The general plan of a story or a description is important, but the suceess of most compositions depends largely upon the little things that are told to fill in the plan. If these details are well chosen, they make the reader feel as if he had really seen what is described, or had a part in the events narrated.

Exercise 49. A Study Of Details

Read the two following accounts of Stevenson's preparations for his journey in the Cevennes Mountains. The second one he wrote himself. Compare the two, paragraph by paragraph, and note the details that make Stevenson's writing so vivid and interesting. Are there any that might better be omitted? Are there any paragraphs that do not seem clear to you after you know the meaning of the words?

1. It was fall before I was ready to start, and it would be cold in the mountains. I was determined to be prepared to camp out when I could not reach an inn easily by dusk. I thought the matter over and decided that a sleeping bag would be better than a tent. I had one made at Le Prey.

It was nearly six feet square. It was large enough for a valise and comfortable for a bed. I had also a fur cap for my head.

I bought a donkey to carry my baggage.

A saddler made me a leather pad to fasten my bundle to. I took also a revolver, some utensils for cooking and for lights, a jack-knife, a large flask, warm clothing, a railway rug, and food for myself and the donkey.

2. It was already hard upon October before I was ready to set forth. And at the high altitudes over which my road lay there was no Indian summer to be looked for. I was determined, if not to camp out, at least to have the means of camping out in my possession; for there is nothing more harassing to an easy mind than the necessity of reaching shelter by dusk, and the hospitality of a village inn is not always to be reckoned sure by those who travel on foot. A tent, above all for a solitary traveler, is troublesome to pitch, and troublesome to strike again; and even on the march it forms a conspicuous feature of your baggage. A sleeping sack, on the other hand, is always ready - you have only to get into it; it serves a double purpose - a bed by night, a portmanteau by day; and it does not advertise your intention of camping out to every curious passer by. This is a huge point. If the camp is not secret, it is but a troubled resting place. I determined on a sleeping sack; and after repeated visits to Le Prey, it was designed, constructed, and brought home.

The sack of my invention was nearly six feet square, exclusive of two triangular flaps to serve as a pillow by night and as the top and bottom of the sack by day. I call it "the sack," but it was never a sack by more than courtesy: only a sort of a long roll or sausage, green water-proof cart-cloth without, and blue sheep's fur within. It was commodious as a valise, warm and dry as a bed. I could bury myself in it up to the neck; for my head I trusted to a fur cap, with a hood to fold down over my ears, and a band to pass under my nose like a respirator; and in case of heavy rain, I proposed to make myself a little tent, or tentlet, with my waterproof coat, three stones, and a bent branch.

By the advice of a fallacious local saddler, a leather pad was made for me, with rings to fasten on my bundle; and I thoughtfully completed my kit and arranged my toilet. By way of armory and utensils, I took a revolver, a little spirit lamp and pan, a lantern and some half-penny candles, a jackknife, and a large leather flask. The main cargo consisted of two entire changes of warm clothing - besides my traveling wear of country velveteen, pilot coat, and knitted spencer - some books, and my railway rug, which, being also in the form of a bag, made me a double castle for cold nights. The permanent larder was represented by cakes of chocolate and tins of bologna sausage. All this, except what I carried about my person, was easily stowed into the sheepskin bag; and by good fortune I threw in my empty knapsack. For more immediate needs, I took a leg of cold mutton, a bottle of wine, an empty bottle to carry milk, an egg beater, and a considerable quantity of black bread and white for myself and the donkey.

Robert Louis Stevenson.

Exercise 50. Oral And Written Composition

Write about the first account at least five questions that are answered in the second one. Close your book and see if you can give in a good sentence the details asked for by each question.

Take your questions to class and see if the other pupils can answer them.

Exercise 51. Word Studies

Select ten words or groups of words that Stevenson has used and that you should not have thought to use. Put as good words as you can in place of them and see which seem better to you.

Exercise 52. Word Study

A bulletin of the Nebraska College of Agriculture gives the following names to the colors of horses: dapple gray, steel gray, iron gray, black, brown, seal brown, dark bay, light bay, sorrel, chestnut, strawberry or red roan, blue roan, black with gray hair. Notice the horses that you see and identify as many of the colors as you can.

Composition Topics

1. Suppose that one of your horses has been stolen and you wish to advertise for him in the newspapers. Write in short clear sentences a description so that a stranger could identify him at sight. Include these points:.

(1) Weight; (2) height in hands at withers (one hand equals four inches); (3) color; (4) location and description of white markings; (5) location and description of blemishes, such as wire cuts and other injuries; (6) harness or saddle marks (white hairs indicating old injuries are good marks); (7) any other peculiarities.1

2. A similar description of a lost dog or cat.

3. Preparations for a week's camping, or for a picnic, an automobile trip, a canoe trip, or some other outing.

4. Some mishap that befell Stevenson during his journey. You may imagine one if you wish. Or you may find the book containing the whole story and select one from that.

5. My animal friends, or The best animal friend I ever had.

1 Extension Bulletin No. 5, College of Agriculture, University of Nebraska.

Friendship. A.J.Swanson.