Hurrah for the new volume!--Volume V., I believe it is to be called.
That reminds me of the names of Japanese children, hundreds of years
ago. Instead of being known by the Japanese for Tom, Henry, or John,
it was No. 1, No. 2, No. 3, and so on, through a whole family of
little folks.
Once you had an article[1] on Japanese Games by a native of Japan,
Ichy Zo Hattori. Well, this name, as you will all admit, is a
fine-sounding appellative enough, but in English it means simply No. 1
Hattori.
[Footnote 1: See ST. NICHOLAS for January, 1874.]
So, welcome to the lovely new child, No. 5 St. Nicholas!--and that he
may grow to be a brave, bright volume, beautiful to look at and useful
to this and many a generation of little folks, is your Jack's earnest
wish.
Of one thing the little fellow may be sure,--Jack and the Deacon, and
the dear, blessed Little School-ma'am, will stand by him to the end.
And so will you, my chicks, Jack verily believes. He'll be a good
friend to you, bringing you any amount of fun, and telling you more
good things every month than you'll remember in a thousand years.
Now we'll take up our next subject.