with all the pastoral dignities this French-speaking
child, who, under God, was the seal of the father's iniquities?

As he paced back and forth, there was a timid knock at the door; and in
a moment more, Adele, blooming with health, and radiant with hope, stood
before him. Her face had never beamed with a more wondrous frankness and
sweetness.

BOOKS FOR OUR CHILDREN

The war is over, yet our fight is not through; and we always, in this
life of ours, and especially in this new country and eventful age, have
trouble enough to keep our eyes open when they ought to sleep, and our
hands busy when they have earned the right to rest. Several knotty
questions already begin to try us sorely, although we are confident that
the knots can be untied by skillful fingers without calling upon the
sword to cut them. We shall settle the Reconstruction problem, the
Negro, the Debt, John Bull and Louis Napoleon, all in due time, and
without war. But there is a question to be settled which comes nearer
home to each family, and which distances all others in magnitude and
interest:--What shall we do with our children? how train and teach them
in body and mind, by schools and books, by play and work, for that
marvellous American life that is now opening to us its new and eventful
chapter in the history of man? The Slaveholders' Rebellion is put down;
but how shall we deal with the never-ceasing revolt of the new
generation against the old? and how keep our Young America under the
thumb of his father and mother without breaking his spirit or blighting
his destiny? Our brave old flag has swept the waters of all Secession
craft, and our iron-clad Monitors do not flinch in fear of the model
fleets of France and England mustered at Cherbourg. But what standard
rules over our children and youth? and what Monitors are keeping watch
over our countless schools and playgrounds? Our people have risen to a
new and mighty sense of our national life, and the thousands of
Americans who are now returning from Europe say that the tide there has
wholly turned in our favor, and Americans are too proud to boast of
their country, and are quite safe in leaving her to speak for herself.
But how are we recruiting the ranks of the nation from the fresh blood
and spirits, the new impulses and passions of childhood? And how does
our legion of juvenile infantry compare with the young legions of
England, France, Germany, Russia, or Italy? These are grave quest