Young Folks Paper Issue 818

"The sieur pointed down to a small vessel, with long, laten, tards, that had just swept into the harbour, and dropped anchor right below the homestead. 'What do you make of that?' asked the sieur. Jeannot looked keenly at the approaching boat, and said, briefly, 'she is a cartel-flag, and coming here on business.'"

-----Young Folks, no. 818, p. 66

Final Illustration

Interestingly, the cover image for the final installment of Kidnapped does not actually illustrate the story of Kidnapped at all. Instead, it illustrates the story, Ernest Darcourt; or The Fer-de-Lance Guard, which is the story that the editors of Young Folks Paper have chosen to take the place of Kidnapped as the primary cover story. This story's illustrator also happens to be William Boucher as well, which strengthens the connection between illustrator and publisher (in this example, Young Folks Paper). In issue 818, only one chapter of Kidnapped (Chapter 30) is included. Since only an infinitesimal portion of Stevenson's story is incorporated in this issue, it brings into question the publishing practices of Victorian periodicals. It may be surprising to some readers that the editor did not include this small cessation of Kidnapped in issue 817 and possibly cause them to wonder why such a section was delayed. 

One reason why the editors of Young Folks Paper may have delayed this chapter would be to keep readers involved in Young Folks Paper. If individuals were only reading the paper to read Kidnapped, then there is a chance that they will stop purchasing or reading the paper once the story comes to a close. Therefore, by drawing out the conclusion into another issue, the readers are forced to spend money and buy another issue of the periodical to complete the plot. Furthermore, by choosing to use the illustration of a different story as the cover of this issue, hopefully the audience of Kidnapped will find another story to become attached or dedicated to over the course of time. Overall, since the final installment of Kidnapped does not receive a coinciding illustration, one can better understand the story in its original serialization and how editors attempted to generate dedicated consumers.