The Birmingham age-herald., 1922-04-02

our town a good free library well stocked with proper literature and what one boy would read with pleas ure he would soon recommend to bis companions and, in this way. we didn't miss muchof contemporaneous juvenile literary pabulum. l well re- member the symbosiums we young sters would hold on the library steps. the discussions in boyish parlance, of our favorites and of their virtues. We were indeed true critics, frank. sincere and never destructive.
 My first real book was the Arab ian Nights. It was given me by my uncle. then n young collegian. home on vacation, as a bait to spend the early night hours with my grand mother who was ill., I took the book with rather bad grace because I pre- ferred to spend the night at my own home. The stage was properly set for the reading of such book. It was in wee parlor; engravings of Calvary. Ecce Homo and Mater Dalorosa looked down upon me; the curtains. rustling back and forth in the light night wind of early Septem- Der, gave brief glmpses of the har- vest moon; my grand mother was breathing sterterousiy in an adjoining room and my only light was candle. I opened the book aimlessly and rot enthusiastically It was at Aladdin and the Wonderful Lamp. It was in deed a wonderful lamp for 1t opened my eyes. Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves, Sinbad the Sailor and all the rest followed fast upon. The won derful carpet whisked me to Damas- cas, Bagdad and Balsora. 1 read until the guttering candle warned rle to retire lest some horrible Genii should appear and change me into a Hind. I have that dear book still and cherish 1t as one of my best treasures. Robinson Crusoe. Gufli- ver's Travels. Don Quiote. the books of Miss Alcott of Hawthorne, John T. Trowbridge, Edward Eggleston came along in proper sequence. The Huckleberry Finn created a furOre and supplied well our boyish yearn- ing. There were also the stories of Oliver Optic and Harry Castleman who knew so well how to write for young people. l could mention many more did space allow. I often won der if these books would make the same appeal to the youth of today as they did to those of the past, and if the modern boys books are IS entrancing as were those of old. And l EGu IHX SRlCt VI tune iipNC4Ss tDOs and they did me no harm. I re- member discovering treasure-trove of them behind the organ in our local Episcopal church. was blowing the organ for my sister, who took her organ lessons there. The package had been concached there by the regular blower, a young school friend who devoured their contents even during divine services. Did he come to bad end? Not yet, He is a very substantial citizen and president of a bank.
 q have not mentioned scripture reading. I think the parent should select those portions that will ap- peal to the young mind and heart especially the parables Of our Lord. and should likewise read these to their children. My mother often read for me the Prodigal Son and gave to that touching story tender grace that will never come back again. Then there are interesting arrange ments of Bible history and delight ful books on the life of Christ that should by no means be disregarded when suggesting books for the young