The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1896-12-03

/" Prooshia." gold was gould" and clerk was
clark as surely as to-day sergeant is '.sar-
gent" Fashion is not the only tickle dame.
80
We print to-day letter from one Of our
readers, who is kind-hearted enough to praise
us. and who has bit Of philosophy to offer,
and come news from the trees and flowers
We thank her for all three.
SPRING LAKE. Nov. g, 1856.
DEAR EDITOR BETTER HALF: cannot re-
frain any longer from expressing my apprecia-
ton OF the relation Of the good times you had
while in the country, fer do you know think
40 mauy country readers will look with more
pleasure upOa their surroundings in forest,
wayside. field and garden for your happy men-
tion of them and little word pictures Of some OF
them.
One limo especially struck me as having
"whole great big meaning" Linger over
every hour"
think that is enjoying tho purest pleasure,
getting all the sweetness out of the hour anu
| approaching and realizing the happiness COM
| ing to one ust then.
And what a sour ce of comfor and consolation
| it is il sorrowful and troubled hours come, 10
| look back to the bright, happy ones and know
that VIC appreciated them ere they led.
And, again, am sure all the jelly-makers
| anu VtckteTS Will IOTSiVt YOU iOi Ochs i"|ys
| as they said, in spite of your reveling IN the
bright sunlight and rambling in the wayside
| and forest trying to become better friepds with
| the birds and squirrels while resting body anu
mind. if they knew you remenbe red their
mission Of love to tickle the paates of dear
ones by and by, though it shut them out OF the
bright sunlight and away from she refreshing
| breezes TO tarry beside the hot cooking stove.
Though verify they have their reward " in
the pretty jelly in shining glasses and rows OF
lars filled with spicy pickles. besides giving
pleasure to others.
1 If you were to wander in your old haunts OF
the Summer you would scarcely know them.
Where there we're trees resembling mellow
clouds of golden sunlight you would find bare
| skeleton limbs and branches, with now and
then brown, sere leaf. The breeze burries oil
some of these aud they 60 huttering here,
there. sail slowly down or out OF sight, remind.
| ing US of the lives OF people we bave met The
regal head of the goldenrod has whitened for
Winter like dear old peoples heads for the
Winter OF life, aud "the thistle down, the only
ghost Of flowers, sails slowly by"
NJ. ETTIE FULLER.
s*s
In scribner's Magazine for December is an
excellent article OIL books for children, es
pecially for girl-childreD, and pointing out
serious trouble in much OF the Sunday-schoo
| literature that Is dOieo Gus 20 young Ieml
ninity. One of the great faults. perhaps ths
greatest, is in the morbidiy religious tone
tone that is fairly prigGish-that pervade'
many of the popular books. Take the Elsie
books for example-books that almost every
girl has read. They had . particular fascina
ton for me because Of the name, and i reai
them all, so l know whereof speak aud al
, though am not denying that enjoyed then
when was 10 years old, yet. as / remem
her them now, would not put them in tn,
hands of any 10 year-old, for several reasons.
Il If children have any tendency to be reiigiou
. they usually overdo the matter, and are iittl'
prigs, arguing questions that are only for ma
sure thought and feeling and belief and are II
novise suited for the decision OF . child
These books foster this tendency. Not tina
, | children should be allowed to grow up in ig
nornnce of the laws of Christ. that they shout,
not be Taught to try as far As they are able T.
remember and obey the Golden Rule, but it i
! not natural for a child to fortify himself 70
' every moment with texts from the Bible. no
be prepared to prove his parents faults from
: the same Holy Book, rs these children do. No
: ought children be SO sure of their own righte
!, business that they fully condemn their neigh
bors, who follow the Golden Rule, but who