IN the year 1719 an Englishman whose name was Daniel Defoe wrote a very long story, which he called "The Life and Surprising Adventures of Robinson Crusoe." His story was not designed for children, and therefore it contained a great deal of hard reading. There was much in it, however, that was interesting to young people, and from that day to this, the marvelous tale of Robinson Crusoe has been a favorite with boys as well as men. I have rewritten the story in words easy for every child, a...

ProducTO CONSTANCE SWEET CHATTERBOX, IT IS THOU THAT HAST BEGUILED MY FANCY, AS IT DREW THE LITTLE CHILD WHO IN THESE PAGES LIVES; HER GENTLE WAYS ARE BUT THE REFLEX OF THY BOUND OF DAYS. THE TRIP OF SYLLABLE I HELD SO DEAR, AND ALL THY SMALL REMARKS, ARE TREASURED HERE — CHARMED BY THE ALCHEMY OF LOVE TO STAY THE WHILE THY BLISSFUL CHILDHOOD SLIPS AWAY. KIND LITTLE HEART, THAT KNOWS NO SELFISH THOUGHT, READ HERE THE TALE THAT THOU, THYSELF, HAST WROUGHT! CHAPTER I Dorothy and the Admiral ...

These were the dreadful words of our Indian uncle. They made us feel very young and angry; and yet we could not be comforted by calling him names to ourselves, as you do when nasty grown–ups say nasty things, because he is not nasty, but quite the exact opposite when not irritated. And we could not think it ungentlemanly of him to say we were like jam, because, as Alice says, jam is very nice indeed—only not on furniture and improper places like that. My father said, 'Perhaps they had better ...