diff options
Diffstat (limited to '25534.txt')
| -rw-r--r-- | 25534.txt | 7458 |
1 files changed, 7458 insertions, 0 deletions
diff --git a/25534.txt b/25534.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..e212a8a --- /dev/null +++ b/25534.txt @@ -0,0 +1,7458 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of Little Folks, 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: Little Folks + A Magazine for the Young (Date of issue unknown) + +Author: Various + +Release Date: May 20, 2008 [EBook #25534] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK LITTLE FOLKS *** + + + + +Produced by Chris Curnow, Joseph Cooper, Josephine Paolucci +and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at +http://www.pgdp.net. + + + + + + + +LITTLE FOLKS: + +_A Magazine for the Young._ + +_NEW AND ENLARGED SERIES._ + +CASSELL & COMPANY, LIMITED + +_LONDON, PARIS & NEW YORK._ + +[ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.] + +Transcriber's Note: The project was listed as the August 1884 edition, +but there is no information indicating that on the scans I worked with. +Minor typos have been corrected. Italics are indicated with underscores +like _this_, bold is indicate like ~this~. Smallcap letters have been +converted to all-caps for the text file. + + + + +A LITTLE TOO CLEVER. + +_By the Author of "Pen's Perplexities," "Margaret's Enemy," "Maid +Marjory," &c._ + + +CHAPTER IV.--HAS ELSIE FORGOTTEN? + +[Illustration] + +"Look you, Duncan," Elsie exclaimed, when they had walked on some way in +silence, "I've made up my mind to go, and what's the use o' waitin'? The +sooner the better, for it may turn cold any day now. We shouldn't be +long if it was fine, but if 'twas wet we might have to wait up in +places. I must sit down an' see if I can find out the way to go from the +map." + +"We shan't be to school in time," Duncan protested. + +"Well, an' I dunno that I care," Elsie replied. "What's the odds o' one +afternoon more or less? It'll be many a day I shall be called truant, I +reckon. But they might be after tellin' of us, an' she'd be lockin' me +up in the loft, which isn't what I want, so we'll get to school to-day," +she added, meditatively. "Here, take the basket, while I try to make the +map out as we walk along." + +Now, Elsie had a great many faults indeed, but there was one thing you +may have noticed about her that had something of a good point about it: +it never occurred to her to desert Duncan. She might have said, "You run +on to the shop with the beans while I study the map," for Duncan knew +his way well enough; but the little fellow had ever depended upon her, +and been her inseparable companion. She would guide him into stray +paths, but it would never occur to her to forsake him, or withdraw from +him the protection of her fearless, daring spirit. One good point, +however small and obscure it is, may be taken as a proof that there is +some good soil in the nature which has developed it where other similar +plants may flourish. We have room to hope, therefore, that Elsie was not +without her better side. + +"It don't look far," Elsie said, meditatively, tracing the space with +her finger on the map, which was a small one, and to the inexperienced +eyes that were studying it reduced distance to a mere nothing. "Here's +London printed very big. It's a goodish way down, is London, gettin' on +to the end of England, only England's a very little place, accordin' to +the map. Any way, it wouldn't be so very long, for that old guide +they've got at home with the map in it makes this road look just about +six times as long as it is." + +"You're quite sure we're goin' to run away?" Duncan asked, rather +dolefully. + +"I won't say whether it'll be walkin' or runnin', but I'm quite sure I +shall go," Elsie replied. + +"I think they'll cry when they can't find us," Duncan said, +meditatively. + +"Poor bodies! if they cry it'll be with rage to think we're gone," Elsie +said contemptuously. "I just wonder if they'll guess then I've got the +letter, an' that I've found out all about it. I'm no silly like you, +Duncan, or I'd never have made head or tail of it; and then, what 'ud +become of us when we're big?" + +"We shan't be hungry, or tired, or anything bad, shall we?" asked the +matter-of-fact Duncan. + +Elsie's mind had passed over the trivial matter of the journey, and all +such minor details, to the grand result, when she had found their +father, and would be living with him in a beautiful place, with all that +heart could desire. But Duncan's imagination could put on no such +seven-league boots. It stuck fast at the first disagreeable details, and +was not even rewarded by the prospect which so delighted Elsie, for his +mind could not picture any other life than his present one. + +"And what would you be the worse for a wee bit of hunger or tiredness? +Ain't we often that? I'm hungry now without any dinner, an' you'll be +fit to eat your head before you get your tea," said Elsie. + +"Only, we shall get it," Duncan replied, in his provokingly straight +way. "If we was long on the road, where'd we get anything at all?" + +"I've pennies in my box, an' so have you," Elsie replied impatiently. "A +loaf an' a drop o' milk'll be all we want." + +"Oh, yes, it'll do very well on the road. There'll be shops, of course." + +"Of course there will. Runnin' away isn't bad. I'd almost like to do it +just for the fun. Lots o' the books teacher's lent me out o' the school +library has got runnin' away in them. Sometimes they get into troubles, +and all sorts o' queer things happen, but it always comes right in the +end. I've noticed that particular." + +They were near the village shop now, and as Duncan had no reply to make, +they went on without further conversation till they reached it. "We had +to bring you these instead o' takin' our dinners," Elsie grumbled. + +"Dear, dear! poor little bodies!" said the kindly shop-dame, +compassionately. "It's bad for the bairnies to be hungry. I'll fetch you +a bit of cold puddin' with plums enough to put a stop to countin'. You +can eat it as you go along." + +She went into her room, and cut two slices. + +"There," said Elsie, triumphantly, "I told you anybody 'ud be kind to +children. Mrs. Callam thought it was a shame for us to be hungry, an' +so'd anyone else. I ain't a bit afraid of runnin' away, are you?" + +"Afraid?" Duncan replied, with alacrity. "You needn't think I'm afraid." + +They reached school in time, and put the borrowed atlas back into its +place unobserved. "I'd like to take it with me," Elsie said to herself, +"only I couldn't give it back, an' then it 'ud be stealin'; but I can't +forget the way." + +Duncan got through his tasks in his usual fashion, not brilliantly or +quickly, but pretty accurately. Elsie was in trouble more than once +during the afternoon for inattention, and earned several bad marks, over +which she did not fret. + +On their way home Elsie appeared quite to have forgotten her grand +scheme, for she said positively not one word about it. "P'raps she won't +do it after all," thought Duncan, for it was no uncommon thing for Elsie +to utter dreadful-sounding threats, and make boasts which came to +nothing. Duncan grew quite gay and cheerful at this thought, and went +dancing along with all his usual light-heartedness. + +But he was quite wrong. Elsie had not tired of her idea, but she was +dreadfully afraid stupid little Duncan might unwittingly betray them, +and so, with the craftiness which soon comes to those who plot, she was +bent upon turning his mind quite away from her schemes until the time +came for action. She even went so far as to talk about all sorts of +things in the most ordinary way, as if she and Duncan were to pass all +their lives in the cottage on the moor. + +The afternoon meal was waiting for them when they went in. Their mother +had cooked them a nice slice of bacon, and had baked them each what the +children called a bun, which was a little piece of dough from the +regular bread-making, baked separately. It always seemed much sweeter +than the ordinary loaf, and was crisp and crusty, like our rolls, so I +don't think there was much to grumble over, although they had not had +any dinner. + +When it was ended Mrs. MacDougall sat down to her knitting, while Elsie +cleared away. She was making stockings for the coming winter, and was +employed on Elsie's at present. + +"It's gettin' a long stocking," the old grandmother said, as she watched +the length of leg and foot dangling from the pins. "You can't get to the +end o' it so quick as you used when it was about three inches from toe +to heel, an' the baby's five toes like so many pink beads." + +All the children laughed at the idea. It seemed so funny to think of +Elsie, big-limbed, strong, and sunburnt, as a tiny babe. + +"But a bonnie baby was Elsie," the old grandmother went on: "the +bonniest of all, eh, Meg?" + +"Elsie was a beautiful baby," Mrs. MacDougall replied. "Her father was +real proud of her, and used to carry her about with him evening times, +long after she ought by good rights to have been a-bed. You remember +that, mother?" + +"Eh, well enough," the old woman replied. + +Duncan glanced at Elsie uneasily, but he could read nothing in her face. +Then he was guilty of laying a little trap. + +"Was Elsie prettier than Robbie, then?" he asked. + +"She was a prettier baby," Mrs. MacDougall answered, looking from one to +the other, and putting her hand on Robbie's fair curls, almost as if she +were doing him an injustice to say it. "Yes, I think every one would say +Elsie was the bonnier baby. Robbie was but a puling, pasty-faced little +thing, thin and miserable, not a crowing, bright little thing like the +others. He wanted a deal o' care, did Robbie, an' I will say he's had it +always." + +"That he has, that he has," the old grandmother assented, warmly. "His +poor----" + +"Father wouldn't know him if he was to see him now," said Mrs. +MacDougall, finishing her old mother's sentence. + +For Duncan this little commonplace conversation had much more interest +than those who were speaking could have any idea of. It puzzled him +sorely too, for it seemed to tell such a different tale from the one +Elsie had put together. He was watching Elsie closely, wondering what +she could say to it. It was not so much what she had said that made +Duncan uncomfortable as the way she said it. "Just as if she was our +mother!" he thought to himself. "And then the letter said 'weak and +delicate,' an' after all we was stronger babies than Robbie--leastways, +Elsie was, and father used to be so proud of her. Elsie must have made a +mistake. I feel quite sure she has." + +Perhaps Elsie guessed what he was thinking, for the first moment they +were alone she whispered to Duncan, "I can see through it," in a tone of +so much confidence that Duncan was unsettled again. "D'you think I can't +see through that?" Elsie said, contemptuously. "She talks like that o' +purpose to misguide us an' every one else that comes near. She makes +believe she's our mother always, even to granny, who knows she isn't, +for fear anybody should get thinkin' about it. Besides, I doubt not we +grew strong after a bit, maybe; an' if we ain't the babies, I'd like to +know where they are." + +"P'raps they was fetched away again after a bit." + +"You've always got an answer ready, for all you look so stupid," Elsie +said, crossly. "When did they go away, I'd like to know? Can you +remember? I can't; an' I can call to mind as long ago as when Robbie was +the baby, an father died." + +To this Duncan could certainly find no reply. He himself had not the +faintest recollection of any other babies than Robbie, and of course +Elsie could remember better than he. He could not prove Elsie wrong, and +yet he could not bring himself to realise that such a strange thing had +been going on all these years in such a quiet, unnoticeable way--that +Mrs. MacDougall could seem so exactly like a mother to them, and yet not +be one. He was in a state of bewilderment, in which he could neither +believe nor disbelieve, and so he went to sleep with a weary sigh, and +left the mystery to unravel itself. + +Not so Elsie. Her thoughts were very busy as she lay awake in her little +room. At last a happy idea seemed to strike her. "Yes, that'll be the +very time," she said softly to herself, and then settled herself to +sleep. + + +CHAPTER V.--"THE VERY TIME." + +Several days passed away, in which Elsie said nothing more to Duncan of +her plans. Robbie's birthday passed off, and Elsie did serve the cake +and milk under the alder-tree, after all. She was even kind to the +little lad, and played with the two boys. Robbie was trying hard to +deserve her attention, running himself quite out of breath after the +ball she threw, and using all his strength to keep up with Duncan, who +was ever so much stronger. + +By-and-by, when Elsie proposed a run on the moor, Robbie looked timidly +in her face, and said, "I wish I might come too." + +"Well, go an' ask," Elsie said, condescendingly; and Robbie having +obtained permission, coupled with many injunctions not to go far or run +too much, they started, with Robbie in a radiant state of delight. And +Elsie was so gentle with him that Robbie could not help saying, "I do +like coming out here with you," in his own little gentle way; and +Duncan, who loved peace, was quite happy. + +Two or three days later there was a slaying of fowls, while Elsie and +Duncan were set to pick a gathering of plums, apples, and beans, and +arrange them in baskets. As a rule, Elsie disliked this day, and went +about when she was at home with a cloudy face and many an impatient +exclamation. This time, however, she seemed quite cheerful, and helped +readily. + +Very early the next morning Mrs. MacDougall was waiting at the cottage +door in her bonnet and shawl for Farmer Jarrett's cart. Presently it +came along, the farmer's round jolly face surmounting a heap of baskets, +packed with butter, cheese, eggs, and poultry. Mrs. MacDougall handed +her few baskets up to him, and when these were arranged in various odd +corners she put her foot on the cart-wheel, jumped up by his side, and +off they started for the little market town, where Mrs. MacDougall could +get a better price for the few things she had to sell than in the +village shop, and could also purchase more cheaply the groceries, +calicoes, and other necessaries of her household. + +"Tell granny to take care o' Robbie," Mrs. MacDougall called, as she +waved her good-bye. "I shan't be later than six about." + +"Take care o' Robbie, indeed!" muttered Elsie, just loud enough for +Duncan to hear. "It's always Robbie. Why should he be taken more care of +than any other body? P'raps she thinks he'll melt in the sun, or be +drowned by the rain, or blown away by the wind, which can't never hurt +us." + +As Mrs. MacDougall drove off in the early morning, she looked somewhat +anxiously at the heavy mist which hung over the moor, and remarked to +her neighbour that there was a chilliness about the air this morning +which felt like the approach of cold weather. + +"Well, we mustn't grumble," the farmer said, in his northern dialect; +"it's over fine for the time o' year; but when the weather does break we +shall have the winter early upon us, and a long, hard one too, I +reckon." + +"If I have a good day I'll just take some warm stuff home for the +children," Mrs. MacDougall said to herself. Then she pulled out her +purse and looked over its contents, turning them over and over, and +reckoning them up, as if by dint of careful arithmetic they might, +perchance, come to a little more. In one part of it there was a little +packet of money done up in paper, marked "Robbie." There was more there +than in all the other divisions put together. It was clear Robbie would +not go short. Mrs. MacDougall looked at it with a little sigh. + +[Illustration: "'WE ARE VERY TIRED,' ELSIE SAID" (_p. 71_).] + +"I must get yarn to finish Elsie's stockings," she said to herself. +"Duncan will have her old ones that she's grown out of. A fine lassie +she'll be in a few more years, growing like this; but it's hard work to +keep them without a man's earnings to look to." + +[Illustration] + +"You're thinking out some very hard question, judging by your silence," +the farmer said, after a while. + +"Yes, it's just a puzzle to know how to bring the children up," Mrs. +MacDougall replied. "Since my good man died and left me with them, it's +been a hard matter at times, but never so hard as now. There's my Elsie, +growing as fine a lass as may be, though a deal bit wilful without a man +to intimidate her. She'll have to take service in a few years more, for +what else can I do with her? an' I'm thinking she'll take it hard, for +she's got rare notions, an' is a bit clever above the common. Duncan's +over young yet to fret about; Robbie'll be provided for, no doubt, when +the proper time comes." + +"I wouldn't fret at all," the farmer replied, heartily; "you've done the +best, and worked hard for the bairnies since your good man was taken. +They'll find a good provision, I doubt not. There's a special protection +for the fatherless and the widow, so the minister's always saying." + +"It's just the one interest of my life to see the children started," +Mrs. MacDougall replied, "although sometimes I get pretty nigh +disheartened." + +"You've had a sorrowful life," the farmer said. "Some dead, others false +and mean, but you've much to be proud of. The bairnies are strong an' +winsome, an' I'm sure the little one's just a real credit to you." + +"Ah! the poor little lad. I think his father would be astonished to see +him. Yes, I'm bound to say he's done well, all things considered." + +"But, if I may say it, I think you're a bit mistaken to treat him any +differently from the others. Surely he's strong an' hearty enough now." + +"Mother talks like that," Mrs. MacDougall replied; "but I must be just. +There's many a time when I'd be glad to give the others a little more +and Robbie a little less, but I regard it as a temptation to be +resisted. He has a double claim upon me, an' if I were to push him to +the wall, or let him be sacrificed in any way, the dead would rise up +an' reproach me." + +"But his father never intended you to make a difference between the +children," the farmer continued. "I'm thinking if it mightn't make a +jealousy among 'em, which wouldn't be a good thing for any of them." + +"Children don't remark much," Mrs. MacDougall replied. "They know how +weakly he is, an' they wouldn't be jealous. It's circumstances has made +the difference. If their father had lived there'd have been plenty for +all, doubtless, but now the strong ones must go without, since they +can't all have everything; an' they know it must be so." + +"Well, well, you do your best; but I will say I agree with the old +dame," Farmer Jarrett replied; and then they changed the subject. + +In the meantime Elsie, having seen her mother depart, and had her +grumble against Robbie, turned back into the cottage. Mrs. MacDougall +was very greatly mistaken in supposing that Elsie was not jealous. +Duncan's matter-of-fact mind took things as he found them, and did not +trouble to inquire why they were so or whether they should be different, +but Elsie was quite the opposite. She was always troubling herself about +things that did not concern her, and not being of an open, ingenuous +disposition, which turns naturally to some other person for a solution +of its difficulties, she formed her own conclusions, which, more often +than not, were very erroneous ones. + +It was not yet seven, so that there were more than two hours wanting to +school-time. Elsie was very busy about the house for a little time; she +changed her week-day clothes for her Sunday ones, and made Duncan do the +same; she opened their money-boxes, and carefully counted the coppers +they contained: they amounted altogether to elevenpence, halfpennies and +farthings included. These she tied up in a handkerchief, and put in her +pocket. Then she went to the pantry, and took from it a loaf of bread +and some Dutch cheese, which she put into a basket. + +This done, she called sharply to Duncan to make haste, for she was +"going to have a run on the moor before school." Robbie asked timidly if +he might come too, but Elsie would not hear of it. + +"You can tell granny when she comes downstairs that we're not coming +home to dinner. I've taken our dinner in a basket," she said to Robbie. + +The little fellow stood at the door, and watched them wistfully as they +ran off. It was dull to turn back into the empty kitchen, and wait there +till the old dame came downstairs. If Robbie could have put his feelings +into words, he would have said that he would have been happier roughing +it with Duncan and Elsie than with the constant care and consideration +that separated him from them. Perhaps, after all, Farmer Jarrett was +right. + +Elsie was in an extraordinary state of excitement this morning. She +danced along, laughing and talking merrily. Duncan wondered to see her +in such spirits, for it was seldom that she had nothing to grumble at. + +By-and-by they reached a point where there were two roads: the one +leading to the village, the other a short cut to the school, running +along the back of the village. Elsie took the long one. + +"Where are you going?" Duncan asked, in astonishment. + +Elsie looked at him gleefully, and burst out laughing. "I don't mind +telling you now," she replied; "you can't let it out. We're going to +England, and we've got the whole day before us, for granny won't expect +us home till after afternoon school, and mother won't be home till +sunset. Oh! wasn't it just a capital idea of mine?" + +"To England?" echoed Duncan, somewhat ruefully, for the idea was, after +all, sudden enough to take him aback. "Then let's be quick, Elsie. Shall +we get there to-night?" + +"That depends," Elsie returned, with the air of a person who knows all +about it. "If we get a lift on the road, we shall get along quickly." + +It had occurred to her that they might not reach London that evening, +but she was not daunted by the thought, for she had a plan in her mind +in case of such an event, only she considered it wiser to keep Duncan in +ignorance of any possible difficulty. + + +CHAPTER VI.--ON THE WAY. + +As far as the village the way was straight enough. Elsie and Duncan +skipped along merrily. Presently the sun began to struggle through the +clouds and disperse the haze. The day promised to be fine and warm, +which was certainly a great advantage. + +The few straggling houses that formed the village of Dunster were soon +passed, and then arose the first difficulty. The road for some little +distance was direct enough, but at last it came to a sudden termination, +or rather, opened out into a wider space, where there was a dirty pond, +a patch of grass, and two roads: the one to the left, the other to the +right. Right before them, filling up the way they ought to take in order +to carry out Elsie's plan of keeping straight on, stood a tiny crofter's +cottage, surrounded by its meagre crops enclosed within low stone walls. +Beyond it the ground began to rise into hills, and far away in the +distance rose the black-looking peaks of mountains. + +Elsie stood still for a few minutes in puzzled thought. "If we begin to +take turnings we are sure to lose our way," she said to herself, in +woeful disappointment at this sudden check; but presently her spirits +revived. "I see it all!" she cried, "Of course, if the road went +straight on, apart from having to go right through the croft, it would +lead us just straight away into the mountains; an' I'd like to know how +we'd ever get over the top of that big one, with the clouds hanging over +it. The road takes you clear away through the glen, of course, and it +runs a bit to the side, no doubt. We'll just keep in the right +direction, an' it'll be right enough. Let us think a minute. Is London +to the right or the left, Duncan? Which think you?" + +"It's more on the right side of the map, I think," Duncan replied, +doubtfully. + +"Ah! but, you little silly, we're up in Scotland, and we're to walk down +the map. You must just reverse it, to be sure," Elsie replied. + +"The map's a funny sort of shape, where it joins on to England," Duncan +muttered. "It seems to run off more sideways like; we ought to twist +about, I'm sure, or else we'll be going straight through the bottom of +Scotland into the sea!" + +"Oh, you baby!" Elsie cried, scornfully. "Do you think we couldn't walk +along the edge? I'm not so sure it wouldn't be the best. We should be +certain to know our way then, when once we got to the coast." + +"S'pose we was to fall over?" urged Duncan. + +"Oh, it is just the best idea of all!" Elsie cried, clapping her hands. +"We'll just find the sea first of all; and won't it be a real bonny +sight, with the ships sailing on it. Then we'll go along till we get +into England, and any one'll tell us the way to London. This turning +seems the most like going straight, so we'll take it." + +This knotty point decided, Elsie tripped along with no sort of +misgiving. Duncan was by no means so sure. He had received geography +lessons, in which he had been told how many hundred miles long Scotland +was, and he had a sort of dim suspicion that London must be farther off +than Elsie thought; but he did not feel much uneasiness. + +After a while the road became rough and uneven, and at last it turned +sharp round in the wrong direction, but just beyond them the low wall +suddenly ended in a scattered heap of stony fragments, and the grass +stretched fresh and green away to the hills. + +"Come on, Duncan!" Elsie cried, dragging him after her on to the grass. +"We'll be seeing the sea from that hill, I'll be bound!" + +The hill was farther away than it looked, but they reached it after a +good sharp scamper. "And now we'll just be after eating a bit of +something before we go any farther," Elsie said, dropping down on the +grass, very hot and breathless. + +"I s'pose there'll be shops by-and-by," Duncan said, "or a farm, where +we can get a drink of milk." + +Elsie was thirsty, but she was not going to be daunted by such a small +inconvenience. + +They began hopefully to climb the hill. As they mounted they began to +find it steep and tiring. After ten minutes they stopped short, fairly +out of breath. To her disgust and surprise, Elsie found that the +distance to the top of the hill looked even greater than when they had +been quite down at the bottom of it, and steeper a very great deal. +They rested for a while, catching hold of the tough heather stalks to +prevent them from slipping, then went on again, on and on, with +by-and-by another pause for breath. There was plenty of fun and +excitement in the climb, the only drawback being the weight and +inconvenience of their strong rough boots and Elsie's basket, which, +however, were each of them too useful to be left behind. + +At last, however, the children reached the top, and Elsie stood still, +and looked all round in eager hope. + +But, alas! the sight that met her view was one of keen disappointment. +The side of the hill descended very steeply into a narrow valley, +through which flowed a small stream. Beyond were hills stretching as far +as she could see, until their tall peaks mingled with the clouds. Just +then the sun disappeared, black shadows crept rapidly over the +mountain-tops, the whole landscape appeared dark, gloomy, and frowning. +Nowhere all around was a sight of any living thing, except a few sheep +perched far up on a steep crag. Presently masses of vapour gathered over +the hills, and began to roll down their sides, hiding first one and then +another. Elsie turned away with a shudder. The cows feeding on the +smooth grass below, the very sight of the road, lonely and deserted +though it was, seemed cheerful indeed, compared with the awful +loneliness of those grim, endless hills. + +"It's no use going this way," she said, with a little shiver. "The sea +is farther off than I thought. We should lose ourselves among the hills; +and it's so cold up here, and not a soul to tell us the way, not even a +shepherd. Let's go back." + +They began to descend by a circuitous route, for the side was steep +enough to make it a matter for care, and in places the soil was boggy, +and in others the rocky ground had broken and crumbled away, leaving +sharp precipitous edges. + +When at last they reached the even space, there was no sign of a road to +be seen. "It must be just over there," Elsie said, in some bewilderment. +"Perhaps there's a bank at the side hiding it." + +"We've come down quite a different place to where we went up," said +Duncan, slowly. "D'you think we're lost, Elsie?" + +"No, of course not," Elsie replied, confidently. "Come on, Duncan; the +road can't be far off." + +Duncan followed without a word. He was beginning to feel a bit tired, +and somehow he could not help giving a thought to the snug kitchen at +home, with the little wooden arm-chair in which he was accustomed to sit +when he was done up with running about. The sight of the cottage would +have been far more welcome to him even than that of the unknown father +they were seeking. But he kept his thoughts to himself. + +They found a roadway after a goodish bit of running hither and thither. +Elsie had been wise enough to avoid the hills, for the day had clouded +over and a chill breeze had sprung up. It was dull enough even here, far +worse away among the steeps and hollows. + +"I don't think we shall get to London very soon," Duncan ventured to +say, after a while. "There isn't any one to ask the way. Do you think +we've got near the end of Scotland yet?" + +"We shan't get to London to-night," Elsie said, with the air of one who +knew all about it. "Of course I knew that all along. We shall have to +get a night's lodging, and go on to-morrow." + +"But who'll give it to us?" asked the practical Duncan. "There isn't any +houses." + +"Oh, well! we shall come to some," Elsie said. + +"Do you think I might take off my boots and stockings? they seem so +heavy like," Duncan asked. + +"If you like to carry 'em," Elsie replied shortly. "We'll want 'em when +we get to London. Hark! I can hear a cart coming." + +Yes, sure enough there was a sound of wheels, and presently there came +into sight a man driving a small cart, drawn by a miserable, +starved-looking horse, that shambled along with its head held down as if +ready to drop. The cart was a dilapidated-looking affair, and the man +who drove was well in keeping with his vehicle. He was clad in tattered +garments, surmounted by an old sack, fastened together round his +shoulders with a wooden skewer. His hair was coarse and matted, looking +as if a comb had never made acquaintance with it, his face unmistakably +emaciated, in spite of the dark hue it wore from constant exposure. + +As he gradually overtook them, Elsie stood by the roadside, and beckoned +to him to stop. + +"How far are we from the houses?" she asked. + +The man scratched his head and stared for a few seconds, then he +replied, "Don't know of none this side o' Killochrie." + +"How far is Killochrie?" Elsie asked. + +"Weel, seven miles and a bittock--so--more or less." + +Elsie stood still in perplexity. A Scottish mile is reckoned to be two +English ones, and the bittock might mean anything--another Scottish mile +or two, as the case might be. The prospect was not encouraging. + +"Isn't there any house at all?" Elsie asked. + +"Well, there's not to say a house--a croft or two an' a cottage. Where +would you be going?" + +"Oh, to Killochrie, that's just where!" Elsie answered very quickly, +with a glance at Duncan. + +"Ah, weel!" the man replied, waiting in stock silence for some one else +to speak. + +"Can you tell us the time?" Elsie asked. + +"It might be five, or getting on to six, thereabouts," the man replied. + +So late, and a matter of fifteen miles about to the nearest +resting-place! What was to be done? + +"Are you going to Killochrie?" Elsie asked suddenly. + +"Weel, noa, not that--along the road." + +"Would you mind our getting into the cart?" + +The man scratched his head again, and looked at her in silence. Elsie +began to think he was a little daft. Presently he replied, "You maun sit +on it, if you like." + +"On what?" Elsie asked sharply. + +"The fish," the man replied. + +Elsie and Duncan had both noticed a strange odour, which Elsie +attributed to a stagnant pool of water near which they were standing. +She now peered over the side of the cart, which was more like a lidless +box on wheels than anything else, and she perceived that it was full of +fish. The man occupied the only available sitting-place in front. What +was to be done? Elsie looked all along the road. There was no sign of +any other vehicle, not even a person to be seen. Their choice plainly +lay between walking the whole distance or riding in the cart. + +"We are very tired," Elsie said, dubiously. "Shall we get in, Duncan?" + +Oh, how the vision of home rose up before Duncan's longing eyes! Mother +would be at home now, just sitting down to tea, perhaps. + +"If you'd like to," he said, without much interest. + +"Ye might take the sack," the man said good-naturedly, unskewering it, +and laying it down on top of the mass the cart contained. It was really +a kind action, for Elsie noticed that the rags he wore had nothing of +warmth about them, and the air was already tolerably sharp and keen. + +The children scrambled in on the top of the sack, and the man bent his +energies to starting his old horse once more on his shambling trot. + +When the children had got a little bit accustomed to the cart Elsie +opened her basket to get some bread, for they were ravenously hungry. +Just then the man turned round; his eye lighted with a hungry, almost +wolfish, glance on the sweet white bread and firm yellow cheese. "Will +you have some?" Elsie asked, almost in fear, for he looked so fierce. + +In reply he stretched out his hand, greedily seized the remaining +portion of their loaf which Elsie was just about to divide, and without +a word of apology, devoured it like a hungry animal. + + +CHAPTER VII.--THE CROFTER'S COTTAGE. + +So far as speed went, the children might as well have walked. The poor +old horse, as miserable and starved-looking as his master, kept steadily +on, with a sort of halting trot, varied every now and then by an awkward +stumble, which was saved from being a fall by the man's prompt use of +the reins. + +It seemed as if they were hours on the road. The murky atmosphere, +obscured by storm-clouds, made the evening grow dark earlier than is +usual in northern latitudes. The heavy rumbling of the wretched vehicle, +the cramped position in which they were obliged to sit, the fatigue of a +long day's walking without rest or refreshment, the dreariness of the +road and chill aspect of the weather, combined to make this journey as +miserable a one as it well could be. Yet it was only the very beginning +of the troubles Elsie had brought upon herself and Duncan. + +She was not feeling in the best spirits just now, but she buoyed herself +up by thinking of the future, and telling herself that every one who +ever ran away from home had some adventures that seemed trying at the +time, though they were quite interesting to hear of afterwards, and she +tried to picture herself being put in a book as a heroine. And she was +not in the least daunted, only inclined to feel very cross and snappish. + +Duncan sat huddled up in a corner, with a face that might have served +for a Dutch doll, it was so blank and wooden. He was not the sort of boy +to cry, but down in his heart there was a very forlorn feeling, which he +would not like Elsie to have known anything about. + +Presently a drop of rain spattered on to Elsie's forehead--another, and +another--and then, down it came in torrents. To Elsie's despair, the +horse slackened his already slow pace, and finally stood still, +trembling and snorting. They were on an open road, with not even a tree +near by for shelter. + +"Why don't he go on?" Elsie cried out. + +"The rain blinds her. She can't see," the man replied. + +"Then why don't you lead her?" Elsie cried, in her peremptory fashion. + +Elsie was more inclined than ever to think that the man must be a little +daft. He got down, and did as she had told him. It seemed as if he had +not thought of it before. He was so dazed and muddle-headed, that he +would have sat apathetically on his seat, waiting for the horse to go +on, although he could certainly get no wetter than he was by walking. + +The rain had added the last drop to their cup of discomfort. The +children were wet through in a very short time, and they were far better +clad than the man. + +They went along in dismal procession, all reeking wet. It was now +tolerably dark, and not a soul passed them. There was clearly nothing +for it but to persuade the man to take them in at his cottage. Elsie +began now to wonder what sort of a place so miserable-looking a creature +lived in. + +During this latter part of their journey, Duncan, too, had been +wondering where they would sleep; but it was no good asking, he said to +himself, for if Elsie didn't know she couldn't tell him, and he supposed +she'd find out some place as soon as she could. + +At last Elsie, straining her eyes through the gloom, could make out a +twinkling light or two, and something like a cottage. The roadside was +no longer open, but had the low stone walls so familiar to Scottish +eyes. As they drew near Elsie could see that the tiny tenement was only +some crofter's cottage, and that the walls enclosed his bit of land, not +large enough to dignify with the name of farm. Then it suddenly dawned +upon her that their friend of the cart was most likely one of these +crofters, whose poverty and hardships she had often heard her mother and +grandmother talk of. + +They stopped at last before another of these tiny hovels, much farther +up the road. A faint light struggled through the small thick panes of +glass of a window little more than a half-yard square. The door opened +as they drew up, and a woman came out, talking very fast and shrilly in +the native Gaelic, which the children had often heard spoken, but +understood scarcely at all. Elsie could make out that she was scolding +very much, but that was all. As she came near her eyes fell upon the two +children. She stood still for a moment, her voluble speech checked by +amazement and dismay. + +Elsie sprang out, and seized the moment. "We are wet through with the +rain," she said; "and it is a long way yet to Killochrie. I have some +pennies I will give you if you will let us stay to-night in your +cottage." + +The woman stood eyeing her cautiously. So little as Elsie could see of +her, she was not a pleasant-looking individual. She seemed to be a big +bony creature, with loose locks of hair hanging about her face, and +great bare arms held a-kimbo. + +"Show me the money," the woman said, holding out her hand greedily. + +Elsie hesitated, for the incident with the bread made her afraid of +letting her whole stock be seen, but the rain was still pouring down, +and a night's shelter must be secured somehow. She drew her handkerchief +out of her pocket, and untying the knots, tried to slip a few pennies +out, and keep the others unobserved among the folds. + +[Illustration: "THE CHILDREN ... MADE THEIR WAY UP TO THE COTTAGE +DOOR."] + +But the woman watched her fumbling movements very narrowly, and suddenly +made a dart at the handkerchief, chinking the copper coins together, +with a rattle that betrayed them at once. + +"I will take care of them," the woman said, holding out her hand. "Go +in, then--you can," she added, with a shrug of the shoulder which did +not express a very warm welcome. + +However, there was nothing else to be done, so the children, Elsie +leading Duncan by the hand, made their way up to the cottage door, while +the woman went off with her husband to some unknown region, either to +assist him with the horse, or, what was much more likely, to talk to him +about the strange load he had brought home with him. + +Elsie thought she had never seen anything so horrible as the sight that +greeted her when she pushed the door wide open, and stood on the +threshold of the crofter's home. + +[Illustration] + +The tiny place was dirty in the extreme. The floor, which had been of +boards, had rotted away in several places, showing the bare ground +beneath. A broken rickety table and a few dilapidated chairs and stools +were the only furniture, with the exception of an old clock standing +against one of the walls. A shelf in one corner displayed a few odd +pieces of coarse crockery, for the most part chipped and cracked, and +some pieces of bread. + +Elsie perceiving a door, ventured to lift the latch and look in. It +opened into a still smaller apartment, the principal part of which was +occupied by something on the floor intended for a bed, where two +children lay sleeping. The ceiling was very low, and had an open space +at one end, with a ladder, which appeared to lead into a kind of loft, +where onions seemed to be stored, by the odour coming from it. As far as +she could discover, these comprised the whole accommodation of the +crofter's cottage. + +While Elsie was wondering where they would have to sleep, the man and +woman came in. Elsie had stripped off her soaking jacket, and was +standing near the smoky peat fire, endeavouring to dry her wet skirts +and feet. Poor Duncan had no outer coat to protect him, and was +consequently wet to the very skin. He was standing in his shirt-sleeves, +shivering, by Elsie's side. + +"What is your name?" the woman asked of Elsie, in the slow measured +accents of one who speaks a language not perfectly familiar. + +"Our name is Grosvenor," Elsie said, with a warning glance at Duncan, +which, however, the woman's quick eyes noted. + +"What for you are going to Killochrie by yourselves?" + +"Our mother is dead, and we are going to find our father," Elsie +replied. "We were living with some one who was unkind to us." + +"Oh, Elsie!" Duncan whispered, under his breath; but Elsie checked him +peremptorily. Poor Duncan had never felt so wretched in his life before. + +"Where was that?" the woman asked. + +"Oh! a long way off," Elsie replied. "We've come miles and miles." + +"What you call the place you ran away from?" the woman asked, angrily. + +"It hadn't got any particular name," Elsie replied. "It was out on the +moor." + +"You will know the way back?" the woman asked. + +"But I am not going back," Elsie said, defiantly. "We are going to +Killochrie to-morrow morning." + +The woman only smiled grimly, and pointing to two stools, signified to +the children that they might sit down. + +"Will you give us something to eat?" Elsie asked. "We are hungry--he +took our bread and cheese." + +"Cheese?" the woman said, eagerly. "Where is it?" + +"He ate it," Elsie replied. + +"The pig! the greedy one!" the woman cried, angrily, as she reached down +a plate of bread from the corner shelf. + +It was coarse and stale, but the children were too hungry to be +disdainful. At home they would have scorned such a supper with infinite +disgust, but now they ate it readily. + +Presently, however, the woman got some more plates, and taking the lid +off an iron pot that stood beside the fire, she ladled out a mass of +what proved to be boiled onions. Having served her husband and herself, +she handed a small quantity to the children, which they found palatable +and comfortable in their wet, cold condition. + +When this frugal meal was ended, she signed to them to follow her, and +taking them into the next apartment, led the way up the ladder. They +found themselves presently in a tiny loft, where all sorts of rubbish +was stored, together with a stack of onions. The woman cleared a space +by piling the things together in a more huddled mass than they were +already, and bringing several sacks out of the confusion, threw them +down on the floor to form a bed. + +"Is that where we are to sleep?" Elsie asked. "What are we to have over +us?" + +The woman pointed to one of the sacks. + +"Look how wet my frock is!" Elsie cried, almost in despair. "Can't you +give us something to put over us while our things are getting dry?" + +The woman went rummaging among the lumber, and presently brought out a +ragged, old gown of her own. Elsie took it from her almost with a +shudder of loathing. + +She took off her sopping frock, and gave it to the woman to hang up. +Then she rolled Robbie up in one of the sacks as well as she could, and +spread another for him to lie down upon, leaving herself one sack to +serve as a bed, and only the old rags the woman had given her for a +covering. + +They lay down, not in the highest possible spirits. Elsie was so angry +at being robbed of her food and of her money, that she dwelt more upon +this grievance than the wretched discomfort they were enduring, until +she heard a faint sound of sobbing emerging from the sack in which +Duncan was encased. + +That sound smote her with an uncomfortable sense of reproach. "Never +mind, dear," she whispered softly; "it'll be all right to-morrow. Get to +sleep and forget it." + +"If it were not for being poked up in this loft, I'd slip out, without +bidding them 'good-bye,' as soon as it is light to-morrow morning," +Elsie said to herself, with an uneasy reflection of what disagreeable +greedy people they seemed to be. "Any way, we won't stay a minute longer +than we're obliged." + +Fortunately for Elsie, she had no idea how long that was to be. Nance +Ferguson knew what she was doing, and why she had put them up in the +loft. + +(_To be continued._) + + + + +HINTS ON CANVASINE PAINTING. + + +This is the art of colouring a photograph so as to imitate an +oil-painting. Although we know that no imitation of this kind can ever +reach the perfection of the real article, yet we can obtain very fair +copies. The work, when well done, is really pretty, and it makes a good +show on the walls. It is not at all difficult, and those who have a +slight knowledge of painting can easily accomplish some creditable +pieces that they will enjoy seeing in their rooms, and that their +friends will consider welcome presents. The colours are unobjectionable +as regards smell, for they have none, and the work is clean, and can be +rapidly done. + +The choice of the photograph is of importance, for it must be a good +one, and suitable for the purpose. Those taken from the pictures in the +Munich, Dresden, and Italian galleries will be found best to select +from. The outlines of the subject should be well defined, and the whole +photograph clear and distinct. It is advisable to begin on figure +subjects, as they are easiest, and certainly the most effective. The +picture should not contain many figures, or they must necessarily in +that case be small, and some difficulty will, in consequence, be met +with in colouring them. Young amateurs seem to think that small pieces +are more within their province: they are afraid to attempt a larger +size, but we assure them this is a fallacy. Minute details require great +care, and it is more awkward to get small washes level than larger ones. + +The first thing to be done is to buy our materials, and these we can get +all neatly arranged in a box. The colours are: two flesh tints, light +and golden yellow, vermilion and carmine, blue, violet, purple, light +and wood brown, green, and black. All the colours are dry, except black; +and ordinary Chinese white is used, as there is no white specially made +for canvasine. + +There are two bottles of medium, one adhesive and one preservative. +Camel's-hair brushes of various sizes, canvas and stretchers, a roller, +and a squeegee, or presser, are also requisite. + +Having all our materials at hand, let us set to work. The stretcher has +been bought to suit the size of the photograph, but probably the latter +will have to be cut a little round the edges, to make it just about an +eighth of an inch smaller than the former. Take some of the prepared +canvas, and cut it an inch and a half larger than the photo; wet it +thoroughly, and fasten it to a board with drawing-pins, the prepared +side uppermost. The back of the photo will require to be rubbed with +glass-paper, if it is a thick one; not otherwise, for fear of making +holes in it. To manage this carefully is important. + +A sheet of clean paper should be laid on a drawing-board, and the photo +placed on it face downwards, and firmly secured with drawing-pins. Now +rub it gently with the glass-paper, until the picture is rendered +semi-transparent. Then take it from the board, and give it a bath in the +solution. Lay it in a dish, and cover it entirely with the solution, +letting it remain there for a few minutes; lift it out, and again lay it +on the board face downwards, and with a small sponge dab off any +superfluity of liquid. Pour that which is left in the dish back into the +bottle. + +The bottle of canvasine adhesive is next needed. With a brush well +filled with it, lay a thick coating all over the back of the photo as +evenly as possible, then take up the picture, and place it in exact +position on the canvas which is stretched on the board, and now the face +must be uppermost. Notice particularly that the photo lies straight with +the threads of canvas; if it is crookedly placed it cannot be expected +to look well; the perpendicular and horizontal threads should run +perfectly level with the top and bottom and sides of the picture. Press +down the photo with the hand, and then slightly roll it out. + +Take another piece of canvas of the same size as the first: this has now +to be pressed thoroughly, the roller being passed in every direction +over the surface. Continue rolling it for five minutes or more, so that +the canvas lines become indented in the paper and are distinctly +visible. Watch it constantly during the process, and if it does not +adhere quite firmly to the stretched canvas, put a little more adhesive +solution round the edges, and pass the presser quickly up and down over +the photo, still with the spare canvas between, to rid it of all +air-bubbles; then repeat the rolling. + +Not until every part of the photo adheres, and all the canvas lines are +clearly marked, must the process of rolling be discontinued. After this, +the photo must be allowed to dry gradually, still stretched on the +board. No painting must be attempted until it is quite dry, which it +will be in about three hours. Some prefer to paint it when it is so far +prepared, and afterwards to fix it on the stretcher; others consider the +better plan is to fix it first on the wooden stretcher and then to paint +it; but this is a matter of choice, and workers may follow either plan +with equal chances of success. + +To stretch it, we must proceed in the following manner. Lay the canvas +evenly on the frame and nail it over the back; when all four sides are +thus secured, take the wedges, and hammer them into the holes made +purposely for them until the canvas is sufficiently stretched. Be +careful to place the board in a good light for painting; it takes much +longer to do, and cannot be done half as well either, if the worker sits +so that the shadow of her hand falls on the picture. A piece of clean +writing-paper to place at times under the hand to prevent finger-marks +may be found useful. + +Now for the painting. We will begin with the face. In colouring +photographs, the paints have to be constantly washed off, and it is a +well-known fact that nothing does this so well as the tongue, because it +acts on the photo so as to remove all grease better than anything else +will: but some people will perhaps be somewhat afraid thus to wet the +surface, on account of the nature of the paints. The tongue may, +however, be used at any rate for the flesh parts, and a small wet sponge +can be employed for the rest of the picture. Wet the complexion over +with the tongue, then wash in the shadows with some flesh shadow +mixture, to which a little canvasine medium and water have been added, +and wipe it off again at once. Pay attention to the shadows that they +are of the right tints: for fair children they will be of a slightly +blue hue; for dark complexions a little wood brown must be added to the +shadow colour. Now lay over the complexion a wash of flesh-tint No. 1, +and wipe it off again directly; repeat the wash as often as necessary +until a good colour is obtained. Sometimes as many as six applications +are needed; the great point is to get a good even layer of colour. In +rendering dark complexions, a trifle of wood brown may be added to flesh +No. 2, and this will give the requisite depth of colour. Put in the warm +complexion-tints with flesh No. 2. Place a drop of it, modified with No. +1, over the whole cheek, and wipe it off again immediately. Repeat until +the right strength of colour is secured; deepen the tint as it nears the +centre of the cheek, so as to preserve the rounded appearance that is +one of the greatest charms that youth and beauty possess. Strengthen the +shadows under eyes and eyebrows, round the nostrils, and on the chin. + +Mixtures of blue and brown, and of green and brown, serve for the +demi-tints which soften the deep shadows by gentle gradations into the +local colouring. The tints may be effectually blended into one another +by an occasional wash of flesh No. 1 being carried over the whole. + +Between each operation the colour must be dabbed off as soon as it has +had time to sink into the photograph; it must not in any case be +allowed to rest long, or the wash will dry spotty, and when that +happens it is exceedingly difficult to remedy. The draperies are washed +in before the details of the face are begun, as when the latter are +painted the colours must not be wiped off afterwards; they are not +treated in the same way as the washes, but more as finishing-touches. + +Draperies and backgrounds are laid in with a full brush in broad washes, +the photograph being first damped slightly with canvasine medium; the +colours are laid on freely with decisive strokes, and sponged off, the +washes being continued until the tint is dark enough. Skies may be +represented with blue tinged with green, and when dry, some light clouds +may be dabbled in with Chinese white. + +Now we return to the face. With flesh No. 2 touch in the lips carefully, +and shade the tint off gently, for they must on no account look hard; +also mark in the nostrils with a little of the same, but now the colour +must not be washed off. For the eyes, use blue, brown, or grey, as +requisite; grey is composed of a mixture of blue and brown. The pupil of +the eye is put in with black, and the light with a touch of Chinese +white. In the corner of the eye a trifle of flesh No. 2 will be needed. +The eyebrows should be rather darker in colour than the hair, but they +must not be too heavily painted; the best plan is to wash them in with a +lighter tint first, working them up afterwards with a fine brush and +almost dry colour of a darker shade. The eyelashes, too, must be washed +in along the eyelid, and then a few hairs marked out with the point of +the brush. It would never do to put them in entirely in thin fine +strokes, for they would be sure to look hard. A little blue added to +brown will make a tint dark enough for most purposes, and the use of +black should be avoided whenever possible. + +The hair will need our next consideration. For fair hair, golden brown +must be employed; it is applied in washes, wiped off as before, and +repeated until the desired depth of local colouring is obtained; the +shadows are worked in with light brown, the lights with a little Chinese +white. For dark hair, use wood-brown and sienna; and the darkest hair +may be rendered with washes of blue, which must be applied before the +sienna, with Chinese white used freely for the lights. Colour which has +once been allowed to sink in cannot be removed, therefore we must be +careful not to use a wrong one, or even too dark a shade. Then, again, +colours dry darker than they appear when first laid on, so we must take +the precaution to make our washes lighter than we intend them to be when +finished. + +Beautiful tints can be produced by the admixture of the colours, and +charming effects by the juxtaposition of colours that form an agreeable +contrast. + +[Illustration: "A FOX AND OTHER COUNTRY FOLK UPON THE BEACH HAD MET."] + + + + +A RACE ON THE SANDS. + + + One cool and pleasant afternoon, + Before the sun was set, + A fox and other country folk + Upon the beach had met. + The creeping tide far out had ebb'd, + And by the shelving strand + There stretch'd a wide and level plain + Of glist'ning yellow sand. + + The hare, the hound, the neighing steed, + The lowing ox, the deer, + The sheep, the hog, the braying ass, + The sea-gulls hovering near, + With groups of various birds and beasts, + Of sorts both tall and scrimp, + Were gather'd there upon the sands; + And thither came a shrimp. + + Now Reynard, who was eager bent + Upon some cunning wile, + Did boldly challenge any beast + To race with him a mile. + But when nor horse, nor hare, nor hound + His challenge would receive, + Up started Shrimp, and cried, "Good sir, + To race you give me leave." + + A burst of merriment then brake + From all the beasts around, + The westward-sinking sun did smile, + Though he utter'd not a sound. + Then out spoke Reynard, red with rage, + "Thou mak'st a mocking boast!" + But near him whisper'd Master Hare, + "Forget not how I lost." + + The race anon was quickly plann'd, + Eftsoons a judge was nam'd, + And Fox and Shrimp quite ready stood, + Though Shrimp seem'd half-asham'd. + And now they start, one, two, away! + See, Reynard darts ahead, + Unconscious that sly Shrimp had jump'd + Upon his tail outspread. + + There snug he lay, so close and warm, + While Reynard tore apace, + And laugh'd, as only shrimps can laugh, + In his comfortable place. + At length, as Reynard near'd the goal, + He slowly slacken'd speed, + And stopping, ere he touch'd the post, + He turn'd--he did indeed. + + Then off hopp'd Shrimp, and stood at once + Up at the winning-place; + While Reynard still look'd back and cried, + "How now, who wins the race! + Where are you, villain? where are you? + Not e'en in sight, I trow!" + "Nay, pardon, sir," behind him cried + That sly Shrimp with a bow. + + Then Reynard, all abash'd, did stare + To find himself outdone! + While the jeering crowd, in high delight, + Went wild at all the fun. + But Reynard could not bear their gibes: + He slunk in haste away; + Nor ever guess'd how Shrimp contriv'd + To win the race that day. + + + + +THE KING AND QUEEN'S QUARREL. + +(NARRATED BY A DOLL). + + +I was very pleased indeed, when I first came into the world, to find +that I was to become the property of a King and Queen. I had seen a +great deal of life through my shop-window, and had come to the +conclusion that I was formed for high society. So therefore, when my new +mistress said to me, "Dolly, I am the Queen to-day, and Bertie is the +King," I was not at all surprised, but held myself as firmly as before. + +[Illustration: "THE KING AND QUEEN SAT TOGETHER."] + +The King and Queen sat together on one chair, which I suppose is the +constant habit of Kings and Queens. They were both very nice and neat, +for the nurse had just brushed their hair. The Queen was four years old, +and the King was six. And they were both the very prettiest children you +could see. + +The little Queen had a blue print frock, and a little round face. She +had pretty shy eyes that looked out from beneath a shock of curly hair. +The little King was very pretty too. And he liked to play with dolls, +which I always think is a nice trait of character in a boy. + +"Oh, what a lovely doll!" cried the Queen, when she first saw me. I may +repeat it without vanity, for I suppose it was true. Anyway it is +exactly what everybody said the moment they set eyes on me. People +always praise dolls to their faces, and that is what makes us look so +conceited. Even when we are old, and battered, and worn-out we still +preserve a somewhat conceited air--we still look pleased and proud of +ourselves so long as there is one little child who loves us, and who +thinks us pretty still. + +The King and Queen sat down together on their throne, and were as happy +as happy could be. The little Queen's feet dangled a good way off the +ground, but she did not mind that in the least. She put one chubby arm +round her brother to keep her quite firm, and the other arm was round +me. + +When a nice little fat, dimpled arm holds me tightly against a loving +heart, I feel very pleased and happy. If I were a pussy-cat I should +purr, for I feel that I am in my right place. + +"Now I am King and you are Queen," said the little boy; "and everybody +that comes in must bow to us." + +"Dolly shall be the Princess," said the little girl, in a voice like +that of a cooing dove. + +"Her name must be Sophonisba," said the little boy gravely. "That sounds +something like a Princess." + +"Topanithba," repeated the little girl, very much pleased; and she +pressed me close to her heart. + +Suddenly a cloud passed over the face of the little boy. He looked at me +hard for a minute, and then he spoke. + +"No, that won't do at all," he said; "I am an old French King, and we're +under the old Salic law. She mustn't be a Princess, or she'll never come +to the throne. We must pretend she is a Prince, and we'll call her +Jack." + +You should have seen the little girl's face at this. All the dimples +went out of it, and she looked quite frightened. + +"Oh, don't call her Jack, dear," she cried; "it's so ugly. And I'd +rather she was a Princess." + +[Illustration: "HE TURNED HIS BACK TO HER" (_p. 79_).] + +"Then she'll never come to the throne," said the boy solemnly. "I read +it lately in my history." + +Here the little girl looked much inclined to cry. + +"Oh, don't say she won't come to the throne!" she cried piteously. "I +like my Princess Sophonisba so much." + +"She'll never come to the throne," said the King, laying down the law +with his fore-finger; "a Princess is no good at all. She's a stupid." + +"Well, she shan't be called Jack," said the Queen, plucking up a little +spirit. + +[Illustration: "IN A MOMENT SHE WAS UPON A CHAIR" (_p. 81_).] + +"Then I shan't play," said the little King, at once jumping down off the +chair. + +The little Queen put her finger in her mouth, and looked as if she did +not quite know what to do. She did not care to play without Bertie, but +she wanted to have her own way. She glanced at Bertie out of the corner +of her eye. He turned his back to her directly, and would not look her +in the face. Yes, there was no doubt about it--she could tell it from +the look of his shoulders--Bertie was in the sulks. + +All their play was spoilt. The throne was deserted, the sceptre laid +down. They did not care to be King or Queen by themselves. + +"I shall go down to mamma, then," said the Queen, and she put me down on +the chair, and went off. + +For some time Bertie stood in the corner, looking very cross. Then he +looked round, and began wondering when May would come back. Next he +commenced to cry. + +"Naughty girl! naughty girl! I don't want her to come back!" and he took +a piece of string out of his pocket, and kept slashing it against his +sleeve as he spoke. + +Suddenly, in the midst of his temper, he caught sight of me. + +"Nasty doll!" he cried; "we should never have quarrelled if it hadn't +been for you! You shall be a boy," he added, sternly; "for I'll cut all +your hair off!" + +A shudder went through me. Unfortunately the nursery scissors were lying +on the table--he took them up, and in a minute it was done. Clip, clip, +went the scissors, as if they were pleased, and nearly the whole of my +flaxen curls lay scattered on the floor. How I looked I don't know, but +I think Bertie was a little frightened when he saw what he had done. I +don't think he was anxious for his sister to see me, so he jumped up on +the fender and put me on top of the mantel-piece. + +Here I lay, with my feet dangling down off the side, about as +uncomfortable as a doll could be. Nearly all my hair was cut short, my +hat had fallen off in the fray, and I found myself in a position of much +discomfort, and even danger. I could see nothing that went on in the +room, and the heat of the stove was fast melting my beautiful +complexion. I tried to look like a Princess, but it was hard. + +The nursery-door opened, and the little girl came back. In a minute she +ran up to the chair where she had left me, and then looked at her +brother. + +"Where's dolly?" she cried, and she looked anxiously round. + +"I shan't tell you," said Bertie, beginning to look frightened. + +"Oh, dolly, dolly; where is my dolly?" cried the little girl, and how I +longed for a voice that could answer her. I could hear her going all +round the room, pulling open drawers and cupboards, and hunting for me, +but I never said a word. + +Suddenly I heard a cry. She had come to the hearth-rug, where lay the +scissors, and nearly all my beautiful flaxen curls on the floor. + +[Illustration: "SO THEY MADE IT UP" (_p. 81_).] + +"Oh, my dear dolly! my dear dolly! He's cut off her hair. Oh, you cruel +boy!" cried the little Queen, and she sat down and cried as if her heart +would break. Then she glanced up, and caught sight of where I lay, +placidly reposing on the mantel-piece with my eyes turned up to the +ceiling. In a moment she was upon a chair, and ready to fetch me down, +when what with the chair being unsteady, and her eyes being full of +tears, the chair slipped beneath her, and down she fell on the floor. + +[Illustration: THE DISCONTENTED KINGFISHER. (_See p. 81._)] + +Poor little Queen, she was in a very bad way! Her head fell against the +fender, and hurt her very much, she sobbed and cried both with the +fright and the pain. Nurse came running up, and took her on her knee, +and it was a long time before she could console her. + +"My dolly, my dolly!" she cried between her tears, and the nurse took me +down from the mantel-piece, and gave me to her. How she did cry over me! +I felt dreadfully vexed, because tears are fatal to my complexion. + +Bertie stood looking on frightened, and came up to look at his sister. + +"Go away, you naughty boy," cried nurse; "it's all your doing, and your +sister will make herself ill with crying." + +When my little Queen heard Bertie being blamed she grew very quiet all +at once. She gave her eyes a final wipe with her handkerchief, and she +got off nurse's knee, and turned to Bertie. Bertie was crying too, and +he had gone quite white with the fright that he got when he saw little +May fall down. + +"Oh, May, I am so sorry, dear," he said; "will you kiss me, dear, and +make it up? Do, please." + +No need to ask the little Queen twice; she threw her little arms round +Bertie. + +"I am so sorry, May," he said; "I didn't know you would have cared so +much." + +"Never mind, Bertie, dear," said the little Queen gently; and she tried +to look cheerful, though I knew she was grieved to the heart. "Perhaps +it's almost for the best," she whispered, softly; "for now she can be +Prince or Princess, just whichever you like." + +So they made it up, and cried and laughed again, as is the way with +these inferior mortals. I had remained calm all the time, which is the +correct frame of mind in which a doll should take all vicissitudes of +fortune, but the poor little Queen had cried till she had washed nearly +all the colour off my face. + +I lived with the children for a long time after this, but I never saw +them quarrel again. I took my part in many a game, and was sometimes a +Princess to please the Queen, and sometimes a Prince because the King +liked it best. I have even been dressed up as the Lord Chamberlain +before now, and sometimes I have taken the part of the scullery-maid. +But neither the King nor the Queen nor I have ever lost our temper +again, and I flatter myself whatever part I have taken I have borne +myself with dignity. + + LUCIE COBBE. + + + + +THE KINGFISHER AND THE FISHES. + + +A Kingfisher sat on the edge of a boat that a young man had prepared for +a fishing expedition. A box of bait and a bucket to hold the fish were +on one of the benches, whilst a fishing-rod lay across the boat, and its +long line had a float at the end of it. + +"What a shame it is!" said the Kingfisher, casting his eye upon the +float. "Why should this man be taking fish from this part of the river, +close by the spot where I have built my nest? And what a preparation he +has made! Hooks, and all kinds of cruelty are known to him. I should be +very sorry to be a man with such a love for killing." + +And the Kingfisher shook his head gravely, and looked into the water. + +"Yes," said he, "fish are moving towards that decoy. What a number of +them! I may as well make a pounce myself. Since the man has put it +there, why shouldn't I take advantage of it." + +So saying he gently rose and spread out his wings as softly as he could, +but the movement scared the watchful fishes, who swam rapidly away +towards the river-bank, whither the Kingfisher pursued them, perching on +the bough of a tree and making a dart from it. He had almost succeeded +in capturing one, but it escaped him. And then an old fish popping up +her head for a minute said-- + +"People are very ready to condemn others for doing what they are +constantly doing themselves. Here are you trying to catch us yourself +and yet professing to be very angry with those who are wishing to do the +same." + +Thus saying she disappeared, leaving the Kingfisher to moralise upon her +speech. + +This he did, observing-- + +"There is something in what the fish says, and yet there's a difference +between me and the young gentleman to whom the boat belongs. I am +getting food for my family, whilst he is only amusing himself with +angling for the fishes. His killing is sport, mine is necessity." + + G. + + + + +OUR SUNDAY AFTERNOONS. + +THE DREAM OF THE BARLEY CAKE. + + +[Illustration: VIEW OF GAZA.] + +The Israelites were wild with terror. With blanched faces and starting +eyes, they gazed upon one another in unspeakable agony, unable to ask +the question which was pressing so heavily upon each heart--What would +the end be? + +They had seen locusts coming in the distance, in swarms so dense as to +darken the sky, more effectually than thickest, blackest clouds. They +had watched them settle down on tree, bush, bright green meadow, and +fields of waving corn. And they had trembled. For they knew that in an +incredibly short time not a vestige of anything green would be left. For +a swarm of locusts to visit the land they had thought one of the direst +calamities that could come upon them. But now invaders as numerous and +far more terrible had made their appearance. + +Crossing the Jordan by the ford near Bethshean, and pouring, like a +torrent of infuriated waters, through the Valley of Jezreel, properly so +called, which was the central of the three eastern arms of the great +Plain of Esdraelon, had come vast hordes of Midianites, Amalekites, and +other children of the East, true sons of the desert, who, like the Arabs +of the present day, lived by plunder. + +Foremost amongst them rode their two great sheiks, or kings, whose +haughty and lofty bearing bespoke their rank, and the obedience and +submission which they were accustomed to receive. They were mounted on +the finest of dromedaries, which seemed proud to carry their royal +masters. Over the gay scarlet cloaks in which they were attired they +wore chains of gold, with large drops, probably set with pearls; and +their many moon-shaped ornaments and long bright spears glittered in the +sunshine, as they rode proudly along. + +By their side, and also mounted on dromedaries, and with long sharp +spears dangling over their shoulders, rode two subordinate sheiks, or +"princes," the dark complexion and jet black hair of the one having +given him the name of Oreb, or the raven, whilst the fierce countenance +of the other had gained for him the title of Zeeb, or the wolf. +Thousands upon thousands of men followed them, with ruthless faces +dreadful to behold. + +On and on they went, through the Valley of Jezreel, across the smiling +Plain of Esdraelon, along the banks of the Kishon, and into the fertile +Plain of Akka, which lies round the Bay of Acre, and extends northwards +for some distance along the shores of the Mediterranean Sea. + +Their object was not to conquer, only to plunder. But what terrible +ravages they made! Better, far better, if the most dreaded cloud of +locusts that had ever been known had come, and devoured all before them! +A few days, and the destructive insects would have disappeared; but as +for these heartless plunderers, when would their wild depredations +cease? + +Before they entered the Plain of Esdraelon, fields of precious corn +nodded in the breeze, and long grasses waved to and fro. Oxen, sheep, +and asses grazed peacefully in rich green pastures; and the busy hum of +populous cities and thriving villages might be heard afar. But as they +went along, they destroyed or seized all that came in their way. The +animals were slaughtered, the corn was reaped, and the green grass was +trampled down by myriads of camels. + +The inhabitants of the villages, and even of the walled cities, fled at +their approach, leaving, in their hurry, all their goods behind them, +and their homes, that had been so happy, were ransacked. + +Never before had the verdant plains presented so desolate an appearance; +and not an Israelite dared tarry behind to witness the destruction. + +The scared Israelites fled to the mountains, there taking refuge in the +holes or caves that were ready for them, or hewing out, in the hard +rock, rough chambers in which to hide. + +And still the mighty host went on; and still they were followed by fresh +hordes as mighty and as reckless, till there seemed to be no end of them +and their camels. + +Killing, plundering, laying waste, as they poured along, they left the +land a sorrowful wreck behind them, and having utterly spoiled the plain +of Akka, they turned southwards, and continued their march as far as +Gaza, the southern limit of the territory of Israel. + +God was surely punishing them for their sins, the Israelites rightly +thought; and they began to call to mind how they had forsaken His ways, +and grieved Him with the blackness of their sins. What must become of +them they scarcely dared think, as they huddled together in the dark +holes in the rocks, their sunken-eyed wives wringing their hands in +despair, and their hungry children crying for bread. No one would ever +be able to drive out the terrible invaders. Not the boldest man in all +Israel dared face them. Unopposed, they would continue their ravages; +and the land that had flowed with milk and honey would soon be one vast +ruin. + +The wild men of the desert spread their black tents over the land, and +for multitude they could only be compared to the sands of the sea-shore, +or uncountable myriads of locusts. + +All the Israelites together would but be as a handful, compared with the +wild Arabs; and how could they hope ever to drive them out? + +"O Israel, trust thou in the Lord: He is their help and their shield!" +When the human arm fails, there is help in the Lord Jehovah; and He can +drive out the most dreaded foe. + +A solitary man, who was of the tribe of Manasseh, and who had got his +name of Gideon, or _the hewer_, from his stature and his great strength, +was threshing wheat by a winepress in Ophrah. His father had had a large +farm, with smiling cornfields and sunny meadows; and Gideon had seen the +day when he had ploughed with his yoked oxen, and when his patient +animals had trodden out for him heaps of precious corn, and there was no +sign of lack to any. But now, what a change had come! Instead of +well-stored barns, he had only a little wheat, which he had contrived to +conceal from the Arab invaders; and, instead of its being trodden out by +plump oxen, he was glad to beat it with a stick, not possessing even the +poor man's flail, and hiding in a winepress, where no one would expect +to find him. + +Striking only gentle blows lest he should be discovered, and sorrowfully +contrasting the present with the past, his heart sank within him, when +raising his head he was startled to find that he was no longer alone. + +Close beside him, under an oak-tree, sat One who appeared to be a +traveller resting, with his staff lying beside him. He was, however, no +traveller, but that wondrous Being who in the Old Testament is so often +called the _Angel of the Lord_; and He had come to the help of Israel. + +"The Lord be with thee, thou mighty man of valour," he said, addressing +Gideon. But Gideon's sad heart gave no responsive throb. Tall and +powerful as he was, and strong as was his arm, he felt as he thought of +the fierce Arab sheiks but like a puny dwarf, who must sit down +helplessly and suffer. + +"Thou shalt go in this thy might that I have sent thee," the heavenly +visitant continued; "and thou shalt save Israel from the Midianites." + +"But, my lord," remonstrated Gideon, in conscious weakness and deep +humility, "how shall I ever be able to save Israel? I but belong to the +tribe of Manasseh, that has never taken the lead amongst the Twelve, and +even of my father's family I am not an important member." + +Gideon thought that to overcome the terrible invader God must needs +raise up some tall giant, big as Og, the King of Bashan. But he was soon +to learn that the weak things of this world are used to confound the +mighty. + +"_I_ will be with thee," the Angel of the Lord said, "and thou shalt +smite the hosts of Midian as one man." + +The wondrous Being, in His great condescension, gave Gideon a sign that +He would fulfil His word, and by his hands save Israel from the dreaded +foe. He touched with his staff the rock on which Gideon had placed his +offering; and fire came out and consumed both the flesh and the sweet +cakes, and then He disappeared. + +Then Gideon blew his trumpet, and the Israelites came out of their +holes, and rallied round him in great numbers. But still his heart +failed; for he could not recall his truant thoughts from the wolf-like +Arab chiefs, nor help contrasting his half-starved men who had suffered +so long from cruel oppression and famine with their strong sons of the +desert. + +In his self-distrust he asked for two signs more, and God gave them to +him. First, a fleece of wool was saturated in the night with dew while +the ground all around was dry; and the next night the fleece was dry +while the ground was wet. + +Thus re-assured, Gideon assembled his followers for the battle; but by +God's directions their number was reduced to only three hundred. + +"By these three hundred men," God said, "will I save Israel, and deliver +the Midianites into thine hands." + +Gideon encamped, with his three hundred men, by the spring of Jezreel, +on the slope of Mount Gilboa; while, on the north side of the valley, +but farther down the descent to the Jordan, was drawn up the host of +Midian. + +From the height on which he stood Gideon could see the Midianites below, +spread over the land like countless grasshoppers. Only three hundred +weak men to face the wild Arabs with whom the valley was teeming! Would +his little handful of followers indeed be able to overcome them? he +wondered within himself. For though he believed God, who had brought +Israel through the Red Sea, still deep down in his heart, and +unexpressed, was a misgiving. And God, who does not scorn the littleness +of a sincere man's faith, but rather tries to increase it, gave him, +unasked and unexpected, another sign. + +"Go down to the host," God said to him in the night; "for I have +delivered it into thine hand. But, if thou art afraid, go down first +with Phurah, thy servant, and hear what they say; and then shall thine +heart be strengthened for the battle." + +So Gideon took Phurah, his servant, crept softly down the slope of the +mountain, and went along, under cover of the darkness, till he came +close enough to the outside of the Midianites' camp to hear any +conversation that might be going on. + +The Arab host lay wrapped in deep sleep, whilst, all around, their +reposing camels were couched on the ground; and not a sound was to be +heard. + +Presently, in one of the tents, in which lay two Midianites, there was a +slight movement. Gideon heard that one of them was waking the other, and +he drew near to listen. + +"I have had such a dream," the disturbed sleeper said to his companion, +when he had roused him. "I dreamed that a cake of barley bread tumbled +into the host of Midian, and, rolling against a tent, overturned it, so +that it lay on the ground." + +And his companion, who understood the dream better than himself, +replied in low tones, that told how great was his fear:--"This is +nothing else save the sword of Gideon; for into his hand hath God +delivered Midian and all the host." + +The two weary men turned over and fell asleep again, trying to forget +the warning that they had received of the fate that awaited them. But +Gideon brightened up. His faith waxed strong, and he grasped his sword +tightly, feeling that whilst it was his sword it was pre-eminently "the +sword of the Lord." + +He knew well the meaning of the dream--that the small round cake of +barley, which was inferior to wheat, and was a symbol of weakness, was +his own weak, insignificant self; and that, just as this tiny cake upset +a tent thousands of times bigger than itself and firmly fastened to the +ground with strong cords and long pegs, so by his weak arm the mighty +host, that now lay asleep, would be overthrown. + +Re-ascending the valley he gave orders to his men, went down, and fell +upon the unsuspecting host, and with his few followers gained one of the +greatest victories ever won by the Israelites. + +Before long, the proud kings, Zeba and Zalmunna, and their two fierce +princes, the Raven and the Wolf, with all their followers, lay in the +silence and helplessness of death; and the land, that had been so long +and so cruelly oppressed was freed from the formidable Arab invaders. + + H. D. + + + + +BIBLE EXERCISES FOR SUNDAY AFTERNOONS. + + +13. Where does Jesus tell us that those who do the will of God are to +Him as brother, sister, and mother? + +14. Where are we told that a brother is born for adversity? + +15. Where is God said to be "slow to anger"? + +16. From what passage in the New Testament is it seen that John the +Baptist followed the custom of the Jewish rabbis in giving his disciples +a form of prayer? + +17. Where are we told that an angry man stirs up strife, while one who +is slow to anger appeases it? + +18. Where do we read that he who is slow to anger is better than the +mighty? + +19. Where in the Bible is Adam called "the son of God"? + +20. From what passage in the New Testament do we see that Rahab became +the mother of the line from which David sprang? + +21. Where does God call the rainbow "My bow"? + +22. Where are rainbows mentioned in the New Testament? + +23. What women are mentioned as ministering, with others, to the +temporal wants of Jesus? + +24. Where are we assured that the Keeper of Israel neither slumbers nor +sleeps? + + + + +ANSWERS TO BIBLE EXERCISES (1-12. _See p. 20_). + + +1. The Feeding of the Five Thousand (St. Matt, xiv. 15-21; St Mark vi. +35-44; Luke ix. 12-17; St. John vi. 5-14.) + +2. Shechem (Judges ix. 34, 45). + +3. Eleven; the leper healed on our Lord's descent from the Mount of +Beatitudes (St. Matt. viii. 1-4; St. Mark 1. 40-45; St. Luke v. 12-15); +and the ten lepers, on the borders of Samaria and Galilee (St. Luke +xvii. 11-19). + +4. It was given to him by David, who had received it from God (1 Chron. +xxviii. 11-19). + +5. In Ps. xlii. 11; and xliii. 5. + +6. In the boat, on the rising of the storm, on the Sea of Galilee (St. +Matt viii. 24; St. Mark. iv. 38; St. Luke viii. 23). + +7. In Acts 1. 14. + +8. In 2 Chron. 1. 3, 4; 1 Chron. xv. 1; 2 Sam. vi. 17. + +9. At Gibeon (1 Chron. xvi. 39). + +10. In 1 Kings iii. 4-15; 2 Chron. 1. 3-6. + +11. In 2 Kings xiv. 25. + +12. "And when _they_ were put to death," &c. (Acts xxvi. 10). + + + + +THE CHILDREN'S LIGHT BRIGADE. + + +[Illustration: "BUT JACK AND THE OLD UMBRELLA STOOD FIRM, AND KNEW NO +FEAR."] + + Jack and Willie, and little maid May + Went down to the summer sea; + And it's merry and gay for a long holiday, + But what is their game to be? + + They were tired of building castles + When serious Johnny said-- + "Now what do you say, supposing we play + The Charge of the Light Brigade? + + "This old umbrella that's been our tent + Will serve for a cannon--of course; + You two must play the Light Brigade, + And I'll be the Russian Force." + + Willie and May ran up the beach, + Then charged straight down on Jack; + But Jack dropped cleverly on one knee, + And drove the onset back. + + Again and again the charge came on + With a rush and a ringing cheer, + But Jack and the old umbrella + Stood firm, and knew no fear. + + "Charge for the guns!" cried Willie once more, + There's a crack, and a moment after + The Russians (that's Jack) are rolled in the sand, + Amid shouts of conquering laughter. + + Said Jack as he rose, "This isn't quite + According to the story; + We'll have this play again some day + We've done enough for glory." + + ROBERT RICHARDSON. + + + + +SOME FAMOUS RAILWAY TRAINS AND THEIR STORY. + +_By_ HENRY FRITH. + + +II.--THE "WILD IRISHMAN." + +The "Wild Irishman" is the train which carries the Irish mails, the +American letter-bags, from Holyhead to London, and _vice versa_. There +are four "Irishmen," two in the daytime and two at night. The morning +Irish mail from London leaves Euston Square at a quarter-past seven, and +it is by this train which we have elected to travel, as we shall see the +country better. + +Here we are at Euston. The engine is already attached to the train--a +fine, rather elegant-looking locomotive, with its name on a neat brass +plate on the great "driving" wheel. Perhaps we shall find it called the +"Lady of the Lake," or "Rokeby." At any rate, it looks very neat and +clean, though not such a giant as our friend the "Dutchman." + +If your eyes are sharp and you are fond of engines, and like to "pat" +them, as I do, you will notice that the cranks and piston-rods work +outside the wheels, not between them, and underneath the boiler, as in +the Great Western engines. You will have just time to look at the wheels +and the name when the man on the platform will wave his flag, and the +"Irishman" will start very gently. As we are quite invisible, we just +step up beside the driver as the engine moves, and he knows nothing +about us. Ha! ha! Mr. Driver; but we intend to know something about your +"Wild Irishman!" + +Our driver and fireman ("stoker," perhaps you call the latter) are very +great men. They have a great deal done for them. Do you think they light +the fire and polish the engine? Do you think they go and take in coal +and water at Crewe, or elsewhere, while they wait for a "return" train? +Oh dear no! Another pair of men are ready, and our "mail-men" go and sit +in the drivers' "cabin" and have their tea, and chat till the train is +ready to start again. + +It is not at all a bad position, though a very responsible one, to be an +engine-driver on the London and North-Western Railway, particularly when +you have worked yourself up to the "top of the tree." I could tell you +many anecdotes of this railway, on which I lived for many years; but we +must not forget the "Wild Irishman" has run through Camden Town, and is +even now in the Primrose Hill tunnel. + +It is very unpleasant being in a tunnel for the first time on an engine. +The noise is very great, and the smoke and water come down at times +unpleasantly. The end of the tunnel looks so tiny in the sunlight +beyond, and the opening gradually gets larger and larger till the engine +rushes out into the pure air again! + +On we go! Stopping for a few minutes at Willesden Junction, our Irish +horse pulls harder, and bolts with us for Rugby and some intermediate +stations. It is just half-past seven a.m., a beautiful day. There is +Harrow on the left, we can see the well-known spire, and we recall the +days when we came up for the cricket-match against Eton, and how we all +went back in a body after the match. + +Before we reach Watford, we come to the peculiar water arrangement by +which the thirsty engines are enabled to have a drink as they rush +along. Between the rails for a considerable distance is a tank, and into +this tank a pipe is let down from the tender of the engine. The speed at +which the train travels causes the water to be forced up the pipe, and +the supply of steam is assured. + +Watford, named from the Roman road "Watling Street," which ran from +Dover through London northwards, is near St. Albans, renowned in English +history. But the "Wild Irishman" will not wait for us; he rushes through +the tunnel and by Berkhampstead to Bletchley, where he pauses for a +minute or two. We have scarcely time to look about when we are off +again, past Wolverton, where the North-Western Company make their +railway carriages, and where they used to repair their engines. We run +not very far from Naseby after a while, and think of the great battle +between Charles and Cromwell's troops. What would they think of our +"Wild Irishman"? I wonder. + +Rugby is passed; Atherstone, near which was the great Battle of Bosworth +Field, lies behind us now. The struggle for the crown between Richard +and Richmond may be recalled, but we have no time to examine the field +seven miles away. We have to get to Crewe at eleven o'clock, and so we +shall. We run through Stafford-on-the-Sowe, a town celebrated as the +birthplace of Izaak Walton. The castle was demolished, like many others, +in the Civil War. + +A long whistle warns us that Crewe is in sight, and before long we enter +the station, through which more than 200 trains pass daily. Here are the +celebrated Locomotive Works, which employ an army of workmen, for whose +children there are schools and playgrounds, with church, library, and +assembly-room for the whole railway working population. + +A visit to Crewe to see the great engines will repay any little folk who +like machinery. + +From Crewe to Chester is half an hour's run, and as we approach the old +city on the Dee we feel wrapped in history. Such a history has Chester +that we are afraid to enter upon it for fear we should be carried away, +and lose ourselves wandering around the dear old walls, towers, gates, +and ramparts. The Danes came here; the Saxons made it a port. Hugh +Lupus, at the Conquest, resided here. The city was made the +starting-point for expeditions against the Welsh by Edward I. Besieged +by the Parliament--but no more; the "Wild Irishman" whistles, and we +must go to you, my lad. + +Hawarden Castle is close by. It was at one time of importance as a +fortress. It now derives its celebrity from its owner, Mr. Gladstone, +for the castle itself has almost disappeared. We soon pass Holywell, so +called from the holy well which sprang from the place where Princess +Winifrede's head fell. Caradoc, a Welsh prince, wickedly cut it off, and +it rolled down the hill. Where it stopped the spring burst forth; and +the head being picked up was placed on Miss Winifrede's body again. It +became fixed, and she lived for many years afterwards, a little red mark +round her white throat being the only token of her decapitation! So the +story goes. + +We are now approaching Abergele, near which such a terrible accident +happened to the Irish mail in 1868. Some trucks had been shunted from a +train in front, and they, by some mistake, came running down the hill to +meet the "Irishman." The driver saw them, and the shock was not severe, +but unfortunately they were filled with oil barrels, which broke open, +the petroleum caught fire, and in two minutes all the fore part of the +train was enveloped in flames. + +Nothing could be done; the poor people in the carriages--lords and +ladies and gentlemen--were burned, and with difficulty any escaped. This +was a fearful catastrophe, and quite puts aside any ordinary accidents +which (not a few) have happened to the "Wild Irishman." + +Let us leave the scene and come on to Llandudno Junction and Conway +Castle, by which is the first "Tubular Bridge." We have all heard of +Conway Castle, founded by Edward I. If you little folk ever go to Conway +be sure and see the castle, and go all over the thick walls, which will +afford you a pretty view. + +But I have something else to tell you about Conway "Tube"--the bridge +through which the railway runs over the river. + +Once upon a time--a good many years ago--a lady and gentleman got +permission to walk through the new tubular bridge, which was then a +curiosity. A railway porter was with them and told them no train was +expected on that line, so they went into the tube and darkness. + +A strange gentleman who had joined them went on first because the lady +could not go so quickly, and of course her husband remained to assist +her over the rails, and stones, and the girders which support the sides. + +But when the lady and gentleman had got halfway through, the first man +was at the end, and saw the down Irish mail approaching on the very line +on which his acquaintances were! He called out-- + +"Take care of yourselves, a train is coming!" and then he waved his +hands to the engine-driver. + +The lady and gentleman in the "tube" could not stand up at the side, and +so they hurried back. It was a terrible race. The "Wild Irishman" +whistling and roaring, hissing and straining at the brakes close behind; +in front only a few yards to the station, but such long yards! On came +the train, and just as the gentleman rushed from the "tube" and dragged +the lady down, the express came out grinding and growling. They were +only just saved by two yards from a terrible death. + +Now let me tell you something else. The year after that nearly fatal +accident, I--the writer of this anecdote--was visiting the "Britannia" +Tubular Bridge which crosses the Menai Straits, and through which the +"Wild Irishman" rushes on its way to Holyhead. I was with my parents, +and we talked to the caretaker at the bridge. + +"Yes, sir," he said, "it _is_ dangerous to go into the tubes. We do not +allow it now. Last year a lady and gentleman were nearly killed in the +Conway tube. I was the guard of the mail train; they had a very narrow +escape." + +"What became of the tipsy porter who guided them in?" asked my father. + +"He lay flat down, and the train went over him--he was dismissed--but +how did you know, sir?" + +"Because this lady and myself were the two people who were in the tube," +said my father. "I assure you we remember the incident very well +indeed." + +That is what most people would, call a "curious coincidence," and it is, +moreover, quite true. + +But we are nearing Holyhead. Our "Wild Irishman" has not far to run now. +We are through the "Britannia" bridge, upon whose unfinished summit we +have raced on slippery plates of iron, one hundred feet above the +straits, and gazed down into the Menai waters beneath, as the ships +went up almost touching the tube apparently. Ah! this was many years +ago, and even now as we rattle on we can recall the scene and shiver. + +Away by Llanfair--something--a long Welsh word--away by the lake and the +river; over the marsh comes the scent of the sea, and then in ten +minutes the "Wild Irishman" walks down the pier. Mail-bags are put on +board the steamer; passengers hurry down; the carriage doors are shut. +The paddle-wheels revolve; we quit the harbour of Holyhead, and lose +sight of the "Wild Irishman." + + + + +MASTER TOM'S "RAINY WEATHER." + + +"Ettie," said Master Tom, "do you like to be naughty or good?" + +"Naughty," replied Ettie promptly. + +Ettie was five years old, and Master Tom nine. + +Ettie and Master Tom were at the far end of the kitchen-garden, going +through the gate that led into a small paddock, when Ettie suddenly +said-- + +"Pigs." + +"Where?" exclaimed Master Tom. + +"Poor pigs in pen all shut up," answered Ettie. + +"What a shame!" said Master Tom. "I say, Mrs. Pig, wouldn't you like +your little piggies to have a run this fine day? + + "There's grass around in plenty + For the little ones to eat, + And in the kitchen-garden + There's cabbage for a treat. + +Now, Ettie, get out of the way; I am going to open the door of the +pigstye." + +And Master Tom threw the door wide open, and out rushed not only the ten +little pigs, but Mrs. Pig herself. They came with such a rush that +Ettie, not getting out of the way quickly enough, was knocked down. But +she did not cry; for she was used to falling in her expeditions with +Tom. + +Through the garden gate, into the garden, over the beds, went the pigs, +and after them went Master Tom and Ettie, driving them until they went +into the middle of the crisp early cabbages. + +"Now then, eat to your hearts' content," said Master Tom. "Eat away, eat +away! How they do enjoy themselves; there won't be a cabbage left. Won't +Joseph be surprised. Let us get up into the great pear-tree and watch +them. You can climb up if I push you." + +"Yes," responded Ettie, grasping the trunk and putting her foot on a +jutting-out knob. + +"That's famous," said Master Tom, as he helped his little sister up +until he landed her in one of the highest boughs. + +"Isn't it nice?" said he. + +And he began swaying the branches to and fro, whilst Ettie held on +tightly and laughed with delight. + +"Oh dear! oh dear! how can the pigs have got in?" + +"Oh dear! oh dear!" cried Master Tom from the pear-tree, mimicking the +gardener's voice. + +"Oh dear! oh dear!" cried Ettie in her shrill voice. + +"Oh dear! oh dear!" said Joseph in dismay; "the children up in the +pear-tree such a height; they'll tumble down and break their necks. Oh, +Master Tom, Master Tom, whatever did you go up there for, and take +little Missy with you? What shall I do?--the pigs, the children, the +children, the pigs! I daren't leave the children; and yet if I don't go +after the pigs the garden will be ruined. Oh, my lettuces, my peas, my +cauliflowers, my fine young cabbages!" + +And then Joseph suddenly raised his voice and shouted as loud as he +could-- + +"Help! help! help! Hallo! hallo! hallo!" + +In a few seconds out came several of the servants, and amongst them was +Nurse. "Oh! what is the matter?" she cried; "is it Master Tom again?" + +"I should think it was," said Joseph; "he's in the pear-tree, and Miss +Ettie's with him. Jack, get a ladder to get her out of the tree." + +Jack, the boy, went off, and now the branches were seen to sway +backwards and forwards, the two children chuckling with delight. + +"And here I come first," said Master Tom, suddenly descending in so +rapid a manner that he seemed to tumble down amongst the group, and, +stumbling against Joseph, the gardener was tripped up and fell to the +ground. + +Nurse tried to seize upon Master Tom, who, however, shook himself free, +leaving it to Joseph and the boy to get Ettie out of the pear-tree. + + +II. + +When Nurse returned to the house with Ettie the first thing she saw was +the turf beneath the nursery window strewn with every possible thing +that Master Tom could find. He himself was looking out of the nursery +window with an armful of Ettie's frocks and sashes, which he aimed at +Nurse and her charge as they came nearer the house. + +[Illustration: PLAYING AT RAINY WEATHER. (_See p. 90._)] + +"Oh dear! shan't I be glad when you go back to school, Master Tom. +Here's an hour's good work for me in carrying back all these things." + +And Nurse wrathfully ascended to the nursery, but Master Tom was not +there. + +"Well," said Nurse, "it's a good thing he's gone off by himself, and not +got Miss Ettie with him. You stay here and play with your dolls, and +I'll run down and pick up your frocks and shoes." + +So Nurse, having settled Ettie with her playthings, departed. + +But she had not been gone a minute before Master Tom put his head in at +the door. + +"Ettie," said he, "come down into the drawing-room, and we'll have the +greatest fun in the world. I've got a large umbrella and water-bottles, +so we'll play at rainy weather." + +Up jumped Ettie. + +"Hush! don't make a noise, or some one will hear us. Come very softly." + +And Ettie, on tiptoes, followed Tom to the drawing-room, where, having +locked the door, he provided Ettie with a large umbrella. + +"Now sit down on the floor," said he, "and hold it over you. You must +pretend that it is a rainy day, and that you are obliged to shelter +under it." + +Down went Ettie on the floor, and up went the umbrella. + +"Now," continued Master Tom (who had borrowed a pair of high boots so +that, at least, _he_ should not get wet), "I shall pour water over the +umbrella and it will splash down like rain. You must say, 'What a +dreadful day! What a dreadful storm!'" + +"Yes," answered Ettie. "Splash, splash, splash! what a storm! what a +storm!" + +And down came the water, splashing Ettie's velvet frock and wetting her +shoes, and making pools on the drawing-room carpet. What fun it was! so +Master Tom thought, and so did Ettie; and the more he emptied the +water-bottles the more they both shouted with glee. + +Guided by the noise, Nurse soon arrived at the door. + +"Open the door! open the door!" + +But Master Tom took no notice. Nurse might batter away as she liked; he +was safe inside. + +"What are you doing?" + +"Playing at rain," cried Ettie; "my frock and my shoes all wet. It is +rainy day, Nurse." + +"The road is all of puddles," said Master Tom; "splash, splash; don't +you hear it?" + +Yes, Nurse _did_ hear it, and wondered what it was. + +"I've finished the bottles," said Master Tom; "now for the watering-can, +it's quite full. It will come down like a shower-bath, Ettie." + +"Oh! oh! oh!" gasped Ettie, for the umbrella slipped from her hand and +she received the contents of the watering-can on her head, neck, and +arms. Then Ettie, for the first time, began to cry. + +"You bad boy," cried Nurse in a state of despair; "open the door or I +will have it broken open." + +Master Tom unlocked the door, and then making a rapid retreat to one of +the windows, he leaped through it almost before Nurse had opened the +door. + +Nurse held up her hands in dismay. The beautiful drawing-room carpet was +soaked with water, and in the midst, crouched on the floor, sat Ettie, +with her hair and her fine velvet frock dripping. + +"Tom poured water," sobbed Ettie, as Nurse lifted her off the ground. + +Nurse rang the bell lustily, and the housemaid came running to see what +was the matter. + +"What will the mistress say?" said Jane as she looked at the carpet; "I +shouldn't wonder if it is spoiled altogether." + +"I know what I should say, and what I shall say!" said Nurse; "I shall +tell the mistress that if something isn't done to curb Master Tom, he'll +be such a plague, that no one will care to see him. I've had such a day +with him to-day as I don't intend to have again!" + +And Nurse carried Ettie off to the nursery, where she took off her wet +clothes, and put her into a warm bed. For Ettie was shivering, though it +was a hot day, and Nurse gave out that she thought Master Tom would make +his sister quite ill. + +Which opinion reached Tom's ears; so he crept upstairs cautiously. + +"Nurse, nurse," he said, "is Ettie very bad?" + +"She's got a shivering and a shaking, and it may be an inflammation," +said Nurse severely, "and what shall you say if, by your mischievous +doings, you have hurt your sister!" + +Master Tom's soul was filled with terror. + +"I don't know how it may end," continued Nurse, "but the best thing you +can do is to go downstairs and sit in the dining-room till master and +mistress come home. Go away from here." + +And Nurse shut the door and bolted it; and Tom, feeling more miserable +than he had ever felt in his life, went away, but not to the +dining-room. + +He went to his own little room, where, with a white face, he watched, +till his mother came home. He would tell her everything, and he knew +that she would let him just look at Ettie before he went to bed. And he +said to himself-- + +"I will never get into mischief again." + +It was a good resolve; let us hope that he kept it. + + + + +THE MAIDS AND THE MAGPIE. + + + Three little maids and a magpie + Went out one day for a walk; + The little maids hunted for flowers, + The magpie did nothing but talk. + + "I've three little maidens to care for, + Each one from dangers to save-- + Wild dogs or runaway horses-- + What a good thing I am brave!" + + Soon they were laden with flowers-- + Bunches of red, white, and blue; + Great ox-eyed, snowy-leaved daisies, + Harebells, and bright poppies too. + + Then they turned homeward together, + Magpie still hopping before, + Passed through the wood and the village, + Came to the rectory door. + + There stood a quiet grey pussy-- + Magpie flew off in a fright. + So, after all his vain boasting, + Proved himself coward--not knight! + + FRANCES HAY. + + + + +CHILDREN'S GAMES IN DAYS OF OLD. + + +[Illustration] + +Both my little nieces had been unwell. They were not very ill, but they +were shut up in one room for a time, and they found it rather difficult +to amuse themselves all day long, without having their lessons to do or +their brothers to play with. I told them a tale every afternoon, when +the light was getting dim, and the fire was poked into a bright blaze; +but I came to the end of my store at last. + +"Oh, auntie! what shall we do now if you can't tell us any more +stories?" said Maggie. "We read such a lot that we really don't want to +be read to." + +"Let us have a nice talk," I said. + +"But what shall we talk about?" asked Edith, looking into the fire, as +if she could read something there. "Oh, I know, auntie! tell us about +the time when you were a little girl; tell us all about your pet toys." + +"Auntie has told us that so often," said Maggie. + +"Let us talk about something very old, and yet quite new to both of +you," I said. "What do you think the children played with hundreds and +hundreds of years ago?" + +"Didn't they have dolls?" asked Maggie. + +"Yes, they had dolls, but not like yours. They were small, and their +arms and legs were fastened on with bits of wire or wood." + +"What were they made of?" asked Edith. + +"They were generally made of clay or terra-cotta, but sometimes of wood +or wax. The hair was often ornamented with rows of beads, and sometimes +the dolls were painted all over with very bright colours, to please the +little ones to whom they were given. They used to make little toy +animals, too, and in Greece they had those small dancing figures which +we call marionets." + +"Have they found anything besides dolls?" + +"Yes; there are some little toys at the British Museum which were found +in Greece and Turkey. One of them is a woman kneading bread; another is +a black boy sitting on a pony, with a basket of fruit in front of him. +If ever you see them, you will think you are very fortunate little +children to have such beautiful toys." + +"But I don't care about dolls," said Edith, blushing a little, for she +had been grumbling because her mother would not buy her a new one. "I'd +rather have a big ball. Did those old children play at ball, auntie?" + +"Oh, yes! The very oldest we know of--the Egyptian children--had balls +of leather and some of painted china." + +"I shouldn't like that," remarked Edith. "Fancy Charlie with an +earthenware ball! he'd break all the windows in the house." + +"I don't suppose they let the children throw the hard balls about much. +The Greeks in later times loved ball as much as you do, but they played +it in a different way. They used to sing and dance at the same time. Can +you think of any word that we have which means dancing, and yet sounds +like a game?" + +"Like a game of ball, auntie?" said Maggie. + +"I know!" cried Edith clapping her hands; "you've just said it, +Maggie--a _ball_. Don't you know people always dance at a ball." + +The children were very much pleased to find out that the grown-up +people's amusement took its name from one of their toys, and that the +short songs, or _ballads_, which we sing came from the songs which the +Greeks sang whilst they played ball. + +"Did they play ball in any other way?" asked Maggie. + +"Sometimes it was put on the middle line, between the two parties +playing, and each party tried to seize it, and throw it over the +adversary's goal-line." + +"Why, that's like our own football, isn't it, auntie?" + +"Yes; the Epikoinos, or common game of ball played by the Greek +children, is really the great-great-great-grandfather of our football." + +"Had those children any hoops?" asked Edith. + +"The Romans had hoops, and even the same kind of hooked stick, but they +played very differently from what we do. They tried to snatch the hoop +from each other with the hook." + +"I'm glad I am not a Roman, then," said Edith, "for I do love a good +straight run with my hoop; and that must have been more like fighting +than playing. But do tell us some more about those children's games. It +seems so strange to think they had balls and hoops like us." + +"They had whip-tops, too," I said. "And some people say that the great +Emperor Augustus used to play at marbles when he was a boy. You have +seen Charlie and Tom play with knucklebones; the Greek children had them +too, and sometimes there were numbers on them, and each bone had a +different name. Backgammon and draughts were played by the Greeks, and +we see by some of the pictures on the tombs in Egypt that the game of +draughts was very popular there." + +"But hadn't they any nice romping games?" asked Maggie. + +"Yes. Blind man's buff was a great favourite with the Greeks and Romans. +And they were very fond of playing a game which was known as +oyster-shell." + +"Do you mean making grottoes? I don't call that romping." + +"The children were divided into equal numbers on each side of a line +drawn on the ground; one party would be called white, the other black. +They then tossed an oyster-shell into the air, and whichever side came +upwards, one of that party ran off. If it was the dark, one of the +blacks ran away, and one of the whites dashed after him. As soon as Mr. +Black was caught, he had to take Mr. White on his shoulders and carry +him to the camp, where he remained till all the others were caught. This +is the origin of our prisoner's base.'" + +"But that is a boy's game," said Maggie. "I want to know about the +girls'." + +"They played blind man's buff, as I told you just now; then there was +'runaway,' or 'touch,' which was like our game. One girl would shut her +eyes whilst the others hid. A place of refuge, or, as we call it, +_home_, was fixed upon, and she had to try and touch some of the others +before they could get safe there. Kiss-in-the-ring was very popular too, +but the girl used to hold the boy by the ears as she kissed him, and +this was called pitcher-fashion." + +"Our pitchers have not two handles," remarked Edith. + +"No, but they had a handle on each side in those days. Then the Greeks +used to play a game like our follow-my-leader, called 'Commands,' and +all sorts of funny things were ordered to be done by those who took part +in it." + +Just then the bell rang for me to go down to dinner. + +"Oh, auntie, don't go yet!" cried both children; "we haven't heard half +enough." + +"I will just tell you one thing more, and then I must go," I said. +"There was a very favourite game played hundreds of years ago in Asia, +called 'Kings and Subjects.' One day a little boy named Cyrus was +playing at it with the children of the village in which he lived. This +little boy was about ten years old, and had been adopted by a shepherd. +He was chosen king by the boys, and having appointed his ministers, he +set each of his companions to do certain work. One boy refused, and +Cyrus ordered him to be flogged. The boy was angry, and ran off to tell +his father, who was one of the chief men in the place. This man was very +indignant that his boy should be beaten by a common shepherd's son, and +went to King Astyages to complain. The king sent for Cyrus, and asked +him how he dared to treat the son of a great man in that way. + +"Cyrus answered bravely that he had only done what was just; he had been +chosen king, and he ought to have been obeyed. Astyages was very much +surprised by this answer, and began to look more closely at the fearless +boy; then he saw that he was very like himself. He sent for the +shepherd, and after many questions, he found that this little Cyrus was +his own grandson who was supposed to be dead. So the sham king really +became the heir to the throne, and in time was a real king." + +"Why, auntie, that's as good as a fairy tale!" said Edith. + +"Better," I replied; "for it is true, and it teaches us that we ought +always to try to do right, even in our games, and then we shall never be +ashamed." + + E. M. W. + + + + +THEIR ROAD TO FORTUNE. + +THE STORY OF TWO BROTHERS. + +_By the Author of "The Heir of Elmdale," &c. &c._ + +[Illustration: "AUNT AMY HAD STEPPED FORWARD" (_p. 95_).] + + +CHAPTER IV.--A TERRIBLE SURPRISE. + +Mr. Gregory and Mr. Clair arrived at Riversdale early the next day, and +Mr. Gregory at once took the management of everything into his own +hands. The greater part of the afternoon he was shut up in the library +with the lawyer, and when he found the boys in the dining-room, he +looked very grave and anxious, and even reproved Mr. Clair for amusing +the children by making caricatures, and illustrating some of their +story-books. No two people could be more unlike than those two uncles, +who would probably be the guardians of Edward and Bertie Rivers. Mr. +Gregory was a tall, portly gentleman, with grey hair and keen eager +eyes; his voice was loud, his manner always stern and abrupt. People +usually feared and respected him more than they loved him; he was always +very busy and fussy and important, and had an idea that nothing in +London would go on quite right without him. However, Mrs. Rivers had +been his only sister; the boys were her children, and he was their +nearest relative and natural protector. On his way down he had arranged +all his plans: the boys should go to school, and he would let Riversdale +till Edward came of age; he knew some one in the City who was just in +want of such a place. Mr. Clair, on the other hand, thought very little +of the future; he was sorry to see the children look so sad, and did his +best to cheer them up; but then, every one said Mr. Clair was the most +unpractical person in the world. He was an artist by profession, and had +married Mr. Rivers' sister Amy, an offence for which he was never +pardoned, either by Mr. Rivers or Mr. Gregory. However, as the marriage +proved a very happy one, Mr. Clair did not fret about that, neither was +he in the least offended at the coldness and neglect of his wife's +relatives. He loved his profession, he loved his wife, he loved his +shabby roomy old house in Fitzroy Square: in fact, the chief +characteristic of Mr. Harry Clair was that he loved everything and +everybody, and now he was quite willing to take to his heart his wife's +orphan nephews and niece. But Uncle Gregory was made of sterner stuff, +and the young heir of Riversdale, he thought, was a person to be +reverenced and treated with deference; besides, he was not either very +affectionate or very demonstrative in his manner, therefore the +children, who were hungry for love and sympathy, turned to Uncle Clair. +The next day Aunt Amy arrived, and both the boys felt they had found a +true and loving friend, while Agnes clung to her, trembling and sobbing, +for since her uncle's death she had felt strangely alone in the house, +just as if she belonged to nobody, and until it was known what provision +had been made for her, no one could say what was to become of her. As +the days passed Mr. Gregory looked more anxious and worried. A strange +gentleman from London remained in the house, and spent several hours +every day in the library examining letters and papers; lawyers were +constantly coming and going, and at last it became clear, even to the +boys, that something was wrong; the gloom deepened on every face, even +the servants stood in little groups and talked in whispers; only Uncle +Clair seemed unconcerned, though Aunt Amy's eyes often filled with tears +as she looked at the boys. But none of them seemed quite prepared for +the terrible tidings Mr. Gregory had to unfold. Mr. Rivers had been +buried in the family vault at Riversdale very quietly, as his wish had +always been. The boys, their uncles, the doctor and lawyer and the +strange gentleman, whose name and real business no one seemed to know, +attended as mourners, and when they returned to the house Mr. Gregory +led the way to the library, and the family lawyer read the will. It was +very simple: Riversdale to Edward; five thousand pounds to Bertie when +he came of age, and the choice of a profession, the expenses of which +were to be paid for out of the estate; and a few legacies to faithful +servants and deserving charities; not a word of poor little Agnes, for +the simple reason that the will was made several years before she came +to Riversdale; not a single word of any person else, except that Mr. +Frank Rivers, his brother, Mr. Gregory, his brother-in-law, and Mr. +Harry Clair, his brother-in-law, were appointed executors and guardians. +The boys' minority was to be spent according to their direction. Every +one breathed a sigh of relief: they had all expected much worse; but +Bertie, happening to glance at his Uncle Gregory's face, started, and +cried suddenly, "There's something else, sir. I'm sure there's something +you are keeping from us." + +[Illustration] + +"Yes, my lad, unfortunately there is. When your father made this will +his property was his own to bequeath how he liked; since then he has +been unfortunate. He has speculated largely in mines that he hoped would +prove a success: they have failed; a few days since the utter failure of +a bank in which his whole private fortune was invested gave him a shock +from which he never recovered. Riversdale is fully mortgaged; the income +of the estate will barely pay the interest now, for your father has +parted with most of his property. In a word, this is the state of +affairs: you must either sell Riversdale, then this gentleman tells me +there may be a few thousands to spare for you boys; or you may let the +place stand, put your shoulders to the wheel, and work both of you to +redeem your home. You are only boys, but some boys with energy, +patience, perseverance, and, above all, a cherished object in view, can +achieve much. This gentleman tells me that by careful management there +may be a trifle saved every year, which should go towards lessening the +principal, then every year will be making the interest less too. But the +grave question is, what in the meantime is to become of you boys?" + +"And Agnes?" Bertie cried; "we must not forget Agnes?" + +Mr. Gregory looked rather coldly at the shrinking, timid little girl; +she had not entered into his calculations at all. She was not his +sister's child, and he really saw no way of helping her. + +"I am, as you know, only a London merchant," Mr. Gregory continued, +ignoring Bertie's earnest remark, "and I cannot do much for you, but +this I can offer: you may both have a place in my office, and, believe +me, many lads have found the humblest seat in a London counting-house +the road to fortune. Once started in business under my protection, +everything will depend on yourselves. Merit, industry, integrity must +make their own way. What do you say, Edward? Mind, as your guardian, I +have a right to command, but I want to hear what you think." + +"I--I don't care for business, Uncle Gregory; I have no taste, no talent +for it," Eddie replied humbly, though his eyes flashed. "I always wished +to be an artist, and papa promised I should be one day." + +"Unfortunately, many of your papa's promises are not easily fulfilled +_now_," Mr. Gregory said coldly. "If you will not enter my office, may I +ask what you intend to do, Edward?" + +"I don't know, uncle. I had hoped to go to college, and then travel, and +study abroad, and become an artist." + +"Impossible!" Mr. Gregory interrupted sharply. "Where's the money to +come from?" + +"I don't know, uncle; I have not had time to think;" and Eddie cast an +imploring glance at his Uncle Clair. + +"Well, my lad," that gentleman said, laying his hand kindly on Eddie's +shoulder, "if you really are determined to become an artist, I will do +all I can to assist you on certain conditions, and subject to the +approval of your other guardian. You can come and live with me, and I'll +teach you the groundwork and details of art: inspiration, genius, +success are not mine to bestow; nor shall I send you to a university. In +the first place, I can't afford it; in the next, I don't think it +necessary; but if I see you have a real love of and taste for art, I'll +send you to study abroad for a few years, if possible; but first of all +you must work. You can live with me; my house will be your home, your +aunt will take care of you. Your mornings must be spent in my studio, +your afternoons devoted to continuing your studies; but I want you +clearly to understand, lad, that you are not coming to visit or to play, +but to learn a profession--and an honourable profession. You will find +many things irksome perhaps, and have to perform many unpleasant duties, +but if you work with a single heart, and try to make the best of +everything, you will find, taking the rough with the smooth of it, that +art is a noble profession. But I cannot honestly call it the high road +to fortune. Your Uncle Gregory has made his proposal; I have made mine. +Think before you decide." + +"I will go with you, Uncle Clair," Eddie answered, drawing nearer to the +artist. "There is no need to think; I never could be a merchant; I must +be a painter. My mind is thoroughly made up." + +"As you will, boy. Your Uncle Clair has made you a liberal offer; +according to his means, he offers you of his best freely and kindly. I +hope you may prove worthy of his trust in you, but as I do not want my +sister's son to be entirely dependent on a stranger----" + +"Uncle Harry said I could _work_," Eddie said, drawing still nearer to +his favourite relative. + +"Yes, Mr. Gregory, the boy must be independent. If I find him useful, +I'll pay him a small salary," Mr. Clair replied gently, no way ruffled +by Mr. Gregory's cold, scornful tones. "That matter is decided: Edward +is to come to us." + +"And you?" Mr. Gregory continued, turning to Bertie. "Are you also +anxious to become an artist?" + +"No, uncle; I want to make my fortune and get back Riversdale." + +"Well spoken, my lad. Then you decide to come with me?" + +"Yes, please; I should like to be a great, rich, powerful merchant, and +own ships and things. But, Uncle Gregory, who's to take care of dear +little Cousin Agnes?" + +"I am really quite at a loss to know," Mr. Gregory said, frowning. "Has +she no friends of her mother's? The child has no claim on me." + +"But she has on us," Bertie replied promptly. "She's our cousin; her +papa was our Uncle Frank, and we must take care of her." + +Mr. Gregory frowned and looked thoughtful, but Aunt Amy had stepped +forward, and taken Agnes into her arms. "We'll take care of her," she +said, with a loving look at Bertie, who had spoken so bravely for his +little cousin, while Eddie had entirely forgotten her. "Don't be afraid, +Bertie; while your Uncle Harry and I have a home Agnes shall share it." + +"Thank you, aunt; and I hope Uncle Gregory will let me come and see you +often. It is so nice to think that we shall all be in London together;" +and then Bertie smothered a sigh as he remembered how he disliked cities +and loved the country, how he would miss the dear delights of +Riversdale, and how he dreaded the duties of an office. But he had +plenty of courage, and he resolved not to begin by being unhappy or +discontented; "besides, it mayn't be so bad," he said to himself; "and +Dr. Mayson declares it's worth a thousand a year to be able to look at +the bright side of everything." + +[Illustration: "MR. GREGORY PLACED TWO SOVEREIGNS IN BERTIE'S HAND" (_p. +98_).] + +Agnes was weeping silently with joy: no other arrangement could have +given her half as much pleasure as going back with her Aunt Amy and +Uncle Clair; she could surely pick up some crumbs of instruction in the +studio, and then she would always be at hand to help Eddie, and little +Agnes did not wish for any greater happiness than that. But Eddie did +not seem altogether so well pleased by the arrangement. He did not like +a rival, either in affection or talent, and he knew that both his Aunt +and Uncle Clair loved Agnes, and also that she was a great deal cleverer +with her pencil than himself, though she was very shy and nervous, and +distrusted her own powers. However, the arrangement was the only one +that seemed possible, and the very next day they all returned to London, +Agnes and Eddie going in a four-wheeler with their aunt and uncle to +Fitzroy Square, Bertie accompanying his Uncle Gregory to a splendid +house in Kensington Gardens, where he was rather coldly received by his +aunt and cousins, and informed that, for a time at least, it was to be +his home. + +[Illustration] + + +CHAPTER V.--BERTIE BEGINS LIFE. + +It was a long time before Eddie and Bertie Rivers could realise that +Riversdale was no longer their home--that they were quite poor lads, +dependent on the kindness of their relatives, and that if they wished to +win fame and fortune, there was nothing for it but hard work. Bertie +was the first to realise the great change in his position. Mr. Gregory +was not unkind, but he was stern and cold, and after introducing him to +the head clerk (who showed him a corner in the office where he might +sit, and explained his work), Mr. Gregory took no more notice of him +than of the other lads. After the first day, he found that he would have +to go to the City by himself, and return alone; his uncle gave him a +second-class season ticket, and desired him to catch the half-past eight +train every morning. He also told him where he was to have his dinner, +and for the first month desired one of the older clerks to see to him, +and pay only a certain sum; then he was to return to Kensington at +half-past five every evening, have his tea in the school-room, and read +or amuse himself as best he could till bed-time. His aunt, he rarely +saw; she was not up when he left in the morning, and always was either +entertaining visitors at home or going out to parties in the evening. +His two cousins were quite grown-up young ladies, who seldom +condescended to notice the little office-boy, as they called him, and +two other cousins, about his own age and Eddie's, were away at Eton. So +that poor Bertie would not have had a very lively time, had he not +possessed a wonderful capacity for enjoyment, and a perfect genius for +finding occupation and amusement for himself. He had undisturbed +possession of the deserted school-room, and before long it was a sort of +little museum. He had a number of pets; then he begged corks from the +butler, and manufactured ingenious flower-pots and stands, in which he +grew dainty little mosses and ferns; he made cork frames for some of +Agnes' pretty little pictures, and his grandest achievement was a boat +that he built and rigged entirely himself. Often in the early mornings +he would go for a walk as far into the country as he could, and +sometimes, before going home in the evenings, he would have a run in the +park, and those were all his pleasures. Mr. Gregory scarcely ever +thought of him out of the office; there he always observed every one +closely, and he saw that Bertie was quiet, attentive, industrious, and, +best of all, quick: he never had to be told to do anything a second +time. On Saturdays and Sundays he might go and see his brother, provided +he returned in good time, for he dined with the family on Sundays; but +Eddie was never invited to Gore House, and Uncle Clair was never +mentioned without contempt. But to Bertie, the hours spent in the dingy +old house in Fitzroy Square were the pleasantest of his life. He was too +happy when he got there to notice that Eddie looked gloomy sometimes, +but little Agnes was always sweet and happy, and Aunt Amy's welcome was +worth anything. + +"How I do wish I could come and live here!" Bertie cried one wet +afternoon, when they were all gathered round the fire in Mrs. Clair's +old-fashioned parlour. "I should not mind being in the office a bit if I +could see you all in the evenings; but it is dull at home!" + +"It's dull everywhere at times, dear," Aunt Amy said gently, remembering +how very gloomy Eddie often looked. "You must try and make the best of +it." + +"I do, auntie," Bertie replied; "and I suppose I won't have to live with +Uncle Gregory always." + +"Gore House is pleasanter than Fitzroy Square, I think," Eddie said, a +little crossly. + +"And Fitzroy Square is ever so much pleasanter than Mincing Lane," +Bertie replied. "Why, if you were in our office, Eddie, I don't know +what would become of you! You would have to sit on a high stool all day, +copying things into big books, or else copying things out of them. Then +you have to add up columns of figures till your eyes ache, and if you +are even one wrong, Mr. Wilson seems to know just by instinct. I +wonder," Bertie added suddenly, "how many columns I shall have to add +up, and how many ledgers fill with entries, before I begin to grow +rich?" + +"I wonder how many pictures I'll have to paint before I begin to grow +famous?" Eddie replied; and then, as Aunt Amy left the room, he jumped +up impatiently. "I'll never be an artist, Bert, if Uncle Clair keeps me +drawing lines and triangles and cubes. Any one can do them; I want to +begin to paint!" + +"Then why don't you do just as Uncle Harry says; he knows best!" Bertie +replied gravely. "I always do exactly as Uncle Gregory says, no matter +what it is; and now it's time for me to go back. Oh, I forgot to tell +you something: our cousins, Dick and Harry, are coming home in a few +weeks; I'll bring them to see you. It won't be so bad when they come, +but it is dull at home these long evenings." + +"It does me good to see Bertie: he's always so happy and cheerful," Aunt +Amy said, after she had kissed him, and watched him a little way down +the street. "I wish, Eddie dear, you would try to be contented and +happy." + +"I do try, Aunt Amy, but I can't while I have to do so many unpleasant +things," Eddie replied, drawing near her. One comfort was, he was always +sure of ready sympathy from her, while Uncle Harry sometimes laughed at +his fretful impatience. "If uncle would only let me begin a picture!" + +"All in good time, dear. Be patient, Eddie: that's the alphabet of art, +and you must learn it; besides, Uncle Harry knows best, and remember, +the sooner you master the alphabet the sooner you can begin to work. +Just see how Agnes gets on!" + +Eddie flushed and hurried away. He would not for the world acknowledge +it, but his cousin's success was the secret of Eddie's discontent. He +could not bear to see Agnes do everything better than he did himself, +and he was ashamed of his jealousy, instead of trying to overcome it. He +had been just three months with his uncle, and every day he complained +that he had done nothing; his uncle complained too, in a very kind, +gentle way, that Eddie did not try, but he was far too easy-tempered and +good-natured to be severe on Eddie, for he thought the poor lad had not +become quite accustomed to his altered fortune. And in truth, Eddie did +miss Riversdale, and his pony, and the other luxuries he had been +accustomed to all his life; he had not the same happy temper as Bertie, +and he often grieved his Aunt Amy by lamenting over his loss of fortune, +and the gloomy view he took of the future. It was in vain that Agnes +begged of him to do just the work that came to his hand, to listen +attentively to Uncle Clair's instructions and explanations; in vain Aunt +Amy entreated him fondly to be patient, and despise not the day of small +things; Eddie sulked, grumbled, worst of all, idled, or worked +indifferently, and kept on telling himself that he was misunderstood and +undervalued, and would not be even allowed to show what he could do; for +on that point at least Uncle Clair was firm: Eddie must learn to draw +before he began to paint. But in spite of the mortifications of the +studio, life was not all dull for Eddie. There were many pleasant +mornings spent with his uncle in the National Gallery, where Mr. Clair +pointed out the master-pieces of art, and spoke eloquently on their +particular merits and beauties; and Eddie almost forgot himself and his +own ambitious dreams in gazing on the wonderful productions of Titian, +Sebastian, and Guido, for those three masters were his great favourites. +Then there were pleasant hours in the British Museum, studying rare old +prints and illuminations; visits to the numerous other picture +galleries; and, best of all, pleasant hours in other artists' studios, +where Eddie heard a good deal of discussion and criticism, and thought +himself a very important person. Then there were pleasant evenings at +home, when friends dropped in, and the conversation was still of art and +artists, of "studies," "designs," "models," and other matters of +absorbing interest to painters; and Uncle Clair would sit in his big +easy-chair by the fire, and talk in his soft, pleasant voice of the +picture he was going to paint for the Academy some day, when he got +tired of portrait-painting. He would dwell upon his subject lovingly, +describing it in minute detail, and then forget all about it, while some +one else went and painted it, and won money and fame thereby. Being of +an easy temper, and entirely devoid of ambition, Mr. Clair was unable to +sympathise with Eddie's impatience; but though not enthusiastic about +art, he had a thorough knowledge of its technicalities, and Eddie might +have learned much from him if he would. Meantime, Agnes was studying +hard and making wonderful progress, but her aunt one day observed that +she was growing thin and pale again, and her sight becoming weaker; so +the drawing-materials had to be laid aside, except for one hour a day, +and then Agnes and Aunt Amy began visiting the picture-galleries too, +and walking through the parks, and enjoying the bright, cold, frosty +mornings out of doors, while Uncle Clair worked at his portraits, and +Eddie too often sulked in the studio; and Bertie went to his office +every day, and in spite of all his efforts, felt very dull and +dispirited in the cold school-room during the long winter evenings, +cheered only by the thought that his cousins would soon be home, and +then he nothing doubted they would spend a great deal of their time with +him; for of course he would have a good long holiday too. + + +CHAPTER VI.--A NEW ARRANGEMENT. + +"Uncle Gregory, may I spend Christmas at Fitzroy Square?" Bertie said +one morning before the holidays began; and Mr. Gregory looked at him +curiously as he repeated his words. + +"Spend Christmas at Fitzroy Square? why? Are you not comfortable at Gore +House?" + +"Yes, sir; but it's just a little too dull sometimes in the evenings," +Bertie replied, very humbly. + +"Hum! what do you do in the evenings?" + +"Nothing, sir." + +"Oh, nothing! Well, you may go to Fitzroy Square if you like, and stay +till--let me see--stay till the second of January." Bertie's heart gave +a great bound, and his eyes fairly sparkled. "I always give my boys a +present at Christmas," and Mr. Gregory placed two sovereigns in Bertie's +hand, and positively smiled at him. "I'm very pleased with you, my lad, +and when you return we will have a new arrangement. You shall have +Dalton's place in my office, to help with the correspondence, and I'll +pay you a small salary. You can never begin being independent too +soon--and there may be other alterations," Mr. Gregory continued, "but +we will speak of them when you return. Tuesday, the second of January, +mind, and don't be late. You may go at once if you like." + +"Thank you, sir. Good-bye, uncle," Bertie said, with a radiant smile; +and ten minutes after he was hurrying towards the Mansion House Station +on his way back to Kensington, fairly hugging his two sovereigns. He was +beginning to get rich already; never had he quite so much money of his +own before, and as he hurried along, he began wondering what he should +do with it. "I know," he said to himself, with a triumphant smile, as he +leaned back in his corner: "I'll give Agnes ten shillings and Eddie ten, +I'll keep ten for myself, and put ten in the savings' bank. Uncle +Gregory says that the way to become rich is to save some of everything, +no matter how little. Ten shillings won't do much towards getting back +Riversdale, but it's a beginning. I hope Eddie has begun to save too." +When he reached home, Bertie found his aunt and cousins just going out +for a drive, and they all seemed a little surprised to see him. + +"What's the matter? is anything wrong?" Mrs. Gregory asked, stopping him +in the hall. + +"No, aunt; only I've got leave to spend the holidays at Fitzroy Square. +Good-bye, aunt; good-bye, cousins," he added hastily, for he did not +want to lose a moment. + +"Wait a moment, Bertie," Mrs. Gregory said, more kindly than she had +ever spoken before; "John will drive you over in the dog-cart, and I +must send your brother and cousin their Christmas gifts; and I hope you +will enjoy yourself very much. Good-bye, my dear;" and Mrs. Gregory went +into the dining-room to order a hamper of good things to be packed for +Fitzroy Square, and then she selected from her enormous store of +presents a workbox for Agnes, a capital volume for Eddie--though the +book had been intended for her own Dick, but it would be easy to get +another copy for him--and a knife for Bertie himself, that gladdened his +heart for many a day. The truth is, that when Mrs. Gregory saw Bertie, +her conscience smote her. She was not really unkind, but very +thoughtless; and ever since her boys came from Eton she had entirely +forgotten him. Had he been at home all day, he might perhaps have shared +in their pleasures; as it was, he scarcely ever even saw them. When he +returned from the City they were generally off to some place of +entertainment, and arrived home barely in time for dinner; when that was +over, they were off again, their mother never being tired of going about +with her two handsome lads, while the equally handsome "office-boy" +spent his evenings in the solitary school-room. Still, it should be +said, she had not wilfully ignored and neglected Bertie, and when she +saw how delighted he was to get away from Gore House, she felt naturally +ashamed of herself, and resolved to be kinder to him when he came back, +for he was really a very good, quiet boy, who never gave any trouble. +Meantime she filled a hamper with dainties, packed up the presents, even +sent her love to Uncle and Aunt Clair, and a very handsome card; and +half-an-hour after Bertie was driving briskly through the park, looking +proudly at the hamper and parcel, and wondering if there were so happy a +boy in all London that bright, frosty day. Just as he turned into +Fitzroy Square a sudden thought struck him: Aunt Amy and Uncle Clair had +not invited him, did not even know he was coming, and the fact damped +his spirits for a moment. But he laughed off the uneasy sensation. And +before long he was flying up the steps; but ere he could reach the +knocker, the door swung open, and he was in Aunt Amy's arms. + +"My dear, how glad I am to see you, and so are all of us!" she said, +kissing him tenderly. "This is indeed a pleasant surprise for us, +Bertie!" + +"I've come for ten days, auntie," he cried: "that is, if you will have +me; but I never thought of asking you till I saw the house; but I may +stay, may I not?" + +"Stay! I should think so. Why, child, I'm delighted!" and Aunt Amy +kissed Bertie again, and then bustled out to see after his things; but +John had already deposited them in the hall. Bertie forgot nothing but +his own personal belongings. "I am so sorry," he cried, "but I've +forgotten my things and my dressing-case. I was so excited, I really did +not know what was doing." + +"I'll bring them over in the morning, Master Bertie," John said, +good-naturedly, though he could not help wondering at his forgetting his +wardrobe; but that was because he did not know Bertie, who never forgot +his friends, or neglected a single living creature that he once +undertook to care for. + +"What a delightful surprise this will be for Eddie and Agnes!" Mrs. +Clair said, when they were alone in the parlour. "They are out for a +walk with Uncle Harry. It was only this morning they were saying what +gay times you would have at Gore House now your cousins are at home, and +that you would not think of us; but I knew better, Bertie." + +"Why, Aunt Amy, I've scarcely ever spoken to my cousins: they're always +out enjoying themselves; and I was longing to come here. Was it not good +of Uncle Gregory to let me come, and give me such a long holiday? and +look, auntie, two sovereigns for a Christmas present, and" (dragging in +the hamper and parcel) "Aunt Gregory sent these--a workbox for Agnes, +and a book for Eddie, and such a knife for me! And it was she told John +to drive me over in the dog-cart. And, best news of all, when I go back +to the office there's to be a new arrangement. I'm going into Uncle +Gregory's private office and am to have a salary; think of that, Aunt +Amy! I'm beginning to make my fortune already, and I dare say I'll be +rich before very long, then Eddie and Agnes shall have Riversdale; but I +think I'll be a merchant always, and perhaps be Lord Mayor of London +some day, like Whittington, though instead of having a favourite cat +I've only white mice!" + +Aunt Amy laughed almost as heartily as Bertie. It was good to see the +boy's happy, honest face, and hear his cheery voice. Whatever Bertie +Rivers undertook to do he certainly did with all his heart, and that was +the true secret of his happiness. While they were still enjoying the +idea of Bertie being a Lord Mayor, the door opened, and Uncle Clair, +Agnes, and Eddie entered the room, and it was hard to say whether they +were more amazed or pleased to see Bertie established there. + +(_To be continued._) + + + + +THE CHILDREN'S OWN GARDEN IN AUGUST. + + +[Illustration] + +Beds and borders which have been very showy and pretty from the latter +part of May to the end of July will now have reached their highest stage +of perfection. Such plants as geraniums, calceolarias, lobelias, &c., +make an exceedingly small amount of growth all through the summer, but +so soon as the dewy nights and often wet days of August and September +arrive, they start into growth with the greatest of rapidity. This state +of things is, of course, almost an infallible sign that the irksome +labour of watering can be dispensed with. At the same time, the plants +must on no account be allowed to flag from want of water, and this +matter needs very careful attention; it will be often found, even after +what seems to be a heavy shower of rain, that the earth is perfectly +dust-dry half an inch under the surface. This circumstance is a most +misleading one, and a valuable plant is quickly lost through neglecting +to take necessary precautions. + + * * * * * + +Whilst making the strong growth just mentioned, it will be very +necessary to properly train the young shoots in such a manner as to +ensure a neat and compact growth. All decaying vegetation, such as +leaves, stems, &c., must be promptly removed, and that before they cause +other leaves, &c., to become equally diseased. Nothing looks so +excessively deplorable as to see what was at one time a neat bed of +plants in a semi-rotten state. When a stem or leaf of a geranium becomes +wholly or partly separated, it rapidly decays; hence the great +importance of removing such before it becomes a mass of decomposition. +It is the same with the fuchsia and many others. Hoeing and otherwise +cleaning the surfaces of beds and borders must be carried out where +practicable. Weeds and objectionable vegetation of all sorts should be +removed to the rubbish-heap at the earliest possible moment, thereby +securing a general tidy appearance to the place. + + * * * * * + +Almost every day will occasion some new operation to be carried out, and +all plants having a naturally rambling habit, such as petunias and +verbenas, must be strictly kept within bounds by being pegged down. This +can be done by using what are known as "verbena-pins," and these can be +purchased at a cheap rate from any local seedsman, or may be easily made +by converting pieces of galvanised or any thin wire into sizes and +shapes identical with small hair-pins. Each shoot must be carefully +secured close to the earth with one of these. It must be remembered that +the young shoots are very tender, and that the least clumsy handling +will destroy them. Hollyhocks and dahlias, and, indeed, all tall-growing +herbaceous plants, will require very careful looking after, in the +matter of tying and training more especially. Dahlias and hollyhocks are +really the supreme ornaments of the garden during the latter part of the +summer and throughout the autumnal months. The latter-named, +unfortunately, is extremely liable to the attacks of a virulent form of +fungoid disease, which rapidly destroys it. We know of no real +preventative, and the only plan we can recommend is to select strong +young plants, which are in no degree affected with it, and on the very +first appearance of the disease to destroy all those infested. + + * * * * * + +The rose--that "Queen of flowers"--will, in all probability, require +attention; extra strong and gross-growing shoots may be cut back, and +train all young growth with the view of securing not only a well-formed +specimen, but also a robust growth. As a general rule, the training of +roses must be left to a good practical gardener, but we strongly advise +all our young friends to pay careful attention to what he does, and to +the advice he gives, so that they may themselves at another time perform +the necessary operations, with, of course, a considerable amount more +pleasure. We may here remark that all young people must never be above +taking hints and advice from gardeners, because the power to give such +has been almost invariably acquired by long experience, and is given +with the best of intentions. And, moreover, few things are more pleasing +to a gardener than to see young folk taking a practical interest in his +favourite pursuit. + + * * * * * + +Cuttings may now be made of a great number of plants, and cold frames or +shady spots in the garden may be utilised for growing them. As a rule, +the separation should be made a little way under the joint. A cutting +has been truly defined as a part of a plant with growing appendages at +either end, and a space between to keep them sufficiently apart, so that +one part shall be in the soil to form roots, and the other in the air +to form leaves and stem. They are usually obtained from the young wood, +and strike most freely in sand. It is easy to determine whether a shoot +be in a proper state for making a cutting: bend it carefully back, and +if it breaks or snaps it is in a right condition, and if it bends +without snapping it is then too hard. The most general "cut" is a +slanting one, but we have invariably found a level one both easiest made +and quickest rooted. Whichever is done, let it be done with a sharp +knife, and let the cut be "clean," not jagged--this is an important +consideration. + + * * * * * + +The kitchen-gardens of young folk will require but little attention +during the month of August, although just the reverse is the case in +large establishments. However, all the necessary weeding, raking, and +hoeing should be done without fail. Seeds also may be now sown of cress, +mustard, and radishes, but they must all be gathered when in a very +young state. Seeds of the American Red-stone Turnip or other good sort +can be sown in any odd piece of ordinary garden soil. Delicious little +turnips will be produced in about five or six weeks very easily, if a +small amount of care is given, the chief requirements being water when +the weather is dry, thinning-out where they come up very close together, +and keeping thoroughly clear of weeds--mere matters of detail, which +require but little time to carry out, and which will ensure a very good +crop of a most desirable vegetable. + + + + +JEMMY'S AND MY ADVENTURE. + +_By the Author of "Claimed at Last" &c._ + + +[Illustration] + +Jemmy was five, I seven--two quaint little people we must have looked, +as we trotted out through the lengthening shadows from the old Manor +Farmhouse, where we had been sojourning with our grandmother and Uncle +John, all the summer-time. Now August was fast glowing itself away +towards September, and all was rich, ripe grain, happy toiling and +mirth, in the far-stretching fields. Out from the old flower-wreathed +porch we both of us trudged, and away on an expedition of our own. + +"We mustn't be idle--the bees are not idle, are they?" piped Jemmy, +turning to watch the bees working in the flower-beds. And I responded-- + +"No, nor are we idle if we try to be busy." + +"And seeing other folk work is like working ourselves, isn't it?" +reasoned Jemmy. + +"And picking flowers for grandmamma is real work," was my complacent +rejoinder, pressing the wooden basket I carried closer to my side, and +thinking myself a very industrious little woman. + +Away on the downs, all beautiful colours were chasing each other among +the sunbeams, and the trees waved overhead, as if they liked to fan all +the busy toilers on the earth. And by the old beech-tree, at the +cross-roads, we met Uncle John. + +"Well," was his greeting; "where do you two midges think you're off to?" + +"I'm going to look after the harvest folk," quoth Jemmy, with a swagger. + +"And I'm going to gather flowers for grandmamma--and we're not midges, +uncle," said I, with a girl's protest. + +"Ah! what are you, then, little fluffy hair?" was his smiling reply, +putting back my yellow curls from my forehead with his finger. + +"Two busy people that don't like to be idle." + +"Ah! well, go on, you make-believes; mind and be home by sundown, and +don't lose yourselves." Thus he admonished us; then he went his way, and +we ours. + +"Sundown is a long time, isn't it, Nell?" remarked Jemmy; "and we're not +such sillies as to lose ourselves." + +"No; uncle doesn't know how wise we are," I answered; and then we +travelled on all through the rich, ripe harvest-glory of cornfields. + +But the harvest folk seemed very far off; the silent fields lay basking +in the sunshine, with the lengthening shadows stretching athwart them, +some with the golden grain cut and ready for carting, some still +standing awaiting the sickle. But no happy toilers were to be seen. Yes, +we alighted upon one, a lad sitting manufacturing a whistle-pipe, and +watching some sheep wandering in a field, where the wheat had been +reaped and gleaned. + +"Where are the harvest folk?" questioned Jemmy, with dignity. + +"Harvest folk, young sir! That's a wide question, 'cause them's +everywhere," replied the lad, with a grin. + +"I don't see them," was the reply. + +"I'm a harvest folk, and so is them--them's havin' their harvest," +saying which the boy jerked his thumb in the direction of the sheep. + +"They're not folk, they are sheep," dissented Jemmy, with scorn. + +"Well, follow your noses, youngsters;' and you'll find some harvest +folk, if ye go far enough." + +"He's a great rude boy, Nell, come away," quoth Jemmy to me, taking my +hand, and boy-like leading me on. And as we went we met a mite of a boy +of about Jemmy's age, with a small bundle of corn on his shoulder, like +a miniature man. + +"Are you come from the harvest people?" asked Jemmy. + +"Yes," was the child's reply. + +"And where are they?" + +"I don't know; ever so far away. I'm carrying home mother's corn." With +that the little man trudged on his way, and we went flitting here and +there, I picking corn-flowers, and Jemmy looking for fat toads and +shrews. And all the while our shadows standing by our sides warned us of +what would befall us ere long. + +"I think," said I, presently, "that I'll sit down here by these sheaves +awhile;" but ere we had bent our tired little limbs, out flew a +beautiful bird from their midst, all blue and gold, and many other tints +intermingling to our imaginative eyes, viewing it in the sunlight. + +"Oh, Nell, what a beauty!" cried Jemmy, and hand in hand we drew near to +admire it, as it poised itself in mid air over our heads. To our +childish fancy it was a stranger bird, a wanderer from some foreign +clime. + +"Oh, if I could sketch it!" I sighed. + +"Oh, if I could catch it!" cried more matter-of-fact Jemmy; and then, as +the bird flew away, we followed it as if we were charmed, spell-bound. + +Away and away, across the fields, up the steep hill-side, our backs to +the sun, our faces--ah, me! that pretty bird led us far astray; and now +we were in the copse, on the sloping hill-side. Thus our bird had wiled +us on; we heard it sing to us, as in merry laughter, as we wandered here +and there seeking it in the shady tangle, but we never found it, nor +caught a glimpse of it; we saw it wing its way thither, and that was +all. When we emerged upon the open downs again, the sun had set, the +cornfields below looked dim and gloomy, as if something were lost, dead, +and over the wild waste of downs, shadows were creeping and crawling. +And oh, how our little legs ached! We were fain to sit down and rest +awhile. What was worse, we had turned and twisted, and gone hither and +thither, till we did not know in what direction lay our home. We rose +and turned to right and left, east, west, north, and south, but those +dark, deepening shadows seemed to be creeping after us, and monsters +came crawling and stealing up the hill-side, and went we knew not +whither. Then a mist gathered over, not deep and blinding, but just +enough to make everything look unreal and terrible to us small, lonely +creatures. + +"Oh, Jemmy, what is that?" cried I, as a great, dark something loomed +near us. + +"Oh, I don't know," said he, in a frightened whisper; but he threw his +arm about me, his boy-nature strong within him. + +Then the wind swept cold and bleak, bringing with it a low growl--at +least so it sounded to our poor frightened senses, and we fairly clung +to each other. + +"That's wolves!" moaned Jemmy, while that great threatening something at +our side seemed to fade away, others stealing up and taking its place. + +[Illustration: IN THE HARVEST FIELD. + +"_JEMMY'S AND MY ADVENTURE_" (_p. 102_).] + +"Wolves don't live in England," said I. + +"They did when little William was a boy," returned Jemmy, and I, as I +remembered the tragic story of the little woodman and his dog Caesar, +felt that we too, for aught we knew, were to pass through a time of +terror, as did he. + +In an instant the incidents of that story rose before me like living +pictures. The death of little William's father, his cruel brothers +banding together, and taking him three days' journey into the forest, +just to be free of him, to let him die of hunger or what not, shutting +up his only friend, his trusty dog Caesar, at home. Their stealing away +on the third night while he slept, his awakening, his long, weary +waiting for their return during the day, his terror at nightfall. Then I +saw him praying, as the weird sounds of the wood made his little heart +quake. Then followed the unmistakable howl of the wolves, his flight +hither and thither, his climbing a tree to be safe from the hideous +animals, and his seeing a light while there. Next, I saw him rushing +toward it, a wolf on his track, the glare of fiery eyes behind him, the +pat of feet, the panting breath; the river which barred his progress, +and stayed his flying, stumbling, uncertain feet; the leaping of the +animal on his back, which proved to be his dear little dog Caesar, broke +loose from home, and come to find him; Caesar's fight with a wolf which +followed, and, oh, joy! his coming upon his grandmother's cottage, to +home and safety. Tears rushed to my eyes as it all rose before me. + +"Let us hide away in the copse," said I, for I fancied that growling, +wailing sound came sweeping up to us from over the downs. + +"I think if we could get out on the other side, that would be our way +home," said I to my wee brother, as we groped and threaded our way. + +But the other side of the copse was like this side, a tangle, a mystery; +we were like two birds caught in a net. We sat down and cried bitterly. + +And now there was a stirring among the bushes, and that howling, +moaning, fearful sound seemed now upon us, now afar, till it lost itself +in space. Crash, crash, crash, came something through the brambles and +bushes, and, as by instinct, we leaped to our feet and ran. None but a +child knows a child's terror: so weak, so puny, so unaccustomed to rely +on itself for protection, for a means to escape from danger and peril. +Hand in hand, we rushed forward like the wandering babes in the wood; +now we fell, tripped up by a root of a tree; now that moan swept over +us, that terrible moan more like a roar, and we were on our feet, +scudding on as before. + +On, on, still on--glancing over my shoulder, what did I espy but two +fiery eyes gleaming through the darkness, as did poor hapless William, +and the rush of some eager animal bent on prey, which would not be +driven back, came distinct and clear. I did not tell Jemmy what my +startled eyes beheld, but hurried him on, on--whither? + +Now came the pant, pant of the creature's breath, and now--as in the +story of little William--there stretched before us a stream of water. +What could we do? + +I glanced behind me as we halted by the river in front, into which we +had well-nigh rushed. + +Ah! those burning eyes were upon us, so to speak, the creature's breath +fanned my cheek. Now his paws were on my shoulders to tear me down. I +shrieked as to some unknown hand to save me, and Jemmy belaboured him +with a stick he caught up in desperation. But the beast did not bite me, +only whined out his joy, and licked my face. It was Ben, Uncle John's +old dog Ben; and oh, joy! there was Uncle John himself bearing down upon +us, like some giant in the gloom. + +"Well, you youngsters, what have you to say for yourselves to Ben and +me?" so he questioned, as we clung tightly to him, each holding a hand. + +"Uncle," said I, after I had kissed the dear old dog, and Jemmy had +caressed him, "uncle, did you hear anything growling all about? We did, +and thought 'twas wolves, same as little William heard." + +"No, Nell, I heard no sound of wolves--how could I when there are no +wolves to hear? That was the wind you heard, little one," was the reply. + +"And we saw great monsters that crawled, and crept, and frightened us +ever so much," I told him, with a quaver in my voice. + +"That was the mist wreathing and curling, which your frightened little +hearts made monsters of. But come, you've not answered my question--what +have you to say to Mr. Ben and me for leading us this long dance?" + +"It was a bird's fault, uncle," said I, true to my sex in making my +excuse, "a dear, lovely bird, which flew away in here, and we followed +it, and so--and so we forgot and were lost." + +"Ah! children," said Uncle John, as he led us home, one on either side +of him, I wearing uncle's pocket-handkerchief on my head, knotted into +something like a turban, Ben trotting on before--"Ah, children, little +feet shouldn't wander far from home; little heads shouldn't think +themselves overwise; and little things like pretty birds shouldn't make +small people forget their uncle's command to be home before sundown. +Now, if you will only just get home by moondown, 'twill do very well." + + + + +MORNINGS AT THE ZOO. + + +VII.--ABOUT THE BATS. + +[Illustration: HEAD OF BARBASTELLE BAT.] + +Perhaps none of the inmates of the Zoological Gardens, London, cause +such serious disappointment as the Bats. Indeed, it may fairly be +questioned whether one half of the visitors are aware that the Gardens +contain specimens of these really interesting animals. The fact is, the +creatures do not obtrude themselves upon any person's notice, and those +who do not know their whereabouts, but want to see them, might spend a +day in vainly looking for them, unless they invoked the aid of one of +the keepers. Yet the bats are often enough discovered quite by accident +where they are least expected. Their cages will be found in the +monkey-house, screened from the light by a blind. Raise the blind and +you will observe them hanging by their hind feet, with their wings +wrapped round them like a cloak. They are no doubt asleep, but the +raising of the screen may rouse some of them, who will turn their wee +sharp noses and bright eyes towards the inquisitive stranger, and utter +a little "cheeping" cry of complaint at having their repose disturbed. +Night being the season of their activity, the bats do not favourably +impress the casual visitor. After the Gardens have closed, however, they +get more lively, though the smallness of their domicile prevents them +from flying. They crawl about their cages and fight for the titbits of +food. Tame bats may be trained to display some amount of fondness for +their keeper. If set free they will creep about his person and get on to +his shoulder and lick his face like a dog. + +Until the time of the illustrious Linnaeus the bats had been more or less +a puzzle both to scientific folk and to common people. The general +notion was that they were a kind of bird with wings of skin, while the +German name for the creature, _Fledermaus_, or fluttering mouse, points +to another opinion that they were neither bird nor beast, but a mixture +of both. Other delusions remained in force up to a recent period. "Blind +as a bat," is an old saying so much the reverse of fact, that it is not +easy to explain how it ever obtained currency among people who had seen +the animal. So far from being afflicted with blindness, they are, says +Mr. Dallas, "furnished with very efficient eyes, although, in most +cases, these are little bead-like organs, very unlike the eyes usually +seen in animals whose activity is nocturnal." + +Nevertheless bats are not dependent upon their eyesight for a means of +getting about in the dark. They are able to fly with great speed and +accuracy, to avoid obstacles, and to enter small holes without making +the least mistake. Experiments have shown that this singular power of +direction is due to a remarkable development of the sense of touch +especially to be found in their great expanse of wing. Further, these +animals possess large ears and curious nostrils, some of which are +leaf-like formations of the most extraordinary description. These skin +growths are all supposed to have reference to the skill with which the +creatures wing their way in the darkest caves. + +As regards diet their wants are simple. Most bats feed on insects which +they catch on the wing; some of them eat fruit; and a few enjoy a bad +name because they suck the blood of other animals. Of these last are the +so-called vampire bats, respecting which it used to be said that they +fanned their victim with their wings while they sucked its life's blood. +Though it is quite true that horses and cattle in South America are +attacked by some bats, this hideous tale is altogether fabulous. + +In considering the habits of these queer beings we shall confine +ourselves to the fruit-eaters, to which the bats in the Zoo belong. In +their native haunts the flying foxes, as they are called, are terribly +destructive creatures. In Ceylon they hang upon some trees in such +numbers that the branches often give way beneath their weight. While +hovering round the trees stripping them of their fruit, the beating of +their broad wings creates quite a hum. In the forenoon they take a +"constitutional," just for a little exercise, and to air and dry their +fur after the dews of the early morning. Then they return to the +shadiest nook they can find till nightfall. Sometimes an attempt is made +by its fellows to plunder a bat before it can manage to retire to a safe +and snug retreat where it may enjoy its dinner in peace and quiet. Then +fighting takes place, during which they tear one another with their +hooks, screaming angrily the while. At last the would-be victim +contrives to escape by flight to a distant spot, where in hot haste it +devours its fruit. When the flying foxes drink, they lap by hanging head +downwards from a branch over the water. Some of the Indian fruit bats, +according to Mr. Francis Day, "often pass the night partaking of the +toddy from the chatties in the cocoa-nut trees, which results either in +their returning home in the early morning in a state of extreme and +riotous intoxication, or in being found the next day at the foot of the +trees sleeping off the effects of their midnight drinking." These +"chatties," I may explain, are bowls containing various liquors +belonging to natives, which are placed in the trees to keep them cool. + +The margined fruit bat--so called from the white border that surrounds +its ears--works great mischief in the plantations upon which it feeds. +They will fly as many as thirty or forty miles and back the same night +in search of food. It is a greedy animal, individuals kept in captivity +seeming to be always eating. The fruit bats are found in Asia, Africa, +and Australia. + +Many readers have doubtless seen bats in the course of their evening +walks, and it may, therefore, be worth while to remind them that British +bats--the long-eared and the barbastelle bats, for example,--feed upon +insects. The blood-suckers, again, do not appear to belong to any other +country but South America. All the fruit-eaters are, comparatively +speaking, big bats. In size they range from the Great Kalong, the +largest of all bats, which measures fourteen inches long, and has a wing +expansion of upwards of four feet, to the dwarf long-tongued fruit bat, +which is only from two and a half to three inches in length, with an +expanse of wing of from eight to ten inches. The conditions of existence +in the Zoo at present entirely prevent the captive bats from ever having +an opportunity of doing justice to themselves. Perhaps at some date, +more or less distant, they may be accommodated with a cage roomy enough +to enable them to use their wings freely, and otherwise to display their +powers. + + JAMES A. MANSON. + + + + +A GAME OF CRICKET IN ELFLAND. + +A FAIRY STORY. + + +It was a large gander, and it seemed to be a fierce gander, for it +hissed loudly when Felix waved a switch before it, and pointed his +finger at it crying, "Bohoo, bohoo, you goosey gander." + +It was not very polite, and the gander seemed to grow more and more +angry, and yet it would not leave Felix. At length Felix still pointing +at the gander, said-- + + "Goosey, goosey, gander, + Whither shall we wander, + Up the hill, or through the vale, + Or in the pinewoods yonder." + +And to his great surprise the gander drew in his head, and replied +promptly-- + +"Pinewoods." + +And a goose in the distance cried out-- + +"Make haste then." + +Felix dropped the switch, put his hands in his pockets, and stared at +both the birds. + +"Come," said the gander, spreading out his wings; "get on my back, and + + Away we'll sail + Down the river in the vale, + Away to the pinewoods, away, away." + +Splash, splash, such a spluttering in the water, and Felix, holding on +by the gander's neck, shivered as the water touched him, for it was very +cold; which much surprised him, as the day was hot, and the sun was +shining. + +[Illustration: IT HISSED LOUDLY.] + +How large the gander had grown! he had seemed a large gander before, but +now he seemed quite monstrous. And the river grew wider, and the trees +appeared to reach the sky, and the flags and bulrushes were like young +palm-trees, and the flowers shot up to a great size. There was one clump +of lilies of the valley much taller than Felix, and quite overshadowing +a girl in a large cap with a blue ribbon in it, who seemed to be +gathering some flowers growing in the water. + +As Felix approached the bank the lily bells swayed to and fro with a +melodious sound as if bells of the purest silver were ringing. + +"Welcoming us to Elfland," observed the gander. + +"Isn't it the Pinewood?" asked Felix. + +"It's all the same," answered the gander. + +"Who is the little girl? She is coming to speak to us." + +[Illustration: "THE LILY-BELLS SWAYED."] + +"Little girl, indeed," returned the gander contemptuously; "it's the +Pine Queen; she has been asking you to come for weeks, but you took no +notice of her. She sent messages by the swallows and the blackbirds, and +the butterflies, and the grasshopper, but you did not heed them." + +"I never heard them," said Felix, somewhat bewildered. + +"Of course not; boys never do; they are always thinking of toys and +games, and tarts and plum-cake, and the birds and butterflies speak to +them in vain." + +"I don't understand," said Felix. + +"Of course not, but now," said the gander, suddenly rising in the water +and flapping his wings; "having done my duty in bringing you here, I +leave you to take care of yourself." + +So saying he tossed Felix off his back to the bank, at the feet of the +Pine Queen. + +As Felix looked at the Pine Queen he noticed that she was dressed in +silk and satin, and that her cap had turned into a crown of diamonds, +and that she had diamond buckles on her shoes, and that she seemed very +glittering and dazzling altogether. + +She looked at Felix, and then said-- + + "Two little maidens winding wool all day, + If you want to see them please to walk this way." + +"I don't care about seeing them," said Felix, who thought this a very +odd way of beginning a conversation; nevertheless he followed the Pine +Queen along the path through the trees. + +It was very pleasant, the great straight pines with their tufted +branches, and the sun sending slanting rays of gold through them; whilst +the wild strawberries shone like heaps of rubies at his feet. Wonderful +birds and butterflies were darting hither and thither amongst the +loveliest flowers. And on a grassy nook not far from a waterfall he +perceived some white marble steps on which two little girls sat. The one +was holding a great skein of wool, and the other was winding it. There +was a great heap of wool of all colours on the ground. + + "We wind, we wind till we've wound enough + Of wool a hundred balls to stuff." + +sang the little maidens. + +"What for?" asked Felix. + + "For cricket-balls we work away, + With which pine-cricket players play." + +sang the maidens. + +"But cricket-balls should be hard," said Felix. + +"Not in Elfland," answered the Pine Queen, smiling; "it's a different +game altogether; we hit 'soft' instead of 'hard,' and our bats are +brushes, and we make no scores." + +"It must be a queer game," said Felix. + +"_We_ think it a much better game than yours," answered the Queen, "pads +are never wanted; and there are no wickets, and no one is ever caught +out." + +[Illustration: "HE PERCEIVED ... TWO LITTLE GIRLS."] + +"How funny!" exclaimed Felix; "I should not care to play at such a +game." + +The Queen made no answer, and they walked on until they met a girl with +a pail of water, who curtseyed respectfully. + +"She's going to wash the cricket-ground," explained the Pine Queen. + +"Oh!" said Felix, which was all that he could say, for the fact was +everything seemed so very strange to him. + + "Scour the ground, mop it, and dry it with care, + Sprinkle it over with Eau-de-Cologne. + Roses in flower-pots put round here and there, + And the roses must all be full-blown." + +[Illustration: "THEY MET A GIRL WITH A PAIL."] + +The eyes of Felix grew rounder and rounder, as the Pine Queen gave these +directions, and he rubbed them to be quite certain that he was awake. + +"_We_ roll and mow the grass," he half whispered. + +"_We_ scour, and mop, and dry, and polish," murmured the Queen. + +"_We_ play with bats," Felix went on. + +"_We_ play with brushes," continued the Queen; "and here is one of our +players in full costume." + +Felix glanced round, but he only saw a boy who looked like a street +sweeper, with a hand-brush in one hand and a broom in the other. He had +on a sailor's hat, and he touched the brim of it with the broom-handle, +as a salutation to the Queen. + +"Queer, queerer, queerest!" thought Felix. + +"Are you a good brusher?" asked the boy, suddenly; "can you brush the +balls well?" + +Felix stared at him. + +"Oh!" said the boy; "I thought you would be sure to be a good +cricketer." + +"So I am," returned Felix; "I am a good batter. I've got a prize bat." + +The boy burst out laughing, so did some magpies and squirrels. So did +the streamlet that was running along so fast. Even the little fishes +popped up their heads and laughed-- + +"Haha! haha! hoho! hoho!" + +There was such a noise that Felix had to ask several times before he got +an answer. + +"What are they laughing at?" + +"At you," answered the boy. + +"It's very rude of them," said Felix, taking up a stone to throw at the +magpies, which were chattering. + +"Don't, don't," said the stone. "I don't want to hurt any one." + +Felix, in his surprise, dropped the stone, and it fell to the ground, +saying-- + +"Thank you! thank you!" + +"Queer, queerer, queerest!" said Felix to himself. But the Pine Queen +knew what he was saying, for she said-- + +"Wait till you have seen the practice." Felix rubbed his eyes again, for +though the sun was shining, there was certainly snow upon the ground, +and the two little players, who stood with brush and ball in their +hands, were clad in warm coats and gloves and winter boots, which Felix +thought must prevent their running well. The girl had a scarlet feather +in her felt hat, and the boy a long blue tassel hanging from his velvet +cap. The girl was raising her brush to ward off the ball that the boy +was about to throw. + +"Isn't it pretty?" said the Pine Queen-- + + "Throw, throw, hit, hit! + No danger, not a bit." + +But Felix was thinking about "Scour, mop, and dry it," as he looked at +the snow-covered patch of land. + +"Ah!" continued the Pine Queen, divining his thoughts, "snow is soft, so +that if the players fall it does not hurt them. But there is no snow to +be seen when the regular game begins." + +And the Queen waved a rose that she held in her hand, and in a moment +the scene was changed, and Felix saw before him a smooth piece of lawn +that looked like shining velvet. The flower-pots with full-blown roses +were there, so was the girl with the pail and the player with the long +broom, looking quite hot, as if they had been at work for hours. + +"A good morning's work," observed the Queen. "See how neat it is." + +[Illustration: "HE ONLY SAW A BOY ... LIKE A STREET-SWEEPER."] + +Felix grew more and more perplexed. How could they scour and sweep under +the snow? And how did the flower-pots get there, and the players; for +the ground was all covered with the pine-wood cricket-players, dressed +in the gayest and airiest of costumes. Half had brushes and half had +balls. And the balls were flying here and there, and if the players hit +them so that they rose in the air, they burst, and butterflies of the +loveliest colours issued forth; whilst if the balls fell to the ground, +frogs innumerable hopped out of them, and making their way to the banks +of the river, sat there singing in a most delightful manner. + +[Illustration: "THE GIRL WAS RAISING HER BRUSH" (_p. 107_).] + +Yet, sweet as it was, the music seemed to confuse him as much as the +game, which grew every moment more and more intricate; the players, +brandishing their brushes, flew round, and the balls flashed about, and +at last all that Felix could see was a mass of dazzling rainbow colours +whirling past him. + +All at once he heard a loud hissing, and he saw the large gander +waddling up from the river; and beside him was the little girl with the +large cap with the blue bow in it, and she held out her hand, saying-- + +"Good-bye, Felix. Come and see us again." + +"That I will," replied Felix. + +But he never did. + +For from that day he never saw the gander again; nor could he ever find +the way to the pine-forest, though he fancied he had remembered it quite +well; nor did he ever see the game of brush-cricket played again. + +Sometimes he even doubted whether he had been to Pineland, and had seen +the wonderful game. + +"But yet," said he, "if I had not seen it, how should I know anything +about the forest and the Pine Queen? and how should I know how +brush-cricket is played?" + +And how should he? + + JULIA GODDARD. + + + + +HARVEST DAYS. + + + Over the cornfield fell the sunlight, + And turned all the stubble to gold, + And 'neath the pale cloud-shades of evening + Deep crimson and purple unrolled. + + The gleaners were busily gleaning + The yellow corn scattered around; + The waggons, all heavily laden, + Were tracing with furrows the ground. + + The farmer stood lazily viewing + The harvesting in of his wheat, + His daughters were standing beside him, + His faithful dog lay at his feet. + + There came by a shy little gleaner, + Flaxen-headed, with eyes bright and blue, + And the farmer smiled down, "Little maiden, + Come here--here's a gleaning for you." + +[Illustration: THE GLEANER. (_See p. 108._)] + + He pulled from the waggon an armful + Of corn; and the gleaner's eyes gleamed: + She dimpled, she flushed, and she curtsied, + Such a great golden treasure it seemed. + + "Ay, sowing, and reaping, and harvest," + The farmer soft spake as she passed, + And he thought of earth's sowing and reaping, + And the harvest that must come at last. + + + + +LITTLE MARGARET'S KITCHEN, AND WHAT SHE DID IN IT.--VIII. + +_By_ PHILLIS BROWNE, _Author of "A Year's Cookery," "What Girls can Do," +&c._ + + +When Margaret and Mary entered the kitchen on the day on which the +children were to learn how to bake meat, they found Mrs. Herbert already +there. As usual, everything was laid ready for them. The meat was on a +dish, the tins and various utensils were clean and bright, and there was +a clear bright fire, while a general feeling of warmth and comfort +pervaded everything, which was very agreeable, as it was a cold day. + +"You have cleared out the flues properly and cleaned the oven for us, I +hope, cook," said Mrs. Herbert. + +"Oh yes, ma'am; it is all as it should be," replied cook, with a +satisfied look as she watched Mrs. Herbert open the oven door, glance +quickly in all the corners, put her hand inside for a moment to test the +heat, then draw it out, and shut the oven door once more. + +"That is well," said Mrs. Herbert. "Now remember, children, when you are +going to bake meat, the first thing you have to look after is the +condition of the oven. If the soot has not been swept away from the back +and round about, your oven will not heat satisfactorily, no matter how +much coal you pile on the fire; and if the shelves are dirty, that is, +if a little syrup from the last pie which was baked in it, or splashes +of fat from the last joint, are left to burn on the shelves, the meat +will taste unpleasantly, and very likely be indigestible also." + +"But we cannot prevent syrup boiling over," said Margaret. + +"Perhaps not; but you can scrape off what was spilt before it has time +to burn on the shelves, and you can clean out thoroughly, and wash the +shelves with weak vinegar and water, to make them fresh and sweet. We +very often hear people say they do not like baked meat, because it +tastes of the oven." + +"Yes, I have often heard them say so," said Margaret. + +"Ah! This remark would not be made so frequently as it is if cooks were +careful to keep the oven _perfectly_ clean. Cleanliness is most +important in all cookery, and never more so than with regard to an +oven." + +"What is that little iron slide which you pushed in when you opened the +oven, mother?" said Margaret. + +"It is a ventilator, and is intended to let fresh air into the oven, and +to allow the smell of the roasting meat and the fumes which rise from it +to escape. I shut it because we are just going to put in the meat, and I +wish it to remain shut for about ten minutes, so as to make the oven +very hot till the outside is cooked." + +"I know what that is for," said Mary, hurriedly: "to harden the outside, +and make a case to keep in the juice." + +"Quite right, Mary," said Mrs. Herbert, smiling. "In ten minutes, +however, we will push the slide out again, and that will admit the fresh +air, slightly cool the oven, and allow the fumes to escape. Always +recollect, however, that the oven must be hot. We need a good hot oven +for roasting meat." + +"Cook has put two dripping-tins here," said Margaret. "We do not want +two tins." + +"Yes, we do. To use two tins is another way of preventing the taste of +the oven which is so objectionable. Usually I should use what is called +a hot-water tin for baking meat. That is a tin made for the purpose, +with a place inside for holding hot water. I shall not do so to-day, +however, because I want to show you how to manage when there is no +hot-water tin. See, I lay two or three thick sticks in the larger of the +two tins, and put the smaller tin inside the other. Then I fill the +bottom tin with hot water. I put this small stand in the uppermost tin, +and place the meat on this, and then I put the whole affair into the +oven." + +"But what is the good of it all?" said Margaret. + +"This is the good: when the meat has been a little while in the oven, +the fat will melt, and will fall into the dripping-tin." + +"I know that," said Margaret. + +"Well, then, if we were to let the meat lie in the tin, don't you think +it would get soaked in fat? Of course it would, and that wouldn't be +agreeable." + +"And the hot water: what is that for?" + +"If we were to leave a tin containing melted dripping in a hot oven it +would get brown, burnt, smoky, and disagreeable?" + +"But what has the water to do with the fat burning?" persisted Margaret. + +"I will try to explain, if you on your part will try to understand +something which is difficult to understand. First of all, what is +boiling water?" + +"It is water which is so hot that it bubbles all over, and steam rises +from it." + +"Quite so. If we were using a thermometer, and were to put it into water +which was bubbling all over, we should find that the silvery line, or +mercury, in the thermometer rose until it came to 212 deg.. We might put a +hotter fire under the water, but under ordinary circumstances we should +never get the mercury higher than 212 deg.. Under extraordinary +circumstances, I confess we could get it higher. For instance, if we +were at the bottom of a mine, boiling-point would be two degrees higher, +and if we were to put some salt in the water, boiling-point would be +four degrees higher." + +The little girls listened very attentively while Mrs. Herbert was +speaking. When she paused, they looked very solemn, and said nothing. + +"Fat, on the other hand, can be made very much hotter: more than three +times as hot as boiling water. When heat is first applied to fat, it +bubbles, but as it gets hotter it becomes still. As it gets hotter and +hotter, it remains still, but it turns dark, and smokes, and smells +burnt. This is what would happen to our fat in the tin if we were to let +it come in contact with the heat of the oven shelf; but you can see that +when water, which never rises beyond 212 deg., is under it, it cannot burn +in this way." + +"I see that perfectly," said Margaret, joyfully. "I like to be told +difficult things when once I understand them. But, mother, will not the +water boil away?" + +"Yes; we must watch it, and as it does so, we must add fresh boiling +water. It would never do to add cold water, because that would make the +fat too cool, and would lessen the heat of the oven also." + +"We should have to open the door, though, to see how the water was +getting on," said Mary. "Would not that be a pity?" + +"It would have to be done in any case to baste the meat," said Mrs. +Herbert. "Remember, we can no more dispense with basting in baking meat +than we can in roasting it before the fire. If we try to do so, our meat +will be spoilt. We must baste every quarter of an hour, and to do this +we must lift the meat right out of the oven, and shut the door as soon +as possible. If we were to baste the meat while it was in the oven, the +latter would become cool, and we wish to keep the heat up the whole +time. We should be careful also to shut the oven door gently. If we slam +it, we shall force some of the hot air out of it." + +"I never saw anything like it," said Margaret. "In cookery there are so +many little things to remember." + +"That is the case with whatever we learn, my dear little girl, if we try +to learn thoroughly. And there is still another point to remember: when +we take the meat out of the oven to baste it, we must notice whether it +is browner in one part than another, and if it is, we must turn the tin, +so that the side which is less cooked may take its turn in going to the +hottest part of the oven. You know that one part of the oven is always +hotter than another. In the same way, you should turn the meat over once +or twice, that it may be equally cooked." + +"How long will it have to be in the oven, ma'am?" said Mary. + +"If you use the ventilator as I have told you to do, you may follow the +same rules in baking meat that would hold good for roasting it: that is, +you may allow a quarter of an hour to the pound, and a quarter of an +hour over for red meats, and twenty minutes to the pound for white +meats. But if the ventilator is not used, the oven would get very hot, +and ten minutes to the pound, with ten minutes over, would probably be +sufficient, excepting in cases where the meat was very thick and solid." + +"And do we make gravy for baked meat in the same way that we make it for +roast meat, ma'am?" said Mary. + +"Certainly," said Mrs. Herbert. + +"Well, I must say," said Margaret, when in course of time the baked meat +was dished and set on the table, "that I think baked meat tastes quite +as well as roast meat, and it is much less troublesome to cook." + +"I do not agree with you, Margaret," replied her mother. "I do not +consider baked meat is equal to roast meat. Nevertheless, if it is +carefully cooked, if the ventilator is left open, and if the meat is +well basted, there is not much difference between the two, and certainly +baking is a very convenient mode of dressing meat. Besides this, it is a +way which nine people out of every ten must adopt; they have no choice +in the matter. Therefore, I hope you will try to remember what I have +told you about baking." + +"Indeed we will," said both the children. + +(_To be continued._) + + + + +A Harvest Song. + +_Words by_ GEORGE DAVIES. + +_Music by_ J. M. BENTLEY, Mus. Doc. + +[Illustration] + + 1. With the set-ting of the sun All the work is near-ly done, + And the last up-lift-ed sheaf Brings the toil-ers sweet re-lief. + + 2. Down the nar-row coun-try lane Trails the hea-vy-la-den wain; + Men and wo-men, old and young, Singing loud their sim-ple song. + + 3. Now the barn the corn re-ceives--Piled up high the gold-en sheaves; + While the jol-ly reap-ers sing Till the ve-ry raft-ers ring. + + Repeat in CHORUS. + Greet the reap-ers as they come With a wel-come har-vest-home! + + + + +WAITING FOR FATHER. + + +[Illustration: "ON THE SHORE STAND WATCHING."] + + Father's boat comes sailing, + Sailing from the west; + On the shore stand watching + Those who love him best. + + Blooms the gorse so golden + On the breezy down, + Comes a sound of joy-bells + From the busy town. + + In the fisher's cottage + Mother's work is done, + Through the open window + Streams the sinking sun. + + Cheerily the kettle + Sings upon the fire, + Ticks the old clock loudly, + Creep the shadows higher. + + Just now, in the gloaming, + When the boat is in, + And the fish are counted + With a merry din, + + All those five together + Up the cliff will come, + Peacefully and gladly, + To their cosy home. + + + + +STORIES TOLD IN WESTMINSTER ABBEY. + +_By_ EDWIN HODDER ("OLD MERRY"). + + +II.--THE CORONATIONS IN THE ABBEY. + +Come with me now inside the Abbey. We take off our hats here with great +reverence, for we are not only in the House of God, but in the midst of +the memorials of some of the most gifted of our countrymen. It is Poet's +Corner. But we will not linger here; I want you to come right away into +the chapel of Edward the Confessor, and as we pass along picture to +yourselves how the Abbey looked on Coronation days, when the light from +the great stained glass windows fell upon crowds of brave men and fair +women, all robed in costumes of state to see the crown of England placed +upon a monarch's head. You must try and imagine the moment when, as the +Coronation rubric has it, "the Dean of Westminster bringeth the crown, +and the Archbishop taking it of him, putteth it reverently upon the +Queen's head. At the sight whereof the people with loud and repeated +shouts cry, 'God save the Queen!' and trumpets sound, and by a signal +given the great guns at the Tower are shot off." + +Well, now we are in the chapel of Edward the Confessor, and I see you +all look at that chair standing by the screen. It is well worth looking +at, for it is doubtful whether there is any curiosity in all England to +compare with it in interest. It is King Edward's chair, upon which +English monarchs have been crowned for many centuries, and while we +stand near it, I shall tell you very briefly about the crowning of some +of our kings and queens. + +For more than 800 years the coronations of English monarchs have +regularly taken place in Westminster Abbey. Duke William of Normandy +claimed the throne as lawful successor of Edward the Confessor, and upon +the Confessor's gravestone the burly Norman stood to receive the crown +of England. There were two nations represented in the throng assembled +here that day. Godfrey, Bishop of Coutances, made a speech in French, +Alred, Archbishop of York, spoke in English, and then the crowd, some in +French and some in English, hailed William the Conqueror as their king. +While this was going on inside the Abbey the Norman cavalry were without +sitting on their war-horses, ready to quell any disturbance should it +arise. They had not long to wait. It seems that they were not aware that +their leader was to go through the form of receiving by popular vote the +crown which he had already won by his sword, and when they heard the +excited shouting inside the building they thought something had gone +wrong, and so they set fire to the gates of the Abbey. Then the crowd +inside the building were sure there was something wrong without, and +they rushed out, only to be trodden down by the Norman horse-hoofs. Only +monks and prelates remained within, and the ceremony of coronation was +hurried through, while William, for the first time in his life, it is +said, trembled from head to foot; and so ended the first coronation in +the Abbey of which we have any authentic information. + +Nothing of importance marks the coronation of William Rufus. When he +perished in the New Forest, within four days Henry I. was in the Abbey +claiming the crown, and making all sorts of promises in order to get the +thing done speedily. So he was crowned by the Bishop of London, being in +too great a hurry to wait for the arrival of either of the archbishops, +who were away from London. + +In those days, when times were troublous, kings were not so anxious to +have throngs of people in fine dresses, and specially composed music and +all that sort of thing. They only wanted men with good swords, and as +much speed in being crowned as possible, for "delays were dangerous." +Stephen was almost as prompt as his predecessor; Henry ate his supper of +lampreys on December the 1st, and Stephen was crowned on St. Stephen's +Day, December 26th, 1135. At the next coronation, that of Henry II., +Norman and Saxon rejoiced together at the prospect of an era of peace. +Prince Henry, son of Henry II., was crowned during his father's +lifetime, on June 14th, 1170. At the coronation banquet, when his +father stood behind him, the Prince remarked, "The son of an earl may +well wait on the son of a king." The event took place during the height +of the quarrel between Henry II. and Becket, Archbishop of Canterbury, +whose right it was to put the crown on the royal head. Accordingly +Becket excommunicated the Archbishop of York and the assistant bishops +who had officiated on the occasion. This led to the murder of Becket, +with disastrous consequences too numerous for me to allude to here. + +At the coronation of Richard I. there was a grand array of nobles and +prelates, who came with the king from his palace to the Abbey and +witnessed the ceremony. Ill omens attended the occasion; a bat fluttered +round and round the throne at mid-day, and at night (they say) there was +a peal upon the bells, of which no one could give an explanation. But +the day was also marked by real horrors. From superstitious fears the +Jews had been forbidden to witness the ceremony. But at the banquet some +of them were discovered amongst the bystanders. They were at once beaten +almost to death. The mob began plundering the Jews' houses, and +murdering the inmates, and at York and other cities similar scenes +quickly followed. + +At John's coronation the custom began of having the canopy over the +king's head carried by the five Barons of the Cinque Ports. This was in +return for their aid to John in his frequent voyages. When Henry III. +succeeded, Westminster was in the hands of Prince Louis of France, "the +Dauphin" of Shakespeare's play. The king was accordingly crowned at +Winchester; but he had a second coronation in Westminster Abbey, on May +17, 1220, having on the previous day laid the foundation-stone of his +Lady Chapel, which was to be the germ of an entirely new edifice. All +previous coronations were said to be outdone by the feasting and +joviality on this occasion. + +There was high rejoicing when Edward I. came back from the Holy Land, +two years after his accession, and was crowned in company with his +beloved Eleanor, the first royal couple who were crowned in the Abbey +together. Alexander III. of Scotland did homage on the following day, +and in his honour 500 great horses were let loose in the crowd for any +persons to catch and keep that could. + +Edward I. brought from Scotland the noted stone upon which for centuries +the Scottish monarchs had been installed, and had it placed in this +oaken chair which still covers it. According to tradition, this stone +was the one on which Jacob slept at Bethel, and which by a series of +remarkable adventures had been transported successively to Egypt, +Sicily, Spain, and Ireland. In Ireland they say it stood on the hill of +Tara, and that upon it were enthroned the ancient Irish kings. Fergus, +founder of the Scottish monarchy, took the stone to Dunstaffnage Castle, +and Kenneth II. (here we get hold of historic fact) placed it at Scone +in the ninth century. Wherever it may have wandered, it is +unquestionably a piece of sandstone from the western coasts of Scotland, +and is most probably (says Stanley) the stony pillow of St. Columba, on +which his dying head was laid in the Abbey of Iona. On this stone the +reign of every English monarch from Edward I. to Victoria has been +inaugurated. Only once has it been taken out of the Abbey, and that was +for Oliver Cromwell to be installed upon it as Lord Protector in +Westminster Hall. + +At the coronation of Edward II. the crown was carried by Piers Gaveston, +the unworthy favourite whom it had been the dying wish of Edward I. to +have excluded from the court. In 1327, Edward III. (by consent of his +deposed father) was crowned whilst his mother Isabella, "the she-wolf of +France" (as Gray calls her), pretended to weep all through the ceremony. +Of the coronation of Richard II. full details are preserved in the +"Liber Regalis," a book drawn up by Abbot Littlington, and ever since +carefully preserved by the Abbots and Deans, as it sets forth the order +which has been observed in all subsequent ceremonials. Proceedings +commenced with a grand procession through the city from the Tower, a +custom which was kept up till the time of Charles I. The young king rode +bareheaded, and was escorted by a body of knights, created for the +occasion, and who, from the bath they took in company before assuming +their armour, were styled the Knights of the Bath. The young king was +taken out fainting from the long ceremonial just as Sir John Dymote, as +champion, rode up to the Abbey gates on his charger, to challenge any +who dared to dispute the royal succession. It is the first time we hear +of the Champion; but it was an age of knightly revivals, and this was +probably one of them. + +We next see Henry IV. and Henry V. successively installed on the Stone +of Scone; and then comes Henry VI., a child of nine, "beholding all the +people about sadly and wisely;" his queen, Margaret of Anjou, was +crowned here fourteen years afterwards. The coronation of Edward IV. +presents no particular feature of interest. For that of Edward V. all +was ready, robes for the guests, provisions for the banquet. But the +Tower beheld the "midnight murder" of the only English monarch who never +wore the crown. Then with splendid ceremonial Richard III. tried to +cover the defects of his title. Six thousand gentlemen rode with him to +Westminster Hall on June 26th, 1483, and a few days afterwards there was +a very grand procession to the Abbey, when Richard and his wife were +anointed King and Queen of England. Amongst the Queen's train was +Margaret of Richmond, little dreaming that within three years her son +should be crowned here as Henry VII. But this monarch's real coronation +had already taken place, when the crown of England was found in the +hawthorn bush on Bosworth Field, and placed on Richmond's head by Lord +Stanley. The public ceremonial was only a poor display. Not so the next +event of this character, when Henry VIII. and Catherine of Arragon were +crowned with great splendour, and when for the last time a Roman +Catholic Archbishop performed the ceremony. Anne Boleyn's coronation +(commemorated by Shakespeare) was a noticeable one, and Cranmer, fresh +from sentencing Catherine, performed the ceremony. + +Edward VI. came to the Abbey, now a Cathedral, amidst much curious +pageantry, and for the first time a Bible was presented to the +sovereign.... Mary's procession to the Abbey is signalised by the +exploits of a Dutchman, who sat astride on the weathercock of St. Paul's +five hundred feet in the air, as the Queen passed. The two Archbishops +and the Bishop of London were all in the Tower, so Gardiner, Bishop of +Winchester, put the crown on Mary's head. On Jan. 14th, 1559, London was +wild with joy, as Elizabeth passed from the Tower to the Abbey. The +women flung flowers into her lap, groups of children sang welcomes, even +old men wept for gladness. The Bishop of Carlisle crowned the Queen. + +James I. was crowned in the time of the Plague, so there was no +procession. There was a slight hitch because his wife refused the +sacrament. She had "changed once from Lutheran to Presbyterian, and that +was enough." The coronation of Charles I. was marked by a slight +earthquake shock. This was not the only bad omen. The dove of gold on +the staff of Edward the Confessor had been broken, none knew how, and +had to be replaced. Oliver Cromwell did not venture on a ceremony in the +Abbey; he was enthroned, as I have already said, in Westminster Hall. + +At the Restoration, Charles II. was crowned "with the greatest solemnity +and glory," as the old historian says. The Regalia was all new, to +replace that which had been lost during the Commonwealth. The crown was +placed on the king's head by the weak and aged Archbishop Juxon, who had +attended Charles I. on the scaffold. At the coronation of James II., a +hundred thousand pounds were spent over the Queen's robes and jewels, +and the procession was omitted to save expense, much to the wrath of the +Londoners. As the crown was placed on James's head, it tottered and +would have fallen, but for the Keeper of the Robes, who held it up. + +The next coronation, that of William and Mary, was delayed two hours by +the receipt of the news that James II. had just landed in Ireland. The +Queen, being very short, had to be lifted into the chair of state. When +girt with the sword and invested with crown and sceptre, the Princess +Anne, who stood near her, said, "Madame, I pity your fatigue." The Queen +sharply replied, "A crown, sister, is not so heavy as it seems." When +the King came to make the usual offering, he found he had no money with +him, and had to borrow twenty guineas from a nobleman. Anne was +suffering from gout when her turn came to be crowned, and she had to be +carried to the Abbey. Sarah, Duchess of Marlborough, acted as Lord High +Chamberlain. At the coronation of George I., the king knew no English +and his ministers knew no German, but they all knew Latin imperfectly, +and everything had to be explained to the monarch in that language. The +crowning of George II. presents no particular feature of interest; that +of George III. was a splendid show, and was marked by a curious +incident. Amongst the witnesses was Prince Charles Edward, the Young +Pretender, who had been staying in London under the name of Mr. Brown, +and had managed to procure admission to the scene of his rival's +triumph. George the Fourth's coronation was a splendid ceremony; but the +portly monarch found it very exhausting, and whilst the peers were doing +homage in succession, he used up pocket-handkerchiefs innumerable in +wiping his streaming face, handing them when done with to the Archbishop +of Canterbury. His unfortunate Queen, Caroline, had vainly tried to be +present at the ceremony, but was repulsed at each of the doors she +attempted to enter, and had to drive away discomfited. William IV., to +please the political reformers of the period, wanted to dispense with a +coronation altogether, and the procession and banquet _were_ omitted. +Our present gracious Queen was crowned in the Abbey, in the flower of +her youth, in June, 1838, and the ancient building was crowded with all +that was eminent in the land as the crown was placed upon the girlish +head of the illustrious lady who for nearly half a century has worn it +so faithfully and so well. + + + + +THE LITTLE FLOWERS' WISH. + + +Some daisies grew in a green piece of turf just outside the palings of a +garden. The grass all round them was soft and fine; they had plenty of +room to grow in, and they were near enough to the road to see all that +went by. Would you not have thought they were contented? + +Little yellow butterflies came and told them stories, little shadowy +clouds went scampering over the grass-plot, the pleasant warm sun shone +down on their little round faces. And yet they were unhappy with all +this. + +Through a crack in the palings they had seen into the garden, and it +made them all long to be there. Flowers of different kinds grew happily +in the garden-beds. Some of them had sticks to lean against and some +were trained against the wall. + +"Oh, what care is taken of them!" thought the foolish little daisies. + +Every day the gardener came and watered these choice flowers. And a +stately lady paced the garden walks, and noticed if the flowers grew or +faded. + +"Oh, if only we could get into the garden!" sighed the daisies, ruffling +all their little leaves; "oh, how much happier we should be if we were +only growing in there!" + +Just then there came running out of the garden a little child with +golden hair. Whether he heard what the daisies said I do not know, but +it almost seemed as if he did. + +"Come along, little flowers," he cried, "would you like to come and live +in the garden? See, I will plant you in nicely." + +With his soft baby hands he plucked the little daisies from their +stalks, sped back with them through the garden gate, and commenced to +plant them in the earth. First he made a little hole for each of them in +the soft brown mould, then put the rootless flowers in and pressed the +earth round tightly. + +"It is cold, it is cold," said the daisies. + +"I shall have a nice little garden of my own now," said the child, and +he ran away contented to his play. + +Next day little Harold came to see his garden, and he burst into tears, +for the poor little daisies were dead. + +And other daisies grew in the grass-plot outside, and the butterflies +told tales to them as of old. + + + + +THE EDITOR'S POCKET-BOOK. + +JOTTINGS AND PENCILLINGS. HERE, THERE AND EVERYWHERE + +[Illustration] + + +The Wounded Cat and the Doctor. + +Colonel Stuart Wortley says that when he entered the Malakoff, so famous +in the Crimean war, he found a cat whose paw had been pinned to the +ground by a bayonet that had fallen upon it. He released the poor thing, +and took her for two mornings to the doctor to have her foot dressed. +The next day he was absent on duty before daybreak, and puss went +herself to the doctor's, scratched the tent to be admitted, and when she +was let in, held up her foot to be attended to. This cat was very +grateful to the colonel, for she followed him about the camp till the +close of the war. + + +A Remarkable Bell. + +In the temples at Kyoto, Japan, is a great bell, which swings in a huge +wooden tower. The bell is a large bronze cup, with nearly perpendicular +sides and a flat crown; and is sounded by bringing a big beam against +the rim. It needs twelve natives to ring it. It used to be rung once a +year, but it may now be heard twice or thrice a month. It is 18 feet +high, 9-1/2 inches thick, 9 feet in diameter, and weighs almost 74 tons. +It was cast in 1633, rim upwards; and the gold that entered into its +composition is estimated at about 1,500 pounds. The tone of the bell is +described as magnificent, and when struck with the open hand, the +vibration may be heard a hundred yards off. + + +About the Mina Bird. + +A lady in India sends me some interesting notes about a mina bird which +she obtained possession of while travelling in the Presidency of Madras. +These birds talk better even than parrots, and this one soon displayed +his cleverness. On the day after his arrival he began to make such a +noise that it was thought he was hungry, and the _ayah_, or nurse, was +told to feed him. He was then heard to say "Mina wants his dinner." +After he had had some food he said "Mina wants clean water." He calls +out "Ayah" and "Boy," so naturally that at first the servants thought it +was their master calling them. One day he created some amusement by +crying out "Mina wants his breakfast dinner." It appeared he had already +had some bread and milk, and being doubtful as to which meal he ought to +ask for, gave an order comprehensive enough to include both meals, so as +to make sure of one. He is dainty, and will eat only particular food. +One day his curry and rice contained plenty of rice but not much curry, +whereupon his dissatisfaction was promptly evinced by a shout of "No +curry." He gave evidence of soon becoming an excellent linguist, and had +acquired a knowledge of some of the native tongues. + + +An Historical Cocoa-Plant. + +In a greenhouse belonging to the Royal Botanic Society there is a +cocoa-plant which has achieved greatness, for it has actually borne +fruit, and is, according to Professor Bentley, the first that has done +so in England. The fruit gave evidence of reaching maturity and of +ripening its seeds. Linnaeus called cocoa "Theobroma," by which he meant +to imply that it was food for the gods, but Belzoni, writing in the +sixteenth century, regarded it as fitter for pigs than for men. Readers +will be able to decide this knotty point for themselves, despite the +proverbial difficulty of deciding when doctors disagree. Sixty years ago +the annual consumption of cocoa amounted to only a quarter of a million +pounds, but now it has reached a total of probably not less than twelve +millions of pounds. + + +The International Health Exhibition. + +The great Health Show which was opened in May has already proved itself +to be the most prominent feature of the London summer season. It +embraces a display of everything even remotely connected with Health, +and a more interesting and attractive collection it would be impossible +to form. Appealing, as it does, to the taste of all ages, its variety is +certainly charming. Nor is it without its educational value, as the +"bits" of Old London, the historical costumes, and the trades in +operation, abundantly testify. And not the least pleasing circumstance +is that those very exhibits which are of an instructive character are +the most popular. One sees in different ways that the experience gained +by the Fisheries Exhibition of last year has been of immense service to +the promoters of the Health Exhibition. The grounds have been decorated +and illuminated by night so successfully that the Horticultural Gardens +have been transformed into fairyland itself. The lakes and terrace +picked out in many-coloured lamps, the lawns festooned with Chinese +lanterns, the dazzling brilliancy of the electric light that lords it +supreme overhead, the strains of the military bands, all combine to +render the grounds of the exhibition the favourite open-air resort of +Londoners and visitors during the warm summer nights. + + +Famous Old London Buildings. + +The most novel feature of the exhibition is a street in which have been +constructed imitations of several of the most celebrated buildings in +Old London. Each has been carefully reproduced from engravings and +drawings in Mr. Gardner's priceless collection. The street begins with +an excellent imitation of Bishopsgate, one of the City gates, with +moss-grown walls, and statues of Bishop William the Norman, and of +Alfred the Great and Aldred. On one side of the street will be found +such quaint and picturesque buildings as the "Rose" Inn and "Cock" +Tavern, the "Three Squirrels," Izaak Walton's House, and All Hallows' +Church, Staining; on the other side will be seen, among others, Dick +Whittington's House and the Hall of the Holy Trinity Guild in +Aldersgate. The street ultimately narrows into Elbow Lane, in which will +be observed a number of historical places, such as Gunpowder Plot House, +where Guy Fawkes and his fellows concocted their detestable plot; and +the curious houses at Pye Corner--which are illustrated on the opposite +page--where the Great Fire of London ceased its ravages. The street runs +down to London Wall. The ground floor of the houses is occupied by +shops, in which the different trades of the old City Guilds are carried +on. Perhaps the only thing that spoils the illusion--apart from the +unavoidably modern crowds of sightseers--is that the interiors of the +houses are connected by a gallery that runs from one end of the street +to the other, so that you may enter the "Rose" Inn and come out at All +Hallows' Church, or _vice versa_. + + +Model Dairies. + +In the South Gallery will be noticed a number of Model Dairies, which +are well worth a visit. Here little folk will see how the trade has been +revolutionised, and how in such matters even as milk and butter +machinery has to a very large extent replaced hand labour. These dairies +are beautifully clean, and the effect is in one case decidedly improved +by the introduction of a few stalls occupied by some pretty cows and a +little calf, some ewes and two kids, and some queer-looking Zulu sheep, +all of which excite much admiration. + + +Trades in Operation. + +The West Gallery is one of the most popular and instructive in the +Exhibition. Here a variety of trades are in full operation, in which it +is possible to trace an article from the raw to the finished state. In +one stand, for instance, may be seen the whole process of +mustard-making. The seed may be viewed in the _pulveriser_, then in the +_crusher_, then in the _sieve_, and then being done up in packets of +various sizes for sale. The making of jam also affords much +entertainment to onlookers. Doubtless the nature of the trade will +account for the large crowds who surround the stand where Messrs. +Allen's industrious workmen turn out lozenges, and almonds, and +chocolate in enormous quantities. Their machines are busy from morn till +night. Where all the operations are interesting it is difficult to +specify any in particular; but, perhaps, the process of preparing, +cutting out, and printing lozenges is as worthy of special attention as +any. Elsewhere the mysteries of meat-cutting machines may be solved, and +the processes of aerated water making and of soap-making studied with +profit. These are but types of the busy life of the West Gallery, which +resounds with the clang of machinery in motion, and the hum of hundreds +of voices of amused spectators. + + +The Costume Show. + +In the Western Quadrant will be found an exhibition of waxworks that +would have filled poor Artemus Ward's heart with joy. There are two +series of figures, representing English civil costumes and military +uniforms from William the Conqueror almost to the present day. They have +been prepared under the personal superintendence of the Hon. Lewis +Wingfield, and may therefore be relied upon for accuracy in every +respect. These series will repay careful study. The civil costumes start +with those of two women, a shepherd, and a man of the period of William +I. and wind up with samples of the era of George IV. It is impossible +here to go into details, but it may be said that costume does not +necessarily improve with time, as the dress of the last period is +certainly the worst. The military uniforms begin with some suits of +armour from the Tower, then proceed to a halberdier of Henry VII., and +so on down to the uniforms now in actual use. The West Quadrant should +on no account be missed by visitors to the Exhibition. In the Eastern +Quadrant will be seen some specimens of present-day attire, chiefly +ladies' and children's dresses. + +[Illustration: PYE CORNER IN 1789. (_See p. 118._) + +(_From a Drawing in Mr. Gardner's Collection._)] + + +Street of Furnished Rooms. + +Those who feel an interest in the modern methods of furnishing rooms +will be glad to have their attention called to this street in the South +Central Gallery. Here room after room has been equipped in the richest +and most artistic fashion, and full advantage should be taken of this +opportunity for comparison between styles of furnishing a house of the +most varied character possible. + +[Illustration] + + +Other Exhibits. + +I cannot stay to mention even one-twentieth of the different exhibits. +Little folk who have seen the Show will know it is not possible for me +to do so here. There are foreign annexes full of interesting articles. +The London Water Companies have a pavilion all to themselves. The South +Gallery may be regarded as an elaborate model of the food of London. +Then the British Beekeepers' Association will explain much of an +instructive kind about the busy bee. In short, the whole Exhibition is +so full of information of a useful and, in some cases, even of a +delightful sort, that I must now leave the subject with the intimation +of that fact. + + +Young Heroes. + +Some time ago a child fell off Oreston Pier, near Plymouth, and had +drifted out about seven yards in twelve feet of water, when a little +boy, nine years old, named S. G. Pike, plunged into the sea with his +clothes on, reached the child, and swam back with it to some steps, +where they were both assisted out. Another boy, W. W. Haynes, aged +twelve, saved the life of a child who had fallen from a bridge into the +river at Llanberis, near a whirlpool. E. S. Deacon, a girl, twelve years +old, rescued a lad from drowning at Blackpool, near Dartmouth. The boy +had slipped off a rock and become unconscious, when Miss Deacon jumped +into the water fully dressed, and succeeded in holding him up until help +arrived. We are glad to know that the Royal Humane Society rewarded +these brave children for their noble heroism. + + +An Intelligent Mare. + +A mare, with her young foal, was grazing in an orchard on an American +farm, when she was noticed to run at full speed from a distant part of +the orchard, making a loud cry--not like her usual voice, but a kind of +unnatural "whinny," like a scream of distress. She came up to a farm +servant, as near as a fence would allow, turned back for a short +distance, and then returned, keeping up the shrill noise all the while. +The man's curiosity became excited, and as soon as he started to follow +her, she went off in the direction of a miry place that had been left +unguarded, and stopped upon its very brink. Hurrying on as fast as he +could, the man found the colt lying dead, suffocated in the mud and +water. The poor mare had unfortunately been unable to procure his +help--though she tried her best--in time to save her foal. This touching +instance of maternal affection is a very interesting example of the way +in which the "dumb" animals--as they are somewhat absurdly called--make +up for the want of speech. The mare's strange cry and her extreme +restlessness were as eloquent as words. + +[Illustration: SOME BIRDS OF THE CAUCASUS. (_See p. 121._)] + + + + +ABOUT THE FRANCOLIN. + + +Partridges by any name would taste as sweet, and when you have learnt +that the francolin is one of the few different kinds of partridge, you +will have obtained the chief clue to the life-history of these birds. +They may in a general way be defined as the representatives in various +parts of Asia (as in India and the Caucasus mountains) and Africa, of +the well-known family which is so diligently searched for in this +country during the month of September. One sort of francolin is still to +be met with in the countries of Europe that border on the Mediterranean. +The bird was at one time common in Sicily, and it is yet to be found in +the island of Cyprus. Some of them live on level plains, and others in +forests. They differ from our partridge in that they studiously shun +cultivated ground, preferring the proximity of woods, in which they +carefully select damp spots overgrown with reeds. In time of danger they +conceal themselves in the densest brushwood, out of which they do not +emerge until the peril is past. Should no shelter be at hand, they will +try to seek safety in flight, and will use their wings only in the last +resort. Partridges, as we are all aware, are not averse from feeding +many times and oft on grain; but the francolins, whose taste is not so +fastidious, will not refuse to dine on the wild berries as well as on +grain, while they hunt for worms and insects with a zeal worthy of the +cause. Some of them have rather a fondness for perching and roosting on +trees of a night, and they display the same affection for their young as +partridges show for theirs. The cry is harsher and noisier than that of +the latter. There is one sort which has a cry of so curious a +description that a good deal of speculation has arisen as to its +significance. It sounds like "Tre-tre-tre," and is meant, according to a +prosaic Sicilian proverb, to be a declaration by the bird of its market +value, which it assesses at _three_ coins. Others have likened its cry +to the harsh, grating blast of a cracked trumpet. Such being the case, +it is just as well that we have no francolins in this country. + + + + +The "Little Folks" Humane Society. + +_THIRTIETH LIST OF OFFICERS AND MEMBERS._ + +_Officers' Names are printed in Small Capital Letters, and the Names of +their Members are printed beneath. Where a short line, thus "----," is +printed, the end of an Officer's List is indicated._ + + AGE + +42654 Mary Roberts 12 +42655 Nellie Halse 13 +42656 Ernest Wilson 7 +42657 Susan Wills 16 +42658 Sylvia Tapp 18 +42659 William Angove 9 +42660 John Wisdom 11 +42661 M. B. Kneebone 7 +42662 Eliza Halse 16 +42663 Charles Angove 5 +42664 Richard Angove 7 +42665 A. Sherwood 20 +42666 Lily Wisdom 7 +42667 E. M. Spyers 15 +42668 Lucy Woodman 16 +42669 John Butcher 19 +42670 W. J. H. Pott 9 +42671 Thomas Hankins 11 +42672 RACHEL E. SPYERS, Weybridge 13 +42673 Kate Porter 17 +42674 E. W. Hickens 12 +42675 Cecil N. Money 12 +42676 Sarah Heather 18 +42677 E. Arkwright 11 +42678 F. O'Fflahertie 11 +42679 Frank Harper 10 +42680 A. R. Hoskins 11 +42681 Robert Jones 9 +42682 William F. Smith 13 +42683 John H. Watson 15 +42684 Godfrey Brooks 14 +42685 Percy James 13 +42686 Elizabth. Diplock 19 +42687 W. E. Smith 10 +42688 A. S. McLachlan 7 +42689 William Floyd 10 +42690 Cleophas Fulker 9 +42691 Herbert Caulder 9 +42692 A. M. Beckett 15 +42693 C. Threadgold 9 +42694 Charles Jeffery 11 +42695 Alice C. Wilson 13 +42696 F. P Rennie 10 +42697 Chas. M. Orme 12 +42698 Henry McDonall 12 +42699 Tom Spyers 11 +42700 Percy Hewett 11 +42701 Sidney F. Brooks 12 +42702 Robt. McDonall 11 +42703 C. J. Rennie 8 +42704 H. J. Fellowes 13 +42705 A. F. Fellowes 9 +42706 C. Farquharson 14 +42707 Tom James 10 +42708 Wm. G. R. Orme 12 +42709 Ellen B. Wilson 16 +42710 Herbert Wilson 9 +42711 Henry Verity 12 +42712 Basil H. Wilson 10 +42713 H. M. Hoskins 14 +42714 J. H. Lawrence 12 +42715 E. O. Beverley 12 +42716 Henry Berrend 9 +42717 Julia Spiers 16 +42718 Amos Daws 19 +42719 G. M. Wilson 17 +42720 William Hodges 10 +42721 George Wilson 11 +42722 FLORA S. A. BEESON, Brentwd. 13 +42723 Charles H. Haws 13 +42724 Amy Young 12 +42725 George Hall 16 +42726 Alice Lucking 12 +42727 Arthur Lucking 6 +42728 Arthur R. Hall 11 +42729 Ernest T. Hall 6 +42730 Mabel Keeth 7 +42731 Alice H. Haws 15 +42732 Gertrd. Edmonds 12 +42733 Robert Edmonds 8 +42734 M. M. Lambert 12 +42735 Sutton Lambert 10 +42736 Florence Keith 13 +42737 Blanche Keith 11 +42738 Ethel Keith 8 +42739 Katie Fuller 15 +42740 Violet Chew 7 +42741 S. Linwood 10 +42742 Emma H. Cudby 17 +42743 Florence Timms 8 +42744 Lilian Brown 10 +42745 Margie Young 14 +42746 Eva Goodman 13 +42747 A. B. Clowes 13 +42748 F. M. Prior 12 +42749 Clara A. Clowes 7 +42750 Ellen A. Prior 10 +42751 Nellie Simpson 18 +42752 Ada E. Cudley 15 +42753 Ethel A. Wallis 11 +42754 Annie Wellings 10 +42755 C. Webster 14 +42756 Maud Wellings 8 +42757 Geo. H. Harris 18 +42758 Mary E. Harris 19 +42759 Alice Pollock 9 +42760 Margret Pollock 11 +42761 M. F. E. Hughes 12 +42762 J. A. Scrivener 10 +42763 M. M. Scrivener 3 +42764 J. M. Beveridge 17 +42765 L. K. Scrivener 8 +42766 Thos. Scrivener 14 +42767 Ernest Scrivener 16 +42768 E. E. Scrivener 18 +42769 R. J. Beveridge 15 +42770 J. M. Beveridge 18 +42771 Adela L. Harris 15 +42772 Ada Simpson 13 + +---- + +42773 Mary B. Mead 10 +42774 Charles Culross 12 +42775 Henry Wilkinson 10 +42776 Kathl. Wilkinson 11 +42777 Margt. Wilkinson 13 +42778 Linda A. Spicer 13 +42779 F. M. Whitehouse 11 +42780 Mary Penzer 16 +42781 F. M. E. Kenyon 12 +42782 Ernest L. Sikes 12 +42783 FLORENCE KEMSLEY, Epping 12 +42784 Jessie E. Barnard 7 +42785 Alice Andrews 17 +42786 Edgar Larkin 9 +42787 Walter W. Lyne 7 +42788 Alfred J. Lyne 10 +42789 Gertrde. M. Lyne 13 +42790 Alice Adams 12 +42791 Elizabeth Wright 7 +42792 Amy E. Pegrum 14 +42793 Eliza J. Blowes 19 +42794 Ada Pegrum 8 +42795 A. A. Dorrington 15 +42796 Eliza French 17 +42797 Gertrd. Simpson 6 +42798 Ellen C. Teece 16 +42799 Minnie T. Teece 10 +42800 Julia Teece 12 +42801 Kate Simpson 11 +42802 Emily Teece 14 +42803 Lilian L. Davis 6 +42804 Cyril L. Davis 9 +42805 Edith E. Rickett 9 +42806 Rosa M. Kemsley 7 +42807 W. H. Kemsley 9 +42808 A. U. Kemsley 10 +42809 Harry Doye 10 +42810 Minnie Cripps 8 +42811 Albert Adams 8 +42812 Alice Wade 8 +42813 Victor Adams 6 +42814 Charlotte Cripps 14 +42815 Mary Silvester 12 +42816 Herbert Bailes 6 +42817 George Doye 7 +42818 Arthur Seymour 8 +42819 Annie French 13 +42820 Caleb Bailes 8 +42821 Ellen Mansfield 9 +42822 Emily Saban 9 +42823 George Ford 9 +42824 James Seymour 11 +42825 Alice M. Soundy 13 +42826 Jessie M. Collins 15 +42827 Rosa M. Soundy 18 +42828 Sarah E. Rowe 16 +42829 E. A. Mansfield 13 +42830 Janet Byles 11 +42831 Ellen Leach 10 +42832 Rose England 18 +42833 Harold Larkin 15 + +---- + +42834 A. M. Crompton 16 +42835 S. H. Crompton 18 +42836 Alice Corbet 13 +42837 Annie Corbet 17 +42838 Clara E. Jannett 15 +42839 Eliza Corbet 15 +42840 Evelyn H. West 13 +42841 Lucy Bradbury 14 +42842 Minnie Ellwood 13 +42843 May Waddington 14 +42844 Ina Barrington 12 +42845 Maud E. Bailey 17 +42846 Jane T. Fildes 15 +42847 Mary H. Fildes 14 +42848 James R. Fildes 11 +42849 Henry G. Fildes 9 +42850 HERBT. G. FULLMER, Wolverhampton 13 +42851 Harry Hedgecox 10 +42852 Richard Clark 8 +42853 Charles Carter 10 +42854 Wm. Mullinder 12 +42855 Geo. Farrington 9 +42856 James Trow 9 +42857 William T. Spicer 8 +42858 John Munday 6 +42859 William Rowley 8 +42860 D. G. Thatcher 7 +42861 Wm. H. Knowles 9 +42862 Harriett Munday 9 +42863 Jane E. Taylor 9 +42864 William Crook 9 +42865 Geo. E. Matthews 9 +42866 William Brookes 5 +42867 Sarah A. Dwight 10 +42868 John Chatter 12 +42869 Elizbth. H. Perry 8 +42870 Alfred Allen 10 +42871 Alice Thomason 10 +42872 M. A. Poultney 10 +42873 John Cornes 13 +42874 Eva A. Thatcher 9 +42875 Alice Thatcher 13 +42876 A. E. Mansell 9 +42877 Catherine Allen 13 +42878 John Evans 14 +42879 C. W. Knowles 11 +42880 Richard Hopkins 15 +42881 Albert Dwight 7 +42882 R. E. Thatcher 16 +42883 Fredk. Brasier 10 +42884 Amy Cresswell 10 +42885 Ellen Eaton 10 +42886 Alfred Thatcher 12 +42887 Annette Mansell 12 +42888 Florry Munday 7 +42889 Elizbth. Knowles 11 +42890 G. E. Summers 5 +42891 J. B. Parker 13 +42892 Geo. S. Evans 11 +42893 C. W. Livermore 6 +42894 John Harley 11 +42895 S. L. Parker 7 +42896 J. P. Parker 9 +42897 Gertrude Dwight 11 +42898 Alice Mansell 13 +42899 E. A. Brasier 12 +42900 Wm. Thomason 12 +42901 Emily Tisdell 12 +42902 Ellen Priest 8 +42903 May Summers 7 +42904 C. W. Munday 5 +42905 T. Cresswell 8 +42906 W. B. Perry 9 +42907 W. H. Crook 7 +42908 Fred Cresswell 12 +42909 H. E. Carter 7 +42910 John Boucher 12 +42911 Harry Law 8 +42912 George Walker 13 + +---- + +42913 Emily Barley 15 +42914 ANNIE A. HALL, Liscard 11 +42915 Arnold Hunter 9 +42916 Sarah Preston 12 +42917 Ann J. Bibby 10 +42918 Thos. Henshaw 7 +42919 Ellen Godwin 7 +42920 Isabella Miller 11 +42921 A. Burgoyne 20 +42922 Charles Perris 9 +42923 N. Grisewood 7 +42924 Bertie Joyce 9 +42925 George Satchell 9 +42926 M. O'Donoughue 9 +43927 Annie Taylor 10 +42928 Maggie M. Booth 10 +42929 Marie Shayler 8 +42930 Annie Kendal 10 +42931 Polly Robinson 12 +42932 William Karran 6 +42933 W. A. Milliken 8 +42934 R. Henderson 8 +42935 Edgar Grisewood 9 +42936 Nellie Jackson 13 +42937 E. McFadzen 17 +42938 Emily Henshaw 12 +42939 E. L. Craig 8 +42940 Harriet Dodshon 9 +42941 Ida Edwards 8 +42942 Lillie Parry 7 +42943 Edith Lockley 9 +42944 Thomas Gillet 7 +42945 Annie Hughes 14 +42946 M. L. Hughes 12 +42947 Emily Mullineux 10 +42948 Annie McEvoy 12 +42949 John E. Parry 9 +42950 William H. Hall 6 +42951 James McEvoy 6 +42952 Hugh Williams 10 +42953 Francis S. Hall 8 +42954 Florence A. Smith 12 +42955 William Lockley 7 +42956 John N. Gillet 9 +42957 Bertie Abbey 8 +42958 Ada Pemberton 12 +42959 Charles Abbey 9 +42960 Beatrice E. Fox 10 +42961 Emily Fox 12 +42962 Janet Burgoyne 12 +42963 Ada Mullineux 7 +42964 George Burgoyne 9 +42965 NELLIE MATHIAS, Liscard 10 +42966 Adelaide Davies 11 +42967 Margery Woller 9 +42968 Thomas Hughes 13 +42969 Sarah Baker 13 +42970 Mary H. Shaw 11 +42971 Annie Broomby 9 +42972 Annie Carran 13 +42973 B. E. Davies 9 +42974 Esther Smith 5 +42975 Bessie Underhill 9 +42976 Edith Davies 12 +42977 Edith Williams 10 +42978 Margt. A. Smith 11 +42979 Cissie Craig 10 +42980 Edith A. Booth 9 +42981 Cissie Williams 12 +42982 Grace Jones 17 +42983 George Pulford 11 +42984 Harriet Fisher 9 +47985 John C. Ledder 14 +42986 Jane Sargent 10 +42987 Jessie Henshaw 13 +42988 Janet Garner 11 +42989 J. E. Holdsworth 6 +42990 Emma Williams 7 +42991 Elizabeth Peers 13 +42992 E. A. Bleakley 8 +42993 E. M. Fisher 11 +42994 Martha Minniss 11 +42995 Gertrd. F. Settler 8 +42996 Emily Peers 9 +42997 Sarah Minnis 13 +42998 Annie Kneale 9 +42999 Hanah H. Leather 8 +43000 James Prichard 14 +43001 Thomas Jones 10 +43002 Ethel Williams 12 +43003 Jessie Bleakley 6 +43004 Ellen Leather 13 +43005 Annie Williams 8 +43006 Dora Ledsham 11 +43007 Maggie Bibby 8 +43008 Katie McEvoy 9 +43009 Edith Taylor 9 +43010 M. E. Huntington 19 +43011 Elizabeth White 17 +43012 Harriet Holmes 11 +43013 Lucy Fellows 13 +43014 Carrie Burgess 12 +43015 Edith Holdsworth 8 +43016 A. W. Horner 11 + +---- + +43017 Annie M. Evans 14 +43018 A. M. M. Evans 6 +43019 Margt. H. Evans 13 +43020 Alexandra Dodge 14 +43021 MARGT. A. JACKSON, Wigan 15 +43022 Mary M. Jackson 17 +43023 H. M. Jackson 14 +43024 Eliz. A. Jackson 10 +43025 Ellen Guy 19 +43026 Mary J. Guy 17 +43027 Emma Guy 15 +43028 Sarah Guy 13 +43029 Lillie Guy 12 +43030 Frank Browne 13 +43031 Herbert Browne 10 +43032 Arthur Browne 10 +43033 Harry Browne 6 +43034 Olive Williams 15 +43035 A. G. Ferguson 8 +43036 L. F. Ferguson 5 +43037 A. M. G. Ferguson 7 +43038 Maggie Blaylock 14 +43039 Annie Blaylock 11 +43040 Elizbth. Blaylock 10 +43041 Ethelwyn Phillips 11 +43042 M. A. Foreman 12 +43043 Harold J. Cooke 5 +43044 Maggie Naylor 12 +43045 Ada A. Lee 12 +43046 Emily Innis 13 +43047 Edith Heaton 9 +43048 Sarah Heaton 10 +43049 A. Davenport 11 +43050 L. K. Dawson 13 +43051 Agnes Dawson 17 +43052 E. M. Richmond 15 +43053 Levi Booth 8 +43054 Sarah E. Booth 12 +43055 Lucy E. Perrins 13 +43056 Edith M. Perrins 17 +43357 Mary M. Summer 9 +43058 Charltte. Summer 12 +43059 John Hilditch 9 +43060 Emily Hilditch 13 +43061 Ernest A. Rider 7 +43062 Clara Leadbeater 11 +43063 Annie E. Rider 9 +43064 Mary Rider 11 +43065 Peter Leadbeater 14 +43066 E. Leadbeater 16 +43067 M. A. Fairhurst 9 +43068 E. L. Fairhurst 11 +43069 F. W. Fairhurst 13 +43070 M. H. Bryham 13 +43071 M. E. Bryham 12 +43072 J. N. HAWORTH, Bolton 13 +43073 Milton Clarke 6 +43074 Will S. Forrest 8 +43075 Annie Forrest 4 +43076 Herbert Maude 14 +43077 Harry Rostron 14 +43078 Bertie Hamson 12 +43079 Fred Rostron 12 +43080 M. E. Windsor 15 +43081 D. C. Walker 10 +43082 M. E. Hodgkinson 12 +43083 R. H. Harworth 18 +43084 W. Duckworth 16 +43085 Alice Harwood 10 +43086 Annie Parkinson 7 +43087 Tom Scholes 20 +43088 Edith Scholes 7 +43089 Clara Scholds 6 +43090 Lizzie Duxburg 11 +43091 Rosa Kirkman 19 +43092 Arthur Lee 10 +43093 G. F. Murphy 10 +43094 James W. Smith 16 +43095 Daniel Rostron 8 +43096 Marie Amiere 21 +43097 C. J. A. Amiere 13 +43098 Clifford Harker 12 +43099 Inthe Harker 9 +43100 Neville Harker 6 +43101 Elsie Harker 14 +43102 E. A. Moscrop 21 +43103 Harry Frow 10 +43104 Ann Elliott 14 +43105 Emma Lindow 14 +43106 Louisa Gilham 14 +43107 Harriet Holt 13 +43108 Alice H. Holt 14 +43109 Jane Parker 15 +43110 Joseph Adamson 14 +43111 Herbert Pearson 9 +43112 Maggie Scholes 15 +43113 Catherine Scholes 13 +43114 Josiah Irkin 13 +43115 F. Eccles 18 +43116 Geo. W. Ironfield 10 +43117 V. Eccles 11 +43118 E. F. Graveson 14 +33119 F. S. Graveson 12 +43120 Florence Smith 16 +43121 M. Winstanley 15 +43122 Ada Harwood 13 +43123 T. H. PILLING, Blackpool 14 +43124 Thos. Singleton 16 +43125 J. E. Singleton 13 +43126 Agnes Singleton 18 +43127 A. M. Singleton 11 +43128 M. E. Singleton 9 +43129 Alice Singleton 15 +43130 W. Mayors 11 +43131 Hugh Butcher 11 +43132 Louis Butcher 12 +43133 Howard Evans 11 +43134 Ernest Threlfell 10 +43135 Frederick Lund 10 +43136 Sarah Lund 19 +43137 Margrt. A. Lund 16 +43138 William Bouth 13 +43139 Ada Gregson 8 +43140 Mary E. Smith 8 +43141 Mary Mildred 18 +43142 Chas. L. Snelson 10 +43143 M. Fitz-Simmonds 19 +43144 Sarah A. Smith 9 +43145 Hollans Gregson 11 +43146 James Waring 13 +43147 John P. Mallison 16 +43148 Annie Mallison 9 +43149 Ada Maudsley 8 +43150 Mabel Maudsley 6 +43151 William Orrell 13 +43152 Kay Duxburg 6 +43153 Lydia Duxburg 9 +43154 Jos. A. Duxburg 13 +43155 Henry Duxburg 5 +43156 Cecil Huggins 6 +43157 Fred Scholes 14 +43158 Alfred Scholes 10 +43159 Arthur Scholes 8 +43160 Joseph Burgess 8 +43161 Walter Reason 8 +43162 J. W. Burgess 11 +43163 J. Pilling 8 +43164 Henry Layland 11 +43165 W. Entrowistle 12 +43166 J. F. Firesthurst 11 +43167 James Condon 11 +43168 Harry Shanks 12 +43169 John Baxter 13 +43170 Ben Holden 13 +43171 William Grundy 11 +43172 Emily Broughton 7 +43173 Eliz. Harworth 9 + +---- + +43174 Adriana de Ciani 16 +43175 Carmela de Ciani 15 +43176 Mary Bruno 15 +43177 Josephine Veratti 14 +43178 Clara Himmer 15 +43179 Edvige Bono 14 +43180 Teresa Vittadini 14 +43181 Margaret Lucca 14 +43182 Amalia Manara 12 +43183 N. Santostefano 9 +43184 BEATRICE ELLISON, Liverpool 14 +43185 Fanny Pring 14 +43186 Leslie Parker 10 +43187 Walter Evans 13 +43188 M. A. Boumphrey 7 +43189 Daisy Cotterell 11 +43190 Flrnce. Freeman 13 +43191 Jessie Darning 12 +43192 Charles Simpson 9 +43193 F. E. Kerridge 12 +43194 Marion Bancroft 13 +43195 Frances Lease 13 +43196 Gertrude Dorning 15 +43197 E. Boumphy 13 +43198 F. Gittings 10 +43199 Gwladys Jones 17 +43200 Norah Gittins 5 +43201 Constance Wilson 6 +43202 Grace Rickett 14 +43203 Minnie Simpson 12 +43204 Rosey Verdon 9 +43205 M. Boumphrey 11 +43206 Herbert Marrison 12 +43207 Percy Ellison 11 +43208 J. H. Turner 15 +43209 Elphie Muir 11 +43210 Mamie Robinson 12 +43211 R. L. Timothy 10 +43212 Agnes A. Jones 14 +43213 C. Rishton 11 +43214 Fred White 11 +43215 R. G. Williamson 11 +43216 C. Stanley Ellison 10 +43217 Daisy Sampson 11 +43218 R. Elphick 15 +43219 Mary Willett 14 +43220 John Hart 13 +43221 Amy Wilson 14 +43222 Leslie Payne 11 +43223 Duncan Kennedy 13 +43224 Eva Moss 14 +43225 Agnes Aston 16 +43226 Kate Ramsay 13 +43227 Esther Oakes 15 +43228 Florence Sinclair 15 +43229 Emma Welsh 13 +43230 Amy Henderson 14 +43231 Laura Brown 14 +43232 F. Leedam 9 +43233 Harold E. Evans 13 +43234 Gerard Gittins 8 +43235 ARTHUR WATKIS, Bedford 13 +43236 Nat How 12 +43237 Harry Street 11 +43238 Earnest Nisbet 12 +43239 Ernest Sampson 12 +43240 John H. Walker 17 +43241 Edgar Oakden 14 +43242 Godfrey Drowe 8 +43243 Herbert Drowe 12 +43244 Mary Beadnell 10 +43245 Earnest Briant 14 +43246 Emily Beadnell 7 +43247 Nora Craig 14 +43248 Henry Bate 12 +43249 Fredk. H. Mence 12 +43250 John Bate 13 +43251 Ethel Sheffield 13 +43252 Henry Webbe 11 +43253 Hrbt. Nicodemus 7 +43254 William Edmonds 12 +43255 William Sheffield 13 +43256 Earnest Beadnell 8 +43257 Jack Platts 10 +43258 Hallald B. Food 15 +43259 Harrison Sheffield 15 +43260 A. E. Ransome 10 +43261 William Drowe 13 +43262 Annie Beadnell 6 +43263 George Barrett 11 +43264 Maud Beadnell 11 +43265 P. Lobb 15 +43266 Winnie Craig 12 +43267 Walter Warden 12 +43268 Arthur Sampson 13 +43269 John Nisbet 14 +43270 Arthur Kendall 11 +43271 George Beadnell 14 +43272 H. Abbott 13 +43273 William Beadnell 16 +43274 Robt. H. Oakden 17 +43275 Edith L. Oakden 7 +43276 F. E. B. Oakden 7 +43277 Edith Platts 9 +43278 John How 13 +43279 Peter Kaye 14 +43280 Joe How 12 +43281 Connie Drowe 6 +43282 Edith Beadnell 16 +43283 William How 15 +43284 Tom How 15 +43285 Thomas Oakden 7 + +---- + +43286 Mary S. G. Sams 11 +43287 L. C. F. Robson 10 +43288 S. W. S. Robson 7 +43289 Mary H. Colvile 13 +43290 W. H. Barrington 10 +43291 FREDK. DOLBY, Oundle 12 +43292 C. Martin 11 +43293 Rosie Hill 10 +43294 Maud Nichols 9 +43295 H. Holdich 11 +43296 Polly Steers 18 +43297 John Wilson 12 +43298 Mary Roe 8 +43299 Lizzie Gilby 15 +43300 Flora Howe 8 +43301 Annie Howe 10 +43302 Francis King 5 +43303 F. W. Garner 12 +43304 G. Vivian 12 +43305 T. Ball 13 +43306 C. Ball 12 +43307 Ethel Barnes 12 +43308 Clara Maddison 10 +43309 Annie Henson 11 +43310 Louie Clarke 15 +43311 Emily Henson 13 +43312 Eliza Horrod 5 +43313 Lucy Fortescue 6 +43314 Annie Wright 16 +43315 Kate Ashby 11 +43316 Nellie Denton 6 +43317 Maggie Chapman 9 +43318 Nellie Ashby 9 +43319 Nellie Wyles 11 +43320 Sarah Madison 8 +43321 Maggie Wyles 9 +43322 S. Bennett 9 +43323 Florence Blyth 15 +43324 Blanche Blyth 10 +43325 Ethel Green 5 +43326 Emily Denton 11 +43327 Florence Harris 9 +43328 Frances Seymer 11 +43329 Beatrice Harris 7 +43330 Ada Wyles 7 +43331 William Glenn 12 +43332 May Whistell 8 +43333 Emma Smith 13 +43334 M. Fox 9 +43335 A. Hopkins 16 +43336 A. Dixon 7 +43337 Lucy Dixon 8 +43338 Hetty Dixon 10 +43339 Alfred Howe 13 +43340 Gertie Brown 10 +43341 Clara Brown 8 + +---- + +43342 Maud Fol 12 +43343 Ada C. Killick 14 +43344 Maud Brenan 10 +43345 P. H. Bannister 10 +43346 Annie Bryham 11 +43347 Agnes Neill 12 +43348 Lottie Sharp 15 +43349 John W. Fildes 13 +43350 Annie Fea 14 +43351 R. S. Langrishe 10 +43352 Fanny Spencer 16 +43353 Ethel M. Griffin 11 +43354 F. L. Thomas 11 +43355 M. Whitehouse 9 +43356 A. C. Brassington 15 +43357 A. B. Rees 12 +43358 JANET M. WESTWOOD, Reigate 18 +43359 L. Bassindale 13 +43360 B. E. Bassindale 16 +43361 Catherine Hill 12 +43362 John S. Hill 9 +43363 Alice M. Tibbs 7 +43364 Tom Wheatley 9 +43365 Henrietta Hill 13 +43366 Lilly Hargraves 12 +43367 Matilda Hill 16 +43368 Mary A. Forth 12 +43369 Dora Kendall 12 +43370 G. M. Lipscomb 10 +43371 Mabel Freeman 11 +43372 Emma Hackney 9 +43373 Maria Hackney 12 +43374 Kate Pilgrim 14 +43375 Louisa J. Mathew 7 +43376 Ada Phillips 12 +43377 Ellen Phillips 16 +43378 Walter J. Brewer 9 +43379 Edith M. Brewer 12 +43380 Arthur Brewer 11 +43381 Philip J. Brewer 6 +43382 Annie E. Brewer 8 +43383 Ernest Miller 12 +43384 Oliver Child 10 +43385 Courtney Walter 10 +43386 John Dodd 12 +43387 William Verrall 6 +43388 Robt. Woodhouse 11 +43389 F. Woodhouse 9 +43390 Tom Hackney 7 +43391 James Samuel 21 +43392 William Hack 9 +43393 Edwin Post 9 +43394 George Rose 14 +43395 Edith Verrall 10 +43396 Charles Truelove 11 +43397 Annie Jeffery 10 +43398 Charles F. Fuller 12 +43399 Emmeline Phillips 13 +43400 Lucy Hill 10 +43401 Hugh McDougall 10 +43402 Ada Elsey 12 +43403 S. A. Shepherd 10 +43404 Ellen Hack 11 +43405 Alice Elsey 9 + +---- + +43406 Lilian B. Dunbar 12 +43407 HAROLD F. E. BELL, Swaffham 8 +43408 Ernest Nutthall 12 +43409 Lonsdale Abell 4 +43410 Flornce. Andrews 6 +43411 F. W. Andrews 7 +43412 Agnes C. Reid 20 +43413 Herbert Cross 11 +43414 Sarah Smith 6 +43415 Mary Drew 18 +43416 Agnes Drew 14 +43417 John F. Bayfield 13 +43418 Geo. W. E. Plunt 17 +43419 A. E. Munford 14 +43420 B. B. Forster 13 +43421 Minnie Alpe 10 +43422 Elizabth. Withers 12 +43423 Sarah Wittiers 15 +43424 Jessie B. Clark 15 +43425 H. Gooden 16 +43426 Bessie Bayfield 11 +43427 Caroline Munford 14 +43428 Edith Rolfe 10 +43429 Ethel M. Stanton 12 +43430 William Bly 18 +43431 Alice Eagle 10 +43432 Ada Porter 11 +43433 Eliza Eagle 18 +43434 Louisa Ballison 11 +43435 Julia E. Bayfield 16 +43436 Lydia Munford 16 +43437 Mary A. Everard 18 +43438 Mary N. Clark 12 +43439 Bessie Forster 11 +43440 Gertrude Clarke 12 +43441 Ralph Buglass 8 +43442 Rosa Munford 11 +43443 John Tyson 17 +43444 F. M. Mossop 14 +43445 Elizabth. Butters 13 +43446 Florrie Forster 17 +43447 Minnie Barnes 14 +43448 Florence Rix 17 +43449 Ellen Ward 13 +43450 Hannah Eagle 12 +43451 Evelyn E. Bell 13 +43452 E. Leggate 20 +43453 Orbell Nichols 15 +43454 Charles Baker 13 +43455 J. T. Frankland 14 +43456 Hannah Spinks 12 +43457 Eliza Ballison 14 + +---- + +43458 Sarah Hague 13 +43459 Arthur Hilditch 11 +43460 Dora A. Crawford 10 +43461 Jessie Parkin 9 +43462 Viva Halstead 14 +43463 H. B. Halstead 10 +43464 H. C. Halstead 10 +43465 Linda J. Halstead 8 +43466 L. MARION GAFFORD, Bow. 9 +43467 Elizbth. A. Gould 15 +43468 Arthur Beard 7 +43469 Ernest Beard 9 +43470 S. Plumstead 9 +43471 H. C. F. Eversfield 16 +43472 A. C. Eversfield 10 +43473 G. T. Eversfield 13 +43474 M. D. Eversfield 6 +43475 E. F. N. Clixby 9 +43476 Ellen Ransom 13 +43477 Polly Pullen 9 +43478 Stephen Pullen 11 +43479 Elzbth. H. Pullen 12 +43480 Hermina Schiff 9 +43481 E. E. Leconte 9 +43482 H. E. W. Leconte 11 +43483 Sophia Bamford 10 +43484 Nellie Beckett 9 +43485 Henry Beckett 8 +43486 Julia B. Clarke 12 +43487 H. L. Wheatley 8 +43488 F. L. Cufflin 11 +43489 Clara S. Cufflin 10 +43490 Wm. C. Lovely 17 +43491 Thomas J. Guy 17 +43492 Herbert U. Guy 19 +43493 Jane Walker 8 +43494 B. M. Powell 8 +42495 Amy Powell 10 +43496 Lizzie Powell 12 +43497 A. H. Grocott 11 +43498 W. J. Woodward 11 +43499 Kate Farmer 13 +43500 Ada E. Galpin 12 +43501 F. A. Stephenson 13 +43502 G. E. Stephenson 10 +43503 John E. Fox 12 +43504 Robert H. Fox 14 +43505 F. E. Newby 12 +43506 Ernest Newby 10 +43507 Thomas Newby 6 +43508 Jane A. Smith 11 +43509 Florry Taylor 6 +43510 Clara E. Hawes 17 +43511 E. K. Beaumont 11 +43512 E. M. Beaumont 9 +43513 Ella Beaumont 5 +43514 Hilda Newton 10 +43515 Edith E. Gafford 7 +43516 W. H. Appleyard 11 +43517 L. E. Appleyard 9 +43518 Thomas Lewis 10 +43519 John J. Lewis 8 +43520 Minnie D. Lewis 12 +43521 Lilda M. Scudder 11 +43522 Mary Farmer 6 +43523 FRANCES H. BROWN, Seacombe 11 +43524 Florence Brown 14 +43525 Florence Weaver 10 +43526 Annie Hemming 11 +43527 Florence Palmer 14 +43528 Charlotte Brazier 11 +43529 Edith Watkin 12 +43530 F. Hayward 13 +43531 Sarah Godsall 13 +43532 Louisa Brazier 10 +43533 Marion Gray 9 +43534 Ethel Slim 8 +43535 Lizzie Willis 16 +43536 H. McLintock 11 +43537 William Miller 13 +43538 Annie B. Corless 6 +43539 E. L. Wharton 9 +43540 Jessie Parker 8 +43541 Ernest Thearle 8 +43542 Henry Burghes 7 +43543 William Wharton 5 +43544 T. S. Wharton 6 +43545 Elizabth. Prophet 11 +43546 M. E. Parker 12 +43547 Elizabh. Gregory 14 +43548 Jonah Roberts 10 +43549 Maud Slim 10 +43550 G. J. Wharton 10 +43551 C. C. Corless 10 +43552 Ellen Roberts 10 +43553 Elizab. A. Jones 12 +43554 E. M. Walker 14 +43555 Lillie Davies 12 +43556 Jane Gregory 12 +43557 Jane Wilcock 15 +43558 Sydney Thearle 15 +43559 Chrissie Parker 13 +43560 Elizabth. Roberts 12 +43561 H. E. Horbury 17 +43562 M. A. Thomas 18 +43563 F. McLintock 7 +43564 Arnold Whitburn 9 +43565 F. M. Edwards 6 +43566 Jessie Baker 6 +43567 Evelyn E. Beynon 8 +43568 W. S. Mathias 7 +43569 Mary J. Bidwell 7 +43570 Lillian A. Young 11 + +---- + +43571 Minnie B. Booth 11 +43572 Eva M. Langtry 14 +43573 Henry Bridge 12 +43574 Ellen L. Young 6 +43575 Alfred Stern 11 +43576 Emily R. Carling 14 +43577 Ada L. Arundel 15 +43578 John A. Morison 11 +43579 CATHERINE GUY, Peckham 13 +43580 Elsie Guy 7 +43581 Kate Pocock 8 +43582 Edith Pocock 10 +43583 Emily J. Purser 12 +43584 E. A. Purser 10 +43585 H. H. Hodges 9 +43586 Matilda Jepps 15 +43587 Edith Jepps 10 +43588 Amy Barnes 13 +43589 Elizabeth Barnes 15 +43590 Rosa Barnes 11 +43591 Jane Yeates 12 +43592 Elizabeth Guy 11 +43593 Laura Daw 9 +43594 Edith Daw 12 +43595 M. G. Greenwood 10 +43596 E. M. Mackenzie 10 +43597 Louisa Power 11 +43598 Emily J. Jones 11 +43599 Kate E. Walker 11 +43600 Emma Andrews 10 +43601 Esther Miles 11 +43602 Alice Tildesley 11 +43603 Edith S. Gipson 15 +43604 Rose Veness 13 +43605 Emily S. Gipson 19 +43606 Annie Wilkinson 9 +43607 Harry Wilkinson 18 +43608 Herbt. Stimpson 9 +43609 Edith Bobbins 9 +43610 Albert Ayres 9 +43611 Emily Curry 9 +43612 Sarah Newton 8 +43613 Walter Greaves 9 +43614 Emma Ralph 10 +43615 Ada E. Stapleton 10 +43616 Alvina Daniels 10 +43617 Thomas Neale 10 +43618 M. A. Wareham 12 +43619 Horace Greeves 9 +43620 Sarah A. Greeves 12 +43621 Francis King 9 +43622 Mary King 11 +43623 Martha King 11 +43624 H. L. Futter 7 +43625 Henry Futter 10 +43626 Sarah E. Futter 10 +43627 Anne Futter 11 +43628 Kate Napthine 15 +43629 Bessie Day 6 +43630 John Day 7 +43631 Thomas C. Day 10 +43632 George Day 12 +43633 Honora C. Day 13 +43634 William T. Guy 10 +43635 SAML. HILTON, Bolton 13 +43636 Frederick Hilton 10 +43637 Thomas Hilton 4 +43638 Martha Hilton 16 +43639 M. Mullineaux 9 +43640 A. Mullineaux 8 +43641 William Bell 4 +43642 Thomas Bell 7 +43643 Joseph Bell 9 +43644 Ada Mullineaux 6 +43645 M. Unsworth 13 +43646 S. J. Waylett 11 +43647 Mary M. Walker 14 +43648 Maggie Lomax 9 +43649 Selina Leach 12 +43650 Elizabh. A. Edge 13 +43651 W. Crumblehulme 4 +43652 M. Crumblehulme 9 +43653 B. Crumblehulme 4 +43654 W. Crumblehulme 7 +43655 E. Crumblehulme 8 +43656 Samuel Hilton 15 +43657 P. Crumblehulme 6 +43658 Gertie Kitchen 9 +43659 Evelyn Bamford 9 +43660 Annie Bamford 12 +43661 Philip Boardman 13 +43662 M. E. Bradshaw 9 +43663 A. B. Bradshaw 13 +43664 Florence Dodd 14 +43665 John T. Gregory 15 +43666 Thomas Vickers 13 +43667 James Gregory 11 +43668 Annie Vickers 20 +43669 Isabella Kaye 8 +43670 Margaret Kaye 11 +43671 Mary A. Kaye 13 +43672 William Haslam 11 +43673 Fanny Blakley 7 +43674 Amelia Rigg 15 +43675 Wm. Blakley 11 +43676 Thomas Blakley 6 +43677 E. A. Blakley 9 +43678 Thomas Hilton 13 +43679 John W. Holden 13 +43680 George Smith 12 +43681 M. Partington 12 +43682 G. H. Richardson 12 +43683 H. C. Atkinson 9 +43684 BLANCHE A. THOMAS, Haverstock Hill 10 +43685 Maud A. Wood 9 +43686 Charlie Wood 7 +43687 Crews Thomas 9 +43688 R. C. Thomas 12 +43689 S. J. Thomas 7 +43690 M. L. Lesimple 17 +43691 Marie Blaess 20 +43692 Margt. Williams 9 +43693 Cath. Williams 12 +43694 Lillie Bound 11 +43695 E. Capstich 11 +43696 W. A. Badcock 5 +43697 H. B. Capstich 9 +43698 Anna Merzbach 13 +43699 Marian Henwood 16 +43700 M. S. Edwards 8 +43701 Emily W. Briggs 11 +43702 Annie M. Young 10 +43703 Lillie Woulf 12 +43704 F. I. A. Badcock 11 +43705 Ethel M. Eadie 8 +43706 Lilian A. Reed 9 +43707 Gertrude Bound 9 +43708 Adelina Wateling 10 +43709 Rosie Bonnor 10 +43710 Annie Hopkinson 10 +43711 G. M. Tucker 10 +43712 K. Fleetwood 11 +43713 Louisa F. Steel 15 +43714 Mabel L. Eadie 10 +43715 Letitia Miles 12 +43716 E. H. B. Edwards 11 +43717 Mary Brooke 11 +43718 A. B. E. Maude 11 +43719 Janet Haton 12 +43720 Kate Glenister 16 +43721 M. Capstick 7 +43722 Ethel M. Hall 7 +43723 Jessie D. Whyte 12 +43724 Harold Dale 9 +43725 Nellie Hall 9 +43726 Gertrd. Newman 10 +43727 Florence Brown 10 +43728 Mable Dale 6 +43729 Minnie J. Hadley 12 +43730 Edith M. Shiell 8 +43731 F. M. Dowsett 11 +43732 E. E. Rainsford 12 +43733 Fredk. J. Rorke 9 +43734 James Rorke 12 +43735 Marie Rorke 14 + +---- + +43736 Norah Shelley 12 +43737 I. E. Chandler 12 +43738 GRACE E. BRABROOK, Lewisham 14 +43739 M. C. C. Bather 10 +43740 K. M. Smith 11 +43741 Ernest T. Hamer 13 +43742 M. E. Bartlett 14 +43743 A. L. Whitworth 12 +43744 George H. Ray 14 +43745 Harry P. Francis 10 +43746 Harry P. Money 13 +43747 Nellie Leroy 11 +43748 E. W. Coxwell 8 +43749 Thos. J. Roberts 12 +43750 G. H. Wheeler 13 +43751 Flora Dormer 16 +43752 Edwd. M. Jorey 15 +43753 Henry V. Jorey 12 +43754 H. G. Coxwell 12 +43755 Ethel Roberts 10 +43756 Alice M. Cooper 12 +43757 A. Meinerbyhagen 14 +43758 Lydia M. Cooper 9 +43759 Eliza E. Green 13 +43760 Lizzie Kendall 10 +43761 Harriet Gibbons 16 +43762 W. H. Newsham 13 +43763 Shirley M. Bouts 12 +43764 Helen L. Barff 11 +43765 H. E. Fleming 15 +43766 E. M. Brabrook 9 +43767 A. G. Brabrook 11 +43768 I. M. Brabrook 9 +43769 A. R. Brabrook 12 +43770 Wm. H. Smith 13 +43771 F. E. Brabrook 16 +43772 H. G. Brabrook 13 +43773 Chas. W. Sabin 4 +43774 H. R. Brabrook 13 +43775 Edith M. Sabin 6 +43776 Alfred H. Sabin 9 +43777 M. C. Kingsford 15 +43778 F. K. Kingsford 11 +43779 N. B. Kingsford 9 +43780 A. G. Kingsford 12 +43781 Jessie Barff 13 +43782 W. J. Brabrook 14 +43783 Arthur J. Sabin 7 +43784 T. H. Barff 9 +43785 Ethel S. Barff 6 +43786 Herbert Brawn 14 +43787 Thomas R. Hird 13 +43788 F. T. Langridge 14 +43789 MABEL MALLETT, Nottingham 8 +43790 Eliza Staniforth 10 +43791 W. H. Baldwin 11 +43792 Percy Hill 11 +43793 M. Edmondstone 12 +43794 Arthur Lynn 8 +43795 Annie Fussell 18 +43796 Nellie Moss 13 +43797 Owen Hill 9 +43798 Mary A. Brooks 12 +43799 Jessie Goodall 11 +43800 H. Baldwin 17 +43801 Hannah Lester 8 +43802 I. Lowenstein 11 +43803 Florence Young 8 +43804 Arthur Dodds 7 +43805 Cath. J. Brooks 9 +43806 C. Edwards 8 +43807 A. H. Mallet 11 +43808 Florence Baldwin 16 +43809 E. G. Lowenstein 6 +43810 M. Lowenstein 10 +43811 Lizzie Gascoigne 7 +43812 Ada Widdowson 7 +43813 Eliza Smarte 9 +43814 Annie Sanday 8 +43815 Alice Savage 9 +43816 Lawrence Facon 9 +43817 Clara Allen 9 +43818 Tom B. Durose 8 +43819 Emma Lindley 10 +43820 Mary Kemp 10 +43821 A. E. Buckland 11 +43822 Katie Burton 11 +43823 H. Bannister 12 +43824 A. Frettingham 10 +43825 M. Trenchard 10 +43826 Clara Lane 9 +43827 E. N. Hopkinson 13 +43828 Annie E. Moore 9 +43829 Florence Gill 13 +43830 Thomas Morris 8 +43831 Henry Budworth 8 +43832 Thomas Marsh 10 +43833 Emma Raynor 10 +43834 Emily Bannister 10 +43835 Emma Raynor 8 +43836 G. M. Hopkinson 11 +43837 A. E. Hopkinson 6 +43838 Edith E. Adams 7 +43839 May Angelinetta 8 +43840 JAMES L. SNOWDON, Regent's Park, L. 14 +43841 Katie Sworn 14 +43842 Arthur Morris 14 +43843 Cecil Littlejohn 15 +43844 Jas. H. Hudson 13 +43845 H. W. J. Hudson 11 +43846 Walter Furley 13 +43847 Lena Brunton 9 +43848 Sidney J. Smith 13 +43849 Mabel Skinner 12 +43850 Minnie Fendick 13 +43851 E. Buickhardt 15 +43852 J. W. P. Chapman 14 +43853 A. F. Trevelyan 14 +43854 John Webb 12 +43855 P. D. Trevelyan 12 +43856 Emily S. Cole 10 +43857 Edwin J. Withers 17 +43858 Edith Foot 12 +43859 Chloe Foot 10 +43860 Wm. P. Cooke 14 +43861 G. I. Teasdale 16 +43862 Henry J. Clark 15 +43863 Laura Read 16 +43864 A. E. Speaight 14 +43865 Selina Read 19 +43866 Frederick Smith 13 +43867 Henry Millachip 13 +43868 Nellie Brunton 12 +43869 Gertrude Charles 11 +43870 Henry Denew 12 +43871 A. J. Chapman 15 +43872 Helena Clarke 13 +43873 Helen Stormont 14 +43874 E. Branthwaite 12 +43875 Chas. R. Heath 13 +43876 William Smith 14 +43877 T. S. Lascelles 13 +43878 Annie Snowdon 13 +43879 R. E. Thornley 11 +43880 Richard Varfy 13 +43881 George Wright 15 +43882 Thos. Blackblock 14 +43883 Henry J. Long 14 +43884 Chas. E. Hardy 14 +43885 Fredk. Roberts 14 +43886 W. G. Rogers 13 +43887 E. J. Warren 16 +43888 J. A. Auchinvole 16 +43889 Lizzie Dieppe 7 +43890 Fanny Everest 13 +43891 F. E. Warren 13 +43892 L. M. Auchinvole 9 +43893 Berthold Feil 8 + +---- + +43894 Wm. G. Farrow 11 +43895 Dan Farrow 10 +43896 Mary Supple 13 +43897 MARIA LILLEY, Birmingham 14 +43898 Harry Austin 3 +43899 Dora M. Wilson 4 +43900 Elsie Wilson 5 +43901 Miriam Austin 5 +43902 Nellie Hinds 5 +43903 R. T. Thompson 6 +43904 Sidney Halliley 6 +43905 Annie Austin 7 +43906 Charlotte J. Gent 7 +43907 C. C. Whitworth 7 +43908 Bertie Lilley 8 +43909 C. G. Thompson 8 +43910 Francis Murphy 8 +43911 Elsie Halliley 9 +43912 G. E. Higgins 9 +43913 G. E. Gent 9 +43914 James Brierley 9 +43915 Lilly Austin 9 +43916 Verah Brown 9 +43917 Bernard Murphy 10 +43918 Harry Sheldon 10 +43919 Beatrice Sheldon 10 +43920 Louisa Heath 10 +43921 Oliver J. Biggs 10 +43922 William Scragg 10 +43923 F. M. Brown 11 +43924 Martha J. Scragg 11 +43925 Mable G. Hill 11 +43926 H. S. Whitworth 11 +43927 Hannah Hinds 11 +43928 Chas. H. Brown 12 +43929 Ella Smith 12 +43930 Grace Floyd 12 +43931 M. E. Higgins 12 +43932 J. F. Whitworth 12 +43933 Louie Trease 12 +43934 William Murphy 12 +43935 Wm. A. Heath 12 +43936 Alice Brown 13 +43937 John Brierley 13 +43938 Gertrude Heath 14 +43939 Albert Brierley 15 +43940 E. T. Brown 15 +43941 Ethel S. Hill 15 +43942 Mary Trease 15 +43943 Mary A. Wood 16 +43944 Lizzie Barrett 18 +43945 Katie Lilley 19 +43946 Carrie Trease 19 +43947 Caroline Glading 19 +43948 FANNY S. DAWE, Fulham 12 +43949 John S. M. Gill 16 +43950 Sarah Baker 20 +43951 Margaret Welsh 15 +43952 Ellen Welsh 17 +43953 Fanny Jolly 18 +43954 John Jolly 16 +43955 Annie M. Dobson 14 +43956 H. L. Dobson 11 +43957 Herbt. J. Dobson 10 +43958 M. W. Miller 7 +43959 A. A. Miller 6 +43960 I. G. B. Cardwell 13 +43961 M. A. Lewington 18 +43962 Frances Collison 13 +43963 M. A. Collison 10 +43964 M. S. Collison 8 +43965 F. V. C. Collison 7 +43966 Alice Sillitoe 16 +43967 Rosetta C. Taylor 15 +43968 Charlotte Turner 20 +43969 Florence Bartlett 9 +43970 Mary E. Baxter 11 +43971 E. Olorenshaw 11 +43972 Lily Olorenshaw 9 +43973 Mary A. Batley 15 +43974 Wm. Richmond 14 +43975 John Bickerdike 13 +43976 Eliza A. Lee 16 +43977 Emma Lee 14 +43978 Myers Wilkinson 18 +43979 Daisy Chapman 10 +43980 A. M. M. Thomas 12 +43981 Bertie Vandeput 9 +43982 Sarah Sweeney 15 +43983 Ellen Strutton 17 +43984 Mary Dawyar 15 +43985 Pollie Sullivan 18 +43986 Mary Leary 12 +43987 Blanche White 14 +43988 Lizzie Murphy 11 +43989 Clotilda Chiron 12 +43990 Mary Folley 16 +43991 Bessie Lovey 15 +43992 Lizzie Ham 17 +43993 Bessie Stannard 15 +43994 Melissa Pinsent 15 +43995 William Wagland 13 +43996 Kezia Wagland 11 +43997 George Wagland 9 +43998 A. J. Wagland + +---- + +43999 Sonython Jeffrey 8 +44000 James Davidson 13 +44001 A. Thomson 10 +44002 John Huggan 12 +44003 John Davidson 8 +44004 George Davidson 8 +44005 Nelly Walker 5 +44006 Thomas Scott 8 +44007 William Walker 7 +44008 Robert Scott 9 +44009 John Lowrie 10 +44010 William Oliver 7 +44011 John Oliver 12 +44012 William Haig 7 +44013 A. Davidson 6 +44014 Gertrd. Beaman 13 +44015 Annie Martin 10 +44016 Ethel A. Hooton 13 +44017 Maude Hicks 11 +44018 Irene Hooton 11 +44019 Rose E. Peach 7 +44020 Emily S. Baily 12 +44021 Ellen L. Ashwell 11 +44022 ALICE HOWELL, Croydon 14 +44023 Katie Norton 9 +44024 R. F. Norton 7 +44025 Geo. B. Norton 12 +44026 Charles Norton 11 +44027 H. T. Waterman 20 +44028 Emily Griffiths 15 +44029 A. D. Howell 17 +44030 Lilian M. Pryce 6 +44031 Fredk. H. Pryce 8 +44032 Edith S. Pryce 11 +44033 S. P. Griffiths 14 +44034 Adelaide Paxton 14 +44035 Jane Spicer 9 +44036 Emily Spicer 10 +44037 I. C. Paxton 10 +44038 Fanny Griffiths 13 +44039 B. P. Griffiths 11 +44040 Elizabeth Wyatt 11 +44041 Ernest A. Howell 8 +44042 Robert Paxton 13 +44043 Walter Faldo 9 +44044 K. L. Faldo 12 +44045 Laura Faldo 7 +44046 Rebecca Faldo 14 +44047 Clara S. Faldo 16 +44048 Annie Weston 8 +44049 Percy Weston 6 +44050 Arthur Weston 15 +44051 Bessie Weston 18 +44052 Frank Weston 20 +44053 Chas. H. Griffiths 9 +44054 William Gatland 15 +44055 Clarissa Goodwin 16 +44056 Edith Carter 15 +44057 Emily Weston 16 +44058 Maud Griffiths 7 +44059 Matilda Gatland 17 +44060 Elizabeth Paxton 5 +44061 Mary Paxton 7 +44062 Annie Paxton 9 +44063 Emily G. Garneys 13 +44064 Maurice Ashby 7 +44065 Francis P. Ashby 11 +44066 N. C. Ashby 8 +44067 Edith W. Ashby 10 +44068 Ethel M. Lester 10 +44069 Howard Lester 8 +44070 Amy C. Lester 7 +44071 Caroline Hawes 14 +44072 Maud C. Wise 16 +44073 A. A. TOPPINS, Penrith 13 +44074 Clara Waiting 16 +44075 George Salkeld 11 +44076 Thomas Turner 10 +44077 Albert Waiting 11 +44078 C. Waiting 13 +44079 Isaac Turner 9 +44080 John Davidson 6 +44081 John Strong 9 +44082 John Toppin 7 +44083 Mary H. Hill 12 +44084 G. N. Witherell 6 +44085 Sarah J. Toppin 21 +44086 A. Wetherington 8 +44087 Margaret Strong 10 +44088 Helena Grundy 10 +44089 Rose Crane 15 +44090 Edith Page 10 +44091 John F. Sides 11 +44092 Mary Forrester 9 +44093 Bertha Grundy 12 +44094 Florence Pearson 14 +44095 Marie Lane 11 +44096 Edith B. Young 9 +44097 Arthur S. Young 8 +44098 Ernest E. Young 6 +44099 Elizab. A. Smith 18 +44100 S. Bossaert 9 +44101 Mary Tooke 13 +44102 May Rhodes 17 +44103 Hope Grant 17 +44104 E. L. Langdon 17 +44105 Louisa Stevens 13 +44106 W. R. Johnson 12 +44107 W. A. Vignoles 10 +44108 Lizzie Cole 16 +44109 C. R. Bartram 7 +44110 Henry J. Bartram 12 +44111 M. G. Henderson 11 +44112 M. E. Vignoles 7 +44113 Ella Bremner 13 +44114 C. E. Darroch 13 +44115 Helen E. Lamb 9 +44116 Mary F. Lamb 11 +44117 G. Meinertzhagen 14 +44118 M. Meinertzhagen 12 +44119 E. F. Fenwick 9 +44120 C. L. H. Fenwick 10 +44121 A. W. Bryan 11 +44122 John S. Assheton 9 +44123 Blanche Edens 13 +44124 HEARTIE M. B. BATE, Ashbourne 11 +44125 Mabel M. Butt 11 +44126 Fredk. W. Snape 11 +44127 Louisa M. Snape 9 +44128 Percy G. Snape 7 +44129 Gertrude Norman 11 +44130 E. Southern 10 +44131 Marie Southern 6 +44132 L. Southern 5 +44133 Tom C. Southern 3 +44134 Evelyn Southern 3 +44135 F. A. George 18 +44136 Chas. H. Bullock 3 +44137 Annie Savory 18 +44138 Chas. B. Savory 16 +44139 Fredk. M. Savory 14 +44140 William J. Wager 14 +44141 Louisa Elizabeth 16 +44142 Alice J. Broad 9 +44143 F. M. Broad 7 +44144 Kate P. Broad 5 +44145 Charles H. Lowe 8 +44146 Lilian A. Lowe. 7 +44147 Adelina F. Lowe 6 +44148 Irena A. Lowe 4 +44149 Cyril L. Hare 3 +44150 Harriette M. Hart 17 +44151 Mary E. Bell 19 +44152 Ethel M. Bird 7 +44153 Mabel F. Bird 5 +44154 H. Hare 19 +44155 Harry Davies 18 +44156 William Barton 18 +44157 Allin Jessop 12 +44158 William Ford 16 +44159 Albert Webb 8 +44160 Arthur Beardsell 13 +44161 Samuel Sprat 18 +44162 William Mills 16 +44163 Charles Bamford 16 +44164 Emmie Gaud 18 +44165 Kate Elliot 12 +44166 Norah Thomas 9 +44167 Constance Payne 18 +44168 Walter R. Payne 9 +44169 William F. Payne 10 +44170 Daisy Elliot 7 +44171 Amy Elliot 5 +44172 Clara Coole 17 +44173 B. K. Tacon 13 +44174 Francis W. Ford 6 +44175 Percy Parker 7 +44176 Mary S. Parker 5 +44177 Lizzie Parker 4 +44178 ADA I. SECKER, U. Holloway 12 +44179 Cecil Ottaway 15 +44180 Frank L. Vincent 14 +44181 Jack Findlay 13 +44182 C. W. H. Secker 10 +44183 Cicely Secker 11 +44184 B. L. Secker 14 +44185 M. L. Copeland 10 +44186 Mary J. Hay 17 +44187 Georgina Hay 20 +44188 E. J. Braithwaite 10 +44189 Daisy M. Wyatt 8 +44190 Lily L. Wyatt 10 +44191 Ellen E. Vincent 10 +44192 Alice M. Vincent 8 +44193 Ellen Clark 10 +44194 Edgar W. Clark 15 +44195 Sydney W. Clark 11 +44196 C. H. Eldridge 14 +44197 J. A. Coemeke 15 +44198 J. H. Broadhead 12 +44199 Florry E. Wood 11 +44200 F. E. S. Bryant 18 +44201 Alice E. Esling 10 +44202 Florence M. Shaw 9 +44203 E. S. Kemshead 8 +44204 H. F. Kemshead 14 +44205 C. R. Kemshead 11 +44206 Joseph H. Feil 13 +44207 Edward Feil 11 +44208 Ottmar Feil 9 +44209 C. A. C. Read 14 +44210 Annie Walker 18 +44211 E. E. Sparrow 10 +44212 Ada J. Sparrow 11 +44213 May Bassett 11 +44214 M. E. Roberts 10 +44215 Edith Gell 12 +44216 Nellie Challis 12 +44217 Thos. H. Prince 13 +44218 W. H. Summers 15 +44219 A. M. Summers 10 +44220 Mary Jenkins 19 +44221 Lizzie Beckett 15 +44222 Mary E. Beckett 12 +44223 F. M. Hawkes 14 +44224 Rose A. Murcott 15 +44225 E. M. Harris 12 +44226 Julia Winter 13 +44227 Esther Warren 13 +44228 E. A. Hamblen 11 +44229 Ada D. Sturges 13 +44230 Jessie Prichard 12 +44231 FLORENCE MARKHAM, Dalston 13 +44232 Alice Smith 10 +44233 F. C. Howard 13 +44234 Gertie Oatley 13 +44235 Kate Bovey 11 +44236 Lila C. Bovey 9 +44237 Annie Eustace 13 +44238 W. E. Newlyn 10 +44239 Gertie Turner 10 +44240 Thos. H. Sochon 8 +44241 Wm. T. Barnes 8 +44242 Alice Walker 17 +44243 Nellie Mackie 8 +44244 Annie Treble 8 +44245 Ellen G. Fordham 14 +44246 Henry W. Archer 18 +44247 Ernest Eustace 11 +44248 Jessie R. Howard 6 +44249 Annie Brown 18 +44250 Rose Mathys 14 +44251 Lilian G. Sochon 6 +44252 Emily Foale 18 +44253 Violet Hoppe 10 +44254 Phoebe Holness 12 +44255 Emma Walker 15 +44256 Edith Auther 10 +44257 Mary Hadland 9 +44258 Agnes M. Hilling 8 +44259 Florence Sochon 10 +44260 Wm. H. Clarke 9 +44261 Katie Lehany 11 +44262 Adelaide Shorey 12 +44263 E. M. Fordman 16 +44264 Lillian Fordman 9 +44265 Maud E. Sochon 11 +44266 Alice Lehany 13 +44267 Agnes Oates 12 +44268 Emily M. Clifton 8 +44269 Victoria Russell 13 +44270 Ada F. Clifton 10 +44271 F. H. Moore 9 +44272 Lily Lehany 8 +44273 Katie Archer 13 +44274 Nellie M. Pilbeam 14 +44275 Jane Treble 15 +44276 Maryann Oates 9 +44277 Ada Lehany 10 + +[_Officers and Members are referred to a Special Notice on page 55._] + + + + +OUR LITTLE FOLKS' OWN PAGE. + + +PRIZE COMPETITION (Vol. XIX., p. 376). + +FIRST PRIZE DESCRIPTION OF "RAINY DAY INDOOR OCCUPATIONS AT THE +SEA-SIDE." + +While the weather is bright and warm, children seldom lack amusement +during their annual visit to the sea-side; but in this changeable +climate of ours rainy days often occur, when out-door recreation is +impossible, and little folk must be content to seek employment in the +house. Many boys and girls while enjoying the fine days give a thought +to these occasions, and lay in a store of matter for amusement in +readiness for the time when the somewhat limited pursuits of indoor +sea-side life will have lost their charms. It is a very good plan to +make a collection of shells, seaweeds, pebbles, and such marine +treasures while opportunities occur. These may be arranged and sorted at +leisure, and will afford employment for many idle hours. + +One almost unfailing source of amusement, within the reach of every boy +and girl, is an aquarium. A great deal of pleasure and instruction will +be found in the study of its various little inmates--no matter if their +home consist of nothing more than a common earthenware pan. An +establishment of this kind, however, demands constant attention, +cleanliness and light being very necessary to the health of the fish. + +Shells may be utilised in numerous pretty ways. If for a collection, the +arrangement and classification of each species form a very pleasant +employment. They may also be used to cover boxes, brackets, and such +small articles with very good effect. + +Neither does their use end here, for they may be tied in neat bags, and +will then be gladly received by the secretaries of any Children's +Hospitals, for the benefit of the patients. + +Seaweeds, if neatly mounted, make very pretty collections, and are +useful in the decoration of albums and Christmas cards. The easiest +method of preparation is to float them on paper, after allowing them to +expand in a basin of water. No gumming is required, but the larger +specimens may be further secured by strips of paper pasted across the +principal parts, after they have been thoroughly dried and pressed. They +may be arranged in books like plants, the proper name and that of its +locality being assigned to each variety. + +Some boys seem to think it worth while to polish the pretty pebbles +which are found on some shores, but this process is both tedious and +unprofitable. In these days there are few children who do not possess a +microscope; those who do will find innumerable interesting objects both +for mounting and inspection. + +"Variety is charming," as every one knows, and after a little recreation +of this kind young people are often glad to return, by way of a change, +to books, work, and sketching, and appreciate all the more a favourable +rise in the barometer. But while so usefully and pleasantly employed +they will soon learn to greet with less regret an occasional rainy day. + + HILDA FRISBY. + 2, _St. Mary's Crescent, Leamington._ (Aged 15.) + Certified by JANE A. FRISBY (Mother). + + * * * * * + +SECOND PRIZE DESCRIPTION. + +When the day is fine and the sea calm, it is very pleasant to wade and +splash about in the sunny water, and to roam among the rocks, searching +for little crabs, many-coloured anemones, starfish, &c.; but when the +rain is pouring down as if it would never stop, and the sea looks grey +and dismal, it is sometimes difficult to amuse oneself within doors. + +It is interesting to collect seaweed, though in pressing it, it is +difficult to prevent the thin fibres from matting together when taken +out of the water. One of the best methods is to float the seaweed on a +plate, full of water, and after placing a piece of rather thick +blotting-paper in the water, underneath the seaweed, to raise the paper +suddenly out of the plate, when the water sinks through the +blotting-paper, on which the most delicate parts of the seaweed remain +spread out. + +There are many games suitable for a rainy day; amongst them a poetry +game, in which each player is provided with a slip of paper and a +pencil. A circle is formed; every one writes a noun, and, folding down +the line on which he has written, passes the paper to the next player, +who writes a question on it. Each paper is then passed to the next +person, who, unfolding it, has to make a short piece of poetry, not only +introducing the noun but also answering the question. + +When finished, the rhymes are read aloud, and generally cause much +amusement. + +This game can be varied by limiting the "nouns" to names of animals, +with any absurd question concerning them: for instance-- + + "Porcupine," and + "Does it like sweets?" + + The porcupine of many spines + Always eats sweetmeats when it dines, + 'Tis very fond of chocolate-creams, + And munches candy in its dreams. + The little ones, as may be seen, + On brandy-balls are very keen, + And peppermints they will devour, + And lemon-drops eat by the hour. + +For girls, painting and drawing are a great pastime, and a very pretty +and effective method of shading small landscapes is produced by drawing +on smooth paper the outlines of a landscape (a sea view is the +prettiest, with the moon shining on the water), and then painting with a +weak solution of gum-arabic the lightest parts of the picture, such as +the moon, the ripples, and the high lights. When quite dry, rub the +whole surface over with lead-pencil dust, applied either with a stump or +with chamois leather, till the whole becomes dark grey; then mark out +with a B pencil the shadows of the rocks, &c. When everything is drawn, +pass a damp handkerchief down the picture, which will wipe off the gum, +leaving the places where it has been perfectly white. + +Such occupations, although the day may be dull, will pass the time +pleasantly within doors. + + MARGARET T. S. BEATTIE. + _St. Michael's, Torquay._ (Aged 13.) + Certified by E. ROGERS (Teacher). + + * * * * * + +LIST OF HONOUR. + +First Prize (_One-Guinea Book_), _with Officer's Medal of the "Little +Folks" Legion of Honour_:--HILDA FRISBY (15), 2, St. Mary's Crescent, +Leamington. _Second Prize_ (_Seven-Shilling-and-Sixpenny Book_), _with +Officer's Medal_:--MARGARET T. S. BEATTIE (13), St. Michael's, Torquay. +_Honourable Mention, with Member's Medal_:--EDITH M. MASON (14), 64, +Park Walk, Chelsea, S.W.; SHARLEY FULLFORD (12), High Street, Fareham; +GRACE PETTMAN (14), Ladbroke, The Elms, Ramsgate; SUE MAY (12), 8, South +Parade, Bedford Park; C. M. BATTERSBY (15), Cromlyn, Rathowen, Co. W. +Meath; SYBIL A. COVENTRY (13-1/4), Severn Stoke Rectory, Worcester; MAY +JOHNSON (15-3/4), Boldmere Road, Chester Road, near Birmingham; LEONARD +WATTS (12-1/2), 12, Broadhurst Gardens, Finchley New Road N. + + + + +OUR LITTLE FOLKS' OWN PUZZLES. + +[Illustration] + +PICTORIAL NATURAL HISTORY PUZZLE. + + 3, 5, 6, 17, 8, 2, 6 = A periodical wind. + 1, 13, 4, 10, 11, 18 = A contest. + 19, 23, 22, 21 = To utter reproach. + 7, 13, 6 = Gained. + 14, 20, 16, 21, 12 = A failing. + 15, 22, 9 = Design. + + What is the whole? + + +MESOSTICH. + +The letters read down the centre form the name of a country in South +America. + + 1. A country in Africa. + 2. A continent. + 3. A country in Europe. + 4. A town in Italy. + 5. A town in Palestine. + 6. A country in Europe. + + ARCHIBALD Y. G. CAMPBELL. + _Nassau House, Westward Ho._ (Aged 12.) + _Bideford._ + + * * * * * + + +[Illustration] + +SINGLE ACROSTIC. + +The initials read downwards give the name of an emperor of Rome. + + 1. A set of drawers. + 2. A workman. + 3. Part of a circle. + 4. An animal. + 5. An animal. + 6. A metal. + 7. A girl's name. + 8. A precious stone. + + HELEN STAUDAGE. + (Aged 15-1/2.) + _Yatchley Retreat, Prestbury, + Cheltenham, Gloucestershire._ + + * * * * * + +TOWNS ENIGMATICALLY EXPRESSED, + + 1. Original; a wine. + 2. To divide; a country. + 3. The mark of a wound; a town represented in Parliament. + 4. A strife; a part of a candle. + 5. A hole; a negative conjunction. + 6. A female; part of the body. + 7. An animal; a passage. + 8. Labour; steeped in liquor. + 9. A noise; a joint of meat. + + ADELAIDE BENTINCK. + _Froyle House, near Alton, Hants._ (Aged 10-3/4.) + + * * * * * + +HIDDEN PROVERBS. + + A a b d e e e e e f f f h i i i k m n n r r s s t. + + 2. A a d e e e i i j k m n n n o o p r r s s s t t u w y. + + 3. A b c e e e e e h i i n n n o p r r r s t t t t u v. + + KATE SMITH. + _5, Royal Terrace, Portishead, Somerset._ (Aged 11-1/2.) + + * * * * * + +DOUBLE ACROSTIC AND ARITHMOREM. + +The initials and finals read downwards will give the names of two trees. + + 1050 + obo = a blossom. + 750 + aaenypoie = a dictionary. + 50 + pgfegi = a warm beverage. + 150 + ru = to twist. + 1000 + nuhea = kind. + + MABEL H. M. WITHERS. + _Westcroft, Oakhill Road, Putney._ (Aged 14.) + + * * * * * + +GEOGRAPHICAL DOUBLE ACROSTIC. + +My initials read downwards give the name of a country of Asia, and the +finals upwards give the name of one of the kings of that country. + + 1. A lake in Russia. + 2. A town in Hungary. + 3. A town in Switzerland. + 4. A lake in North America. + 5. An island in the Mediterranean. + 6. A town in Abyssinia. + + T. HARRISON. + _Acaster Hill, Easingwold, Yorkshire._ (Aged 12-1/2). + + * * * * * + +[Illustration] + +RIDDLE-ME-REE. + + My first is in elegant, but not in rough; + My second is in lace, but not in cuff; + My third is in earth, but not in ground; + My fourth is in puppy, but not in hound; + My fifth is in high, but not in low; + My sixth is in reap, but not in sow; + My seventh is in nibble, but not in devour; + My eighth is in time, but not in hour; + My ninth is in arrow, but not in bow; + My whole is a cave we some of us know. + + W. B. BELL. + (Aged 12-1/2.) + + _St. Georges Mount, + New Brighton, Cheshire._ + + * * * * * + +QUOTATION DROP-WORD PUZZLE. + +Give the following quotation in full, with its author. + + The * * * * sigh, + * * * merry * * * + And * * * * * not why, + * glad * * had * *--A * * * n. + + FLORENCE M. MOFFATT. + _7, Union Place, Aberdeen._ (Aged 12-1/4.) + + * * * * * + +MISSING-LETTER PUZZLE. + +When the missing letters have been supplied, the whole will form the +first verse of one of Macaulay's poems. + + AxtxnxaxlxexhxlxsxtxhxaxoxrxoxlxExgxaxdxpxaxsx, + Ixexlxfxhxtxrxcxfxmxuxdxexsxhxwxoxgxtxnxnxixnxdxyx, + Wxextxaxgxextxlxexixvxnxixlxaxaxnxtxexbxrxixvxix + TxexixhxsxsxoxlxoxMxxxcxtxextxuxextxexrxsxfxpxix. + + S. K. HORNE. + _Vernon House, Lordship Lane, Dulwich._ (Aged 13.) + + + + +PRIZE PUZZLE COMPETITION. + + +The following are the arrangements which the Editor of LITTLE FOLKS has +made in regard to Prize Puzzle Competitions for the six months ending +December, 1884:-- + +I. THE SUMMER COMPETITION, consisting of Puzzles appearing in the July +and the August Numbers. + +II. THE HOME AND FOREIGN COMPETITION, specially introduced for the +purpose of giving readers residing abroad an opportunity of competing on +favourable terms. Particulars of this will appear in the September +Number. + +III. THE WINTER COMPETITION, consisting of Puzzles appearing in the +November and December Numbers. + +PRIZES. + +I. In the SUMMER COMPETITION there will be a First Prize of a Guinea +Volume; a Second Prize of a Half-Guinea Volume; a Third Prize of a +Five-Shilling Volume, awarded in EACH DIVISION, viz., the SENIOR +DIVISION for girls and boys between the ages of 14 and 16 (_inclusive_), +and the JUNIOR DIVISION for those _under_ 14 years of age. There will +also be awards of Bronze Medals of the LITTLE FOLKS Legion of Honour to +the three next highest of the Competitors following the Prizewinners in +_each_ Division. + +II. In the HOME AND FOREIGN COMPETITION Special and Additional Prizes +will be offered, of which full particulars will be given in the +September Number. + +III. A List of Prizes in the WINTER COMPETITION will appear in the +November and December Numbers. + +REGULATIONS. + +Solutions of the Puzzles published in this number must reach the Editor +not later than August 8th (August 12th for Competitors residing abroad), +addressed as under:-- + + _The Editor of "Little Folks;"_ + _La Belle Sauvage Yard,_ + _Answers to Puzzles._ _Ludgate Hill,_ + _Junior [or Senior] Division._ _London, E.C._ + +Solutions to Puzzles must be accompanied by certificates from a Parent, +Teacher, or other responsible person, stating that they are _the sole +and unaided work_ of the competitor. No assistance must be given by any +other person. + +Competitors can be credited only under their own name. + +The decision of the Editor of LITTLE FOLKS on all matters must be +considered final. + +The names and addresses of Prize and Medal winners will be duly +published in LITTLE FOLKS. + + * * * * * + +GAME PUZZLE FOR AUGUST. + +(Being the second and concluding Puzzle of the "Summer Competition.") + +ALPHABETICAL HISTORICAL PUZZLE. + + +SENIOR DIVISION. + +(The first letters of each light are in consecutive order from A to L. +Thus light one commences with A, light twelve with L.) + + 1. An English Queen you here will find, + The last of Stuart line. + + 2. His fierce attack of Russian steppes + Commences his decline. + + 3. Death standeth by--he saves himself + By his _teeth_, I pray you note. + + 4. Of the Great Seal and its keepers + This famed antiquary wrote. + + 5. In preparing the first Greek Testament + Much learning he displayed. + + 6. A Bishop this, of Winchester, + Who Richmond's cause did aid. + + 7. A Tzar of Moscow, born, I think, + In 1552. + + 8. Minister of Charles I.; + Historian also. + + 9. A great Athenian orator, + His writings tell his fame. + + 10. A letter-writer much renowned; + But who can tell his name? + + 11. Mathematician and philosopher, + In Sweden of great note. + + 12. For this great English singer + Purcell many a bass song wrote. + + +JUNIOR DIVISION. + +The first letters of each light are in consecutive order from M to Y, +omitting X. Thus light one commences with M, light eleven with W, and +light twelve with Y. + + 1. Blenheim's splendid mansion + To this Duke the nation gave. + + 2. He sought to reach the Northern Pole + Through ice-field and o'er wave. + + 3. Greek grammarian and poet, who + On fish- and hunt- ing wrote. + + 4. In the train of P. Emilius + Marched this Persian king of note. + + 5. His "Emblems" are delightful, + Meeting many persons' needs. + + 6. Emperor Ferdinand II. + He delivered from the Swedes. + + 7. Son of Antonio Tatti, + A sculptor great you see. + + 8. The greatest tragic actor + That the French have known was he. + + 9. Italian priest and scholar, + To whom Gregory [XIII.] gave a pension. + + 10. He succeeded Eleutherius + As Rome's Bishop I may mention. + + 11. In the Valley Forge he suffered, + But he triumphed at the last. + + 12. The "Night Thoughts" his other poems + I think certainly surpassed. + + * * * * * + + +ANSWER TO PUZZLE NO. 18. + +SENIOR DIVISION.--SALAMANDER. + + 1. ~S~ quirrel. + 2. ~A~ nchovy. + 3. ~L~ agotis. + 4. ~A~ lligator. + 5. ~M~ ammoth. + 6. ~A~ ristotle's lantern. + 7. ~N~ ightingale. + 8. ~D~ igitigrades. + 9. ~E~ agle. + 10. ~R~ hombus minimus. + +CLASS I.--Consisting of those who have gained eleven marks:--E. Maynard. + +CLASS II.--Consisting of those who have gained ten marks or less:--A. +Bradbury, H. Blunt, M. Bradbury, N. Besley, G. Burne, F. Callcott, J. +Cooper, M Cooper, H. Cholmondeley, G. Clayton, A. Chappell, G. Dundas, +A. Elliot, C. Gilbert, A. Garnham, H. Gill, E. Hobson, C. Hart, D. von. +Hacht, B. Hudson, M. Heddle, M. Jakeman, J. Lewenz, H. Leake, H. Leah, +E. A. Lloyd, A. M. Lynch, B. Law, C. J. Mather, E. McCaul, C. Morin, J. +Puckle, E. Pratt, E. Rudd, C. Stanton, W. Seymer, M. Addison-Scott, A. +Stoneham, G. Sayer, A. Solomon, B. Tomlinson, U. Tracy, L. Webb, K. +Williams, A. Wilson, E. Wedgwood, E. F. Woolf, W. C. Wilson. N.B.--All +competitors have been credited with light eight, as a letter was +accidentally omitted. Notwithstanding this we are pleased to note that +the light was correctly solved by many competitors. + + +JUNIOR DIVISION.--REINDEER. + + 1. ~R~ obin Redbreast. + 2. ~E~ xocetus exiliens. + 3. ~I~ guanodon. + 4. ~N~ arwhal. + 5. ~D~ ormouse, + 6. ~E~ ider Duck. + 7. ~E~ lephant. + 8. ~R~ ingdove. + +CLASS I.--Consisting of those who have gained nine marks:--A. +Allsebrook, F. H. C. Burne, D. Blunt, L. Besley, L. Biddle, E. Brake. F. +Boreham, C. Burne, A. Coombs. F. Clayton, F. Cooper, C. Crawford, S. +Cuthill, M. Callcott, J. Cooper, J. Chapman, R. Dutton, P. Davidson, E. +Ellis, E. Evans, L. Forrest, S. Fullford, L. Gill, M. Golledge, F. +Howard, M. Howard, W. Johnson, A. King, M. McLaren, N. Maxwell, A. +Marinden, F. Newman, E. Quilter, M. Crompton-Roberts, K. Simson, E. +Stanley, E. Stanton, M. Somerville, M. Wood-Smith, L. Stibbs, M. +McCalman Turpie, I. Williams, M. Watson, M. Wiper, E. Yeo. + +CLASS II.--Consisting of those who have gained eight marks or less:--E. +Coombes, E. Carrington, V. L. Coombes, H. A. Coombes, H. Chappell, E. +Elston, E. Fussell, E. E. Gruning, L. Hudson, K. Hawkins, M. Hobson, P. +Hale, J. King, A. E. M. Kelly, J. Lancum, A. Leah, W. Lewenz, K. F. +Lynch, C. Moody, H. Muggleston, G. O'Morris, H. Mayer, A. P. McDermott, +E. Nicholson, G. Price, E. Raven, H. Smith, L. Stoneham, M. Snowball, H. +Talbot, E. Tice, L. Walpole, M. Wigram, F. H. Woolf, K. Wedgwood, B. de +St. Pierre. + +The List of Prize and Medal winners for the Second Quarter of 1884 will +appear in the next Number. + +NOTE.--In place of "Anne" as light four of the Senior Division of No. 16 +read "Parr," Anne being a misprint. + + + + +QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS. + + +[_The Editor requests that all inquiries and replies intended for +insertion in_ LITTLE FOLKS _should have the words "Questions and +Answers" written on the left-hand top corners of the envelopes +containing them. Only those which the Editor considers suitable and of +general interest to his readers will be printed._] + + +PRIZE COMPETITIONS, &C. + +ETHEL READ.--[All work of _every kind_ in the Competitions must be done +by Competitors _unaided_. The articles in the Plain Needlework +Competition are not to be washed before being sent in.--ED.] + + +LITERATURE. + +An ARMADILLO writes, in answer to RAGS AND TATTERS, that the lines +beginning-- + + "Bear through sorrow, wrong, and ruth," &c. + +are found in the fourteenth verse of Longfellow's "Maidenhood." Answers +also received from _Elaine_, _Tattie_ _Coram_, and _An Amazon Queen_. + +LADY OF THE LAKE asks for the name of the author of the piece of poetry +called "The Three Crowns." + + +GAMES AND AMUSEMENTS. + +TADPOLE asks if any one can tell her the origin of "Blind-man's buff." + +L. J. F. writes, in answer to MAY WILLIAMSON, that the following are the +rules for "Bell and Hammer":--"Any number of persons may play, one of +whom must be appointed cashier. The cashier then distributes an equal +number of counters to each player, puts up for sale the five cards +separately, and knocks them down with the hammer to the highest bidder. +The produce is put into the pool; each player must pay four counters +into the pool. The cashier has first throw, and when all blanks are +thrown each player pays one to the holder of the white horse. If with +the blanks the bell, or hammer, or both are thrown, the owner of such +card pays one to the holder of the white horse. When numbers and blanks +are thrown the cashier pays the amount to the player from the pool. When +the pool is nearly empty there arises an advantage to the inn, for if +the amount of the number thrown exceeds what is in the pool the player +pays the overplus to the owner of the inn. If all blanks are thrown +after the inn begins to receive, the owner of the white horse pays one +to the inn, and should the bell or hammer be thrown with blanks the +owner pays one to the inn. But if numbers accompany the bell or hammer, +the owner of such card must pay to the inn the number thrown above those +remaining in the pool. The game is stopped by some one throwing exactly +the same number as is in the pool. The one who has most counters wins +the game." Answers also received from IRENE FEDRIGO, A BUSY BEE, +HENBANE, FUZZELLYBOO, and TADPOLE. + + +WORK. + +ASTARTE sends the following directions, in answer to W. M.'s question as +to how to make a pair of baby's woollen shoes, suitable for a +bazaar:--"One ounce of white Berlin wool. A chain of thirty-four +stitches; double-crochet into this for thirty rows, taking the back +stitch, so as to form a rib. Then crochet fifteen stitches, turn and go +back to end of row, then go back again for fourteen stitches, and so on, +taking one less each time until there are only seven left. This has to +be done on both sides of the leg, so as to form the foot. Break off the +wool, fasten it on at the top of the leg, then crochet down as far as +the instep, and back again, doing one less each time till there are only +two stitches left. Then down as far as the instep do an edging of treble +crochet, then work another edging (button-hole stitch) all round the +edging of flourishing thread. Then join the foot loosely down the +middle, and sew up the leg so that the part increased flaps over. For +the sole of foot make a chain of fourteen stitches, work it up and down +till there are thirteen ribs; in the last two rows a stitch must be left +out at each corner. Sew the sole on to the foot and the boot is +finished." + + +COOKERY. + +SNOW-FLAKE would be much obliged if any one would tell her how to make +almond rock. + +RUBY and A STRAWBERRY wish to know how to make toffee and butter scotch. + + +GENERAL. + +DICKY WYATT writes, in answer to HELVELLYN, that the word "Kettledrum" +means a large social party. Among the Tartars a "kettle" represents a +family, or as many as feed from one kettle; and on Tweedside it +signifies a "social party," met together to take tea from the same +tea-kettle; hence any social party. Of course the play upon this meaning +of the word and the instrument called a kettledrum is intentional, the +word "drum" meaning a crowded "evening party," "drum," applying to the +close packing, as, a drum of figs. Answer also received from A BUSY BEE. + +LUNA would be glad if any one would tell her how to dry gorse, and how +to dry "lords and ladies." + +W. ROUTLEDGE asks how to make a graph for copying letters, &c. + + +NATURAL HISTORY. + +EUSTACIE would be glad to know if radish would kill canaries; also if +gas would hurt them?--[Gas is always injurious; we should not think +radish was, unless it were given rather suddenly and freely after long +denial of green food; but we never tried this particular kind of +vegetable diet.] + +ELECTRA wants to know what is the matter with her hen canary. The bird +is losing all the feathers from her neck, though it is not yet the time +for moulting. Is it good for her to have green food every day?--[Green +food is good in moderation. It is impossible to tell the reason for the +loss of feathers with no other symptoms; see if the bird is infested +with mites, and if so use Persian powder freely. You can do no harm to +anoint the bare places with vaseline. Unmated hens are very apt to get +out of sorts at the breeding season.] + + +Picture Story Wanting Words. + +[Illustration] + +A Guinea Book and an Officer's Medal of the LITTLE FOLKS Legion of +Honour will be given for the best short and _original_ Description of +this Picture. A smaller Book and an Officer's Medal will be given, in +addition, for the best Description _relatively to the age of the +Competitor_. All Competitors must be under the age of 16 years, and +their Descriptions must be certified by Ministers, Teachers, Parents, or +other responsible persons, and reach the Editor by the 9th of August +next (the 15th of August for Competitors residing abroad). In addition +to the TWO Prizes and Officers' Medals, some of the most deserving +Competitors will be included in a List of Honour, and will be awarded +Members' Medals of the LITTLE FOLKS Legion of Honour. (See the notice +about the Silver Medal on page 115 of the last Volume.) + + + + +ANSWERS TO OUR LITTLE FOLKS' OWN PUZZLES (_page_ 60). + +RIDDLE-ME-REE.--VIOLET. + + * * * * * + +TRANSPOSED LETTER PUZZLE. + + 1. "All is not gold that glitters." + 2. "Pride will have a fall." + 3. "Handsome is that handsome does." + + * * * * * + +HIDDEN PROVERB. + +"Every cloud has a silver lining." + + * * * * * + +ARITHMOREM. + + 1. Livingstone. + 2. La Place. + 3. Milton. + 4. America. + 5. Schumann. + 6. London. + + * * * * * + +SINGLE ACROSTIC--EDWARD. + + 1. ~E~ dith. + 2. ~D~ en. + 3. ~W~ ater. + 4. ~A~ rm. + 5. ~R~ ace. + 6. ~D~ uck. + + * * * * * + +DOUBLE ACROSTIC--FLOUNDER--MACKEREL. + + 1. A ~F~ fir ~M~ s. + 2. A ~L~ ~A~ s. + 3. C ~O~ a ~C~ h. + 4. B ~U~ lloc ~K~ s. + 5. ~I~ ~N~ d ~E~ x. + 6. A ~D~ he ~R~ e. + 7. ~F~ ~E~ ~E~ l + 8. A ~R~ tic ~L~ e. + + * * * * * + +MISSING LETTER PUZZLE + + "I fear thee, ancient mariner! + I fear thy skinny hand! + And thou art long, and lank, and brown. + As is the ribbed sea-sand." + + * * * * * + +SQUARE WORD. + + 1. MARY. + 2. AREA. + 3. REAR. + 4. YARN. + + * * * * * + +POETICAL REBUS. + + "The curfew tolls the knell of parting day, + The lowing herd winds slowly o'er the lea; + The ploughman homeward plods his weary way. + And leaves the world to darkness and to me." + +GRAY'S _Elegy_. + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Little Folks, by Various + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK LITTLE FOLKS *** + +***** This file should be named 25534.txt or 25534.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/2/5/5/3/25534/ + +Produced by Chris Curnow, Joseph Cooper, Josephine Paolucci +and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at +http://www.pgdp.net. + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. Special rules, +set forth in the General Terms of Use part of this license, apply to +copying and distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works to +protect the PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm concept and trademark. Project +Gutenberg is a registered trademark, and may not be used if you +charge for the eBooks, unless you receive specific permission. If you +do not charge anything for copies of this eBook, complying with the +rules is very easy. You may use this eBook for nearly any purpose +such as creation of derivative works, reports, performances and +research. They may be modified and printed and given away--you may do +practically ANYTHING with public domain eBooks. Redistribution is +subject to the trademark license, especially commercial +redistribution. + + + +*** START: FULL LICENSE *** + +THE FULL PROJECT GUTENBERG LICENSE +PLEASE READ THIS BEFORE YOU DISTRIBUTE OR USE THIS WORK + +To protect the Project Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting the free +distribution of electronic works, by using or distributing this work +(or any other work associated in any way with the phrase "Project +Gutenberg"), you agree to comply with all the terms of the Full Project +Gutenberg-tm License (available with this file or online at +http://gutenberg.org/license). + + +Section 1. General Terms of Use and Redistributing Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic works + +1.A. By reading or using any part of this Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic work, you indicate that you have read, understand, agree to +and accept all the terms of this license and intellectual property +(trademark/copyright) agreement. If you do not agree to abide by all +the terms of this agreement, you must cease using and return or destroy +all copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in your possession. +If you paid a fee for obtaining a copy of or access to a Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic work and you do not agree to be bound by the +terms of this agreement, you may obtain a refund from the person or +entity to whom you paid the fee as set forth in paragraph 1.E.8. + +1.B. "Project Gutenberg" is a registered trademark. It may only be +used on or associated in any way with an electronic work by people who +agree to be bound by the terms of this agreement. There are a few +things that you can do with most Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works +even without complying with the full terms of this agreement. See +paragraph 1.C below. There are a lot of things you can do with Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic works if you follow the terms of this agreement +and help preserve free future access to Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works. See paragraph 1.E below. + +1.C. The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation ("the Foundation" +or PGLAF), owns a compilation copyright in the collection of Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic works. Nearly all the individual works in the +collection are in the public domain in the United States. If an +individual work is in the public domain in the United States and you are +located in the United States, we do not claim a right to prevent you from +copying, distributing, performing, displaying or creating derivative +works based on the work as long as all references to Project Gutenberg +are removed. Of course, we hope that you will support the Project +Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting free access to electronic works by +freely sharing Project Gutenberg-tm works in compliance with the terms of +this agreement for keeping the Project Gutenberg-tm name associated with +the work. You can easily comply with the terms of this agreement by +keeping this work in the same format with its attached full Project +Gutenberg-tm License when you share it without charge with others. + +1.D. The copyright laws of the place where you are located also govern +what you can do with this work. Copyright laws in most countries are in +a constant state of change. If you are outside the United States, check +the laws of your country in addition to the terms of this agreement +before downloading, copying, displaying, performing, distributing or +creating derivative works based on this work or any other Project +Gutenberg-tm work. The Foundation makes no representations concerning +the copyright status of any work in any country outside the United +States. + +1.E. Unless you have removed all references to Project Gutenberg: + +1.E.1. The following sentence, with active links to, or other immediate +access to, the full Project Gutenberg-tm License must appear prominently +whenever any copy of a Project Gutenberg-tm work (any work on which the +phrase "Project Gutenberg" appears, or with which the phrase "Project +Gutenberg" is associated) is accessed, displayed, performed, viewed, +copied or distributed: + +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 + +1.E.2. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is derived +from the public domain (does not contain a notice indicating that it is +posted with permission of the copyright holder), the work can be copied +and distributed to anyone in the United States without paying any fees +or charges. If you are redistributing or providing access to a work +with the phrase "Project Gutenberg" associated with or appearing on the +work, you must comply either with the requirements of paragraphs 1.E.1 +through 1.E.7 or obtain permission for the use of the work and the +Project Gutenberg-tm trademark as set forth in paragraphs 1.E.8 or +1.E.9. + +1.E.3. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is posted +with the permission of the copyright holder, your use and distribution +must comply with both paragraphs 1.E.1 through 1.E.7 and any additional +terms imposed by the copyright holder. Additional terms will be linked +to the Project Gutenberg-tm License for all works posted with the +permission of the copyright holder found at the beginning of this work. + +1.E.4. Do not unlink or detach or remove the full Project Gutenberg-tm +License terms from this work, or any files containing a part of this +work or any other work associated with Project Gutenberg-tm. + +1.E.5. Do not copy, display, perform, distribute or redistribute this +electronic work, or any part of this electronic work, without +prominently displaying the sentence set forth in paragraph 1.E.1 with +active links or immediate access to the full terms of the Project +Gutenberg-tm License. + +1.E.6. You may convert to and distribute this work in any binary, +compressed, marked up, nonproprietary or proprietary form, including any +word processing or hypertext form. However, if you provide access to or +distribute copies of a Project Gutenberg-tm work in a format other than +"Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other format used in the official version +posted on the official Project Gutenberg-tm web site (www.gutenberg.org), +you must, at no additional cost, fee or expense to the user, provide a +copy, a means of exporting a copy, or a means of obtaining a copy upon +request, of the work in its original "Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other +form. Any alternate format must include the full Project Gutenberg-tm +License as specified in paragraph 1.E.1. + +1.E.7. Do not charge a fee for access to, viewing, displaying, +performing, copying or distributing any Project Gutenberg-tm works +unless you comply with paragraph 1.E.8 or 1.E.9. + +1.E.8. You may charge a reasonable fee for copies of or providing +access to or distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works provided +that + +- You pay a royalty fee of 20% of the gross profits you derive from + the use of Project Gutenberg-tm works calculated using the method + you already use to calculate your applicable taxes. The fee is + owed to the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark, but he + has agreed to donate royalties under this paragraph to the + Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation. Royalty payments + must be paid within 60 days following each date on which you + prepare (or are legally required to prepare) your periodic tax + returns. Royalty payments should be clearly marked as such and + sent to the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation at the + address specified in Section 4, "Information about donations to + the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation." + +- You provide a full refund of any money paid by a user who notifies + you in writing (or by e-mail) within 30 days of receipt that s/he + does not agree to the terms of the full Project Gutenberg-tm + License. You must require such a user to return or + destroy all copies of the works possessed in a physical medium + and discontinue all use of and all access to other copies of + Project Gutenberg-tm works. + +- You provide, in accordance with paragraph 1.F.3, a full refund of any + money paid for a work or a replacement copy, if a defect in the + electronic work is discovered and reported to you within 90 days + of receipt of the work. + +- You comply with all other terms of this agreement for free + distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm works. + +1.E.9. If you wish to charge a fee or distribute a Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic work or group of works on different terms than are set +forth in this agreement, you must obtain permission in writing from +both the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation and Michael +Hart, the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark. Contact the +Foundation as set forth in Section 3 below. + +1.F. + +1.F.1. Project Gutenberg volunteers and employees expend considerable +effort to identify, do copyright research on, transcribe and proofread +public domain works in creating the Project Gutenberg-tm +collection. Despite these efforts, Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works, and the medium on which they may be stored, may contain +"Defects," such as, but not limited to, incomplete, inaccurate or +corrupt data, transcription errors, a copyright or other intellectual +property infringement, a defective or damaged disk or other medium, a +computer virus, or computer codes that damage or cannot be read by +your equipment. + +1.F.2. LIMITED WARRANTY, DISCLAIMER OF DAMAGES - Except for the "Right +of Replacement or Refund" described in paragraph 1.F.3, the Project +Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation, the owner of the Project +Gutenberg-tm trademark, and any other party distributing a Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic work under this agreement, disclaim all +liability to you for damages, costs and expenses, including legal +fees. YOU AGREE THAT YOU HAVE NO REMEDIES FOR NEGLIGENCE, STRICT +LIABILITY, BREACH OF WARRANTY OR BREACH OF CONTRACT EXCEPT THOSE +PROVIDED IN PARAGRAPH F3. YOU AGREE THAT THE FOUNDATION, THE +TRADEMARK OWNER, AND ANY DISTRIBUTOR UNDER THIS AGREEMENT WILL NOT BE +LIABLE TO YOU FOR ACTUAL, DIRECT, INDIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL, PUNITIVE OR +INCIDENTAL DAMAGES EVEN IF YOU GIVE NOTICE OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH +DAMAGE. + +1.F.3. LIMITED RIGHT OF REPLACEMENT OR REFUND - If you discover a +defect in this electronic work within 90 days of receiving it, you can +receive a refund of the money (if any) you paid for it by sending a +written explanation to the person you received the work from. If you +received the work on a physical medium, you must return the medium with +your written explanation. The person or entity that provided you with +the defective work may elect to provide a replacement copy in lieu of a +refund. If you received the work electronically, the person or entity +providing it to you may choose to give you a second opportunity to +receive the work electronically in lieu of a refund. If the second copy +is also defective, you may demand a refund in writing without further +opportunities to fix the problem. + +1.F.4. Except for the limited right of replacement or refund set forth +in paragraph 1.F.3, this work is provided to you 'AS-IS' WITH NO OTHER +WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO +WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTIBILITY OR FITNESS FOR ANY PURPOSE. + +1.F.5. Some states do not allow disclaimers of certain implied +warranties or the exclusion or limitation of certain types of damages. +If any disclaimer or limitation set forth in this agreement violates the +law of the state applicable to this agreement, the agreement shall be +interpreted to make the maximum disclaimer or limitation permitted by +the applicable state law. The invalidity or unenforceability of any +provision of this agreement shall not void the remaining provisions. + +1.F.6. INDEMNITY - You agree to indemnify and hold the Foundation, the +trademark owner, any agent or employee of the Foundation, anyone +providing copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in accordance +with this agreement, and any volunteers associated with the production, +promotion and distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works, +harmless from all liability, costs and expenses, including legal fees, +that arise directly or indirectly from any of the following which you do +or cause to occur: (a) distribution of this or any Project Gutenberg-tm +work, (b) alteration, modification, or additions or deletions to any +Project Gutenberg-tm work, and (c) any Defect you cause. + + +Section 2. Information about the Mission of Project Gutenberg-tm + +Project Gutenberg-tm is synonymous with the free distribution of +electronic works in formats readable by the widest variety of computers +including obsolete, old, middle-aged and new computers. It exists +because of the efforts of hundreds of volunteers and donations from +people in all walks of life. + +Volunteers and financial support to provide volunteers with the +assistance they need, is critical to reaching Project Gutenberg-tm's +goals and ensuring that the Project Gutenberg-tm collection will +remain freely available for generations to come. In 2001, the Project +Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation was created to provide a secure +and permanent future for Project Gutenberg-tm and future generations. +To learn more about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation +and how your efforts and donations can help, see Sections 3 and 4 +and the Foundation web page at http://www.pglaf.org. + + +Section 3. Information about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive +Foundation + +The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation is a non profit +501(c)(3) educational corporation organized under the laws of the +state of Mississippi and granted tax exempt status by the Internal +Revenue Service. The Foundation's EIN or federal tax identification +number is 64-6221541. Its 501(c)(3) letter is posted at +http://pglaf.org/fundraising. Contributions to the Project Gutenberg +Literary Archive Foundation are tax deductible to the full extent +permitted by U.S. federal laws and your state's laws. + +The Foundation's principal office is located at 4557 Melan Dr. S. +Fairbanks, AK, 99712., but its volunteers and employees are scattered +throughout numerous locations. Its business office is located at +809 North 1500 West, Salt Lake City, UT 84116, (801) 596-1887, email +business@pglaf.org. Email contact links and up to date contact +information can be found at the Foundation's web site and official +page at http://pglaf.org + +For additional contact information: + Dr. Gregory B. Newby + Chief Executive and Director + gbnewby@pglaf.org + + +Section 4. Information about Donations to the Project Gutenberg +Literary Archive Foundation + +Project Gutenberg-tm depends upon and cannot survive without wide +spread public support and donations to carry out its mission of +increasing the number of public domain and licensed works that can be +freely distributed in machine readable form accessible by the widest +array of equipment including outdated equipment. Many small donations +($1 to $5,000) are particularly important to maintaining tax exempt +status with the IRS. + +The Foundation is committed to complying with the laws regulating +charities and charitable donations in all 50 states of the United +States. Compliance requirements are not uniform and it takes a +considerable effort, much paperwork and many fees to meet and keep up +with these requirements. We do not solicit donations in locations +where we have not received written confirmation of compliance. To +SEND DONATIONS or determine the status of compliance for any +particular state visit http://pglaf.org + +While we cannot and do not solicit contributions from states where we +have not met the solicitation requirements, we know of no prohibition +against accepting unsolicited donations from donors in such states who +approach us with offers to donate. + +International donations are gratefully accepted, but we cannot make +any statements concerning tax treatment of donations received from +outside the United States. U.S. laws alone swamp our small staff. + +Please check the Project Gutenberg Web pages for current donation +methods and addresses. Donations are accepted in a number of other +ways including checks, online payments and credit card donations. +To donate, please visit: http://pglaf.org/donate + + +Section 5. General Information About Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works. + +Professor Michael S. Hart is the originator of the Project Gutenberg-tm +concept of a library of electronic works that could be freely shared +with anyone. For thirty years, he produced and distributed Project +Gutenberg-tm eBooks with only a loose network of volunteer support. + + +Project Gutenberg-tm eBooks are often created from several printed +editions, all of which are confirmed as Public Domain in the U.S. +unless a copyright notice is included. Thus, we do not necessarily +keep eBooks in compliance with any particular paper edition. + + +Most people start at our Web site which has the main PG search facility: + + http://www.gutenberg.org + +This Web site includes information about Project Gutenberg-tm, +including how to make donations to the Project Gutenberg Literary +Archive Foundation, how to help produce our new eBooks, and how to +subscribe to our email newsletter to hear about new eBooks. |