“You can’t say that I haven’t large print or a good light,” she said.
“The print is good, but the paper bad,” said the Health Master. “Bad, that is, as you are holding it under a full, unqualified electric light. In reading from glazed paper, which reflects like a mirror, you should use a very modified light. In fact, I blame myself from not having had all the electric globes frosted long since. Now, I’ve kept the worst offender for the last.”
Charley detached his nose from his geography and looked up. “That’s me, I suppose,” he remarked pessimistically and ungrammatically. “I’m always coming in for something special. But I can’t make anything out of these old maps without digging my face down into ‘em.”
“That’s a true bill against the book concern which turns out such a book, and the school board which permits its use. Charley, do you know why Manny isn’t playing football this year?”
“Manny” was the oldest son of the family, then away at school.
“Mother wanted him not to, I suppose,” said the boy.
“No,” said Mrs. Clyde. “Dr. Strong persuaded me that the development he would get out of the game would be worth the risk.”
“It was his eyes,” said the Health Master. “He is wearing glasses this year and will probably wear them next. After that I hope he can stop them. But his trouble is that he—or rather his teachers—abused his eyes with just such outrageous demands as that geography of yours. And while the eye responded then, it is demanding payment now.”
“But a kid’s got to study, hasn’t he? Else he won’t keep up,” put in Bobs, much interested.
“Not at the expense of the most important of his senses,” returned the Health Master. “And never at night, at Charley’s age, or even yours, Bobs.”