Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1889-03-30
HOMEsPUN AND WHOLESOME.
A Sketch for All Mothers with Boys and
a Sermonette.

Sermonette.
Here from the Wisconsin, paper pub
lished at Milwaukee, is piece of plain
reading for those who have the care of
boys:
Mrs. Hardlowe and Mrs. Grant sat sew
ing. The placid face of Mrs. Hardlowe
was as serene as usual, but Mrs. Grant
seemed troubled and perplexed; suddenly
she spoke:
Mrs. Hardlowe, 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,"
AZ should like to find it if there is. l
heard Mrs. Ward say that her Henry had
never read dime novel. How l wish l
could say the same"
"Oh my Fred has,"
"Why How is that? l am surprised"
Yes, and / read it with him. l found
he was reading them on the sly. l said to
him one morning, Fred, when | made
your bed this morning found book I'M
der your mattress. You must have been
reading after you went to bed.'
"' Yes, ma;am, l was he replied.
well, don't do that | said. 1t isn't
good for you. l finished my book last
night, and why can't we read together?
We have read SO many other books, you
know
GO Yes, mother, but 1 don't think YOU
would care about this one.'
"sOh! never mind about that-if YOU
care about it of course l will
"When evening came I said. Now.
Fred, let us have that book"
He 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.
" took the book and read when came
to where the Indians were carrying off the
beautiful, lovely, delicate girl, and the boy
of Is was performing unheard of feats in
an effort to rescue her, looked up and
saw Fred's face red as fire, his eyes dilated,
and his whole frame quivering with ex-
element
81 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 valor and tue love for her.
Fred laid his head in nv Ian and
sobbed and cried.
"When | had finished he jumped I'D
and said: That's jolly bookl If ever I
have girl Pll do just that much for her.
"' Well, Fred,' said, let us see which
is the jolly part?'
"'Oh, the whole thing a boy would feel
so big to do that for girl. | Just hate
Indians
"Well, now said, well 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 neces-
sarily have starved or died from fright if
left alone the time described, and how
senseless it was to believe for a moment
that boy of Is could hold out against so
many Indiansl
Il 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.
Zen o'clock came, and Fred went to bed.
In about week Fred was in the yard,
when boy came along and said: Fred, /
have'-and held up three fingers. Fred
replied: i don't care if you have. Ny
mother and | are reading arthur Bonni-
CASTLE" and | like it better than those
things. Your blood-and-thunder stories
couldn't be true anyway"
Mrs. Grant was very thoughtful, but
hnally said: Your way is a better one.
I'll try to be more patient with my bow