Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-09-05
THE NEW CHILD.
Fosfcred and Pampered Into Vain
and Ambitious Prigs.

Fostcred and Pampered Into Vain
and Ambitious Prigs.
From Good Words.
The priggishness of the New Child,
though often irritating. is a less serious
thing. Most children have had it more or
less. and they outerow it in time; in the
New Child it is rampant. 1t is unduly
iostered and encouraged, We regret to say.
by the everlasting "children's pages" and
''children's competitions" that every jour
nal now pours forth. Life, from the New
Child's point of view, seems to be one long
competition. Ali this fosters their vanity
their love of praise, their ambition. Their
letters are published week by week. their
pictured presentments are given to an
admiring public. What, from the New
Childs point of view, can be more delight
full?
That cynic, old Sam johnson, would have
said OF this. with his accustomed stern
ness: Sir, or Madam, you lay the
lou. ,oundations of endless mischief; you make
coys and girls hate each other"
But the competitions go on Justify; every
week there are more of them. When we
fead me terribly stiited and dull effusfons
poured out in the "chldren's pages" by
the New Child, one is. indeed, tempted to
ask, Nhaf becomes of all the clever little
chlldren! Cleverness is here conspicuous
by its absence. How disagreeable and how
dull the childish letter can become when
suited with arrogance and bounded by con-
Ventlonallty may be seen on reference to
the many "children's pages of the day.
This is the kind of thing published as
prize letter.
II feel must write and tell YOU all abolt
our schooi prize giving. 1t was quite an
important affair, for the vicar officiated,
and the Countess of - gave away the
prizes. / am quite little maiden only
eleven last May; and dear mother had warn
Rat I 4
worked hard, and I received the first form
prize-which was pretty good, dear -,
was 1t not? The girl who expected the
prize has, alasi not forgiven me for carry
ing it. away from her, which surely. dear
-, shows jealous spirit; for in this
worlds battle We must all give and take,
must We not?
Now for the next:
From -, aged thirteen.
Il am writing to tell you and your little
readers what a happy day spent at c.
Castle last summer. To commence with,
there were my father, mother and 1 (my
dear parents say they are never happy un-
less am with them). Well, dear =,
we lunched at the inn, explored the stored
that had taken place within those ancient
walls Oh! too. too lovely were the green
lawns and vistas seen through ancient
avenues! The glorious sun sark through
billowy purple clouds, and can il have
been fancy, dear -, that l seemed to
hear the angels choir behind them?
Il hope, dear -, that you will esteem
this little letter worthy of place in your
Children's Page. I have tried so hard-and
this is the third time, too. Mother saws
If you don't she won't let me subscribe to
your page" any more, for it's not fair
to put everybody else's letters in and not
mine. inclose you my photograph for
publication, but my friends say that IL
does not do me justice.
- (aged thirteen)"
What good did the outpourirg do these
ar her hof hor d. \.
girls would be the better for good dose of
the old regime.
Both will, perhaps, when a little older,
assail that much-enduring tribe, the editors
of magazines, with illusions such as the
following, which was sent the other day
to an editor by little girl of fifteen
Dear Mr.. Editor: have written a novel
in three volumes, and if you will take great
care of it and not let 1t get dirty you may
read It, As it is a sociological tsicl novel
and l have taken great pains with 1t, I
think you ought to pay me something large
for it-perhaps IS. / want a new frock,
and the money would be nice. / have tried
before to write, but the world is dread
fully unkind to me, and, indeed, 1 have
sometimes suspected that there is a con-
spiracy against me. But I thought, Mr..
Editor. that you would be fair. Ny life
has been of no use up to now, and I am
fifteen; SO, dear Mr.. Editor, please write
soon to your little friend, -"