mr. webster's speller had an immense sale. ten years ago he had sold forty million copies. and yet it had this same defect. it was cold, dull, disconnected, and verbose. there was only one good thing in the book, and that was a little literary gem regarding a boy who broke in and stole the apples of a total stranger. the story was so good that i have often wondered whom mr. webster got to write it for him.