Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-04-12


My son, drop that dime novel or flash
paper and let's have little chat.
Yes, Indian and detective stories are
thrilling, but don't 90 too fast. The
chances are that you will never see a live
Indian outside Of a circus or a street pa
rade, and as for killing 'em-dOn't.
No doubt you could strap 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 20 West and slay Indians by
the cord, but don't think of it.
And Indian has feelings. the same as a
white man, and as few of them have laid
by any bonds or mortgages, or invested to
any great extent in life insurance, you
must realize that the widows and orphans
Of your victims would be left in a sad
plight.
As for detective stories, 90 and talk
with a real detective or a county sheriff.
ASK 'em about "Old Sleuth's" DISCUSSES
and exploits and magic luck, and then
listen carefully while they tell you what
a 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 differentl 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.
That crowd or New York publishers
who are flooding the country with flash
papers and dime novels are your worst
enemies. No matter to them whether you
grow up a 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 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 to-day will be able to put
our shoulders to the wheel. Even decade
will retire tens Of thousands. What then
Why, my son, this is world which knows
no stop. This is a 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 viii 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 nave to bear
the burdens and anXieties of keeping this
country on the track Of peace and pros
perity, and your voices will sound from
the halls of Congress 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 a State Senator.
Don't ina CINE that a detective wouldn't
trade places with a lawyer very quickly
if he had his say about it. Don't you be-
lieve that an embezzler burglar or muir
derer is a hero, and that men admire him.
Drop your novels and flash papers as a
starter. The boy who leeds on such trash
gets false impressions Of the world, and is
more certain to bring up in State prison
than in respectable employment. If you
have a pistol fling it aside. The man who
carries one about the streets is a coward
and men mark his as such. | you have a
bowie-knife 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; sold Sleuthv and Buffalo Bilrr
will make a good bonfire, and then you
are ready to begin life and ask yourself
what trade or profession shall be yours
when done in the school.