New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-12-21
FLORAL FANC1Bs FOR HOLIDAY SEASON

without-which assisted nothing else has ever
done in grounding her literary taste. But my
friend lives in Boston. She is a woman Of great
culture and cannot help thinking that perhaps
her present appreciation of the book has an in
huence upon her recoIlections Of it. hardly think
the average child would get such inspiration out
Of matter so Tar out Of the of It's experience,
and presumably, OF its comprehension.
The teacher who discovers an Old Sleuth' story
under q boys desk, soiled and thumbworn by
passing from boy to boy, and wrathfuIy con-
IN that book that 50 absOrbs the boys attention.
54i-s n IleI Golcspoh OF me teachers junction.
those books and try to ind what it is that makes
more lay down one Of those stories in the middle
I!- a -. "OIIu stoP IN Us pursuit OF mouse
Why cannot We get some of that quality into our
books on history Why cant We make school work
Certain general rules for making story inter
estns 10 children We may learn There is no be-
do Dick HoVs voIIrseIf Tom 6r gor1etb0S-
Ike that long descriptive paragraph at the be-
ginning OF child story will insure its not being
We always skip the opening description and begin
with the conversation or the action Of the story
when we are reading for pleasure alone? some
We are on guard, and note what we ike when We
or improvement, We would know pretty well what
Still, thore are some salient differences between
the juvenile and the mature taste. The child has
as We car, feel the feIass Of the characters, and
Character and the srorv in scc6rd5nce with The
necessities Of the case He wants ii ali action
from start 70 finish I once submitted a story OF
and discovery Of the Pacific TO a class of children,
and asked them to make picture Of the scene
mat they would most Ike TO see Illustrated Al
Baiboa's soldiers were described as racing Wildly
up hillside in order 10 share his first glimpse Of
Children despise slow story and in this they
only reflect the popular taste of the hour In col
the keeper of a bookstalI as to popular taste Mrs
heT hQ TE
did not sell any more I made some remark as TO
at all It is not that she isn't good enough but
she is too slow: We sell plenty Of this, and this.
and this-all Of which are just as bad. but they
move a good deal quicker than Mrs. southworth
ELEMENT OF POOLING
Children are very fond Of the element Of fool
ing in their stories. In their original stories when
they can be got entirely free from outside influence
they very frequently introduce this scheme Of
fooling' some one; putting their mothers dress,
for instance. and going down the street and fool
ing a friend. Their intense fondness for April
fool Jokes is q case in point. And the Indian and
eEro eeghaS 5 T lgi -p ~ [ t5e+ Oh certain
One Of the class said that in reading many
stories to q group Of small relatives the summer
before She had found the "Brer Rabbit" stories
the most poDUIar of any the Tar BABY" which
brings in both "fooling' and Tienty of action.
being demanded over nd over again.
wick. Stories ike that Of the three bears. in
which the old bear says Who's been sitting IN my
Chair% 10 be followed by each Of the other bears
with the query, are immensely popular with
Young children They like the scene of their stories
laid in a definite locality. They do not like much
descriptive matter
And neither do We. How often. for instance
will we read a glowing description Of a sunset by
some enthusiastic traveller? II takes poet TO
terest US in such descriptions. and children
ike
But like mystery in story. We like TO be
LEFT in doubt We grateful to the author who
can hold US in suspense until the last page. But
that is too complicated for children They haven't
enough foresight or faculty Of perspective for that
The story must tell itself as fl gees along, more
simply and directly
and thew viii no more submit TO il than We The
whole race of Sunday school stories Of the older
VARIETY with moral attached they have dropped
into contemqtuous oblivion But they can appre-
riafa and he touched by the moral developed natu-
raTlv and arti=ricauy just Better in fact.
Ciidrens svrnpathies always in the right place.
They always want the good fellow out
ahead and the villain TO meet with mis- just re-
II