Kate Whiting Patch. Old Lady and Young Laddie. Illustrations by Bertha G. Davidson. Boston, J.H. West company, c1900
The Art of Book Design: Old Lady and Young Laddie; Two Christmas Stories
Affinity
Art, Fun, & Nonsense.
Kate Whiting Patch. Old Lady and Young Laddie. Illustrations by Bertha G. Davidson. Boston, J.H. West company, c1900
Maud Humphrey, Artist with verses by Edith M. Thomas. New York, F. A. Stokes & brother, 1888.
Is it me, or is that cover totally creepy? I think it’s meant to be a 3D example of one of the book’s sweet, cherub-like little girls, but the idea obviously went sideways at some point and never recovered. The child on that cover has dead, cold, unfeeling eyes and looks downright demonic to me. What’s she hiding with that arm behind her back, and why does she appear to be stroking a mustache? She also has an odd, plastic lustre that doesn’t do a thing for her complexion, but it does increase the creep content of her countenance.
I’ve put the book’s three full-colour plates below the fold. They’re charming in that Victorian way, but I do find their over-sized eyes a tad off-puttingly weird. Nothing like the little Demon Queen on the cover, though. She Shines!
Margaret Love Sanderson. Captain Becky’s Winter Cruise. Chicago, The Reilly & Britton Co., 1912.
I think Captain Becky looks decidedly underdressed for a winter cruise, and that hat will fly away with the first breeze.
John Howard Jewett. Little Christmas. Illustrated by Anna Milo Upjohn. New York, F. A. Stokes company. 1906
Anna Burnam Bryant. The Christmas Cat. Illustrated by Edith Browning Brand. Boston, Chicago, The Pilgrim Press, 1902
Clement Clarke Moore. A visit from St. Nicholas, Boston, Published by L. Prang & Co, 1864.
It was a tradition in my family to read this poem every Christmas Eve just before bedtime when I was young. The poem was first published anonymously in 1823, but Moore admitted authorship in 1837. The poem is credited with cementing the idea of Santa Claus and gift-giving into the Christmas traditions of modern times. This is the earliest edition that I was able to locate, and the entire poem is included beneath the fold.
Washington Gladden. Santa Claus on a Lark. New York, The Century co., 1890.
Georgene Faulkner. The Story Lady’s Christmas Stories. Illustrated by Frederic Richardson. Chicago, Daughaday and company, 1916.
If you’re in the mood for some traditional Christmas art, please click-through. I’ve included all of the colour plates from the book.
Charles Dickens. Christmas Stories. Illustrated by Spencer Baird Nicholas. New York, Frederick A. Stokes Company, 1913
Jacob A. Riis. Is There a Santa Claus. New York : The Macmillan Company ; London : Macmillan & Co., Ltd., 1904
Marion Ames Taggert. Beth’s Wonder – Winter. Illustrated by William F. Stecher. Boston, Chicago, W. A. Wilde company, 1914
Alvin Tresselt. Illustrated by Roger Duvoisin. White Snow Bright Snow. New York, Lothrop, Lee & Shepard Co. Inc., 1947
photo by Canadagood, via Atlas Obscura
Today’s tree is a stubborn little Douglas Fir, who found an unusual and somewhat lonely place to grow.
Seventy miles from the port city of Victoria, British Columbia on Vancouver Island, a plucky arboreal wonder can be found on the quiet waters of Fairy Lake.
Living up to its name, Fairy Lake is in a remote and unspoiled landscape near the town of Port Renfrew. Sticking up out of the lake’s stillness is a submerged log. Clinging to that log for dear life is a tiny Douglas fir-tree. The log itself is a Douglas fir. As the stunted tree’s only source of support and nutrients, it feels like the dead tree made a sort of noble sacrifice to the tiny tree growing on it. Tourists, boaters and hikers come seeking it as a unique window into nature and rebirth.
The tree is referred to as the “Bonsai” tree and has been attracting lots of photographers, some even producing award-winning photos.
Photo by Shawn McCready for Atlas Obscura
Atlas Obscura says it’s easy to get to the tree and gives directions to the site at the link below. There are also a few more photos at the link. If you go, please share with us any photos you take.