The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-01-16
NOTES.

The Bankers Magazine for the past two
months illustrates the tendency of what
have been special publications to go outside
of what may be regarded as their legiti-
mate field. Last month this magazine con-
tanned an exhaustive article upon the wheat
situation, and this month 1t treats cotton In
the same manner. there is not an article
IN 1t which does not contain something OF
is published at No. SO John street, New
York, by John G.. Floyd. :.
Elizabeth helps's new serial in the
Atlantic Monthly opens with a chapter of
students life in a New England theolog-
ical seminary-presumably Andover. The
time is winter. and the descriptions of the
snow and cold, the icy atmosphere of the
dormitorles and the chill pervading the en-
tire institution are SO vivid that the reader
involuntarily finds himself accounting Tor
the rigidity of the theology tina emanates
from such establishments. The shadow of
consumption llovers over the hero of the
tale. and IT,, as seems likely, the story is
to be a study in heredity that mysterious
force will. probably be held responsible
for the coming cough that will Inevitably
carry the hero off, rather than his very
reprehenSible and deliberate disregard of
the rules of health.
While there is more or less talk of the de-
cadence of the novel. as shown in certain
widely read tales of recent production, it
seems not to have been noticed by the
critics that juvenile literature is suffering
from a lack of spinal marrow. Take almost
any periodical for children, and. aside from
the fragments of history, biography and
scientific lore which are s~andwiched among
the stories, poems and sketches, and are
usually well prepared, the bulk of the mat
ter is the weakest of literary Cruel and not
fit for babes. The productions show an alb
Sence of force, earneStneSs and sincerity on
the part of the authors. When there is not
an obvious attempt to write down" to the
supposed level OF youthful comprehension
there is a DarfIInptnrV air ABOUT the work
and a want of originality that must have
it's effect upon the children, though they
will not be able to define the cause of their
dissatisfaction In a current issue of one of
these publications is an account of a nine
teenth century boys adventures with a
magic lamp and its attendant genie-an alb
surd combinationEobegin with. Itwould have
been much better for the editors to reprint
the original Arabian Nights tale of the
lamp if a story of thai sort was considered
desirable. Mr.. Kipling, In his animal stor-
les. has introduced a wholesome and virile
women, Mrs. Wiggin, for instance, produce
books of merit for children, but for the
most part the matter brought out for young
folks to read is twaddle.
A HinGoo contributor to the Arena de-
clares that the money spent upon Christian
missions in India is practically wasted
and the efforts of the missionaries pro-
ductive of pernicious results. The reason
is that these missionaries reach only the
lowest caste of Hindoos, the wretched
and ignorant, and these, tempted by the
promise of food, ally themselves with Chris
tians. and are in nowise genuine converts.
Much good might be done through free
education, this writer thinks. but with all
its boosted improvements in the country
Great Britain has provided no free schools,
and the colleges and schools founded are
far too expensive for the vast majority of
natives to profit by them. Free secular ed
ucation would. he thinks, solve the prob
lem and do away with caste or superstition
Sonnpr than anV other influence. He adds
II have been confronted in this country
with the statement, But our missionaries
are giving free education to your people,
VII you tell me where and how many
schools you have in India with not a cent
of expense attached to them, and j VIII tell
you the terms. They are free only to those
who viii give UP their religion For the
man who holds to his caste system there
is no free education offered. Free secular