here were two editions of a
work as long as the unauthorized one was exactly like the original;
but Mr. Crane says that "the pirated edition grossly misrepresents
his drawings, both in style and coloring; that the arrangement of the
pages is different; and that the full-page colored plates are complete
travesties, and very coarse ones, of the originals." And it does not
at all improve the false copy that it is to be bought for less than
the true one costs. It would be bad enough merely to deprive Mr. Crane
of the profits of selling an exact imitation of his book, but it is
far worse to put a _bad_ sham before the people as the work of a true
artist. This not only lessens his gains, but also takes away from his
good name, besides spoiling the taste of the youngsters.

* * * * *

THE LETTER-BOX.

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,

CONSTANCE DURIVAGE.

The Little Schoolma'am respectfully hands over this question to other
little schoolma'ams.

* * * * *

DEAR ST. NICHOLAS: I make so many of the "Thistle-Puffs" spoken of
in the September number that I thought I would let you know how
I fix mine. After I get the thistles I cut off all the green
excepting a little at