The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1894-10-31
Dime Novels for Family Reading.

Dime Novels for Family Reading.
A club of boys once gathered a
number of dime novels of the most
sensational type and were reading
them on the SLY. One mother who
had discovered volume of this sort
of literature in her sons pocket, COM
mitted the. book to the flames and
threatened to whip him If any more
were found. Another boy, according
to this story from The Ladies' Home
Companion was treated in quite diff
ferent manner:
When Harry heard his mothers
voice, he sprung up and intended to
hide the book, as he had been thor
oughly cautioned to do by others.
"Why, Harry, what Is it ?"
"Ob, only book boy lent me-"
as it a good one ?"
Eyes, its awfully interesting"
"Well Pm glad of that, for if there's
anything I enjoy it is a good book.
Put it by till after supper, and this
evening Well read it together"
Harry complied, but feeling all the
time as if there was some wrong about
it somewhere. After supper Mrs.
Nelson got her sewing and said, "NoW
Harry, you read and I'll sew"
So Harry began. He read little
while, but Somehow the book didn't
eem the same to him; things came
up in the story that he did not just
like to be reading to his mother:
"Do you like it ?" he asked"
swell, I can tell you as you 60 on
if you are interested In it will be-"
So Harry read on. 1t wasn't quite
as interesting as it had been for some
reason. Finally his interest tagged
he told his mother all about it and
where they were reading them.
"And you can get them all ?" Mrs
Nelson asked. ''What treat there is
in store for us Well finish this
one and then you can get another, and
they'll last us most of the winter"
Harry WINGED. He was tired of il
already. He had expected his mother
to act q little as Rob's mother had
Mrs. Nelson went on sewing, ano
Harry read until about 8 o'clock
Finally Harry laid down the book ano
with some anxiety said, "What &c
YOU think of it, mother"
Oh, it's very thrilling; don't you
think so ?"
"Well, yes; but do you s'pose
these boys reall y did these thingsW
"Why, you must think just how
YOU would do under such circum
stancesw
II should be scared to DEATH" ad
mercy Would you: Why, was
just congratulating myself that If
bold, horrid man was to step in on Vi
now, and say, Madam, your money
or your life3 you would brayeiy
spring to my rescue and say, 'Holo
there william! Unhand that woman
or your life's blood shall pay for th'
outrage and that you would imme
diately draw out that immense knife
YOU got some time ago and made 81
sharp, and stab him.
Harry's eyes were luminous by TN
time. He couldn't understand hi
mother at all.
"But 20 on, Harry. I must hear To.
rest of that before I 90 to sleep
And Harry read little longer.
"Ten o'clock came, and Mrs. Mel
son began making preparations 70
bed. For their evening lesson sh
read the first Psalm. In guarded Ian
guage she drew Harry's attention t
the climax of the verses-first, walk
ing with the ungodly, then standing
STOPPING a little longer to listen AM
finally being so taken up with tn
attractiyeness of evil as 10 sit dowl
an ! stay with it. She did not attemp
to moralize, but just sOwed the see'
and let it alone, then, pressing him t
her heart, she kissed him fOndly, say
ing. "God keep you, my hoy, IN ), tn
time of temptation. Good night"
When Harry awoke the next morn
ing, he lay thinking quite busily. A
he started off to school, his mothe
called, "Be sure TO get another book
Harry, and tell the boys TO come her
tonight and read them, if they wan
to-"
The boys were thunderstruck at tn
Invitation. Rob Ellis, who was tn
leader of the crowd, was disposed I
scold: "Such cad as you are, Harr.
Nelson, to blab everything to you
mother"
"WeIl, what of it? She enjoys them
I guess if 1 can read them, mothe
can"
Rob was a little confused at Mrs
Nelson's literary tastes, but next ever
ing Harry coaXed' Ro b around for In
evening. The reading began, and
although the boys took turn abouu
reading, it tagged. The color woul
creep into Rob's face when he rea
the talk that some of the character
|indulged in, it didn't seem just tn
thing before Mrs. Nelson. Whel
Harry and his mother were alone, b
said, 81 don't believe I'll finish tina
book, mother;
"Why not Harry"
"Well, it all seems to me as II
couldn't have happened"
Mrs. Nelson wisely kept silent
There is a time when silence is 8
much more effective. The world car
not be reformed in a day, but grea
deal can he done toward it if ever
mother wonld reform her own boy.