chat with the Bows.

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 Tie
chances are that you will never SEE. a
live Indian outside OF a circus or 4
street parade, and as for killing lem
don't.
No doubt you could strap a Bowie
knife and revolver around your waist.
and take loaf Of bread under one arm
and the pamphlet life OF Buffalo Bill
under the other, and 90 West and Stay
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 insur-
ance, you must realize that the widows
and orphans of your victims would be
left in sad plight.
As for detective stories, 60 and talk
with real detective or County Sheriff.
Ask 'em about "0ld Sleuth'sD disguises
and exploits and magic luck, and then
listen carefully while they tell you what
fool you are making Of yourself b
grinding the end of your nose against
pages Of such trashy fct on. 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 you wouldn't waste your
time.
The crowd of New York publishers who
are flooding the country with flash pa
pers and dime novels are your worst
enemies. No matter to them whether
you grow up q respectable man or \
murderer SO long as they get yCm
! money. Their stories are the basest
lies, too silly even for o 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 tho
streets are getting gray and wriAkled
and old. Twenty years from now NOS
one in ten of us whom you see in bnsi-
ness to-day viii be able to put ouF
shoulders to the wheel Even decade
will retire tens of thousands. What
then? Why, my son, this is life
which knows no rest until old age conn
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 viii be the mcF.
chants, farmers, manufacturers and
professional men of the future. You
will have to bear The burdens and anx-
ieties of keeping this country on the
track of peace and prosperity, and your
voices win sound from the halls Of Con-
gress and your pens write words 70
burn in the memory of future genera-
tons.
| Come, now, begin right. Don't get
it into your head that an Indiau-killsr
is about four pegs above State Sens
tor Don't imagine that detective
wouldn't trade places with lawyer
very quickly if he had the say about Il
Don't you believe that an embeezeT,
burglar or murderer is hero. and thss
men admire him. Drop your novels
and flash papers as starter. The Dcy
who feeds on such trash gets false I'M
pressions of the world, and is more GER
tain to bring up in State Prison than n
respectable employment If you have
pistol fling it aside. The man who car
ries one about the streets is . coward
and mark him as such. II YOU have 2
Bowie-knife on hand turn it over 70
your mother for meat or bread KNIFE,
Ii you have q sand-club lying arouna
loose shy it into the ditch before any.
body finds out how empty your head has
been. That pair of brass-knuckles caa
be tossed into the river; "Old Sleuth
and Buffalo Bill will make gooa
bonfire, and then you are ready to peg g
life and to ask yourself what trade q
profession shall be yours when done y
the school. M Quad, IN Detroit fgse
Press.