How To Do It.
By
Edward Everett Hale.
Contents.
- Introductory.--How We Met
- How To Talk
- Talk
- How To Write
- How To Read. I.
- How To Read. II.
- How To Go Into Society
- How To Travel
- Life At School
- Life In Vacation
- Life Alone
- Habits In Church
- Life With Children
- Life With Your Elders
- Habits Of Reading
- Getting Ready
How To Do It.
Chapter I.
Introductory.--How We Met.
The papers which are here collected enter in some detail into the successand failure of a large number of young people of my acquaintance, who arehere named as
Alice Faulconbridge,
Bob Edmeston,
Clara,
Clem Waters,
Edward Holiday,
Ellen Liston,
Emma Fortinbras,
Enoch Putnam, brother of Horace,
Esther,
Fanchon,
Fanny, cousin to Hatty Fielding
Florence,
Frank,
George Ferguson (Asaph Ferguson's brother),
Hatty Fielding,
Herbert,
Horace Putnam,
Horace Felltham (a very different person),
Jane Smith,
Jo Gresham,
Laura Walter,
Maud Ingletree,
Oliver Ferguson, brother to Asaph and George,
Pauline,
Rachel,
Robert,
Sarah Clavers,
Stephen,
Sybil,
Theodora,
Tom Rising,
Walter,
William Hackmatack,
William Withers.
It may be observed that there are thirty-four of them. They make up avery nice set, or would do so if they belonged together. But, in truth,they live in many regions, not to say countries. None of them are toobright or too stupid, only one of them is really selfish, all but one ortwo are thoroughly sorry for their faults when they commit them, and allof them who are good for anything think of themselves very little. Thereare a few who are approved members of the Harry Wadsworth Club. That meansthat they "look up and not down," they "look forward and not back," they"look out and not in," and they "lend a hand." These papers were firstpublished, much as they are now collected, in the magazine "Our YoungFolks," and in that admirable weekly paper "The Youth's Companion," whichis held in grateful remembrance by a generation now tottering off thestage, and welcomed, as I see, with equal interest by the grandchildren asthey totter on. From time to time, therefore, as the different series havegone on, I have received pleasant notes from other young people, whoseacquaintance I have thus made with real pleasure, who have asked moreexplanation as to the points involved. I have thus been told that myfriend, Mr. Henry Ward Beecher, is not governed by all my rules for youngpeople's composition, and that Miss Throckmorton, the governess, does notbelieve Archbishop Whately is infallible. I have once and again been askedhow I made the acquaintance of such a nice set of children. And I can wellbelieve that many of my