shade of brown. Through a dusty, dirty window I could see a man bending over a paper. A clock ticked noisily behind him. He did not seem to be aware of his near audience. Some wilted flowers drooped in a cracked glass on the window-sill. The general air of desolation that filled the interior of the little room spread itself over the surrounding scenery. It was only an ordinary little station such as one sees many times in all parts of the country. Dry, dusty stretches of land extended from each side. Only one other building was to be seen. That was a wellbuilt barn that had finally been put to a different use than was originally intended and was now a dwelling. How many men never get any further than their barns!

3. The man in the station started and raised his head. He pushed his paper swiftly aside and came to the door. The train was coming at last. With a final puff of importance it drew up beside us. The station and the man slowly slid past me and we were on our way again.

CRITICISM. 1. During: Precisely used?-So: 37, 3.-Exclamations: Substitute a word indicating the character of the exclamations (for various probably refers only to differences of form).- Wait: 60, 1.

2. Through: Substitute a word that will indicate more clearly whose window is meant.-Noisily: The description fails to explain how the clock could be heard.-Audience: Meaning of the word?— Wilted Superfluous?-Glass: Find more specific word.-The general air Improve the sentence.-Many times: Strike out.-Stretches extended: 44, 2.-From each side: Change the phrase.-That . . . that Improve.-Different than: App. A.

3. Swiftly: Try hastily, brusquely.

In rewriting, consider carefully the arrangement of descriptive details in ¶ 2.

II. A NATURAL BRIDGE.

1. Memory recalls a beautiful little scene that I enjoyed one summer. It was one of the cliffs along the coast that had been worn by the water until it was the form of a bridge.

2. The tide was low, and the dry, white sand allowed a passageway under the arch. The natural pillars were worn in for a couple of feet by the undercurrents of the tide. The sides were rough and full of hollows which were doubtlessly the homes of

curious little sea animals. Further up, beyond the reach of the salt water, delicate lavender flowers bloomed, such as one finds growing profusely on the beach. The wind brought their delicate odor down to me.

3. At the top of the natural bridge I could distinguish the dizzy, little path which I had followed so many times. It led out to the edge of the bridge. When the tide was high, I had sat here and watched the foaming green mass below. As the waves came in, it rose, lapping the sides of the cliff, and when they retreated it poured out of the little hollows as if the cliff had been a sponge, leaving the sides all dripping. It was a treacherous, dangerous seat, and the strong wind blowing in from the sea made one feel as if he might topple over any minute.

4. Far out before me stretched the green expanse of ocean. The waves seemed to grow larger and larger as they burst with a roar at my feet and were reechoed by the caverns of the cliff.

5. The caprices of the waves had told on the surface of the cliff. In places its foundations were much worn. I realized with regret that before many years had passed, the beautiful natural bridge would be only a shapeless mass of cliff.

CRITICISM. 1. Is it clear whether a point, or a period, of time is referred to?-Reference of the two it's?-How does "one of the cliffs" differ from "a cliff"? As the sentence stands, is the verb had singular or plural? Which did the writer mean it to be?—The coast: 12, 4, a.- Was the form: 58, 1. Is the description clear? What is the point of view?

2. Was low: 33, 1.-Allowed a passageway: Make more precise. -Worn in: Clear?-Couple: 59, 2. Is the word correctly used here? Sides: Of what? Curious: Full: Find better word. Organic? 55.-Sea animals: 59, 2.-Further: App. A.-Bloomed : Try placing the word after beach; before delicate.—The beach: What beach ?-Delicate: 60, 1.

3. Dizzy: 63, 2 (3).— Which: 40.—Begin the third sentence with "Often" to make it correspond with the first, and then make the necessary changes in the verb-forms of the fourth sentence.-He: Purists insist on one (App. A). But one here would sound artificial, and it would have the effect of generalizing more than the writer desired to generalize what was a lively personal experience. The writer did well in instinctively throwing rules of rhetoric to the seawinds.

4. As: What does the writer mean?-Were reechoed: Subject? Force of prefix re?

5. Had passed: Tense-form ?-Note repetition of cliff.

In rewriting, amplify the first paragraph, which clearly moves too rapidly from general description to details. Fix more accurately the time and point of view, getting suggestions for this from ¶ 3. In ¶ 3 a secondary matter is introduced, and by careful use of tenses, as suggested in our criticism above, this may be kept secondary. But in 4 the writer loses himself in this new feature of his description. This must be remedied. Either one point of view must be kept throughout, or the change must be clearly indicated. The difficulty here lies in the writer's assuming to be below while he describes the top of the cliff, and then apparently forgetting that assumption.

III. A DANCE ON THE BORDER.

1. While on a surveying trip last summer in New Mexico, our party camped just over the Mexican line for nearly a week. As it chanced, the third day of this week was one of the many Mexican holidays, San Juan's Day, and was, of course, to be celebrated with the usual festivities.

2. Old José Mara, the Justice of the Peace of Palomas, was a very big man in these arrangements, and to do justice to his high position gave a dance at his palatial "adobe." We, as visiting gringoes, all received invitations to the dance, or baile, and, although tired by the hard work of the day and looking forward to an early start the next day, we concluded that it would not do to miss this baile. So after disposing of our beans, we changed our handkerchiefs and sauntered forth to conquest.

3. We were met at the door of the palace by the host, who begged us to enter and take possession, which we did, being of an accommodating race in such matters. The room where the dancers were to carom was a large one for a Mexican house, but not just up to an American's idea of a ballroom. Its ordinary service was in the line of a chapel, as might be seen by the saint's pictures, candles, and crosses. It was about twenty feet long by ten wide, the floor was baked clay covered by a much worn piece of canvas, or perhaps I should say partially covered, for there was room to catch your foot around the edges.

4. We found the ladies lined up on one side of the room and the men on the other; the musicians, a fiddler and a guitarist, had a corner to themselves, where they proceeded unmolested to draw from their instruments the most heart-rending tones. The favorite tune was " After the Ball," and this they gave time after time in a truly wonderful manner.

5. The Mexican dance accommodates itself to the quarters. It consists of hopping up and down almost in the same spot, but with a revolving motion to the right which puts wheels in heads not usually so accoutred. A very efficient aid in this latter process is the mescal, which is served between the numbers of the dance. This is almost a veritable liquid fire, burning lips, throat, and brain, and making the latter hours of the dance one continual fight.

6. As I have before remarked, we entered. We came, we saw, but alas we did not conquer. The Postmaster was there in all his governmental glory, and we were eclipsed. Moreover, we who knew how to dance were handicapped, for we found it impossible to accommodate our steps to the revolving hop of the ladies, and the result was all kinds of collisions, and a gasp of relief when the time was called and we seated our partners and retired to our own corners for the treatment, which was brought rʊund by the son and heir of the great house of Mara. A further disadvantage was that we found difficulty in communicating our thoughts to our partners, and thus they remain forever ignorant of whatever sentiment they may have inspired in us.

7. But the time passed there as it does everywhere, and we were at length permitted to escape without a breach of politeness, and availed ourselves of the opportunity.

8. It was certainly not an enjoyable function. The solemnity with which the dancers seemed to perform their parts, the lack of conversation, the isolation of the sexes, were depressing. I am glad I went, but should I have another opportunity of the kind I should say "Thanks, I have seen one." We did not stay until the real business of the meeting commenced, since we were tired, and moreover carried no life-insurance. Our chief stayed somewhat later than the rest of us, but I was never able to get out of him just what had happened after our departure. For my

part the Mexicans may have their bailes, their mescal, and their quarrels, I want none of them.

CRITICISM. 1. Is trip an appropriate word ?—Any better position for last summer?-Why not write "camped for nearly a week just over the Mexican line "?

2. Would important functionary be a good substitute for big man?-To do justice to: Is it a case of doing justice? Try in recognition of, conscious of, filled with the dignity of, duly impressed with the responsibilities of.-Hard work of the day: Compress.—Is looking forward to commonly used of unpleasant anticipations? Does the phrase balance well with tired? Etc., etc.

IV. WHAT DORMITORY LIFE MEANS TO THE AVERAGE GIRL.

1. In writing on this subject one's standpoint must necessarily be a personal one. The conditions in which the freshman is placed are so varied that the general outlook is consequently very different. There are, however, general good and evil influences that affect the dormitory girls in about the same way.

2. The development of independence stands first among the good effects. The average girl has been cared for so well through her life that she is not well prepared for her struggle in the outside world. Thrown entirely upon her own resources, the young girl after one scared gasp gradually readjusts her ideas and learns to take care of herself. One soon realizes of what small consequence they are in the world. To a girl who has come from a family of some standing and who has always been made a great deal of at her home, this experience is very valuable. The contact with so many girls of different classes is very broadening and helps one to learn the lesson of toleration.

3. The bad effects possibly balance the good ones. There is the loneliness of the homesick girl to consider. Every one has friends except herself. She is stared at and criticised and made to feel her strangeness. It may be good for her, but it is hard. Then after she has made friends she feels their selfishness. They have unconsciously learned to look out for themselves regardless of any one else. It is not so much their fault as it is the spirit of the Hall. Dormitory life can do a great deal of harm physically.