THE JACK OF ALLTRADESORNEW IDEAS FOR AMERICAN BOYSD. C. BeardNew YorkIt was not the author's original intention to produce a series of boys' books. On thecontrary, he expected that his work in this line would begin and end with "The AmericanBoy's Handy Book."The great popularity of that book is a constant source of gratification and pleasure to theauthor; but he was not a little surprised and embarrassed when he discovered that inplace of satisfying the lads he had only whetted their appetite for more material in thesame line. Letters from boys in many parts of the British Provinces, and from all over theUnited States, convinced the writer that he had yet work to do for them, and the revisedand enlarged edition of "The American Boy's Handy Book" was issued. After a briefperiod of time the quaintly worded letters in boyish handwriting began again to increasethe mail left at the author's studio, and this time he laid aside his brush and pencil toproduce "The Outdoor Handy Book."It is hoped that the present demand for new ideas for boys will be fully satisfied by "TheJack of All Trades." To the best of the author's knowledge and belief there is not a thingdescribed in this book which has not been proved practical by the experiments of himselfor some boy or boys. Parts of this book have appeared in various periodicals, but allthese chapters have been revised and enlarged.It is now a generally accepted truth that the so-called skill of the hand is in reality the skillof a trained mind. The necessity, in work or play, of constantly overcoming newobstacles and solving new problems, develops a strong and normal mind and body.There can be little doubt that the rude schooling and hard knocks of a pioneer's liferejuvenated our race and developed those qualities in the characters of Americans,without which Washington would have been but a country gentleman and Lincoln avillage store-keeper. Had little Abe Lincoln been reared under the care of a foreignwoman with cap and ribbons (i.e. a French nurse), his strong manly character wouldnever have been developed and our country would have lost one of its grandest patriotsand history its most unique figure.Aside from these vitally important facts, art demands that our youth should beencouraged to do things for themselves, to produce things by their own labor. The mostfinished product of the machine cannot appeal to the heart of a real artist as does someuseful and homely object which still bears the marks of its maker's hands.For these reasons the author hopes that parents will allow their boys to be boyish boys;and in order to keep them out of mischief they will cater to the lads' natural and healthydesire for entertainment by encouraging them in all rational projects and supplying themwith tools and materials, so that the boys may all become juvenile Jacks of All Trades.It is the object of the author, in the chapters devoted to animal life, to teach the boys tolook upon all animals with the same thoughtful kindness with which they might view theirown undeveloped brothers.To Harper & Brothers, and to The Ladies' Home Journal the thanks of the author are duefor the careful preservation and return of such original drawings as were used by them intheir respective publications, and without which this work would be incomplete.D. C. B.