Harper's Round Table, September 8, 1896

In Short

This volume is an issue of a prominent children's periodical from September 1896, functioning as a digest of serialized historical fiction, practical advice columns, and lighthearted humor. It captures the spirit of an age where young readers were encouraged to be both adventurous and studious. Through its mix of frontier tales, etiquette lessons, and technical instructions for hobbies like photography and athletics, the book preserves the specific preoccupations of its time, offering a lasting look at the instructional and entertainment landscape provided to young people at the turn of the century.

The Story

The text weaves together several distinct narratives that reflect the diverse interests of its readership. The historical fiction strand follows the youth of George Washington, who travels through the wilderness with William Fairfax and a seasoned mentor, Lance, to conduct land surveys. Their journey is marked by the discovery of sublime landscapes, the challenges of survival, and the formative experiences of early military scouting. While George thrives in the wild, he is repeatedly drawn back to domestic concerns, specifically the illness of his brother’s young daughter, which forces him to reconcile his professional ambitions with his familial devotion.

Interspersed with this are stories of contemporary childhood. We meet the young, inquisitive Elizabeth Herrick, who navigates the rigid social expectations of her household while attempting to understand the "skeletons" in her family’s closet. Her introduction to her cousin Valentine highlights the generational tensions of the period, as the children attempt to bridge the gap between their disparate interests—Elizabeth’s fascination with living creatures versus Valentine’s energetic desire for modern play.

Another narrative thread involves the "Rattletrap," a travelogue describing a journey through the rugged American West. The protagonists encounter horse thieves, local vigilante associations, and colorful local characters who tell tall tales—such as the harrowing account of a child trapped in a deep well. This thread highlights the danger and uncertainty of life on the frontier, contrasting sharply with the structured, urban lives of the New York schoolgirls described in another section of the book. These girls balance their academic studies with domestic chores and street games, painting a picture of an industrious, yet constrained, childhood.

Finally, the volume includes ethnographic and political sketches, such as the account of the Cheyenne youth, Elk, who struggles to find his identity in the wake of reservation life. Caught between the traditional, martial values passed down by his elders and the new, pacifying influence of the white man’s schools, Elk experiences a painful transition. He ultimately chooses to leave his home, seeking the path of the warrior, which underscores the profound cultural displacement of the era. The book closes by cycling through various departments, ranging from technical advice on how to use a camera to light, anecdotal humor regarding the American Civil War and the quirks of daily life, ensuring a varied reading experience that moves from the high stakes of frontier history to the mundane, funny realities of the household.

How It Unfolds

The surveying expedition begins. George and his companions leave the comforts of Greenway Court to map the wilderness, establishing a camp where they learn the discipline of the outdoors.

The call of duty and loss. Amidst his successful work in the field, George receives word of a niece’s failing health, creating a poignant tension between his responsibilities to Lord Fairfax and his desire to return home.

Domestic discovery. Elizabeth Herrick begins to question the silences and secrets of her elders, seeking to understand the family history that her aunts are determined to keep hidden.

Frontier travel and danger. The travelers in the "Rattletrap" move through unsettled regions, meeting residents who describe the harsh justice of the frontier and the dangers of the open road.

Cultural transition. Elk, caught between his heritage and his current life under military supervision, ultimately rejects the new way of life to pursue the traditional path of a warrior.

Practical instruction and humor. The narrative flow is punctuated by technical advice for photographers and athletes, alongside brief, witty anecdotes that provide a lighthearted conclusion to the varied accounts.

The People

George Washington is presented as a robust and intellectually curious youth. He wants to prove his worth as a surveyor but struggles with the emotional weight of his family’s health crises. Through his guidance under Lord Fairfax, he transitions from a boy playing at war to a young man demonstrating "a truly great and comprehensive mind."

William Fairfax acts as a foil to George; he is a hardy, capable assistant who has learned to forgive past slights, showing a strength of character that earns him George’s genuine respect.

Elizabeth Herrick is a precocious and observant eleven-year-old. She is tired of being treated like a child and wants to understand the adult world, particularly the mysteries of her lineage. She stands in contrast to her aunts, who value "good form" and the maintenance of family secrets above her desire for truth.

Elk is a young Cheyenne man caught in a state of transition. He desires to honor his ancestry, but he is constantly pressured by his peers and the changing world around him. His eventual departure for the "war-path" is a desperate attempt to reclaim a sense of agency in a world that has rendered his people's traditions powerless.

In Its Own Voice

"I did a very unhandsome thing to William Fairfax while we were at Mount Vernon at Christmas, and he was so manful about it that I think more of him than ever, and I believe he would be an excellent helper."

George admits his previous poor behavior to Lord Fairfax while explaining why he is eager to have William accompany him on the survey.

"There is a blight upon this dear little innocent, and I doubt whether she will not be a flower in God's garden by Christmas-time--greatly to her profit, but to the everlasting grief of her sorrowing parents."

Madam Washington writes to George regarding the terminal illness of his young niece, highlighting the somber reality of high child mortality during the period.

"She suffered the intense pain the children of a people in a state of transition from savagery to Christianity must suffer in the realization that their parents have failed to grasp the new truths already embraced by their more teachable minds."

The narrator describes Bluebird’s quiet struggle as she navigates the ideological divide between her mother's traditional outlook and her own education.

What It's Really About

At its heart, the book is about the transition from childhood to maturity and the weight of legacy. Whether it is George learning the discipline of a surveyor, Elizabeth seeking the truth of her family's past, or the Cheyenne youth attempting to navigate a changing political landscape, the text is preoccupied with how the next generation inherits the world left by their elders. It argues that maturity requires both technical competence and an ability to navigate the moral complexities of one's environment. The book asks questions about what it means to be a "gentleman" or a "brave," and how one balances the urge for individual adventure against the immovable demands of family and duty.

Why Read It Today

Readers who enjoy historical atmosphere or are interested in the evolution of children’s literature will find this book fascinating. It captures a specific moment in American history when the frontier was still mythologized and the expectations for young people—such as learning to survey, crochet, or play football with "gentlemanly" conduct—were far more regimented than they are today.

The experience of reading it feels like sifting through an old attic trunk; the prose is formal and earnest, reflecting the period's rigid social hierarchies and its occasional, dated attitudes toward different cultures. The technical sections on photography or sports are particularly striking for how they illustrate the early, earnest attempts to standardize modern hobbies. While the narrative jumps between disparate subjects, this variety is its strength, providing a kaleidoscopic view of a world that is distant yet recognizable. It is a slow, thoughtful read, best appreciated by those who can look past the period-specific language and enjoy the genuine, unvarnished look at a long-lost daily life. It is not a modern page-turner, but it offers a rare, quiet intimacy with the values and anxieties of the children who lived at the end of the 19th century.