GIRLS AND BOYS: You will all be very sorry, we know, to learn that
the beginning of Miss Alcott's serial story, "Under the Lilacs,"
has been postponed to the December number; but in place of it, we
print this month the capital short story of "Mollie's Boyhood,"
which, we feel sure, will go far toward repaying you for the
disappointment. We must ask you to wait a month longer for the
opening chapters of the serial, and we mean to give you then a
much longer installment of it than could have been printed in the
present issue.
Meanwhile, you will find that the splendid article on Christmas
Gifts, which occupies twenty-two pages of this number, contains
novelties, hints, plates, and directions enough to keep your minds
so busy planning, and your hands so busily at work, during the
next few weeks, that the December ST. NICHOLAS will come before
you think of expecting it, and perhaps before you have half
finished your pretty gifts.
* * * * *
DEAR LITTLE SCHOOLMA'AM: Please will you tell me if it is warm
or cold, and if it is dark or light, in the places between the
stars?--Yours affectionately,