The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1896-11-14
ideas Tot duofnen.

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more frequently discussed that that which
little women of the family-for onn
Jirls ranging from f3 to II years.
Perhaps there Is no list Of book which
Bould be selected which would exactly
III the needs of any girl or group OF
tirls. For the little women are ~tndividu-
lis with Individual needs. But there are
jeveral attributes which go to make up
thoroughly good book for them. And
rom the standpoint of these attributes
very mother should Judge q o before
The buys it for family use.
The book should uphold noble things.
It should be natural, inclined to optim-
SIN. healthy. And 1T should be well writ
len in good, clear English phrase.
ssThe weakest romance says Ruskin
b. handling this subject, lis not SO stupe
lying as the lower forms of religious ex-
biting literature. And the worst romance
DOT SO corrupting as false history, false
philosophy, or false political essays. But
The best romano becomes dangerous II,
by its excitement, 1t renders the ordinary
course of life uninteresting, and increases
HE morbid thirst for useless acquaintance
with scenes In which we h never be
salled upon to act"
Upon the important subject OF novel
reading: without, however, venturing
here on any attempt at decision how
much novel reading should be allowed.
1t me at least clearly assert this, that
whether novels. or poetry, or history pc
read, they should be chosen, not for their
freedom from evil. but for their posses
sion of good. The chance or scattered
Evil that may here and there haunt, OF
hide itself in a powerful book, never does
my harm to a noble girl; but the empti-
ness of an author Expresses her. and his
Amiable folly degrades her."
A few good romances far from being
harmful are beneficial.
But the quantity of romances which
the average schoolgirl devours is appal-
ling. She belongs to every circulating
library in the city and each yields her a
weekly supply of new volumes. All OF
which volumes she reads-or fancies she
teads-before returning them.
.It,s awful sroaned an anxious fa-
iher. sT am afraid my girls are destined
10 grow up as empty-headed as little par
rots. Do VIA l can they are off to the
libraries each week, and back again with
d bushel basketful of novels"
The injury which promiscuous novel
reading does is Of a negative character.
It creates a distaste for all either forms
pf literature.
Men and women who have studied the
at the foundation, claim that
koung girls are in ninety-nine cases out
81 one hundred but meagerly educated
In the best of schools. That they receive
smattering of various sciences which
kre of mo possible use. They are too
Soon abandoned to afford any material
development for the brain. While at
the same time the little women are
thoroughly ignorant upon questions OF
the day. Upon current topics of all kinds.
Upon history past and present. Upon
great men. great works, great events.
And does not this trouble arise In the
fact thai neither at home nor at school
Goes the coming woman learn the prin-
cipies of good reading and reading wenz
From the fact tina she is earlier in
her development than the average boy,
lsstxserase girl u able to begin appre-
4yting and is digesting books at an
ier year. Her thirst for information
P~eoually great with his. She is equally
anxious to be thoroughly well read
But while the growing boy Of the house
encouraged to make valued friends of
books. the young girls reading means
her only halfway a-cquafntances. to be
away for the next and newest
Give a class of young women a
poem-say, for instance. the
sLyeidas Of Milton" And just how many
of them when II has been read once, twice
or eyen half a dozen times will be able
to explain the imagery contained in a
verse.
The class devised at one Of the large
colleges for the purpose of studying
novels and novel writing Is reported a
success, Would not such classes more
generously distributed through the girls
schools of t~oday-ciasses devoted to the
study of novels. poetry. historical essays,
and In which impressions could be
spoken. and references explained-wouid
not such classes help to show the mod
ern little woman what she Is reading
A Philadelphia. recently visiting Paris,
made a careful study OF her sisters
there. especially as to the manner in
which they contrive to dress with
eleeance a a cost which, in many por-
lions Of the United States, would be re-
garded as barely sufficient to provide the
odds n ends of a woman's toilette.
AS a matter of fact she says. "the
best-dressed Fr~enchwoman spends less
money on her clothes than does an in
differently dressed American, but where
the fair western barbarian spends her
husbands dollars the clever French
woman spends time and thought and
taste instead, and the result is charming
indeed
First, no matter what her station
IN life, she Is Invariably bien coffee,
bien chaussee, bfen gantee In plain Eng
1ish, her hair Is faultlessly arranged, she
IS we'll shod and well gloved. Her gown
Is altogether a secondary consideration.
but 1t is sure to be well fitting and guilt
less OF stain or break or frayed edges.
But you say how can such a toilette.
DAINTY in details only make a really we'll
dressed woman? To which I reply IT
doesn't. You have vet to learn the true
seeret OF a Parisienne's charm-ft,s her
hat! That is the distinctive feature Of
her outdoor costume; no matter how
MIA IN evan mar ha- oauvn ~ 4o.r -z~