OUR BUSINESS BOYS.

you have received nothing in return but a mind dis-
tracted from the duties of school and store.

Another very dangerous “side-show” is bad read-
ing — flash papers and magazines and novels. They
have the same three signs of worthlessness as the
tent where the fat woman and the skeleton man are
exhibited. They do not cost as much in the first
place as really good books or papers, and still they
use up the money which might go for something good;
their chief attraction is outside, in the exciting adver-
tisement of what the “ Boys of New York” are doing,
and they give you nothing for your dimes but an
uneasy, restless heart; a heart disgusted with the
actual things of life.

Did you see that cartoon which appeared some
time ago in one of our illustrated papers, of the
“Infant Indian Exterminator?” It represented a
tow-headed baby in his cradle, drawing nourishment
from a huge bottle labeled “dime-novels,” “ half-
dime stories,” “five cent papers,” etc. Knives and
pistols were thrust into narrow crevices of the cradle,
while a shot-gun rested across the baby’s knees. A
wild and lurid light gleamed from his eyes, his hair
stood on end with excitement, while all about on the
floor were scattered the “ Buccaneers of the Battery,”
“Tke, the Indian Killer,” “The Pirates of the
Passaic,” etc., etc.

I have known many boys who rocked themselves in
such a cradle year after year; I have known even

little office boys and cash boys to go to their places of
business, their pockets bulging with this literature, to
be read in spare minutes, and it has given me the
greatest sense of discouragement I have ever felt in
But I would advise

regard to “our business boys.”

   
 
 

A Ws see ey

Wee ae
i eR
PS

2607

every boy of you, to make the hottest fire in the
kitchen stove you can, stuff in all the “Indian Killers”
and “ Buccaneers” and “ Pirates” and “ Bloody Bens”
you find lying about, and never renew their acquaint-
ance.

Beware, too, of the public billiard-hall ‘“ side-
show.” ‘This looks bright and attractive from the
outside. The walls are beautifully frescoed, and the
gas lights are very brilliant, and theré does not seem
to be any harm in shoving about a few ivory balls ;
but those innocent-looking balls have kept many a
boy out of his rightful inheritance—a useful, success-
ful, happy life.

There are many other “side-show ” tents which
line all the pathway of life, of which the merchants
of Portland speak, such as “ Drinking Saloons,”
“Horse Races,” “ Midnight Dances,” and the like ;
but I hope you will keep away from them.

You can, too, make a “side-show” of almost any-
thing, even of things which are perfectly proper in
themselves. The skating rink, the fish pond, the
marble ring, the base-ball ground — if they take time
and strength which you ought to devote to work or
study, all become dangerous “side-shows.” [Every
boy ought to know how to skate, and fish, and shoot,
and play base-ball, only be sure not to make any of
these things the main business of life.

For remember: No boy that goes into many of
the side-show tents at the fair will be likely to get into:
the main exhibition, and the merchants of Portland
seem to agree, that no boy who patronizes these
moral “side-shows ” will be likely to get into the main
current of business life, nor, if he should, will he
carry off the prizes of a successful life.

 

aN