The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-04-06
About Little Women .

An English teacher In one of tho
best known schools In this city has
said that Little Women" Louisa NJ.
Alcctts famous book, is mere trashl
You can hardly believe that such q
person eXists--a woman of intell-
sence, too. as she must he, in order to
hold her position--and She made such
statement to her class. You felt
like running to your own bookcase
and snatching UP close 70 You the
little thumbed and ragged book that
went with you through your happy
little girl days. and still holds an hon
ored place among the loves Of later
time. You want to protect the dear
people that live 30 happily between Its
covers, all unsuBpecting of harsh
and unjust criticism. because those
people that Miss Alcott created are
real people. and they exist as truly
to-day as they did way back In 1853,
when the dear. loving hearted author
put them into story that will con-
tinuc to charm when you and | have
measured our little span and folded
our restless hands forever. Oh, yes.
Miss Teacher the critics that know
SO much better than we, have written
the name OF that little book high upon
the walls Of fame and achievement in
authorship.
Tho little book. aside from the con-
struction and charm OF it's words and
sentences. Is simply fragrant with
lovely, wholesome ideas; there is a
gentle humor that pervades tho whole
story. and 1t Is all as fresh and bright
AZ any old-fashioned garden grown
with sweet pink flowers and washed
with morning dew. Miss Alcott had
the faculty OF entering into the lives
and feelings OF children that Ia con
spicuously wanting In most writer's
who addresses them, and to this cause.
to the consciousness among her readers
that they are hearing about people
like themselves. instead OF abstract
qualities labelled with names. the pop
ularity or her books is due. She is
called additionally. Aunt 10" and
Dear Aunt Jo.'' and somebody has
said that she is ernbalmed In the
thoughts and loves OF the thousands
OF little men AMI women who have
read and loved her books. She is
really a bencfactor OF households.
since the pictures shat sile draws OF
home life are SO livable and lovablc,
with the struggles and successes. the
purity. simplicity. laughs and loves that
have been woven into a er-fading
garland in the inimitable style Of the
author and spiced with her own charm
ing personality. Somebody else has
said that she IS without n rival as
writer for the young. but then don't
suppose that ltato Douglas Wiggin
had as yet taken up her fascinating
pen, when the criticism was made OF
the author of Little Women" Sure
~ the work Of both is worthy of com
parison-
Certainly. there are volumes OF child
ren's BOOKS that are trash. You
never will forget, l know. the hours
you spent and the tears you wept
over poor dear Elsie Dinsmore" and
tolerate Il page OF those books now,
but Little Women"-you remember
with delight that smacks of havipE
done the same thing yourself, that
10 and Meg had only one good pair OF
gloves between them. and 80 each wore
one nice one and carried the other
carelegsly crumpled in the hand. You
turn tho pages over with happy re-
membrancc you glow with pleasure
over the daily record OF those charm
ing people that has been SO wonder
fully set down for YOU to read and you
know that they have had their part
in your own life. and tho throb OF
your heart has answered the written
call that Miss Alcott has put between
the lines, and YOU are just & little bet
ter and just a little kinder and just
little more warm-hearted because or
the book.
Or. yes. Little Women" is classic,
Miss Teacher. ASK anybody, better still
read 1t yourself. because / am certain
that nobody that had even read SO
much as the first chapter could call il
trash" Please read the book over
again, then, II you did. and read il
with your heart tuned to learn what
Miss Alcott has put there for your
heart and mine and the hearts OF all
the little girls that are coming on af
ter awhile. 1t Is there. and you have
only to push aside the grasses OF
your own impetuous criticism to find
tho little blue flowers springing up all
around the story.
RRENT WITT