Southern standard. (McMinnville, Tenn.) 1879-current, 1890-10-18
Blood and Thunder Literature.

tue met tndt tnelr SONS spare tlme-
or n greater part of it at least-is
spent in the reading Of blood and
thunder literature-little trashy five>
cent novels? / venture the assertion
that nine out Of every ten boys in the
neighborhood of Is years Of age have
read not less than half a trunk full of
this class of literature.
Having been along this road, the
writer happens to know from eXpe-
rience the effect this literature has
upon the minds of young boys and,
also, about to what extent it is in.
dulged in among the youth in this
immediate vicinity. A scientist
could write a column upon the effects
Of reading trashy literature, but when
summed up would simply mean this:
at makes fool ofan intelligent boy"
The writer has ofttimes burned "mid.
night oil" over this Misunderstanding
stuff until, with nerves completely
unstrung, he would retire to his hum
BILE couch to spend the remainder of
the night in horrible dreams of In
dian war-whOOps, bloody tOmahawks,
scalping knives, beautiful golden
haired maiden captives, and a great
deal more of just such fOolishness
which it takes to make up an ideal
novel for weak.minded youth.
say weak minded because it does
show a weak mind for boy to en-
terrain the idea that such things exist
at the present time; but give one
half chance and he will prove that
he does believe it by taking the first
train for the wild and woody west, 4"
armed with "A 22-calibre revolver and
also determination to spill the gore
OF the first "red skin" that crosses his
path. And about the best cure
known for young boy thirsting to
sea- p an Indian, or to mount frey
st"ed and dash into an Indian camp
and bear away in triumph the afore.
said pretty captive and restore her tC
her parents, and he called "Wild
Bill" a rip-roaring cyclone of devas>
tation, Is to give him a chance, and
when he is gone about three weeks
from home, you are growing anxious
I" know how many notches have
been cut on mis- rifle stock-One notch
for every dead Indian, you know
but the very first letter from thu
wonld.be Indian slayer bears thu
touching news that he is sorry, o
50 sorry, and that it takes only Ger
tain sum to buy IA railroad tickle
home and il he had that he believe
he would give up the Indian bushes
and be content to 60 to school ant
chop wood and do most anythin,
around home, which was f0rmerl,
entirely too tame for his "blood
thirsty" nature. This cure may b.
little expensive, but it is sure.
Parents are responsible to SOM
extent for this state of things. Fur
niSh your boys with library of goOC
and useful books, which will act AS
healing balm to the tired minds of
hard days study at school, and the,
will have no desire to steal off t
some out>0f-the.way place and spen,
their evenings reading novel whic
impairs the mind and renders then
unfit for the school room. A boy
mind can't be kept on arithmeti
and also on the latest edition of
cent novel-it is tug of war betwee
the two and the novel general
comes out first best. 1t has ofte
occurred to the writer that this woul
be a splendid subject for an occasions
lecture in the home circle, which
am sure is neglected duty with
great many. Literature of this cha
acter should be shown up in its tru
light and parents should use ever
precaution against its coming int
their children's hands. If you wis
them read anything which is called
novel, select it yourself and get onl
those of the highest order, in whiC
they will be entertained and at II
same time instructed, but never Ell
courage boy in the reading of tn
cheap, trashy stuff, simply becau
it is your desire that he should rec
as much as possible. Outside of
school boys regular school exercise
a good newspaper is about the be
thing he could read.
The late Prof. j. p. Clark alwa
kept his school room fully equippt
with local and foreign newspaper
which the pupils were required
peruse when tired of their books.
for ono NvoS oopnrolIy Nvoor,,