throp among the many
who suffered. Much of the hard-won earnings of years of toil was
swept away in that terrible night. About two weeks later, a large
quantity of paper which had been destroyed during the great fire
had been replaced, and the printing of the same was in process at
the printing house of Rand, Avery & Co., when a fire broke out
there, destroying this second lot of paper, intended for the first
edition of sixteen volumes of the celebrated $1,000 prize books. A
third lot of paper was purchased for these books and sent to the
Riverside Press without delay. The books were at last printed, as
many thousand readers can testify, an enterprise that called out
from the Boston papers much commendation, adding, in one instance:
'Mr. Lothrop seems _warmed_ up to his work.'

When the time was ripe, another form of Mr. Lothrop's plans for the
creation of a great popular literature was inaugurated. We refer to
the projection of his now famous 'Wide Awake,' a magazine into
which he has thrown a large amount of money. Thrown it, expecting
to wait for results. And they have begun to come. 'Wide Awake' now
stands abreast with the finest periodicals in our country, or
abroad. In speaking of 'Wide Awake' the Boston Herald says: 'No
such marvel of excellence could be reached unless there were
something beyond the strict calculations of money-making to push
those engaged upon it to such magnificent results.' Nothing that
money can do is spared for its improvement. Withal, it is the most
carefully edited of all magazines; Mr. Lothrop's strict
determination to that effect, having placed wise hands at the helm
to co-operate with him. Our best people have found this out. The
finest writers in this country and in Europe are giving of their
best thought to filling its pages, the most celebrated artists are
glad to work for it. Scientific men, professors, clergymen, and all
heads of households give in their testimony of its merits as a
family magazine, while the young folks are delighted with it. The
fortune of 'Wide Awake' is sure. Next Mr. Lothrop proceeded to
supply the babies with their own especial magazine. Hence came
bright, winsome, sparkling 'Babyland.' The mothers caught at the
idea. 'Babyland' jumped into success in an incredibly short space
of t