Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1906-07-02

| wood Ievette Wilson contributes a
| clever poem on "A Literary Diet to 4
recent issue of The Reader:
When literary appetite
Has got so bad it can't be worse.
Then give the stomach something light
Try Swinburne's Prcdigcstcd Verse.
If much distressed with pains and aches.
And suffering in cv'ry nerve.
Eat Ella Wheeler Wilcox Flakes
Just add some water hot, and serve.
Or if you're sad and you would laugh,
Or free yourself from cynic scott.
ITh"n Austin DobSon'S TdStclcSS Cham
Compels the smile that won't come off.
When with the blues in lassitude
OF discomfort, YOU chew the cud
Eat Wallace Irwin'S All-Day Food
| 1t builds you up; it makes red blood
At night as turn and toss YOU may
All slumberlsss as long hours creep,
Try Alfred Austin Granulcs-they
| Produce a most refreshing sleep.
when Dutys call your patience tries,
And irritateS as it grows louder.
If to emergencies you'd rise.
Use Rudyard kipling's Baking Powder.
How should literature be studied?
asks w. f. Webster in "Tcaching
English in the High School" 1t
should be studied to get straight TO
the heart of the author-his thought
and feeling. knowledge of historical
and classical illusions and definitions
of words are necessary to an apprecia-
ton of literature; but any chasing
down of illusions for the sake of mere
knowledge, any seeking out of the
| origins of words. any study of the life
| of an author when it sheds no light on
the work in hand. is Il waste of time;
for it distracts the attention from the
literature, and never allows the
reader to catch the fires of Il great
| creative spirit. So, too, while
literature is the best instructor in
composition, it should never he called
upon to give this lesson until it has
first unfoldcd its great truth to the
reader. And there can be nothing
more stultfying to a class than fore
ing these secondary matters to a
prominent place in the study of litera
ture, because. forsooth. they are the
only things that can be marked and
evaluatcd. How often child in
school is trained to dislike literature
because he is made to spend his
energy turning the leaves of a die
tionary or some handbook. or learning
some edited texts! When an instruc-
tor arrives at this stage of teaching
| where little things are seen out of all
true proportion. his life has already
fled. and soon the life of the class will
flicker and die. Every student that
makes details of supreme importance
is like a nearsightcd man studying
some noble work of architecture. He
may know the beauty of each in
dividual column, the perfection of each
pedestal and capital. the graceful
lines of each window and door; vet
this nearsightcd man would have little
sense of the strength and harmony of
the whole. And there are many
students in our classes making
myOpic study of litcratur It's
minuteSt details are perfectly known;
but the great broad significance of it's
mighty unity; is never dreamt Of
The method. then, will be to seek first
the truth. If In the search historic or
| classic references must be known, if
new words are hiding the meaning. if
figures of speech need explanation. if
the biography of the author throws
| light on his meaning learn these
things. But always remember that
they are but Incidents; the real thing
is the living truth which great spirit
has found and written down for the
enlargement Of the soul.
On" does not usually think of Mary
f.. Wilkins Freeman as n humorist
and yet Mark Twain has found some
choice bits of fun. with her signature.
volume of his new Library of Humor.
Inc Following is a triumph of metre
and mirth:
There was an old maid of Nantaskct.
who never stirred ont of the house,
| tut she carried her cat i'm hcr haSkct
For fear II meeting "A mouse"
George Barr McCutcheon. with his
wife. has sailed from New York for an
cxtendcd European trip. This is Mr.
McCutcheons first visit to Europe. and
doubtless he intends to seek the king
dom Of "Graustark" that he has made
so famous. Miss Carolyn Wells is
also on the way to Europe. whore she
will doubtless seek further mirthful
worlds to conquer
The humorous weekly known as Life
offers. in its current issue. a guide 10
| summer reading that is obviously in
tended to be taken seriously. This is
| its list of novels. and a very good list
it is: "Relchamber," by Howard Over
ing Sturgis: "a Dark Lantcrn." by
Elizabeth Robins; 'The Debtor" bv
| Mary f.. Wilkins Freeman: "Thc Fool
Errant." by Maurice Hewlett; "The
House Of Mrth," by Edith Wharton:
1.-The Idlers," by Morley Roberts: 'Thc
Lake" by George Moore: "Thc Morals
of Marcus Ordcyne," by William j.
Locke; "Thc Memoirs of an American
Citizen" by Robert Hcrrick: "Thc
Nonchalantc." by Stanley Olmstcad;
"rhc Secret Woman" by Eden Phil
potts: "a Servant of the Public" by
Anthony Hope: "Thc Wine Press" by
Anna Robson Brown.
| A collection of the late George GiS-
sings stories Just published in London.
contains a significant Introductory
Survey of the novclist's life and art.
GiSSing. during most of his working
years. was. despite his culture and his
great talents. bitterly, and strangely.