1. How I got a Piece of the Moon.

2. A Railroad to Mars.

3. How Dan Jumped over the Schoolhouse.

4. A Sparrow as a Motorman.

5. How a Fox Terrier became President of the United States.

6. How the Elephant Beat the Eagle in a Flying Race.

7. How a Horse Became Mayor of a City.

8. The Flying Bowlder.

9. The White Musical Crow.

10. The Fish that Played the Violin.

These subjects are meant to appear absurd. eral highly imaginative stories.

Write sev

66. OUR JUDGMENTS IN THE USE OF IMAGINATION. Any one of us with our present knowledge of composition can write an interesting short story, using the phase of the imagination herein described. It is for us to decide where its use can be of help to us in developing our ability in the use of good English.

67. TESTS IN THE USE OF THE IMAGINATION.

From the various lists herein given, it is now for us to choose subjects for short stories. In writing our stories we are to use all the directions needed, as they are found in our previous study. This will afford work enough for many lessons. When our stories have passed the class inspection, it will be well to choose for ourselves still other subjects, and try again, and again, and again.

68.

EXPERIENCE HELPS IN OUR READING

If we are to receive help from books, we must bring to the printed page a certain amount of knowledge already

acquired that will enable us to understand the author. We cannot enter into his thoughts, unless we have had similar experiences or elements of knowledge that will cause us to see things as he sees them. With this common basis of fact, it is possible for us to get from an author just what he wishes to give us. He becomes our writer, and we become his audience.

69. How TO INTERPRET LITERATUre.

It may happen that the student finds it difficult to understand certain passages of favorite literary gems, just because the word pictures do not recall anything of reality to the reader. A closer study of the text will not help in such cases. There is but one remedy, and that is to study either from the scenes or their pictures, what the writer has painted in words. Then the printed page, before a puzzle, may become as clear to the reader as to the writer. Find pictures in literature.

70. FORMS OF COMPOSITION.

We have been studying together thus far the sources of compositions. We have been looking into the world as we find it to see its people, and their activities, and to find out how they live, what they do, what they talk, and think, and write about. We have touched upon these elements of knowledge as they come to us through experience, imagination, and reading. We are now to study the forms of composition in general use. We have been using some of them in our regular composition work. We find them on every hand; the books are full of them.

They are:

Narration.

Description.

Explanation or exposition.
Argument.

An introduction of these forms of composition is given for further study.

71. NARRATION.

Narration is the simple and direct way of telling of events as they happen. It takes in all phases of life. Storytelling, everyday happenings, and whatever is recounted of incidents, and conversations are included in narration.

72. WHAT NARRATION INCLUDES.

Narration is as broad as human experience, and may furnish themes for every kind of composition that pictures human life and its activities. Children in the home, on the street, at school, in their games and sports, are furnishing material for narration.

The newspapers are now narrating the interesting arrangements and events connected with the sending of troops to the Mexican border. All the happenings connected with this unusual movement of troops as told by the newspapers is narration. All the letters written by the soldiers and their friends will be filled with narration. And when the history of the whole affair shall have been written, it will be in the form of narration.

73. FORMS OF NARRATION FOR STUDY.

Reading gives us the best forms of narration.

The

standard works of English and American authors furnish

us with models unsurpassed for thought and form. To these we must look for models, if we would perfect ourselves in composition. Study models of narration.

74. STUDY FOR THOUGHT AND FORM.

Our study of narration from the best sources must bring to us the thought, as well as the form, in which it is to be written. Copying the thought as we find it will not help, but rather hinder our progress. We must first master the thoughts of the writer, make them our own. When this is done, we must clothe the thoughts in language that has become our own by use, absorption, and adoption, so that we know how to use it to best advantage.

Whatever thoughts we gain by reading are our own, when we can use them to express what we know in our own chosen words. Study many models for thought and form.

75. EXAMPLE OF SIMPLE NARRATION.

The following extract from Franklin's account of his early life illustrates pure narration.

FRANKLIN'S STORY.

At ten years old I was taken to help my father in his business, which was that of a tallow chandler and soap boiler. Accordingly, I was employed in cutting wicks for candles, filling the molds for candles, attending the shop, and going errands. I disliked the trade, and had a strong inclination to go to sea; but my father declared against it.

I

But, residing near the water, I was much in it and on it. learned to swim well and to manage boats. When embarked with other boys, I was commonly allowed to govern; and on other occasions I was generally the leader among the boys and sometimes led them into scrapes. One of these I will mention,

as it shows an early public spirit, though not then justly conducted.

There was a salt marsh which bounded part of the mill pond, on the edge of which, at high water, we used to stand to fish for minnows. By much tramping we had made it a mere quagmire. My proposal was to build a wharf there for us to stand upon, and I showed my comrades a large heap of stones, which were intended for a new house near the marsh, and which would very well suit our purpose.

Accordingly, in the evening, when the workmen were gone home, I assembled a number of my play fellows, and we worked diligently like so many emmets, sometimes two or three to a stone, till we brought them all to make our little wharf.

The next morning the workmen were surprised at missing the stones which formed our wharf. Inquiry was made after the authors of this transfer; we were discovered, and complained of, and corrected by our fathers. Though I demonstrated the utility of our work, mine convinced me that that which was not honest could not be truly useful.

76. DISCUSSION OF FRANKLIN'S STORY.

To make this incident in Franklin's life our own, we must picture in our minds the scenes as he gives them to us, putting ourselves as much as possible in his place.

It will be evident at a glance that the first paragraph has little connection with what follows. It is well to ask ourselves whether it should be introduced here. If we decide for or against retaining it, we must be able to give

our reasons.

Do the other paragraphs come in proper order? Can you write an outline of the story by topics? Would topic sentences be better? Will the outline as written by you recall the story in full? Is the story complete? What