The Republican journal., 1895-09-26

>TSA -A~ss.A Oe~eOsAe eeASAA $3.50
the history Of the German woman from
the earliest days to the present time, and
found in the American won an Of to day,
who in the work of life stands side by side
with her husband, a fit type Of the early
German woman, who was strong, earnest
and brave, as we'll as domestic and
womanly.
The Committee on Plan of Work re-
ported recommendations as to the details
of the work in the various departments,
and their report was adopted.
A vote of thanks was extended to Mrs.
II. M. Gammans of Belfast for contri-
button Of s. to the State union treasu ry.
A committee to solicit pledges of
money for extending the work in the
State secured subscriptions of $35.
Mrs. Weston read the paper prepared
by Mrs. c. v. Hanson Of Skowhegan, on
''The Need of Good Literature for Boys
and How to Provide It.
Ladies Of the Non Partisan Woman's
Christian Temperance Union, am sorry
that | cannot be with you to- day and
speak personally upon a subject in which
am so much interested. ''What litera-
ture do we wish our boys to read? Let me
ask question, What kind of boy do we
want our boy to be, what kind of man
do we wish him to make? You are all
earnest, loving mothers, and you and wish
our boys to be earnest men with purpose
in life. 1t a man owns horse he intends
to fit for the race, what limit is there to
the care, the attention, the rubbing and
bathing, and all that, he is willing to give
to accomplish his purpose? If you own
rare plant, the gift, perchance, of friend,
how carefully You nurture it, the careful
training, the judicious watering, the sun
ny window, and 10. you have the fruit of
your toll in the beautiful blossom. Dear
ladies, never was finest animal, never was
loveliest plant, of the value of one boy
There is nothing of greater worth ever
given than boy. What then in this one
direction shall we do for this God given
treasure? Every day we look about us we
see the sad mistakes men have made with
their lives. Let us try to avoid them for
our boys and the other boys whom we
may reach. do not think all these mis-
takes are caused by bad literature, but it
surely eats into the foundation of the
moral character Of many men. Litera-
ture may not necessarily be bad to be
harmful, but the light, soulless, useless
literature seems to lay waste the best
minds and render it good ground for every
evil seed to take root in. When one sees
the growing sturdy lads, with their won
derful capacities for fun and mischief, one
realizes what great responsibility it is
to bring up boy. What then shall our
boys read? First of all the Bible; and let
us begin very early. How can a youth
better learn to keep pure amid tempta-
tions than from the story of Joseph? How
better learn the principles of temperance,
temperance hygiene if you please, than by
reading of Daniel, of his beauty and
strength? Where could boy better learn
true manhood than from the story of the
Jews? Do not trust this to the Sunday
School teacher, but begin early in your
own homes. | think this is the secret of
so many young men leaving the Sunday
School at an early age. They have not
learned to love the Bible at home. l was
thinking as we had the Fall of Jeri-
cho'' for a lesson, lately what fine chance
it would be to tell our dear boys who dearly
love to blow their tin horns, the story, to
let them march about the house and tell
them that with every blast they must
bring down some strong city Of sin in
their hearts.
But they need other reading than this.
Our stirring boys love to read Of fights, Of
adventure and how people are killed.
Why should we be shocked at this? 1t is
only the solidifying of their energetic
natures, full Of lively imaginings and the
more terrible the tragedy the more near
ly akin to his wild dreams. A friend Of
mine was telling me of her Tom He
liked to have his mother read to him. but
he wanted great many people killed off
in every chapter, and the one that took
the prize in this respect was, in his esti-
nation, perfectly elegant Now Tom
was fine. manly fellow, and his mother
was too wise to read goody books, or to
be discouraged at his depraved taste. No,
she read to him the stirring stories from
English and Scottish history, not forget
ting those Of our own country. Toms
cravings were satisfied, and at the same
time he got, in wholesome doses,
knowledge Of history and taste for
literature. and is now one of the most in
telligent boys of his age. Such boys can
not like the traditional Sunday school
book, with its very good and very bad
boys. l think it is possible for almost
every boy to early acquire love for his
tory. American history is most fascinat-
ing, with its wonderful events, with the
daring bravery, and ideas stranger than
fiction
Charles Carleton Coffin in his sold
Times in the Colonies and ''Boys of
'61,'' has put the nations history into
most delightful form for our young peo-
pie. Boys want boys books. l think
there is something indescribable in the
way in which boy will speak Of dress.
In very like manner does he regard girls
books. His books must be books of
brave deeds and dauntless courage. Let
us see that their stories speak Of deeds
done in good cause. A gentleman who
has one Of the highest positions of trust
and honor in the State said to me this last
summer, that the first time he saw my
husband when he was little boy, his
thought was, 81 can lick that fellow
Those who know the kind, genial man
now, would wonder that lever such
thought could enter his mind. 1t was
simply the desire to measure strength.
Happily, in these days athletics help
out these longings of the present genera
ton. But this is all to show that there
are strivings in every boys nature that
must be met.
The lives Of distinguished men are also
helpful. l think, too, we should early try
and find, if possible, the special inclina-