The weekly Floridian. [volume] (Tallahassee, Fla.) 1867-19??, 1889-08-27
FOR MOTHERS WITH IRONS

AOA~ NAV AAEltkA VITA ksOH&.
Here from the Wisconsin, paper pub
ished at Milwaukee, is a piece Of plain
reading Tor those who have the care of
bows:
Mrs. liarowe and Mrs Grant sat sew
ING. The placid face OF Mrs. IIarlowe
was as serene as usual, but Mrs. Grant
seemed troubled and perplexed; sud
denly she spoke:
Mrs. Harlowe, what shall | do with
my boy Will? 1t is the greatest tor
ment of my liie-thc way he reads dime
novels. | have burned two this morn
ing, and all | can say, he does get them
some way"
Perhaps there is better way to deal
with it,"
i should like to find it if there is.
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 | am sur
prised."
Yes, and l read it with him. l found
he was reading them on the sly. | said
to him one morning: Fred, when | made
your bed this morning l found book
under your mattress. You must have
been reading after you went to bed
:" Yes, MANN, | was he replied.
well, don't do that | said; it
isn't good for you. l 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 | will
When evening came | said, Now,
Fred, let us have that book
lie brought it very Reluctantly.
"' Now | said, sit down by me, and
as it is a stormy night we will have
good chance to get all the good we can
out of it,
g | took the book and read when |
came to where the Indians were carrying
off the beautiful, lovely, delicate girl, and
the boy of sixteen was performing I'M
heard-ot teats in an effort to rescue her
| looked up and saw Freds face red as
fire, his eyes dilated, and his whole frame
quvering with excitement.
in cave and the boy was carrying food
to her and killing snakes, Indians, etc,
to show his valor and true love for her.
I" Fred laid his head in my lap and
sobbed and cried
"When | had finished he jumped up
and said That's Jolly book Ii ever
| have girl Pll do just that much for
her.
"'Well, Fred, let us see which is the
jolly part
feel so big to do that tor a girl. Just
hate Indians.'
DWELL, now" said. "we'll 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 emotion in his own
breast was impossible.
How the girl must necessarily have
starved or died from fright if lett alone
the time described, and how senseless it
was to believe for a moment that boy
of sixteen could hold out against so many
Indians
| tried to talk very carefully, and in
no way to combat or ridicule any idea.
Then | 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 emotions 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 week Fred was
in the yard, when boy came along and
said: Erred, have, and held up three
fingers. Fred replied: Il don't care if
you have My mother and are reading
'Arthur Bonnicastle,' and | like it better
than those things. Your blood -and-thun-
der stories couldn't be true, anyway"
Mrs. Grant was very thoughtful, but
finally said: "Your way is better one.
I'll try to be more patient with my boy"