Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-03-07
DIME NOVELS,
How Mother Caused Her Boy to Sick.
en- Of Them.

From the Milwaukee Wisconsin.
Mrs. Harlowe and Mrs. Grant sat sewing. The
placid face of Mrs. Harlowe was as serene as
usual, but Mrs. Grant seemed troubled and per-
picked suddenly she spoke:
Mrs. Harlowe, what shall do with my boy
Will? 1t is the greatest torment of my life-the
way he reads dime novels. have burned two
this morning, and all can say, he does get
them some way"
Perhaps there is better way to deal with
it."
Il should like to find it If there is. I heard
Mrs. Ward say that her Henry had never read
dime novel. How wish could say the
same"
.'Oh my Fred has"
why! How is that? lam surprised"
"Yes, and read it with him. found he was
reading them on the sly. said to him one
morning: Fred when I made your bed this
morning l found book under your mattress.
You must have been reading after you went to
bed"
Yes, ma'am. was he replied
Well don't do that l said. 1t isn't good
for you. finished my book last night, and why
can't we read this together? We have read SO
many other books, you know"
Yes, mother, but don't think you would
care about this one.'
"'Oh! never mind about that-if you care
about it of course l will.
when evening came said! Now, Fred, let
us have that book"
He brought it very reluctantly.
Now, l said, sit down by me, and as it is q
stormy night We will have good chance to get
all the good we can out of it,
Il took the book and read; when came to
where the Indians were carrying off the beau
tlful, lovely, delicate girl and the bow of SIX
teen was performing unheard of feats in an eff
fort to rescue her, looked up and saw Fred's
face red as fire. his eyes dilated, and his whole
frame quivering with excitement.
II kept on until the girl was secreted in a
cave and the boy was carrying food to her and
killing snakes, Indians, etc., to show his yalor
and true love for her.
Fred laid his head in my lap and sobbe d
and cried
when had finished he jumped up and said
That's jolly book-f ever have girl I'll
do just that much for her.
well, Fred said, let us see which is the
jolly part?'
dams
well, now said. wen take each part
and talk about it, and dissected the whole
story and showed him how such things couldn't
be done; how what had created so much emo
uon IN his own breast was imp ossible.
How the girl must necessarily have starved
or died from fright if left alone the time de-
scribed, and how senseless it was to believe for
moment that boy of sixteen could hold out
against so many Indians
II tried to talk very carefully, and in no way
to combat or ridicule any idea. Then l asked
him If he could think of any good the book had
done him, and tried to make him see that if he
could not he must admit that exciting the emo
lions to such an extent over impossible wrongs
was very much like taking alcohol to gain
strength. Ten o'clock came. and Fred went to
bed. In about a week Fred was in the yard,
when boy came along and said: Fred, 1
have and held up three fingers Fred re-
pied: i don't care If you have. My mother
and are reading Arthur Bonnicastie. and
like it better than those things Your blood
and-thunder stories couldn't be true. anyway"
Mrs. Grant was very thoughtful but finally
said: "Your way is a better One I'll try to be
more patient with my boy.''