Tiger and Tom and Other Stories for Boys

The inside of this books says:
"The stories in this book were complied from a four volume set titled, Sabbath Readings.  The stories were originally gathered from church papers in the 1870's, Methodists, Lutheran, Presbyterian, etc.  We bring to you this 1910 reproduction, which is when the stories were first illustrated.  We have found the stories to be truly "a breath of fresh air" in literature for children and youth.  May they receive a warm welcome in your home is our prayer."

I've had this book for a long time and have read it to my sons many times over.  I recently got it out again as there are eleven years between my sons Beau (17 years old) and Luke (six years old), and it had just sat on the shelf for a while.  The younger children are enjoying the stories.

The stories in this book get down to the very basics of character, situations that other books don't always cover.  If the child I'm reading too is very young, like Luke, I will sometimes have to explain just exactly what is happening.  An older boy can read these on his own, which mine did, especially around the ages of eleven.

Some examples are the story of a careless young boy with a group of friends who are going ice skating.  They push and crowd into a trolley, and the conductor has to fuss at them to be careful.  As they rush to get off the car, one young man (Roger)'s skate catches in the scarf of a young hunchback boy.  He yanks at the scarf, jerking the crippled young man and stepping on a lady's toes.  Roger gives an impatient exclamation, and the young hunchback softly says "It wasn't my fault, was it?"  Roger runs off without replying.  But he is really a kind boy, and his behaviour bothers him as he skates.  He cannot stop thinking of the pale face of the other boy.  Later, he falls and turns his ankle, and who should come to his rescue, but the young hunchback.  As he helps Roger home, they talk, and the boy tells him how he became crippled (he was dropped as a baby).  Roger apologizes, and the other boy forgives him as he gives him an idea what it's like to be handicapped.  In the end, Roger learns a lesson he will remember all his life.

The title story is about a young boy (Tom) whose temper causes him to injure another boy.  The injured boy supports his widowed mother, and Tom takes over his job to try and help the family, but in the end, sells his beloved dog, Tiger, to pay for an operation for the boy he injured.

The stories are old fashioned, but still hold timely truths about character.  It's hard to find a book like this one, and it's been read over and over again in our house.

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