l enjoy working to get it. On the
other hand, he must not be sent where his reward is too difficult to
find and secure, lest he become discouraged and cease to work.

School readers furnish much excellent material for reading; in the
majority of schools there is furnished more or less of supplementary
reading which is quite as good as that in the text-books and which will
have the merit of novelty and exclusiveness. Yet, in spite of this,
parents and teachers are continually finding themselves at a loss for
fresh and inspiring things for special occasions. All these may be had
from _Journeys Through Bookland_ and to assist in finding them and in
using them after found the following has been written.

II

Character is made up of a great variety of traits; some of the mind,
some of the heart, some of the soul. That is, what we are is composed of
what we know, what we feel and what we believe. In response to those
things we act; we govern ourselves in respect to ourselves and in
respect to others.

The grave responsibility that rests upon parents and teachers is to
encourage those traits which make for noble manhood and womanhood and to
correct or eradicate as far as possible those which are bad in
themselves or which help to neutralize or destroy the good ones.

Much may be accomplished by correct teaching of good principles, but
human nature is such that people learn even more through indirection
than through instruction. By means of the study of literature the best
direct instruction may be given, and wholesome lessons may be taught
abundantly in that charming way which accomplishes its purpose without a
recognition on the part of the readers that they are being _taught_. The
force and persistence of a good lesson of the latter kind cannot be
estimated. It may be years before it exhausts itself, and its effect may
be revolutionary.

The wise instructor, though she does not make known all her plans, works
systematically. That is, having learned that a child is lacking in some
respect, such as a knowledge of what constitutes good character, or in
certain desirable traits of character, or possesses some characteristics
that should be changed, she proceeds slowly and persistently to bring
about the results she desires.

III

In _Journeys Through Bookland_ the mother will find much to assist her.
The influence of nearly all the selections will be for the betterment of
character, will tend to make better men and