Magazines for Young America                      39

seventeen years, St. Nicholas protected itself from losing its read¬
ership—by "growing up" with them for a period of some twelve
years. None of its contents had a condescending tone, and even
the mature articles were arranged with enough illustrations so as
not to frighten the younger readers. Its original plan, to supple¬
ment the curriculum of the schools, had provided a success similar
to that of the Youth's Companion. For its final fifty years it di¬
rected its columns to pleasing the entire family through informa-
ti\'e articles and by interviews with Gladstone, Thomas Hardy,
Rudyard Kipling, Henry AVard Beecher, AMIliam Dean Howells
and Jules \^erne. Both magazines responded to the needs of so¬
ciety, and in so doing helped mold many young and influential
minds.