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diff --git a/15373.txt b/15373.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..dc9f65a --- /dev/null +++ b/15373.txt @@ -0,0 +1,8551 @@ +Project Gutenberg's St. Nicholas, Vol. 5, No. 2, December, 1877, by Various + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: St. Nicholas, Vol. 5, No. 2, December, 1877 + +Author: Various + +Release Date: March 15, 2005 [EBook #15373] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK ST. NICHOLAS, VOL. 5, NO. 2, *** + + + + +Produced by Juliet Sutherland, Lynn Bornath and the Online Distributed +Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net. + + + + + + +[Illustration: THE HOLY FAMILY.] + + + + +ST. NICHOLAS. + +VOL. V. +DECEMBER, 1877. +No. 2. + + +[Copyright, 1877, by Scribner & Co.] + + + + +THE THREE KINGS. + +BY HENRY W. LONGFELLOW. + + + Three Kings came riding from far away, + Melchior and Gaspar and Baltazar; + Three Wise Men out of the East were they, + And they traveled by night and they slept by day, + For their guide was a beautiful, wonderful star. + + The star was so beautiful, large and clear, + That all the other stars of the sky + Became a white mist in the atmosphere, + And the Wise Men knew that the coming was near + Of the Prince foretold in the prophecy. + + Three caskets they bore on their saddle-bows, + Three caskets of gold with golden keys; + Their robes were of crimson silk, with rows + Of bells and pomegranates and furbelows, + Their turbans like blossoming almond-trees. + + And so the Three Kings rode into the West, + Through the dusk of night over hills and dells, + And sometimes they nodded with beard on breast, + And sometimes talked, as they paused to rest, + With the people they met at the way-side wells. + + "Of the child that is born," said Baltazar, + "Good people, I pray you, tell us the news, + For we in the East have seen his star, + And have ridden fast, and have ridden far, + To find and worship the King of the Jews." + + And the people answered: "You ask in vain; + We know of no king but Herod the Great!" + They thought the Wise Men were men insane, + As they spurred their horses across the plain + Like riders in haste who cannot wait. + + And when they came to Jerusalem, + Herod the Great, who had heard this thing, + Sent for the Wise Men and questioned them; + And said: "Go down into Bethlehem, + And bring me tidings of this new king." + + So they rode away; and the star stood still, + The only one in the gray of morn; + Yes, it stopped, it stood still of its own free will, + Right over Bethlehem on the hill, + The city of David where Christ was born. + + And the Three Kings rode through the gate and the guard, + Through the silent street, till their horses turned + And neighed as they entered the great inn-yard; + But the windows were closed, and the doors were barred, + And only a light in the stable burned. + + And cradled there in the scented hay, + In the air made sweet by the breath of kine, + The little child in the manger lay,-- + The child that would be king one day + Of a kingdom not human but divine. + + His mother, Mary of Nazareth, + Sat watching beside his place of rest, + Watching the even flow of his breath, + For the joy of life and the terror of death + Were mingled together in her breast. + + They laid their offerings at his feet; + The gold was their tribute to a king; + The frankincense, with its odor sweet, + Was for the priest, the Paraclete, + The myrrh for the body's burying. + + And the mother wondered and bowed her head, + And sat as still as a statue of stone; + Her heart was troubled, yet comforted, + Remembering what the angel had said + Of an endless reign and of David's throne. + + Then the Kings rode out of the city gate, + With the clatter of hoofs in proud array; + But they went not back to Herod the Great, + For they knew his malice and feared his hate, + And returned to their homes by another way. + + + + +ROWING AGAINST TIDE. + +BY THEODORE WINTHROP. + + +[The following hitherto-unprinted fragment by Theodore Winthrop, author +of "John Brent," "The Canoe and the Saddle," "Life in the Open Air," +and other works, was intended by him for the first chapter of a story +called "Steers Flotsam," but it has an interest of its own, and is a +complete narrative in itself. + +Perhaps there are many of our young readers who do not know the history +of that brave young officer who, one of the very first to fall in the +late war, was killed at Great Bethel, Virginia, June 10, 1861. He was +born at New Haven, Connecticut, in September, 1828. He was a studious +and quiet boy, and not very robust. From early youth he had determined +to become an author worthy of fame, but he tore himself away from his +beloved work at the call of his country just as he was about to win +that fame, leaving behind him a number of finished and unfinished +writings, most of which were afterward published. + +He could handle oars as well as write of them, could skate like his +hero in "Love and Skates," and was good at all manly sports. He +traveled much, visited Europe twice, lived two years at the Isthmus of +Panama, and returning from there across the plains (an adventurous trip +at that time), learned in those far western wilds to manage and +understand the half-tamed horses and untamed savages about whom he +writes so well. This varied experience gave a freedom and power to his +pen that the readers of the ST. NICHOLAS are not too young to perceive +and appreciate.] + + + +Almost sunset. I pulled my boat's head round, and made for home. + +I had been floating with the tide, drifting athwart the long shadows +under the western bank, shooting across the whirls and eddies of the +rapid strait, grappling to one and another of the good-natured sloops +and schooners that swept along the highway to the great city, near at +hand. + +For an hour I had sailed over the fleet, smooth glimmering water, free +and careless as a sea-gull. Now I must 'bout ship and tussle with the +whole force of the tide at the jaws of Hellgate. I did not know that +not for that day only, but for life, my floating gayly with the stream +was done. + +I pulled in under the eastern shore, and began to give way with all my +boyish force. + +I was a little fellow, only ten years old, but my pretty white skiff +was little, in proportion, and so were my sculls, and we were all used +to work together. + +As I faced about, a carriage came driving furiously along the turn of +the shore. The road followed the water's edge. I was pulling close to +the rocks to profit by every eddy. The carriage whirled by so near me +that I could recognize one of the two persons within. No mistaking that +pale, keen face. He evidently saw and recognized me also. He looked out +at the window and signaled the coachman to stop. But before the horses +could be pulled into a trot he gave a sign to go on again. The carriage +disappeared at a turn of the shore. + +This encounter strangely dispirited me. My joy in battling with the +tide, in winning upward, foot by foot, boat's length after boat's +length, gave place to a forlorn doubt whether I could hold my +own--whether I should not presently be swept away. + +The tide seemed to run more sternly than I had ever known it. It made a +plaything of my little vessel, slapping it about most uncivilly. The +black rocks, covered with clammy, unwholesome-looking sea-weed, seemed +like the mile-stones of a nightmare, steadily to move with me. The +water, bronzed by the low sun, poured mightily along, and there hung my +boat, glued to its white reflection. + +As I struggled there, the great sloops and schooners rustling by with +the ebb, and eclipsing an instant the June sunset, gave me a miserable +impression of careless unfriendliness. I had made friends with them all +my life, and this evening, while I was drifting down-stream, they had +been willing enough to give me a tow, and to send bluff, good-humored +replies to my boyish hails. Now they rushed on, each chasing the golden +wake of its forerunner, and took no thought of me, straining at my oar, +apart. I grew dispirited, quite to the point of a childish despair. + +Of course it was easy enough to land, leave my boat, and trudge home, +but that was a confession of defeat not to be thought of. Two things +only my father required of me--manliness and truth. My pretty little +skiff--the "Aladdin," I called it--he had given to me as a test of my +manhood. I should be ashamed of myself to go home and tell him that I +had abdicated my royal prerogative of taking care of myself, and +pulling where I would in a boat with a keel. I must take the "Aladdin" +home, or be degraded to my old punt, and confined to still water. + +The alternative brought back strength to my arms. I threw off the +ominous influence. I leaned to my sculls. The clammy black rocks began +deliberately to march by me down-stream. I was making headway, and the +more way I made, the more my courage grew. + +Presently, as I battled round a point, I heard a rustle and a rush of +something coming, and the bowsprit of a large sloop glided into view +close by me. She was painted in stripes of all colors above her green +bottom. The shimmer of the water shook the reflection of her hull, and +made the edges of the stripes blend together. It was as if a rainbow +had suddenly flung itself down for me to sail over. + +I looked up and read the name on her headboards, "James Silt." + +At the same moment a child's voice over my head cried, "Oh, brother +Charles! what a little boy! what a pretty boat!" + +The gliding sloop brought the speaker into view. She was a girl both +little and pretty. A rosy, blue-eyed, golden-haired sprite, hanging +over the gunwale, and smiling pleasantly at me. + +"Yes, Betty," the voice of a cheerful, honest-looking young fellow at +the tiller--evidently brother Charles--replied. "He's a little chap, +but he's got a man into him. Hurrah!" + +"Give way, 'Aladdin!' Stick to it! You're sure to get there." + +The sloop had slid along by me now, so that I could read her name +repeated on her stern--"James Silt, New Haven." + +"Good-bye, little boy!" cried my cherubic vision to me, flitting aft, +and leaning over the port davit. + +"Good-bye, sissy!" I returned, and raising my voice, I hailed, +"Good-bye, Cap'n Silt!" + +Brother Charles looked puzzled an instant. Then he gave a laugh, and +shouted across the broadening interval of burnished water, "You got my +name off the stern. Well, it's right, and you're a bright one. You'll +make a sailor! Good luck to you!" + +He waved his cap, and the strong tide swept his craft onward, dragging +her rainbow image with her. + +As far as I could see, the fair-haired child was leaning over the stern +watching me, and brother Charles, at intervals, turned and waved his +cap encouragingly. + +This little incident quite made a man of me again. I forgot the hard +face I had seen, and brother Charles's frank, merry face took its +place, while, leaning over brother Charles's shoulder, was that angelic +vision of his sister. + +Under the inspiring influence of Miss Betty's smiles--a boy is never so +young as not to conduct such electricity--I pulled along at double +speed. I no longer measured my progress by the rocks in the mud, but by +the cottages and villas on the bank. Now that I had found friends on +board one of the vessels arrowing by, it seemed as if all would prove +freighted with sympathizing people if they would only come near enough +to hail. But I was content with the two pleasant faces stamped on my +memory, and only minded my business of getting home before dark. + +The setting sun drew itself a crimson path across the widening strait. +The smooth water grew all deliciously rosy with twilight. The moon had +just begun to put in a faint claim to be recognized as a luminary, when +I pulled up to my father's private jetty. + +Everything looked singularly sweet and quiet. June never, in all her +dreams of perfection, could have devised a fairer evening. I was a +little disappointed to miss my father from his usual station on the +wharf. He loved to be there to welcome me returning from my little +voyages, and to hail me gently: "Now then, Harry, a strong pull, and +let me see how far you can send her! Bravo, my boy! We'll soon make a +man of you. You shall not be a weakling all your life as your father +has been, mind and body, for want of good strong machinery to work +with." + +He was absent that evening. I hurried to bestow my boat neatly in the +boat-house. I locked the door, pocketed the key, and ran up the lawn, +thinking how pleased my father would be to hear of my adventure with +the sloop and its crew, and how he would make me sketch the sloop for +him, which I could do very fairly, and how he would laugh at my vain +attempts to convey to him the cheeks and the curls of Miss Betty. + + + + +A CHAPTER OF BUTTS. + + +[Illustration: "I'LL BUTT IT," SAID THE GOAT. + +"WHAT! IT BUTTS AGAIN." + +"I'LL GIVE IT A GOOD ONE, THIS TIME." + +"PERHAPS I'D BETTER GET OUT OF ITS WAY." + +BUT HE DIDN'T.] + + + + +THE LION-KILLER. + +(_From the French of Duatyeff_.) + +BY MARY WAGER FISHER. + + +People in Tunis, Africa,--at least, some of the older people,--often +talk of the wonderful exploits of a lion-killer who was famous there +forty years ago. The story is this, and is said to be entirely true: + +The lion-killer was called "The Sicilian," because his native country +was Sicily; and he was known as "The Christian" among the people in +Tunis, who were mostly Arabs, and, consequently, Mohammedans. He was +also called "Hercules," because of his strength,--that being the name +of a strong demi-god of the ancient Greeks. He was not built like +Hercules, however; he was tall, but beautifully proportioned, and there +was nothing in his form that betrayed his powerful muscles. He +performed prodigies of strength with so much gracefulness and ease as +to astonish all who saw them. + +He was a member of a traveling show company that visited Tunis,--very +much as menagerie and circus troupes go about this country now from +town to town. His part of the business was, not simply to do things +that would display his great strength, but also to represent scenes by +pantomime so that they would appear to the audience exactly as if the +real scenes were being performed before their very eyes. In one of +these scenes he showed the people how he had encountered and killed a +lion with a wooden club in the country of Damascus. This is the manner +in which he did it: + +After a flourish of trumpets, the Sicilian came upon the stage, which +was arranged to represent a circle, or arena, and had three palm-trees +in the middle. He was handsomely dressed in a costume of black velvet, +trimmed with silver braid, and, as he looked around upon the audience +with a grave but gentle expression, and went through with the Arabian +salutation, which was to bear his right hand to his heart, mouth and +forehead successively, there was perfect silence, so charmed were the +people with his beauty and dignity. + +Then an interpreter cried: + +"The Christian will show you how, with his club, he killed a lion in +the country of Damascus!" + +Immediately following this came another flourish of trumpets and a +striking of cymbals, as if to announce the entrance of the lion. +Quickly the Sicilian sprang behind one of the three palms, whence to +watch his enemy. With an attentive and resolute eye, leaning his body +first to the right, and then to the left, of the tree, he kept his gaze +on the terrible beast, following all its movements with the graceful +motions of his own body, so naturally and suitably as to captivate the +attention of the spectators. + +"The lion surely is there!" they whispered. "_We_ do not see him, but +_he_ sees him! How he watches his least motion! How resolute he is! He +will not allow himself to be surprised----" + +Suddenly the Sicilian leaps; with a bound he has crossed from one +palm-tree to another, and, with a second spring, has climbed half-way +up the tree, still holding his massive club in one hand. One +understands by his movements that the lion has followed him, and, +crouched and angry, stops at the foot of the tree. The Sicilian, +leaning over, notes the slightest change of posture; then, like a flash +of light, he leaps to the ground behind the trunk of the tree; the +terrible club makes a whistling sound as it swings through the air, and +the lion falls to the ground. + +The scene was so well played that the wildest applause came from all +parts of the audience. + +Then the interpreter came in, and, throwing at the feet of the Hercules +a magnificent lion's skin, cried: + +"Behold the skin of the lion that the Christian killed in the country +of Damascus." + +The fame of the Sicilian reached the ears of the Bey of Tunis. But the +royal dignity of the Bey, the reigning prince of that country, would +not allow him to be present at exhibitions given to the common people. +Finally, however, having heard so much about the handsome and strong +Sicilian, he became curious to see him, and said: + +"If this Christian has killed one lion with a club, he can kill +another. Tell him that if he will knock down my grand lion with it, I +will give him a thousand ducats"--quite a large sum in those days, a +ducat being about equal to the American dollar. + +At this time the Bey had several young lions that ran freely about in +the court-yard or garden of his palace, and in a great pit, entirely +surrounded by a high terrace, on a level with the ground-floor of the +palace, a superb Atlas lion was kept in royal captivity. It was this +lion that the Bey wished the Sicilian to combat. The proposition was +sent to the Sicilian, who accepted it without hesitation, and without +boasting what he would do. + +The combat was to take place a week from that time, and the +announcement that the handsome Sicilian was to fight a duel with the +grand lion was spread far and wide, even to the borders of the desert, +producing a profound sensation. Everybody, old and young, great and +small, desired to be present; moreover, the people would be freely +admitted to the garden of the Bey, where they could witness the combat +from the top of the terrace. The duel was to be early in the morning, +before the heat of the day. + +During the week that intervened, the Sicilian performed every day in +the show, instead of two days a week, as had been his custom. Never was +he more calm, graceful and fascinating in his performances. The evening +before the eventful day, he repeated in pantomime his victory over the +lion near Damascus, with so much elegance, precision and suppleness as +to elicit round after round of enthusiastic cheers. Of course everybody +who had seen him _play_ killing a lion was wild with curiosity to see +him actually fight with a _real_ lion. + +So, on the following morning, in the early dawn, the terrace around the +lion's pit was crowded with people. For three days the grand lion had +been deprived of food in order that he might be the more ferocious and +terrible. His eyes shone like two balls of fire, and he incessantly +lashed his flanks with his tail. At one moment he would madly roar, +and, in the next, rub himself against the wall, vainly trying to find a +chink between the stones in which to insert his claws. + +Precisely at the appointed hour, the princely Bey and his court took +the places that had been reserved for them on one side of the terrace. +The Sicilian came a few steps behind, dressed in his costume of velvet +and silver, and holding his club in his hand. With his accustomed easy +and regular step, and a naturally elegant and dignified bearing, he +advanced in front of the royal party and made a low obeisance to the +Bey. The prince made some remark to him, to which he responded with a +fresh salute; then he withdrew, and descended the steps which led to +the lion's pit. + +The crowd was silent. At the end of some seconds, the barred gate of +the pit was opened, and gave entrance, not to the brave and powerful +Hercules, but to a poor dog that was thrown toward the ferocious beast +with the intention of still more exciting its ravenous appetite. This +unexpected act of cruelty drew hisses from the spectators, but they +were soon absorbed in watching the behavior of the dog. When the lion +saw the prey that had been thrown to him, he stood motionless for a +moment, ceased to beat his flanks with his tail, growled deeply, and +crouched on the ground, with his paws extended, his neck stretched out, +and his eyes fixed upon the victim. + +The dog, on being thrown into the pit, ran at once toward a corner of +the wall, as far as possible from the lion, and, trembling, yet not +overcome by fear, fixed his eyes on the huge beast, watching anxiously, +but intently, his every motion. + +With apparent unconcern, the lion creepingly advanced toward the dog, +and then, with a sudden movement, he was upon his feet, and in a second +launched himself into the air! But the dog that same instant bounded in +an opposite direction, so that the lion fell in the corner, while the +dog alighted where the lion had been. + +For a moment the lion seemed very much surprised at the loss of his +prey; with the dog, the instinct of self-preservation developed a +coolness that even overcame his terror. The body of the poor animal was +all in a shiver, but his head was firm, his eyes were watchful. Without +losing sight of his enemy, he slowly retreated into the corner behind +him. + +Then the lion, scanning his victim from the corners of his eyes, walked +sidewise a few steps, and, turning suddenly, tried again to pounce with +one bound upon the dog; but the latter seemed to anticipate this +movement also, and, in the same second, jumped in the opposite +direction, as before, crossing the lion in the air. + +At this the lion became furious, and lost the calmness that might have +insured him victory, while the courage of the unfortunate dog won for +him the sympathy of all the spectators. + +As the lion, excited and terrible, was preparing a new plan of attack, +a rope ending in a loop was lowered to the dog. The brave little +animal, whose imploring looks had been pitiful to look upon, saw the +help sent to him, and, fastening his teeth and claws into the rope, was +immediately drawn up. The lion, perceiving this, made a prodigious +leap, but the dog was happily beyond his reach. The poor creature, +drawn in safety to the terrace, at once took flight, and was soon lost +to view. + +At the moment when the lion threw himself on the ground of the pit, +roaring with rage at the escape of his prey, the Sicilian entered, calm +and firm, superb in his brilliant costume, and with his club in his +hand. + +At his appearance in the pit, a silence like death came over the crowd +of spectators. The Hercules walked rapidly toward a corner, and, +leaning upon his club, awaited the onslaught of the lion, who, blinded +by fury, had not yet perceived his entrance. + +The waiting was of short duration, for the lion, in turning, espied +him, and the fire that flashed from the eyes of the terrible beast told +of savage joy in finding another victim. + +Here, however, the animal showed for a moment a feeling of anxiety; +slowly, as if conscious that he was in the presence of a powerful +adversary, he retreated some steps, keeping his fiery eyes all the time +on the man. The Sicilian also kept his keen gaze on the lion, and, with +his body slightly inclined forward, marked every alteration of +position. Between the two adversaries, it was easy to see that fear was +on the side of the beast; but, in comparing the feeble means of the +man--a rude club--with the powerful structure of the lion, whose +boundings made the very ground beneath him tremble, it was hard for the +spectators to believe that courage, and not strength, would win the +victory. + +The lion was too excited and famished to remain long undecided. After +more backward steps, which he made as if gaining time for reflection, +he suddenly advanced in a sidelong direction in order to charge upon +his adversary. + +[Illustration: "THE BEAST GAVE A MIGHTY SPRING."] + +The Sicilian did not move, but followed with his fixed gaze the motions +of the lion. Greatly irritated, the beast gave a mighty spring, +uttering a terrible roar; the man, at the same moment, leaped aside, +and the lion had barely touched the ground, when the club came down +upon his head with a dull, shocking thud. The king of the desert rolled +heavily under the stroke, and fell headlong, stunned and senseless, but +not dead. + +The spectators, overcome with admiration, and awed at the exhibition of +so much calmness, address and strength, were hushed into profound +silence. The next moment, the Bey arose, and, with a gesture of his +hand, asked mercy for his favorite lion. + +"A thousand ducats the more if you will not kill him!" he cried to the +Sicilian. "Agreed!" was the instant reply. + +The lion lay panting on the ground. The Hercules bowed at the word of +the Bey, and slowly withdrew, still keeping his eyes on the conquered +brute. The two thousand ducats were counted out and paid. The lion +shortly recovered. + +With a universal gasp of relief, followed by deafening shouts and +cheers, the spectators withdrew from the terrace, having witnessed a +scene they could never forget, and which, as I said at the beginning, +is still talked of in Tunis. + + + + +BRUNO'S REVENGE. + +BY THE AUTHOR OF "ALICE IN WONDERLAND." + + +It was a very hot afternoon,--too hot to go for a walk or do +anything,--or else it wouldn't have happened, I believe. + +In the first place, I want to know why fairies should always be +teaching _us_ to do our duty, and lecturing _us_ when we go wrong, and +we should never teach _them_ anything? You can't mean to say that +fairies are never greedy, or selfish, or cross, or deceitful, because +that would be nonsense, you know. Well, then, don't you agree with me +that they might be all the better for a little scolding and punishing +now and then? + +I really don't see why it shouldn't be tried, and I'm almost sure (only +_please_ don't repeat this loud in the woods) that if you could only +catch a fairy, and put it in the corner, and give it nothing but bread +and water for a day or two, you'd find it quite an improved character; +it would take down its conceit a little, at all events. + +The next question is, what is the best time for seeing fairies? I +believe I can tell you all about that. + +The first rule is, that it must be a _very_ hot day--that we may +consider as settled; and you must be just a _little_ sleepy--but not +too sleepy to keep your eyes open, mind. Well, and you ought to feel a +little--what one may call "fairyish"--the Scotch call it "eerie," and +perhaps that's a prettier word; if you don't know what it means, I'm +afraid I can hardly explain it; you must wait till you meet a fairy, +and then you'll know. + +And the last rule is, that the crickets shouldn't be chirping. I can't +stop to explain that rule just now--you must take it on trust for the +present. + +So, if all these things happen together, you've a good chance of seeing +a fairy--or at least a much better chance than if they didn't. + +The one I'm going to tell you about was a real, naughty little fairy. +Properly speaking, there were two of them, and one was naughty and one +was good, but perhaps you would have found that out for yourself. + +Now we really _are_ going to begin the story. + +It was Tuesday afternoon, about half-past three,--it's always best to +be particular as to dates,--and I had wandered down into the wood by +the lake, partly because I had nothing to do, and that seemed to be a +good place to do it in, and partly (as I said at first) because it was +too hot to be comfortable anywhere, except under trees. + +The first thing I noticed, as I went lazily along through an open place +in the wood, was a large beetle lying struggling on its back, and I +went down directly on one knee to help the poor thing on its feet +again. In some things, you know, you can't be quite sure what an insect +would like; for instance, I never could quite settle, supposing I were +a moth, whether I would rather be kept out of the candle, or be allowed +to fly straight in and get burnt; or, again, supposing I were a spider, +I'm not sure if I should be _quite_ pleased to have my web torn down, +and the fly let loose; but I feel quite certain that, if I were a +beetle and had rolled over on my back, I should always be glad to be +helped up again. + +So, as I was saying, I had gone down on one knee, and was just reaching +out a little stick to turn the beetle over, when I saw a sight that +made me draw back hastily and hold my breath, for fear of making any +noise and frightening the little creature away. + +Not that she looked as if she would be easily frightened; she seemed so +good and gentle that I'm sure she would never expect that any one could +wish to hurt her. She was only a few inches high, and was dressed in +green, so that you really would hardly have noticed her among the long +grass; and she was so delicate and graceful that she quite seemed to +belong to the place, almost as if she were one of the flowers. I may +tell you, besides, that she had no wings (I don't believe in fairies +with wings), and that she had quantities of long brown hair and large, +earnest brown eyes, and then I shall have done all I can to give you an +idea of what she was like. + +Sylvie (I found out her name afterward) had knelt down, just as I was +doing, to help the beetle; but it needed more than a little stick for +_her_ to get it on its legs again; it was as much as she could do, with +both arms, to roll the heavy thing over; and all the while she was +talking to it, half-scolding and half-comforting, as a nurse might do +with a child that had fallen down. + +"There, there! You needn't cry so much about it; you're not killed +yet--though if you were, you couldn't cry, you know, and so it's a +general rule against crying, my dear! And how did you come to tumble +over? But I can see well enough how it was,--I needn't ask you +that,--walking over sand-pits with your chin in the air, as usual. Of +course if you go among sand-pits like that, you must expect to tumble; +you should look." + +The beetle murmured something that sounded like "I _did_ look," and +Sylvie went on again: + +"But I know you didn't! You never do! You always walk with your chin +up--you're so dreadfully conceited. Well, let's see how many legs are +broken this time. Why, none of them, I declare! though that's certainly +more than you deserve. And what's the good of having six legs, my dear, +if you can only kick them all about in the air when you tumble? Legs +are meant to walk with, you know. Now, don't be cross about it, and +don't begin putting out your wings yet; I've some more to say. Go down +to the frog that lives behind that buttercup--give him my +compliments--Sylvie's compliments--can you say 'compliments?'" + +The beetle tried, and, I suppose, succeeded. + +"Yes, that's right. And tell him he's to give you some of that salve I +left with him yesterday. And you'd better get him to rub it in for you; +he's got rather cold hands, but you mustn't mind that." + +I think the beetle must have shuddered at this idea, for Sylvie went on +in a graver tone: + +"Now, you needn't pretend to be so particular as all that, as if you +were too grand to be rubbed by a frog. The fact is, you ought to be +very much obliged to him. Suppose you could get nobody but a toad to do +it, how would you like that?" + +There was a little pause, and then Sylvie added: + +"Now you may go. Be a good beetle, and don't keep your chin in the +air." + +And then began one of those performances of humming, and whizzing, and +restless banging about, such as a beetle indulges in when it has +decided on flying, but hasn't quite made up its mind which way to go. +At last, in one of its awkward zigzags, it managed to fly right into my +face, and by the time I had recovered from the shock, the little fairy +was gone. + +I looked about in all directions for the little creature, but there was +no trace of her--and my "eerie" feeling was quite gone off, and the +crickets were chirping again merrily, so I knew she was really gone. + +And now I've got time to tell you the rule about the crickets. They +always leave off chirping when a fairy goes by, because a fairy's a +kind of queen over them, I suppose; at all events, it's a much grander +thing than a cricket; so whenever you're walking out, and the crickets +suddenly leave off chirping, you may be sure that either they see a +fairy, or else they're frightened at your coming so near. + +I walked on sadly enough, you may be sure. However, I comforted myself +with thinking, "It's been a very wonderful afternoon, so far; I'll just +go quietly on and look about me, and I shouldn't wonder if I come +across another fairy somewhere." + +Peering about in this way, I happened to notice a plant with rounded +leaves, and with queer little holes cut out in the middle of several of +them. "Ah! the leaf-cutter bee," I carelessly remarked; you know I am +very learned in natural history (for instance, I can always tell +kittens from chickens at one glance); and I was passing on, when a +sudden thought made me stoop down and examine the leaves more +carefully. + +Then a little thrill of delight ran through me, for I noticed that the +holes were all arranged so as to form letters; there were three leaves +side by side, with "B," "R" and "U" marked on them, and after some +search I found two more, which contained an "N" and an "O." + +By this time the "eerie" feeling had all come back again, and I +suddenly observed that no crickets were chirping; so I felt quite sure +that "Bruno" was a fairy, and that he was somewhere very near. + +And so indeed he was--so near that I had very nearly walked over him +without seeing him; which would have been dreadful, always supposing +that fairies _can_ be walked over; my own belief is that they are +something of the nature of will-o'-the-wisps, and there's no walking +over _them_. + +Think of any pretty little boy you know, rather fat, with rosy cheeks, +large dark eyes, and tangled brown hair, and then fancy him made small +enough to go comfortably into a coffee-cup, and you'll have a very fair +idea of what the little creature was like. + +"What's your name, little fellow?" I began, in as soft a voice as I +could manage. And, by the way, that's another of the curious things in +life that I never could quite understand--why we always begin by asking +little children their names; is it because we fancy there isn't quite +enough of them, and a name will help to make them a little bigger? You +never thought of asking a real large man his name, now, did you? But, +however that may be, I felt it quite necessary to know _his_ name; so, +as he didn't answer my question, I asked it again a little louder. +"What's your name, my little man?" + +"What's yours?" he said, without looking up. + +"My name's Lewis Carroll," I said, quite gently, for he was much too +small to be angry with for answering so uncivilly. + +"Duke of Anything?" he asked, just looking at me for a moment, and then +going on with his work. + +"Not Duke at all," I said, a little ashamed of having to confess it. + +"You're big enough to be two Dukes," said the little creature. "I +suppose you're Sir Something, then?" + +"No," I said, feeling more and more ashamed. "I haven't got any title." + +The fairy seemed to think that in that case I really wasn't worth the +trouble of talking to, for he quietly went on digging, and tearing the +flowers to pieces as fast as he got them out of the ground. After a few +minutes I tried again: + +"_Please_ tell me what your name is." + +"Bruno," the little fellow answered, very readily. "Why didn't you say +'please' before?" + +"That's something like what we used to be taught in the nursery," I +thought to myself, looking back through the long years (about a hundred +and fifty of them) to the time when I used to be a little child myself. +And here an idea came into my head, and I asked him, "Aren't you one of +the fairies that teach children to be good?" + +"Well, we have to do that sometimes," said Bruno, "and a dreadful +bother it is." + +As he said this, he savagely tore a heart's-ease in two, and trampled +on the pieces. + +"What _are_ you doing there, Bruno?" I said. + +"Spoiling Sylvie's garden," was all the answer Bruno would give at +first. But, as he went on tearing up the flowers, he muttered to +himself, "The nasty c'oss thing--wouldn't let me go and play this +morning, though I wanted to ever so much--said I must finish my lessons +first--lessons, indeed! I'll vex her finely, though!" + +"Oh, Bruno, you shouldn't do that!" I cried. "Don't you know that's +revenge? And revenge is a wicked, cruel, dangerous thing!" + +"River-edge?" said Bruno. "What a funny word! I suppose you call it +cooel and dangerous because, if you went too far and tumbled in, you'd +get d'owned." + +"No, not river-edge," I explained; "rev-enge" (saying the word very +slowly and distinctly). But I couldn't help thinking that Bruno's +explanation did very well for either word. + +"Oh!" said Bruno, opening his eyes very wide, but without attempting to +repeat the word. + +"Come! try and pronounce it, Bruno!" I said, cheerfully. "Rev-enge, +rev-enge." + +But Bruno only tossed his little head, and said he couldn't; that his +mouth wasn't the right shape for words of that kind. And the more I +laughed, the more sulky the little fellow got about it. + +"Well, never mind, little man!" I said. "Shall I help you with the job +you've got there?" + +"Yes, please," Bruno said, quite pacified. "Only I wish I could think +of something to vex her more than this. You don't know how hard it is +to make her ang'y!" + +"Now listen to me, Bruno, and I'll teach you quite a splendid kind of +revenge!" + +"Something that'll vex her finely?" Bruno asked with gleaming eyes. + +"Something that'll vex her finely. First, we'll get up all the weeds in +her garden. See, there are a good many at this end--quite hiding the +flowers." + +"But _that_ wont vex her," said Bruno, looking rather puzzled. + +"After that," I said, without noticing the remark, "we'll water the +highest bed--up here. You see it's getting quite dry and dusty." + +Bruno looked at me inquisitively, but he said nothing this time. + +"Then, after that," I went on, "the walks want sweeping a bit; and I +think you might cut down that tall nettle; it's so close to the garden +that it's quite in the way--" + +"What _are_ you talking about?" Bruno impatiently interrupted me. "All +that wont vex her a bit!" + +"Wont it?" I said, innocently. "Then, after that, suppose we put in +some of these colored pebbles--just to mark the divisions between the +different kinds of flowers, you know. That'll have a very pretty +effect." + +Bruno turned round and had another good stare at me. At last there came +an odd little twinkle in his eye, and he said, with quite a new meaning +in his voice: + +"V'y well--let's put 'em in rows--all the 'ed together, and all the +blue together." + +"That'll do capitally," I said; "and then--what kind of flowers does +Sylvie like best in her garden?" + +Bruno had to put his thumb in his mouth and consider a little before he +could answer. "Violets," he said, at last. + +"There's a beautiful bed of violets down by the lake--" + +"Oh, let's fetch 'em!" cried Bruno, giving a little skip into the air. +"Here! Catch hold of my hand, and I'll help you along. The g'ass is +rather thick down that way." + +I couldn't help laughing at his having so entirely forgotten what a big +creature he was talking to. + +"No, not yet, Bruno," I said; "we must consider what's the right thing +to do first. You see we've got quite a business before us." + +"Yes, let's consider," said Bruno, putting his thumb into his mouth +again, and sitting down upon a stuffed mouse. + +"What do you keep that mouse for?" I said. "You should bury it, or +throw it into the lake." + +"Why, it's to measure with!" cried Bruno. "How ever would you do a +garden without one? We make each bed th'ee mouses and a half long, and +two mouses wide." + +I stopped him, as he was dragging it off by the tail to show me how it +was used, for I was half afraid the "eerie" feeling might go off before +we had finished the garden, and in that case I should see no more of +him or Sylvie. + +"I think the best way will be for _you_ to weed the beds, while _I_ +sort out these pebbles, ready to mark the walks with." + +"That's it!" cried Bruno. "And I'll tell you about the caterpillars +while we work." + +"Ah, let's hear about the caterpillars," I said, as I drew the pebbles +together into a heap, and began dividing them into colors. + +And Bruno went on in a low, rapid tone, more as if he were talking to +himself. "Yesterday I saw two little caterpillars, when I was sitting +by the brook, just where you go into the wood. They were quite g'een, +and they had yellow eyes, and they didn't see _me_. And one of them +had got a moth's wing to carry--a g'eat b'own moth's wing, you know, +all d'y, with feathers. So he couldn't want it to eat, I should +think--perhaps he meant to make a cloak for the winter?" + +"Perhaps," I said, for Bruno had twisted up the last word into a sort +of question, and was looking at me for an answer. + +One word was quite enough for the little fellow, and he went on, +merrily: + +"Well, and so he didn't want the other caterpillar to see the moth's +wing, you know; so what must he do but t'y to carry it with all his +left legs, and he t'ied to walk on the other set. Of course, he toppled +over after that." + +"After what?" I said, catching at the last word, for, to tell the +truth, I hadn't been attending much. + +"He toppled over," Bruno repeated, very gravely, "and if _you_ ever saw +a caterpillar topple over, you'd know it's a serious thing, and not sit +g'inning like that--and I shan't tell you any more." + +"Indeed and indeed, Bruno, I didn't mean to grin. See, I'm quite grave +again now." + +But Bruno only folded his arms and said, "Don't tell _me_. I see a +little twinkle in one of your eyes--just like the moon." + +"Am _I_ like the moon, Bruno?" I asked. + +"Your face is large and round like the moon," Bruno answered, looking +at me thoughtfully. "It doesn't shine quite so bright--but it's +cleaner." + +I couldn't help smiling at this. "You know I wash _my_ face, Bruno. The +moon never does that." + +"Oh, doesn't she though!" cried Bruno; and he leaned forward and added +in a solemn whisper, "The moon's face gets dirtier and dirtier every +night, till it's black all ac'oss. And then, when it's dirty all +over--_so_--" (he passed his hand across his own rosy cheeks as he +spoke) "then she washes it." + +"And then it's all clean again, isn't it?" + +"Not all in a moment," said Bruno. "What a deal of teaching you want! +She washes it little by little--only she begins at the other edge." + +By this time he was sitting quietly on the mouse, with his arms folded, +and the weeding wasn't getting on a bit. So I was obliged to say: + +"Work first and pleasure afterward; no more talking till that bed's +finished." + +After that we had a few minutes of silence, while I sorted out the +pebbles, and amused myself with watching Bruno's plan of gardening. It +was quite a new plan to me: he always measured each bed before he +weeded it, as if he was afraid the weeding would make it shrink; and +once, when it came out longer than he wished, he set to work to thump +the mouse with his tiny fist, crying out, "There now! It's all 'ong +again! Why don't you keep your tail st'aight when I tell you!" + +"I'll tell you what I'll do," Bruno said in a half-whisper, as we +worked: "I'll get you an invitation to the king's dinner-party. I know +one of the head-waiters." + +I couldn't help laughing at this idea. "Do the waiters invite the +guests?" I asked. + +"Oh, not _to sit down_!" Bruno hastily replied. "But to help, you know. +You'd like that, wouldn't you? To hand about plates, and so on." + +"Well, but that's not so nice as sitting at the table, is it?" + +"Of course it isn't," Bruno said, in a tone as if he rather pitied my +ignorance; "but if you're not even Sir Anything, you can't expect to be +allowed to sit at the table, you know." + +I said, as meekly as I could, that I didn't expect it, but it was the +only way of going to a dinner-party that I really enjoyed. And Bruno +tossed his head, and said, in a rather offended tone, that I might do +as I pleased--there were many he knew that would give their ears to go. + +"Have you ever been yourself, Bruno?" + +"They invited me once last year," Bruno said, very gravely. "It was to +wash up the soup-plates--no, the cheese-plates I mean--that was g'and +enough. But the g'andest thing of all was, _I_ fetched the Duke of +Dandelion a glass of cider!" + +"That _was_ grand!" I said, biting my lip to keep myself from laughing. + +"Wasn't it!" said Bruno, very earnestly. "You know it isn't every one +that's had such an honor as _that_!" + +This set me thinking of the various queer things we call "an honor" in +this world, which, after all, haven't a bit more honor in them than +what the dear little Bruno enjoyed (by the way, I hope you're beginning +to like him a little, naughty as he was?) when he took the Duke of +Dandelion a glass of cider. + +I don't know how long I might have dreamed on in this way if Bruno +hadn't suddenly roused me. + +"Oh, come here quick!" he cried, in a state of the wildest excitement. +"Catch hold of his other horn! I can't hold him more than a minute!" + +He was struggling desperately with a great snail, clinging to one of +its horns, and nearly breaking his poor little back in his efforts to +drag it over a blade of grass. + +I saw we should have no more gardening if I let this sort of thing go +on, so I quietly took the snail away, and put it on a bank where he +couldn't reach it. "We'll hunt it afterward, Bruno," I said, "if you +really want to catch it. But what's the use of it when you've got it?" + +"What's the use of a fox when you've got it?" said Bruno. "I know you +big things hunt foxes." + +I tried to think of some good reason why "big things" should hunt +foxes, and he shouldn't hunt snails, but none came into my head: so I +said at last, "Well, I suppose one's as good as the other. I'll go +snail-hunting myself, some day." + +"I should think you wouldn't be so silly," said Bruno, "as to go +snail-hunting all by yourself. Why, you'd never get the snail along, if +you hadn't somebody to hold on to his other horn!" + +"Of course I sha'n't go alone," I said, quite gravely. "By the way, is +that the best kind to hunt, or do you recommend the ones without +shells?" + +"Oh no! We never hunt the ones without shells," Bruno said, with a +little shudder at the thought of it. "They're always so c'oss about it; +and then, if you tumble over them, they're ever so sticky!" + +By this time we had nearly finished the garden. I had fetched some +violets, and Bruno was just helping me to put in the last, when he +suddenly stopped and said, "I'm tired." + +"Rest, then," I said; "I can go on without you." + +Bruno needed no second invitation: he at once began arranging the mouse +as a kind of sofa. "And I'll sing you a little song," he said as he +rolled it about. + +"Do," said I: "there's nothing I should like better." + +"Which song will you choose?" Bruno said, as he dragged the mouse into +a place where he could get a good view of me. "'Ting, ting, ting,' is +the nicest." + +There was no resisting such a strong hint as this: however, I pretended +to think about it for a moment, and then said, "Well, I like 'Ting, +ting, ting,' best of all." + +"That shows you're a good judge of music," Bruno said, with a pleased +look. "How many bluebells would you like?" And he put his thumb into +his mouth to help me to consider. + +As there was only one bluebell within easy reach, I said very gravely +that I thought one would do _this_ time, and I picked it and gave it to +him. Bruno ran his hand once or twice up and down the flowers,--like a +musician trying an instrument,--producing a most delicious delicate +tinkling as he did so. I had never heard flower-music before,--I don't +think one can unless one's in the "eerie" state,--and I don't know +quite how to give you an idea of what it was like, except by saying +that it sounded like a peal of bells a thousand miles off. + +When he had satisfied himself that the flowers were in tune, he seated +himself on the mouse (he never seemed really comfortable anywhere +else), and, looking up at me with a merry twinkle in his eyes, he +began. By the way, the tune was rather a curious one, and you might +like to try it for yourself, so here are the notes: + +[Illustration] + + "Rise, oh, rise! The daylight dies: + The owls are hooting, ting, ting, ting! + Wake, oh, wake! Beside the lake + The elves are fluting, ting, ting, ting! + Welcoming our fairy king + We sing, sing, sing." + +He sang the first four lines briskly and merrily, making the bluebells +chime in time with the music; but the last two he sang quite slowly and +gently, and merely waved the flowers backward and forward above his +head. And when he had finished the first verse, he left off to explain. + +"The name of our fairy king is Obberwon" (he meant Oberon, I believe), +"and he lives over the lake--_there_--and now and then he comes in a +little boat--and then we go and meet him--and then we sing this song, +you know." + +"And then you go and dine with him?" I said, mischievously. + +"You shouldn't talk," Bruno hastily said; "it interrupts the song so." + +I said I wouldn't do it again. + +"I never talk myself when I'm singing," he went on, very gravely; "so +you shouldn't either." + +Then he tuned the bluebells once more, and sung: + + "Hear, oh, hear! From far and near + A music stealing, ting, ting, ting! + Fairy bells adown the dells + Are merrily pealing, ting, ting, ting! + Welcoming our fairy king + We ring, ring, ring. + + "See, oh, see! On every tree + What lamps are shining, ting, ting, ting! + They are eyes of fiery flies + To light our dining, ting, ting, ting! + Welcoming our fairy king + They swing, swing, swing. + + "Haste, oh, haste! to take and taste + The dainties waiting, ting, ting, ting! + Honey-dew is stored--" + +"Hush, Bruno!" I interrupted, in a warning whisper. "She's coming!" + +Bruno checked his song only just in time for Sylvie not to hear him; +and then, catching sight of her as she slowly made her way through the +long grass, he suddenly rushed out headlong at her like a little bull, +shouting, "Look the other way! Look the other way!" + +"Which way?" Sylvie asked, in rather a frightened tone, as she looked +round in all directions to see where the danger could be. + +"_That_ way!" said Bruno, carefully turning her round with her face to +the wood. "Now, walk backward--walk gently--don't be frightened; you +sha'n't t'ip!" + +But Sylvie did "t'ip," notwithstanding; in fact he led her, in his +hurry, across so many little sticks and stones, that it was really a +wonder the poor child could keep on her feet at all. But he was far too +much excited to think of what he was doing. + +I silently pointed out to Bruno the best place to lead her to, so as to +get a view of the whole garden at once; it was a little rising ground, +about the height of a potato; and, when they had mounted it, I drew +back into the shade that Sylvie mightn't see me. + +I heard Bruno cry out triumphantly, "_Now_ you may look!" and then +followed a great clapping of hands, but it was all done by Bruno +himself. Sylvie was quite silent; she only stood and gazed with her +hands clasped tightly together, and I was half afraid she didn't like +it after all. + +Bruno, too, was watching her anxiously, and when she jumped down from +the mound, and began wandering up and down the little walks, he +cautiously followed her about, evidently anxious that she should form +her own opinion of it all, without any hint from him. And when at last +she drew a long breath, and gave her verdict,--in a hurried whisper, +and without the slightest regard to grammar,--"It's the loveliest thing +as I never saw in all my life before!" the little fellow looked as well +pleased as if it had been given by all the judges and juries in England +put together. + +"And did you really do it all by yourself, Bruno?" said Sylvie. "And +all for me?" + +"I was helped a bit," Bruno began, with a merry little laugh at her +surprise. "We've been at it all the afternoon; I thought you 'd like--" +and here the poor little fellow's lip began to quiver, and all in a +moment he burst out crying, and, running up to Sylvie, he flung his +arms passionately round her neck, and hid his face on her shoulder. + +There was a little quiver in Sylvie's voice too, as she whispered, +"Why, what's the matter, darling?" and tried to lift up his head and +kiss him. + +But Bruno only clung to her, sobbing, and wouldn't be comforted till he +had confessed all. + +"I tried--to spoil your garden--first--but--I 'll never--never----" and +then came another burst of tears which drowned the rest of the +sentence. At last he got out the words, "I liked--putting in the +flowers--for _you_, Sylvie--and I never was so happy before," and the +rosy little face came up at last to be kissed, all wet with tears as it +was. + +Sylvie was crying too by this time, and she said nothing but "Bruno +dear!" and "_I_ never was so happy before;" though why two children who +had never been so happy before should both be crying was a great +mystery to me. + +[Illustration: "IT'S THE LOVELIEST THING AS I NEVER SAW IN ALL MY LIFE +BEFORE!"] + +I, too, felt very happy, but of course I didn't cry; "big things" never +do, you know--we leave all that to the fairies. Only I think it must +have been raining a little just then, for I found a drop or two on my +cheeks. + +After that they went through the whole garden again, flower by flower, +as if it were a long sentence they were spelling out, with kisses for +commas, and a great hug by way of a full-stop when they got to the end. + +"Do you know, that was my river-edge, Sylvie?" Bruno began, looking +solemnly at her. + +Sylvie laughed merrily. + +"What _do_ you mean?" she said, and she pushed back her heavy brown +hair with both hands, and looked at him with dancing eyes in which the +big tear-drops were still glittering. + +Bruno drew in a long breath, and made up his mouth for a great effort. + +"I mean rev--enge," he said; "now you under'tand." And he looked so +happy and proud at having said the word right at last that I quite +envied him. I rather think Sylvie didn't "under'tand" at all; but she +gave him a little kiss on each cheek, which seemed to do just as well. + +So they wandered off lovingly together, in among the buttercups, each +with an arm twined round the other, whispering and laughing as they +went, and never so much as once looked back at poor me. Yes, once, just +before I quite lost sight of them, Bruno half turned his head, and +nodded me a saucy little good-bye over one shoulder. And that was all +the thanks I got for _my_ trouble. + +I know you're sorry the story's come to an end--aren't you?--so I'll +just tell you one thing more. The very last thing I saw of them was +this: Sylvie was stooping down with her arms round Bruno's neck, and +saying coaxingly in his ear, "Do you know, Bruno, I've quite forgotten +that hard word; do say it once more. Come! Only this once, dear!" + +But Bruno wouldn't try it again. + + + + +THE MOCKING-BIRD AND THE DONKEY. + +(_From the Spanish of the Mexican poet Jose Rosas_.) + +BY WILLIAM CULLEN BRYANT. + + + A mock-bird in a village + Had somehow gained the skill + To imitate the voices + Of animals at will. + + And singing in his prison, + Once, at the close of day, + He gave, with great precision, + The donkey's heavy bray. + + Well pleased, the mock-bird's master + Sent to the neighbors 'round, + And bade them come together + To hear that curious sound. + + They came, and all were talking + In praise of what they heard, + And one delighted lady + Would fain have bought the bird. + + A donkey listened sadly, + And said: "Confess I must + That these are shallow people, + And terribly unjust. + + "I'm bigger than the mock-bird, + And better bray than he, + Yet not a soul has uttered + A word in praise of me." + + + + +THE FAMOUS HORSES OF VENICE. + +BY MARY LLOYD. + + +No doubt you all know something of Venice, that wonderful and +fairy-like city which seems to rise up out of the sea; with its bridges +and gondolas; its marble palaces coming down to the water's edge; its +gay ladies and stately doges. What a magnificent pageant was that which +took place every Ascension Day, when the doge and all his court sailed +grandly out in the "Bucentaur," or state galley, with gay colors +flying, to the tune of lively music, and went through the oft-repeated +ceremony of dropping a ring into the Adriatic, in token of marriage +between the sea and Venice! This was a custom instituted as far back as +1177. The Venetians having espoused the cause of the pope, Alexander +III., against the emperor, Frederic Barbarossa, gained a great victory +over the imperial fleet, and the pope, in grateful remembrance of the +event, presented the doge with the ring symbolizing the subjection of +the Adriatic to Venice. + +But one of the most wonderful things about Venice is that, with the +exception of those I intend to tell you about, there are no horses +there. How charming it must be, you think, when you want to visit a +friend, to run down the marble steps of some old palace, step into a +gondola, and glide swiftly and noiselessly away, instead of jolting and +rumbling along over the cobble-stones! And then to come back by +moonlight, and hear the low plash of the oar in the water, and the +distant voices of the boatmen singing some love-sick song,--oh, it's as +good as a play! + +Of course there are no carts in Venice; and the fish-man, the +vegetable-man, the butcher, the baker, and the candlestick maker, all +glide softly up in their boats to the kitchen door with their +vendibles, and chaffer and haggle with the cook for half an hour, after +the manner of market-men the world over. + +So you see the little black-eyed Venetian boys and girls gaze on the +brazen horses in St. Mark's Square with as much wonder and curiosity as +ours when we look upon a griffin or a unicorn. + +[Illustration: THE HORSES OF ST. MARK'S.] + +These horses--there are four of them--have quite a history of their +own. They once formed part of a group made by a celebrated sculptor of +antiquity, named Lysippus. He was of such acknowledged merit that he +was one of the three included in the famous edict of Alexander, which +gave to Apelles the sole right of painting his portrait, to Lysippus +that of sculpturing his form in any style, and to Pyrgoteles that of +engraving it upon precious stones. + +Lysippus executed a group of twenty-five equestrian statues of the +Macedonian horses that fell at the passage of the Granicus, and of this +group the horses now at Venice formed a part. They were carried from +Alexandria to Rome by Augustus, who placed them on his triumphal arch. +Afterward Nero, Domitian and Trajan, successfully transferred them to +arches of their own. + +When Constantine removed the capital of the Roman empire to the ancient +Byzantium, he sought to beautify it by all means in his power, and for +this purpose he removed a great number of works of art from Rome to +Constantinople, and among them these bronze horses of Lysippus. + +In the early part of the thirteenth century the nobles of France and +Germany, who were going on the fourth crusade, arrived at Venice and +stipulated with the Venetians for means of transport to the Holy Land. +But instead of proceeding to Jerusalem they were diverted from their +original intention, and, under the leadership of the blind old doge, +Dandolo, they captured the city of Constantinople. The fall of the city +was followed by an almost total destruction of the works of art by +which it had been adorned; for the Latins disgraced themselves by a +more ruthless vandalism than that of the Vandals themselves. + +But out of the wreck the four bronze horses were saved and carried in +triumph to Venice, where they were placed over the central porch of St. +Mark's Cathedral. There they stood until Napoleon Bonaparte in 1797 +removed them with other trophies to Paris; but after his downfall they +were restored, and, as Byron says in "Childe Harold": + + "Before St. Mark still glow his steeds of brass, + Their gilded collars glittering in the sun; + But is not Doria's menace come to pass? + Are they not bridled?"-- + +Apropos of the last two lines I have quoted, I must tell you an +incident of history. + +During the middle ages, when so many of the Italian cities existed as +independent republics, there was a great deal of rivalry between Genoa +and Venice, the most important of them. Both were wealthy commercial +cities; both strove for the supremacy of the sea, upon which much of +their prosperity depended, and each strove to gain the advantage over +the other. This led to many wars between them, when sometimes one would +gain the upper hand, and sometimes the other. At length, in the year +1379, the Genoese defeated the Venetians in the battle of Pola, and +then took Chiozza, which commanded, as one might say, the entrance to +Venice. The Venetians, alarmed beyond measure, sent an embassy to the +Genoese commander, Pietro Doria, agreeing to any terms whatever, +imploring only that he would spare the city. They also sent the chief +of the prisoners they had taken in the war in order to appease the +fierce anger of the general. "Take back your captives, ye gentlemen of +Venice," was the too confident reply of the haughty Doria; "we will +release them and their companions. On God's faith, ye shall have no +peace till we put a curb into the mouths of those wild horses of St. +Mark's. Place but the reins once in our hands, and we shall know how to +bridle them for the future." + +Armed with the courage and energy which despair alone can give, the +Venetians rallied for the defence of their city. Women and children +joined in the preparations. All private feuds, jealousies and +animosities were forgotten in the common danger. All were animated by +the one feeling of implacable hatred of the Genoese. Pisani, an old +commander, who had been unjustly imprisoned through the envy of his +fellow-citizens, was released and put in command of the fleet. On +coming out of his cell, he was surrounded by those who had injured him, +who implored him to forget the injustice with which he had been +treated. He partook of the sacrament with them in token of complete +forgetfulness and forgiveness, and then proceeded against the enemy. +The confidence of the republic had not been misplaced. His bravery, +skill and foresight, together with the aid of another brave captain, +Carl Zeno, saved the city, retook Chiozza, and completely humiliated +the Genoese, who were now willing to sue for peace. So that, after all, +Doria's angry menace was the means of saving the independence of the +city, and the proud possession of the bronze horses of St. Mark's. + + + + +CHRISTMAS CARD. + +(SEE "LETTER-BOX.") + + +[Illustration: A greeting by my page I send +To thee on Christmas Day, my friend.] + + + + +THE PETERKINS' CHARADES. + +BY LUCRETIA P. HALE. + + +Ever since they had come home from the great Centennial at +Philadelphia, the Peterkins had felt anxious to have "something." The +little boys wanted to get up a "great Exposition," to show to the +people of the place who had not been able to go to Philadelphia. But +Mr. Peterkin thought it too great an effort, and it was given up. + +There was, however, a new water-trough needed on the town-common, and +the ladies of the place thought it ought to be something +handsome,--something more than a common trough,--and they ought to work +for it. + +Elizabeth Eliza had heard at Philadelphia how much women had done, and +she felt they ought to contribute to such a cause. She had an idea, but +she would not speak of it at first, not until after she had written to +the lady from Philadelphia. She had often thought, in many cases, if +they had asked her advice first, they might have saved trouble. + +Still, how could they ask advice before they themselves knew what they +wanted? It was very easy to ask advice, but you must first know what to +ask about. And again: Elizabeth Eliza felt you might have ideas, but +you could not always put them together. There was this idea of the +water-trough, and then this idea of getting some money for it. So she +began with writing to the lady from Philadelphia. The little boys +believed she spent enough for it in postage-stamps before it all came +out. + +But it did come out at last that the Peterkins were to have some +charades at their own house for the benefit of the needed +water-trough,--tickets sold only to especial friends. Ann Maria +Bromwich was to help act, because she could bring some old bonnets and +gowns that had been worn by an aged aunt years ago, and which they had +always kept. Elizabeth Eliza said that Solomon John would have to be a +Turk, and they must borrow all the red things and Cashmere scarfs in +the place. She knew people would be willing to lend things. + +Agamemnon thought you ought to get in something about the Hindoos, they +were such an odd people. Elizabeth Eliza said you must not have it too +odd, or people would not understand it, and she did not want anything +to frighten her mother. She had one word suggested by the lady from +Philadelphia in her letters,--the one that had "Turk" in it,--but they +ought to have two words. + +"Oh yes," Ann Maria said, "you must have two words; if the people paid +for their tickets, they would want to get their money's worth." + +Solomon John thought you might have "Hindoos"; the little boys could +color their faces brown to look like Hindoos. You could have the first +scene an Irishman catching a hen, and then paying the water-taxes for +"dues," and then have the little boys for Hindoos. + +A great many other words were talked of, but nothing seemed to suit. +There was a curtain, too, to be thought of, because the folding doors +stuck when you tried to open and shut them. Agamemnon said the +Pan-Elocutionists had a curtain they would probably lend John Osborne, +and so it was decided to ask John Osborne to help. + +If they had a curtain they ought to have a stage. Solomon John said he +was sure he had boards and nails enough, and it would be easy to make a +stage if John Osborne would help put it up. + +All this talk was the day before the charades. In the midst of it Ann +Maria went over for her old bonnets and dresses and umbrellas, and they +spent the evening in trying on the various things,--such odd caps and +remarkable bonnets! Solomon John said they ought to have plenty of +bandboxes; if you only had bandboxes enough, a charade was sure to go +off well; he had seen charades in Boston. Mrs. Peterkin said there were +plenty in their attic, and the little boys brought down piles of them, +and the back parlor was filled with costumes. + +Ann Maria said she could bring over more things if she only knew what +they were going to act. Elizabeth Eliza told her to bring anything she +had,--it would all come of use. + +The morning came, and the boards were collected for the stage. +Agamemnon and Solomon John gave themselves to the work, and John +Osborne helped zealously. He said the Pan-Elocutionists would lend a +scene also. There was a great clatter of bandboxes, and piles of shawls +in corners, and such a piece of work in getting up the curtain! In the +midst of it, came in the little boys, shouting, "All the tickets are +sold at ten cents each!" + +"Seventy tickets sold!" exclaimed Agamemnon. + +"Seven dollars for the water-trough!" said Elizabeth Eliza. + +"And we do not know yet what we are going to act!" exclaimed Ann Maria. + +But everybody's attention had to be given to the scene that was going +up in the background, borrowed from the Pan-Elocutionists. It was +magnificent, and represented a forest. + +"Where are we going to put seventy people?" exclaimed Mrs. Peterkin, +venturing, dismayed, into the heaps of shavings and boards and litter. + +The little boys exclaimed that a large part of the audience consisted +of boys, who would not take up much room. But how much clearing and +sweeping and moving of chairs was necessary before all could be made +ready! It was late, and some of the people had already come to secure +good seats even before the actors had assembled. + +"What are we going to act?" asked Ann Maria. + +"I have been so torn with one thing and another," said Elizabeth Eliza, +"I haven't had time to think!" + +"Haven't you the word yet?" asked John Osborne, for the audience was +flocking in, and the seats were filling up rapidly. + +"I have got one word in my pocket," said Elizabeth Eliza, "in the +letter from the lady from Philadelphia. She sent me the parts of the +word. Solomon John is to be a Turk, but I don't yet understand the +whole of the word." + +"You don't know the word and the people are all here!" said John +Osborne, impatiently. + +"Elizabeth Eliza!" exclaimed Ann Maria, "Solomon John says I'm to be a +Turkish slave, and I'll have to wear a veil. Do you know where the +veils are? You know I brought them over last night." + +"Elizabeth Eliza! Solomon John wants you to send him the large cashmere +scarf," exclaimed one of the little boys, coming in. "Elizabeth Eliza! +you must tell us what kind of faces to make up!" cried another of the +boys. + +And the audience were heard meanwhile taking their seats on the other +side of the thin curtain. + +"You sit in front, Mrs. Bromwich, you are a little hard of hearing; sit +where you can hear." + +"And let Julia Fitch come where she can see," said another voice. + +"And we have not any words for them to hear or see!" exclaimed John +Osborne behind the curtain. + +"Oh, I wish we'd never determined to have charades!" exclaimed +Elizabeth Eliza. "Can't we return the money!" + +"They are all here; we must give them something!" said John Osborne, +heroically. + +"And Solomon John is almost dressed," reported Ann Maria, winding a +veil around her head. + +"Why don't we take Solomon John's word 'Hindoos' for the first?" said +Agamemnon. + +John Osborne agreed to go in the first, hunting the "hin," or anything, +and one of the little boys took the part of the hen, with the help of a +feather duster. The bell rang, and the first scene began. + +It was a great success. John Osborne's Irish was perfect. Nobody +guessed it, for the hen crowed by mistake; but it received great +applause. + +Mr. Peterkin came on in the second scene to receive the water-rates, +and made a long speech on taxation. He was interrupted by Ann Maria as +an old woman in a huge bonnet. She persisted in turning her back to the +audience, and speaking so low nobody heard her; and Elizabeth Eliza, +who appeared in a more remarkable bonnet, was so alarmed, she went +directly back, saying she had forgotten something. But this was +supposed to be the effect intended, and it was loudly cheered. + +Then came a long delay, for the little boys brought out a number of +their friends to be browned for Hindoos. Ann Maria played on the piano +till the scene was ready. The curtain rose upon five brown boys done up +in blankets and turbans. + +"I am thankful that is over," said Elizabeth Eliza, "for now we can act +my word. Only I don't myself know the whole." + +"Never mind, let us act it," said John Osborne, "and the audience can +guess the whole." + +"The first syllable must be the letter P," said Elizabeth Eliza, "and +we must have a school." + +Agamemnon was master, and the little boys and their friends went on as +scholars. All the boys talked and shouted at once, acting their idea of +a school by flinging peanuts about, and scoffing at the master. + +"They'll guess that to be 'row,'" said John Osborne in despair; +"they'll never guess 'P'!" + +The next scene was gorgeous. Solomon John, as a Turk, reclined on John +Osborne's army-blanket. He had on a turban, and a long beard, and all +the family shawls. Ann Maria and Elizabeth Eliza were brought in to +him, veiled, by the little boys in their Hindoo costumes. + +This was considered the great scene of the evening, though Elizabeth +Eliza was sure she did not know what to do,--whether to kneel or sit +down; she did not know whether Turkish women did sit down, and she +could not help laughing whenever she looked at Solomon John. He, +however, kept his solemnity. "I suppose I need not say much," he had +said, "for I shall be the 'Turk who was dreaming of the hour.'" But he +did order the little boys to bring sherbet, and when they brought it +without ice, insisted they must have their heads cut off, and Ann Maria +fainted, and the scene closed. + +"What are we to do now?" asked John Osborne, warming up to the +occasion. + +"We must have an 'inn' scene," said Elizabeth Eliza, consulting her +letter; "two inns if we can." + +"We will have some travelers disgusted with one inn, and going to +another," said John Osborne. + +"Now is the time for the bandboxes," said Solomon John, who, since his +Turk scene was over, could give his attention to the rest of the +charade. + +Elizabeth Eliza and Ann Maria went on as rival hostesses, trying to +draw Solomon John, Agamemnon and John Osborne into their several inns. +The little boys carried valises, hand-bags, umbrellas and bandboxes. +Bandbox after bandbox appeared, and when Agamemnon sat down upon his, +the applause was immense. At last the curtain fell. + +"Now for the whole," said John Osborne, as he made his way off the +stage over a heap of umbrellas. + +"I can't think why the lady from Philadelphia did not send me the +whole," said Elizabeth Eliza, musing over the letter. + +"Listen, they are guessing," said John Osborne. "'_D-ice-box_.' I don't +wonder they get it wrong." + +"But we know it can't be that!" exclaimed Elizabeth Eliza, in agony. +"How can we act the whole if we don't know it ourselves!" + +"Oh, I see it!" said Ann Maria, clapping. "Get your whole family in for +the last scene." + +Mr. and Mrs. Peterkin were summoned to the stage, and formed the +background, standing on stools; in front were Agamemnon and Solomon +John, leaving room for Elizabeth Eliza between; a little in advance, +and in front of all, half kneeling, were the little boys in their India +rubber boots. + +The audience rose to an exclamation of delight, "the Peterkins!" + +It was not until this moment that Elizabeth Eliza guessed the whole. + +"What a tableau!" exclaimed Mr. Bromwich; "the Peterkin family guessing +their own charade." + + + + +A DOUBLE RIDDLE.[A] + +BY J.G.H. + + + There is a word of music's own + That lifts the soul to see and do,-- + A happy word, that leaps alone + From lips by pleasure touched anew, + + Which, if it join thy parted name, + O Blessed Virgin! bears a curse, + Than which the fatal midnight flame, + Or fateful war, holds nothing worse! + + What is this word, with baleful charm, + To change the sweetest name we know + To one surcharged with subtile harm?-- + And what the strange, new name of woe? + + And if you guess this riddle well, + And speak this word in answer true, + How may it lift--I pray you tell-- + The tuneful soul to see and do? + +[Footnote A: The answer will be given in "Letter-Box" of January +number.] + + + + +UNDER THE LILACS + +BY LOUISA M. ALCOTT. + + +CHAPTER 1 + +A MYSTERIOUS DOG. + + +The elm-tree avenue was all overgrown, the great gate was never +unlocked, and the old house had been shut up for several years. Yet +voices were heard about the place, the lilacs nodded over the high wall +as if they said, "We could tell fine secrets if we chose," and the +mullein outside the gate made haste to reach the keyhole that it might +peep in and see what was going on. + +If it had suddenly grown up like a magic bean-stalk, and looked in on a +certain June day, it would have seen a droll but pleasant sight, for +somebody evidently was going to have a party. + +From the gate to the porch went a wide walk, paved with smooth slabs of +dark stone, and bordered with the tall bushes which met overhead, +making a green roof. All sorts of neglected flowers and wild weeds grew +between their stems, covering the walls of this summer parlor with the +prettiest tapestry. A board, propped on two blocks of wood, stood in +the middle of the walk, covered with a little plaid shawl much the +worse for wear, and on it a miniature tea service was set forth with +great elegance. To be sure, the tea-pot had lost its spout, the +cream-jug its handle, the sugar-bowl its cover, and the cups and plates +were all more or less cracked or nicked; but polite persons would not +take notice of these trifling deficiencies, and none but polite persons +were invited to this party. + +On either side of the porch was a seat, and here a somewhat remarkable +sight would have been revealed to any inquisitive eye peering through +the aforesaid key-hole. Upon the left-hand seat lay seven dolls, upon +the right-hand seat lay six, and so varied were the expressions of +their countenances, owing to fractures, dirt, age and other +afflictions, that one would very naturally have thought this a doll's +hospital, and these the patients waiting for their tea. This, however, +would have been a sad mistake; for, if the wind had lifted the +coverings laid over them, it would have disclosed the fact that all +were in full dress, and merely reposing before the feast should begin. + +There was another interesting feature of the scene which would have +puzzled any but those well acquainted with the manners and customs of +dolls. A fourteenth rag baby, with a china head, hung by her neck from +the rusty knocker in the middle of the door. A sprig of white and one +of purple lilac nodded over her, a dress of yellow calico, richly +trimmed with red flannel scallops, shrouded her slender form, a garland +of small flowers crowned her glossy curls, and a pair of blue boots +touched toes in the friendliest, if not the most graceful, manner. An +emotion of grief, as well as of surprise, might well have thrilled any +youthful breast at such a spectacle, for why, oh! why, was this +resplendent dolly hung up there to be stared at by thirteen of her +kindred? Was she a criminal, the sight of whose execution threw them +flat upon their backs in speechless horror? Or was she an idol, to be +adored in that humble posture? Neither, my friends. She was blonde +Belinda, set, or rather hung, aloft, in the place of honor, for this +was her seventh birthday, and a superb ball was about to celebrate the +great event. + +[Illustration: "A RAG-BABY HUNG FROM THE RUSTY KNOCKER."] + +All were evidently awaiting a summons to the festive board, but such +was the perfect breeding of these dolls that not a single eye out of +the whole twenty-seven (Dutch Hans had lost one of the black beads from +his worsted countenance) turned for a moment toward the table, or so +much as winked, as they lay in decorous rows, gazing with mute +admiration at Belinda. She, unable to repress the joy and pride which +swelled her sawdust bosom till the seams gaped, gave an occasional +bounce as the wind waved her yellow skirts or made the blue boots dance +a sort of jig upon the door. Hanging was evidently not a painful +operation, for she smiled contentedly, and looked as if the red ribbon +around her neck was not uncomfortably tight; therefore, if slow +suffocation suited _her_, who else had any right to complain? So a +pleasing silence reigned, not even broken by a snore from Dinah, the +top of whose turban alone was visible above the coverlet, or a cry from +baby Jane, though her bare feet stuck out in a way that would have +produced shrieks from a less well-trained infant. + +Presently voices were heard approaching, and through the arch which led +to a side path came two little girls, one carrying a small pitcher, the +other proudly bearing a basket covered with a napkin. They looked like +twins, but were not--for Bab was a year older than Betty, though only +an inch taller. Both had on brown calico frocks, much the worse for a +week's wear, but clean pink pinafores, in honor of the occasion, made +up for that, as well as the gray stockings and thick boots. Both had +round rosy faces rather sunburnt, pug noses somewhat freckled, merry +blue eyes, and braided tails of hair hanging down their backs like +those of the dear little Kenwigses. + +"Don't they look sweet?" cried Bab, gazing with maternal pride upon the +left-hand row of dolls, who might appropriately have sung in chorus, +"We are seven." + +"Very nice; but my Belinda beats them all. I do think she is the +splendidest child that ever was!" And Betty set down the basket to run +and embrace the suspended darling, just then kicking up her heels with +joyful abandon. + +"The cake can be cooling while we fix the children. It does smell +perfectly delicious!" said Bab, lifting the napkin to hang over the +basket, fondly regarding the little round loaf that lay inside. + +"Leave some smell for me!" commanded Betty, rushing back to get her +fair share of the spicy fragrance. + +The pug noses sniffed it up luxuriously, and the bright eyes feasted +upon the loveliness of the cake, so brown and shiny, with a +tipsy-looking B in pie-crust staggering down one side, instead of +sitting properly atop. + +"Ma let me put it on the very last minute, and it baked so hard I +couldn't pick it off. We can give Belinda that piece, so it's just as +well," observed Betty, taking the lead, as her child was queen of the +revel. + +"Let's set them round, so they can see too," proposed Bab, going, with +a hop, skip and jump, to collect her young family. + +Betty agreed, and for several minutes both were absorbed in seating +their dolls about the table, for some of the dear things were so limp +they wouldn't sit up, and others so stiff they wouldn't sit down, and +all sorts of seats had to be contrived to suit the peculiarities of +their spines. This arduous task accomplished, the fond mammas stepped +back to enjoy the spectacle, which, I assure you, was an impressive +one. Belinda sat with great dignity at the head, her hands genteelly +holding a pink cambric pocket-handkerchief in her lap. Josephus, her +cousin, took the foot, elegantly arrayed in a new suit of purple and +green gingham, with his speaking countenance much obscured by a straw +hat several sizes too large for him; while on either side sat guests of +every size, complexion and costume, producing a very gay and varied +effect, as all were dressed with a noble disregard of fashion. + +"They will like to see us get tea. Did you forget the buns?" inquired +Betty, anxiously. + +"No; got them in my pocket." And Bab produced from that chaotic +cupboard two rather stale and crumbly ones, saved from lunch for the +fete. These were cut up and arranged in plates, forming a graceful +circle around the cake, still in its basket. + +"Ma couldn't spare much milk, so we must mix water with it. Strong tea +isn't good for children, she says." And Bab contentedly surveyed the +gill of skim-milk which was to satisfy the thirst of the company. + +"While the tea draws and the cake cools let's sit down and rest; I'm so +tired!" sighed Betty, dropping down on the door-step and stretching out +the stout little legs which had been on the go all day; for Saturday +had its tasks as well as its fun, and much business had preceded this +unusual pleasure. + +Bab went and sat beside her, looking idly down the walk toward the +gate, where a fine cobweb shone in the afternoon sun. + +"Ma says she is going over the house in a day or two, now it is warm +and dry after the storm, and we may go with her. You know she wouldn't +take us in the fall, 'cause we had whooping-cough and it was damp +there. Now we shall see all the nice things; wont it be fun?" observed +Bab, after a pause. + +"Yes, indeed! Ma says there's lots of books in one room, and I can look +at 'em while she goes round. May be I'll have time to read some, and +then I can tell you," answered Betty, who dearly loved stories and +seldom got any new ones. + +"I'd rather see the old spinning-wheel up garret, and the big pictures, +and the queer clothes in the blue chest. It makes me mad to have them +all shut up there when we might have such fun with them. I'd just like +to bang that old door down!" And Bab twisted round to give it a thump +with her boots. "You needn't laugh; you know you 'd like it as much as +me," she added, twisting back again, rather ashamed of her impatience. + +"I didn't laugh." + +"You did! Don't you suppose I know what laughing is?" + +"I guess I know I didn't." + +"You did laugh! How darst you tell such a fib?" + +"If you say that again I'll take Belinda and go right home; then what +will you do?" + +"I'll eat up the cake." + +"No, you wont! It's mine, ma said so, and you are only company, so +you'd better behave or I wont have any party at all, so now." + +This awful threat calmed Bab's anger at once, and she hastened to +introduce a safer subject. + +"Never mind; don't let's fight before the children. Do you know ma says +she will let us play in the coach-house next time it rains, and keep +the key if we want to." + +"Oh, goody! that's because we told her how we found the little window +under the woodbine, and didn't try to go in, though we might have just +as easy as not," cried Betty, appeased at once, for after a ten years' +acquaintance she had grown used to Bab's peppery temper. + +"I suppose the coach will be all dust and rats and spiders, but I don't +care. You and the dolls can be the passengers, and I shall sit up in +front and drive." + +"You always do. I shall like riding better than being horse all the +time with that old wooden bit in my mouth, and you jerking my arms +off," said poor Betty, who was tired of being horse all the time. + +"I guess we'd better go and get the water now," suggested Bab, feeling +that it was not safe to encourage her sister in such complaints. + +"It is not many people who would dare to leave their children all alone +with such a lovely cake, and know they wouldn't pick at it," said Betty +proudly, as they trotted away to the spring, each with a little tin +pail in her hand. + +Alas, for the faith of these too confiding mammas! They were gone about +five minutes, and when they returned a sight met their astonished eyes +which produced a simultaneous shriek of horror. Flat upon their faces +lay the fourteen dolls, and the cake, the cherished cake, was gone! + +[Illustration: BAB AND BETTY ON THEIR WAY TO THE TEA-PARTY.] + +For an instant the little girls could only stand motionless, gazing at +the dreadful scene. Then Bab cast her water-pail wildly away, and +doubling up her fist, cried out fiercely: + +"It was that Sally! She said she'd pay me for slapping her when she +pinched little Mary Ann, and now she has. I'll give it to her! You run +that way. I'll run this. Quick! quick!" + +Away they went, Bab racing straight on, and bewildered Betty turning +obediently round to trot in the opposite direction as fast as she +could, with the water splashing all over her as she ran, for she had +forgotten to put down her pail. Round the house they went, and met with +a crash at the back door, but no sign of the thief appeared. + +"In the lane!" shouted Bab. + +"Down by the spring!" panted Betty, and off they went again, one to +scramble up a pile of stones and look over the wall into the avenue, +the other to scamper to the spot they had just left. Still nothing +appeared but the dandelions' innocent faces looking up at Bab, and a +brown bird scared from his bath in the spring by Betty's hasty +approach. + +Back they rushed, but only to meet a new scare, which made them both +cry "Ow!" and fly into the porch for refuge. + +A strange dog was sitting calmly among the ruins of the feast, licking +his lips after basely eating up the last poor bits of bun when he had +bolted the cake, basket and all. + +"Oh, the horrid thing!" cried Bab, longing to give battle but afraid, +for the dog was a peculiar as well as a dishonest animal. + +"He looks like our China poodle, doesn't he?" whispered Betty, making +herself as small as possible behind her more valiant sister. + +He certainly did; for, though much dirtier than the well-washed China +dog, this live one had the same tassel at the end of his tail, ruffles +of hair round his ankles, and a body shaven behind and curly before. +His eyes, however, were yellow, instead of glassy black, like the +other's, his red nose worked as he cocked it up, as if smelling for +more cakes in the most impudent manner, and never during the three +years he had stood on the parlor mantel-piece had the China poodle done +the surprising feats with which this mysterious dog now proceeded to +astonish the little girls almost out of their wits. + +First he sat up, put his fore-paws together, and begged prettily; then +he suddenly flung his hind legs into the air, and walked about with +great ease. Hardly had they recovered from this shock when the hind +legs came down, the fore legs went up, and he paraded in a soldierly +manner to and fro, like a sentinel on guard. But the crowning +performance was when he took his tail in his mouth and waltzed down the +walk, over the prostrate dolls, to the gate and back again, barely +escaping a general upset of the ravaged table. + +Bab and Betty could only hold each other tight and squeal with delight, +for never had they seen anything so funny; but when the gymnastics +ended, and the dizzy dog came and stood on the step before them barking +loudly, with that pink nose of his sniffing at their feet and his queer +eyes fixed sharply upon them, their amusement turned to fear again, and +they dared not stir. + +"Whish, go away!" commanded Bab. + +"Scat!" meekly quavered Betty. + +To their great relief the poodle gave several more inquiring barks, and +then vanished as suddenly as he appeared. With one impulse the children +ran to see what became of him, and after a brisk scamper through the +orchard saw the tasseled tail disappear under the fence at the far end. + +"Where _do_ you s'pose he came from?" asked Betty, stopping to rest on +a big stone. + +"I'd like to know where he's gone, too, and give him a good beating, +old thief," scolded Bab, remembering their wrongs. + +"Oh dear, yes! I hope the cake burnt him dreadfully if he did eat it," +groaned Betty, sadly remembering the dozen good raisins she chopped +up, and the "lots of 'lasses" Ma put into the dear lost loaf. + +"The party's all spoilt, so we may as well go home," and Bab mournfully +led the way back. + +Betty puckered up her face to cry, but burst out laughing in spite of +her woe, "It was _so_ funny to see him spin round and walk on his head! +I wish he'd do it all over again; don't you?" + +"Yes; but I hate him just the same. I wonder what ma will say +when--why! why!"--and Bab stopped short in the arch, with her eyes as +round and almost as large as the blue saucers on the tea-tray. + +"What is it? oh, what is it?" cried Betty, all ready to run away if any +new terror appeared. + +"Look! there! it's come back!" said Bab in an awe-stricken whisper, +pointing to the table. + +Betty did look and her eyes opened even wider,--as well they +might,--for there, just where they first put it, was the lost cake, +unhurt, unchanged, except that the big B. had coasted a little further +down the gingerbread hill. + + + +CHAPTER II. + +WHERE THEY FOUND HIS MASTER. + + +Neither spoke for a minute, astonishment being too great for words; +then, as by one impulse, both stole up and touched the cake with a +timid little finger, quite prepared to see it fly away in some +mysterious and startling manner. It remained sitting tranquilly in the +basket, however, and the children drew a long breath of relief, for, +though they did not believe in fairies, the late performances did seem +rather like witchcraft. + +"The dog didn't eat it!" + +"Sally didn't take it!" + +"How do you know?" + +"_She_ never would have put it back." + +"Who did?" + +"Can't tell, but I forgive 'em." + +"What shall we do now?" asked Betty, feeling as if it would be very +difficult to settle down to a quiet tea-party after such unusual +excitement. + +"Eat that cake up just as fast as ever we can," and Bab divided the +contested delicacy with one chop of the big knife, bound to make sure +of her own share at all events. + +It did not take long, for they washed it down with sips of milk and ate +as fast as possible, glancing round all the while to see if the queer +dog was coming again. + +"There! now I'd like to see any one take _my_ cake away," said Bab, +defiantly crunching her half of the pie-crust B. + +"Or mine either," coughed Betty, choking over a raisin that wouldn't go +down in a hurry. + +"We might as well clear up, and play there had been an earthquake," +suggested Bab, feeling that some such convulsion of nature was needed +to explain satisfactorily the demoralized condition of her family. + +"That will be splendid. My poor Linda was knocked right over on her +nose. Darlin' child, come to your mother and be fixed," purred Betty, +lifting the fallen idol from a grove of chickweed, and tenderly +brushing the dirt from Belinda's heroically smiling face. + +"She'll have croup to-night as sure as the world. We'd better make up +some squills out of this sugar and water," said Bab, who dearly loved +to dose the dollies all round. + +"P'r'aps she will, but you needn't begin to sneeze yet awhile. I can +sneeze for my own children, thank you, ma'am," returned Betty, sharply, +for her usually amiable spirit had been ruffled by the late +occurrences. + +"I didn't sneeze! I've got enough to do to talk and cry and cough for +my own poor dears without bothering about yours," cried Bab, even more +ruffled than her sister. + +"Then who did? I heard a real, live sneeze just as plain as anything," +and Betty looked up to the green roof above her, as if the sound came +from that direction. + +A yellow-bird sat swinging and chirping on the tall lilac-bush, but no +other living thing was in sight. + +"Birds don't sneeze, do they?" asked Betty, eying little Goldy +suspiciously. + +"You goose! of course they don't." + +"Well, I should just like to know who is laughing and sneezing round +here. May be it is the dog," suggested Betty, looking relieved. + +"I never heard of a dog's laughing, except Mother Hubbard's. This is +such a queer one, may be he can, though. I wonder where he went to?" +and Bab took a patient survey down both the side paths, quite longing +to see the funny poodle again. + +"I know where _I'm_ going to," said Betty, piling the dolls into her +apron with more haste than care. "I'm going right straight home to tell +Ma all about it. I don't like such actions, and I'm afraid to stay." + +"I aint; but I guess it is going to rain, so I shall have to go +anyway," answered Bab, taking advantage of the black clouds rolling up +the sky, for _she_ scorned to own that she was afraid of anything. + +Clearing the table in a summary manner by catching up the four corners +of the cloth, Bab put the rattling bundle into her apron, flung her +children on the top, and pronounced herself ready to depart. Betty +lingered an instant to pick up odds and ends that might be spoilt by +the rain, and when she turned from taking the red halter off the +knocker, two lovely pink roses lay on the stone steps. + +"Oh, Bab, just see! Here's the very ones we wanted. Wasn't it nice of +the wind to blow 'em down?" she called out, picking them up and running +after her sister, who had strolled moodily along, still looking about +her for her sworn foe, Sally Folsom. + +The flowers soothed the feelings of the little girls, because they had +longed for them, and bravely resisted the temptation to climb up the +trellis and help themselves, since their mother had forbidden such +feats, owing to a fall Bab got trying to reach a honeysuckle from the +vine which ran all over the porch. + +Home they went and poured out their tale, to Mrs. Moss's great +amusement, for she saw in it only some playmate's prank, and was not +much impressed by the mysterious sneeze and laugh. + +"We'll have a grand rummage Monday, and find out what is going on over +there," was all she said. + +But Mrs. Moss could not keep her promise, for on Monday it still +rained, and the little girls paddled off to school like a pair of young +ducks, enjoying every puddle they came to, since India rubber boots +made wading a delicious possibility. They took their dinner, and at +noon regaled a crowd of comrades with an account of the mysterious dog, +who appeared to be haunting the neighborhood, as several of the other +children had seen him examining their back yards with interest. He had +begged of them, but to none had he exhibited his accomplishments except +Bab and Betty, and they were therefore much set up, and called him "our +dog" with an air. The cake transaction remained a riddle, for Sally +Folsom solemnly declared that she was playing tag in Mamie Snow's barn +at that identical time. No one had been near the old house but the two +children, and no one could throw any light upon that singular affair. + +It produced a great effect, however; for even "teacher" was interested, +and told such amazing tales of a juggler she once saw that doughnuts +were left forgotten in dinner-baskets, and wedges of pie remained +suspended in the air for several minutes at a time, instead of +vanishing with miraculous rapidity as usual. At afternoon recess, which +the girls had first, Bab nearly dislocated every joint of her little +body trying to imitate the poodle's antics. She had practiced on her +bed with great success, but the wood-shed floor was a different thing, +as her knees and elbows soon testified. + +"It looked just as easy as anything; I don't see how he did it," she +said, coming down with a bump after vainly attempting to walk on her +hands. + +"My gracious, there he is this very minute!" cried Betty, who sat on a +little wood-pile near the door. + +There was a general rush, and sixteen small girls gazed out into the +rain as eagerly as if to behold Cinderella's magic coach, instead of +one forlorn dog trotting by through the mud. + +"Oh, do call him in and make him dance!" cried the girls, all chirping +at once, till it sounded as if a flock of sparrows had taken possession +of the shed. + +"_I_ will call him, he knows _me_," and Bab scrambled up, forgetting +how she had chased the poodle and called him names two days ago. + +He evidently had not forgotten, for though he paused and looked +wistfully at them, he would not approach, but stood dripping in the +rain with his frills much bedraggled, while his tasseled tail wagged +slowly, and his pink nose pointed suggestively to the pails and +baskets, nearly empty now. + +"He's hungry; give him something to eat, and then he'll see that we +don't want to hurt him," suggested Sally, starting a contribution with +her last bit of bread and butter. + +Bab caught up her new pail, and collected all the odds and ends, then +tried to beguile the poor beast in to eat and be comforted. But he only +came as far as the door, and sitting up, begged with such imploring +eyes that Bab put down the pail and stepped back, saying pitifully: + +"The poor thing is starved; let him eat all he wants and we wont touch +him." + +The girls drew back with little clucks of interest and compassion, but +I regret to say their charity was not rewarded as they expected, for, +the minute the coast was clear, the dog marched boldly up, seized the +handle of the pail in his mouth, and was off with it, galloping down +the road at a great pace. Shrieks arose from the children, especially +Bab and Betty, basely bereaved of their new dinner-pail; but no one +could follow the thief, for the bell rang, and in they went, so much +excited that the boys rushed tumultuously forth to discover the cause. + +By the time school was over the sun was out, and Bab and Betty hastened +home to tell their wrongs and be comforted by mother, who did it most +effectually. + +"Nevermind, dears, I'll get you another pail, if he doesn't bring it +back as he did before. As it is too wet for you to play out, you shall +go and see the old coach-house as I promised. Keep on your rubbers and +come along." + +This delightful prospect much assuaged their woe, and away they went, +skipping gayly down the graveled path, while Mrs. Moss followed, with +skirts well tucked up, and a great bunch of keys in her hand, for she +lived at the Lodge and had charge of the premises. + +The small door of the coach-house was fastened inside, but the large +one had a padlock on it, and this being quickly unfastened, one half +swung open, and the little girls ran in, too eager and curious even to +cry out when they found themselves at last in possession of the +long-coveted old carriage. A dusty, musty concern enough, but it had a +high seat, a door, steps that let down, and many other charms which +rendered it most desirable in the eyes of children. + +Bab made straight for the box and Betty for the door, but both came +tumbling down faster than they went up, when, from the gloom of the +interior came a shrill bark, and a low voice saying quickly: "Down, +Sancho, down!" + +"Who is there?" demanded Mrs. Moss, in a stern tone, backing toward the +door with both children clinging to her skirts. + +The well-known curly white head was popped out of the broken window, +and a mild whine seemed to say, "Don't be alarmed, ladies; we wont hurt +you." + +"Come out this minute, or I shall have to come to get you," called Mrs. +Moss, growing very brave all of a sudden as she caught sight of a pair +of small, dusty shoes under the coach. + +"Yes 'm, I'm coming as fast as I can," answered a meek voice, as what +appeared to be a bundle of rags leaped out of the dark, followed by the +poodle, who immediately sat down at the bare feet of his owner with a +watchful air, as if ready to assault any one who might approach too +near. + +"Now, then, who are you, and how did you get here?" asked Mrs. Moss, +trying to speak sternly, though her motherly eyes were already full of +pity as they rested on the forlorn little figure before her. + + + +CHAPTER III. + +BEN. + + +"Please 'm, my name is Ben Brown, and I'm traveling." + +"Where are you going?" + +"Anywheres to get work." + +"What sort of work can you do?" + +"All kinds. I'm used to horses." + +"Bless me! such a little chap as you?" + +"I'm twelve, ma'am, and can ride anything on four legs;" and the small +boy gave a nod that seemed to say, "Bring on your Cruisers. I'm ready +for 'em." + +"Haven't you got any folks?" asked Mrs. Moss, amused but still +anxious, for the sunburnt face was very thin, the eyes big with hunger +or pain, and the ragged figure leaned on the wheel as if too weak or +weary to stand alone. + +"No,'m, not of my own; and the people I was left with beat me so, +I--run away." The last words seemed to bolt out against his will, as if +the woman's sympathy irresistibly won the child's confidence. + +"Then I don't blame you. But how did you get here?" + +"I was so tired I couldn't go any further, and I thought the folks up +here at the big house would take me in. But the gate was locked, and I +was so discouraged, I jest lay down outside and give up." + +"Poor little soul, I don't wonder," said Mrs. Moss, while the children +looked deeply interested at mention of _their_ gate. + +The boy drew a long breath, and his eyes began to twinkle in spite of +his forlorn state as he went on, while the dog pricked up his ears at +mention of his name: + +"While I was restin' I heard some one come along inside, and I peeked, +and saw them little girls playin'. The vittles looked so nice I +couldn't help wantin' 'em; but I didn't take nothin',--it was Sancho, +and he took the cake for me." + +Bab and Betty gave a gasp and stared reproachfully at the poodle, who +half closed his eyes with a meek, unconscious look that was very droll. + +"And you made him put it back?" cried Bab. + +"No; I did it myself. Got over the gate when you was racin' after +Sanch, and then clim' up on the porch and hid," said the boy, with a +grin. + +"And you laughed?" asked Bab. + +"Yes." + +"And sneezed?" added Betty. + +"Yes." + +"And threw down the roses?" cried both. + +"Yes; and you liked 'em, didn't you?" + +"Course we did! What made you hide?" said Bab. + +"I wasn't fit to be seen," muttered Ben, glancing at his tatters as if +he'd like to dive out of sight into the dark coach again. + +"How came you _here_?" demanded Mrs. Moss, suddenly remembering her +responsibility. + +"I heard them talk about a little winder and a shed, and when they'd +gone I found it and come in. The glass was broke, and I only pulled the +nail out. I haven't done a mite of harm sleepin' here two nights. I was +so tuckered out I couldn't go on nohow, though I tried a Sunday." + +"And came back again?" + +"Yes, 'm; it was so lonesome in the rain, and this place seemed kinder +like home, and I could hear 'em talkin' outside, and Sanch he found +vittles, and I was pretty comfortable." + +"Well, I never!" ejaculated Mrs. Moss, whisking up a corner of her +apron to wipe her eyes, for the thought of the poor little fellow alone +there for two days and nights with no bed but musty straw, no food but +the scraps a dog brought him, was too much for her. "Do you know what +I'm going to do with you?" she asked, trying to look calm and cool, +with a great tear running down her wholesome, red cheek, and a smile +trying to break out at the corners of her lips. + +"No, ma'am; and I dunno as I care. Only don't be hard on Sanch; he's +been real good to me, and we're fond of one another; aint us, old +chap?" answered the boy, with his arm around the dog's neck, and an +anxious look which he had not worn for himself. + +[Illustration: GETTING BEN'S SUPPER. (SEE NEXT PAGE.)] + +"I'm going to take you right home, and wash and feed and put you in a +good bed, and to-morrow--well, we'll see what'll happen then," said +Mrs. Moss, not quite sure about it herself. + +"You're very kind, ma'am. I'll be glad to work for you. Aint you got a +horse I can see to?" asked the boy, eagerly. + +"Nothing but hens and a cat." + +Bab and Betty burst out laughing when their mother said that, and Ben +gave a faint giggle, as if he would like to join in if he only had the +strength to do it. But his legs shook under him, and he felt a queer +dizziness; so he could only hold on to Sancho, and blink at the light +like a young owl. + +"Come right along, child. Run on, girls, and put the rest of the broth +to warming, and fill the kettle. I'll see to the boy," commanded Mrs. +Moss, waving off the children, and going up to feel the pulse of her +new charge, for it suddenly occurred to her that he might be sick and +not safe to take home. + +The hand he gave her was very thin, but clean and cool, and the black +eyes were clear though hollow, for the poor lad was half starved. + +"I'm awful shabby, but I aint dirty. I had a washin' in the rain last +night, and I've jest about lived on water lately," he explained, +wondering why she looked at him so hard. + +"Put out your tongue." + +He did so, but took it in again to say quickly: + +"I aint sick--I'm only hungry; for I haven't had a mite but what Sanch +brought for three days, and I always go halves; don't I, Sanch?" + +The poodle gave a shrill bark, and vibrated excitedly between the door +and his master as if he understood all that was going on, and +recommended a speedy march toward the promised food and shelter. Mrs. +Moss took the hint, and bade the boy follow her at once and bring his +"things" with him. + +"I aint got any. Some big fellers took away my bundle, else I wouldn't +look so bad. There's only this. I'm sorry Sanch took it, and I'd like +to give it back if I knew whose it was," said Ben, bringing the new +dinner pail out from the depths of the coach where he had gone to +housekeeping. + +"That's soon done; it's mine, and you're welcome to the bits your queer +dog ran off with. Come along, I must lock up," and Mrs. Moss clanked +her keys suggestively. + +Ben limped out, leaning on a broken hoe-handle, for he was stiff after +two days in such damp lodgings, as well as worn out with a fortnight's +wandering through sun and rain. Sancho was in great spirits, evidently +feeling that their woes were over and his foraging expeditions at an +end, for he frisked about his master with yelps of pleasure, or made +playful darts at the ankles of his benefactress, which caused her to +cry, "Whish!" and "Scat!" and shake her skirts at him as if he were a +cat or hen. + +A hot fire was roaring in the stove under the broth-skillet and +tea-kettle, and Betty was poking in more wood, with a great smirch of +black on her chubby cheek, while Bab was cutting away at the loaf as if +bent on slicing her own fingers off. Before Ben knew what he was about, +he found himself in the old rocking-chair devouring bread and butter as +only a hungry boy can, with Sancho close by gnawing a mutton-bone like +a ravenous wolf in sheep's clothing. + +While the new-comers were thus happily employed, Mrs. Moss beckoned the +little girls out of the room, and gave them both an errand. + +"Bab, you run over to Mrs. Barton's, and ask her for any old duds +Billy don't want; and Betty, you go to the Cutters, and tell Miss +Clarindy I'd like a couple of the shirts we made at last sewing circle. +Any shoes, or a hat, or socks, would come handy, for the poor dear +hasn't a whole thread on him." + +Away went the children full of anxiety to clothe their beggar, and so +well did they plead his cause with the good neighbors, that Ben hardly +knew himself when he emerged from the back bedroom half an hour later, +clothed in Billy Barton's faded flannel suit, with an unbleached cotton +shirt out of the Dorcas basket, and a pair of Milly Cutter's old shoes +on his feet. + +Sancho also had been put in better trim, for, after his master had +refreshed himself with a warm bath, he gave his dog a good scrub, while +Mrs. Moss set a stitch here and there in the new old clothes, and +Sancho re-appeared, looking more like the china poodle than ever, being +as white as snow, his curls well brushed up, and his tassely tail +waving proudly over his back. + +Feeling eminently respectable and comfortable, the wanderers humbly +presented themselves, and were greeted with smiles of approval from the +little girls and a hospitable welcome from "Ma," who set them near the +stove to dry, as both were decidedly damp after their ablutions. + +"I declare I shouldn't have known you!" exclaimed the good woman, +surveying the boy with great satisfaction; for, though still very thin +and tired, the lad had a tidy look that pleased her, and a lively way +of moving about in his clothes, like an eel in a skin rather too big +for him. The merry black eyes seemed to see everything, the voice had +an honest sound, and the sun-burnt face looked several years younger +since the unnatural despondency had gone out of it. + +"It's very nice, and me and Sanch are lots obliged, ma'am," murmured +Ben, getting red and bashful under the three pairs of friendly eyes +fixed upon him. + +Bab and Betty were doing up the tea-things with unusual dispatch, so +that they might entertain their guest, and just as Ben spoke Bab +dropped a cup. To her great surprise no smash followed, for, bending +quickly, the boy caught it as it fell, and presented it to her on the +back of his hand with a little bow. + +"Gracious! how could you do it?" asked Bab, looking as if she thought +there was magic about it. + +"That's nothing; look here," and taking two plates Ben sent them +spinning up into the air, catching and throwing so rapidly that Bab and +Betty stood with their mouths open, as if to swallow the plates should +they fall, while Mrs. Moss, with her dish-cloth suspended, watched the +antics of her crockery with a housewife's anxiety. + +"That does beat all!" was the only exclamation she had time to make, +for, as if desirous of showing his gratitude in the only way he could, +Ben took several clothes-pins from a basket near by, sent several +saucers twirling up, caught them on the pins, balanced the pins on +chin, nose, forehead, and went walking about with a new and peculiar +sort of toad-stool ornamenting his countenance. + +[Illustration: "BEN PRESENTED IT TO HER ON THE BACK OF HIS HAND."] + +The children were immensely tickled, and Mrs. Moss was so amused she +would have lent her best soup-tureen if he had expressed a wish for it. +But Ben was too tired to show all his accomplishments at once, and he +soon stopped, looking as if he almost regretted having betrayed that he +possessed any. + +"I guess you've been in the juggling business," said Mrs. Moss, with a +wise nod, for she saw the same look on his face as when he said his +name was Ben Brown,--the look of one who was not telling the whole +truth. + +"Yes, 'm. I used to help Senior Pedro, the Wizard of the World, and I +learned some of his tricks," stammered Ben, trying to seem innocent. + +"Now, look here, boy, you'd better tell me the whole story, and tell it +true, or I shall have to send you up to Judge Allen. I wouldn't like to +do that, for he is a harsh sort of a man; so, if you haven't done +anything bad, you needn't be afraid to speak out, and I'll do what I +can for you," said Mrs. Moss, rather sternly, as she went and sat down +in her rocking-chair, as if about to open the court. + +"I _haven't_ done anything bad, and I _aint_ afraid, only I don't want +to go back; and if I tell, may be you'll let 'em know where I be," said +Ben, much distressed between his longing to confide in his new friend +and his fear of his old enemies. + +"If they abused you, of course I wouldn't. Tell the truth and I'll +stand by you. Girls, you go for the milk." + +"Oh, Ma, do let us stay! We'll never tell, truly, truly!" cried Bab and +Betty, full of dismay at being sent off when secrets were about to be +divulged. + +"I don't mind 'em," said Ben, handsomely. + +"Very well, only hold your tongues. Now, boy, where did you come from?" +said Mrs. Moss, as the little girls hastily sat down together on their +private and particular bench opposite their mother, brimming with +curiosity and beaming with satisfaction at the prospect before them. + +_(To be continued.)_ + + + + +A CHAT ABOUT POTTERY. + +BY EDWIN C. TAYLOR. + + +"Did you see those funny little china figures at the Centennial when +you were there?" asked Willie of his cousin Al on their way home from +school one day. + +"What figures, Will? Do you mean those large red clay things from +England, or the Chinese figures that Mr. Wu had at his place?" said Al. + +"I don't mean either; I said small figures. Don't you remember a +splendid show of pottery near the music-stand in the main building?" +asked Will. + +"Yes," said Al. "Well, there was a lot of figures of London street +people, and some were the funniest-looking things you ever saw." + +"I saw so much china and 'pottery,' as you call it, that I hardly +recollect any of it. But 'pottery,' I thought, meant merely flower-pots +and other ordinary stone-ware?" + +[Illustration: LONDON CABMAN (ROYAL WORCESTER PORCELAIN)] + +"Why, no," said Willie; "it means anything that is formed of earth and +hardened by fire. I heard Uncle Jack say so, and he knows, doesn't he?" +said Willie, decidedly. + +"Of course; but people do call these things 'china' or 'porcelain' as +well as 'pottery,' don't they?" + +"Yes; but Uncle Jack says 'pottery' means all those together, and +'porcelain,' 'majolica,' and other names like that are names of +different kinds of pottery," answered Willie. + +"Well," said Al, "let's ask Uncle Jack to tell us all about it. What do +you say?" + +"Yes; let's ask him this very night." + +When the lads reached home they told their plan to Willie's sister +Matie, and then all three determined to carry it out. + +"Rap-a-tap, tap," sounded briskly at the library door after supper. +"Come in," was the response, and in bounded the three children, their +faces lighted up with smiles at the prospect of spending an evening +with Uncle Jack. + +"Welcome, youngsters," said he, in a cheery tone. "But you look as if +you were expecting something; what is it?" + +"Oh, Uncle Jack, we want you to tell us all about pottery," cried the +boys. + +"Yes, please do," chimed in Matie. + +"All about pottery? Why, my dear children, that's very like asking me +to tell you all about the whole civilized world, for a complete history +of one would be almost a history of the other; and I could hardly do +that, you know," said Uncle Jack, with a smile. + +"Willie said you could talk about pottery all night," cried Matie. + +"And so I might, dear, and not get further than the ABC of its history, +after all," answered Uncle Jack. + +"But how many kinds are there, uncle?" asked Will. + +"That question demands an answer that must teach something," said Uncle +Jack. "There are two general kinds." + +"Why, I saw a thousand kinds at the Centennial," interrupted Al, with a +wise look. + +[Illustration: CHINESE DOG (ROYAL WORCESTER PORCELAIN)] + +"That may be," said his uncle. "But then, too, you saw a thousand kinds +of people, and yet all those people were either men or women; so all +pottery comes under the two general classes of 'hard paste' and 'soft +paste.'" + +"Why, none of it was soft, Uncle Jack, was it? I thought it was all +baked hard," said Will, looking incredulous. + +[Illustration: TEA-STAND (ROYAL WORCESTER PORCELAIN)] + +"So all pottery _is_ baked hard, for, until it is made hard by firing, +it is only wet clay and sand,--in pretty shapes, perhaps, but not fit +for any use or ornament,--and is not yet pottery." + +"Then why is it called 'soft?'" + +"You've seen pieces of stone that you could grind to powder under your +heel? You'd call them 'soft.' Other pieces you couldn't crush, and +you'd call them 'hard.' That is something like what is meant by 'hard' +and 'soft' applied to pottery,--at least, 'soft' doesn't mean soft like +putty." + +"But if it's all baked, why isn't it all hard alike?" asked Will. + +"Because different clays are used, and different degrees of heat +applied. At one time we get a kind of pottery that can be scratched +with a knife, at another a ware too hard to be so scratched; the one is +called 'soft paste' and the other 'hard paste.'" + +The boys seemed to be satisfied with this explanation. + +"Uncle, didn't you see at the Centennial some funny little figures +representing all sorts of London street-people?" asked Will. + +"Yes, and I brought one with me, I think. Ah! here's one," he said, +showing them a droll little man about four inches high, "and it looks +very like a London cabman--or 'cabby,' as he is called." + +"He's very homely," said Matie. "Where was he made, Uncle Jack?" + +Her uncle turned the figure over, and, looking at a small round +impression on the under side, answered: "At the Royal Worcester Works +in England, where some of the best of modern porcelain has been made." + +"Is that hard paste or soft, Uncle Jack?" asked Willie, while Al, as if +inclined to test the matter, began a search in his pockets for a knife. + +"This is hard paste porcelain; it is 'translucent,'--that is, it shows +the light through," and he held the little cabman before the lamp. + +"Here's another piece from the same factory," continued he, selecting a +second specimen from the cabinet. "This is a copy of the Chinese +'conventional dog,' made of blue 'crackle-ware.' You see, the glaze is +cracked all over the surface," he added. + +"Who ever saw a blue dog?" cried Matie. + +"In life, no one, my dear; but there are many things in Chinese art +that are not much like living objects." + +[Illustration: DRESDEN CHINA.] + +"I suppose you have all heard of Dresden china," presently continued +her uncle. + +"Oh yes, sir!" cried Al. "Aunt Susie had a Dresden tea-pot that +belonged to her grandmother, and she said the tea always tasted better +out of it than from anything else." + +"Well, here is an excellent French copy of an old Dresden figure. It is +a pretty flower-girl. See how gracefully she reaches for a nosegay from +her basket. I have seen bouquets of Dresden porcelain that you could +hardly distinguish from real flowers," said Uncle Jack. + +"You'd hardly think that such a beautiful thing was made from common +earth," said Will. + +"Nor is it," said his uncle. "This kind of china is made from a very +fine and very rare clay that, for a long time, was found only in China +and the Corean islands; but about a hundred and sixty years ago, a +noted chemist of Meissen, in Saxony, named Boettcher, discovered a bed +of it there, and manufactured the first true porcelain made in Europe," +said Uncle Jack. + +[Illustration: TERRA COTTA VASE.] + +"Why couldn't they get the fine clay from China and make their +porcelain anywhere?" asked Will. + +"Because the Chinese jealously kept all their clay to themselves," +answered Uncle Jack. + +"How did that man come to discover where the clay was, and if it was of +the right kind?" asked Al. + +"By a strange chance. According to the fashion of the time, men +powdered their hair, using wheat flour for that purpose. One day a +neighbor of the chemist, in traveling an unfrequented part of the +country, observed on his horse's hoofs some white sticky clay, and it +occurred to him that this white clay, dried and powdered, would make an +excellent and cheap substitute for wheat flour as a hair powder. So he +carried a little home with him, and some of it finally reached +Boettcher. The chemist found it extremely heavy, and, fearing the +presence of some metal hurtful to the skin, he tested the clay in his +laboratory. To his surprise and joy this white hair-powder proved +itself possessed of the same qualities as the veritable Chinese +_kaolin_, as their clay is called." + +[Illustration: MARK OF DRESDEN CHINA.] + +[Illustration: MARK OF WORCESTER PORCELAIN.] + +"Why, that sounds like a story," said Matie. + +"Here now," said Uncle Jack, "is a vase; that might carry the mind back +thousands of years, to the time when bodies were burned instead of +buried, and the ashes kept in just such urns as this." + +"Is that vase thousands of years old?" asked Matie. + +"No, dear; this vase is only modeled after the ancient cinerary urns, +as they were called, and was made a year or two ago by Ipsen, of +Copenhagen." + +"That isn't porcelain, is it, uncle?" asked Al. + +"No, this is 'terra cotta,' which is Italian for 'earth cooked.' Those +beautiful lines of color and gilding are painted on the surface." + +"Did you ever see any real antique vases, uncle?" asked Willie. + +"Why, certainly. There are some in the Cesnola collection at our +Metropolitan Museum of Art in Fourteenth street that are known to have +been made 1,400 years before the Christian era. They were found on the +island of Cyprus, in the Mediterranean Sea, by General Di Cesnola, who +dug up a great many articles,--statues, ornaments of gold, silver and +bronze, beautiful glass bottles, and many domestic utensils. I saw a +cullender made of such earthenware as we have in the kitchen at this +day; it had been used as a milk-strainer, and particles of dried milk +were still clinging to its sides, after lying buried more than three +thousand years." + +"Oh, we must go and see them!" cried Matie and the boys. + +"Yes, you certainly should go," said their uncle. "You would see some +very curious things there, and the elegant forms of many of the +articles would show you that a love for beauty has existed almost as +long as man has lived." + +"You were thinking of ancient times when you said the history of +pottery was almost that of the civilized world; weren't you, uncle?" +asked Will. + +[Illustration: JEWELED PORCELAIN.] + +"Yes," answered his uncle, taking from his cabinet a small jug covered +with rich gilding, and glistening as if set with precious stones. + +"Oh, isn't that lovely?" cried Matie. + +"Well, yes; some people think that this jeweled porcelain, as it is +called, is among the choicest of Copeland's works." + +"Whose, sir?" + +"Copeland, of Stoke-upon-Trent, where are some of the largest potteries +in England." + +"But don't you like it, uncle?" asked Matie. + +"I do admire it very much, Matie; but not so much as some more simple +objects that I have. Here is something that will explain my meaning," +he added, taking from the cabinet a little vase of grayish-brown with +darker indented lines drawn in the form of small animals, flowers and +foliage. + +"Oh, I've seen ever so many pieces like that, and I thought they were +common stone-ware, the same as the kitchen dishes," said Al. + +"They are of common clay, it is true, but look at the drawing of the +figures," said his uncle, pointing to the tracery upon the surface of +the vase. + +"Why, yes; it almost seems as if that little rabbit would run away, it +is so life-like," said Willie. + +"It was not only for its beauty that I valued this vase, but for the +story that it tells," said Uncle Jack. "In the first place it tells +that the simple earth we walk upon can be made by man into works of +enduring beauty." + +"Where was that vase made, uncle?" asked Willie. + +"At the Doulton Works, Lambeth, England." + +"What is the rest of the story about it?" inquired Al. + +"For many years, common drain-pipes and building-tiles were the only +things made at the Doulton works; but some of the pottery people went +to an art school, and they thought it would be a good idea to ornament +some of the common things they made with the designs they had learned +to draw at school. So, with a bit of pointed stick, they made some of +their favorite pictures on the soft clay objects; and when these were +fired, the glaze flowed into the lines, making them darker than the +other parts, and thus the drawings showed plainly." + +[Illustration: DOULTON WARE.] + +"And since they found that out, have they given up making common pipes +and tiles?" asked Willie, with a look of interest. + +"They still make quantities of those things at the Doulton works, but +the young men and women who had received drawing lessons and applied +their knowledge so well are the authors, I might almost say, of a new +style of artistic pottery," said Uncle Jack, in reply. + +"Why, that was splendid, wasn't it?" cried Matie. + +"Indeed it was a triumph not only for them, but for art itself, and it +shows what a good influence art has on even the humblest people," said +Uncle Jack. "Now can you see why I did not value my little vase most +for its beauty?" + +"Oh yes, sir! for when you see it, you think of the potters who became +artists," said Will. + +"Yes, and I never see any work of art or of patient industry without +trying to understand the meaning its maker meant it to carry, and to +remember the toils that were perhaps endured in its production," +replied his uncle. Then, turning to Matie, he said: "I brought this +little 'English pug-dog' for you, Matie. He doesn't bite, and you'll +not need to give him any food," and he put upon the table a comical +little porcelain dog with a wry nose. + +"Oh! isn't it funny? What an ugly black nose it has!" cried Matie. +"Will the black come off?" + +"Oh, no!" + +"Why not?" asked Al. + +"Because it's fired; that is, after having been painted, the dog was +placed in a furnace and heated so as to melt the coloring matter, which +had been mixed with other ingredients, so that it flowed on the +surface, and cooled hard like glass." + +[Illustration: MAJOLICA PLATE FROM CASTELLANI COLLECTION.] + +"Are the colors like those I have in my paint-box?" asked Willie. + +"No. They put the color on, worked up with what is called a flux, and +the mixture has the appearance of thin mud, showing no color at all; +the different tints are seen only after 'firing.'" + +[Illustration: ENGLISH PUG IN PORCELAIN.] + +"How can they tell what it's going to look like, if they don't see the +color?" + +"That is one of the nice points of the 'ceramic art,' and much skill +and fine imagination are required to produce some of the wonderful +combinations of color seen upon Italian majolica." + +"Why do they call it majolica?" asked Al. + +"The name is derived from the Spanish island of Majorca in the +Mediterranean Sea, one of the places in Europe where glazed pottery was +first made. About the twelfth century, some Moorish potters had settled +there and carried their art with them." + +"Did you ever see any of the old Italian majolica, uncle?" asked Al. + +"Yes; in the splendid Castellani collection there are some of the very +best specimens of the finest majolica ever made,--that produced in the +fifteenth century by Giorgio Andreoli of Gubbio, and others who +followed him." + +"Where is Gubbio?" asked Al. + +"In Italy." + +"Is the Castellani collection in Italy?" + +"No, it's at the Metropolitan Museum, too; but only on loan at present, +though an effort is being made to purchase and keep it in this country +forever. I hope it will be successful, for it is a grand collection. +But I must tell you that when the French came to manufacture majolica, +most of which by that time was made in the little Italian town of +Faenza, they called the ware _faience_, after it. This name is applied +to most soft paste glazed pottery, while majolica is a ware that has a +peculiar luster, and in different lights displays all the colors of the +rainbow. Much ordinary glazed, unlustered pottery is incorrectly called +majolica, however." + +"How do they make the luster, uncle?" + +"By coating the ware with certain metallic oxides, which, at the last +of the many necessary firings, diffuses a glaze over the surface." + +"You said the painting was one of the 'nice points of the ceramic art,' +uncle. What does 'ceramic' mean?" asked Willie. + +"It is sometimes spelled K-e-r-a-m-i-c, _keramic_, and comes from the +Greek word _cheramos_, signifying 'potters' clay,' and hence, in a +general sense, pottery of every kind and methods of producing it." + +Here Matie, who had been hugging her little pug for some time, began to +grow very sleepy, so Uncle Jack dismissed the children with a +"good-night" all around. + +The door closed softly, and the little ones ran off to their beds, +while Uncle Jack leaned back in his easy chair in a pleasant reverie, +which we will leave him to enjoy. + + + + +POEMS BY TWO LITTLE AMERICAN GIRLS. + + +[ELAINE AND DORA READ GOODALE, the two sisters some of whose poems are +here given for the benefit of the readers of ST. NICHOLAS, are children +of thirteen and ten years of age. + +Their home, where their infancy and childhood have been passed, is on a +large and isolated farm, lying upon the broad slopes of the beautiful +Berkshire hills of western Massachusetts, and is quaintly called "Sky +Farm." + +Here, in a simple country life, divided between books and nature, they +began, almost as soon as they began to talk, to express in verse what +they saw and felt, rhyme and rhythm seeming to come by instinct. Living +largely out-of-doors, vigorous and healthful in body as in mind, they +draw pleasure and instruction from all about them. + +One of their chief delights is to wander over the lovely hills and +meadows adjoining Sky Farm. Peeping into mossy dells, where wild +flowers love to hide, hunting the early arbutus, the queen harebell, or +the blue gentian, they learn the secrets of nature, and these they pour +forth in song as simply and as naturally as the birds sing.] + + + +SOME VERSES, WRITTEN BY DORA, ON A HUMMING-BIRD'S NEST, +WHICH SHE FOUND OVER HER STOCKING ON CHRISTMAS MORNING. + + + When June was bright with roses fair, + And leafy trees about her stood, + When summer sunshine filled the air + And flickered through the quiet wood, + There, in its shade and silent rest, + A tiny pair had built their nest. + + And when July, with scorching heat, + Had dried the meadow grass to hay, + And piled in stacks about the field + Or fragrant in the barn it lay, + Within the nest so softly made + Two tiny, snowy eggs were laid. + + But when October's ripened fruit + Had bent the very tree-tops down, + And dainty flowers faded, drooped, + And stately forests lost their crown, + Their brood was hatched and reared and flown-- + The mossy nest was left alone. + + And now the hills are cold and white, + 'T is sever'd from its native bough; + We gaze upon it with delight; + Where are its cunning builders now? + Far in the sunny south they roam, + And leave to us their northern home. + + + +THE GRUMBLER. + + + _His Youth_. + + His coat was too thick and his cap was too thin, + He couldn't be quiet, he hated a din; + He hated to write, and he hated to read, + He was certainly very much injured indeed; + He must study and work over books he detested, + His parents were strict, and he never was rested; + He knew he was wretched as wretched could be, + There was no one so wretchedly wretched as he. + + + _His Maturity_. + + His farm was too small and his taxes too big, + He was selfish and lazy, and cross as a pig; + His wife was too silly, his children too rude; + And just because he was uncommonly good, + He never had money enough or to spare, + He had nothing at all fit to eat or to wear; + He knew he was wretched as wretched could be, + There was no one so wretchedly wretched as he. + + + _His Old Age_. + + He finds he has sorrows more deep than his fears, + He grumbles to think he has grumbled for years; + He grumbles to think he has grumbled away + His home and his fortune, his life's little day. + But, alas! 't is too late,--it is no use to say + That his eyes are too dim, and his hair is too gray. + He knows he is wretched as wretched can be, + There _is_ no one more wretchedly wretched than he. + +DORA. + + + +JUNE. + + + For stately trees in rich array, + For sunlight all the happy day, + For blossoms radiant and rare, + For skies when daylight closes, + For joyous, clear, outpouring song + From birds that all the green wood throng, + For all things young, and bright, and fair, + We praise thee, Month of Roses! + + For blue, blue skies of summer calm, + For fragrant odors breathing balm, + For quiet, cooling shades where oft + The weary head reposes, + For brooklets babbling thro' the fields + Where Earth her choicest treasures yields, + For all things tender, sweet and soft, + We love thee, Month of Roses! + +ELAINE. + + + +SPRING SONG. + + + Oh, the little streams are running, + Running, running!-- + Oh, the little streams are running + O'er the lea; + And the green soft grass is springing, + Springing, springing!-- + And the green soft grass is springing, + Fair to see. + + In the woods the breezes whisper, + Whisper, whisper!-- + In the woods the breezes whisper + To the flowers; + And the robins sing their welcome, + Welcome, welcome!-- + And the robins sing their welcome,-- + Happy hours! + + Over all the sun is shining, + Shining, shining!-- + Over all the sun is shining, + Clear and bright,-- + Flooding bare and waiting meadows, + Meadows, meadows!-- + Flooding bare and waiting meadows + With his light. + +Sky Farm, March, '76. ELAINE. + + + +[Grown people often write in sympathy with children, but here is a +little poem by a child written in sympathy with grown folks:] + + +ASHES OF ROSES. + + + Soft on the sunset sky + Bright daylight closes, + Leaving, when light doth die, + Pale hues that mingling lie-- + Ashes of roses. + + When love's warm sun is set, + Love's brightness closes; + Eyes with hot tears are wet, + In hearts there linger yet + Ashes of roses. + +ELAINE. + + + +SUMMER IS COMING. + + + "Summer is coming!" the soft breezes whisper; + "Summer is coming!" the glad birdies sing. + Summer is coming--I hear her quick footsteps; + Take your last look at the beautiful Spring. + + Lightly she steps from her throne in the woodlands: + "Summer is coming, and I cannot stay; + Two of my children have crept from my bosom: + April has left me but lingering May. + + "What tho' bright Summer is crowned with roses. + Deep in the forest Arbutus doth hide; + I am the herald of all the rejoicing; + Why must June always disown me?" she cried. + + Down in the meadow she stoops to the daisies, + Plucks the first bloom from the apple-tree's bough: + "Autumn will rob me of all the sweet apples; + I will take one from her store of them now." + + Summer is coming! I hear the glad echo; + Clearly it rings o'er the mountain and plain. + Sorrowful Spring leaves the beautiful woodlands, + Bright, happy Summer begins her sweet reign. + +DORA. + + + + +SWEET MARJORAM DAY. + +(_A Fairy Tale_.) + +BY FRANK R. STOCKTON. + + +It was a very delightful country where little Corette lived. It seemed +to be almost always summer-time there, for the winters were just long +enough to make people glad when they were over. When it rained, it +mostly rained at night, and so the fields and gardens had all the water +they wanted, while the people were generally quite sure of a fine day. +And, as they lived a great deal out-of-doors, this was a great +advantage to them. + +The principal business of the people of this country was the raising of +sweet marjoram. The soil and climate were admirably adapted to the +culture of the herb, and fields and fields of it were to be seen in +every direction. At that time, and this was a good while ago, very +little sweet marjoram was raised in other parts of the world, so this +country had the trade nearly all to itself. + +The great holiday of the year was the day on which the harvest of this +national herb began. It was called "Sweet Marjoram Day," and the +people, both young and old, thought more of it than of any other +holiday in the year. + +On that happy day everybody went out into the fields. There was never a +person so old, or so young, or so busy that he or she could not go to +help in the harvest. Even when there were sick people, which was +seldom, they were carried out to the fields and staid there all day. +And they generally felt much better in the evening. + +[Illustration: THE BABIES IN THE SWEET MARJORAM BEDS.] + +There were always patches of sweet marjoram planted on purpose for the +very little babies to play in on the great day. They must be poor, +indeed, these people said, if they could not raise sweet marjoram for +their own needs and for exportation, and yet have enough left for the +babies to play in. + +So, all this day the little youngsters rolled, and tumbled, and kicked +and crowed in the soft green and white beds of the fragrant herb, and +pulled it up by the roots, and laughed and chuckled, and went to sleep +in it, and were the happiest babies in the world. + +They needed no care, except at dinner-time, so the rest of the people +gave all their time to gathering in the crop and having fun. There was +always lots of fun on this great harvest day, for everybody worked so +hard that the whole crop was generally in the sweet marjoram barns +before breakfast, so that they had nearly the whole day for games and +jollity. + +In this country, where little Corette lived, there were fairies. Not +very many of them, it is true, for the people had never seen but two. +These were sisters, and there were never fairies more generally liked +than these two little creatures, neither of them over four inches high. +They were very fond of the company of human beings, and were just as +full of fun as anybody. They often used to come to spend an hour or +two, and sometimes a whole day, with the good folks, and they seemed +always glad to see and to talk to everybody. + +These sisters lived near the top of a mountain in a fairy cottage. This +cottage had never been seen by any of the people, but the sisters had +often told them all about it. It must have been a charming place. + +The house was not much bigger than a bandbox, and it had two stories +and a garret, with a little portico running all around it. Inside was +the dearest little furniture of all kinds,--beds, tables, chairs, and +everything that could possibly be needed. + +Everything about the house and grounds was on the same small scale. +There was a little stable and a little barn, with a little old man to +work the little garden and attend to the two little cows. Around the +house were garden-beds ever so small, and little graveled paths; and a +kitchen-garden, where the peas climbed up little sticks no bigger than +pins, and where the little chickens, about the size of flies, sometimes +got in and scratched up the little vegetables. There was a little +meadow for pasture, and a grove of little trees; and there was also a +small field of sweet marjoram, where the blossoms were so tiny that you +could hardly have seen them without a magnifying glass. + +It was not very far from this cottage to the sweet marjoram country, +and the fairy sisters had no trouble at all in running down there +whenever they felt like it, but none of the people had ever seen this +little home. They had looked for it, but could not find it, and the +fairies would never take any of them to it. They said it was no place +for human beings. Even the smallest boy, if he were to trip his toe, +might fall against their house and knock it over; and as to any of them +coming into the fairy grounds, that would be impossible, for there was +no spot large enough for even a common-sized baby to creep about in. + +On Sweet Marjoram Day the fairies never failed to come. Every year they +taught the people new games, and all sorts of new ways of having fun. +People would never have even thought of having such good times if it +had not been for these fairies. + +One delightful afternoon, about a month before Sweet Marjoram Day, +Corette, who was a little girl just old enough, and not a day too old +(which is exactly the age all little girls ought to be), was talking +about the fairy cottage to some of her companions. + +"We never can see it," said Corette, sorrowfully. + +"No," said one of the other girls, "we are too big. If we were little +enough, we might go." + +"Are you sure the sisters would be glad to see us, then?" asked +Corette. + +"Yes, I heard them say so. But it doesn't matter at all, as we are not +little enough." + +"No," said Corette, and she went off to take a walk by herself. + +She had not walked far before she reached a small house which stood by +the sea-shore. This house belonged to a Reformed Pirate who lived there +all by himself. He had entirely given up a sea-faring life so as to +avoid all temptation, and he employed his time in the mildest pursuits +he could think of. + +When Corette came to his house, she saw him sitting in an easy-chair in +front of his door near the edge of a small bluff which overhung the +sea, busily engaged in knitting a tidy. + +When he saw Corette, he greeted her kindly, and put aside his knitting, +which he was very glad to do, for he hated knitting tidies, though he +thought it was his duty to make them. + +"Well, my little maid," he said, in a sort of a muffled voice, which +sounded as if he were speaking under water, for he tried to be as +gentle in every way as he could, "how do you do? You don't look quite +as gay as usual. Has anything run afoul of you?" + +"Oh no!" said Corette, and she came and stood by him, and taking up his +tidy, she looked it over carefully and showed him where he had dropped +a lot of stitches and where he had made some too tight and others a +great deal too loose. He did not know how to knit very well. + +When she had shown him as well as she could how he ought to do it, she +sat down on the grass by his side, and after a while she began to talk +to him about the fairy cottage, and what a great pity it was that it +was impossible for her ever to see it. + +"It _is_ a pity," said the Reformed Pirate. "I've heard of that cottage +and I'd like to see it myself. In fact, I'd like to go to see almost +anything that was proper and quiet, so as to get rid of the sight of +this everlasting knitting." + +"There are other things you might do besides knit," said Corette. + +"Nothing so depressing and suitable," said he, with a sigh. + +"It would be of no use for you to think of going there," said Corette. +"Even I am too large, and you are ever and ever so much too big. You +couldn't get one foot into one of their paths." + +"I've no doubt that's true," he replied; "but the thing might be done. +Almost anything can be done if you set about it in the right way. But +you see, little maid, that you and I don't know enough. Now, years ago, +when I was in a different line of business, I often used to get puzzled +about one thing or another, and then I went to somebody who knew more +than myself." + +"Were there many such persons?" asked Corette. + +[Illustration: THE REFORMED PIRATE.] + +"Well, no. I always went to one old fellow who was a Practicing Wizard. +He lived, and still lives, I reckon, on an island about fifty miles +from here, right off there to the sou'-sou'-west. I've no doubt that if +we were to go to him he'd tell us just how to do this thing." + +"But how could we get there?" asked Corette. + +"Oh! I'd manage that," said the Reformed Pirate, his eyes flashing with +animation. "I've an old sail-boat back there in the creek that's as +good as ever she was, I could fix her up, and get everything all +ship-shape in a couple of days, and then you and I could scud over +there in no time. What do you say? Wouldn't you like to go?" + +"Oh, I'd like to go ever so much!" cried Corette, clapping her hands, +"if they'd let me." + +"Well, run and ask them," said he, rolling up his knitting and stuffing +it under the cushion of his chair, "and I'll go and look at that boat +right away." + +So Corette ran home to her father and mother and told them all about +the matter. They listened with great interest, and her father said: + +"Well now, our little girl is not looking quite as well as usual. I +have noticed that she is a little pale. A sea-trip might be the very +thing for her." + +"I think it would do her a great deal of good," said her mother, "and +as to that Reformed Pirate, she'd be just as safe with him as if she +was on dry land." + +So it was agreed that Corette should go. Her father and mother were +always remarkably kind. + +The Reformed Pirate was perfectly delighted when he heard this, and he +went hard to work to get his little vessel ready. To sail again on the +ocean seemed to him the greatest of earthly joys, and as he was to do +it for the benefit of a good little girl, it was all perfectly right +and proper. + +When they started off, the next day but one, all the people who lived +near enough, came down to see them off. Just as they were about to +start, the Reformed Pirate said: + +"Hello! I wonder if I hadn't better run back to the house and get my +sword! I only wear the empty scabbard now, but it might be safer, on a +trip like this, to take the sword along." + +So he ran back and got it, and then he pushed off amid the shouts of +all the good people on the beach. + +The boat was quite a good-sized one, and it had a cabin and everything +neat and comfortable. The Reformed Pirate managed it beautifully, all +by himself, and Corette sat in the stern and watched the waves, and the +sky, and the sea-birds, and was very happy indeed. + +As for her companion, he was in a state of ecstasy. As the breeze +freshened, the sails filled, and the vessel went dashing over the +waves, he laughed and joked, and sang snatches of old sea-songs, and +was the jolliest man afloat. + +[Illustration: THE REFORMED PIRATE IS THE JOLLIEST MAN AFLOAT] + +After a while, as they went thus sailing merrily along, a distant ship +appeared in sight. The moment his eyes fell upon it, a sudden change +came over the Reformed Pirate. He sprang to his feet and, with his hand +still upon the helm, he leaned forward and gazed at the ship. He gazed +and he gazed, and he gazed without saying a word. Corette spoke to him +several times, but he answered not. And as he gazed he moved the helm +so that his little craft gradually turned from her course, and sailed +to meet the distant ship. + +As the two vessels approached each other, the Reformed Pirate became +very much excited. He tightened his belt and loosened his sword in its +sheath. Hurriedly giving the helm to Corette, he went forward and +jerked a lot of ropes and hooks from a cubby-hole where they had been +stowed away. Then he pulled out a small, dark flag, with bits of +skeleton painted on it, and hoisted it to the top-mast. + +By this time he had nearly reached the ship, which was a large +three-masted vessel. There seemed to be a great commotion on board; +sailors were running this way and that; women were screaming; and +officers could be heard shouting, "Put her about! Clap on more sail!" + +But steadily on sailed the small boat, and the moment it came alongside +the big ship, the Reformed Pirate threw out grapnels and made the two +vessels fast together. Then he hooked a rope-ladder to the side of the +ship, and rushing up it, sprang with a yell on the deck of the vessel, +waving his flashing sword around his head! + +"Down, dastards! varlets! hounds!" he shouted. "Down upon your knees! +Throw down your arms! SURRENDER!" + +Then every man went down upon his knees, and threw down his arms and +surrendered. + +"Where is your Captain?" roared their conqueror. + +The Captain came trembling forward. + +"Bring to me your gold and silver, your jewels and your precious +stones, and your rich stuffs!" + +The Captain ordered these to be quickly brought and placed before the +Reformed Pirate, who continued to stride to and fro across the deck +waving his glittering blade, and who, when he saw the treasures placed +before him, shouted again: + +"Prepare for scuttling!" and then, while the women got down on their +knees and begged that he would not sink the ship, and the children +cried, and the men trembled so that they could hardly kneel straight, +and the Captain stood pale and shaking before him, he glanced at the +pile of treasure, and touched it with his sword. + +"Aboard with this, my men!" he said. "But first I will divide it. I +will divide this into,--into,--into _one_ part. Look here!" and then +he paused, glanced around, and clapped his hand to his head. He looked +at the people, the treasure and the ship. Then suddenly he sheathed his +sword, and stepping up to the Captain, extended his hand. + +"Good sir," said he, "you must excuse me. This is a mistake. I had no +intention of taking this vessel. It was merely a temporary absence of +mind. I forgot I had reformed, and seeing this ship, old scenes and my +old business came into my head, and I just came and took the vessel +without really thinking what I was doing. I beg you will excuse me. And +these ladies,--I am very sorry to have inconvenienced them. I ask them +to overlook my unintentional rudeness." + +"Oh, don't mention it!" cried the Captain, his face beaming with joy as +he seized the hand of the Reformed Pirate. "It is of no importance, I +assure you. We are delighted, sir, delighted!" + +"Oh yes!" cried all the ladies. "Kind sir, we are charmed! We are +charmed!" + +"You are all very good indeed," said the Reformed Pirate, "but I really +think I was not altogether excusable. And I am very sorry that I made +your men bring up all these things." + +"Not at all! not at all!" cried the Captain. "No trouble whatever to +show them. Very glad indeed to have the opportunity. By the by, would +you like to take a few of them, as a memento of your visit?" + +"Oh no, I thank you," replied the Reformed Pirate, "I would rather +not." + +"Perhaps, then, some of your men might like a trinket or a bit of +cloth--" + +"Oh, I have no men! There is no one on board but myself--excepting a +little girl, who is a passenger. But I must be going. Good-by, +Captain!" + +"I am sorry you are in such a hurry," said the Captain. "Is there +anything at all that I can do for you?" + +"No, thank you. But stop!--there may be something. Do you sail to any +port where there is a trade in tidies?" + +"Oh yes! To several such," said the Captain. + +"Well, then, I would be very much obliged to you," said the Reformed +Pirate, "if you would sometimes stop off that point that you see there, +and send a boat ashore to my house for a load of tidies." + +"You manufacture them by the quantity, then?" asked the Captain. + +"I expect to," said the other, sadly. + +The Captain promised to stop, and, after shaking hands with every +person on deck, the Reformed Pirate went down the side of the ship, and +taking in his ladder and his grapnels, he pushed off. + +As he slowly sailed away, having lowered his flag, the Captain looked +over the side of his ship, and said: + +"If I had only known that there was nobody but a little girl on board! +I thought, of course, he had a boat-load of pirates." + +Corette asked a great many questions about everything that had happened +on the ship, for she had heard the noise and confusion as she sat below +in the little boat; but her companion was disposed to be silent, and +said very little in reply. + +When the trip was over, and they had reached the island, the Reformed +Pirate made his boat fast, and taking little Corette by the hand, he +walked up to the house of the Practicing Wizard. + +This was a queer place. It was a great rambling house, one story high +in some places, and nine or ten in other places; and then, again, it +seemed to run into the ground and re-appear at a short distance--the +different parts being connected by cellars and basements, with nothing +but flower-gardens over them. + +Corette thought she had never seen such a wonderful building; but she +had not long to look at the outside of it, for her companion, who had +been there before, and knew the ways of the place, went up to a little +door in a two-story part of the house and knocked. Our friends were +admitted by a dark cream-colored slave, who informed them that the +Practicing Wizard was engaged with other visitors, but that he would +soon be at leisure. + +So Corette and the Reformed Pirate sat down in a handsome room, full of +curious and wonderful things, and, in a short time, they were summoned +into the Practicing Wizard's private office. + +"Glad to see you," said he, as the Reformed Pirate entered. "It has +been a long time since you were here. What can I do for you, now? Want +to know something about the whereabouts of any ships, or the value of +any cargoes?" + +"Oh, no! I'm out of that business now," said the other. "I've come this +time for something entirely different. But I'll let this little girl +tell you what it is. She can do it a great deal better than I can." + +So Corette stepped up to the Practicing Wizard, who was a pleasant, +elderly man, with a smooth white face, and a constant smile, which +seemed to have grown on his face instead of a beard, and she told him +the whole story of the fairy sisters and their cottage, of her great +desire to see it, and of the difficulties in the way. + +"I know all about those sisters," he said; "I don't wonder you want to +see their house. You both wish to see it?" + +"Yes," said the Reformed Pirate; "I might as well go with her, if the +thing can be done at all." + +"Very proper," said the Practicing Wizard, "very proper, indeed. But +there is only one way in which it can be done. You must be condensed." + +"Does that hurt?" asked Corette. + +"Oh, not at all! You'll never feel it. For the two it will be one +hundred and eighty ducats," said he, turning to the Reformed Pirate; +"we make a reduction when there are more than one." + +"Are you willing?" asked the Reformed Pirate of Corette, as he put his +hand in his breeches' pocket. + +"Oh yes!" said Corette, "certainly I am, if that's the only way." + +Whereupon her good friend said no more, but pulled out a hundred and +eighty ducats and handed them to the Practicing Wizard, who immediately +commenced operations. + +Corette and the Reformed Pirate were each placed in a large easy-chair, +and upon each of their heads the old white-faced gentleman placed a +little pink ball, about the size of a pea. Then he took a position in +front of them. + +"Now then," said he, "sit perfectly still. It will be over in a few +minutes," and he lifted up a long thin stick, and, pointing it toward +the couple, he began to count: "One, two, three, four----" + +As he counted, the Reformed Pirate and Corette began to shrink, and by +the time he had reached fifty they were no bigger than cats. But he +kept on counting until Corette was about three and a half inches high +and her companion about five inches. + +Then he stopped, and knocked the pink ball from each of their heads +with a little tap of his long stick. + +"There we are," said he, and he carefully picked up the little +creatures and put them on a table in front of a looking-glass, that +they might see how they liked his work. + +It was admirably done. Every proportion had been perfectly kept. + +"It seems to me that it couldn't be better," said the Condensed Pirate, +looking at himself from top to toe. + +"No," said the Practicing Wizard, smiling rather more than usual, "I +don't believe it could." + +"But how are we to get away from here?" said Corette to her friend. "A +little fellow like you can't sail that big boat." + +"No," replied he, ruefully, "that's true; I couldn't do it. But +perhaps, sir, you could condense the boat." + +"Oh no!" said the old gentleman, "that would never do. Such a little +boat would be swamped before you reached shore, if a big fish didn't +swallow you. No, I'll see that you get away safely." + +So saying, he went to a small cage that stood in a window, and took +from it a pigeon. + +"This fellow will take you," said he. "He is very strong and swift, and +will go ever so much faster than your boat." + +[Illustration: "'IT SEEMS TO ME THAT IT COULDN'T BE BETTER,' SAID THE +CONDENSED PIRATE."] + +Next he fastened a belt around the bird, and to the lower part of this +he hung a little basket, with two seats in it. He then lifted Corette +and the Condensed Pirate into the basket, where they sat down opposite +one another. + +"Do you wish to go directly to the cottage of the fairy sisters?" said +the old gentleman. + +"Oh yes!" said Corette. + +So he wrote the proper address on the bill of the pigeon, and, opening +the window, carefully let the bird fly. + +"I'll take care of your boat," he cried to the Condensed Pirate, as the +pigeon rose in the air. "You'll find it all right, when you come back." + +And he smiled worse than ever. + +The pigeon flew up to a great height, and then he took flight in a +straight line for the Fairy Cottage, where he arrived before his +passengers thought they had half finished their journey. + +The bird alighted on the ground, just outside of the boundary fence; +and when Corette and her companion had jumped from the basket, he rose +and flew away home as fast as he could go. + +The Condensed Pirate now opened a little gate in the fence, and he and +Corette walked in. They went up the graveled path, and under the +fruit-trees, where the ripe peaches and apples hung, as big as peas, +and they knocked at the door of the fairy sisters. + +When these two little ladies came to the door, they were amazed to see +Corette. + +"Why, how did you ever?" they cried. "And if there isn't our old friend +the Reformed Pirate!" + +"Condensed Pirate, if you please," said that individual. "There's no +use of my being reformed while I'm so small as this. I couldn't hurt +anybody if I wanted to." + +"Well, come right in, both of you," said the sisters, "and tell us all +about it." + +So they went in, and sat in the little parlor, and told their story. +The fairies' were delighted with the whole affair, and insisted on a +long visit, to which our two friends were not at all opposed. + +They found everything at this cottage exactly as they had been told. +They ate the daintiest little meals off the daintiest little dishes, +and they thoroughly enjoyed all the delightful little things in the +little place. Sometimes, Corette and the fairies would take naps in +little hammocks under the trees, while the Condensed Pirate helped the +little man drive up the little cows, or work in the little garden. + +On the second day of their visit, when they were all sitting on the +little portico after supper, one of the sisters, thinking that the +Condensed Pirate might like to have something to do, and knowing how he +used to occupy himself, took from her basket a little half-knit tidy, +with the needles in it, and asked him if he cared to amuse himself with +that. + +"No, MA'AM!" said he, firmly but politely. "Not at present. If I find +it necessary to reform again, I may do something of the kind, but not +now. But I thank you kindly, all the same." + +After this, they were all very careful not to mention tidies to him. + +Corette and her companion stayed with the fairies for more than a week. +Corette knew that her father and mother did not expect her at home for +some time, and so she felt quite at liberty to stay as long as she +pleased. + +As to the sisters, they were delighted to have their visitors with +them. + +But, one day, the Condensed Pirate, finding Corette alone, led her, +with great secrecy, to the bottom of the pasture field, the very +outskirts of the fairies' domain. + +"Look here," said he, in his lowest tones. "Do you know, little +Corette, that things are not as I expected them to be here? Everything +is very nice and good, but nothing appears very small to me. Indeed, +things seem to be just about the right size. How does it strike you?" + +"Why, I have been thinking the same thing," said Corette. "The sisters +used to be such dear, cunning little creatures, and now they're bigger +than I am. But I don't know what can be done about it." + +"I know," said the Condensed Pirate. + +"What?" asked Corette. + +"Condense 'em," answered her companion, solemnly. + +"Oh! But you couldn't do that!" exclaimed Corette. + +"Yes, but I can--at least, I think I can. You remember those two pink +condensing balls?" + +"Yes," said Corette. + +"Well, I've got mine." + +"You have!" cried Corette. "How did you get it?" + +"Oh! when the old fellow knocked it off my head, it fell on the chair +beside me, and I picked it up and put it in my coat-pocket. It would +just go in. He charges for the balls, and so I thought I might as well +have it." + +"But do you know how he works them?" + +"Oh yes!" replied the Condensed Pirate. "I watched him. What do you +say? Shall we condense this whole place?" + +"It wont hurt them," said Corette, "and I don't really think they would +mind it." + +"Mind it! No!" said the other. "I believe they'd like it." + +So it was agreed that the Fairy Cottage, inmates, and grounds should +be condensed until they were, relatively, as small as they used to be. + +That afternoon, when the sisters were taking a nap and the little man +was at work in the barn, the Condensed Pirate went up into the garret +of the cottage and got out on the roof. Then he climbed to the top of +the tallest chimney, which overlooked everything on the place, and +there he laid his little pink ball. + +He then softly descended, and, taking Corette by the hand (she had been +waiting for him on the portico), he went down to the bottom of the +pasture field. + +When he was quite sure that he and Corette were entirely outside of the +fairies' grounds, he stood up, pointed to the ball with a long, thin +stick which he had cut, and began to count: "One, two, three----" + +And as he counted the cottage began to shrink. Smaller and smaller it +became, until it got to be very little indeed. + +"Is that enough?" said the Condensed Pirate, hurriedly between two +counts. + +"No," replied Corette. "There is the little man, just come out of the +barn. He ought to be as small as the sisters used to be. I'll tell you +when to stop." + +So the counting went on until Corette said, "Stop!" and the cottage was +really not much higher than a thimble. The little man stood by the +barn, and seemed to Corette to be just about the former size of the +fairy sisters; but, in fact, he was not quite a quarter of an inch +high. Everything on the place was small in proportion, so that when +Corette said "Stop!" the Condensed Pirate easily leaned over and +knocked the pink ball from the chimney with his long stick. It fell +outside of the grounds, and he picked it up and put it in his pocket. + +Then he and Corette stood and admired everything! It was charming! It +was just what they had imagined before they came there. While they were +looking with delight at the little fields, and trees, and chickens,--so +small that really big people could not have seen them,--and at the cute +little house, with its vines and portico, the two sisters came out on +the little lawn. + +When they saw Corette and her companion they were astounded. + +"Why, when did you grow big again?" they cried. "Oh! how sorry we are! +Now you cannot come into our house and live with us any longer." + +Corette and the Condensed Pirate looked at each other, as much as to +say, "They don't know they have been made so little." + +Then Corette said: "We are sorry too. I suppose we shall have to go +away now. But we have had a delightful visit." + +"It has been a charming one for us," said one of the sisters, "and if +we only had known, we would have had a little party before you went +away; but now it is too late." + +The Condensed Pirate said nothing. He felt rather guilty about the +matter. He might have waited a little, and yet he could not have told +them about it. They might have objected to be condensed. + +"May we stay just a little while and look at things?" asked Corette. + +"Yes," replied one of the fairies; "but you must be very careful not to +step inside the grounds, or to stumble over on our place. You might do +untold damage." + +So the two little big people stood and admired the fairy cottage and +all about it, for this was indeed the sight they came to see; and then +they took leave of their kind entertainers, who would have been glad to +have them stay longer, but were really trembling with apprehension lest +some false step or careless movement might ruin their little home. + +As Corette and the Condensed Pirate took their way through the woods to +their home, they found it very difficult to get along, they were so +small. When they came to a narrow stream, which Corette would once have +jumped over with ease, the Condensed Pirate had to make a ferry-boat of +a piece of bark, and paddle himself and the little girl across. + +"I wonder how the fairies used to come down to us," said Corette, who +was struggling along over the stones and moss, hanging on to her +companion's hand. + +"Oh! I expect they have a nice smooth path somewhere through the woods, +where they can run along as fast as they please; and bridges over the +streams." + +"Why didn't they tell us of it?" asked Corette. + +"They thought it was too little to be of any use to us. Don't you +see?--they think we're big people and wouldn't need their path." + +"Oh, yes!" said Corette. + +In time, however, they got down the mountain and out of the woods, and +then they climbed up on one of the fences and ran along the top of it +toward Corette's home. + +When the people saw them, they cried out: "Oh, here come our dear +little fairies, who have not visited us for so many days!" But when +they saw them close at hand, and perceived that they were little +Corette and the Pirate who had reformed, they were dumbfounded. + +Corette did not stop to tell them anything; but still holding her +companion's hand, she ran on to her parents' house, followed by a crowd +of neighbors. + +Corette's father and mother could hardly believe that this little thing +was their daughter, but there was no mistaking her face and her +clothes, and her voice, although they were all so small; and when she +had explained the matter to them, and to the people who filled the +house, they understood it all. They were filled with joy to have their +daughter back again, little or big. + +When the Condensed Pirate went to his house, he found the door locked, +as he had left it, but he easily crawled in through a crack. He found +everything of an enormous size. It did not look like the old place. He +climbed up the leg of a chair and got on a table, by the help of the +tablecloth, but it was hard work. He found something to eat and drink, +and all his possessions were in order, but he did not feel at home. + +Days passed on, and while the Condensed Pirate did not feel any better +satisfied, a sadness seemed to spread over the country, and +particularly over Corette's home. The people grieved that they never +saw the fairy sisters, who indeed had made two or three visits, with +infinite trouble and toil, but who could not make themselves observed, +their bodies and their voices being so very small. + +And Corette's father and mother grieved. They wanted their daughter to +be as she was before. They said that Sweet Marjoram Day was very near, +but that they could not look forward to it with pleasure. Corette might +go out to the fields, but she could only sit upon some high place, as +the fairies used to sit. She could not help in the gathering. She could +not even be with the babies; they would roll on her and crush her. So +they mourned. + +It was now the night before the great holiday. Sweet Marjoram Eve had +not been a very gay time, and the people did not expect to have much +fun the next day. How could they if the fairy sisters did not come? +Corette felt badly, for she had never told that the sisters had been +condensed, and the Condensed Pirate, who had insisted on her secrecy, +felt worse. That night he lay in his great bed, really afraid to go to +sleep on account of rats and mice. + +He was so extremely wakeful that he lay and thought, and thought, and +thought for a long time, and then he got up and dressed and went out. + +It was a beautiful moonlight night, and he made his way directly to +Corette's house. There, by means of a vine, he climbed up to her +window, and gently called her. She was not sleeping well, and she soon +heard him and came to the window. + +He then asked her to bring him two spools of fine thread. + +Without asking any questions, she went for the thread, and very soon +made her appearance at the window with one spool in her arms, and then +she went back for another. + +"Now, then," said the Condensed Pirate, when he had thrown the spools +down to the ground, "will you dress yourself and wait here at the +window until I come and call you?" + +Corette promised, for she thought he had some good plan in his head, +and he hurried down the vine, took up a spool under each arm, and bent +his way to the church. This building had a high steeple which +overlooked the whole country. He left one of his spools outside, and +then, easily creeping with the other under one of the great doors, he +carried it with infinite pains and labor up into the belfry. + +There he tied it on his back, and, getting out of a window, began to +climb up the outside of the steeple. + +[Illustration: THE CONDENSED PIRATE CLIMBS UP THE OUTSIDE OF THE +STEEPLE.] + +It was not hard for him to do this, for the rough stones gave him +plenty of foot-hold, and he soon stood on the very tip-top of the +steeple. He then took tight hold of one end of the thread on his spool +and let the spool drop. The thread rapidly unrolled, and the spool soon +touched the ground. + +Then our friend took from his pocket the pink ball, and passing the end +of the thread through a little hole in the middle of it, he tied it +firmly. Placing the ball in a small depression on the top of the +steeple, he left it there, with the thread hanging from it, and rapidly +descended to the ground. Then he took the other spool and tied the end +of its thread to that which was hanging from the steeple. + +He now put down the spool and ran to call Corette. When she heard his +voice she clambered down the vine to him. + +"Now, Corette." he said, "run to my house and stand on the beach, near +the water, and wait for me." + +Corette ran off as he had asked, and he went back to his spool. He took +it up and walked slowly to his house, carefully unwinding the thread as +he went. The church was not very far from the sea-shore, so he soon +joined Corette. With her assistance he then unwound the rest of the +thread, and made a little coil. He next gave the coil to Corette to +hold, cautioning her to be very careful, and then he ran off to where +some bits of wood were lying, close to the water's edge. Selecting a +little piece of thin board he pushed it into the water, and taking a +small stick in his hand, he jumped on it, and poled it along to where +Corette was standing. The ocean here formed a little bay where the +water was quite smooth. + +"Now, Corette," said the Condensed Pirate, "we must be very careful. I +will push this ashore and you must step on board, letting out some of +the thread as you come. Be sure not to pull it tight. Then I will +paddle out a little way, and as I push, you must let out more thread." + +Corette did as she was directed, and very soon they were standing on +the little raft a few yards from shore. Then her companion put down his +stick, and took the coil of thread. + +"What are you going to do?" asked Corette. She had wanted to ask +before, but there did not seem to be time. + +"Well," said he, "we can't make ourselves any bigger--at least, I don't +know how to do it, and so I'm going to condense the whole country. The +little pink ball is on top of the steeple, which is higher than +anything else about here, you know. I can't knock the ball off at the +proper time, so I've tied a thread to it to pull it off. You and I are +outside of the place, on the water, so we wont be made any smaller. If +the thing works, everybody will be our size, and all will be right +again." + +"Splendid!" cried Corette. "But how will you know when things are +little enough?" + +"Do you see that door in my house, almost in front of us? Well, when I +was of the old size, I used just to touch the top of that door with my +head, if I didn't stoop. When you see that the door is about my present +height, tell me to stop. Now then!" + +The Condensed Pirate began to count, and instantly the whole place, +church, houses, fields, and of course the people who were in bed, began +to shrink! He counted a good while before Corette thought his door +would fit him. At last she called to him to stop. He glanced at the +door to feel sure, counted one more, and pulled the thread. Down came +the ball, and the size of the place was fixed! + +The whole of the sweet marjoram country was now so small that the +houses were like bandboxes, and the people not more than four or five +inches high--excepting some very tall people who were six inches. + +Drawing the ball to him, the Condensed Pirate pushed out some distance, +broke it from the thread, and threw it into the water. + +"No more condensing!" said he. He then paddled himself and Corette +ashore, and running to his cottage, threw open the door and looked +about him. Everything was just right! Everything fitted! He shouted +with joy. + +It was just daybreak when Corette rushed into her parents' house. +Startled by the noise, her father and mother sprang out of bed. + +"Our daughter! Our darling daughter!" they shouted, "and she has her +proper size again!!" + +In an instant she was clasped in their arms. + +When the first transports of joy were over, Corette sat down and told +them the whole story--told them everything. + +"It is all right," said her mother, "so that we are all of the same +size," and she shed tears of joy. + +Corette's father ran out to ring the church-bell, so as to wake up the +people and tell them the good news of his daughter's restoration. When +he came in, he said: + +"I see no difference in anything. Everybody is all right." + +There never was such a glorious celebration of Sweet Marjoram Day as +took place that day. + +The crop was splendid, the weather was more lovely than usual, if such +a thing could be, and everybody was in the gayest humor. + +But the best thing of all was the appearance of the fairy sisters. When +they came among the people they all shouted as if they had gone wild. +And the good little sisters were so overjoyed that they could scarcely +speak. + +"What a wonderful thing it is to find that we have grown to our old +size again! We were here several times lately, but somehow or other we +seemed to be so very small that we couldn't make you see or hear us. +But now it's all right. Hurrah! We have forty-two new games!" + +And at that, the crop being all in, the whole country, with a shout of +joy, went to work to play. + +There were no gayer people to be seen than Corette and the Condensed +Pirate. Some of his friends called this good man by his old name, but +he corrected them. + +"I am reformed, all the same," he said, "but do not call me by that +name, I shall never be able to separate it from its associations with +tidies. And with _them_ I am done for ever. Owing to circumstances, I +do not need to be depressed." + +The captain of the ship never stopped off the coast for a load of +tidies. Perhaps he did not care to come near the house of his former +captor, for fear that he might forget himself again, and take the ship +a second time. But if the captain had come, it is not likely that his +men would have found the cottage of the Condensed Pirate, unless they +had landed at the very spot where it stood. + +And it so happened that no one ever noticed this country after it was +condensed. Passing ships could not come near enough to see such a very +little place, and there never were any very good roads to it by land. + +But the people continued to be happy and prosperous, and they kept up +the celebration of Sweet Marjoram Day as gayly as when they were all +ordinary-sized people. + +In the whole country there were only two persons, Corette and the +Pirate, who really believed that they were condensed. + + + + +"SING-A-SING!" + +BY S.C. STONE. + + +[Illustration] + + + Listen! and hear the tea-kettle sing: + "Sing a-sing a-sing a-sing!" + It matters not how hot the fire, + It only sends its voice up higher: + "Sing a-sing a-sing a-sing! + Sing a-sing a-sing a-sing!" + + Listen! and hear the tea-kettle sing: + "Sing a-sing a-sing a-sing!" + As if 't were task of fret and toil + To bring cold water to a boil! + "Sing a-sing a-sing a-sing! + Sing a-sing a-sing a-sing!" + + + + +NOW, OR THEN? + +BY GAIL HAMILTON. + + +I suppose the wise young women--fourteen, fifteen, sixteen years +old--who read ST. NICHOLAS, who understand the most complex vulgar +fractions, who cipher out logarithms "just for fun," who chatter +familiarly about "Kickero" and "luliuse Kiser," and can bang a piano +dumb and helpless in fifteen minutes--they, I suppose, will think me +frivolous and unaspiring if I beg them to lay aside their +science,--which is admirable,--and let us reason together a few minutes +about such unimportant themes as little points of good manners. + +A few months ago I had the pleasure of talking with a gentleman who +thought he remembered being aroused from his midnight sleep by loud +rejoicings in the house and on the streets over the news that Lord +Cornwallis had surrendered the British to the American forces. He was +only two years old at that time; but, he said, he had a very strong +impression of the house being full of light, of many people hurrying +hither and yon, and of the watchman's voice in the street penetrating +through all the din with the cry--"Past twelve o'clock and Cornwallis +is taken!" + +Among many interesting reminiscences and reflections, this dignified +and delightful old gentleman said he thought the young people of to-day +were less mannerly than in the olden time, less deferential, less +decorous. This may be true, and I tried to be sufficiently deferential +to my courtly host, not to disagree with him. But when I look upon the +young people of my own acquaintance, I recall that William went, as a +matter of course, to put the ladies in their carriage; Jamie took the +hand luggage as naturally as if he were born for nothing else; Frank +never failed to open a door for them; Arthur placed Maggie in her chair +at table before he took his own; Nelly and Ruth came to my party just +as sweet and bright as if they did not know that the young gentlemen +whom they had expected to meet were prevented from attending; while +Lucy will run herself out of breath for you, and Mary sits and listens +with flattering intentness, and Anne and Alice and--well, looking over +_my_ constituency, I find the young people charming. + +It is true that all manners are less formal, that etiquette is less +elaborate, now than a hundred years ago. Our grandfathers and +grandmothers--some, indeed, of our fathers and mothers--did not sit at +breakfast with their fathers and mothers, but stood through the meal, +and never spoke except when spoken to. I cannot say I think we have +deteriorated in changing this. The pleasant, familiar, affectionate +intercourse between parent and child seems to me one of the most +delightful features of domestic life. The real, fond intimacy which +exists between parents and children seems a far better and safer thing +than the old fashion of keeping children at arm's length. + +But in casting aside forms we are, perhaps, somewhat in danger of +losing with them some of that inner kindness of which form is only the +outward expression. Without admitting that we are an uncivil people, +insisting even that we compare favorably with other nations, I wish our +boys and girls would resolve that the courtesy of the Republic shall +never suffer in their hands! + +Does this seem a trivial aim for those who are bending their energies +to attain a high standing in classics and mathematics? There is perhaps +no single quality that does as much to make life smooth and +comfortable--yes, and successful--as courtesy. Logarithms are valuable +in their way, but there are many useful and happy people who are not +very well versed even in the rule of three. A man may not know a word +of Latin, or what is meant by "the moon's terminator," or how much +sodium is in Arcturus, and yet be constantly diffusing pleasure. But no +man can be agreeable without courtesy, and every separate act of +incivility creates its little, or large, and ever enlarging circle of +displeasure and unhappiness. + +One does not wish to go through life trying to be agreeable; but life +is a great failure if one goes through it disagreeable. + +Yes, little friends, believe me, you may be very learned, very +skillful, very accomplished. I trust you are: I hope you will become +more so. You may even have sound principles and good habits; but if +people generally do not like you, it is because there is something +wrong in yourself, and the best thing you can do is to study out what +it is and correct it as fast as possible. Do not for a moment fancy it +is because you are superior to other people that they dislike you, for +superiority never, of itself, made a person unlovely. It is invariably +a defect of some sort. Generally it is a defect arising from training, +and therefore possible to overcome. + +For instance: two girls in the country have each a pony phaeton. One +drives her sisters, her family, her guests, her equals, and never +thinks of going outside that circle. Another does the same; but, more +than this, she often takes the cook, the laundress, or the one woman +who often is cook, laundress, housemaid, all in one. And to them the +drive is a far greater luxury than to her own comrades, who would be +playing croquet or riding if they were not with her. Now and then she +invites some poor neighbor, she takes some young sempstress or +worsted-worker to town to do her shopping, she carries the tired +housewife to see her mother, she asks three little girls--somewhat +crowded but rapturously happy--three miles to see the balloon that has +alighted on the hill; she drives a widowed old mother-in-Israel to a +tea-drinking of which she would otherwise be deprived. These are not +charities. They are courtesies, and this bright-faced girl is sunshine +in her village home and, by and by, when her box of finery is by some +mistake left at the station, a stalwart youngster, unbidden, shoulders +it and bears it, panting and perspiring, to her door-step, declaring +that he would not do it for another person in town but Miss Fanny! And +perhaps he does not even say _Miss_ Fanny--only Fanny. Now she could +get on very well without the villager's admiring affection, and even +without her box of finery; yet the goodwill of your neighbors is +exceeding pleasant. + +Another thing Fanny excels in is the acknowledgment of courtesy, which +is itself as great a courtesy as the performance of kindness. If she is +invited to a lawn party or a boating picnic, whether she accept or +not, she pays a visit to her hostess afterward and expresses her +pleasure or her regrets; and she pays it with promptness, and not with +tardy reluctance, as if it were a burden. If she has been making a +week's visit away from home, she notifies her hostess of her safe +return and her enjoyment of the visit, as soon as she is back again. If +a bouquet is sent her,--too informal for a note,--she remembers to +speak of it afterward. You never can remember? No; but Fanny does. That +is why I admire her. If she has borrowed a book, she has an +appreciative word to say when she returns it; and if she has dropped it +in the mud, she does not apologize and offer to replace it. She +replaces it first and apologizes afterward, though she has to sacrifice +a much-needed pair of four-button gloves to do it! Indeed, no person +has as little apologizing to do as Fanny, because she does everything +promptly; and you may notice that what we apologize for chiefly is +delay. We perform our little social duties, only not in good season, +and so rob them of half their grace. It takes no longer to answer a +letter to-day than it will take to-morrow. But if the letter requires +an answer instantly, and you put it off day after day, your +correspondent is vexed, and your tardy answer will never be quite a +reparation. Remember that no explanation, no apology, is quite as good +as to have done the thing exactly as it should be in the first place. + + + + +JACK'S CHRISTMAS + +BY EMMA K. PARRISH. + + +Jack had just heard of Christmas for the first time! Ten years old, and +never knew about Christmas before! Jack's mother was a weary, +overworked woman, and had no heart to tell the children about merry +times and beautiful things in which they could have no share. + +His parents were very poor. When I tell you that they lived in a +log-house you might think so, although some people live very +comfortably in log-houses. But when I say that the snow drifted through +the cracks in the roof until the chamber floor was fit to go sleighing +on, and that it was so cold down-stairs that the gravy froze on the +children's plates while they were eating breakfast, and that the little +girls had no shoes but cloth ones which their mother sewed to their +stockings, you will see that they were poor indeed. Mrs. Boyd, Jack's +mother, generally went about her work with a shawl tied around her, and +a comforter over her ears, on account of the ear-ache; and on the +coldest days she kept Jack's little sisters wrapped up from head to +foot and perched on chairs near the stove, so they wouldn't freeze. No; +she didn't feel much like telling them about Christmas, when she didn't +know but they would freeze to death, or, may be, starve, before that +time. But Jack found out. He was going to school that winter, and one +learns so much at school! He came home one night brimful of the news +that Christmas would be there in three weeks, and that Santa Claus +would come down chimneys and say, "I wish you Merry Christmas!" and +then put lots of nice things in all the stockings. + +Mrs. Boyd heard him talking, and was glad the children were enjoying +themselves, but hoped from her heart that they wouldn't expect +anything, only to be bitterly disappointed. Most of that evening little +Janey, the youngest girl, sat singing: + + "Wis' you Melly Kitsmas! + Wis' you Melly Kitsmas!" + +in a quaint, little minor key, that wasn't plaintive enough to be sad, +nor merry enough to be jolly, but only a sweet monotony of sounds and +words showing that she was contented, and didn't feel any of the +dreadful aches and pains which sometimes distressed her so. + +For a week, Jack wondered and mused within himself how he could get +something for Christmas presents for his little sisters. He couldn't +make anything at home without their seeing it, nor at school without +the teacher's seeing it, or else the big boys plaguing him about it. +Besides, he would rather buy something pretty, such as they had never +seen before--china dolls in pink dresses, or something of that kind. +One morning, however, Jack discovered some quail-tracks in the snow +near the straw-stack, and he no longer wondered about ways and means, +but in a moment was awake to the importance of this discovery. That +very evening he made a wooden trap, and the next morning early set it +near the stack, and laid an inviting train of wheat quite up to it, and +scattered a little inside. He told his sisters, Mary and Janey, about +the trap, but not about what he meant to do with the quails when he +caught them. That afternoon Jack went to his trap, and to his unbounded +joy found an imprisoned quail, frozen quite stiff. He quickly set the +trap again, and ran to the house with his bird. All that evening he +worked at quail-traps and made three more. + +It was so much warmer that their mother let the children stay up a +little later than usual; and Mary ventured to bring out her playthings +and Janey's. These were two dolls, some bits of broken dishes, and a +few little pine blocks. Mary watched her mother's face until she was +sure she was "feeling good," before she ventured to begin a play, +because on days when mother was very discouraged, it made her feel +worse if the children were noisy, and so they would keep quiet and +speak in whispers. + +"Does Santa Claus bring dolls?" asked Mary, suddenly, of Jack. + +"Oh yes; dolls with pretty dresses on; and little bunnits and pink +shoes; and little cubberds to keep their clothes in, and chairs, and +everything," said Jack, enthusiastically. + +"Oh, my!" sighed Mary, as she looked dolefully at their poor little +heap of toys. + +Reader, their dolls were cobs, with square pieces of calico tied around +them for dresses; and after hearing what Jack said, it wasn't so much +fun playing, and the little girls soon went to bed. After they were +asleep, Mrs. Boyd said, reproachfully: + +"Jack, I wish you wouldn't say anything more about Christmas to the +children." + +"Why, is it bad?" asked Jack, so astonished that he stopped whittling. + +"No, of course not; but you're getting their heads full of notions +about fine things they never can have." + +Jack's eyes twinkled. + +"Oh, but you don't understand, mother," said he; "may be Santy Claus +will come this year." + +His mother shook her head. + +"You know I caught one quail to-day?" whispered Jack. + +"Well!" said his mother. + +"Well, I'm going to save 'em all the week, and Saturday take 'em to the +meat-man in the village. I guess he'll buy 'em. I heard that quails +were fetching two cents apiece. And I'm going to get enough money to +buy the girls something nice, and you must make 'em hang up their +stockings, mother, and then we'll put the things in after they get +asleep." + +His mother smiled quite cheerfully. "Well," said she, "do the best you +can." + +Their father was away that evening. He was generally away evenings, +because most of the neighbors had cozier firesides than his, besides +apples, and sometimes cider; and so he passed many a pleasant hour in +gossip and farm-talk, while his own little family shivered gloomily at +home. + +By Saturday morning Jack had ten quails. The four traps had not been as +fruitful as they ought to have been, perhaps, but this was doing very +well, and he trudged joyfully to town with his game hanging on a stick +over his shoulder. The meat-man did indeed give two cents apiece for +quails, and he invited Jack to bring as many more as he could get. + +The next Saturday was only two days before Christmas, and how beautiful +were all the stores on the village street! Even the groceries had +Christmas toys and Christmas trees. A good many boys and girls stood +around the store windows pointing out the things they most admired, and +wondering what Santa Claus would bring them. Jack had fifteen quails, +which brought him thirty cents; so he was now the owner of half a +dollar, which was more money than he had ever possessed in all his life +before. But when two dolls were bought, and they weren't very fine +dolls either, there were only twenty cents left. Jack _did_ mean to buy +something for his mother too, but he had to give that up, and after +looking over the bright colored toy-books in the show-case, he selected +two little primers, one with a pink cover and one with a blue one, and +with a big ache in his throat, parted with his last ten cents for +candy. How very, very little he was buying after all, and not one thing +for his dear mother who had sat up till two o'clock the night before, +mending his ragged clothes for him. + +Jack's heart was very heavy as he walked out of the gay store with such +a little package, but it sank still lower when his father's tall form +loomed up suddenly before him right in front of the door. + +"What you doing here?" he asked, sternly. + +"Been buying a few things," said Jack. + +"Let me see 'em," said his father. + +[Illustration: "'LET ME SEE 'EM,' SAID HIS FATHER."] + +Jack tremblingly opened his package. + +"Where'd you get the money?" + +"With quails," said Jack, meekly. + +His father fumbled over the things with his big, mittened hand, and +said quite gently: "For the girls, I s'pose." + +"Yes, sir," answered Jack, beginning to feel relieved. + +"Well, run along home." + +Jack was only too happy to do so. There wasn't much sympathy between +him and his father, nor, indeed, between his father and any of the +family--that is, there didn't seem to be; but I guess the stream was +frozen over, and only needed a few gleams of sunshine to make it bubble +on, laughing and gurgling as in the best of hearts. + +Jack related his adventures to his mother in whispers, and hid the +Christmas articles in the wash-boiler until such time as they should be +wanted for certain small stockings. He told his mother how sorry he was +not to have a present for her, and that little speech went a long way +toward making her happy. That night she sat up--I wouldn't dare tell +you how late--making cookies,--something that hadn't been in the house +before that winter. She cut them out in all manner of shapes that +feminine ingenuity and a case-knife could compass, not forgetting a +bird for Janey, with a remarkably plump bill, and a little girl for +Mary, with the toes turned out. She also made some balls of brown sugar +(the Boyds never thought of such a luxury as white sugar), to make +believe candy, for she didn't know Jack had bought any candy. + +Now I am going to tell what Mr. Boyd did after he met Jack by the +toy-store. He had gone to the village to have a "good time." That +didn't mean, as it does with some men, to get tipsy; but it meant he +was going to Munger's grocery, where he could meet people, and talk and +joke, and keep warm. + +Mr. Boyd had been chopping wood for a farmer, and had received his pay; +but instead of going dutifully home and consulting with his wife about +what he should buy, he was going to "look around" and see what Munger +had. He was touched at the sight of Jack's poor little package of +gifts, but I doubt if it would have made much impression on his mind if +somebody hadn't walked in to Munger's and asked in a brisk, loud voice: +"Got any Brazil nuts, Munger?" + +The man with the brisk voice bought I don't know how many quarts of +Brazil nuts, and walnuts, and filberts, and almonds, with all the +loungers looking on, very much interested in the spectacle. Then he +bought raisins, and candy, and oranges, Mr. Munger growing more smiling +every minute. + +"Going to keep Christmas, I guess," said he, rubbing his hands +together. + +"That I am; 'Christmas comes but once a year,' and there are little +folks up at our house who've been looking for it with all their eyes +for a fortnight." + +Then he bought a bushel of apples, and, filling a peck measure with +them, passed them around among the men who sat and stood about the +stove. + +"Take 'em home to your little folks if you don't want 'em," he said, +when any one hesitated. + +There were three or four apples apiece, and Mr. Boyd put all his in his +pockets, with a slight feeling of Christmas warmth beginning to thaw +his heart. + +After this cheery purchaser had gone, some one asked: "Who is that +chap?" + +"He's the new superintendent of the Orphant Asylum," answered Mr. +Munger, rubbing his hands again; "and a mighty nice man he is, too. +Pays for all them things out of his own pocket. Very fond of children. +Always likes to see 'em happy." + +There were two or three men around that stove who hung their heads, and +Mr. Boyd was one of them. He hung his the lowest, perhaps because he +had the longest neck. I don't know what the other men did,--something +good and pleasant, I hope,--but Mr. Boyd thought and thought. First he +thought how the "orphants" were going to have a brighter and merrier +Christmas than his own children, who had both father and mother. Then +he thought about sweet, patient little Janey, and quiet Mary, and +generous Jack, who had taken so much pains to give pleasure to his +sisters, and a great rush of shame filled his heart. Now, when Mr. Boyd +was once thoroughly aroused, he was alive through the whole of his long +frame. He thumped his knee with his fist, then arose and walked to the +counter, where he dealt out rapid orders to the astonished grocer for +nuts, candies and oranges; not in such large quantities, to be sure, as +the "orphants'" friend had done, but generous enough for three +children. And he bought a calico dress for his wife, a pair of shoes +for each of the little girls, and a cap for Jack. That store contained +everything, from grind-stones to slate-pencils, and from whale-oil to +peppermint-drops. These purchases, together with some needful +groceries, took all Mr. Boyd's money, except a few pennies, but a +Christmas don't-care feeling pervaded his being, and he borrowed a bag, +into which he stowed his goods, and set out for home. + +It was a pretty heavy bagful, but its heaviness only made Mr. Boyd's +heart the lighter. When he reached home, he stood the bag up in one +corner, as if it held turnips, and said, "Don't meddle with that, +children." Then he went out and spent the rest of the short day in +chopping wood, which was very cheering to his wife. So many Sundays had +dawned with just wood enough to cook breakfast, that Mrs. Boyd began to +dread that day particularly, for her husband was almost sure to go +right away after breakfast and spend the whole day at the neighbors' +houses, while his own family shivered around a half-empty stove. + +Mr. Boyd said never a word about the bag, and the unsuspecting +household thought it contained corn or some other uninteresting +vegetable, and paid little attention to it. It also stood there all the +next day, and the children grew quite used to the sight of it. + +Sunday went by quietly, and, to the surprise of all, Mr. Boyd stayed at +home, making it his especial business to hold Janey on his lap, and +keep the stove well filled with wood. Janey wasn't feeling well that +day, and this unusual attention to her made the family very kindly +disposed toward their father, whom of late they had come to regard +almost as an alien. + +Jack, whose shoes were not yet worn out, went to Sunday-school, and +after his return the winter day was soon gone. Then he began to fidget, +and was very desirous that his mother should put the little girls to +bed; while, strange to say, his father was desirous that the whole +family should go to bed, except himself. In course of time the little +girls were asleep in their trundle bed, with their little red stockings +hanging behind the door. Mr. Boyd sat with his back to the door, so +Jack slipped in his presents without his father's seeing him, and went +to his cold bed upstairs. + +"Aint you going to hang up your stocking, mother?" asked Mr. Boyd after +Jack had gone. + +Mrs. Boyd looked startled. + +"Why, no," she answered, hesitatingly, not knowing whether the question +was asked in irony or in earnest. + +"You better," said Mr. Boyd, going to the bag in the corner, and +beginning to untie the strings. + +He laid out package after package on the floor. His wife knelt down by +them in a maze of astonishment. Then, with a great deal of enjoyment, +Mr. Boyd untied them one by one, showing candy, nuts, oranges, shoes, +and all the rest, except the calico dress, which he kept out of sight. + +Aladdin felt very fine when he found the cave-full of precious stones, +but I don't believe he was much happier than Mrs. Boyd. Her eyes were +so full of tears that there seemed to be about eight pairs of shoes, +ten bags, and half a dozen Mr. Boyds; but she managed to lay hands on +the real one, and him she embraced fervently. Then she brought out the +cookies and sugar balls she had made, and said to her husband, in a +very shame-faced way: + +"See my poor presents; I didn't know the children would have anything +nice, and I made these. I guess I wont put 'em in their stockings +though, now." + +But Mr. Boyd insisted on their going in with the other things, and I +think they were prized by the children a little more dearly, if such a +thing could be possible, than those which they called their "boughten" +presents. + +Now, I can't begin to describe the joyful time they had the next +morning, and particularly, the utter astonishment of Jack, who didn't +expect a thing, and hadn't even hung up a stocking. When that devoted +boy recognized one of his own gray socks crammed full of knobs and +bunches, with a beautiful plush cap on top, he was almost out of his +wits. Likewise, Mrs. Boyd's surprise was great at the discovery of her +new dress. The little girls were too happy that day to do much else but +count and arrange and re-arrange their delightful Christmas presents. + +Mr. Boyd killed a chicken, and Jack contributed four quails which he +had caught since market-day, and the festival of Christmas was kept +with much hilarity by the Boyd family. + +The neighbors, one by one, were surprised that Mr. Boyd hadn't dropped +in, as he usually did on Sundays and holidays. But Mr. Boyd was engaged +elsewhere. And this was only the beginning of good days for that +family, for, somehow, the Christmas feeling seemed to last through all +the year with Mr. Boyd, and through many other years; and the little +ball set rolling by Jack with his quail-traps, grew to be a mighty +globe of happiness for the whole family. + + + + +LEFT OUT. + +By A.G.W. + + + One day, St. Nicholas made a complaint: + "I think it's quite plain why they call me a saint. + I wonder if any one happens to see + That nobody ever makes presents to me; + That I, who make presents to ever so many, + Am the only poor fellow who never gets any!" + + + + +MISS ALCOTT, + +THE FRIEND OF LITTLE WOMEN AND OF LITTLE MEN. + +BY F.B.S. + + +[Illustration] + + +Would the readers of ST. NICHOLAS, who are all admirers of Miss Louisa +Alcott, like to hear more than they now know about this kind friend of +theirs, who has been giving them so much pleasure by her stories, and +never writes so well as when she writes for boys and girls? Then, let +me tell you something about her own family and childhood, and how she +became the well-known writer that she is. She not only tells you +pleasant stories about "little women" and "old-fashioned girls," "eight +cousins," and children "under the lilacs,"--but she shows you how good +it is to be generous and kind, to love others and not to be always +caring and working for yourselves. And the way she can do this is by +first being noble and unselfish herself. "Look into thine own heart and +write," said a wise man to one who had asked how to make a book. And it +is because Miss Alcott looks into her own heart and finds such kindly +and beautiful wishes there that she has been able to write so many +beautiful books. They tell the story of her life; but they tell many +other stories also. So let me give you a few events and scenes in her +life, by themselves. + +Miss Alcott's father was the son of a farmer in Connecticut, and her +mother was the daughter of a merchant in Boston. After growing up in a +pretty, rural town, among hardy people who worked all day in the fields +or the woods, and were not very rich, Mr. Alcott went down into +Virginia and wandered about among the rich planters and the poor slaves +who then lived there; selling the gentlemen and ladies such fine things +as they would buy from his boxes,--for he was a traveling merchant, or +peddler,--staying in their mansions sometimes, and sometimes in the +cabins of the poor; reading all the books he could find in the great +houses, and learning all that he could in other ways. Then, he went +back to Connecticut and became a school-master. So fond was he of +children, and so well did he understand them, that his school soon +became large and famous, and he was sent for to go and teach poor +children in Boston. Miss May, the mother of Miss Alcott, was then a +young lady in that city. She, too, was full of kind thoughts for +children, the poor and the rich, and when she saw how well the young +school-master understood his work, how much good he was seeking to do, +and how well he loved her, why, Miss May consented to marry Mr. Alcott, +and then they went away to Philadelphia together, where Mr. Alcott +taught another school. + +Close by Philadelphia, and now a part of that great city, is +Germantown, a quiet and lovely village then, which had been settled +many years before by Germans, for whom it was named, and by Quakers, +such as came to Philadelphia with William Penn. Here Louisa May Alcott +was born, and she spent the first two years of her life in Germantown +and Philadelphia. Then, her father and mother went back to Boston, +where Mr. Alcott taught a celebrated school in a fine large building +called the Temple, close by Boston Common, and about this school an +interesting book has been written, which, perhaps, you will some day +read. The little Louisa did not go to it at first, because she was not +old enough, but her father and mother taught her at home the same +beautiful things which the older children learned in the Temple school. +By and by people began to complain that Mr. Alcott was too gentle with +his scholars, that he read to them from the New Testament too much, and +talked with them about Jesus, when he should have been making them say +their multiplication-table. So his school became unpopular, and all the +more so because he would not refuse to teach a poor colored boy who +wanted to be his pupil. The fathers and mothers of the white children +were not willing to have a colored child in the same school with their +darlings. So they took away their children, one after another, until, +when Louisa Alcott was between six and seven years old, her father was +left with only five pupils, Louisa and her two sisters ("Jo," "Beth" +and "Meg"), one white boy, and the colored boy whom he would not send +away. Mr. Alcott had depended for his support on the money which his +pupils paid him, and now he became poor, and gave up his school. + +There was a friend of Mr. Alcott's then living in Concord, not far from +Boston,--a man of great wisdom and goodness, who had been very sad to +see the noble Connecticut school-master so shabbily treated in +Boston,--and he invited his friend to come and live in Concord. So +Louisa went to that old country town with her father and mother when +she was eight years old, and lived with them in a little cottage, where +her father worked in the garden, or cut wood in the forest, while her +mother kept the house and did the work of the cottage, aided by her +three little girls. They were very poor, and worked hard; but they +never forgot those who needed their help, and if a poor traveler came +to the cottage door hungry, they gave him what they had, and cheered +him on his journey. By and by, when Louisa was ten years old, they went +to another country town not far off, named Harvard, where some friends +of Mr. Alcott had bought a farm, on which they were all to live +together, in a religious community, working with their hands, and not +eating the flesh of slaughtered animals, but living on vegetable food, +for this practice, they thought, made people more virtuous. Miss Alcott +has written an amusing story about this, which she calls +"Transcendental Wild Oats." When Louisa was twelve years old, and had a +third sister ("Amy"), the family returned to Concord, and for three +years occupied the house in which Mr. Hawthorne, who wrote the fine +romances, afterward lived. There Mr. Alcott planted a fair garden, and +built a summer-house near a brook for his children, where they spent +many happy hours, and where, as I have heard, Miss Alcott first began +to compose stories to amuse her sisters and other children of the +neighborhood. + +When she was almost sixteen, the family returned to Boston, and there +Miss Alcott began to teach boys and girls their lessons. She had not +been at school much herself, but she had been instructed by her father +and mother. She had seen so much that was generous and good done by +them that she had learned it is far better to have a kind heart and to +do unselfish acts than to have riches or learning or fine clothes. So, +mothers were glad to send her their children to be taught, and she +earned money in this way for her own support. + +But she did not like to teach so well as her father did, and thought +that perhaps she could write stories and be paid for them, and earn +more money in that way. So she began to write stories. At first nobody +would pay her any money for them, but she kept patiently at work, +making better and better what she wrote, until in a few years she could +earn a good sum by her pen. Then the great civil war came on, and Miss +Alcott, like the rest of the people, wished to do something for her +country. So she went to Washington as a nurse, and for some time she +took care of the poor soldiers who came into the hospital wounded or +sick, and she has written a little book about these soldiers which you +may have read. But soon she grew ill herself from the labor and anxiety +she had in the hospital, and almost died of typhoid fever; since when +she has never been the robust, healthy young lady she was before, but +was more or less an invalid while writing all those cheerful and +entertaining books. And yet to that illness all her success as an +author might perhaps be traced. Her "Hospital Sketches," first +published in a Boston newspaper, became very popular, and made her name +known all over the North. Then she wrote other books, encouraged by the +reception given to this, and finally, in 1868, five years after she +left the hospital in Washington, she published the first volume of +"Little Women." From that day to this she has been constantly gaining +in the public esteem, and now perhaps no lady in all the land stands +higher. Several hundred thousand volumes of her books have been sold in +this country, and probably as many more in England and other European +countries. + +Twenty years ago, Miss Alcott returned to Concord with her family, who +have ever since resided there. It was there that most of her books were +written, and many of her stories take that town for their +starting-point. It was in Concord that "Beth" died, and there the +"Little Men" now live. Miss Alcott herself has been two or three years +in Europe since 1865, and has spent several winters in Boston or New +York, but her summers are usually passed in Concord, where she lives +with her father and mother in a picturesque old house, under a warm +hill-side, with an orchard around it and a pine-wood on the hill-top +behind. Two aged trees stand in front of the house, and in the rear is +the studio of Miss May Alcott ("Amy"), who has become an artist of +renown, and had a painting exhibited last spring in the great +exhibition of pictures at Paris. Close by is another house, under the +same hill-side, where Mr. Hawthorne lived and wrote several of his +famous books, and it was along the old Lexington road in front of +these ancient houses that the British Grenadiers marched and retreated +on the day of the battle of Concord in April, 1775. Instead of soldiers +marching with their plumed hats, you might have seen there last summer +great plumes of asparagus waving in the field; instead of bayonets, the +poles of grape-vines in ranks upon the hill; while loads of hay, of +strawberries, pears and apples went jolting along the highway between +hill and meadow. + +The engraving shows you how Miss Alcott looks,--only you must recollect +that it does not flatter her; and if you should see her, you would like +her face much better than the picture of it. She has large, dark-blue +eyes, brown clustering hair, a firm but smiling mouth, a noble head, +and a tall and stately presence, as becomes one who is descended from +the Mays, Quincys and Sewalls, of Massachusetts, and the Alcotts and +Bronsons of Connecticut. From them she has inherited the best New +England traits,--courage and independence without pride, a just and +compassionate spirit, strongly domestic habits, good sense, and a warm +heart. In her books you perceive these qualities, do you not? and +notice, too, the vigor of her fancy, the flowing humor that makes her +stories now droll and now pathetic, a keen eye for character, and the +most cheerful tone of mind. From the hard experiences of life she has +drawn lessons of patience and love, and now with her, as the apostle +says, "abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of +these is charity." There have been men, and some women too, who could +practice well the heavenly virtue of charity toward the world at large, +and with a general atmospheric effect, but could not always bring it +down to earth, and train it in the homely, crooked paths of household +care. But those who have seen Miss Alcott at home know that such is not +her practice. In the last summer, as for years before, the citizen or +the visitor who walked the Concord streets might have seen this admired +woman doing errands for her father, mother, sister, or nephews, and as +attentive to the comfort of her family as if she were only their +housekeeper. In the sick-room she has been their nurse, in the +excursion their guide, in the evening amusements their companion and +entertainer. Her good fortune has been theirs, and she has denied +herself other pleasures for the satisfaction of giving comfort and +pleasure to them. + + "So did she travel on life's common way + In cheerful godliness; and yet her heart + The lowliest duties on herself did lay." + + + + +THE BOY WHO JUMPED ON TRAINS. + +BY MARY HARTWELL. + + + There was a boy whose name was Dunn, + And he was one + As full of fun + As any boy could walk or run! + + His cheeks were plump, his eyes were bright, + He stepped as light + As a camel might, + And bounced and played from morn till night. + + And whether he was here or there, + His parents' care-- + Unseen like air-- + Followed and held him everywhere. + +[Illustration: "HE WOULD JUMP ON THE CARS TO RIDE."] + + He really was their joy and pride-- + Was good beside; + But woe betide-- + He _would_ jump on the cars to ride! + + There, hanging to a brake or step, + Tight hold he kept, + And onward swept, + Yelling with all his might, "Git-tep!" + + Dunn's father learned that he did so, + And told him to + Decline to go + Where trains were running to and fro. + + As for his mother, she turned white, + And gasped with fright + To think Dunn might + Come home a pancake some fine night! + +[Illustration: "HIS FATHER'S STERN COMMAND."] + + But his relations often said, + With shaking head, + That boy was led + To have his way if it killed him dead! + +[Illustration: "THE FREIGHT-CARS DECKED WITH BOYS DID SLIDE."] + + And sure enough when school was out, + And boys about + The trains flocked out, + Dunn followed too, with plunge and shout. + + He did not mean to grab a ride, + But by his side, + With tempting glide, + The freight-cars decked with boys did slide! + + Where was his father's stern command? + Out went his hand; + He gained a stand-- + At least he _planned_ to gain a stand! + + What is it? Crash! His head is blind! + That wheel behind-- + He hears it grind! + And he is paralyzed in mind! + + On cork and crutches now goes Dunn! + _Whole_ boys may run-- + Grab rides for fun-- + But, as I said, _this_ boy is _Dunn_! + + + + +THE TOWER-MOUNTAIN + +BY GUSTAVUS FRANKENSTEIN. + + +I. + +Many years ago, I was roving in a land strange and wonderful to me. It +was a tropical country, and I was wandering alone among the grand +scenery of the mountains, and the luxuriant vegetation of the +hill-sides and valleys. + +I had with me but few implements, and these, such as were light and +easy to carry. A hunting-knife, a small hatchet, a canteen and a few +marching necessaries made up my kit. + +One day while rambling about, living on the bountiful supplies of fruit +nature provides in that charming region, I came to a deep lake +surrounded by steep hills. On the opposite side of this lake I could +see a narrow gap or cleft, which seemed to lead to the higher ground. I +therefore made a raft,--not without considerable trouble,--and paddled +it across the lake. I found the gap quite narrow at its entrance, but +it soon became wider, while far forward, at the end of the chasm, there +appeared to be a series of rude steps. + +I fastened the raft to the rock, in doing which I had the ill luck to +drop my hatchet into the deep water, and, notwithstanding the evil +omen, made my way into the crevice. I passed over the rough bottom of +the chasm until I came to the steps; these I ascended. At a height of +about a hundred feet I came to a wall of rock, the top of which I could +just reach with the ends of my fingers. By a great effort, I got a good +hold of the edge of the rock, and drew myself up. + +When I stood at last upon the upper ground, I saw before me the most +beautiful trees and flowers I had yet met with. On either side the +rocks retreated and rose steeply to the summits I had partially seen +from the lake below. As I passed on and surveyed the plateau, I found +it to be a valley about a mile in diameter, encompassed by precipices +more or less abrupt. With but little trouble I found a place of easy +ascent, and soon climbed to the top of the rocky wall. + +The delight I now experienced surpassed everything I had ever known. +Spread out before me, as I stood upon an eminence somewhat above the +general level, was a vast expanse overflowing with vegetation and +extending for miles in every direction, whilst all round about rose the +mighty domes and pinnacles of snow-clad mountains. I stood in the midst +of the sublimest mountain scenery in the world. I could look down upon +the beautiful lake, and up at the giant peaks, and all about me upon +the fruitful verdure, whilst the atmosphere was charged with +delightful odors, and a pleasant breeze tempered the sweet warm air. + +As here was a delightful climate, fruit in abundance, and scenery +soul-exalting, of whose glory one could never grow tired, I felt rather +pleased with the thought "Why not stay here? Why not remain in this +beautiful place as long as circumstances will permit?" + +All nature seemed here so lovely that I resolved to wander no further. + +While gazing around at all this grandeur and beauty, my attention was +particularly drawn to a group of lofty peaks which rose in the midst of +this smiling garden. The sides of the towering eminences seemed almost +perpendicular, and they were about three or four thousand feet high. + +I soon gave up all hope of ever reaching the top, but in examining the +rock I found at its base a great cavern, so high and wide that a very +large building might have stood in it, with plenty of room to spare. +The sides and roof sparkled with crystals of all hues, and were +singularly and picturesquely variegated with differently colored veins +running through them; and, as the cave opened toward the east, with a +large clear space in front of it, nothing could have been more splendid +than when the morning sun shone full into the vast chamber and lighted +it up with dazzling brilliancy. + +In that chamber I made my humble home. + +Near one of the streams that flowed over the precipice into the lake, +grew several species of very tall grasses, with great bushy heads of +long silky fibers that adorned and protected their flowers and fruit. +Of these fine strong threads I made a hammock, which I suspended from a +strong frame bound together with these tough fibers, placing it a few +feet back from the mouth of the cavern. Thus, I had an excellent bed, +and if I should need covering there were plenty of palm-leaves at hand +for the purpose. But in that torrid climate there was little need of +extra protection; the air of the cavern was of just that delightful +coolness which refreshes but does not chill. + +Now, imagine me waking in the morning just as the dawn tinted the rosy +east, refreshed with sweet slumbers and rejoicing to behold the light, +rocking myself gently in my pretty hammock, and hailing the uprising +sun with a merry song,--and would you not suppose there was one happy +man in this great world? + +While the day was yet young I would take a bath in the clear, soft +water of a little stream near by. Then, when all was sparkling and +bright in my humble house, I would partake with keen appetite of the +precious fruits of my unlimited and self-producing garden. + +In the neighboring streams were many kinds of fishes, some of which I +knew to be very good eating, and I could have caught and eaten as many +birds as I wished; but the fruits and nuts were so plentiful, and of so +many different sorts, that I cared for, and, indeed, needed, no other +kind of food. + +Thus, several months passed away, and I was not weary of this paradise. +There was enough to occupy my mind in the examination of the structure +and mode of growth of a vast number of species of plants. Their +flowering, their fruitage, and their decay offered a boundless field +for thought, and kept up a never-flagging interest. + +For the first four months the sun traced his course through the heavens +to the north of me; I knew, therefore, that I was almost immediately +under the equator. For several days at the end of the four months, the +sun rose directly in the east, passing through the sky in a line +dividing it almost exactly into halves north and south. After that, for +six months, I had the great luminary to the south of me. + +In all this time there was but little change in the weather. A short +period without rain was the exception. Otherwise, the mornings and +evenings were invariably clear, with a refreshing rain of about two +hours' duration in the middle of the day. In the afternoon the sun was, +of course, away from my cavern, shining upon the opposite side of the +mountain of solid rock, which rendered my abode delightfully cool in +the greatest heat of the day. Toward the end of the short dry period, +magnificent thunder-showers passed over my domain. Nothing could be +more glorious than these electrical displays of an equatorial sky, as I +sat snug and safe within the rocky shelter. The heaviest shower could +not wet me, the water without ran with a swift descent, from the cave, +and over the precipice into the lake below. It was not likely that the +lightning would take the trouble to creep in under the rock and there +find me out. And as for the thunder, I was not in the least afraid of +it, but gloried in its loud peals and distant reverberations among the +encompassing mountains. + +It was during the violence of one of these tempests that a parrot flew +into my comfortable quarters. + +"Hallo! my fine fellow!" said I. "Where do you come from, and what do +you want here?" + +It flew about the room looking for a place to perch, trying to find a +footing against the wall, slipping down, and flying up again. + +I left it free to find its own roosting-place, or fly out of the +cavern, as it liked. I had seen a few parrots of the same kind, outside +in my garden, had heard them chattering and shrieking amidst the +foliage, and had always been very much amused with their odd ways, and +pleased with the brilliance and the glitter of their splendid plumage. +But I never tried or cared to capture the gorgeous, noisy birds, or any +other of the creatures that were always to be seen around me. Indeed, +from the very first, the living things in this lovely valley appeared +to be uncommonly tame; and in time no bird or other animal showed the +least fear on my approach, regarding me no more than any other creature +that never did them harm. Of course, this came of my never molesting +them. But I never thought of getting on familiar terms with any of +them, although scarcely a day passed that some of these animals did not +come and eat of the fruit by the side of that which I was plucking. I +never laid hands on them, but always let them go about their own +business. They soon became accustomed to my umbrella even, for I early +made one of these necessities of a torrid climate; and although at +first when I had occasion to walk in the sun my appearance shaded by +the portable roof caused unusual chattering and commotion, I speedily +took on a familiar look to them. In the same way I became an object of +curiosity when I plucked a leaf and made of it a cup to drink from. But +at length all signs of strangeness vanished, and there even came to be +a kind of friendship between us. + +[Illustration: THE VIEW FROM THE LEDGE.] + +I therefore concerned myself no more about the parrot, thinking that, +of course, as soon as the rain should stop, the bird would fly away. + +I had made a small table of three slabs of rock, where I frequently +placed fruits, nuts, roots and the like, that I might have in case I +should feel hungry when in my house, and yet not care to eat the fruit +directly from the plant, which I most generally preferred. Of course, +too, it was always desirable to have provisions on hand when it rained. + +The next morning, when I awoke, the rain was still descending, for it +was just at this time that it rained for three or four days together. + +I always had a healthy relish for the good things of this world, and, +as there was no rosy dawn to look at, my eyes immediately went in +search of the breakfast-table. + +"What!" I exclaimed; and I sat upright in my hammock. + +There was the parrot on the table. + +I eyed him for some time, and then I cried out: + +"You little thief! Stealing my food, are you?" + +The parrot sat there, but said never a word. He merely raised one of +his claws and sleeked up the feathers on the back of his neck, in the +way his family know so well. Then, raising the feathers of his crest, +he gave utterance to a very faint shriek. + +"Get out of this, you rascal!" I cried and immediately got up and went +toward him with the purpose of putting him out. + +I approached the table very rapidly, expecting that the bird would fly +away. But he remained motionless. I was about to lay rude hands on him, +but I desisted. + +"Why do violence to the creature? Why mar the serenity of this peaceful +vale?" I said to myself. "And why make such ado about a little fruit +when there is abundance on every hand?" + +Happening just then to glance at the fruit, it seemed to me that it had +not been disturbed. + +I examined it more closely, and began to feel I had done the parrot +great injustice. There it lay, just as I had left it the night before; +there was no evidence whatever of its having been picked at, and I came +to the comforting conclusion that the handsome bird had broken no moral +law. + +The parrot rose greatly in my esteem at this happy discovery. + +"Friend Parrot," said I, "I beg pardon for having so rashly jumped to +the conclusion that you had been guilty of theft. I believe that you +have touched nothing of the things which belong to me. Indeed, I am +sure that you have not. That you have so scrupulously regarded the +rights of property is to me the source of infinite gratification, and +fills me with the highest admiration of your character. To show you +that I am disinclined to let virtue go unrewarded, I accord you my +permission to stay here while I am eating my breakfast, and when I have +finished, you too may eat some, if you like." + +Then, having arranged my toilet, I began to partake of the good things +that lay on the table, the parrot all the while looking at me with +lively interest. I could not help being amused at his significant +performances. He turned his knowing head one way, and then another, now +sidewise toward the fruits, and then obliquely up at me, as I sat +enjoying the repast, enlivening his gestures with gentle prattle, and +yet never making a single demonstration in the direction of my food. He +put me in such good humor that I was impelled to say to him: + +"Friend Parrot, I don't mind being sociable; and if you are inclined to +do me the favor of honoring me with your company, I most respectfully +invite you to partake of this humble collation." And, taking up one of +the choicest nuts in the collection, I handed it to him forthwith. + +He took it promptly, and proceeded to crack and munch it in regular +parrot fashion. + +"You must excuse me," I resumed, "that my viands are not of the +choicest cooking, and that I have no servants to wait upon my highly +esteemed guest, and that there are no silver knives and forks and +spoons to eat with in the latest civilized style, but I have rid myself +of all those things, and am glad of it." + +The parrot nodded his head approvingly, as much as to say, "Right, +quite right." + +The poor bird was very hungry, and I let him eat his fill. + +Breakfast over, my guest flew upon my shoulder and was disposed to be +affectionate. He delicately pecked at my lips, drew his bill gently +across my cheeks, and pulled my hair with his claws. + +"Come, come! friend Parrot, none of your soft billing and cooing. Leave +that to women and children." + +So I gave my friend politely to understand that I did not care for such +pretty endearments; and, soon comprehending the force of my objection, +he very sensibly desisted from bestowing further attention upon me, and +thenceforth kept his handsome person reasonably aloof. + +I entertained my friend two days, during which I gave him much valuable +advice, and, which was more to the purpose and perhaps better +appreciated, plenty to eat. + +On the morning of the third day, the sun rose in all his beauty again, +and I fully expected the bird would fly away. He was in no hurry to go, +however. I went out, wandered about, and toward noon returned home. +Still the parrot was there. So it was the next day, and the next. I did +not want to resort to force and drive him away. + +Finally I said to him one day: + +"Friend Parrot; since I see you are in no hurry to leave my humble +home, and that it evidently grieves you to lose the pleasure of my +society, I shall not eject you forcibly from the premises. Stay, +therefore, as long as it shall please you. I will share with you food, +and shelter from the sun and rain. And whenever you grow weary of this +my society, tired of this plain habitation, or disgusted generally with +civilization, and wish to return to the freedom of savage life, you are +at liberty to go. 'Tis a large door, always open, out of which you can +fly; and when you are gone I shall shed no tears over your departure." + +The bird seemed really to comprehend the drift of my discourse, and +from that time forward we lived upon the most intimate terms, which, +however, never passed the bounds of mutual respect. + +Now, if we were to live in such close ties of friendship, it was +necessary that my friend should have a name, and that he, too, should +be able to address me by mine. The title, "Friend Parrot," was rather +too formal, and his screeching at me in some unmeaning way every time +he wanted me could not for long be tolerated. + +So, "Mr. Parrot" said I, "you are Mr. Parrot no longer. Your name is +'Pippity.'" + +He soon learned his new name, and then said I: + +"Pippity! my name is 'Frank.'" + +It was incredible how rapidly he learned mine. + +"Further, Pippity," I continued, "you must learn the names of the +things round about us." + +Instruction began at once. For several days he had to be told the names +of things many times before he was able to repeat them correctly; but +after that, and apparently all of a sudden, he seemed to have caught a +bright idea and to thoroughly understand my method of teaching. + +From that time on, when the name of a thing was made plain to him, he +seemed to grasp it immediately and never forgot it. This expedited +matters wonderfully, for I liked to talk to him and observe his efforts +to repeat what I said, so there was ample conversation, though somewhat +one-sided, going on in our ancient dwelling. I marveled at the parrot's +extraordinary power; but what astonished me above all was his wonderful +memory, and his unlimited capacity for taking in new ideas. Sometimes I +would ask him, after an interval of weeks, some name of a thing I had +taught him, and the answer was invariably correct. On such occasions I +would say to him: + +"Pippity, what's that?" + +He would tell me immediately; and I laughed outright when, one day, as +we were strolling through the forest, I stumbled over a stone, and the +parrot, perching on it, pecked it with his bill, and then, looking up +at me askance, asked: + +"What's that?" + +That was a phrase I had unwittingly taught him. And now I began more +than ever to perceive his extraordinary genius. + +Thenceforth it was "What's that?" and "What's that?" and actually the +fellow wanted to learn more quickly than I could teach. + +Once, after this intelligent bird had been with me for some months, we +were sitting quietly in our domicile, shaded from the afternoon sun by +our lofty rock-built palace, enjoying the beauties of creation, when +all at once he broke out in his clear, melodious voice: + +"Tell me something new!" + +I looked at him in amazement. I had never taught him to say that; but +undoubtedly he must have heard me say, at some time or other, "Pippity, +now I will tell you something new." Yet how the bird had managed to +turn the phrase grammatically to himself puzzled me not a little. + +However, I soon began to teach him something else that was new, for I +had been thinking that it was time that he should learn the names of +the plants,--at least of the most interesting and useful. So it was not +long before Pippity had a fair acquaintance with botany. + +Nearly a year had now rolled round, when one day Pippity was missing. +What could have happened to him? Had he grown tired of my society? Did +he begin to think that, after all, savage freedom was to be preferred +to dull, systematic civilization? Had he come to the conclusion that +much learning is, at best, but vanity? Did he want to go babbling again +in chaotic gibberish rather than to talk smoothly by rote? + +Two days passed, in which to drive away any natural feeling of +loneliness at the parrot's absence, I set down notes as concisely as +possible of what had occurred to me so far. For this purpose I used the +point of my knife and thin slabs of mica, wishing to save the small +stock of memorandum paper in my note-book and journals as much as I +could. At other times I had used bark and similar things to write on, +but the mica was more durable, and more easily stowed away. It was my +intention to make a still more condensed series of notes on the paper I +had by me, whenever I should feel like undertaking the task. The juice +of berries would serve for ink, and a feather or light reed would make +as good a pen as I should want. This plan I carried out afterward. + +[Illustration] + +On the third day Pippity returned, and, as he came flying into the +palace, "Pippity, Pippity!" I cried, "I thought you were never coming +back. Have you been to see your old friends?" He hung his head +demurely, and said nothing. + +Although I had told Pippity, when he had first sought my hospitality, +that I would shed no tears over his departure, if at any time he might +see fit to leave me, I must confess that I was very glad when he came +back. His society was agreeable. He was a good listener, and he was by +no means an idler, as far as that kind of honorable work is concerned +which consists in keeping body and soul together. For example, +strolling through our fertile garden, if I should happen to see some +fine fruit high on a tree, Pippity would fly up to it at my bidding, +and, cutting its stem with his bill, would quickly bring it to the +ground. + +"Pippity," I would say, "do you see that extra fine bunch of bananas up +there? Now, do you go up and cut the stalk, while I stand below and +catch the luscious treasure on this soft bed of leaves." + +And, before I would be done speaking, Pippity would already be pretty +well advanced with his work. For getting nuts, and such fruit as it was +desirable to take carefully from plants at great heights, his services +were invaluable. + +It is a remarkable fact that, although we had such an abundance of +tropical fruits, as well as a large proportion of temperate +productions, on our domain, the cocoa-nut was not one of them. I +remembered that, in coming up from the lake, I had seen large numbers +of cocoa-nut trees growing on the small flat at which I first arrived +about nine hundred feet below the level of our palace plateau. + +It would be an agreeable diversion, I thought, to go down there and get +some of those nuts, and it undoubtedly would be quite a treat to +Pippity to share them with me. + +"So," said I, "Pippity, I am going down this narrow gorge to the lake; +cocoa-nuts grow there, and I mean that you and I shall have some. Keep +house while I am gone. I shall start with the first peep of dawn, while +it is cool, and be back some time in the afternoon." + +I had made some baskets, in which we hung up the fruit we gathered. One +of these I took, and went down the declivity. I soon filled the basket +with good cocoa-nuts, saw plenty of monkeys, and was much amused at +their lively antics, and at their astonishment at seeing one so much +like them, and yet so different. I then returned--not, however, without +being obliged to throw away quite a number of the nuts before reaching +the top, in order to lessen the burden, which was light enough at +first, but which seemed to grow heavier and heavier as I proceeded. + +As soon as Pippity saw me, he cried out: + +"Cocoa-nuts! Cocoa-nuts!" + +We relished them so much that I went down after them quite often, +always leaving Pippity at home to mind the house. + +On one occasion, while I was gathering these nuts, I was startled by a +loud shrieking not far off, and, looking in the direction of the noise, +I saw that there was a great commotion among the monkeys--about a +hundred of them squealing and yelling and gesticulating at once. It was +on the ground, where the monkey-crowd swayed to and fro like any +civilized mob. I ran up to see what the fracas was about, but not +without some misgivings as to the risk of meddling in other people's +business. + +(_To be continued_.) + + + + +SINGING PINS. + +BY HARLAN H. BALLARD. + + +It has been said, you know, that all the millions of pins which are +lost every year are picked up by fairies and hammered out on elfin +anvils into notes of music. There are some who say that this statement +must be received with caution, although they admit that the half and +quarter notes do bear a very singular resemblance to pins. + +I confess that I shared the doubts of this latter class of persons +until a few evenings since; for although I knew well enough that pins +were bright and sharp enough in their way, I never had been able to +discover one of a musical turn of mind. + +But having on a certain evening heard a choir of pins singing "Yankee +Doodle" till you would have thought that their heads must ache forever +after, I hereby withdraw all my objections, and express my decided +opinion that the above-named theory of the future life of pins is fully +as accurate as any other with which I am acquainted. + +The chorus of pins who were singing "Yankee Doodle" were standing at +the time on a piece of pine-board, and were evidently very much stuck +up. + +One of their number, however, when asked if they were not rather too +self-important, bent his head quickly downward, and replied that he +couldn't see the point, which was exceedingly brassy for a pin. + +They looked for all the world as if they were a line of music which, +impatient of being forever kept under key and behind bars, had revolted +under the leadership of an intrepid staff-officer, and marched right +out of Sister Mary's instruction-book. + +[Illustration: TUNING THE PINS.] + +Indeed, from a remark which the staff-officer let fall, to the effect +that if they did not all see sharp they would soon be flat again, +nothing else would be natural than to accept that supposition as the +truth. + +Pins they were of all papers and polish. + +They were not ranged according to height, as good soldiers should be, +nor did they all stand erect, but each seemed bent on having his own +way. + +Their heads varied greatly from an even line, and on the whole they +looked far more like the notes of music which they had been, than like +the orderly row of singing-pins which they aspired to be. They had a +scaly appearance. + +My small brother had assumed the management of this curious chorus, and +I was much amused at the manner in which he drilled them. For he coolly +picked up the splendid staff-officer by his head and poked the first +bass with his point, as if to say, "Time--sing!" Whereupon that pin set +up a deep, twanging growl, to express his disapprobation of that method +of drill. + +In like manner did my brother treat each of the pins in succession. +Then it appeared that each had a different voice, and was capable of +producing but one sound. Moreover, they had been so arranged that, as +they uttered each one his peculiar note, the sounds followed each other +in such a manner as to produce the lively and patriotic air of "Yankee +Doodle." This was very wonderful and pleasing. + +"Well, Johnny," said I, as soon as I could stop laughing, "that's +pretty good. Where did you pick that up?" + +"Oh, a feller told me," said he. "'T aint nothing to do. All there is +of it is to get a tune in your head, and then drive a pin down in a +board, and keep a-driving, and trying it till it sounds like the first +note in the tune. Then stick up another for the second note, and so +on." + +"How can you raise a pin to a higher note?" said I. + +"Hammer her down farther," said he. + +"And to make a lower note?" I asked. + +"Pull her up a little," said he. + +"How do you manage the time?" + +"Oh, when you want to go slow, you put the pins a good ways apart; and +when you want to go fast, you plant 'em thicker." + +The next day I found that this ridiculous brother of mine had set up a +pin-organ in a circular form. He had made one of those little +whirligigs which spin around when they are held over the register or by +a stove-pipe, and then had connected it by a string with a wheel. This +wheel, as it turned, set an upright shaft in motion, and from this +there projected a stick armed at the end with a pin. This was arranged, +as is shown in the cut, so that when it revolved, the pin in the stick +played upon the pins in the circle, and rattled off the "Mulligan +Guards" at a tremendous pace. + +[Illustration: THE PIN-ORGAN.] + +Johnny says that he invented the circular arrangement, and that all the +boys he knows are making these pin-organs for themselves, which I am +not at all surprised to hear. + + + + +ABOUT THE PORPOISES. + +BY J. D. + + +The porpoise is a long, sleek fish without scales, black on the back, +and white and gray beneath. He is from four to ten feet in length, and +his sociability and good-nature are proverbial among seamen of all +nations. + +A porpoise is rarely seen alone, and if he by chance wanders from his +friends, he acts in a very bewildered and foolish manner, and will +gladly follow a steamer at full speed rather than be left alone. He is +a very inquisitive fish, and is always thrusting his funny-looking +snout into every nook that promises diversion or sport. + +[Illustration: A SCHOOL OF PORPOISES.] + +A very familiar spectacle at sea is a school of porpoises--or +"porpusses," as the sailors call them. As soon as a school catches +sight of a ship, they immediately make a frantic rush for it, as if +their life depended upon giving it a speedy welcome. After diving under +the vessel a few times to inspect it and try its speed, they take their +station under the bows, just ahead, and proceed to cut up every antic +that a fish is capable of. They jump, turn over, play "leap-frog" and +"tag" in the most approved fashion. Their favorite antic is to dive a +few feet and then come to the surface, showing their backs in a half +circle, and then, making a sound like a long-drawn sigh, disappear +again. Sailors call them "sea-clowns," and never allow them to be +harmed. + +They are met with in schools of from two or three to thousands. They +often get embayed in the inlets and shallow rivers which their +curiosity leads them to investigate. A porpoise once came into the +Harlem River and wandered up and down for a week seeking a way out. One +day he suddenly made his appearance amid some bathers and scattered +them by his gambols. + +When they change their feeding-places, the sea is covered for acres +with a tumultuous multitude of these "sea-clowns," all swimming along +in the same direction. + +When one of these droves is going against the wind (or to windward), +their plungings throw up little jets of water, which, being multiplied +by thousands of fish, present a very curious appearance. + + + + +THE WILD WIND. + +BY CLARA W. RAYMOND. + + + Oh, the wind came howling at our house-door, + Like a maddened fiend set free; + He pushed and struggled with gasp and roar, + For an angry wind was he! + + He dashed snow-wreaths at our window-panes, + The casements rattled and creaked; + Then up he climbed to the chimney tops, + And down through the flues he shrieked. + + He found Jack's sled by the garden fence, + And tumbled it down in his spite; + And heaped the snow till he covered it up, + And hid it from poor Jack's sight. + + He tore down the lattice and broke the house + Ned built for the birds last week; + And he bent the branches and bowed the trees, + Then rushed off fresh wrath to wreak. + + And oh! how he frightened poor little Nell, + And made her tremble and weep, + Till mother came up and soothed the wee maid, + And lulled her with songs to sleep! + + Her tiny hand nestled, content and still, + In her mother's, so soft and warm; + While with magical power of low, sweet tones + The mother-love hushed the storm. + + + + +THE MAGICIAN AND HIS BEE. + +BY P.F. + + +It was a spelling bee. The magician had never had one, but he thought +it was better late than never, and so he sent word around that he would +have his bee just outside of the town, on the green grass. Everybody +came, because they had to. When the magician said they must do a thing, +there was no help for it. So they all marched in a long procession, the +magician at the head with his dictionary open at the "bee" page. Every +now and then he turned around and waved his wand, so as to keep the +musicians in good time. The cock-of-the-walk led the band and he played +on his own bill, which had holes in it, like a flute. The rabbit beat +the drum, and the pig blew the horn, while old Mother Clink, who was +mustered in to make up the quartette, was obliged to play on the +coffee-mill, because she understood no other instrument. + +[Illustration] + +The king came, with his three body-guards marching in front. The first +guard was a wild savage with bare legs, and a gnat stung him on the +knee, which made the second guard laugh so much that the third one who +carried the candles had a chance to eat a penny-dip, without any person +seeing him. The king rode in his chariot, drawn by two wasps. He was a +very warm gentleman, and not only carried a parasol to keep off the +sun, but the head ninny-hammer squirted water on the small of his back +to keep him cool. + +[Illustration] + +The court tailor rode on a goat, and he carried his shears and the +goose he ironed with. He balanced himself pretty well until a bird sat +on his queue, and that bent him over backward so that he nearly fell +off. + +The queen also came; she was bigger than the king and had to have cats +to draw her chariot. The cats fought a good deal, but the driver, who +was a mouse, managed to get them along. The footman was also a mouse, +and the queen had two pet mice that sat at her feet or played with her +scepter. After the queen came the chief jumping jack, who did funny +tricks with bottles as he danced along. + +[Illustration] + +Then came the ladies of the court. They sat in nautilus shells, which +were each borne by two bearers. The first shell went along nicely, but +the men who carried the second were lazy and the lady beat them with a +hair-brush. As for the bearers of the last shell, they had a fight and +took their poles to beat each other, leaving their shell, with the +lady in it, on the ground. She didn't mind, for she thought that if +they went off and left her, she wouldn't have to do any spelling. So +she stayed in her shell and smiled very contentedly. + +[Illustration] + +The town bell-man walked along in grand state ringing his bell, and the +cock-who-could-n't-walk rode on a wheelbarrow and crowed by note. The +old ram wheeled the barrow, in which was also a basket containing the +hen and chickens. The smallest chicken tried to crow in tune with his +father, but nobody could hear whether he crowed right or wrong--and +what is more, nobody cared. + +The monkey didn't walk, but was carried in a bucket by a mountaineer, +and he blew peas through a tube at the palace steward who was having +his hair combed by the court barber. It was so late that the barber had +to hurry, and so he used a rake instead of a comb. The steward did not +like this, but there was so little time that nothing else could be +done, for the procession was already moving. + +[Illustration] + +There was a lion who lived at the Town-hall. He was very wise, and his +business was to bite criminals. When he heard about the bee he thought +he would have to go, but the moment he showed himself in the street all +the relatives of the criminals got after him. The wasps stung him, a +game-cock pecked at him, a beetle nipped him, a dog barked at him, an +old woman ran after him with a broom, a wooden-legged soldier pursued +him with a sword, a rat gave chase to him, while a rabbit took down his +shot-gun and cried out, fiercely, that he would blow the top of that +old lion's head off, if he could only get a fair crack at him. + +[Illustration] + +Two of the liveliest animals in the town were the donkey and the old +cow. They went to the bee, but they danced along as if they didn't care +at all whether they spelled cat with a _c_ or a _k_. They each had two +partners. The donkey had two regular danseuses, but the cow had to +content herself with the court librarian and the apothecary. + +[Illustration] + +Out in the green grass where the company assembled there were a lot of +grasshoppers and little gnats. The grasshoppers said to each other, "We +can't put letters together to make words, so let us dance for a spell," +which they did,--all but one poor young creature who had no partner, +and who sat sorrowfully on one side, while the others skipped gayly +about. + +[Illustration] + +As soon as the people and the chickens and donkeys and wasps and cows +and all the others were seated, side by side, in two long rows, the +magician gave out the first word. It was "Roe-dough-mon-taide"--at +least that was the way he pronounced it. The king and the queen were at +the heads of the two lines, and it was their duty to begin,--first the +king, and then the queen, if he missed. + +But neither of them had ever heard of the word, and so they didn't try. +Then one of the wasps tried, and afterward a ram, a rabbit, and the +head ninny-hammer; but they made sad work of it. Then each one of the +company made an effort and did his, her or its very best, but it was of +no use; they could not spell the word. + +Uprose then the little chicken that had stood on his mother's back and +tried to crow in tune with his father, and he cried out: "Give it up!" + +"Wrong!" said the magician. "That's not it. You are all now under the +influence of a powerful spell. Here you will remain until some one can +correctly answer my question." + +They are all there yet. How long would you, my reader, have to sit on +the grass before you could spell that word? + +[Illustration] + + + + +SCRUBBY'S BEAUTIFUL TREE. + +BY J.C. PURDY. + + +I. + +"Papa!" + +"Well, dear!" + +"Wont to-morrow be Kissmuss?" + +"Why, no, darling! We had Christmas-day long ago. Don't you remember?" + +"Yes; but you said we'd have another Kissmuss in a year, and then I'd +have such a pitty tree. I'm sure it's a year. It _is_ a year, papa; and +it takes so awful long to wait for some time--it's jess a noosance. I +fink ole Kriss was drefful mean not to let me have a tree only cos we'd +got poor. Wasn't we ever poor before, papa? Don't he give trees to +_any_ poor little girls? I _do_ want a tree--sech a pitty one, like I +used to have!" + +It was little Scrubby said all that. She was only four years old, but +she could say what she had to say in her own fashion. When she saw her +father's sorrowful face, she thought she had said rather too much this +time; so she gave him a hug and put up her mouth for a kiss. + +"I dess I can wait, papa," she said. "But he will bring me a tree +_next_ Kissmuss, wont he? Jess like I used to have? And then wont that +be nice! There's my baby waked up. She'll be cryin' in a minute, I +s'pose." + +Old Lucy, the dearest baby of all in this little girl's large family, +was taken up and quieted; and then something happened that was really +wonderful. Scrubby, with her poor torn and tangled doll in her arms, +sat very still for at least five minutes. The little maid was thinking +all that time. She did not think very straight, perhaps, but she +thought over a great deal of ground, and settled a good many things in +that busy little head of hers; then she sang them all over to good old +Lucy. + +"Hush, my dear!" she sang. "Don't stay long, for it beats my heart when +the winds blow; and come back soon to your own chickabiddy, and then +Kissmuss'll be here. S'umber on, baby dear. Kriss is coming with such a +booful tree; then wont you be s'prised? She went to the hatter's to get +him a coffin, and when she come back he was fixin' my Kissmuss-tree!" + +The little singer grew so enthusiastic when she came to the tree that +she could not wait to sing any more; so she just danced Lucy up and +down and chattered to her as fast as her tongue could go. + +"It'll be for me and for you, Lucy, and for all the babies, and then +wont you be glad! And for mamma too, and for papa, cos we's all good +little chillen, if we _is_ poor. Yes, indeed, Ole Kriss is coming with +his reindeer. And he'll bring me a horse with pink shoes on; and you'll +have a piano--a _really_ piano, ye know; and mamma, she'll have two +little glass s'ippers, and--and--" + +Little Scrubby stopped chattering just there, and laid her head down on +poor old Lucy's kind bosom. + +"Oh dear!" she sighed, "I do _wish_ ole Kriss'd come with that pitty +tree!" + +The kitten curled up on the hearth, and the little broken dog that lay +tipped over in the corner, and good old Lucy, and the three dolls +tucked up in mamma's basket, all heard the wish of the poor little +disappointed child. + + + +II. + +Everybody has noticed that the kittens and the dogs take a great many +naps in the day-time, and that the dolls and toy-animals let the +children do the most of the playing. That is because the pets and the +toys are tired out and sleepy after their doings the night before, when +the children were asleep and the grown people out of the way. They have +rare sprees all by themselves, but just as soon as any person comes +about, the fun stops,--the cat and the dog are sound asleep, the dolls +drop down anywhere still as a wood-pile, and the rocking-horse don't +even switch the ten hairs left in his tail. + +As for talking, though, they might chatter all the time and nobody be +the wiser. People hear them, but not a soul knows what it is. Mamma +sticks paper into the key-hole to keep out the wind that whistles so, +papa takes medicine for the cold that makes such a ringing in his head, +and Bridget sets a trap to catch the mouse that "squales and scrabbles +about so, a body can't slape at all, 'most;" and all the while it is +the dolls and pets laughing and talking among themselves. + +The bird in the cage and the bird out-of-doors know what it is. Very +tame squirrels and rabbits understand it; and the poor little late +chicken, which was brought into the kitchen for fear of freezing, soon +spoke the language like a native. + +Scrubby understood all that any of them said, and they all understood +her and liked her immensely. Even the plants in the window would nod +and wink and shake out their leaves whenever she came about. + +After little Scrubby and everybody else in the house had gone to bed +that night, Minx, the kitten, came out from behind the broom, and +prancing up to the little pasteboard and wool dog that lay tipped over +in the corner, pawed him about until he was as full of fun as herself. +Then she jumped upon the table and clawed the three dolls out of +mamma's work-basket, sending them all sprawling on the floor. + +[Illustration: "OLE KRISS IS COMING WITH HIS REINDEER."] + +They were a sad-looking lot of babies, anyway. There was Peg, knit out +of blue, red and yellow worsted, and with black beads for eyes. She was +a good deal raveled out, but there was plenty of fun in her yet, after +all. + +Then there was Francaise. She was a French girl, who had been brought +from Paris for Scrubby before that bad time when papa "got poor." She +had been very elegant, but now her laces were torn, her hair would +never curl again, one arm swung loose, and her head wobbled badly; but, +for all that, she was still full of lively French airs. Lyd was the +last of the lot. Poor thing! She had been such a lovely wax blonde: but +now the wax had all melted off her cheeks, she was as bald as a squash, +one eye had been knocked out, and, worst of all, she had not a stitch +of clothes on. Scrubby had brought her to this plight; but, for all +that, Lyd loved the very ground Scrubby tumbled over; and so did all +the rest of them, for that matter, never caring how much she abused +them in her happy, loving way. + +Very soon high fun was going on in that room, and it is a wonder the +neighbors did not come in to see what the uproar meant; but nobody +heard it. + +Yes, Ned, the bird, heard it, took his head out from under his wing, +and laughed at the fun until he almost tumbled out of his cage. The +lively dog, Spot, heard it out in his shed, too, and whined at the door +until Jumping Jack contrived to undo the latch and let him in. The +little late chicken heard it also, hopped out of his snug basket, and +was soon enjoying himself as much as if they were all chickens and it +was a warm spring day. + +Lucy heard it, too; but Scrubby had taken Lucy to bed with her, and had +her hugged up so tightly that the kind old baby couldn't get away, and +had to lie there and listen and wait. + +They were having a good time in that room. The rocking-horse had been +hitched to the little wagon, and Jumping Jack was driver; Miss +Francaise had climbed into the wagon, and was sitting there as +gracefully as she could, trying to hold her head steady; she had the +pasteboard dog for a lap-dog, while Peg and Lyd sprawled on the +wagon-bottom, and Minx stood upon the horse's back like a circus-rider. + +And so they went tearing around the room in fine style, Spot racing +with them and wagging his tail till it looked like a fan. Ned fairly +shouted in his cage, and the chicken jumped on a chair and tried his +best to crow. + +After a while, Spot grabbed up a piece of paper from one corner, and +began to worry it. The fine Francaise saw that and tumbled out of the +wagon in a minute, as if she were only a very quick-tempered little +girl. She snatched the paper away from Spot and snapped out: "You +sha'n't spoil that! It's Scrubby's letter!" + +The horse had stopped now, Jumping Jack jerked himself up to the +astonished dog, and said, very severely: "Spot, aint you ashamed to +worry anything that belongs to our Scrubby? I'll put you out if there's +any more of it." + +"It's too bad, so it is," said Peg. + +Lyd began to cry with her one eye, while Ned stopped laughing and went +to scolding; the chicken put his claw before his face, as if ashamed of +such a dog, and even the horse shook his head. + +Poor Spot was under a cloud. + +"I didn't know it was anything Scrubby cared for, and I don't believe +it is, either," he snapped. + +"I saw Scrubby write it," said Minx, "and she stuck the pencil in my +ear when she'd finished." + +"She was sitting on us when she wrote it," said Peg and Lyd together. + +"Yes, and she held me on her lap and read it to me when it was done," +put in Francaise. + +"Of course it's her letter," spoke up the rocking-horse. "Don't you +remember, Fran, she hitched it to my bridle and told you to ride right +off and give it to old Kriss when he came around?" + +"You're a nice crowd!" growled Spot. "Every one of you knew all about +this, and left it kicking around on the floor! You _are_ a nice crowd! +I'll take charge of it myself now, and see that old Kriss gets it. He +can't read it, of course. Nobody could read that; but it shows how much +_you_ all think of Scrubby." + +Spot had the best of it now; but the French lady spoke up in a way that +put the others in good spirits right off, and made honest Spot feel as +if he had been sat down upon. + +"Perhaps some people can read, if you cant," she said, "_I_ can read +that letter for you, and for old Kriss too, if he wants me to." + +She could not read a word, but she opened out the scribbled sheet in +fine style, and just repeated what she had heard Scrubby say. And this +is what Scrubby tried to put in the letter: + + OLE KRISS: I want a tree, please, ole Kriss, _right away_. And lots + of pitty things. And glass s'ippers for mamma. And moss under it, + and animals, jess like I used to have. And a pink coat for papa, + and not wait for some time, cos that's a noosance. + +It was very queer how they all acted when they heard the letter. There +was not another cross word said--or a word of any kind for that matter. +Not one of them even looked at the others, and it was not until poor +Spot gave a big snuff that each of them found out that the rest were +crying. + +"Well, I know what _I'm_ going to do," said Minx, at last. "I'm just +going to get that child a tree; that's what I'm going to do." + +"And I'm going to help you," Francaise said, as heartily as if she were +not a fine lady at all. "She ruined my dress, and tore my lace, and put +my hair in such a state as never was; but I don't care. She wants a +tree, and she's going to have it." + +"You ought to have heard how she talked to her papa and old Luce +to-night," sobbed the one-eyed baby. "It was enough to break a body's +heart." + +"We did hear her," they all snuffled. + +Then they wiped their eyes, and a minute afterward, with much chatter, +they began to make preparations for getting the tree. + +All but Spot. Scrubby had used him the worst of all, she loved him so. +She had pulled every hair on him loose, and had twisted his tail until +it hung crooked; and yet Spot could not speak or do anything for crying +over little Scrubby's grief. + + + +III. + +Pretty soon, Lucy, who had listened to as much of this talk as she +could, heard the whole party go out of the back door and start off +somewhere. She was in a great state of mind about it. Not for anything +in the world would she waken Scrubby; but oh! how she longed to tumble +down-stairs and rush off after the rest! + +What a party it was that did go out of that back door! And in what +style they went! Ned, the canary, was the only one left behind; and +those who couldn't walk, rode. For they had hitched the horse to +Scrubby's little battered sled, and made a grand sleighing party of it. + +Jumping Jack drove, of course. The French lady had the seat of honor on +the sled, and much trouble she had to keep it, for there was nothing to +hold on by, and her head was so loose that it nearly threw her over. + +Lyd had wrapped a dish-towel about her, and felt very comfortable and +well-dressed; while Peg had come just as she was, and they both rolled +about on the sled in a very dangerous fashion. + +The late chicken held on with his claws to the curl of the runner, and +flapped his wings and squawked every time the sled plunged a little in +the snow. Minx rode horseback as before, while Spot went afoot, jumping +and barking, and snapping up a mouthful of snow every few minutes. + +But not one of them knew where they were going, or what they were going +to do. They meant to get Scrubby a tree somehow, and that was all they +knew about it. + +At last, Peg said (Peg was a very sensible baby, if she _was_ raveled +out): + +"What are we going to do, anyhow?" + +"Why, we're going to get a tree for Scrubby," they all answered. + +"Well, what kind of a tree?--and where?" + +That was a poser. None of them had thought so far as that. At last, +Minx said: + +"Why, any kind--somewhere." + +"There are plenty of trees in France," said Francaise. + +"Then that's the place for us to go," said Jumping Jack; and at once +they raced off to the end of the garden, on their way to France. + +"This aint the way, after all," Minx said, when they got to the fence. +"The world comes to an end just over there. I got up on the fence one +day, and there was nothing beyond but a great, deep hole." + +"There's no use going off this other way," Spot put in, "for there's +nothing over there but a big lot of water with a mill standing by it. I +was over there one day." + +"Then that is our way," said the French lady, decisively. "That is the +ocean. I know they brought me across the ocean, and I was awfully sick +all the way." + +That last rather discouraged them, for nobody wanted to get awfully +sick if there was any other way to find Scrubby's tree; so they +concluded not to go to France. + +"Well, let's go somewhere, for I'm getting cold," peeped the chicken; +and then there was a great discussion. At last, Spot said: + +"We _are_ a stupid lot! There's that sparrow comes about the door every +day--he could tell us all about trees in a minute if we could find +him." + +Minx knew where the sparrow kept himself, for she always watched him +with an eye to business. + +"But," she said, "some of the rest of you will have to talk to him, for +he'll never let me come near him." + +So then the chicken called to the sparrow, and the sparrow answered. +The matter was explained to him, and the bird fluttered down among them +as much excited as anybody. + +"It's for little Scrubby, eh?" he said. "What in the world does she +want a tree for? I know. It's because she is half bird herself--bless +her heart!--and she likes trees just like any other bird. And don't she +come to the door every morning and give me crumbs and talk to me so +friendly? Of course, I'll help find a tree for her." + +But he had not found one yet, and so the chicken told him. + +"I don't know," he said. "Suppose I call Mrs. Squirrel. She can tell." +And off he flew, and had the gray squirrel there in a minute, cold as +it was. + +Then they had to tell the story over again to Mrs. Squirrel and to Mr. +Rabbit, who had also hopped along to see what the fuss was all about. + +"Scrubby's got to have a tree, and that's all about it," chattered Mrs. +Squirrel, as she whisked about in a state of great excitement. "I +didn't know old Kriss could be so mean as that. Call _him_ a saint! And +all because Scrubby's poor! Humph! Don't seem to _me_ she is so very +poor. Didn't I give her those eyes she has? And didn't the robin give +her his own throat? And hasn't she a sunbeam inside, that shines all +through? And didn't Miss June roll up all the flowers she had, and a +dozen birds beside, and wrap the whole bundle up in Scrubby's brown +skin? I don't call that being so very poor, do you? Anyhow, she is not +so poor but that she could make me feel jolly every time she came +out-doors last summer to run after me and chatter to me." + +The rabbit had been standing all this time with one cold foot wrapped +up in his ear. He unfolded his ear now, and wiped his eyes with it. + +"She almost cried," he said. "Just think of one of my little bunnies +wanting anything she couldn't get, and crying about it! It just breaks +my heart." + +"Tree!" chirped the chicken. + +"Yes," said Mrs. Squirrel, "why don't you go and get a tree for +Scrubby? What do you all stand here for, chattering and doing nothing? +I'd give her mine, only that great beech couldn't be got into the +house." + +"We wanted your advice," the sparrow suggested. + +"Advice! You don't need any advice. Why don't you give her your own +tree? That little Norway spruce is just the thing. Come along, and +don't be so selfish!" + +"I'm not selfish; but really Norway is not fit, and, besides, I don't +believe he'll go." + +"Nonsense! He's a beautiful tree, only there isn't much green on him; +and of course he'll go, for we'll make him go," answered the very +decided Mrs. Squirrel. + +So they all whisked away to the sparrow's roosting-place. Norway was +not in good health, that was evident. He was very thin, and his temper +was in bad condition too; for when the sparrow asked him if he would +please step out and come with them, he answered: + +"Not much I wont! It's bad enough standing here in the ground, poorly +as I am, without coming out there in the snow; and I'll not do it for +anybody." + +"Oh dear! Scrubby will be _so_ disappointed! What will she do?" they +all cried out at once. + +"What's that about Scrubby? What has Scrubby got to do with my catching +my death-cold, anyhow?" asked Norway. + +And then they told him the whole story. He hardly waited for them to +get through before he broke out talking very fast. + +"Why didn't you say so? How should I know it was for Scrubby? Of +course, I'll go! I'd do anything for her. She did enough for me, I +should think,"--and, as quickly as he could, he pulled his one foot out +of the ground and hopped into the snow beside the horse. Then he went +on talking. "You see if it hadn't been for Scrubby I wouldn't be alive +at all. She heard somebody say that I needed to have the dirt loosened +about my roots, and to have plenty of water. So she dug around me at a +great rate, and watered me until I was almost drowned. She cut off a +good many of my roots, and once she threw hot water all down this side +of me; but she didn't know. I'm not much of a tree, I confess; but +Scrubby did what _she_ could, and if she wants me she shall have me." + +"Come on, then," said the chicken, "for I'm so cold my bill chatters." +And they went. + +It was a very funny procession they made going back to the house,--the +horse prancing along with the sled, the three dolls taking a +sleigh-ride in their queer way, Spot racing about everywhere with Minx +on his back, and the tree hopping along after the sled as fast as his +one foot could go. The chicken rode back on one of Norway's branches, +and fluttered and squawked more than ever. + +When they started, they looked about and called for the sparrow, Mrs. +Squirrel, and Mr. Rabbit, but they had all disappeared; so the rest +went back without them, shouting, laughing and singing. + + + +IV. + +It was a brave sight they saw when Jumping Jack opened the door to let +the party in. + +Luce had got away from her little bedfellow at last without waking her. +She knew that the others had gone to get a tree for little Scrub, and +she knew that a tree was just no tree at all without plenty of things +to hang upon it. So she went to work, and by the time Jack opened the +door she had a great deal done. It was astonishing how many things she +had found to put on that tree; but then she had been rummaging among +Scrubby's old playthings up in the garret. + +There were old dolls, little and big; there were old toys of all sorts; +there were pretty little pictures, and quantities of flowers made of +bright paper. A great many of the things Scrubby had thrown aside so +long ago they would be new to her now; and some of them mamma had put +away very carefully, so that the little girl should not altogether +spoil them. + +Lucy had found them all and had brought them down-stairs; and now she +had them in a heap on the floor, trying to keep them in order, for they +were all very lively at being brought out again. + +"Well, Luce, you _have_ done it!" Jack said. + +"Of course, I have," answered Lucy. "Do keep that horse away, Jack, and +not let him run over these babies." + +"Oh dear!" squawked the chicken, and fluttered under the table, for +these new-comers were all strangers to him. + +Spot tried not to bark his astonishment and delight; Minx began to claw +all the old dolls and toys about; the French lady walked away into a +corner and waited to be introduced, while Lyd and Peg shook hands with +their old cronies until it seemed as though they never would stop. + +The tree had hopped into the room and stood there, not knowing what to +do with himself. Lucy did not see him at first, being so busy with the +rest; but as soon as she did see him, she gave him such a hug as nearly +pulled him over. + +"Oh, you dear old Norway! Did _you_ come? You're so good, and I'm so +glad! Come up to the fire and get warm. Here, Jack, and Lyd, and +Francaise, help me get this big foot-stool into the corner. It's +getting awful late." + +Lucy flew about in a ragged kind of way until she had all the rest +flying about too, doing an amount of work nobody would have believed +possible. They were all glad enough to do the work, but they needed +just such a driving, thoughtful old body as Lucy to show them what to +do and keep them at it. + +[Illustration: SCRUBBY'S FRIENDS ARRANGING HER CHRISTMAS-TREE.] + +The big foot-stool was put where Lucy wanted it, and Norway warmed his +foot and hopped upon the stool, pushing himself as far back in the +corner as he could get, to make sure that he would not fall. + +Then Lucy climbed upon a chair in front of him, ready for business. She +took Francaise up on the chair beside her to help arrange the things, +for the French girl had excellent taste, and nobody could deny it. Lyd +and Peg, and Minx and Spot, and even the chicken, brought the things to +go on the tree, and faster, too, than they could possibly be used, +while Ned shouted all manner of directions. + +Poor Norway fairly bowed his head under the weight of all the things +that were hung upon him. And it was astonishing how pretty those +battered old dolls, broken toys, and torn flowers looked when upon the +tree. There were so many, and they had been arranged so nicely, that +they really did make a splendid show. + +"But, oh dear!" Lucy sighed, when it was all done. "It's not your fault +I know, Norway, and you are just as good as you can be; but if you only +were not quite so thin, and were just a little bit greener! And then +we've no moss to put under you. But we haven't any nice little animals +to put on the moss, if we had it." + +Just then, Jumping Jack heard a queer kind of noise outside, and opened +the door to see what it was. In whisked Mrs. Squirrel; the sparrow +hopped in close beside her, and Mr. Rabbit jumped along right after +them. + +"How are you getting on?" asked the gray lady. "I brought this along +because I thought it might come handy. We laid in a great deal more +than we needed for our nest last fall, and we could just as well spare +it as not." + +It was a big bundle of beautiful green moss she had brought, enough to +spread all around under the tree and make a fine carpet. + +"Oh, you dear, good old thing!" said Luce. "That is just exactly what +we wanted. Here, Lyd! Peg! Help me spread this down." + +"Chick," said the sparrow, "will you please take charge of this?" + +And there was a great long vine of shining green ivy which the sparrow +had dragged in with him from some place in the woods. Lucy was so +delighted that she fairly clapped her brown leather hands. + +"Quick, Francaise!" she cried. "Take this and twist it around the +tree. Just the thing to hide poor old Norway's bare places. Oh, it's +just lovely!" + +All this time Mr. Rabbit had been holding his ears very straight up, +and now he shook a couple of button-balls and some acorn-cups out of +one, and a lot of mountain-ash berries out of the other. + +"Do to hang around on the tree. Look kind of odd and nice," he said. + +"Well, I should think so!" Luce answered. "I never did see such good +creatures as you are; and we all thought you had gone home to bed." + +Speaking of bed made the chicken gape a little, and they all remembered +how late it was. They never stopped chattering and laughing for a +minute; but they went to work harder than ever, and soon had all the +moss spread down, the ivy twined over the tree, and the button-balls, +acorn-cups, and berries hung up where they would show best. + +Then Mr. Rabbit got up on the stool and nearly covered himself with +moss; Mrs. Squirrel got under the tree and stood up on her hind-feet, +with an acorn in her paws; Minx curled herself up in the funniest way +on the moss; the sparrow flew up into the tree and began pecking at the +mountain-ash berries; Francaise and Lyd and Peg all sat down as well as +they could near the squirrel and the rabbit; Jumping Jack mounted the +horse and rode around beside the tree, to stand guard; Spot stood up on +his hind-legs just in front of the stool, with Scrubby's letter in his +mouth, and the chicken hopped up on Spot's head. + +Then good old Lucy started to go upstairs after Scrubby, but she got no +further than the door. Scrubby had waked up and missed her dear old +doll, so she had come down to look for her, and there she stood now, +just inside the door, with her bright brown eyes wide open. + +A minute before there had been only the scraggy little tree she had +taken care of, the battered old toys, the torn dolls and the little +pets she had played with and loved so well, the bird and the wild +creatures she had fed and chattered to, and a little bit of ivy and +green moss. But just as soon as she looked at them all, there was the +most beautiful Christmas-tree that ever was seen. + +It was very curious; but it was the light that did it--the light of her +own happy eyes. It dies out of eyes that are older. + + + + +THE MINSTREL'S CAROL. + +A CHRISTMAS COLLOQUY. + + + MR. and MRS. BURTON. + TOMMY, _aged seven._ + MAY, _aged five._ + LUCY, _aged eighteen._ + + MR. and MRS. REMSEN. + HARRY, } _Twins, aged_ + SADIE, } _six._ + PATRICK, _a hired man_. + + +_Scene: The Burtons' parlor on Christmas Eve_. + + +_Mr. B_. Tommy! stop making such a noise. + +_Tommy._ Oh, I can't have any fun at all! + +_Mr. B_. Why, yes you can. Look at all your toys scattered about. Play +something quietly. + +_Tommy_. Nobody to play with. + +_Mr. B_. Play with your little sister. + +_Tommy_. She's sitting in mamma's lap; besides, she's a girl. Oh, papa +_[running to his father_] I wish the Remsens would come! I want to play +with Harry. + +_Mr. B._ [_hastily_]. Never mind, never mind! The Remsens will not +come. + +_May_. Why wont the Remsens come? + +_Tommy_. Oh, dear me, there isn't anything nice to do! + +_Mr. B_. Tommy, stop your whining. Don't say another word. May, don't +speak of the Remsens again. They are not coming, and that's an end of +it. + +[_Enter_ LUCY.] + +_Lucy_. What! tears on Christmas Eve, little May! And Tommy pouting! +Oh, that'll never do! Come, cheer up! You'll have plenty of fun soon +with Harry and Sadie.--It must be nearly time to send for the Remsens, +father. + +_Mr. B._ [_vexed_]. Don't speak of them again. They're not coming, and +I don't want them. Why _will_ every one keep talking about them? + +[_Enter_ PATRICK.] + +_Mrs. B._ [_aside to Lucy_]. Mr. Remsen and your father have quarreled +about a piece of land; so the Remsens are not to come this year. + +_Mr. B_. Well, Patrick, what is it? + +_Patrick_. Shure, the horse is ready, sir. + +_Mr. B_. Horse ready? What for? + +_Patrick_. To be goin' for the Rimsins, shure! + +_Mr. B._ [_angrily_]. We are not going for the Remsens! What do you +mean by acting without orders? Take the horse out at once! + +_Patrick_. Widout orthers, is it? An' it's mesilf, thin, that hitched +up the crather every Christmas Ave I've lived wid yous for to go for +them same. + +_Mr. B_. Don't answer, sir; do as I bid you. + +_Patrick_ [_aside_]. It's plain the masther's rin his nose forninst +something harrud. [_Exit._] + +_Mrs. B._ [_going to Mr. B. and putting her arm about him, he +sitting_]. Dear John, send for the Remsens, please. See how everything +conspires to ask it of you, from the prattle of the children to old +Patrick himself. It is Christmas Eve, dear! How can we teach the dear +chicks to be kind to each other unless we set the example? Send for our +old friends, John. They've been with us every Christmas Eve these many +years. You'll settle your affair with Mr. Remsen all the better, +afterward. + +_Mr. B_. Why, Mary, would you have me crawl at the feet of a man who +tries to overreach me? + +_Mrs. B_. No, John! But stand on your own feet, and say: "Come, +neighbor, let us do something better and wiser than hate each other." + +_Mr. B_. I'll not do it. He has-- + +_Lucy_. Hark! What's that? + +[_Music outside--the sound of a harp, or of a concealed piano played +very softly. Then, to its accompaniment, is sung the following carol:_] + + "Be merry all, be merry all! + With holly dress the festive hall, + Prepare the song, the feast, the ball, + To welcome Merry Christmas. + + "And, oh! remember, gentles gay, + To you who bask in fortune's ray + The year is all a holiday:-- + The poor have only Christmas. + + "When you the costly banquet deal + To guests who never famine feel, + Oh spare one morsel from your meal + To cheer the poor at Christmas. + + "So shall each note of mirth appear + More sweet to heaven than praise or prayer, + And angels, in their carols there, + Shall bless the poor at Christmas." + +_Lucy_. Oh, what a beautiful carol! I'll call in the minstrel. + +_Mrs. B_. Yes, run Lucy! [_Exit_ LUCY.] + +_Mr. B_. Set a chair by the fire, Tommy. + +[_Enter_ LUCY, _with old minstrel carrying harp_.] + +_Minstrel_. Good even, gentle folks, and a merry Christmas to you all! + +_Mrs. B_. Come sit by the fire. Tommy placed the chair for you. It is +cold outside. + +_Minstrel_. Thank you kindly, ma'am. So Tommy set the chair for the old +man? Where is Master Tommy? Ah, there's my little man! Come here, +Tommy. That's right. So, up, on my knee. Why, that's a bright face now! +And it ought to be bright, too; for this is Christmas Eve, merry +Christmas Eve, the children's happy time. Tommy, I remember when I was +as young as you are. I had a little sister. + +_Tommy_. I have a little sister, too. + +_Minstrel_. Oh, you have a little sister, eh! Where is she, then? + +_Tommy [pointing]._ Over there, in the corner. + +_Minstrel_. Bless my old eyes, so she is! Run and bring her, Tommy. + +[TOMMY _runs, and returns leading and coaxing_ MAY.] + +_Minstrel_ [_setting one on each knee_]. Now, good folks, if you'll let +me, I'll tell these little people a story of Jesus when he was a little +boy. It is called "The Holy Well." + +[_They group themselves about the minstrel_.] + +Early one bright May morning, Jesus, then a little boy of ten or twelve +years, awoke, and at once remembered that it was a holiday. His eyes, +bright with the morning light, sparkled yet more brightly at the +thought. There would be no school, no work. All the people would keep +the feast. He knew, too, that on that day, the boys of his age would +assemble betimes to play together at The Holy Well. So, brimful of +joyful expectation, he ran to ask his mother's leave to go and join in +the merry games. Soon he was on his way, and he quickened his steps +when he came in sight of the troops of happy children running hither +and thither in their sports. Drawing nearer, he stood still a little +while, watching the games with pleased and eager eyes. Then he called +out: "Little children, shall I play with you, and will you play with +me?" Now, these boys and girls were the children of rich parents, and +lived in much finer houses than the one Jesus had for a home. They had +handsome clothes, too, and everything of the best. So they looked on +the plainly dressed stranger, the son of a poor carpenter, and bade him +begone, saying: "We will not play with you, or with any such as you!" +What a rebuff was that! The poor, sensitive little lad had not expected +it, and his tender feelings were hurt. His eyes filled with tears; and +running home as fast as he could, he laid his head in his mother's lap, +and sobbed out to her the whole story. Then Mary was angry with the +ill-natured children, and told her son to go back and destroy them all +by his word; for she believed that her beautiful boy could do such +things. But, surely, if he could have harbored that thought, he would +not have been beautiful; and so, when his mother spoke, her words drew +away his thoughts from himself to the children who had grieved him. He +knew that they had never really known him, and so could not have +understood what they were doing. Therefore he said to his mother that +he must be helpful and gentle to people, and not destroy them. And that +was the way with him to the very end. For when, years after, the people +(perhaps among them some of those same children grown-up) were putting +him to death on a cross, he bethought him again that they did not +really know him, and prayed: "Father, forgive them; they know not what +they do." And, even before then, he had told all people to love their +enemies, and forgive and be good to one another. If he had not done all +that, Christmas would not be so happy a time for us. + +_Mrs. B._ [_approaching her husband and laying her hand on his +shoulder_]. John, is not he right? + +_Mr. B._ [_who has been lost in thought, starting and abruptly walking +aside_]. He is right! So are they all. [_Turning about_.] Dear wife, +Lucy, Tommy, May, you shall be happy! We'll have the Remsens! I say, +we'll have our dear old friends. Patrick shall harness the horse at +once, and--[_The Minstrel suddenly strips off his disguise and reveals +himself as_ MR. REMSEN.] What! Remsen! Is that you? + +_Mr. R_. No need to harness up, old friend. Here I am! Ah! I knew how +it would be. + +_Tommy_ [_capering about_]. Hi! Hi! Ho! Isn't it great, May? I shall +have Harry to play with. + +_May_ [_clapping_]. And I shall have Sadie. + +_Lucy_. Oh, what a delightful surprise! Oh, Mr. Remsen, I am glad, so +very glad, that you have come. We will send for the others at once. + +_Mr. R_. Why, they're all here, too. You may be sure we all came +together. [_Opening the door._] Come! come in! It's all right, as we +knew it would be. + +[_Enter_ MRS. REMSEN _and her children_, HARRY _and_ SADIE, _who +immediately run to_ TOMMY _and_ MAY.] + +_Mrs. B. [to Mrs. R_.] Welcome, welcome, dear friend! This _is_ kind. + +_Lucy_. Now Christmas Eve is what it ought to be. + +_Mrs. R_. Oh, Mrs. Burton, I am happy again now. I was afraid that +Christmas would not bring love and joy for us this year. We could not +help coming. Old memories were too strong for us. + +_Mr. R. to Mr. B_. Ah! neighbor, it's a sad thing to interrupt that +"peace on earth" of which the angels sung. There's my hand; take it +kindly. + +_Mr. B_. And there's mine, with all my heart. We'll not let a bit of +land divide old friends. + +_Mr. R_. Aye, aye! We'd better divide the land. + +_Mr. B_. It seems easy to settle now. But no more of that to-night. +Come, let us sing our Christmas carol. It will be sweeter than ever. +Take your harp, friend, and turn minstrel again for the occasion. + +[Illustration] + + With wond'ring awe, + Tho wise men saw + The star in Heaven springing, + And with delight + In peaceful night, + They heard the angels singing, + Hosanna, Hosanna + Hosanna to His name! + + By light of star, + They traveled far + To seek the lowly manger; + A humble bed + Wherein was laid + The wondrous little stranger. + Hosanna, hosanna, + Hosanna to His name! + + And still is found, + The world around, + The old and hallowed story; + And still is sung + In every tongue + The angels' song of glory: + Hosanna, hosanna, + Hosanna to His name! + + The heavenly star + Its ray afar + On every land is throwing + And shall not cease + Till holy peace, + In all the earth is glowing. + Hosanna, hosanna, + Hosanna to His name! + + + + +[Illustration] + +JACK-IN-THE-PULPIT. + + +A MERRY CHRISTMAS to you, my darlings! It's cold weather--too cold for +any but a Scribner Jack-in-the-Pulpit to be out-of-doors--but our +hearts are green, and there's a fine bracing air. + +Christmas will not be here when you first get the December magazine, I +know, but ST. NICHOLAS likes to get a good start. He has Dutch blood in +his veins, and he knows well that in Holland St. Nicholas' Day comes on +the 6th of December. + +So, just think of the dear Dutch youngsters, and what a happy holiday +they keep on the 6th,--for that is their season of gift-giving,--and +when the 25th comes to you, with its holy, beautiful light, and its +home joys, you'll be all the more ready to give it welcome. + +Now for + + +A WINDFALL. + +Here is a copy of a printed scrap thrown to me by a high wind the other +day. It isn't of very much use to a Jack-in-the-Pulpit; so I hand it +over to you, my chicks. It strikes me that it has the gist of some of +Deacon Green's remarks, and that somehow it doesn't come under the head +of what is called "pernicious reading": + + "GOOD ADVICE FOR THE YOUNG.--Avoid all boastings and exaggerations, + backbiting, abuse, and evil speaking; slang phrases and oaths in + conversation; depreciate no man's qualities, and accept + hospitalities of the humblest kind in a hearty and appreciative + manner; avoid giving offense, and if you do offend, have the + manliness to apologize; infuse as much elegance as possible into + your thoughts as well as your actions; and, as you avoid + vulgarities, you will increase the enjoyment of life, and grow in + the respect of others." + + +KING ALFRED AND THE CAKES. + +Here is a story which I heard a girl tell her little sister the other +day, but I don't believe the girl told it altogether right. Can any of +my youngsters straighten it out? This is the story: + +King Alfred, after his fatal defeat at Marston Moor, having taken +refuge in an oak-tree, was so absorbed in watching a spider which had +tried to weave its web eleven times and succeeded on the twelfth, that +he allowed the cakes to burn; whereupon, the herdsman's wife, rushing +in, exclaimed: + +"Oh, Diamond! Diamond! what mischief hast thou done?" + +To which he meekly replied: "I cannot tell a lie; I did it with my +little hatchet." + +"Take away," cried she, "that bauble!" + +"I have done my duty, thank heaven!" said he, but he never smiled +again. + + +A LITTLE SCHOOLMA'AM. + + DEAR JACK-IN-THE-PULPIT: I should like to tell the Little + Schoolma'am about _our_ little schoolma'am. + + She is a young lady of about twenty-one years, and looks too + delicate to govern such a school. But she does it; and though as + fond of fun as any of us at the right time, yet in school she + insists on attention to business, and will not tolerate idleness or + disobedience. She is very kind and gentle, but firm and decided, + and we all know that she means what she says, and must be obeyed + implicitly. She says she wants us to love and trust her as a + friend, and we do. Out of school she seems as young as we do, for + she is full of fun and likes us to have a good time. She tries to + make school pleasant to us, and a while ago she put a box on her + desk, and said, when we had any questions to ask, or complaints to + make, we might write them on a slip of paper and put it in that + box, which was locked and had a hole in the top. Sometimes she + answers the questions publicly, and sometimes she writes them and + puts them in the "letter-box." The scholar who has the best record + for a month keeps the key the next month, and once a week opens the + box and distributes the contents. It is quite an honor to be + "postmistress," but no one can have it two months at a time. She + lets us make suggestions if we think of any improvements in the + school, and sometimes adopts them. Another of her plans is to allow + five minutes at the end of each hour when we may whisper, but not + talk out loud. If we wish to speak to any one we can leave our seat + and walk to them, if they are not near to us. But any one who + whispers, or communicates in any way at any other time, forfeits + this chance. I forgot to say that we put notes to each other in the + letter-box. We do like our little schoolma'am so much!--Yours + truly, + + ALLIE BERTRAM. + + +AS IDLE AS A BIRD. + +It is not so very long since I heard a little girl say that she "wished +she could only be as idle as a bird." + +Now, this was not a very lazy sort of wish, if she had but known it. +There are very few little girls, or boys,--or grown-ups either, for the +matter of that,--who are as industrious as the birds. How many people +would be willing to begin their daily labors as early as the birds +begin theirs--at half-past three o'clock in the morning--and keep on +toiling away until after eight in the evening? + +Think of it, my youngsters,--almost eighteen hours of constant work! + +And the birds do it willingly, too; for it is a labor of love to bring +dainty bits to their hungry little ones and keep the home-nest snug and +warm. + +One pair of birds that had been patiently watched from the first to the +last of their long, long day, made no less than four hundred and +seventy-five trips, of about one hundred and fifty yards each, in +search of food for their darling chicks! + +As idle as a bird, indeed!--with all that hunting, and fetching, and +carrying, and feeding to do! + + +"OWN FIRST COUSINS." + +Talking of birds, would you ever have thought it? The lovely and +brilliant Bird of Paradise, I'm told, is "own first cousin" to +the--Crows. And the Crows are not one bit ashamed to own the +relationship! Very condescending of them, isn't it? + + +ORANGE GROVES ON ST. JOHN'S RIVER. + + Ocala, Marion County, Fla., 1877. + + DEAR JACK: I was on the St. John's River at work with my father + about three years ago. There were real wild-orange groves there, + and the trees bore sour and bitter-sweet fruit. I will now tell you + what I was doing on that river. I was pressing out the juice of the + sour oranges and boiling it, for making citric acid. We used a + cider press for pressing out the juice, and a copper cauldron for + boiling it. We shipped the acid to Philadelphia, and I do not know + what was done with it next. + + These groves were inhabited by wild beasts, such as opossums, wild + cats, raccoons, deer, and, occasionally, bears and panthers. + + The groves were situated on high mounds, made ages and ages ago, by + people of an ancient race known as "mound-builders." There were + always shells on the mounds, which in some instances appeared to be + made entirely of shells. Some mounds were fifty feet, or more, + above the surrounding country, and from two hundred to four hundred + yards in length. + + Now, I dare say, you would like me to say of what kind these shells + were; but, as I never could find out for myself, I cannot tell you + what kind they were. They are unlike any that I have seen + elsewhere, and I think they do not belong to any living species of + to-day. Farewell, dear Jack!--Yours truly, + + TROPIC. + + +THE BLIND CLERK. + + DEAR JACK: Ever so many millions of letters are dropped into the + London Post-Office every year, but some are so badly addressed that + they never get out again. When a direction is so ill-written that + the sorters can't make it out, the letter is taken to a man they + call the "Blind Clerk," and he generally deciphers it. Why they + call him "blind" I don't know, for few addresses are beyond the + power of his sharp eyes to make out. Here is one that did not give + him much trouble; but can any of your young folks tell what it + means? + + Sarvingle + Num for te Quins prade + Lunon. + + I'll send you the "blind" man's solution next month. Meantime, here + is a puzzle for your merry crowd. You shall have an answer in that + same postscript; but I should like to have the Little Schoolma'am + and the rest work it out for themselves: + + "I am constrained to plant a grove + To satisfy the girl I love; + And in this grove I must compose + Just nineteen trees in nine straight rows, + And in each row five trees must place, + Or never more behold her face. + + Ye sons of art, lend me your aid + To please this most exacting maid." + + This puzzle is so old that it probably will be new to thousands of + your young folks.--Yours truly, + + M. B. T. + + +BIRDS CAUGHT BY SALT. + +Yes. It's so; though I must say I felt inclined to laugh the first time +I heard one boy tell another to put salt on a bird's tail by way of +catching it. Now, however, word comes, all the way from California, +that there is a lake there, called "Deep Spring Lake," whose waters are +very salt; and that during certain conditions of the weather the +water-fowl of the lake become so encrusted with salt that they cannot +fly, and the Indians wade into the water and simply catch the birds +with their hands. The coating taken from one duck weighed six +pounds,--enough to have drowned it, even if its eyes and bill had not +been so covered as to blind and choke it. When the weather is favorable +for the formation of this crust upon the birds, the Indians do their +best with fires and noise to keep them away from the few fresh-water +streams where the poor things would be safe from the salt. Besides +this, the savages imitate the cries and calls of the birds, so as to +entice them to the dangerous part of the lake. + +It seems to me that men must be very mean as well as very hungry to +take advantage of the birds in that way. However, "circumstances alter +cases," as the school-boy said when he had been "punished for his good" +by mistake. + + +A SPELL UPON KEROSENE. + + Bridgeport, Conn. + + Dear Little Schoolma'am: One would think that the word "kerosene" + could not be a very difficult one for the average inhabitant to + write correctly; but it is. From the New York _Independent_ I learn + that the following versions of the word have actually been received + by the Portland Kerosene Oil Company in its correspondence: + + Caracine, carecane, caroziene, carocine, cursene, carozyne, + coriseen, carosyne, caricien, carsine, caresene, carozine, + carocene, carosean, carycene, caresien, caraseen, caroscene, + crosen, carecene, carizoein, keriscene, karosin, kerocine, + keressean, keriseene, kerasene, kerosen, kereseen, kerison, + kerriseen, kerricene, keroseen, kerosine, karosina, keresene, + kerrsein, keroscene, kerose, kerasseen, kereson kerocene, kerozene, + kerrisene, kerryseen, kerissien, kersien, kerossein, keriscene. + + Now isn't that astonishing?--Yours sincerely, + + MARY N.G. + + +THE EYEBROW WORD. + +What do you think this is? It is neither more nor less than the word +"supercilious," which is derived from _supercilium_, the Latin for +"eyebrow," as I heard the Little Schoolma'am tell the children not long +ago. + +When she had said this, one of the little girls, in a rather scornful, +superior way, said, "I don't see any sense in that." Whereat the Little +Schoolma'am and two or three of the bigger girls laughed, for the +little girl had raised her eyebrow in a most "supercilious" expression, +giving the best possible proof of the appropriateness of the word. For, +certainly, it is hard for one's face to express a supercilious feeling +without raising the eyebrow, or at least changing that part of the +countenance which is over the eyelid. + + +SINCERE. + +Here's one more derivation, while we are about it. I heard the other +day that the bees, with the aid of Latin, have given us a beautiful +word: "Sincere"--which is made of the words _sine-cera_, meaning "honey +without wax." + +Remember this, my chicks, and let your kind words and good actions be +truly sincere,--pure honey, _sine cera_. + + +THE AUTHOR OF "HOME, SWEET HOME." + + Dear Jack: My grandfather knew a gentleman who was a very intimate + friend of the author of "Home, Sweet Home"--John Howard Payne. Mr. + Payne told this gentleman, Mr. C., how he came to write the song. + He said that a play or operetta called "The Maid of Milan," that he + had adapted from the French, was about to be played in London. In + this play was a very pretty scene for which he had an air in his + mind. He had to conjure up some words to suit the tune, and so he + wrote the verses of "Home, Sweet Home." He also said that the very + next day after the song had been brought out at the theater it was + all over London. Everybody was singing it. Grandfather says that + Mr. Payne got really very tired of hearing about this song, and at + length said he supposed he would hereafter be known only as the + author of "Home, Sweet Home." Mr. Robert S. Chilton wrote this + beautiful verse about Mr. Payne's death: + + Sure, when thy gentle spirit fled + To realms beyond the azure dome, + With arms outstretched God's angels said: + "Welcome to heaven's 'Home, Sweet Home!'" + + I believe this verse was inscribed on Mr. Payne's tomb-stone in + Tunis, Africa; but I am not sure. Can any one tell me?--Yours + truly, + + KATIE T.M. + + + + +BABY-BO. + + +[Illustration] + + + How many toes has the tootsy foot? + One, two, three, four, five! + Shut them all up in the little red sock, + Snugger than bees in a hive. + + How many fingers has little wee hand? + Four, and a little wee thumb! + Shut them up under the bed-clothes tight, + For fear Jack Frost should come. + + How many eyes has the Baby Bo? + Two, so shining and bright! + Shut them up under the little white lids, + And kiss them a loving good-night. + + + + +ARTHUR AND HIS PONY. + + +About the middle of the summer, little Arthur, who lived in the +country, went to see his grandmother, whose house was three or four +miles away from Arthur's home. He staid there a week, and when he came +home and had been welcomed by all the family, his father took him out +on the front piazza and said to him: + +"Now, Arthur, if you are not tired, how would you like to take a ride?" + +"Oh! I'm not tired," said Arthur. "I'd like a ride ever so much. Will +you take me?" + +"No," said his father. "I meant for you to take a ride by yourself." + +"But I can't drive," said little Arthur. + +"I know that," his father said, with a smile, "but I think we can +manage it. Here, Joseph!" he called out to the hired man, "hurry and +bring Arthur's horse." + +"Oh, papa!" cried Arthur, "I don't want my horse. I can't take a real +ride on him. He's wooden, and I was tired of him long ago. I thought +you meant for me to take a real ride," and the little fellow's eyes +filled with tears. + +"So I do, my son," said his father, "and here comes the horse on which +you are to take it. Is that animal real enough for you, sir?" + +Around the corner came Joseph, leading a plump little black pony, with +a long tail and mane, and a saddle, and bridle, and stirrups. + +Arthur was so astonished and delighted that at first he could not +speak. + +"Well, what do you think of him?" said his father. + +"Is that my horse?" said Arthur. + +"Yes, all your own." + +Arthur did not go to look at his pony. He turned and ran into the +house, screaming at the top of his voice: + +"Mother! mother! I've got a pony! Come quick! I've got a pony--a real +pony! Aunt Rachel! I've got a pony, Laura! Laura! come, I've got a +pony!" + +When he came out again, his father said: "Come now, get on and try your +new horse. He has been waiting here long enough." + +But Arthur was so excited and delighted, and wanted so much to run +around his pony and look at him on all sides, and kept on telling his +father how glad he was to get it, and how ever so much obliged he was +to him for it, and what a good man he was, and what a lovely pony the +pony was, that his father could hardly get him still enough to sit in +the saddle. + +However, he quieted down after a while, and his father put him on the +pony's back, and shortened the stirrups so that they should be the +right length for him, and put the reins in his hands. Now he was all +ready for a ride, and Arthur wanted to gallop away. + +"No, no!" said his father, "you cannot do that. You do not know how to +ride yet. At first your pony must walk." + +So Arthur's father took hold of the pony's bridle and led him along the +carriage-way in front of the house, and as the little boy rode off, +sitting up straight in the saddle, and holding proudly to the reins, +his mother and his aunt and his sister Laura clapped their hands, and +cheered him; and this made Arthur feel prouder than ever. + +He had a good long ride, up and down, and up and down, and the next day +his father took him out again, and taught him how to sit and how to +guide his pony. + +In a week or two Arthur could ride by himself, even when the pony was +trotting gently; and before long he rode all over the grounds, trotting +or cantering or walking, just as he pleased. + +The pony was a very gentle, quiet creature, and Arthur's father felt +quite willing to trust his little boy to ride about on him, provided he +did not go far from home. + +Only once was there any trouble on the pony's account. As Arthur was +riding in a field, one afternoon, there came along a party of +gentlemen, who were hunting a fox. When they galloped away, over the +smooth grass, Arthur whipped up his pony, and went after them as fast +as he could go. + +He went on and on, trying to keep up with the hunters, but he was soon +left behind, for his pony could not gallop half as fast as the large, +strong horses of the hunters. + +Then he turned to come back, but he got into the wrong field, and soon +found that he did not know the way home. + +Arthur began to be very much frightened, for the sun was setting, and +he could see no one of whom he could ask his way home. He first turned +his pony this way and then that way, but the little horse was now +hungry and tired, and he would not turn as Arthur wanted him to. + +Then the pony resolutely started off and trotted along, paying no +attention to Arthur's pulls and tugs, and did not stop until he had +trotted right up to the door of Arthur's home. + +You see, he knew the way well enough. Horses and dogs seldom lose +their way, unless they are very far from home. + +Arthur's parents were frightened at their little boy's long absence, +and he was not allowed to ride again for three days, for he had been +told not to go out of the field in which he was when he saw the +hunters. + +[Illustration: ARTHUR ON HIS PONY.] + +Arthur rode that pony until he became quite a big boy, and his feet +nearly touched the ground as he sat in the saddle. Then he gave the +good little animal to a young cousin. + +But he never liked any horse so much as this pony, which was his own, +real horse, when he was such a little boy. + + + + +YOUNG CONTRIBUTORS' DEPARTMENT. + + +[Illustration: TWO YOUNG MARTYRS. +(Drawn by a Young-Contributor.)] + + +"TOO-LOO!" + + The Blue Jay courted the Yellow Cuckoo; + 'Neath its nest he would stay all day long, + Smoothing his feathers of silver and blue, + Telling his love in a song: + "Too-loo! too-loo! + Oh, fly with me, + My sweet Cuckoo, + Across the sea!" + + The Cuckoo came gayly forth from her nest; + But just then an arrow flew by, + Piercing the bird's soft yellow breast, + Who died with a single sigh. + "Too-loo! too-loo!" + The Blue Jay said; + "What shall I do? + My love is dead!" + + The Cuckoo lay cold and still on the ground-- + Dead, past all help to save; + And by a Bird-defender was found, + Who dug her a little grave. + "Too-loo! too-loo!" + Was the sorrowful lay, + For the gentle Cuckoo + Sung by the Jay. + +AMY R. + + +"MARY AND HER LAMB." + +(_A Critique._) + + "Mary had a little lamb." + +In this poem each stanza, we may say each line, is unalloyed gold. Let +us examine the first line. + +"Mary." The name strikes us at once as belonging to one pure as the +inside of an apple-bloom; and the rest of the poem assures us, that by +making Mary's name an index to Mary's character, we have not been +misled. A master's hand is visible from the first word. + +"A little lamb." The poet does not take for granted, as one of less +genius would, that because a lamb is mentioned the reader necessarily +sees in his mind's eye one of the frolicsome, gentle, confiding +creatures commonly accepted as an emblem of meekness. Not at all. The +lamb is not only a lamb--it is a _little_ lamb. Thus never in the whole +course of the poem can we by any oversight look upon Mary's treasure as +a sheep; it retains its infantile sweetness and grace through the +entire narration. The poet thus draws our attention to the youth of the +animal, in order to palliate the little creature's after-guilt. This is +done with such grace and delicacy, that it is scarcely perceptible. + +The line, as a whole, shows a touch of high art seldom seen in so short +a poem. The writer knows human nature--that, we see at a glance. Else, +would he not have entered into a detailed account of Mary's parentage, +her appearance, place of residence, or, at least, the manner in which +she became possessed of the lamb. But no; all is left to the +imagination. Mary may be as blonde as the "Fair one with golden locks," +as dark as "Black Agnes." Each reader has a heroine after his own +heart, and each is satisfied. + + "Its fleece was white as snow." + +No black sheep (or lamb) could we in any way imagine as a companion of +Mary--gentle, affectionate, pure little Mary. All her associates must +be pure as herself. + + "And everywhere that Mary went + The lamb was sure to go." + +Does not this suit the character given to Mary by her name? We can +image to ourselves the lost lamb, the mournful bleating for its mother, +its hunger and cold. In the depth of its misery we see Mary's sweet +face bending pityingly over it; she raises it, takes it home, it +revives, and loves her; she loves it in return. Can we wonder that it +follows in her footsteps wherever she goes? Those two lines tell more +than many a volume; but they must be read feelingly, or all is lost. + +Now follows a tale of wrong-doing and of subsequent punishment. This +is, indeed, a master-stroke; for this climax we were not prepared. + + "It followed her to school one day, + Which was against the rule." + +Although the lamb follows its mistress everywhere, school is a tabooed +place. Yet the little creature cannot live without Mary, who has +departed fair and fresh as Overbury's "Happy Milkmaid." Long are the +hours that must elapse ere Mary's return, and the lamb tires of the +waiting. "It followed her to school one day." How innocent an act that +seems!--how natural! Then we read the next line,--"Which was against +the rule," and the lamb's action is turned from innocence to guilt. +Mary's favorite, that we have seen heretofore in only a good light, +violates deliberately a rule of the school which Mary attends. The +short sight of the animal's spiritual eyes prevents it from knowing the +extent of the disgrace to which it is to be subjected. At present the +end justifies the means in its little heart, and it leaves its pleasant +home to wander schoolward, and we are left to imagine its thoughts on +the way. + +A scene in the school-house bursts upon us, and + + "It makes the children laugh and play + To see a lamb at school." + +This is another instance in which we are shown the poet's knowledge of +human nature. At anything less than the sight of a lamb the little +scholars are too well trained to laugh. This has no precedent. They +have been told how to behave should a dog enter the room, or should a +ludicrous error in lessons occur; but when a lamb trots soberly +in,--not gamboling now; conscience already whispers; remorse eats at +the little creature's peace of mind,--it is not to be expected that +order can be longer maintained, and the school, with the exception of +Mary, runs riot. Mary is perhaps, meanwhile, reproaching her pet with a +look "more in sorrow than in anger;" she is too gentle to scold, but +that glance completely fills the lamb's cup of sorrow; it is yet to +overrun, and the drop is soon poured in--the deep beneath "the lowest +deep" is soon reached. + + "For this the teacher turned him out." + +It was his duty, reader; judge him not harshly. + + "But still he lingered near." + +This, at least, was not forbidden,--to wait for his little mistress. + + "And waited patiently about + Till Mary did appear." + +How fraught with significance is that one word, "patiently!" All too +eager before, that was the lamb's fault, "and grievously hath [he] +answered it." He has turned over a new leaf, and wandering aimlessly +about, now nibbling a cowslip, now rolling in the young grass to still +the remorse gnawing at his heart, we can imagine him resolving to be a +better lamb in the future,--to grow more worthy Mary's love. + + "'What makes the lamb love Mary so?' + The eager children cry." + +All have noticed this devotion--all wonder at it. The teacher answers +in words that prove how well we read Mary's affectionate nature: + + "'Why, Mary loves the lamb, you know,' + The teacher did reply." + +What could be a more worthy ending to so fine a poem than that the +loves of the two, human and brute, should be recognized by all Mary's +little world, her school-mates and her teacher. More poems like this, +sentiments so pure clad in plain Saxon words, would make our +world--wonderful and beautiful, as it now is--a fitter place of +dwelling for "men and the children of men." We regret but one point +about this gem,--that its author is "A Great Unknown." + +C. McK. + + +THE DEATH OF PRINCE WILLIAM. + + There was a prince named William, + And he had a sister, too; + He was sailing o'er the English Channel, + Over the Channel so blue. + + His father had gone ahead; + And he made the boat go fast, + But soon it struck upon a rock; + There was a shock to the very mast! + + And everybody did wail, + And everybody did cry, + Because everybody thought + That everybody must die! + + Prince William rushed into a boat,-- + Several lords and he,-- + And he was steering for the land, + Across the dark blue sea. + + In the midst of the general weeping, + He heard his sister's cry, + And he made the boat go back, + For he would not let her die! + + When he got near the ship, + When he was touching her side, + Down the side of the big ship + Everybody did glide. + + Down went the little boat, + Too frail for such a load; + Down went the people in it, + And the people that rowed. + + Down went the big ship, + Her topmast in the air, + And, if a person were near enough, + He might see a man clinging there. + + The name of this man was Berold, + And he was a butcher by trade, + And by the help of a buff garment + On the top of the water he stayed. + + In the morning some fishermen came + And delivered him from the mast; + And after he was recovered, + His tale he told at last. + + When the king heard of the death of his children, + He fainted away for a while, + And from that day he was never, + Never was seen to smile! + +H.W. + + +ALLIE'S SUNSHINE. + +"A snowy, windy day. Oh, how dismal!" sighed Allie. "I wish it would +clear off, so that I could go out-doors and play." + +With this, Allie, who had been standing by the window gazing out at the +gray sky, sat down and commenced to read that beautiful book, "May +Stanhope." After reading quietly for more than an hour, she laid down +the book, exclaiming: "I _can_ and will try to be of some use in the +world. I do nothing but mope when it rains, or when anything goes +wrong. I will try to help others who need my help. I will ask mamma if +I can carry something to Miss Davies. I am sure she needs some help." + +"Oh, the sun is shining!" Allie jumped up, and ran out of the room to +ask her mother if she would let her go to Miss Davies's. While she is +gone I will tell you briefly who she is. Her name is Allie Harris, and +she is a bright little girl, only apt to be dull on dark days. + +Her mother gave the desired permission, and after wrapping herself up +warmly, she took the well-filled basket that her mother had prepared, +and set out on her errand of mercy. She soon reached Miss Davies's tiny +cottage. She knocked, and a cheery voice bade her enter. She walked +into a neat room, barely but cleanly furnished. At one end of it, +beside a window, around which an ivy was growing, sat a bright-faced +little woman sewing. She looked up and greeted Allie pleasantly. Allie +shyly made known her errand, and stayed with Miss Davies all the +afternoon, singing and reading aloud while Miss Davies sewed. + +When it began to grow dark she bade Miss Davies a cheerful good-by, and +went merrily home. She said to her mother, "I have learned the _true_ +secret of happiness at last." By doing _good_ to others you will forget +your _own_ unhappiness, and be made happy in return; while, if you +_mope_ and try to be disagreeable, you will be miserable. + +F.H. + + +[Illustration: "H'M! DOES YOUR MOTHER KNOW YOU'RE OUT?" +(Drawn by a Young Contributor.)] + + + + +THE LETTER BOX + + +Our beautiful new cover was designed and drawn by Walter Crane, of +London, who made all those lovely pictures in "The Baby's Opera." Our +readers will remember what we said of him last month, and that, though +a great artist in other ways also, he has done his best and most famous +work in drawing for the little folks. It would have been impossible, +therefore, to find a hand more skillful in the kind of art desired, or +better fitted to put upon the cover of ST. NICHOLAS just the things to +suit the best tastes and fancies; and of Mr. Crane's success we think +that no one who really studies the new cover can have a doubt. It seems +to us fully worthy both of the artist and the magazine; and, believing +that our young readers will all agree with us, we leave them the +delight of discovering and enjoying for themselves its special +beauties. + + + * * * * * + + +There is a beautiful custom in England--which is to be hoped will yet +become general in America--of sending around Christmas cards, dainty +things with lovely pictures and hearty verses upon them. Friends and +lovers send them to one another, children send them to their parents, +parents to their children, and the postman, as he flies from house to +house, fairly glows with loving messages. + +And now ST. NICHOLAS presents to one and all the sweet little card on +page 91, which was drawn by Miss L. Greenaway, a London artist, who has +drawn many beautiful pictures of child-life. A companion card will be +given next month. + + + * * * * * + + +We are sure all our readers will appreciate the very comical pictures +on pages 144 and 145, which illustrate the funny story of "The Magician +and His Bee." But some of our older boys and girls may be able to put +them to another use,--which, also, would cause much fun and +merriment,--for these pictures would form an admirable series of +magic-lantern slides. And all that is needed to make them is a little +skill with the brush and--patience. + +Take an _outline_ tracing of each figure; arrange all the tracings for +each slide on the glass strip, according to their positions in the +picture; then, by a slight touch of mucilage, or by holding each one +with the forefinger, secure them in their places until the outlines can +be traced on the glass. Fill up all the space outside the tracings with +black paint, and, this done, put in the shadings of the figures (lines +of features, costumes, etc.) with touches of the brush, according to +the lines in the printed pictures, until the reproductions upon the +slide are true and complete. + +Once done, the pictures, enlarged and thrown upon a screen, would be +very funny indeed; and if, when they are exhibited, some one will read +the story aloud, so as to describe the slides as they succeed each +other, you may count upon having a jolly time. + + + * * * * * + + + Kiukiang, China, August 18, 1877. + + Dear St. Nicholas: I am not so far out of the world but that I can + receive and read your excellent magazine. I look forward to mail + day with much pleasure, especially the mail which brings the ST. + NICHOLAS. I read every number through. I enjoy reading the letters + from the little boys and girls, I suppose, because I am a little + boy myself. There are no American boys here except my three little + brothers. We would like to have a play with some of the boys who + write for your magazine. The little boys of China have no such + magazine as yours. I wish they had; it would make better boys of + them. The children of the better class of Chinese go to school. + There they learn to commit to memory the Chinese characters. In + repeating the characters, they sway back and forth; it's real + comical to see them. They repeat in a sing-song tone. They go to + school at six in the morning. They have a rest at noon, after which + they remain in the evening until eight o'clock. They have no idea + of what we have in America; they are even stupid enough to ask if + we have a sun and moon, and all such questions. My home is on the + banks of the great river Yang-tse; nine miles back from the river + are the Lu-Say Mountains, five thousand feet high. The foreign + people find it very cool up in the mountains. There are several + large pools of water where they bathe. I have written more than I + expected to. + + --Good-by, dear ST. NICHOLAS, from your reader, + + EVANSTON HART. + + + * * * * * + + +Readers who were interested in Professor Proctor's letter about the +Sea-Serpent in ST. NICHOLAS for August last, may like to read also +these little extracts on the same subject: + +_From the New York "Independent."_ + +A sea-monster was seen by the officers of H.M.S. "Osborne," on June 2, +off the coast of Sicily, which is sketched by Lieut. Haynes and figured +in the London _Graphic_. The first sketch is merely of a long row of +fins just appearing above the water, of irregular height, and +extending, says Lieutenant Osborne, from thirty to forty feet in +length. The other sketch is of the creature as seen "end on," and shows +only the head, which was "bullet-shaped and quite six feet thick," and +a couple of flappers, one on each side. The creature was, says +Lieutenant Osborne, at least fifteen or twenty feet wide across the +back, and "from the top of the head to the part of the back where it +became immersed I should consider about fifty feet, and that seemed +about a third of its whole length." Thus it is certainly much longer +than any fish hitherto known to the zooelogists, and is, at least, as +remarkable a creature as most of the old wonder-makers ever alleged. + +_From the "National Teachers' Monthly," September_. + +Mr. John Kieller Webster says he has seen the sea-serpent in the +Straits of Malacca. Its body was fifty feet in length, the head twelve +feet, and the tail one hundred and fifty. It seemed to be a huge +salamander. The Chinese on board the ship were so frightened, they set +up a howl,--a circumstance very remarkable. + + + * * * * * + + +THE GAME OF FAGOT-GATHERING. + +There is a jolly in-door game, for the winter, called +"Fagot-Gathering," which has been described in print before, but it +makes so much fun that many who have never heard of it will be glad if +we tell about it here. + +First you take some slips of paper,--as many as there are players,--and +on one of them you write "Fagot-Gatherer;" on each of the rest you +write either "good wood" or "snapper," making three times as many "good +woods" as "snappers." Of course, anybody who knows about wood-fires +will see that this is because some sticks will burn quietly and +brightly while others will crack and snap and fly without the least +warning. You put the papers into a hat, and each player takes one, +telling nobody what is written on it. Every one then sits as near to +the wall as possible, leaving a clear space in the middle of the room, +and the player who has chosen the "Fagot-Gatherer" slip proceeds in a +serious, business-like way to bundle the fagots. He, or she, chooses +four or five girls and boys, standing them together to represent a +fagot, and then makes similar groups of the rest in other parts of the +room. This done, he begins to "bind the fagots" by walking slowly +around each group, making with his arms such motions as a real +fagot-binder would make. The "sticks" are quiet until the binder lets +his arms fall, but then comes a sudden change; the "good woods" run to +their seats, but the "snappers" chase the "binder" and try to touch him +before he can begin to bind another "fagot;" failing in this, they have +to go and mourn among the "good woods." Then the binding of the second +"fagot" goes on, like that of the first. But when a "fagot-gatherer" is +touched, the "snapper" takes the place of the "gatherer," who goes and +rests himself. The game ends when all the "fagots" have been used up in +this way, and is then begun again by another selection of papers from +the hat. The fun is in the frights and surprises of the +"fagot-gatherer," who, of course, does not know who is a "good wood" +and who a "snapper;" and all do their best to avoid betraying +themselves. If you have a good big room and lots of players you will +find this game as full of fun as you can wish. + + + * * * * * + + + Philadelphia, September 16, 1877. + + Dear ST. NICHOLAS: I was looking over your September number, and + happened to read a letter addressed to the "Little Schoolma'am," + and signed "Father of two school-girls;" it was about school + lunches, and told of a visit to the new Normal school of + Philadelphia; he said that in the lunch hall there is a long table + on which there was nothing but cakes of all sorts. Now, being a + member of the school, I was a little hurt at the injustice done to + our school. I know there is something else but cake,--fruit, milk, + soup, sandwiches, etc., being among the other things that are + spread on the lunch-table, provided by the janitor, and sold to the + girls at very low rates. So you see I had reason to be a little + indignant at the discredit done to our school, and set about + repairing it as far as possible; and you, too, can help repair the + harm done to this fine public school by kindly printing this note. + But I must close, for my letter is getting too long. + + --Your true friend, + + A MEMBER OF THE MODEL CLASSES PRIMARY DEPARTMENT. (Aged eleven + years.) + + + * * * * * + + +SCIENCE AT HOME. + + Brooklyn. + + DEAR ST. NICHOLAS: I am an old boy, but not too old to be one of + your most delighted readers; and I am glad of the present chance to + send you my good wishes, and say my say. Here it is: + + Be sure and tell your youngsters to bear in mind that opportunities + for home study on their own accounts are multiplying around them + day by day, and that in taking advantage of them they will not only + find great enjoyment and add to their stock of knowledge, but also + will come upon hundreds of ways in which to amuse their friends, + both old and young. + + Here, for instance, come Professor Mayer, and your frequent + contributor, Mr. Charles Barnard, with a little book about "Light." + They are not content with merely telling the dry facts about their + subject, but, with pictures and plain speech, they explain how + almost any boy or girl may, at small cost, make his or her own + apparatus, and with it verify by actual trial what the book says. + Some of the experiments are positively beautiful, and the hardest + is not _very_ difficult. + + Then, too, Professor Tyndall has written out his lectures to young + people, given before the Royal Institution at London during + 1875-76, in a little work called "Lessons in Electricity,"--most + interesting and beautiful of scientific studies,--in which he tells + how to make the instruments and conduct the experiments yourself. + And, as if that were not enough, Mr. Curt W. Meyer, of the Bible + House, New York, has arranged to supply a complete set of + instruments, to suit this book of Professor Tyndall's, at a total + cost of $55, packing-case and all; the various articles being + obtainable separately at proportionate prices. + + I only wish we had had such chances fifty years ago; for, if our + older friends had not made presents of such things to us,--as no + doubt many oldsters will to your young folks this coming + Christmas,--we'd have saved up our pocket money and gone ahead + alone. I know that I made all my own electrical apparatus; but + there was good fun in doing it, and it worked well, and made + splendid times for our circle of young folks on cozy winter + evenings. + + I hope you will read this letter through, although it is as long as + most old men's memories.--Yours still affectionately, + + GRAN'THER HORTON. + + + * * * * * + + + Jamaica, L.I. + + DEAR ST. NICHOLAS: I read Jack-in-the-Pulpit's inquiry in the + August number about the "Fiery Tears of St. Lawrence." Yesterday I + was reading a book, and in it there was an article headed "Showers + of Stars." I read it, and at the end of it was a piece which seemed + to be an answer to Jack's question. I copied word for word from the + book. Here it is: + + "Another writer suggests the theory that a stream or group of + innumerable bodies, comparatively small, but of various dimensions, + is sweeping around the solar focus in an orbit, which periodically + cuts the orbit of the earth, thus explaining the actual cause of + shooting stars, aerolites, and meteoric showers." + + This is all I have been able to find out, and I hope it is + correct.--Believe me to be yours very truly, + + C.A.R. + +C.A.R., and others who wish to know more of this subject, will find all +the latest information in "Appleton's Cyclopaedia," under the items +"Aerolite" and "Meteor," where admirably clear and condensed accounts +are given of all that is known about these bodies. C.A.R.'s extract +states the theory most generally held. + + + * * * * * + + +TABLEAUX FROM ST. NICHOLAS PICTURES. + + Brooklyn, November, 1877. + + DEAR OLD ST. NICHOLAS: My little sisters and my brother love you, + and so do I, for your monthly visits make our house brighter and + pleasanter to us all. I am fifteen, not yet too old to be one of + your children, you see. + + What I want to tell you is how easily some of your pictures can be + turned into _tableaux-vivants,_ or even acted. There was + "Pattikin's House;" I am sure we had the greatest fun with those + pictures, we being so many girls: and "The man all tattered and + torn that married the maiden all forlorn;" that was on p. 652 of + the volume for 1876: "The Minuet," in January, 1877: "Hagar in the + Desert," in June, 1877; my aunty did that, and it was lovely: the + little girl in "The Owl That Stared," in November, 1876; and + "Leap-Year," in the same number. All these we had at our own home, + but there are lots of others that might suit some folks better than + they would suit us. + + This winter some of your pictures will be used in a series of grand + tableaux for our Sunday-school entertainments. A number of people + belonging to the school can paint scenes, get up costumes, and all + that. It is going to be splendid. + + I thought that your other children, you dear old ST. NICHOLAS, + would surely like to know about this, and I hope I have not made my + letter too long. From yours lovingly, + + MINA B.H. + + + * * * * * + + +MARY C. WARREN answered correctly all the puzzles in the October +"Riddle-Box," but her answers came too late for acknowledgment in the +November number. + + + * * * * * + + + Black Oak Ridge, Passaic County, N.J. + + MRS. EDITOR: Excuse me writing to you, but I want to ask you if you + think it is right to be killing cats all the time, for my brother + Eddie has killed fifteen this year, and whenever I scold him about + it, he begins to sing pilly willy winkum bang dow diddle ee ing + ding poo poo fordy, pilly willy winkum bang. There, there he stands + now behind the barn with his hands full of lumps of coal watching + for one that killed his chicken a month ago. O dear, if he would + only stop killing cats what a good boy he would be! He always gives + me half of his candy, and he raises such nice melons in his garden. + O, O, as true as I live there he goes now after the poor cat. Good, + good, good--neither piece of coal hit her. What can I do to stop + his bad habit. I think it is too bad even if they do kill his + chicks once in a while. I have only got two cats left, Dick and + Mizy, and he watches them awful close.--Your friend, + + KATIE BAKER. + + + * * * * * + + + New York. + + DEAR ST NICHOLAS: I want to send this story to The letter box that + I wrote when I was 6 years old this is it + + LITTLE MAY + + Once upon a time there lived a little girl whose father and mother + were very rich, so the little girl had lovely dresses, but she had + a very bad temper and was very proud so nobody loved her. One day + this little girl I might as well tell you her name it was May was + sitting in her mothers lap Mama said she what makes everybody act + so to me? Dear said her mother it is because you are so proud and + get angry so easily then said May if I should try to be good would + they like me Yes said her mother so after that May was a better + child and every body liked her even her mother loved her better + than before and so did her father and after that the little girl + was no more saying Oh dear nobody loves me but lived happy and + contented. + + ELISE L. LATHROP. + + + * * * * * + + + Geneva, N.Y. + + DEAR ST. NICHOLAS: I notice in a chapter of "His Own Master" for + September a mistake which I can correct. In describing the + Cincinnati suspension bridge, it says that trains go across on it. + This is a mistake, as that bridge is only used for carriages, + horse-cars and pedestrians, the steam-cars going across on another + bridge above. There is now building a new railroad bridge below for + the new Southern Railroad.--Yours respectfully, + + W.S.N. + + + * * * * * + + + San Leandro, Cal., Sept. 3, 1877. + + DEAR ST. NICHOLAS: I tried the Little Schoolma'am's way of pressing + flowers, and I think it is ever so nice. I pressed a wall-flower; + it retained all its brightness and looked just like a fresh flower. + Last spring we discovered a humming-bird's nest in one of the trees + in our orchard. It was very pretty, being no larger than half of a + hen's egg. The first time I saw it the little mother was on it; she + sat as still as a stone, and looked as if she would not budge an + inch for me or anybody else. I am always very glad when the ST. + NICHOLAS comes.--Your affectionate little reader, + + SUSIE R. IRWIN. + + + * * * * * + + + Princeton, N.J. + + DEAR ST. NICHOLAS: I would like to tell you of the interesting + expedition I made last August to the college observatory here for + the purpose of seeing the three planets, Jupiter, Mars and Saturn. + Through the telescope we were shown Mars burning with a ruddy glow, + and having on the rim of one side a bright white spot, which the + professor told us was the ice piled up around the north pole; + Saturn with its rings, seen with wonderful clearness, and shining + pale and far off in comparison with Mars; Jupiter with its two dark + bands around the center, and three of its satellites plainly + visible; and, last, the moon with its curiously indented surface + and ragged edge. The telescope was small, so we could not, of + course, see the newly discovered satellites of Mars, the professor + saying that there were only two instruments in this country that + would show them. Hoping that you may have as good an opportunity to + see these splendid heavenly bodies as I have had, I remain, your + friend, + + B.H.S. + + + + +NOTICES OF NEW BOOKS. + + +BABY DAYS, a selection of Songs, Stories and Pictures for Very Little +Folks, with an introduction by the Editor of ST. NICHOLAS, and 300 +illustrations. Scribner & Co.--This large and very handsome book has +been made up from ST. NICHOLAS, and nearly all from the pages devoted +to the "Very Little Folks," and although the readers of this magazine +know that there have been many good things in that department, they can +have no idea, until they see it gathered together in this book, what a +wealth of pictures, stories, funny little poems and jingles have been +offered the little ones in ST. NICHOLAS. To children who have never +read ST. NICHOLAS, this book, with its three hundred pictures,--to say +nothing of its other contents,--will be a revelation; to children who +take the magazine, it will bring up many pleasant recollections of good +things they have enjoyed. + + +ABOUT OLD STORY-TELLERS--of How and When they Lived, and what Stories +they Told. By Donald G. Mitchell. Published by Scribner, Armstrong & +Co.--When any one comes late to dinner nothing can be kinder than to +bring back for him some of the good things which may have been removed +before his arrival,--and something very like this has here been done by +Mr. Mitchell for the boys and girls who came into this world too late +to hear in their original freshness all the good stories that were the +delight of their fathers and mothers when they were children. And these +fine old stories are all so nicely warmed up (if we may so express it) +by the author of the book, and so daintily and attractively presented +to our boys and girls, that some older folks may be in doubt whether or +not they would have lost anything in this respect if they, too, had +happened to come a little late to the feast furnished by Defoe, Dean +Swift, Miss Edgeworth, Oliver Goldsmith, the man who wrote the "Arabian +Nights," and other good old story-tellers. + + +Our little housekeepers, especially those who have put into practice +Marion Harland's admirable recipes which we gave in our third and +fourth volumes, will be delighted with a little book published by +Jansen, McClurg & Co., of Chicago. It is called SIX LITTLE COOKS; or, +Aunt Jane's Cooking-Class,--and, while it is really an interesting +narrative in itself, it delightfully teaches girls just how to follow +practically its many recipes. The only fault we have to find with it is +the great preponderance of cakes and pastry and sweets over healthful +dishes and the more solid kinds of cookery. + + +A very pleasant little book is THE WINGS OF COURAGE, adapted from the +French for American boys and girls by Marie E. Field, and published by +the Putnams. The three stories which make up the book will delight +fairy-loving boys and girls. They are illustrated by Mrs. Lucy G. +Morse, the author of "The Ash-Girl," well known to ST. NICHOLAS +readers. The pictures all are pretty, but to our mind the best of all +is "Margot and Neva," illustrating "Queen Coax." + + +BETTY AND HER COUSIN HARRY. By Miss Sarah E. Chester. American Tract +Society, N.Y. Price, $1; postage, 7 cents.--This book tells in a +bright and lively way about the pranks of a merry little girl and her +boy-cousin. There is plenty of good fun and goodwill throughout, +especially in the parts that tell of the doings of the two young +madcaps on April Fools' Day and the Fourth of July, and of the queer +way in which Toby, the pet crow, becomes peace-maker between them. + + +THE BODLEYS TELLING STORIES. Hurd & Houghton.--None of our young +friends who have read "The Doings of the Bodley Family" will need to be +told that this new volume is filled with stories bright, interesting, +and helpful; and the Bodley folks have already gained so many friends +and admirers that the book will be sure to make its way. We said of the +former volume that it was charming, but the new one is even more +exquisitely printed, and has a cover even more quaint and beautiful. So +we cordially commend it to our young friends as a book which will both +satisfy their interest and benefit their tastes. + + +THE CHRISTMAS STORY-TELLER, published by Scribner, Welford & Armstrong, +is a well-illustrated collection of excellent Christmas stories by +English writers. It is meant for papas and mammas rather than little +folks, but some of our older boys and girls may enjoy the Christmas +tales by such authors as Mark Lemon, Edmund Yates, Tom Hood, Shirley +Brooks, and that very funny man, F.C. Burnand. + + + + +THE RIDDLE-BOX + + +A CHESS PUZZLE. + + +Our readers will here find a "knight's move" problem, similar to the +one published in the "Riddle-Box" of ST. NICHOLAS for February, 1874. +By beginning at the right word and going from square to square as a +knight moves, you will find an eight-line quotation from an old poet. +The verse is quoted in one of "Elia's Essays." M. + ++--------+--------+--------+--------+--------+--------+--------+--------+ +| | | | | | | | | +| And | you, | ding | close | your | bond- | me | cir- | +| | | | | | | | | ++--------+--------+--------+--------+--------+--------+--------+--------+ +| | | | | | | | | +| gad- | me | oh | age | chain | your | I | en | +| | | | | | | | | ++--------+--------+--------+--------+--------+--------+--------+--------+ +| | | | | | | | | +| O | vines; | Do |through | so | silk- | cles | too, | +| | | | | | | | | ++--------+--------+--------+--------+--------+--------+--------+--------+ +| | | | | | | | | +| nail | ye | lest | bles, | break, | Ere | me | That | +| | | | | | | | | ++--------+--------+--------+--------+--------+--------+--------+--------+ +| | | | | | | | | +| your | bram- | ars, | in | Bind | knee, | And, | weak, | +| | | | | | | | | ++--------+--------+--------+--------+--------+--------+--------+--------+ +| | | | | | | | | +| bout, | But, | me | ver | prove | bines, | I | ye | +| | | | | | | | | ++--------+--------+--------+--------+--------+--------+--------+--------+ +| | | | | | | | | +| Curl | fet- | this | bri- | your | ne- | too | cour- | +| | | | | | | | | ++--------+--------+--------+--------+--------+--------+--------+--------+ +| | | | | | | | | +| place; | a- |twines; | ters | leave | teous | wood- | may | +| | | | | | | | | ++--------+--------+--------+--------+--------+--------+--------+--------+ + + +EASY NUMERICAL ENIGMA. + +The whole, composed of six letters, is a New England city. The 1 is a +numeral. The 1 2 is a word signifying "Behold!" The 1 2 3 is cheap. The +2 3 4 is to be indebted. The 3 4 is a pronoun. The 3 4 5 6 is a +cistern. The 4 5 6 is a measure. + +C.D. + + +A PLEA FOR SANTA CLAUS. + +By taking one letter from each line of this verse, you will find an +acrostic which spells a holiday greeting. The letters, too, are in a +straight line with one another--but what letters shall be taken? + + Coming with merry feet to young and old, + Where snow and ice would block his onward way; + Strive they in vain his eager step to stay, + For Santa Claus is curious as bold. + Why should he _not_ know what the ovens hold? + Such odors tempt him, and he must obey! + School-boys and matrons, grandsires, maidens gay, + Forgive him if he warm his fingers cold + While waiting: Arrows from his mystic pack-- + Wise fellow! see him choose! "_These_ (from _my_ bows), + With shaft of silver, tipped with jewel rare, + Aimed with the skill which Love can well impart, + Shall strike the center of the coyest heart! + Lest Santa Claus be slighted, then, beware!" + +B. + + +BROKEN WORDS. + +In each sentence, fill the first two blanks with two words which, +joined together, will form a word to fill the remaining blank. + +1. "Do you buy paper ---- ---- or reams?" ---- one school-girl of + another. +2. ---- ---- Puritans do not regard it as you free ---- men might. +3. He built ---- ---- when in ----, and lived like the natives + themselves. + +B. + + +PICTORIAL QUADRUPLE-ACROSTIC. + +The initials and finals of the words represented by the small pictures +name two objects to be seen in the central picture. Two other words +relating to the central picture may also be found in succession, by +taking one letter from each of the words represented by the small +pictures. + +L.J. + + +[Illustration] + + +CHRISTMAS ENIGMA. + +The answer is a proverb relating to Christmas. Forty-four letters. +My 2 30 9 8 24 38 15 22 32 27, and also 25 20 11 38 31 25, and +6 13 17 35 25 9 18 29 2 are used in Christmas decorations. +36 1 26 42 9 16 are rung, 44 41 7 38 39 31 16 are told, 24 4 6 2 12 +are played, 10 11 33 26 21 2 5 12 is laid aside, 19 9 43 38 35 37 16 +are brightened by yule logs, 34 23 14 11 20 25 salutations are +exchanged, 28 22 4 8 35 44 gladdened, and 3 7 11 38 27 winged, all +at the good old Christmas-time. + +B. + + +AUTHORS' NAMES. + +The answers will give respectively the names of sixteen authors. + +1. A cat's cry and a Scotch lake. 2. The value of the rim 3. A rough or +clumsy cut between a sunbeam and the old ladies' beverage. 4. A man's +name and an island. 5. A teacher commanding one of his male scholars to +perform his task. 6. A bun and a hotel. 7. A light, and a "k," and a +measure of length. 8. Strong and well. + + 9. Two-thirds of an eye; a Scotch title prefixed; + With a shoe-maker's tool nicely put in betwixt: + If you look at it closely, I think you will find + An essayist, poet, historian, combined. + +10. Conqueror, embrace O. 11. Indispensable to printers, and a little +bed. 12. A bit, and a horse's cry. 13. A small nail and a Spanish +title. 14. A boy's nickname and an humble dwelling. 15. The patriarch +Jacob between "D" and myself. + + 16. If two pretty girl-names together you tie + (Some E's you must lose, for "I can't tell a lie"), + The name of two poets at once you'll descry. + +M.M. + + +A RIMLESS WHEEL. + +The wheel is made of four words of seven letters each, with a common +central letter. The first word is written vertically, the second +horizontally, the third diagonally from left to right, and the fourth +diagonally from right to left. The half of each word, from the outside +to the central letter (but not including that letter), forms a smaller +word. The whole line of dots from 1_a_ to 1_b_ including the central +letter, indicates the first of the four principal words, while 1_a_ +indicates the first of the small words belonging to it, and 1_b_ +indicates its second small word. This numbering and lettering applies +also to the other words. The central letter is given, and all the words +are defined below. + + + 1a + + 3a. . .4a + + . . . + + . . . + + 2a . . . A . . . 2b + + . . . + + . . . + + 4b. . .3b + + 1b + + +1. A wall of defense. 2. A brilliant bird of South America. 3. An +enthusiast. 4. The noise of a drum. + +1_a_. Equal value. 1_b_. A fondling. 2_a_. The human race. 2_b_. A +relative. 3_a_. An article of summer use. 3_b_. Involuntary muscular +motion. 4_a_. To chafe. 4_b_. To entitle. + +B. + + +MAGIC DOMINO-SQUARE. + +Eight dominoes placed together form a square composed of sixteen +half-dominoes, as shown in the diagram below. But, in the diagram, each +row of four half-dominoes contains a different number of spots from any +of the other rows. Thus the topmost row, counting horizontally, +contains eighteen spots; the one below it only four; the first row to +the left, counting vertically, ten; the diagonal row, downward from +left to right, eight, etc. It is required to make a square of eight +dominoes of the same set, in which each vertical, horizontal, and +diagonal row of half dominoes shall contain exactly sixteen spots. Who +can do it? + +M.D. + + +-------+-------+-------+-------+ + | * | * * * | * | * * | + | * | | * | * * | + | * | * * * | * | * * | + +-------+-------+-------+-------+ + | | | * | | + | * | | | * | + | | | * | | + +-------+-------+-------+-------+ + | * | * | * * | * | + | | | | * | + | * | * | * * | * | + +-------+-------+-------+-------+ + | * * | * * | * | | + | | * | | * | + | * * | * * | * | | + +-------+-------+-------+-------+ + + +DIAGONAL PUZZLE. + +The puzzle contains ten words of ten letters each. Fill the blanks with +words suited to the sense, and arrange these one above another in the +order in which they occur in the sentences. They will then form a +square, and the diagonal letters, read downward from left to right, +will name a friend we all like. + +---- (the same person as the diagonal, with another name) boys, and the +children may well put ---- in a friend who can ---- so much to their +happiness. No ordinary person is ---- to him; and the legend ---- us to +the belief that he is well-nigh ---- that tells of the ---- exercise of +his power in a ---- ---- manner, and on account of which he deserves to +be called the "----" patron. + +B. + + +PROVERB PUZZLE. + +Supply the blanks with words to complete the sense, and transpose them +into an appropriate proverb, with no letter repeated. + + When Santa Claus, laughing at Christmas cold, + Leaps gayly out from his ---- of gold, + No clattering ---- disturb the house, + But down the ---- as still as a ---- + He glides to lighten his burdened back, + By tossing treasures from out his pack; + Then up and off, with no ---- behind + But the "Merry Christmas" you all shall find. + + +SEXTUPLE ACROSTIC. + +Initials, read downward, a man; read upward, a biblical locality. +Centrals, read downward, a portion; read upward, a snare. Finals, read +downward, something seen at night; read upward, small animals. + +1. Stupid persons. 2. Toward the stern of a ship. 3. An insect in a +caterpillar state. 4. To come in. + +N.T.M. + + +EASY DIAMOND PUZZLE. + +In work, but not in play; a domestic animal; a singing bird; a light +carriage; in night, but not in day. + +ISOLA. + + +NUMERICAL ENIGMAS. + +1. She is such a sweet, 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 child, I feel sure that I can +soon 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 of her love. + +2. "Will you 1 2 3 4 5 6 row?" said the 1 2 3 4 5 6. + +3. If you do 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 about the stem of, the vase, +choose the delicate 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11. + +4. Shall you 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 for robbing the poor little +12 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12's nest? + +5. My 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 a house to the 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 of ten children. + +6. Shall it be a sail, 1 2 3, 4 5 6 7 8,--1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8? +Whichever it is to be, we must prepare for it to-day, Tom. + +7. 1 2 3 4! 5 6 7 8 1 2 3 4, I shall always be interested in your +1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8. + +O.B. + + + + +ANSWERS TO PUZZLES IN NOVEMBER NUMBER. + + +DOUBLE ACROSTIC.--Franklin, Herschel. + + F ---rit---- H + R ----os---- E + A ---lde---- R + N --autilu-- S + K --ennebe-- C + L ---arc---- H + I ----sl---- E + N ---icke--- L + + +BROKEN WORDS.--1. Forgotten--forgot ten. 2. Offences--of fences. +3. Significant--sign if I can't. 4. Firmament--firm ament. + + +PICTORIAL NUMERICAL REBUS.-- + + 4,002,063 + 83,080,010 + 76,094 + 89,000,000,011 + -------------- + 89,087,158,178 + + +HOUR-GLASS PUZZLE.-- + + P E R P E T U A L + T R I V I A L + A B O D E + O L D + U + A T E + T H I N K + A R M O R E R + F L O U N D E R S + + +NUMERICAL ENIGMA--Cleopatra--ale, top, car. + + +BEHEADINGS AND CURTAILINGS.--1. Shame, Sham, Ham, Ha, A. 2. White, +Whit, Hit, It, I. 3. Coral, Cora, Ora, Or, R. 4. Spine, Pine, Pin, In, I. +5. Honey, Hone, One, On, O. + + +EASY DIAMOND PUZZLE.--D, Cid, Clara, Diamond, Droit, Ant, D. + + +CHARADE.--Stratagem. + + +PUZZLE BOUQUET.--1. Foxglove. 2. Hawkweed. 3. Tuberose. 4. Candytuft. +5. Snapdragon. 6. Wall-flower. 7. Sweet-pea. 8. Balsam (Ball Sam). +9. Snowdrop. 10. Marigold (Marry Gold). + + +TRANSPOSITIONS.--1. Earth, heart. 2. Oder, rode. 3. Wells, swell. +4. Evil, Levi. 5. Edges, sedge. + + +LETTER ANAGRAMS.--1. L over P--Plover. 2. R after S--Rafters. +3. S and T--Stand. 4. P under L--Plunder. 5. Et upon Ic--Unpoetic. + + +HIDDEN DRESS GOODS.--1. Calico. 2. Gingham. 3. Cotton. 4. Linen. +5. Serge. 6. Merino. 7. Silk. 8. Satin. 9. Muslin. + + +PICTORIAL PROVERB-ACROSTIC.--"The longest day must have an end." + + 1. T ----e Deu---- M + 2. H ---yosciam--- U + 3. E -----ye------ S + 4. L -----as------ T + 5. O ------------- H + 6. N --ux Vomic--- A + 7. G --love(--e--) V + 8. E -----y------- E + 9. S -----e------- A + 10. T ----uree----- N + 11. D ----rup------ E + 12. A ---ndiro----- N + 13. Y -----ar------ D + + + + +THE ANSWERS TO THE PICTORIAL PUZZLES IN THE OCTOBER "RIDDLE-BOX" were +accidentally omitted from the November number, and are given here. +REBUS: "Liars are not to be believed or respected." PICTORIAL +PROVERB-ANAGRAM: "Listeners never hear any good of themselves." + +ANSWERS TO ALL THE PUZZLES IN THE OCTOBER NUMBER have been received +from Harry H Neill, George J. Fiske, Eddie Vultee, John W. Riddle, +Marion Abbott, Harriet M. Hall, Grant Squires, George Herbert White, +William Kiersted, Maxwell W. Turner, Emma Elliott, H.V. Wurdemann, +Alice B. Moore, "Clarinet," Sophie Owen Smith, Julia Abbott, Alice M. +King, Mary W. Ovington, "Maudie," Edith Merriam, Eddie H. Eckel, +"Bessie and her Cousin," Alice Bertram, M.W. Collet, and "A.B.C." + +ANSWERS TO SPECIAL PUZZLES were also received, previous to October +18th, from Georgietta N. Congdon, Bessie Dorsey, Fred M. Pease, T.M. +Ware, A.G. Cameron, "May," Rosie S. Palmer, Julia Lathers, Florence +Wilcox, Edwin R. Garsia, Lizzie M. Knapp, Alice B. McNary, May +Danforth, Katie Earl, W. Creighton Spencer, W. Irving Spencer, Carrie +M. Hart, Edna A. Hart, Olive E. Hart, B.P. Emery, Gertrude Eager, and +Alice T. Booth. + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of St. Nicholas, Vol. 5, No. 2, December, +1877, by Various + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK ST. 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