Mower County transcript., 1890-12-03
HINTS ON READING.
Diacussion Always Emphasizes and Fscil-
itates Comprehension.

HINTS ON READING.
Dlacussion Always Emphasizes and Fsctl-
itates Co,nprehonsion.
All books need not be read carefully;
indeed, 1t Is often q waste Of time TO
linger long over a volume whose entire
thought is not essential to, ones pur-
pose. It Is an art acquired only by prac.
tice to CLEAN wisely and rapidly from, .
somewhat barren yet occasionally fruit
full book. Many, probably most vol
umes demand time and careful thought.
The second reading of . good book is
often Of great value. The thoughts re-
tanned from tho frst reading are Inn
pressed more fully on the mind, and be.
come assimilated with ones mental
structure, while others of value that
were unnoted before are gathered in.
II there is no time for second read
ing, it Is m excellent idea to read with
blue pencil in hand, and to mark those
passages on which one would like to
bestow further thought In the eyes of
some people, marking book is an un.
pardonable sin, but the practice has
many advantages. The value Of the
marked volume is greatly enhanced,
not only to tho owner. whose attention
is thus readily called to passages Of
special interest and Importance, but
also to the borrower, who Is able to fol-
low tho readers thought and learn his
Judgment and taste. The objection that
a book whose margins are interlined
looks loss clean and fresh than II free
from markings, has no weight OF what
value is shelf full of books that have
been rigidly kept free from these writ
ten comments, and look a. clean as II
just from the publisher, except to COM
mand higher price when. some years
hence, our cherished possessions are
taken to dealer in secondhand litera.
ture?
A judiciously marked book is a source
Of delight to the marker and his
friends, and becomes ten-fo1d more q
part OF the readers thought than any
other. 1t is unnecessary to say that
the marking should be done by no one
but the owner, and common-sense will
suggest hard pencil for the purpose.
The advice so generally given to pass
by no reference the meaning Of which
is not at once apparent works in two
ways. The reader who takes up Mil.
ton for the first time. and whose educa-
tion has not been liberal one, would lose
all the freshness of the thought which
the author breathes forth If he forced
himself to continually consult books Of
mythology and history. The habit OF
frequently interrupting the authors s
thought to consult dictionary or CYCLIC
pedia results disastrously II one is at
tempting to recognize tho authors
genius. Sometimes q blue mark, or a
list OF obscure words jotted down for
future reference will relieve the read
er's conscience, and not sensibly di-
minish his interest in the book. At
other times the close relation of thought
and illustration positively demands in
vestigation from some outside source.
Read with a friend il possible; not
necessarily aloud or together. but II the
thoughts of two friends are directed to
the same course of reading during the
day, its subjects are pretty sure to be
discussed, and its. substance more thor
oughly digested and assimilated. Years
after, an illusion to the book or a
quoted passage recalls the thought and
the friend both profitably and pleasant.
ly. Discussion always emphasizes and
greatly facilitates comprehension OF a
written page.-Helen Marshall North,
in Harper's Bazaar.
Tipping = Boston Woman.
What strikes the pilgrims from other
lands is the predominance OF women in
Boston. Women everywhere-in the
restaurants, behind the lunch counters,
in the shops, in the Offices. women seem
to be doing all the work. Foreigners
from New York or Chicago, ignorant OF
the customs of the country, sometimes
make an effort to be pleasant with these
young ladies. The result is always dis
astrous to the foreigner. I was much
Foreigners" just mentioned to bestow
small fee upon one of these young
women. She drew herself up with all
the hauteur OF family pride-for nc
doubt her name was Winthrop, OF
Adams. or Hancock. or Winslow-and
then she remarked: Excuse me, sir
we are lberally rewarded for our serv-
ices by the corporate lessees Of the
place, and, consequently, the offer OF
any gratuity is entirely supereroga'
tory act" Then, turning to = small
boy, she murmured: Johnny, accept
the gentleman's nickel. We keep him
for that purpose, in order not to offend
those who may be strange ers in Boston. .
Cor. Philadelphia Press.