The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1885-03-27

tive proof that the man was q brace
liar you would still find yourself won
dering how deep the water was, VIII
lost the watch and whether any on
had secured it. Your common sens
tells you there are no such beings a.
ghosts, but you have read and heare
of them, and have probably ex
pected to feel them clutching at YOU
throat.
A story which is put forth for boy
to read should, although it may be
purely fiction, contain nothing exag-
gerated or improbable. The hero may
be brave without OVERRIDING the thing.
You may find in the papers almost any
day instances where boys have dis
played great heroism at fires, or have
risked their lives to save others. These
things are possible and probable, but
this making boy drive off band of
Indians, or break up gang of rob-
bers, or capture a ship-load of pirates,
is against common sense.
Let me instance some other evils.
In book recently published by very
respectable eastern house. and having
for its author person with "Rev."
before his name, he tells about sailor
falling down the middle companion
way" He meant hatchway, but some
day some one of his boy readers will
say something about the "middle COM
panionway" and find himself the butt
of rldicule. The same author speaks
of sailor in his hammock. Hammocks
are never used aboard of merchant
vessels, but the men have berths. He
has the crew gather around the man at
the wheel to sing and smoke and yarn
it, when every boy who ever heard of
discipline aboard ship knows that no
sailor is permitted aft unless called
here by strict duty.
In another book, put forth by an
equally respectable house, the length of |
he Mississippi river is wrongly given.
Arkansas is put on the wrong side of
hat river, and the distance from
to Baton Rouge is not cor
ect by thirty miles.
Such instances as l have related be-
og a boys mind and lead him into er-
or, and he had better have spent his
me in playing marbles.
Let me ask you how much better off
on would be to sit down in a grocery
'r three hours each evening and lis
IN to some man telling lies, knowing
u the time they were lies Would
lat improve your mindP Many of
lie novels are no more improving than
lch grocery tales.
Now let me ask you what makes an
telligent, well-posted man School
iucatlon, to begin with. If we
armed nothing after we left school
e world would slip backwards. HIS [
ind goes on, day after day, week af- Q
r week, picking up scraps of history, t
'litics, travel, botany, astronomy, |
d so forth, and by and by he is hui 0
an encyclopedia. He may read love a
'ries and adventures all his days and b
no better off. Indeed, he will be f
worse off. 81
''Well, what shall boy read p'' a
There are one or two boy papers of n
cd moral tone. The heroes are not NJ
aggerated, and the adventures are al
improbable. If the story is of W
ming, the author gives you some pr
liable information in regard to min oy
Is and how to mine. Ii it is of it.
1ting you are taught how to make lu
res and traps, and are given the Sh
nciples of taxidermy. If it is of Al
ting you are taught the principles Of
sailing and rowing. If it is of the pl
you are given the correct names to-
,opes and yards and sails, and the an
its and traits of the people of other tn
ntries are correctly stated. co
here are few boy books which are
} to everyday life. Read these, IN
If you have further time take his ed
r. or something else which is GER SUI
to return some beneft-a daily an
its news from every for
country-its home happenings The
discussions of all matters of inter-
Its incidents and accidents, is ing
,raphy, history, grammar and or Shi
.raphy combined. his
link of these things, nv boy. If pill
were going to be boy forever the ags
would be different. No one my
Id expect anything great of you. luc
as the years roll on, you have got did
ok up the colleges and factories aga
railroads and general business of stri
world and keep them moving. Jug
such trash as Buffalo Bills Last catt
y or 1.-THE Demon of the Gulch" was
in fitting you to carry out the lool
s which will be turned over bv emf
by ? Your excuse that you read on
to pass away time is a poor one. will
have no right to throw away an mott
s time to the detriment of YOUR ploy
o.-M Quad, in Detroit Free Press. that
faith
A Trustful Fox. ga