Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1890-01-09
THIS IS WonAN's WAY.
The Various ways IN Which Novels Are
Read by the Fair Sex.

Watch A woman or a girl read
novel? And if sou have watched one
Of course You have watched more. 1t
is curious and interesting work, and
gives one quite an insight into a wOm-
ans character, for they do not all read
novels "a the same way. Of course, the
majority read for the simple object Of
pas ing the time away, without caring
for plot or style: they devour every
thing that comes in their way, hardly
knowing what it is, and forget the
whole story as soon as they have turned
the last leaf and closed the covers.
These are old hands at novel-reading,
and SO long as they find temporary
amusement and time flies by unnoticed,
they care not for lovers woes or ways,
nor whether the climax is happy or
unhappy.
But the sentimental schoolgirl and
the romantic Young woman 20 to work
fla a very different way. They will
pick up a book and read the title at
teuuyely, and then the title page,
gl0ating over it if by chance it hap
pens 10 contain line Of poetry. They
Will then open the book at the first
chapter and read its title and the few
head lines Of poetry, if there happens
to be ang, and so on through the whole
volume to the very last page. In this
way they get a vague idea Of the story
and gauge the interest OF it by the
quantity and quality Of the verse con-
tanned therein. After the skimming
process they begin to read at the be-
trimming Of the first chapter and read
steadily through 10 the very end. thor
oughly ENJOYING it all and remember
ing fairly well the plot. names of the
characters and the principal Incidents.
These readers have good memories.
They read more for the story than
for style, and reading slowly and care
fully, they do not 20 through many
books during the year but remember
those they do read, Opposite TO this
class OF readers is the unsentimental
and unromantic class Of women, both
married aud single. They skip all the
poetry and most Of the loye-makiag,
and care only for the development of
the plot. They gallop through book
after book OF intricate plots, caring lit
tie how the story ends. So far as a hero
and heroine are concerned they are
simply curious to know how much IN
genWty the author can show in the
weaving Of plot.
The inpatient woman reads the last
chapter of tile novel first She must
know the fate OF The lovers before she
can consent 10 harrow her mind byread-
ing OF their qualrel-, disappoiutments
and separations When She learns in
the last chapter that everything comes
out all RIGHT and everybody is happy.
then and then only will She turn 10
the first page and patiently wade
through 800 pages Of doubts and trials,
confident of The ultimate joys OF the
dc,pairng lovers.
And then there is the woman who
reads only for lyle, caring nothing for
plot. and taking little interest in the
characters Another type is the Wom-
am who reads for information, deyour-
ing everything that comes in her way,
reading rapidly and carelessly, it APP
pears to observers, but She gets what
She reads for and remembers it. Ask
her any question about the books she
reads or has read within the past -four
or five years. and she viii give you an
accurate answer. N !. star.