The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1900-02-22

fail, To the low, vicious, 0Dscene
pictures and books that are scatter
ed promiscuously about him. His
mind was sullied, his ideals black
ened. How easy with such he
ginning to entice him to the saloon,
once there the man VINO has 80 Sc
dulously and system atically sought
his downfall may leave HIS victim,
and seek others. His deadly poison
will work. Oh, what lot of VIC
ious trash is circulated among our
boys and girls! Stuff that you
would not sully your fingers by
touching, is put in such a place
that the child can get 1t, that 1t can
not dodge. How often the bright
boy and girl, sent from you in the
morning with pure thoughts, re-
turns with sullied mind, and a
weakened, vitiated will. Fortunate
ly, the child cannot wholly escape
the influences OF the earliest train
ing. More fortunate If that train
ing has been right. The law OF the
universe Is towards purity and
goodness, and the child will re-
spond more quickly to those in
fuences that are elevating, than to
the degrading provided they are
supplied in an attractive way.
The richest investment q farmer
can make, is that of good juvenile
books and papers. A friend of
mine used TO say that no child
would go to ruin If brought up on
the Youths Companion. The IL
braries are full of fascinating stories
of bird and fish and stream, Of
stories written in such style as to
incite the child to study the COM
mon things about him and invest
them with new, sacred signifi-
cance. Nature studies that will
lead the child to the very heart of
nature, and inspire and help them
In all the vicissitudes of life. Then
there are equally fascinating stories
Of the achievements OF great minds
in science, literature and art, and
in every walk Of life, books that
instruct as we'll as entertain. What
an incentive to noble endeavor and
high resolve, is the history of some
man or woman who has had the
same hopes and tears, joys and
sorrows, as they. Who had to
bring In coal and water; who has
been laughed at aId scorned by
the bully in school, but, who,
through it all has kept steadily at
work, each day doing his duty as IL
appeared to him, each day adding
just little to his store of knowl-
edge. And the wise little ones, far
wiser than we give them credit,
are ambitious and will trv to do the
things his hero did, and will grow
up into noble men and women,
themselves heroes. Our travelling
library has rich fund of juvenile
literature, selected with great care
and wisdom by our state librarian,
Mr.. Galbreath.
We have devoted good deal of
attention to the books and papers
that will help to make good farm.
er, believing that when a farmer
can understand somewhat of the
forces he has to deal with, he will
gradually come to see their beauty.
The love of a beautiful calf, a
sheep, the pride taken in an artis.
ically planned field kept scrupu-
lously free from weeds, with the
golden grain bending, not yielding,
to the breeze, all these things tend
to produce an idea OF symmetry,
proportion, beauty. And this in
turn leads to desire for mental
culture. TO no one can the poet
speak 30 truly as to the farmer, TO
none can the artist appeal so low.
ingly as to him; none other can
comprehend so clearly the divine
plan of the universe, as he who day
by day, sees the marvellous develop.
ment of plant from seed to ripened
grain or fruit. Therefore to none
other can come so lovingly and
truly, the lessons poet and prophet
and seer would teach, as to him for
whom the grass grows, flowers
blossom, birds sing and stars shine.
Marvellous is the wealth of our
literature, and rich beyond all com.
putation. Thousands of centuries
have passed away, each leaving its
history, its experiences for us to
profit by. And we can use this
storehouse II we will. How 1 wish
we had the time to talk OF the
books that are helpful; that make
our moments of happiness, times of
most intense Joy; that strengthen
our faith 10 humanity, and causes
us to see the divine purpose run.