The National tribune., 1883-10-18
LOYAL W0MsNS WORK
Tie Home Reading CiTcIe--EEperienea
Meeiing---Relief Corps News.
to,adsosss By Kase 3. sr.e-.oooa.l

tC9Ild ttctc1 Og AsIc Ls- o.tfstcoO-.
Tic long winter evenings viii soon Pc here.
what shall we Go with them? We already
know how some OF them viii be spent. II viii
be ia = reund OF thoughi.ess gaiety hat wll
leavesina salts acl iol Si}ol the season is ever.
Then the pale student will have his .alsp and
his haolz the school boy his sled; the mother
her nevcr-onding darninC and mending; the
father bis newspaper, and TIE daughter Der
story book or the latest pattern lCr tidy.
fAul iust here VIII somebody rise az and say
what becomes Of the thousand millions OF tidies
that are manufactured every year by cur
women and giris2 Especially since NOBODY
ever has any when al is done. Inen there IS
coastiag and driving visiting and gossping.
sfu-ilc schools and reYiv4ls ccurch socia.s and
receptions, caiap-fres and lectures, literary
clubs and musical circles. Aad So the bound
les activities o. lhe American brain End ex-
preston and expansion. very weh, and Yet
there IS something better than ali these
What cau Il be- some one asks. that is better
1haa sc'.oo or church, hal or ioraln, the liz
erarv ciab or the improvement society " hat
Is iy, indeed. but that which IS above and over
all-taa home reading circle. Aot the ianIly
reading G rcle where each Individual sits silent
and lbsoTted IN some special book or paper
but the reading circle where al gather round 9
common table, prepared l0r comment and
from some w0rk they may select
The habit OF reading aloud is profitable, not
only u the reader bat 10 the listener - well
With the FIRST il eul1ivates distinct cnuuciaaon
and the habit OF expressing himself clearly
while il docs away entirely with the tenpJa-
tion 10 skim book or story, Just as boy II az
orchard fall Of apples VIII bite lnto the ripe
luscious fruit, suck a little Of the juice, and
throw the apple away. il is precious Httle
,i9 ~. - Il flfTfr
profitable, since the mind, relieved entirely
from attention TO the text, viii be occupied
solely IN the absorption of ideas. To both
reader and listener il is sc0nimelGable, rs II de
NeloDs the habit Of fixed attention SO essential
10 lasting Impressions Of whatever sort
IN some families the father Is the reeogni 5ec
heaG 0t the home circle TeaGS aloud for an hotll
or two every evening Ia such fam Ii es tht
reading circle is very easy 10 start. Al that #
necessary IS To select the book, designate tn,
hour 10 be spent and the reader, aad SO begin
In arranging this the following rules viii bt
worth remembering:
First To read for an hour each evening. i
is not best to read too long at a time, lest tht
interest is lost IN the sense Of weariness that
comes from sitting TOO long IN one position
and even the mind may cog with too much o
good thing.
Second. DO not change your reader too often
unless for good reasons. from the fact that
new reader is always q little nervous abou
beginning. Once week is often enough.
Third while an occasional story is both pleas
ant and profitable. TOO much time should no
be given to fiction. unless il is Of the histOri
order Read books of travel and popular sci
enee, inteTspersed with biography, essays, an;
poetry.
In families where there are only young chill
dren. the reading circle NAV be very earl.
started by the mother who should never fee
herself too busy 10 give one hour to her chill
dren each evening. Nor need she feel her re
sources small if she is not supplied with th
voinMinous juvenile literature with which th
age absunds X is excellent IN its way, bu
Children are Just as well suited, and may b
equally benefited, with the same story toll
over and over, and which they IN turn learn 5
well ilat they viii often interrupt to supply a
emitted word or sentence.
As far back rs / can remember" says
wei known AMERICAN writer, . can see m
father, seated before blazing coal fire, with
lTt1le daughter on each knee, telling then
stories and singing songs. Many, many year
have rolled away, bug those heroic tales an
patriotic songs are remembered in their N
natest details and viii be while memory last
Later Ola. when the little 2iris were grown 10
large and serious to be danaled and amused
the little table was drawn oHf, and while o
one side sat mother with her knitting on tll
other cur father held his book, or paper, to tn
light and read while we listened eagerly fC
every word. When there was something u
did not understand. we did not hesitate 70 il
ouire, and kindly and carefully the subjet
would be gone eyer IN All It's bearings Soms
times the subjects discussed were very gTavl
.ana we could not COLI preheRd them IN ali the
bearin-s. fGt she seed WAS s0wn IN the stad
Gus isa5its formed Sad rbe Iaguiring spirit SC
10 work So iiCtie by litIie, we learned COZ
stiIutioaal la+ and political economy and socii
science, and wita it ali grea up a taste for I'll
s0una ana serioas things taat make up str0n
and weii-baiaaccd character. Indeed, I w9ul
not ADVISE amy parent to read 10 q child sillpi
what 4 can understand. Give them SOmethin
to p1zzle over aud reach out after This is q
vel0llneut, this is growth
Fathers ana lnetaeEs do not al your lives
fuli 81 mcBey-geItsng and prapegty-seekiI Il
tsIat you have no time for the children. Ne,
20 life islttered away Ia idle folly. is the Ii
given up TO sOrdld gain. Make time If -
cann0t tna it. but remember that better tina
al schools and Sunday schools and ali other i
facnces combined. Is the home iBstrHctio
regu.ariv aua evenly bestowed.
Mewoald ike Ia know iast how many HON
are ssar..ng up thc Tcadiag cir sle. VIII not oi
readers commitment WibA us on this subicc
TBe country is the pace whare It flourish
bezt :--csLgi VIC not hear ir8u The country? BU
some one says: lteadiag-Hattcr is hard
obta;a where we live" Iaat may be true bl
viii THE NATIoSAL TRIBUNE to start
there is certainly p weekly fund from whi'
10 draw. As to books they are SO cheap mo-
a-days that there is positively no excuse
being without them. For those who do u
feel chat they can afford bound books there
the Casscll Popular Library Series, inciudil
excellent works Of history and biography,
noat. cheap paper covers. Other pubIlshe
are providing the same facilities.
Try the home reading circle, and c2n up
the edtcr Of the Womans department lor a
anG al information you may desire.
Cur Weekly Experience Meeting.
LITTLE GIRLS WELCOME LETTER.
oAEIAsD VALLEY. Ia, October 1888
To the Edtor EAToEAL fHEBUsE:
have wanted 10 write 70 yen for ever 50 long
tine. lave oltly la!.cn courage by seeing 1
letter from Minnie Dodge, she little girl who VIZ
to you. This Is my 1irss attempt and hope you y
moi throw Il in the waste basket. Ny mother ri
IN 1850. AIy father j. married agan. Be was a $
der IN tae Fiily-seoOnd y iscousin. ] am TIVE
years old. ] have no brothers or sisters. l j
with IA uncle and aunt. uncle WAS "A sold