Dew Drops, Vol. 37, No. 17, April 26, 1914

In Short

This volume is a weekly Sunday school publication from 1914, designed to provide moral guidance and entertainment to children. Through brief, interconnected narratives and instructional sections, it teaches values like patience, animal stewardship, and empathy. The magazine serves as a mirror for the era’s pedagogical style, using simple, declarative storytelling to reinforce Christian values and domestic virtues. It has endured as an artifact of its time, offering a glimpse into the gentle, structured, and often didactic approach to character-building that defined the religious upbringing of the Edwardian era.

The Story

The volume opens with the adventurous, albeit contained, exploration of two twins, Toby and Nancy. Seeking treasure, they paddle to a set of rocks at low tide, discovering not a shipwreck, but a small boat carrying a shivering kitten. This simple act of rescue leads them to a local fisherman, Mr. Rowan, and his crippled granddaughter, Matty, for whom the kitten serves as a vital companion. The story underscores the joy found in small, unselfish deeds.

This theme of domestic observation continues with the Dalton children in Florida. Fearful of snakes after hearing local tales, they are terrified when they find a coiled, green-and-blue creature on their mother’s bed. The tension mounts as they prepare to defend the house, only to discover that the "monster" is merely a discarded, colorful silk necktie. The resolution provides a lighthearted lesson on the dangers of overactive imaginations and the value of clear-sightedness.

In other segments, Toodles the dog learns a sharp lesson about meddling after he knocks over a candle and burns his paw, teaching the reader the consequences of curiosity without restraint. Meanwhile, a young girl named Marjorie, feeling left out because she lacks a grandmother, takes the initiative to "adopt" an elderly neighbor who has no grandchildren of her own. This cross-generational bond highlights the comfort found in community and the idea that family can be built through intentional kindness.

The narrative arc reaches toward more communal and instructional goals. A story about a worker bee illustrates the dignity of small, unseen labor, while a dramatized account of the invention of the safety-pin celebrates a young boy’s empathy for his crying brother. Finally, the magazine pivots to a formal Sunday school lesson on the Parables of the Lost Sheep and the Lost Coin. These biblical stories are broken down into simple questions and answers, reinforcing the central message of the volume: that every individual has value, and that seeking out the "lost" is a duty of love. The collection concludes with guidance for mothers on how to curate their children's reading habits, urging them to prioritize the Bible and nature-focused literature to foster a healthy, grounded development. Throughout these pages, the overarching story is one of a transition from the playfulness of childhood discovery to the realization of one's place within a larger, benevolent moral order.

How It Unfolds

The Discovery Toby and Nancy venture into the tide, expecting high-stakes maritime treasure but finding instead a small boat and a stranded kitten. This initial exploration sets the tone for the volume, centering on the reward of kindness over the thrill of material gain.

The Imagination The Dalton children confront their fears of the unknown, manifesting as a perceived snake that turns out to be a household object. By resolving this scare, the text reinforces the importance of verifying facts before succumbing to communal panic.

The Domestic Lesson Stories of misbehaving pets and lonely children provide relatable scenarios for the young reader. These beats demonstrate that character is shaped by small, daily choices, whether it is respecting household items or reaching out to a neighbor.

The Moral Instruction The transition into formal lessons on biblical parables provides a structured conclusion to the reading experience. By framing salvation as a process of being "found," the text ties the earlier stories of lost kittens and lonely grandmothers to a broader spiritual framework.

The Parental Guide The volume shifts its gaze to the adults, providing advice on how to guide a child’s literary appetite. This final beat solidifies the purpose of the publication: to act as both a companion for the child and a manual for the parent.

The People

Toby and Nancy are the quintessential curious children, defined by their red curls and their active imaginations. They begin as seekers of adventure and end as providers of comfort for a lonely peer.

Matty, the crippled granddaughter of the fisherman, represents the vulnerable figure whose life is brightened by the kindness of others. Her happiness upon being reunited with her kitten serves as the emotional pivot of the twins' story.

The Dalton children—Mabel, Tom, Hetty, and Charlie—are portrayed as a cohesive, if occasionally frightened, unit. Tom, the youngest, proves the most observant, diffusing the tension of their "snake" scare with his level-headed discovery of the truth.

Marjorie Blake is a proactive, heartfelt child who refuses to accept the lack of a grandmother in her life. Her boldness in "adopting" a neighbor reveals a character who values connection above social convention.

Finally, the unnamed "little worker bee" serves as an allegorical figure, representing the child who feels their contributions are small. Her transformation from discontent to fulfillment mirrors the lesson the periodical intends for its young readers: that even the smallest task, when done for the benefit of others, is honorable.

In Its Own Voice

Describing the moment the twins discover the source of their anxiety on the water:

"Oh--h!" Nancy pulled at the clinging creature in terror, but Toby was bent with laughter!

An observation on the internal requirements for social harmony:

"We cannot be free from unkind words unless we are free from unkind feelings."

A bit of advice regarding the spiritual foundation of a child's education:

"Best and most important of all is to teach them a love and appreciation of the Bible."

What It's Really About

The volume is essentially a guide to the development of a sympathetic character. It argues that the world is a place where small, unselfish acts—feeding rabbits, looking after a baby brother, or befriending a lonely neighbor—create a ripple effect of goodness. It treats the child not as a passive recipient of rules, but as an active agent of grace. By intertwining secular stories of pets and play with religious parables of lost things being found, it suggests that the moral life is not a separate, heavy burden, but a natural, joyous extension of everyday curiosity and care.

Why Read It Today

Readers today will find this volume to be a gentle, if somewhat dated, experience. Those who appreciate the history of children’s media or who are interested in the evolution of Sunday school pedagogy will find it a fascinating, well-preserved artifact. The prose is clear, direct, and rhythmic, reflecting the high value placed on moral clarity in the 1910s.

However, a modern reader must be prepared for the specific, sometimes rigid, gender roles and the occasionally simplistic, didactic tone common to the era. The dialect used for Tilly, the "little colored girl," serves as a stark reminder of the period’s racial attitudes, which readers should approach with historical awareness. Despite these limitations, there is a genuine warmth in the writing. The stories of simple neighborliness and the emphasis on the "habit of good reading" are remarkably resonant. It feels like stepping into a quiet, sunlit parlor where every lesson is meant to be digested slowly. What stays with the reader is the underlying belief that a child’s environment, when carefully curated and infused with kindness, can serve as a lifelong foundation for a thoughtful, empathetic existence. It is a humble, sincere, and entirely unpretentious piece of history.