The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1885-08-13
Our New York Letter.
From our resident correspondent
WHAT SHALL WE READ!


WHAT SHALL WE READ?
The world is full of books; maga
zines and papers are multiplied ST
cheaply and abundantly that they al
most oyerwhelm us. In this state o
things it often becomes question 4:
to what we shall read. Without 60
ing into this subject in all its lengtl
and breadth, one thing may be held .!
true, that our daily papers give alto
gether too much attention to record
Of the evil deeds Of mankind, and toe
little to the good deeds. There cal
! be no doubt that it demoralizes the
minds of the young more than almost
anything else to dwell so much on
that which is evil, to read so many
sensational accounts Of elopements.
murders, suicides, and other crimes
which fill our journals. Indeed, there
is abundant evidence that the read,
ing of these stories frequently causes
others to 60 and do the same thing;
on the other hand, the record Of the
good deeds Of mankind stimulates
others to initiate them. There is no
doubt but the publication of the be-
quests Of rich men to found institu-
tions for the benefit of the race, has
stimulated others to make similar
dispensations Of their surplus money.
Mothers should always interest
themselves in the reading Of their
children, and be able by wise word,
when it is required, to guide their
tastes to the best. But IN order to
do this they must themselves be in
formed-must give thought to the
subject. Our children are worth
our deepest and best thought. But
not only is it question of impor-
tance what our children read, but
also what we read ourselves. There
should be but one aim: Read the
best. The world is full Of good
books, books full of wisdom, and we
should read such of them as will
make US wiser and better
THE BEST AMONG THE BEST,
is the Magazine of American His
tory The August number, which
has just been issued, is an edition of
which the publisher may be proud.
1t opens with superb steel-engray-
ing, the portrait Of 'Major-General
John \. Dix the biographical
sketch Of his busy and useful life is
from the Editors gifted pen. 1t also
contains the second installment Of
Gen. Thomas Jordans most valuable
paper on the Beginnings Of the
Civil War in America the author
standpoint, unfolding much that be-
longs to truth of history. He claims
that no leading public man of ac-
knowledged authority at the North
ever proclaimed the right Of or
urged the resort to armed coercion of
the receded States back into the
Union. as a constitutional power, un-
til after the seeded States made ac-
tual war in Charleston harbor; that
the country up to that time, SO far as
the Executive and his Cabinet at
Washington were concerned-under
the Republican as we'll as under the
Democratic regime-was as "a drift
loo on the ocean of accidents" Ger.
John Cochrane contributes an in
teresting article of the ''Charleston
Convention,"- OF which he was q
member, that assembled in May 1860,
to nominate Democratic President
ial ticket. Etheibert D. Warfeld pre-
sents us with the Life and History
of John Breckenridge, a Democrat
of the Old Regime ''Cincinnati
with the War Fever, 1857" by Gen.
Henry NJ. Cist, needs no further
comment; it shows the condition Of
that city and it's sentiment prior to
the outbreak Of hostilities, together
with a description of the great up
rising for the Union, of which the
writer was an eyewitness, when the
Guns in Charleston harbor echoed
across the continent. The illustra-
tions of Fort Sumter and Others, by
Theo. r. Davis, are striking. The
portraits of Jefferson Davis and the
six members of his first cabinet are
grouped in the pages immediately
following, the whole forming one OF
the most impressive pictural views OF
the direct causes of the civil war that
has vet been presented to the read
ing public. One Of the most strlk'
inc of the artists drawings is street
scene in front Of the Capitol in
Montgomery, Alabama, the night al
ter the Inauguration Of Jefferson
Davis, which brings back to memory
the condition of affairs in this coun
try at that crisis, with its two Repub
Iican governments struggling for life
one within the other. Lack Of space
forbids us to mention numerous Other
notable features Of this mammot!
edition, which is edited by Mrs
Martha J. Lamb, 80 Lafayette Place:
New York. \. \.
"SOUTHERN BIVCUAC,
for August is not behind former IS
sues in timeliness and general IN
terest. 1t opens with Map OF tn(
Battlefield Of Nashville >: "
Wright has q paper, entitled ~
Glimpse of Perryville,'' which is IN
teresting. The Last Battles ol
Hardees Corps.' from the pen Of If, A
P. Ford, is an article which shouldn
be glanced over by South CarolinlanS
especially. NJ. G. Ellzee contributes
an interesting sketch Of George MA
son." 4 Story Of Florida: entltleo
"Wild Life in the Seventies, reaches
its end. William II. Hayne has
readable paper Oh floods Zen
nessee Campaign Battle OF Iasn M
Vile. with striking portraits OF uen
]. B. Hood, Brig-Gen. Thos. ): " oGI'
It.Gen. S. D. Lee, Maj-Gen. Geo. IL
Nv - IT poftuS anG