The National tribune., 1894-10-25

RSted G. T.. GIFTS Numerous
With the Answers.
DREAMS, ETIoUET, AND FICTION.
]. What is indicated by dreams, especially
when one dreams of persons and things he sell
dom thinks of? And OF the dead, who have
been dead for a number OF years?
3 ii a lady be seated, and another, or gen.
tleman, is introduced TO her, should she arise
on being presented
8 What would be the most ladylike words
to use TO a gentleman after church, or like
places, when his company home is rot desir-
able?
4. What qualifications does a person most
need to be a writer OF personal and fictitious
narratives? Can person be Christian and
write fiction, if it be based on Christian sub
jects?
5. How is my style of writing? Would it do
for such work after little improvement?
An Interested c. {. Girl.
ANSWERS To QUESTIONS.
]. Dreams (A) In former times it was held
that in sleep the mind acted independent of
the body aud received communications, or i'm
pressions withheld from it when the body was
awake So God communicated with tae proph-
cts. directly, or through his angels.
OBJ Christian scientists and theosophists
hold to a similar view. They teach that the
mind is most active while the body is in SUBJ
lection. Memory records hut little of what
this little is called dreams.
(C) Modern scientists teach that dreams
come from disordered stomach and an excited
brain, aud have no more significance, save TO
point out a disturbed condition of the system,
than the phantssmagoria that comes from an
overdose of morphine or opium.
Cd An old dream book, which records the
language of signs and dreams, says il is good
to dream of the dead, particularly if your own
parents.
These answers are after all, only such stuff
as dreams are made Of.
2 Etiquet. (A) Certainly rise, if lady or
gentleman is presented TO you. unless there is
good reason why you should not; for instance,
If you are holding heavy book in your lap,
or are being served with refreshments, when
you will say, Excuse me from rising" The
exception is where the person seated is elderly
or an invalid, when, OF course, they may prop
erly remain seated.
(B) To a gentleman whose proffered CON-
psny is not desirable, you may say Excuse
me, but ] am provided with company" mean
ing your companion. Or you may say q" Thank
you very much. but prefer to 90 alone"
g. Fiction. (A) To be a writer of fiction one
needs imagination, constructive quality, and
that faculty which enables one TO put himself
in the place of another. Dickens had this
quality TO such an extent that he suffered
when, in the development of his plot. it was
inevitable that harm was TO come to his char
acters He walked the streets in agony of
grief all night before little Paul died.
OBJ 4 person may be sincere Christian and
write fiction. What were the parallels of our
Lord, or the Revelations of St. John, or Bun
vans Pilgrims Progress but fiction?
If story telling with plots and characters is
meant, 1be answer is still yes. Some of the
best sermons ever preached have been through
accounts in fiction. For instance Uncle Toms
Cabin and " Ben Hur"
(C) The style of AN Interested c. c. Girl"
is not sufficiently developed for one to judge of
her capabilities. What she should do first is
to take thorough course in grammar, SPELL
Jag, and rhetoric. One must be fully equipped
with ali the appliances before he can prosecute
any art.
painter needs something more than pa
lette and brush TO paint, and a writer more
than pen, ink, and paper TO write.
Our Interested C. c. Girl 4" should fully
equip herself for a writer's work, after which
she will be in no doubt about her style; it will
shape itself
Style is simply the way a thing is done, and
varies according TO the individual behind it.