fore unique. Without attempting to formulate any principles or a philosophy of children's interests, Miss Smith has simply sought to draw the material from the child himself. These stories were used for many months in typewritten and mimeographed form in many schools and have now been published in book form, and are thereby given a larger field. They certainly deserve a wide appreciation and popularity, as their pedagogical value makes them not only extremely useful in schools, but equally desirable as gifts to children, certainly preferable to many so-called juvenile books.

Fifty years ago, the only tool used by the teacher in teaching reading was the school lesson-book. Since that time, the problem, both in means and purpose, has greatly broadened. The modern teacher has several ends in view and finds use for a variety of tools. In the first preliminary steps of teaching technique, the process is probably a more or less mechanical one, and the teacher still finds use for the reading-book. But once this initiation is accomplished, she finds herself in need of a variety of different books. She wants stories of intrinsic interest to children, which may be either read or related, for the purpose of introducing the children to literature, myth, history, and science. When he has reached his fifth school year, and generally not until then, under present rates of progress, the child is able to read such stories for himself. To meet this need, the

market now offers a liberal assortment of serviceable books. But between the first-year period and this later period, there exists at present a gap, both in the child's ability to read and in the market supply of books which he can read. The child, during these years, is hungering for stories, especially for "true" stories, and some mothers and teachers try to meet the demand by reading and telling. This is well and good, but it is clear that this inborn craving should be met by books, framed in language of such limited vocabulary and construction that the child in the second and third years of school could understand, and of such intrinsic interest that his attention would constantly be invited to the story rather than to the form of print.

And this end is met by the two books before us. books before us. By the courtesy of the publisher, Mr. William Beverley Harison we are enabled to reprint here a characteristic chapter from the story of "Captain John Smith" (in the Four True Stories) and a child's illustration to the Story of Washington. This little drawing, showing Papa Washington, cane in hand, in a very aggressive position, and George, with his hatchet, very small and innocent looking, reflects the child's mind perfectly. No grown-up person could invent such illustrations and very few writers of juvenile books have the ability to tell child's stories in child's way and child's words, such as the children told them themselves in these two books.

Powhatan was the great chief of all the Indians. He sat on a wooden throne. He wore a long robe of skins. His crown was of long bright feathers. Indians stood all around him. The men had their faces painted. The women rings in their noses.

wore

When Smith was led in, they all yelled. One who seemed to be queen came and washed his feet. She wiped them with feathers.

She was Pocahontas, the chief's little daughter.

Powhatan talked to Smith a long time. Then he said:

"The white man must die. He may do us great harm."

Poor Pocahontas felt very sad. She did not want Smith to die.

(*) From "Captain John Smith" in Four True Stories, by Jessie R. Smith. 16mo. cloth. Price 36 cents. (By permission of the publisher.) See opposite page.

He had two hundred Indians yell and dance around Smith. Then Powhatan said:

"We are now friends. Go back to Jamestown. Send me two guns and a grindstone. I will give you much land. I will love you as my own son."

Smith did not believe him. He thought they would kill him. But he got safely back to Jamestown.

He sent the guns. The grind stones were so heavy the Indians. could not carry them. Smith also gave them some little bells. He sent Pocahontas a long string of beads and a looking-glass. He

never forgot the little girl who saved his life.

Pocahontas was a good friend to the white people. One time she heard the Indians were going to fight them. That night she walked to Jamestown to tell Smith.

It was very dark and stormy. She went through the woods all alone, but she was not afraid. So the white people were ready when the Indians came, and drove them away.

All one winter Pocahontas carried food to the white people. Many times the ground was covered with snow and ice, but the brave girl went just the same.

(Copyright: 1898, by Lothrop Pub. Co., Boston.)