Stories of To-Day and Yesterday

Front matter

Peassetaneseeteseeeaearers

STORIES OF TO-DAY AND YESTERDAY

« Seed : a4 ne TS vy oo

Preface

Why should we not encourage students to read and to discuss short stories merely for creative pleasure, as might the members of a literary club coming together for the common enjoyment of books? Why should we not awaken students to a genuine and individual appreciation of the fundamental characteristics of good short-story writing? Why should we not inspire them to the great joy of constructive effort?

The one object of this book is to make reading and writing a pleasure—not a painstaking study, not a memorizing of names and dates and plots, not routine drudgery—but the pleasure known by all lovers of books and by all the numerous members of the ancient and honorable company of those who tell tales for the world’s diversion and inspiration.

To our students whose minds are so ready to appreciate, whose hearts are so quick to feel, whose unsteady pens are so willing and so apt—if only we can dip them but a little in Apollo’s fire—to those whom we all wish to inspire, because in them is the hope of the future, I dedicate this book.

Freprerick Hovuxk Law.

The Stuyvesant High School, New York City.