Page:The American Boy's Handy Book edition 1.djvu/16

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Preface.
v

ments on the apparatus here described; but it is hoped and expected by the author that the directions here given, as far as they go, will be found intelligible and practicable.

Nor is the volume, as is too often the case with this class of books, only to be made use of by lads with an almost unlimited supply of money at their disposal.

All apparatus described are either to be constructed of material easily obtained by almost any boy without cost, or by a very small outlay.

The author would also suggest to parents and guardians that money spent on fancy sporting apparatus, toys, etc., would be better spent upon tools and appliances.

Let boys make their own kites and bows and arrows; they will find a double pleasure in them, and value them accordingly, to say nothing of the education involved in the successful construction of their home-made playthings.

The development of a love of harmless fun is itself no valueless consideration. The baneful and destroying pleasures that offer themselves with an almost irresistible fascination to idle and unoccupied minds find no place with healthy activity and hearty interest in boyhood sports.

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