, 1890-01-26
LET THE BOYS DOT
Give Your son a Gun When He Under
stands Handling 1t.

stands Handling 1t.
By all means let the boys have then
fife and shotgun, furnish them a
reasonable amount of ammunition and
pay their license to shoot. if we ever
come to that protective measure. How
else can the boy learn to shooti If |
had my way every boy and every
girl should learn to shoot, even though
they never killed alone a single head
of game. 1t is not the extinguishing
of the vital principle of either bird or
beast for which men go afield, and the
game butcher should never be classed
as asportsman.
The rifle and revolver are
the use of which demand physical CON
diuons never found in the indolent
effeminate or the dissolute. They are
weapons for men and women not for
dolls of either sex. If every boy and
glrl were carly taught the use and
abuse of firearms the death rate from
accidents caused by carclessness would
be reduced to a minimum; the mum
ber of corner l~oafcrs, cigarette smok.
ing, round shouldcred, delicate boys
and girls afflicted with corsets, nerve
tire and headaches would decrease in
direct proportion 10 the increase OF re-
crults to the army Of those 10Y enjoy
ing such sport.
And what is to hinderl Any one Of
n half dozen American manufacturers
makes rifles sufficiently light for ladies'
and boys to use; prices aro such that
any one of moderate means can own
he very best; accuracy is unsur-
passed; and ammunition, that is the
~22-calber cartridges, which are plenty
.arge enough for all ordinary range,
IS very 'negp. But. alas' tickle fash
ION has dccreel that the girl child
shall be a woman before reaching wo-
manhood, and must never condcsccnd
to mIugle in manly sports unless the
thin veneer of fashionable polish
should be married Fathers forget
they were ever boys aud wanted n gun;
or, being without desire that way.
compel their logs 81 think rs they do,
or TO use weapons surrcptitIously.
No! give the boys a chance. and the
girls o o
Let those parents who are not
sportsmen and arc blessed with chill
drcu imbued with such instincts. take
tlJe time and trouble to learn the ant
themselves and instruct their boys and
girls. lily word for it, such children
viii love you with a deeper intensity,
Will spring to obey your commands
with Il better grace, for has not their
father, their ideal OF all that is good
and great, associated himself with
them in their playt And where is
there a normal child who would moi
rather associate with his father than
with amy other conpanioni
You, who yourselves love the gun,
do not, beg you, think it n bore
to guide the youngstcr in the
paths you love SD well or thinR
1t tlreSumc 10 initiate him in the mys.
tcrios of an art fascinating alike to
young and old. Bear in mind your
own youth, and your heart would
have gone out to any one who would
have takon time and trouble to help
you become a good shot.
Our boys and girls are to be the fa-
Tiers and mothers Of other boys and
girls, and how can we mold tho gen
Grafton of those who shall take our
places unless We now stand sponsors
to the sports as we'll as to other edu.
c~ational advantages, and where is there
TO be found a cleaner, more scientific,
more manly sport than rifle shootingl