diff options
| author | Roger Frank <rfrank@pglaf.org> | 2025-10-15 02:47:56 -0700 |
|---|---|---|
| committer | Roger Frank <rfrank@pglaf.org> | 2025-10-15 02:47:56 -0700 |
| commit | 850241414c4c49eafa381e386496228f46faa8fc (patch) | |
| tree | e6928ac1d81778e8a5290c659939f913f27d49ae | |
| -rw-r--r-- | .gitattributes | 3 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | 29626-8.txt | 4482 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | 29626-8.zip | bin | 0 -> 88752 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 29626-h.zip | bin | 0 -> 1597582 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 29626-h/29626-h.htm | 4784 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | 29626-h/images/jan1865_001.jpg | bin | 0 -> 45903 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 29626-h/images/jan1865_005.jpg | bin | 0 -> 47901 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 29626-h/images/jan1865_007.jpg | bin | 0 -> 4278 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 29626-h/images/jan1865_009.jpg | bin | 0 -> 129048 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 29626-h/images/jan1865_021.jpg | bin | 0 -> 135206 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 29626-h/images/jan1865_024.jpg | bin | 0 -> 12929 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 29626-h/images/jan1865_029.jpg | bin | 0 -> 11902 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 29626-h/images/jan1865_030a.jpg | bin | 0 -> 63567 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 29626-h/images/jan1865_030b.jpg | bin | 0 -> 29569 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 29626-h/images/jan1865_032.jpg | bin | 0 -> 4678 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 29626-h/images/jan1865_037a.jpg | bin | 0 -> 4394 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 29626-h/images/jan1865_037b.jpg | bin | 0 -> 9850 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 29626-h/images/jan1865_038.jpg | bin | 0 -> 19832 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 29626-h/images/jan1865_039a.jpg | bin | 0 -> 18134 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 29626-h/images/jan1865_039b.jpg | bin | 0 -> 21311 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 29626-h/images/jan1865_039c.jpg | bin | 0 -> 22356 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 29626-h/images/jan1865_039d.jpg | bin | 0 -> 26902 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 29626-h/images/jan1865_040a.jpg | bin | 0 -> 26895 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 29626-h/images/jan1865_040b.jpg | bin | 0 -> 26967 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 29626-h/images/jan1865_041a.jpg | bin | 0 -> 51401 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 29626-h/images/jan1865_041b.jpg | bin | 0 -> 59178 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 29626-h/images/jan1865_041c.jpg | bin | 0 -> 19817 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 29626-h/images/jan1865_041d.jpg | bin | 0 -> 13884 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 29626-h/images/jan1865_041e.jpg | bin | 0 -> 14204 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 29626-h/images/jan1865_043a.jpg | bin | 0 -> 37790 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 29626-h/images/jan1865_043b.jpg | bin | 0 -> 34147 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 29626-h/images/jan1865_044.jpg | bin | 0 -> 3921 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 29626-h/images/jan1865_048.jpg | bin | 0 -> 4041 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 29626-h/images/jan1865_051.jpg | bin | 0 -> 114280 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 29626-h/images/jan1865_058.jpg | bin | 0 -> 8413 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 29626-h/images/jan1865_059.jpg | bin | 0 -> 115156 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 29626-h/images/jan1865_060.jpg | bin | 0 -> 3851 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 29626-h/images/jan1865_072a.jpg | bin | 0 -> 9015 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 29626-h/images/jan1865_072b.jpg | bin | 0 -> 80473 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 29626-h/images/jan1865_078.jpg | bin | 0 -> 14372 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 29626-h/images/jan1865_079.jpg | bin | 0 -> 69803 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 29626-h/images/jan1865_080a.jpg | bin | 0 -> 98079 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 29626-h/images/jan1865_080b.jpg | bin | 0 -> 94321 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 29626.txt | 4482 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | 29626.zip | bin | 0 -> 88712 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | LICENSE.txt | 11 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | README.md | 2 |
47 files changed, 13764 insertions, 0 deletions
diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6833f05 --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,3 @@ +* text=auto +*.txt text +*.md text diff --git a/29626-8.txt b/29626-8.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..78645d2 --- /dev/null +++ b/29626-8.txt @@ -0,0 +1,4482 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of Our Young Folks, Vol 1, No. 1, 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: Our Young Folks, Vol 1, No. 1 + An Illustrated Magazine + +Author: Various + +Editor: J.T. Trowbridge + Gail Hamilton + Lucy Larcom + +Release Date: August 6, 2009 [EBook #29626] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK OUR YOUNG FOLKS, VOL 1, NO. 1 *** + + + + +Produced by Marcia Brooks, David Edwards and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Canada Team at +http://www.pgdpcanada.net (This file was produced from +images generously made available by The Internet +Archive/American Libraries.) + + + + + + + + OUR YOUNG FOLKS. + + _An Illustrated Magazine_ + + FOR BOYS AND GIRLS. + + +VOL. I. JANUARY, 1865. NO. I. + + + + +HUM, THE SON OF BUZ. + + +At Rye Beach, during our summer's vacation, there came, as there always +will to seaside visitors, two or three cold, chilly, rainy days,--days +when the skies that long had not rained a drop seemed suddenly to +bethink themselves of their remissness, and to pour down water, not by +drops, but by pailfuls. The chilly wind blew and whistled, the water +dashed along the ground, and careered in foamy rills along the roadside, +and the bushes bent beneath the constant flood. It was plain that there +was to be no sea-bathing on such a day, no walks, no rides; and so, +shivering and drawing our blanket-shawls close about us, we sat down to +the window to watch the storm outside. The rose-bushes under the window +hung dripping under their load of moisture, each spray shedding a +constant shower on the spray below it. On one of these lower sprays, +under the perpetual drip, what should we see but a poor little +humming-bird, drawn up into the tiniest shivering ball, and clinging +with a desperate grasp to his uncomfortable perch. A humming-bird we +knew him to be at once, though his feathers were so matted and glued +down by the rain that he looked not much bigger than a honey-bee, and as +different as possible from the smart, pert, airy little character that +we had so often seen flirting with the flowers. He was evidently a +humming-bird in adversity, and whether he ever would hum again looked to +us exceedingly doubtful. Immediately, however, we sent out to have him +taken in. When the friendly hand seized him, he gave a little, faint, +watery squeak, evidently thinking that his last hour was come, and that +grim Death was about to carry him off to the land of dead birds. What a +time we had reviving him,--holding the little wet thing in the warm +hollow of our hands, and feeling him shiver and palpitate! His eyes were +fast closed; his tiny claws, which looked slender as cobwebs, were +knotted close to his body, and it was long before one could feel the +least motion in them. Finally, to our great joy, we felt a brisk little +kick, and then a flutter of wings, and then a determined peck of the +beak, which showed that there was some bird left in him yet, and that he +meant at any rate to find out where he was. + +Unclosing our hands a small space, out popped the little head with a +pair of round brilliant eyes. Then we bethought ourselves of feeding +him, and forthwith prepared him a stiff glass of sugar and water, a drop +of which we held to his bill. After turning his head attentively, like a +bird who knew what he was about and didn't mean to be chaffed, he +briskly put out a long, flexible tongue, slightly forked at the end, and +licked off the comfortable beverage with great relish. Immediately he +was pronounced out of danger by the small humane society which had +undertaken the charge of his restoration, and we began to cast about for +getting him a settled establishment in our apartment. I gave up my +work-box to him for a sleeping-room, and it was medically ordered that +he should take a nap. So we filled the box with cotton, and he was +formally put to bed with a folded cambric handkerchief round his neck, +to keep him from beating his wings. Out of his white wrappings he looked +forth green and grave as any judge with his bright round eyes. Like a +bird of discretion, he seemed to understand what was being done to him, +and resigned himself sensibly to go to sleep. + +The box was covered with a sheet of paper perforated with holes for +purposes of ventilation; for even humming-birds have a little pair of +lungs, and need their own little portion of air to fill them, so that +they may make bright scarlet little drops of blood to keep life's fire +burning in their tiny bodies. Our bird's lungs manufactured brilliant +blood, as we found out by experience; for in his first nap he contrived +to nestle himself into the cotton of which his bed was made, and to get +more of it than he needed into his long bill. We pulled it out as +carefully as we could, but there came out of his bill two round, bright, +scarlet, little drops of blood. Our chief medical authority looked +grave, pronounced a probable hemorrhage from the lungs, and gave him +over at once. We, less scientific, declared that we had only cut his +little tongue by drawing out the filaments of cotton, and that he would +do well enough in time,--as it afterward appeared he did,--for from that +day there was no more bleeding. In the course of the second day he began +to take short flights about the room, though he seemed to prefer to +return to us,--perching on our fingers or heads or shoulders, and +sometimes choosing to sit in this way for half an hour at a time. "These +great giants," he seemed to say to himself, "are not bad people after +all; they have a comfortable way with them; how nicely they dried and +warmed me! Truly a bird might do worse than to live with them." + +So he made up his mind to form a fourth in the little company of three +that usually sat and read, worked and sketched, in that apartment, and +we christened him "Hum, the son of Buz." He became an individuality, a +character, whose little doings formed a part of every letter, and some +extracts from these will show what some of his little ways were. + +"Hum has learned to sit upon my finger, and eat his sugar and water out +of a teaspoon with most Christian-like decorum. He has but one +weakness,--he will occasionally jump into the spoon and sit in his sugar +and water, and then appear to wonder where it goes to. His plumage is in +rather a drabbled state, owing to these performances. I have sketched +him as he sat to-day on a bit of Spiræa which I brought in for him. When +absorbed in reflection, he sits with his bill straight up in the air, as +I have drawn him. Mr. A---- reads Macaulay to us, and you should see the +wise air with which, perched on Jenny's thumb, he cocked his head now +one side and then the other, apparently listening with most critical +attention. His confidence in us seems unbounded; he lets us stroke his +head, smooth his feathers, without a flutter; and is never better +pleased than sitting, as he has been doing all this while, on my hand, +turning up his bill, and watching my face with great edification. + +"I have just been having a sort of maternal struggle to make him go to +bed in his box; but he evidently considers himself sufficiently +convalescent to make a stand for his rights as a bird, and so scratched +indignantly out of his wrappings, and set himself up to roost on the +edge of his box, with an air worthy of a turkey, at the very least. +Having brought in a lamp, he has opened his eyes round and wide, and +sits cocking his little head at me reflectively." + +When the weather cleared away, and the sun came out bright, Hum became +entirely well, and seemed resolved to take the measure of his new life +with us. Our windows were closed in the lower part of the sash by frames +with mosquito gauze, so that the sun and air found free admission, and +yet our little rover could not pass out. On the first sunny day he took +an exact survey of our apartment from ceiling to floor, humming about, +examining every point with his bill,--all the crevices, mouldings, each +little indentation in the bed-posts, each window-pane, each chair and +stand; and, as it was a very simply furnished seaside apartment, his +scrutiny was soon finished. We wondered, at first, what this was all +about; but, on watching him more closely, we found that he was actively +engaged in getting his living, by darting out his long tongue hither and +thither, and drawing in all the tiny flies and insects which in +summer-time are to be found in an apartment. In short, we found that, +though the nectar of flowers was his dessert, yet he had his roast beef +and mutton-chop to look after, and that his bright, brilliant blood was +not made out of a simple vegetarian diet. Very shrewd and keen he was, +too, in measuring the size of insects before he attempted to swallow +them. The smallest class were whisked off with lightning speed; but +about larger ones he would sometimes wheel and hum for some minutes, +darting hither and thither, and surveying them warily; and if satisfied +that they could be carried, he would come down with a quick, central +dart which would finish the unfortunate at a snap. The larger flies +seemed to irritate him,--especially when they intimated to him that his +plumage was sugary, by settling on his wings and tail; when he would lay +about him spitefully, wielding his bill like a sword. A grasshopper that +strayed in, and was sunning himself on the window-seat, gave him great +discomposure. Hum evidently considered him an intruder, and seemed to +long to make a dive at him; but, with characteristic prudence, confined +himself to threatening movements, which did not exactly hit. He saw +evidently that he could not swallow him whole, and what might ensue from +trying him piecemeal he wisely forbore to essay. + +Hum had his own favorite places and perches. From the first day he chose +for his nightly roost a towel-line which had been drawn across the +corner over the wash-stand, where he every night established himself +with one claw in the edge of the towel and the other clasping the line, +and, ruffling up his feathers till he looked like a little chestnut-bur, +he would resign himself to the soundest sleep. He did not tuck his head +under his wing, but seemed to sink it down between his shoulders, with +his bill almost straight up in the air. One evening one of us, going to +use the towel, jarred the line, and soon after found that Hum had been +thrown from his perch, and was hanging head downward fast asleep, still +clinging to the line. Another evening, being discomposed by somebody +coming to the towel-line after he had settled himself, he fluttered off; +but so sleepy that he had not discretion to poise himself again, and was +found clinging, like a little bunch of green floss silk, to the mosquito +netting of the window. + +A day after this we brought in a large green bough, and put it up over +the looking-glass. Hum noticed it before it had been there five minutes, +flew to it, and began a regular survey, perching now here, now there, +till he seemed to find a twig that exactly suited him; and after that he +roosted there every night. Who does not see in this change all the signs +of reflection and reason that are shown by us in thinking over our +circumstances, and trying to better them? It seemed to say in so many +words: "That towel-line is an unsafe place for a bird; I get frightened, +and wake from bad dreams to find myself head downward; so I will find a +better roost on this twig." + +When our little Jenny one day put on a clean white muslin gown +embellished with red sprigs, Hum flew towards her, and with his bill +made instant examination of these new appearances; and one day, being +very affectionately disposed, perched himself on her shoulder, and sat +some time. On another occasion, while Mr. A---- was reading, Hum +established himself on the top of his head just over the middle of his +forehead, in the precise place where our young belles have lately worn +stuffed humming-birds, making him look as if dressed out for a party. +Hum's most favorite perch was the back of the great rocking-chair, +which, being covered by a tidy, gave some hold into which he could catch +his little claws. There he would sit, balancing himself cleverly if its +occupant chose to swing to and fro, and seeming to be listening to the +conversation or reading. + +Hum had his different moods, like human beings. On cold, cloudy, gray +days, he appeared to be somewhat depressed in spirits, hummed less about +the room, and sat humped-up with his feathers ruffled, looking as much +like a bird in a great-coat as possible. But on hot, sunny days, every +feather sleeked itself down, and his little body looked natty and trim, +his head alert, his eyes bright, and it was impossible to come near him, +for his agility. Then let mosquitos and little flies look about them! +Hum snapped them up without mercy, and seemed to be all over the ceiling +in a moment, and resisted all our efforts at any personal familiarity +with a saucy alacrity. + +[Illustration] + +Hum had his established institutions in our room, the chief of which was +a tumbler with a little sugar and water mixed in it, and a spoon laid +across, out of which he helped himself whenever he felt in the +mood,--sitting on the edge of the tumbler, and dipping his long bill, +and lapping with his little forked tongue like a kitten. When he found +his spoon accidentally dry, he would stoop over and dip his bill in the +water in the tumbler,--which caused the prophecy on the part of some of +his guardians, that he would fall in some day and be drowned. For which +reason it was agreed to keep only an inch in depth of the fluid at the +bottom of the tumbler. A wise precaution this proved; for the next +morning I was awaked, not by the usual hum over my head, but by a sharp +little flutter, and found Mr. Hum beating his wings in the +tumbler,--having actually tumbled in during his energetic efforts to get +his morning coffee before I was awake. + +Hum seemed perfectly happy and satisfied in his quarters,--but one day, +when the door was left open, made a dart out, and so into the open +sunshine. Then, to be sure, we thought we had lost him. We took the +mosquito netting out of all the windows, and, setting his tumbler of +sugar and water in a conspicuous place, went about our usual +occupations. We saw him joyous and brisk among the honeysuckles outside +the window, and it was gravely predicted that he would return no more. +But at dinner-time in came Hum, familiar as possible, and sat down to +his spoon as if nothing had happened; instantly we closed our windows, +and had him secure once more. + +At another time I was going to ride to the Atlantic House, about a mile +from my boarding-place. I left all secure, as I supposed, at home. While +gathering moss on the walls there, I was surprised by a little green +humming-bird flying familiarly right towards my face, and humming above +my head. I called out, "Here is Hum's very brother." But, on returning +home, I saw that the door of the room was open, and Hum was gone. Now +certainly we gave him up for lost. I sat down to painting, and in a few +minutes in flew Hum, and settled on the edge of my tumbler in a social, +confidential way, which seemed to say, "O, you've got back then." After +taking his usual drink of sugar and water, he began to fly about the +ceiling as usual, and we gladly shut him in. + +When our five weeks at the seaside were up, and it was time to go home, +we had great questionings what was to be done with Hum. To get him home +with us was our desire,--but who ever heard of a humming-bird travelling +by railroad? Great were the consultings; a little basket of Indian work +was filled up with cambric handkerchiefs, and a bottle of sugar and +water provided, and we started with him for a day's journey. When we +arrived at night, the first care was to see what had become of Hum, who +had not been looked at since we fed him with sugar and water in Boston. +We found him alive and well, but so dead asleep that we could not wake +him to roost; so we put him to bed on a toilet cushion, and arranged his +tumbler for morning. The next day found him alive and humming, exploring +the room and pictures, perching now here and now there; but, as the +weather was chilly, he sat for the most part of the time in a humped-up +state on the tip of a pair of stag's horns. We moved him to a more sunny +apartment; but, alas! the equinoctial storm came on, and there was no +sun to be had for days. Hum was blue; the pleasant seaside days were +over; his room was lonely, the pleasant three that had enlivened the +apartment at Rye no longer came in and out; evidently he was lonesome, +and gave way to depression. One chilly morning he managed again to fall +into his tumbler, and wet himself through; and, notwithstanding warm +bathings and tender nursings, the poor little fellow seemed to get +diptheria, or something quite as bad for humming-birds. + +We carried him to a neighboring sunny parlor, where ivy embowers all the +walls, and the sun lies all day. There he revived a little, danced up +and down, perched on a green spray that was wreathed across the breast +of a Psyche, and looked then like a little flitting soul returning to +its rest. Towards evening he drooped; and, having been nursed and +warmed and cared for, he was put to sleep on a green twig laid on the +piano. In that sleep the little head drooped--nodded--fell; and little +Hum went where other bright dreams go,--to the Land of the Hereafter. + +_Harriet Beecher Stowe._ + + + + +THE VOLUNTEER'S THANKSGIVING. + + + The last days of November, and everything so green! + A finer bit of country my eyes have never seen. + 'Twill be a thing to tell of, ten years or twenty hence, + How I came down to Georgia at Uncle Sam's expense. + + Four years ago this winter, up at the district school, + I wrote all day, and ciphered, perched on a white-pine stool; + And studied in my atlas the boundaries of the States, + And learnt the wars with England, the history and the dates. + + Then little I expected to travel in such haste + Along the lines my fingers and fancy often traced, + To bear a soldier's knapsack, and face the cannon's mouth, + And help to save for Freedom the lovely, perjured South. + + That red, old-fashioned school-house! what winds came sweeping through + Its doors from bald Monadnock, and from the mountains blue + That slope off south and eastward beyond the Merrimack! + O pleasant Northern river, your music calls me back + + To where the pines are humming the slow notes of their psalm + Around a shady farm-house, half hid within their calm, + Reflecting in the river a picture not so bright + As these verandahed mansions,--but yet my heart's delight. + + They're sitting at the table this clear Thanksgiving noon; + I smell the crispy turkey, the pies will come in soon,-- + The golden squares of pumpkin, the flaky rounds of mince, + Behind the barberry syrups, the cranberry and the quince. + + Be sure my mouth does water,--but then I am content + To stay and do the errand on which I have been sent. + A soldier mustn't grumble at salt beef and hard-tack: + We'll have a grand Thanksgiving if ever we get back! + + I'm very sure they'll miss me at dinner-time to-day, + For I was good at stowing their provender away. + When mother clears the table, and wipes the platters bright, + She'll say, "I hope my baby don't lose his appetite!" + + But oh! the after-dinner! I miss that most of all,-- + The shooting at the targets, the jolly game of ball, + And then the long wood-ramble! We climbed, and slid, and ran,-- + We and the neighbor-children,--and one was Mary Ann, + + Who (as I didn't mention) sat next to me at school: + Sometimes I had to show her the way to work the rule + Of Ratio and Proportion, and do upon her slate + Those long, hard sums that puzzle a merry maiden's pate. + + I wonder if they're going across the hills to-day; + And up the cliffs I wonder what boy will lead the way; + And if they'll gather fern-leaves and checkerberries red, + And who will put a garland of ground-pine on her head. + + O dear! the air grows sultry: I'd wish myself at home + Were it a whit less noble, the cause for which I've come. + Four years ago a school-boy; as foolish now as then! + But greatly they don't differ, I fancy,--boys and men. + + I'm just nineteen to-morrow, and I shall surely stay + For Freedom's final battle, be it until I'm gray, + Unless a Southern bullet should take me off my feet.-- + There's nothing left to live for, if Rebeldom should beat; + + For home and love and honor and freedom are at stake, + And life may well be given for our dear Union's sake; + So reads the Proclamation, and so the sermon ran; + Do ministers and people feel it as soldiers can? + + When will it all be ended? 'Tis not in youth to hold + In quietness and patience, like people grave and old: + A year? three? four? or seven?--O then, when I return, + Put on a big log, mother, and let it blaze and burn, + + And roast your fattest turkey, bake all the pies you can, + And, if she isn't married, invite in Mary Ann! + Hang flags from every window! we'll all be glad and gay, + For Peace will light the country on that Thanksgiving Day. + +_Lucy Larcom._ + + + + +[Illustration] + +THUMBLING: + +A STORY FOR CHILDREN. + + +_The Introduction._ + +DEAR OLD FRIEND:--We were all sitting round the fire the other evening +after dinner. The evening paper had been read and explained, and the +Colonel was now nursing his wounded arm, and musingly smoking his old +camp-pipe, browned to a rich mahogany in many marches among the sands of +Folly Island, through the rose-gardens of Florida, and over the hills +and valleys of battle-worn old Virginia; I myself, who have never yet +taken kindly to pipes,--though I suppose I shall have to ere many +days,--was dreaming over a fragrant Cabañas; Madame was hard at work +over a pile of the week's stockings; and the children taking their last +frolic about the parlor, preparatory to their unwilling Good-night and +fearful departure to the hated regions above stairs;--when our +neat-handed Bridget entered the room, staggering under the weight of the +monthly parcel of French books, just arrived by express. + +You, who live where you can see all the new books as soon as they +appear, can hardly imagine the eagerness with which we poor country +people, far away from publishing-houses and foreign bookstores, welcome +the sight of this monthly parcel. We passed over the green and yellow +duodecimos, glancing at Féval, About, Berthel, Sand, and the rest, each +looking for his particular favorite among the authors, when the +children, whose busy fingers had helped to untie the knots and unwrap +the packages, and who were rummaging with as much eagerness as we, +suddenly discovered a sober octavo, that seemed to promise well; for, +after a hasty look at it, they carried it away to the library-table, and +examined it, for a time, in profound silence. After a while, one little +boy spoke out:-- + +"O, papa! this must be a real old-fashioned fairy-book, for it is full +of pictures of fairies, and knights, and giants, and dwarfs, and +dragons! Do read it to us, please!" + +Now, my dear friend, you know that my youngsters have a most insatiate +appetite for, and a most thorough appreciation of, real fairy stories, +as they call them. But they are pitiless judges; they can hardly tire of +Blue Beard, and Beauty and the Beast, and the Arabian Nights; but they +turn up their little noses in contempt at the _moral_ fairy stories, +which some of their kind aunts have attempted to impose upon them. I +myself have a secret dislike for those sham stories which deceive you +into believing you are hearing about real fairies and giants, only to +tell you, at the end, that the good fairy is no other than Cheerfulness, +Industry, or some sister virtue, and that the giant is Luxury, +Ill-Temper, or some kindred vice. Yet the children are severer critics +than I. They will have nothing whatever to do with the good fairies who +have no magical power, and who live in their own little bodies; nor with +the wicked giants who, they can see at once, have none of the attributes +of the giants of old. They swallow the pill once, thinking it a +sugar-plum; but after finding it to be a pill, no amount of sugar +coating will make it anything but medicine. And all boys and girls are +alike in this, and will be so, let us hope, to the end of time. Even we +old fellows recall those old-time stories with something of the same +awe-struck admiration, and something of the same unquestioning belief, +with which we listened to them, I don't know how many years ago. We +sneer at the improbabilities and inconsistencies of modern fiction; but +who thinks of being startled at the charming incongruities, the bold but +fascinating impossibilities, of Cinderella, and Aladdin, and Puss in +Boots? Don't we in our heart of hearts still believe that, a long time +ago, before men grew too wicked for them, the gentle fairies really +lived in their jewelled palaces under ground, and came out, now and +then, to protect the youth and beauty they loved from giants, and +dragons, and malicious genii, and all manner of evil things? I declare I +should be ashamed of myself if I did not; and I am sure that none of us, +who are good for anything, have altogether lost that old belief; and +when we look back at those days of young romance, and remember the +thrill with which we read of Bluebeard's punishment, and Beauty's +reward, we feel that it would be better for us if they had more of that +old childlike faith. And so I encourage my youngsters to read and listen +to, over and over again, the same old stories that, when I was a boy, +warmed my young imagination, and to eschew the dismal allegories with +which well-meaning but short-sighted writers try to supply the places of +Jack the Giant-killer and all his marvellous family. And so I was almost +as pleased as the children, when I saw, from its quaint and grotesque +pictures, that their treasure-trove was really a book of real +old-fashioned fairy stories. + +Of course, nothing would do but that the bedtime should be put off, and +that I should read one, at least, of the stories to the young folks. As +my selection won their unqualified admiration, and they are, as I have +said, good critics, I send it to you for the benefit of your little +people. Your studies in the Norse languages have perhaps made you +familiar with the original of it; but I think it will be new to most +boys and girls. + +Your old chum, + +PHILIP. + + + + +_The Story._ + +I. + + +Once upon a time there was a peasant, who had three sons, Peter, Paul, +and John. Peter was tall, stout, rosy and good-natured, but a stupid +fellow; Paul was thin, yellow, envious, and surly; while Jack was full +of mischief, pale as a girl, but so small that he could stow himself +away in his father's jack-boots; and so he was called Thumbling. + +All the wealth the poor peasant had was his family; and so poor was he, +that it was a very feast-day in his cottage if only a penny happened to +jingle there. Food was very high then, and wages low; so, as soon as the +three boys were big enough to work for themselves, the good father was +obliged to urge them to leave the cottage where they were born, and to +go out into the world to seek their fortune. + +"In foreign lands," he said, "across the sea, bread could always be had, +even if it took hard work to get it; while at home, in spite of all +their toil, they were never sure of a crust for the morrow." + +Now it happened that, not a mile from the woodman's hut, there was a +magnificent wooden palace, with twenty balconies and six beautiful +windows. And directly opposite these windows there sprang up, one fine +summer's night, without the least warning, an immense oak, whose leaves +and branches were so thickly clustered together, that one could hardly +see in the king's house. It was no easy task to cut down this enormous +tree, for it was so tough that it turned the edge of every axe that was +wielded against it; and for every branch that was lopped off, or root +that was plucked up, two instantly grew in its place. In vain did the +king promise three bags of golden crowns to any one who would rid him of +his troublesome neighbor; it was of no use at all; and he had at last to +light his palace with candles, in broad daylight. + +Nor was this the poor king's only trouble. Although the surrounding +country was so rich in springs and brooks, that they frequently gushed +out of the solid rock itself, yet in the royal gardens they couldn't +get a drop of water. In summer time, the king and all his court had to +wash their hands in beer, and their faces with mead, which was not +convenient, if it was pleasant. So that at last the king promised broad +lands, heaps of money, and the title of Lord Marquis, to anybody who +would dig a well in his court-yard deep enough to give a supply of water +all the year round. In spite, however, of these magnificent promises, no +one could get the reward; for the palace was on a lofty hill, and after +digging a foot under ground there was a solid granite rock, as hard as +flint. + +Now these two troubles disturbed the king so much, that he couldn't get +them out of his head. Although he was not a very great monarch, yet he +was as obstinate as the Emperor of China himself. So one fine day he hit +upon this wise plan. He caused an enormous placard to be prepared, with +the royal arms magnificently displayed at the top; and in it he +promised, to whoever would cut down the troublesome oak-tree, and dig +him a satisfactory well, no less rewards than the hand of his only +daughter, and the half of his kingdom. This placard was posted up on the +palace-gate, and copies all over the kingdom. Now, as the princess was +as beautiful as the morning, and the half of a kingdom by no means to be +despised, the offer was enough to tempt any one; and there shortly came +to the palace, from Sweden and Norway, from Denmark and Russia, from the +continent and from the islands, a host of sturdy suitors, with axe on +shoulder and pick in hand, ready to undertake the task. But all that +they hacked and hewed, picked and hollowed, was labor lost. At every +stroke the oak grew harder, and the granite no softer; so that the most +persevering had at last to give up in despair. + + +II. + +One fine day, about this time, when everybody all over the land was +talking of this wonderful affair, and everybody's head was full of it, +our three brothers began to ask each other why, since their father +wished them to do so, they shouldn't go out into the world to seek their +fortune. They didn't hope for any great success, nor did they expect the +hand of the princess, or the half of the kingdom. All they wished for +was a good place and a kind master; and who could say they wouldn't find +them both somewhere at the court? So they decided to try their luck; and +after receiving the blessing of their good father, they started off, +with stout hearts, on their way to the king's palace. + +Whilst the two older brothers were slowly trudging along, Thumbling +scampered up and down the road like a wild thing, running backwards and +forwards like a sportive dog, spying here, there, and everywhere, and +noticing everything that was to be noticed. Nothing was too small for +his sharp little eyes, and he kept constantly stopping his brothers to +ask the why and the wherefore of everything: why the bees dived into the +fragrant flower-cups? why the swallows skimmed along the rivers? why the +butterflies zigzagged capriciously along the fields? To all these +questions Peter only answered with a burst of stupid laughter; while +the surly Paul shrugged his shoulders, and crossly bade the little +Thumbling hold his tongue, telling him he was an inquisitive little +simpleton. + +As they were going along, they came to a dense forest of pines, that +covered the crest of a mountain, on the top of which they heard the +sound of a woodman's axe, and the crackling of branches as they fell to +the ground. + +"That is a very strange thing," said Thumbling, "to be cutting trees on +the top of a mountain like this." + +"It would astonish me very much to find that you were not astonished at +everything," answered Peter, in a sour tone; "everything is wonderful to +simpletons. I suppose you never heard of woodcutters." + +"It's all the same to me what you say," said Thumbling; "but I am going +to see what is going on up there." + +"Be off with you!" cried Paul; "tire yourself all out, and that will be +a good lesson to you, for wanting to know more than your big brothers." + +Thumbling didn't trouble himself much with what his big brothers said, +but started for the place whence the noise seemed to come, and, after +much hard climbing and running, he arrived at the top of the mountain. +And what do you suppose he found there? You would never guess, and so I +will tell you. A MAGIC AXE, that all by itself was hacking away at one +of the tallest trees on the mountain. + +"Good morning, Mistress Axe," cried Thumbling. "Doesn't it tire you to +be chopping all alone there at that old tree?" + +"Many long years I have been waiting for you, my son," replied the axe. + +"Very well, ma'am, here I am!" said Thumbling; and without being +astonished at anything, he seized the axe, put it in the stout leather +bag he carried over his shoulder, and gayly descended to overtake his +brothers. + +"What marvel did Master Moonstruck see up there?" asked Paul, looking at +Thumbling with a very scornful air. + +"It _was_ an axe that we heard," answered Thumbling, slyly. + +"I could have told you so beforehand," said Peter; "and here you are +now, all tired out, for nothing. You had better stay with us another +time." + +A little farther along, they came to a place where the road was hollowed +with extreme difficulty out of a mass of solid rock; and here, in the +distance, the brothers heard a sharp noise, like that of iron striking +against stone. + +"It is very wonderful that anybody should be hammering away at rocks +away up there!" remarked Thumbling. + +"Truly," said Paul, "you must have been fledged yesterday! Didn't you +ever hear a woodpecker pecking at the trunk of an old tree?" + +"He is right," added Peter, laughing; "it must be a woodpecker. Stay +with us, you foolish fellow." + +"It's all the same to me," answered Thumbling; "but I am very curious to +see what is going on up there." So he began to climb the rocks on his +hands and knees, while his two brothers trudged along, making as much +fun of him as possible. + +When he got up to the top of the rock, which was only after a deal of +hard work, what do you suppose he found there? A MAGIC PICKAXE, that, +all alone by itself, was digging at the hard stone as if it were soft +clay; and digging so well, that at every blow it went down more than a +foot in the rock. + +"Good morning, Mistress Pickaxe," said Thumbling. "Doesn't it tire you +to be delving alone there, hollowing away at that old rock?" + +"Many long years I have been waiting for you, my son," answered the +pickaxe. + +"Very well, ma'am! here I am," replied Thumbling; and, without being +astonished at anything, he seized the pick, took it off its handle, put +the two pieces in the stout leather bag he carried over his shoulder, +and gayly descended to overtake his brothers. + +"What miracle did his Worship see this time?" asked Paul, in a surly +tone. + +"It _was_ a pickaxe that we heard," answered Thumbling, slyly; and he +plodded along, without any more words. + +A little farther along, they came to a brook. The water was clear and +fresh, and, as the travellers were thirsty, they all stopped to drink +out of the hollows of their hands. + +"It is very wonderful," said Thumbling, "that there should be so much +water in this little valley. I should like to see where this brook +starts from." + +But to this the only answer was from Paul, who said gruffly to his +brother, "We shall soon see this inquisitive fellow climbing up to +Heaven, and asking questions of the angels themselves." + +"Very well!" says Thumbling; "it's all the same; and I am very curious +to see where all this water comes from." + +So saying, he began to follow up the streamlet, in spite of the jeers +and scoldings of his brothers. And lo and behold! the farther he went, +smaller and smaller grew the brook, and less and less the quantity of +water. And when he came to the end, what do you think he found? A simple +nut-shell, from the bottom of which a tiny stream of water burst out and +sparkled in the sun. + +"Good morning, Mistress Spring," cried Thumbling. "Doesn't it tire you +to be gushing away there all alone in your little corner?" + +"Many long years I have been waiting for you, my son," replied the +spring. + +"Very well, ma'am! here I am," said Thumbling; and without being +astonished at anything, he seized the nut-shell, plugged it up with +moss, so that the water shouldn't run out, put it in the stout leather +bag he carried over his shoulder, and gayly descended to overtake his +brothers. + +"Do you know now where the brook starts from?" shouted Peter, as soon as +he saw him. + +"Yes, brother Peter," replied Thumbling; "it came out of a little hole." + +"This boy is too bright to live," grumbled Peter. + +But Thumbling quietly said to himself, and rubbed his hands meanwhile, +"I have seen what I wanted to see, and I know what I wanted to know; let +those laugh who wish." + + +III. + +Shortly after this, the brothers arrived at the king's palace. The oak +was stouter and thicker than ever; there was no sign of a well in the +court-yard; and at the gate of the palace still hung the imposing +placard that promised the hand of the princess, and the half of the +kingdom, to whoever, noble, gentleman, or peasant, should accomplish the +two things his Majesty so ardently desired. Only, as the king was weary +of so many fruitless attempts, which had only resulted in making him +more despairing than before, he had ordered a second and smaller placard +to be pasted directly above the large one. On this placard was written, +in red letters, the following terrible words: + +"_Be it known, by these presents, that, in his inexhaustible goodness, +his Majesty, the King, has deigned to order, that whosoever does not +succeed in cutting down the oak, or in digging the well, shall have his +ears promptly stricken off, in order to teach him the first lesson of +wisdom_,--TO KNOW HIMSELF." + +And, in order that everybody should profit by this wise and prudent +counsel, the king had caused to be nailed around this placard thirty +bleeding ears, belonging to the unfortunate fellows who had proved +themselves ignorant of the first lesson of wisdom. + +When Peter read this notice, he laughed to himself, twisted his +mustaches, looked proudly at his brawny arms, whose swollen veins looked +like so many pieces of blue whipcord, swung his axe twice around his +head, and with one blow chopped off one of the biggest branches of the +enchanted tree. To his horror and dismay, however, there immediately +sprang forth two more branches, each bigger and thicker than the first; +and the king's guards thereupon immediately seized the unlucky +woodcutter, and, without any more ado, sliced off both his ears. + +"You are an awkward booby, and deserve your punishment," said Paul to +his brother. Saying this, he took his axe, walked slowly around the +tree, and, seeing a large root that projected from the soil, he chopped +it off with a single blow. At the same instant, two enormous new roots +broke from the ground; and, wonderful to relate, each one immediately +shot out a trunk, thickly covered with foliage. + +"Seize this miserable fellow," shouted the furious king; "and, since he +did not profit by the example of his brother, shave off both _his_ ears, +close to his head!" + +No sooner said than done. But now Thumbling, undismayed by this double +misfortune, stepped bravely forward to try his fortune. + +"Drive this little abortion away," cried the king; "and if he resists, +chop off his ears. He will have the lesson all the same, and will spare +us the sight of his stupidity." + +"Pardon, gracious Majesty!" interrupted Thumbling. "The king has passed +his word, and I have the right to a trial. It will be time enough to cut +off my ears when I fail." + +"Away, then, to the trial," said the king, with a heavy sigh; "but be +careful that I don't have your nose cut off to boot." + +Thumbling now drew his magic axe from the bottom of his stout leather +bag. It was almost as big as he was, and he had no little difficulty and +trouble in standing it up, with the handle leaning against the enchanted +tree. At last, however, all was accomplished; and stepping back a few +steps, he cried out, "Chop! chop!! chop!!!" And lo and behold! the axe +began to chop, hew, hack, now right, now left, and up and down! Trunk, +branches, roots, all were speedily cut to bits. In fact, it only took a +quarter of an hour, and yet there was such a heap, a monstrous heap of +wood, that the whole court had nothing else to burn for a whole year. + +When the tree was entirely cut down and cleared away, Thumbling +approached the king, (who, in the mean time, had sent for the princess, +and caused her to sit down by his side, to see the wonderful thing,) +and, making them both a low bow, said:-- + +"Is your Majesty entirely satisfied with his faithful subject?" + +"Yes, so far so good," answered the king; "but I must have my well, or +look out for your ears!" + +All went then into the grand court-yard. The king placed himself on an +elevated seat. The princess sat a little below, and looked with some +anxiety at the little husband that Heaven seemed to have sent her. He +was not the spouse she had dreamed of, certainly. Without troubling +himself the least in the world, Thumbling now drew the magic pickaxe +from his stout leather bag, calmly put it together, and then, laying it +carefully on the ground in the proper place, he cried:-- + +"Pick! Pick!! Pick!!!" + +And lo and behold! the pick began to burst the granite to splinters, and +in less than a quarter of an hour had dug a well more than a hundred +feet deep, in the solid rock. + +"Does your Majesty think," asked Thumbling, bowing profoundly, "that the +well is sufficiently deep?" + +"Certainly," answered the king; "but where is the water to come from?" + +"If your Majesty will grant me a moment longer," rejoined Thumbling, +"your just impatience shall be satisfied." So saying, he drew from his +stout leather bag the nut-shell, all covered as it was with moss, and +placed it on a magnificent fountain vase, where, not having any water, +they had put a bouquet of flowers. + +"Gush! Gush!! Gush!!!" cried Thumbling. + +And lo and behold! the water began to burst out among the flowers, +singing with a gentle murmur, and falling down in a charming cascade, +that was so cold that it made everybody present shiver; and so abundant, +that in a quarter of an hour the well was filled, and a deep trench had +to be dug to take away the surplus water; otherwise the whole palace +would have been overflowed. + +"Sire!" now said Thumbling, bending gracefully on one knee before the +royal chair, "does your Majesty find that I have answered your +conditions?" + +"Yes! my _Lord Marquis Thumbling_," answered the king; "I am ready to +give you the half of my kingdom, or to pay you the value of it, by +means of a tax my loyal subjects will only be too happy to pay. As to +giving you the princess, however, and calling you my son-in-law, that is +another question; for that doesn't depend upon me alone." + +"And what must I do for that?" asked Thumbling proudly, ogling the +princess at the same time. + +"You shall know to-morrow," replied the king; "and meanwhile you are my +guest, and the most magnificent apartment in the palace shall be +prepared for you." + +After the departure of the king and princess, Thumbling ran to find his +two brothers, who, with their ears cut off, looked like cropped curs. +"Ah! my boys," said he, "do you think now I was wrong in being +astonished at everything, as you said, and in trying to find out the why +and wherefore of it?" + +"You have had the luck," answered Paul coldly; "Fortune is blind, and +doesn't always choose the most worthy upon whom to bestow her favors." + +But Peter said, "You have done well, brother; and with or without ears, +I am delighted at your good fortune, and only wish our poor old father +was here to see it also." + +Thumbling took his two brothers along with him, and, as he was in high +favor at court, that very day he secured them good situations. + + +IV. + +Meanwhile, the king was tossing uneasily on his magnificent bed, and +broad awake. Such a son-in-law as Thumbling didn't please him overmuch, +so he tried to see if he couldn't think of some way of breaking his +word, without seeming to do so. For people that call themselves honest, +this is by no means an easy task. Put a thief between honor and +interest, you won't find him hesitate; but that is because he _is_ a +thief. In his perplexity, the king sent for Peter and Paul, since the +two brothers were the only ones who could enlighten him on the birth, +character, and disposition of our hero. Peter, who, as you remember, was +good-natured, praised his brother warmly, which didn't please the king +overmuch; but Paul put the king more at his ease, by trying to prove to +him that Thumbling was nothing but an adventurer, and that it would be +ridiculous that so great a monarch should be under obligations to such a +contemptible fellow. + +"The scamp is so vain," continued the malicious Paul, "that he thinks he +is stout enough to manage a giant; and you can use this vanity of his to +get rid of him. In the neighboring country there is an ugly Troll, who +is the terror of the whole neighborhood. He devours all the cattle for +ten leagues about, and commits unheard-of devastation everywhere. Now +Thumbling has said a great many times that, if he wanted to, he would +make this giant his slave." + +"We shall see about this," said the king, who caught at the insinuation +of the wicked brother, and thereupon sent the two brothers away, and +slept tranquilly the rest of the night. + +The next morning, when the whole court was called together, the king +ordered Thumbling to be sent for; and presently he made his appearance, +white as a lily, ruddy as a rose, and smiling as the morn. + +"My good son-in-law," said the king, emphasizing these words, "a hero +like yourself cannot marry a princess without giving her a present +worthy of her exalted rank. Now there is in the neighboring woods a +Troll, who, they say, is twenty feet high, and who eats a whole ox for +his breakfast. This fine fellow, with his three-cornered hat, his golden +epaulettes, his braided jacket, and his staff, fifteen feet long, would +make a servant indeed worthy of a king. My daughter begs you to make her +this trifling present, after which she will see about giving you her +hand." + +"That is not an easy task," answered Thumbling; "but, if it please your +Majesty, I will try." + +So saying, he went down to the kitchen, took his stout leather bag, put +in it the magic axe, a loaf of bread, some cheese, and a knife, and +then, throwing all over his shoulder, started off for the woods. Peter +whimpered, but Paul chuckled, thinking that, his brother once gone, he +should never see him back again. + +Once fairly in the forest, Thumbling looked around to right and left; +but the grass was so thick that he couldn't see anything, so he began to +sing at the top of his voice,-- + + "Master Troll, Master Troll! + I defy you to appear! + I must have you, body and soul, + Master Troll, Master Troll! + Show yourself, for I AM HERE!" + +"AND I AM HERE!" cried the giant, with a terrible shout. "Wait a minute, +and I will only make a mouthful of you!" + +"Don't be in a hurry, my good fellow," replied Thumbling, in a little +squeaking voice, "I have a whole hour to give you." + +When the Troll came to the place where Thumbling was, he looked around +on every side, very much astonished at not seeing anything. At last, +lowering his eyes to the ground, he discovered what appeared to be a +little child, sitting on a fallen tree, with a stout leather bag between +his knees. + +"Is it you, pigmy, who woke me up from my nap?" growled the Troll, +rolling his great red eyes. + +"I am the very one," replied Thumbling, "I have come to take you into my +service." + +"He! he!" laughed the giant, who was as stupid as he was big, "that is a +good joke indeed. But I am going to pitch you into that raven's nest I +see up there, to teach you not to make a noise in my forest." + +"_Your_ forest!" laughed Thumbling. "It is as much mine as it is yours, +and if you say a word more, I will cut it down in a quarter of an hour." + +"Ha! ha!" shouted the giant, "and I should like to see you begin, my +brave fellow." + +Thumbling carefully placed the axe on the ground, and said, "Chop! +chop!! chop!!!" + +And lo and behold! the axe begins to chop, hew, hack, now right, now +left, and up and down, till the branches tumble on the Troll's head like +hail in autumn. + +"Enough, enough!" said the Troll, who began to be alarmed. "Don't +destroy my forest. But who the mischief are you?" + +"I am the famous sorcerer THUMBLING," answered our hero, in as gruff a +voice as his little body was capable of; "and I have only to say a +single word to chop your head off your shoulders. You don't know yet +with whom you have to do." + +The giant hesitated, very much disturbed at what he saw. Meanwhile, +Thumbling, who began to be hungry, opened his stout leather bag, and +took out his bread and cheese. + +"What is that white stuff?" asked the Troll, who had never seen any +cheese before. + +"That is a stone," answered Thumbling. He began to eat as eagerly as +possible. + +"Do you eat stones?" asked the giant. + +"O yes," replied Thumbling, "that is my ordinary food, and that is the +reason I am not so big as you, who eat oxen; but it is also the reason +why, little as I am, I am ten times as strong as you are. Now take me to +your house." + +The Troll was conquered; and, marching before Thumbling like a dog +before a little child, he led him to his monstrous cabin. + +"Now listen," said Thumbling to the giant, after they were fairly +seated, "one of us has got to be the master, and the other the servant. +Let us make this bargain: if I can't do whatever you do, I am to be your +slave; if you are not able to do whatever I do, you are to be mine." + +"Agreed," said the Troll; "I should admire to have such a little servant +as you are. It is too much work for me to think, and you have wit enough +for both; so begin with the trial. Here are my two buckets,--go and get +the water to make the soup." + +Thumbling looked at the buckets. They were two enormous hogsheads, ten +feet high and six broad. It would have been much easier for him to drown +himself in them than to move them. + +"O, ho!" shouted the giant, as he saw his hesitation; "and so you are +stuck at the first thing, my boy! Do what I do, you know, and get the +water." + +"What is the good of that?" replied Thumbling, calmly; "I will go and +get the spring itself, and put that in the pot." + +"No! no!" said the Troll; "that won't do. You have already half spoiled +my forest, and I don't want you to take my spring away, lest to-morrow I +shall go dry. You may attend to the fire, and I will go and get the +water." + +After having hung up the kettle, the giant put into it an ox cut into +pieces, fifty cabbages, and a wagon-load of carrots. He then skimmed the +broth with a frying-pan, tasting it every now and then, to see if it was +done. When all was ready, he turned to Thumbling, and said:-- + +"Now to the table. We'll see if you can do what I can there. I feel like +eating the whole ox, and you into the bargain. I think I will serve you +for dessert." + +"All right," said Thumbling; but before sitting down to the table, he +slipped under his jacket his stout leather bag, which reached down to +his feet. + +The two champions now set to work. The Troll ate and ate, and Thumbling +wasn't idle; only he pitched everything, beef, cabbage, carrots, and +all, into his bag, when the giant wasn't looking. + +"Ouf!" at last grunted the Troll; "I can't do much more; I have got to +unbutton the lower button of my waistcoat." + +"Eat away, starveling!" cried Thumbling, sticking the half of a cabbage +into his bag. + +"Ouf!" groaned the giant; "I have got to unbutton another button. But +what sort of an ostrich's stomach have you got, my son? I should think +you were used to eating stones!" + +"Eat away, lazy-bones!" said Thumbling, sticking a huge junk of beef +into his bag. + +"Ouf!" sighed the giant, for the third time; "I have got to unbutton the +third button. I am almost suffocated; and how is it with you, sorcerer?" + +"Bah!" answered Thumbling; "it is the easiest thing in the world to +relieve yourself; and so saying he took his knife, and slit his jacket +and the bag under it the whole length of his stomach. + +"It is your turn now," he said to the giant; "do as I do, you know, _if +you can_." + +"Your humble servant," replied the Troll; "pray excuse me! I had rather +be your servant than do that; _my_ stomach don't digest steel!" + +No sooner said than done; the giant kissed Thumbling's hand in token of +submission, and taking his little master on one shoulder, and a huge bag +of gold on the other, he started off for the king's palace. + + +V. + +They were having a great feast at the palace, and thinking no more of +Thumbling than if the giant had eaten him up a week before; when, all of +a sudden, they heard a terrible noise that shook the palace to its very +foundations. It was the Troll, who, finding the great gateway too low +for him to enter, had overturned it with a single kick of his foot. +Everybody ran to the windows, the king among the rest, and there saw +Thumbling quietly seated on the shoulder of his terrible servant. + +Our adventurer sprang lightly to the balcony of the second story, where +he saw his betrothed, and, bending gracefully on one knee, he said:-- + +"Princess, you asked me for a slave; I present you two." + +This gallant speech was published the next morning in the Court Gazette; +but at the moment it was said it was quite embarrassing to the poor +king; and as he didn't know how to reply to it, he drew the princess one +side, and thus addressed her:-- + +[Illustration] + +"My child, I have now no possible excuse for refusing your hand to this +daring young man; sacrifice yourself, my darling, to your country; +remember that princesses do not marry to please themselves." + +"Pardon me, father," answered the princess, courtesying; "princess or +not, every woman likes to marry according to her taste. Let me defend my +rights as I think best." + +"Thumbling," added she, aloud, "you are brave and lucky; but that is not +enough alone to please women." + +"I know that," answered Thumbling; "it is necessary besides to do their +pleasure, and submit to their caprices." + +"You are a witty fellow," said the princess; "and since you understand +me so well, I am going to propose another trial to you. You need not be +alarmed, for this time you will only have me for an antagonist. Let us +try and see who will be the sharpest and quickest, and my hand shall be +the prize of the battle." + +Thumbling assented, with a low bow, and followed the court into the +great hall of audience, where the trial was to take place. There, to the +affright of all, the Troll was found, sprawling on the floor; for, as +the hall was only fifteen feet high, the poor fellow couldn't get up. On +a sign of his young master, he crawled humbly to him, happy and proud +to obey. It was Force itself, in the service of Wit. + +"Now," said the princess, "let us begin with some nonsense. It is an old +story that women are not afraid to lie; and we will see which of us will +stand the biggest story without objection. The first one who says, +'_That is too much_,' will be beaten." + +"I am always at the service of your Royal Highness," answered Thumbling; +"whether to lie in sport, or to tell the truth in sober earnest." + +"I am sure," began the princess, "that you haven't got a farm half as +beautiful as ours; and it is so large, that, when two shepherds are +blowing their horns at each end of it, neither can hear the other." + +"That is nothing at all," said Thumbling; "my father's farm is so large, +that, if a heifer two months old goes in at the gate on one side of it, +when she goes out at the other she takes a calf of her own with her." + +"That don't surprise me," continued the princess; "but you haven't got a +bull half as big as ours; a man can sit on each of his horns, and the +two can't touch each other with a twenty-foot pole." + +"That is nothing at all," replied Thumbling; "my father's bull is so +large, that a servant sitting on one of his horns can't see the servant +sitting on the other." + +"That don't surprise me," said the princess; "but you haven't got half +so much milk at your farm as we have; for we fill, every day, twenty +hogsheads, a hundred feet high; and every week, we make a pile of cheese +as high as the big pyramid of Egypt." + +"That is nothing at all," said Thumbling. "In my father's dairy they +make such big cheeses, that once, when my father's mare fell into the +press, we only found her after travelling seven days, and she was so +much injured that her back was broken. So to mend that I made her a +backbone of a pine-tree, that answered splendidly; till one fine morning +the tree took it into its head to grow, and it grew and grew until it +was so high that I climbed up to Heaven on it. There I looked down, and +saw a lady in a white gown spinning sea-foam to make gossamer with. I +went to take hold of it, and snap! the thread broke, and I fell into a +rat-hole. There I saw your father and my mother spinning; and as your +father was clumsy, lo and behold, my mother gave him such a box on the +ear, that it made his old wig shake----" + +"_That is too much!_" interrupted the princess. "My father never +suffered such an insult in all his life." + +"She said it! she said it!" shouted the giant "Now, master, the princess +is ours!" + + +VI. + +But the princess said, blushing: "Not quite yet. I have three riddles to +give you, Thumbling; guess them, and I will obey my father, and become +your wife without any more objections. Tell me, first, what that is +which is always falling, and is never broken?" + +"Oh!" answered Thumbling, "my mother told me that a long time ago; it is +a waterfall." + +"That is so," interrupted the giant; "but who would have thought of +that." + +"Tell me, next," continued the princess, with a slight trembling in her +voice, "what is that that every day goes the same journey, and yet never +returns on its steps?" + +"Oh!" answered Thumbling, "my mother told me that a long time ago; it is +the sun." + +"You are right," said the princess, pale with emotion. "And now for my +last question, which you will never guess. What is that that you think, +and that I don't think? What is that we both think, and what is that we +neither of us think?" + +Thumbling bent his head, and seemed embarrassed; and the Troll whispered +to him: "Master, don't be disturbed. If you can't guess it, just make a +sign to me, and I will carry off the princess, and make an end of the +matter at once." + +"Be silent, slave!" answered Thumbling. "Force alone can do nothing, my +poor friend, and no one ought to know it better than you. Let me have my +own way." + +"Madame," said he then to the princess, in the midst of a profound +silence, "I hardly dare guess; and yet in this riddle I plainly perceive +my own happiness. I dared to think that your questions would have no +difficulty for me, while you thought the contrary; you have the goodness +to believe that I am not unworthy to please you, while I have hardly the +boldness to think so; finally," added he, smilingly, "what we both think +is, that there are bigger fools in the world than you and I; and what we +neither of us think is, that the king, your august father, and this poor +giant have as much--" + +"Silence!" interrupted the princess; "here is my hand." + +"What were you thinking about me?" asked the king; "I should be +delighted to know." + +"My dear father," said the princess, embracing him, "we think that you +are the wisest of kings, and the best of fathers." + +"It is well!" replied the king, loftily; "and now I must do something +for my subjects. Thumbling, from this moment you are a Duke!" + +"Long live Duke Thumbling! long live my master!" shouted the giant, with +a terrific roar, that sounded like a clap of thunder breaking over the +palace. But, luckily, there was no harm done, save badly frightening +everybody, and breaking all the windows. + + +VII. + +It would be unnecessary to give a full account of the wedding of the +princess and Duke Thumbling. All weddings are alike; the difference is +in what follows after them. Nevertheless, it would be improper in a +truthful historian not to say that the presence of the Troll added a +great deal to the magnificent display. For instance, when the happy +couple were returning from the church, the giant, in the excess of his +joy, found nothing better to do than to take the royal carriage on the +top of his head, and to carry the wedded pair back to the palace. This +is an incident worth noting, because it doesn't happen every day. + +At night there was a splendid feast at the palace, with suppers, +orations, poems, fireworks, illuminations, and everything. Nothing was +wanting, and the joy was universal. Everybody in the palace laughed, +sung, ate, or drank, save one man, who, seated sullenly alone in a dark +corner, amused himself in a very different way from everybody else. It +was the surly Paul, who rejoiced that his ears had been cut off, because +he had become deaf, and consequently couldn't hear the praises all were +showering on his brother. On the other hand, he was unhappy, because he +couldn't help seeing the happiness of the bride and bridegroom. So he +rushed out into the forest, where the bears speedily made an end of him; +and I wish a like punishment to all envious people like him. + +Thumbling was such a little fellow that it was hard work for his +subjects to respect him; but he was so wise, so affable, and so kind, +that he very soon conquered the love of his wife, and the affection of +all his people. + +After the death of his father-in-law, he succeeded to the throne, which +he occupied fifty-two years, without anybody ever having thought of a +revolution; a fact that would be incredible, if it were not attested by +the official records of his reign. He was so wise, says history, that he +always divined what could best serve or please the humblest of his +subjects, while he was so good, that the pleasures of others constituted +his greatest happiness. He only lived for others. + +But why praise his goodness? Is not that the virtue of all men of +intelligence and wit? Whatever others may say, _I_ don't believe there +are such things as good brutes here on earth; I speak now of featherless +brutes that go on two legs. When a man is brutal, he cannot be kind and +good; when a man is good, he cannot be brutal;--believe my long +experience, which has learned it. If all blockheads are not +vicious,--and I think they are,--all wicked men are necessarily foolish. +And that is the moral of this story, if you can't find a better one. If +you will find me a better, I will go and tell it to the Pope of Rome +himself. + +_From the Finnish._ + +[Illustration] + + + + +THE RED-COATS. + + +There was commotion in Leafland. All the cities of the Great Republic +were smitten with sudden dismay. Oakwich, Mapleton, Ashby, Elmthorpe, +Beechworth, Sumachford, Nutham, trembled from centre to circumference. +There were hurried consultations, desperate resolutions rejected as soon +as adopted, eager inventories taken of domestic property, and a fearful +looking-for of coming calamity. For, on the fine September morning when +the sun poured out golden showers, and Leafland sat fair and smiling in +robes of green, and so the whole universe was golden-green, there came a +messenger flying from the North country,--a wandering Wood-thrush, +deserted, draggled, and forlorn, faltering on weary wing through the +lovely lanes of Leafland. The men begged him to tarry; the women +promised him the daintiest tidbit in the sweetest bower on the sunniest +bough; and the little Leaf-people clapped their tiny hands, and danced +on the tips of their tiny toes for glee. For so admirably managed in +Leafland are the Department of the Interior and the Bureau of Foreign +Affairs, that you might think the Leaflanders had solved the great +problem of universal brotherhood. The stranger that is within their +gates is all one with him who is bone of their bone and flesh of their +flesh. No sooner does a foreigner enter their borders, than he is +presented with the freedom of all their cities. They provide for his +wants, protect him from danger, and cherish his home as tenderly as if +he were one of themselves. Robin the Red-breast and shy little Veery, +Pewee the plaintive and cheerful Chewink, Long-sparrow, Bluebird, and +sweet Chickadee, all glide freely in and out of their green and golden +halls, flit through their winding streets, and take part in all their +delights. Nor have the Leaflanders any trouble to understand +bird-language. They have not, like the old Ger-men, eaten the hearts of +birds, but by a more excellent way have they entered into all their +secrets. Through long summer days and the silence of dewy nights, they +lean so lovingly over them, they stir so softly around the still +bird-cradles, they coo so tenderly to the sweet egg-nestlings and the +helpless baby-birds, that one heart-language springs up between them, +and shines familiarly through all foreign phrase. Nor is it the birds +alone who take out naturalization-papers in Leafland. All manner of +nations and peoples partake of its hospitalities and remember it for +blessing. You have only to be pure-hearted, and you may become at once a +Leaflander. + +So it came to pass that the Leaflanders were sore grieved at heart to +see the weary Wood-thrush deaf to all their entreaties, and bent alone +on pursuing his solitary way. But as he wheeled slowly above their +heads, as he seemed just about to vanish into the blue distance, they +heard his faint voice--whether in terror or weakness they could not +tell--only the words fell distinctly on their ears,-- + +"_I see! I see! I see! The Red-coats are coming!_" + +Faint and far and clarion-clear, it trembled through Leafland, low but +ominous. Mapleton heard it and wondered; Elmthorpe and Ashby and Nutham +repeated it, looking into one another's eyes for a meaning. Proud old +Oakwich tried to assume a grave aspect, but was inwardly at her wits' +end. "The Red-coats are coming." All the ancient men and women, +great-great-great-great-grandfathers and grandmothers, whose childhood +lay wellnigh lost in the infinite past of April days, said it over to +each other with thin, quavering voices; but all their experience gave +them no key to the mysterious message. Then the post-riders were brought +into requisition. The whole corporation of Gale, Breeze, Zephyr, & Co., +Express Company, all their clerks, agents, and errand-boys, were sent to +and fro through the Commonwealth, to see if any one anywhere had a +little light to bestow upon the subject. Alas! the light came all too +soon, and brought infinite sighing and sobbing. A thought suddenly broke +loose in Oakwich, and up spake an old Oakwichian. "Oh! and oh! and woe +is me for my miserable land now, now about to be bereft of her children! +All her strength destroyed, all her loveliness laid desolate!" + +Straightway throughout Leafland rose the voice of wailing, "Woe! woe! +woe! for the miserable land!" but none of them knew what they were +crying for; only the Oakwichian began it, and nothing better occurred to +them to do than to join in; which soon made the sunny day overcast, and +all the people walking in Netherworld where it approaches Leafland +wrapped their old cloaks about them, and said spitefully, "What a +disagreeable, raw east-wind it is, to be sure!" + +But by and by, when their throats were quite dry and sore with wailing, +one of the Mapletonians, a very sensible young woman, quite famous +indeed for her wisdom, bethought herself to inquire what it was all +about. Then there was a very pretty outburst of indignation. For a +moment they forgot their grief, and, what was still worse, their good +manners, and turned upon the unfortunate young woman. + +"And so you set yourself above your betters, and fiddle while Leafland +is burning!" cried one. + +"And pray, Miss Wiseacre," asked another, "how came _you_ to know so +much more than any one else? Who told _you_ that nothing was the +matter?" + +"Oh! if women would only mind the house, and not meddle with what does +not belong to them!" exclaimed a third. + +All very unjust as you see, for surely the destruction of Leafland +concerned the women as much as the men, and poor "Miss Wiseacre" had not +so much as made an assertion,--only asked a question. However, the +Leaflanders must be excused, because they were quite beside themselves +with terror, and, moreover, a question is sometimes more exasperating +than fire and sword. + +But the old Oakwichian was more reasonable, and, ever glad, even in the +article of death, to disseminate useful knowledge, interposed. "I will +tell you what the matter is," he said. "Well I remember in the far-away +past, in the sunny summer-days that will return, alas! no more,"--here a +burst of sorrow prevented speech, but he presently recovered +himself,--"how a little maid used to walk in Netherworld, and rest under +the shadow of our greatness, toying with the light. She was a favorite +with every one hereabouts. Gold was her hair like a spun sunbeam, blue +her eyes like our own June sky, and her voice might sing the lowest +lullaby of the Red Mavis, or his song to his love in her nest. Sometimes +the little maiden looked up wistfully to us, her eyes all a-gleam with +her glowing fancies. Then we pelted her with sunshine, and caressed her +with shade, and then she was happiest of all. But sometimes she brought +with her hateful things, tasks and tools, useless, awkward, bungling, +sharp weapons, that hurt her tender fingers, long cords that she pulled +aimlessly back and forth, huge books with harsh names, that blurred her +dear eyes and gloomed her bright face. First we tried to shame and then +to woo her away from them, but some invisible old dragon stood over her, +and forced her on; and so we learned at length to watch and wait till +the hated task was over. Thereby we learned many strange and wonderful +things; but this alone is to the purpose, that I surely recall how for +many days she kept reading about the Red-coats, and I peeped down over +her shoulder, as we swayed in the dance one afternoon, and saw pictures +of these same Red-coats, a great destroying army, fierce and fell, who +burn villages, and talk piously, and slay men, women, and children. Them +has friend Wood-thrush verily seen, and against them he strove to warn +us. But, ah! what avails it? What can we do, or whither shall we flee! +Can a nation take wing like a Wood-thrush? Can Leafland flit about like +a Swallow? And who should warrant us that the Red-coats should not +pursue us to remotest fastnesses? Nay, they may be even now upon us. +Woe! woe is me! We were Leaflanders; Oakwich was, and the great glory of +the Elmthorpians! But now we be all dead men!" + +At this, the Leaflanders only paused long enough to upbraid the young +woman. "See now whether anything is the matter!" and immediately fell to +upon their despair. + +"A nation in ruins!" cried the statesman. "Leafland falls from its lofty +summit, and I live to see the day." + +"I behold the gods departing from Leafland," spake the scholar. "This is +the end of the fates of Leafland." + +"Now I do not care for your gods and your fates and your what-all," +sobbed a nervous little lady. "I never could see that they were of any +use in housekeeping; but who shall watch over the tender birdlings when +we are gone?" + +"And never any more dances! Forever, never, never, forever!" You may +know it was a belle said that. + +"Dances are but the vanity of this world," moaned a sedate matron; "but +woe for my dear pet Aphides, with their six hundred thousand children, +who will be dead before they are born!" + +"Bother your six hundred thousand children!" growled a crusty +philosopher. "If they _are_ dead, it is the only good thing ever I heard +about them. It might be worth while to have one's country crashing about +one's ears occasionally, for the sake of being well rid of such trash. +Here are all our laboratories broken up, and the sun's occupation gone, +and you making a to-do about a parcel of babies!" + +"O the sweet sunshine!" wept a poet, but most musically,--"the warm, +delicious sunshine, that our hungry souls can feed upon no more, nor +ever fill our drinking-cups with nectared dew!" + +And so in Mapleton and Sumachford and through all Leafland was nothing +heard but the voice of lamentation, and nothing seen but floods of +tears, and nothing thought of but how to avert or escape the threatened +calamity; and, in their terror and trouble, the Leaflanders almost lost +their fine tempers, and were often on the brink of quarrelling; and the +people walking in Netherworld met each other under blue cotton +umbrellas, and exclaimed, "What a spell of weather!" and altogether it +was very uncomfortable, both in Leafland and Netherworld. + +Just at this time a gay young Chipmonk appeared upon the scene,--a +careless, dashing, saucy fellow, very popular among the young +Leaflanders of the rapid sort. He came skipping and frisking into +Nutham, as his manner was, both pockets full of corn which he had +_confiscated_, he remarked significantly, from a field down yonder. He +nodded jauntily right and left, and then disposed himself comfortably in +a corner, and began cracking his dainties in a very free-and-easy +manner, not noticing the woe-begone aspect of his friends. All at once, +however, he awoke to a realizing sense of things, and showed his +sympathy after his own fashion, by giving a sudden flirt with his tail, +and calling out, irreverently, "What's the row?" + +Amid tears and sighs, the sad story was related to him, in all its +length and breadth and thickness; but, instead of the answering tear and +sigh which his auditors expected, he only thrust his paws into his +pockets, and whisked his tail over his back in frantic convulsions of +laughter; muttering, as breath came to him in the pauses, "O, what a +gony! For that matter, O, what a pack of gonies!" + +Now the Leaflanders were quite too well-bred ever to have used or heard +so barbarous a word as "gony." Nevertheless, reason and instinct both +taught them, as it will teach all people of refined sensibilities, that +to be called a gony is to be called something very disagreeable; and if +anything can heighten the unpleasant sensation, it is to be called "a +pack of gonies." Consequently the Leaflanders began to look at each +other blankly, and even to suspect that possibly they had been making +fools of themselves. But Chipmonk did not leave them long in suspense. +"Your terrible Red-coats are your own selves," he cried. "I have heard +of people being frightened by their own shadow; but never, in all my +born days, did I hear of any one being frightened by his own shine." + +"Now will you explain yourself?" cried one of the young ladies, her +curiosity getting the better of her chagrin. All the old men and the +young men were longing to know, but were too proud to ask; but the +question being asked for them, they were glad enough to crowd in, and +hear the answer. + +"It is only this, and nothing more," answered Chipmonk, ejecting a +pine-seed from his mouth. "You are all going to have a new suit of +clothes, more splendid than you ever saw in your lives,--yellow and +brown and spotted, and all manner of magnificent colors, but chiefly +red; and then you will be Red-coats, won't you? Wood-thrush came from +north, where the tailoring began; and he saw it, and told you. It is a +sign for him to be up and flying. He thought it would be his excuse for +declining your invitation, instead of which you all went thrusting your +heads into a bramble-bush. O my!" + +"But say, Chipmonk, do you know this? Are you sure of it? It seems too +good news to be true." + +"Well, all I can say is, I have lived here, man and boy, nigh on to +forty months; and I know it always _has_ happened about this time. I am +young for a Chipmonk; but I was in full career long before the oldest +crone among you was born; and if there is anything hereabouts that I +don't know, you may take your affidavit it isn't worth knowing." And he +sat back, and betook himself once more to his "confiscated" corn with +the most indifferent superiority. + +Oh! but there was gladness then in Leafland, you may be sure. All their +sadness was turned to rejoicing; and even then the work of +transformation--called, in squirrelicular, "tailoring"--began. Old and +young, men and maids, felt a glory in their blood. All the essence of +the summer-long sunshine seemed to pour itself into their hearts. From +one end of Leafland to another was only singing and dancing and delight. +Mapleton crowned herself with a golden crown, and Oakwich wreathed her +brows with the sunset. All the beauty of the past was dull and sombre to +this new splendor, this royal magnificence, born of the ineffable light. + +A poet and a publisher walked through the Essex woods one October +afternoon; and they remarked that the foliage was very brilliant this +year, which was quite true; but if I had not been born, you never would +have known all about it. + +_Gail Hamilton._ + +[Illustration] + + + + +THE COLOR-BEARER + +[Illustration] + + + Was a fortress to be stormed: + Boldly right in view they formed, + All as quiet as a regiment parading: + Then in front a line of flame! + Then at left and right the same! + Two platoons received a furious enfilading. + To their places still they filed, + And they smiled at the wild + Cannonading. + + "'T will be over in an hour! + 'T will not be much of a shower! + Never mind, my boys," said he, "a little drizzling!" + Then to cross that fatal plain, + Through the whirring, hurtling rain + Of the grape-shot, and the minie-bullets' whistling! + But he nothing heeds nor shuns, + As he runs with the guns + Brightly bristling! + + Leaving trails of dead and dying + In their track, yet forward flying + Like a breaker where the gale of conflict rolled them, + With a foam of flashing light + Borne before them on their bright + Burnished barrels,--O, 't was fearful to behold them! + While from ramparts roaring loud + Swept a cloud like a shroud + To enfold them! + + O, his color was the first! + Through the burying cloud he burst, + With the standard to the battle forward slanted! + Through the belching, blinding breath + Of the flaming jaws of Death, + Till his banner on the bastion he had planted! + By the screaming shot that fell, + And the yell of the shell, + Nothing daunted. + + Right against the bulwark dashing, + Over tangled branches crashing, + 'Mid the plunging volleys thundering ever louder! + There he clambers, there he stands, + With the ensign in his hands,-- + O, was ever hero handsomer or prouder? + Streaked with battle-sweat and slime, + And sublime in the grime + Of the powder! + + 'T was six minutes, at the least, + Ere the closing combat ceased,-- + Near as we the mighty moments then could measure,-- + And we held our souls with awe, + Till his haughty flag we saw + On the lifting vapors drifting o'er the embrasure! + Saw it glimmer in our tears, + While our ears heard the cheers + Rend the azure! + + Through the abatis they broke, + Through the surging cannon-smoke, + And they drove the foe before like frightened cattle! + O, but never wound was his, + For in other wars than this, + Where the volleys of Life's conflict roar and rattle, + He must still, as he was wont, + In the front bear the brunt + Of the battle. + + He shall guide the van of Truth! + And in manhood, as in youth, + Be her fearless, be her peerless Color-Bearer! + With his high and bright example, + Like a banner brave and ample, + Ever leading through receding clouds of Error, + To the empire of the Strong, + And to Wrong he shall long + Be a terror! + + _J. T. Trowbridge._ + + + + +THE LITTLE PRISONER. + +PART I. + +ON THE BATTLE-GROUND. + + +We--grandma, "our young folks," and I--live up here among the hills, in +a quaint, old-fashioned farm-house,--older than any of the "old folks" +now living; and every day, when the sun goes down, we gather around the +great wood fire in the sitting-room, and talk and tell stories by the +hour together. I tell the most of the stories; for, though I am only a +plain farmer, going about in a slouched hat, a rusty coat, and a pair of +pantaloons so old and threadbare that you would not wear them if you +were in the ash business, I have mingled with men, seen a great many +places, and been almost all over the world. + +My own children like my stories, because they think they are true, and +because they are all about the men I have met, and the places I have +seen, and so give them some glimpses of what is going on in the busy +life outside of our quiet country home; but I do not expect other young +folks to like them as well as my own do,--for their own father will not +tell them. However, I am going to write out a few of the many I know, in +the hope that they may give some trifling pleasure and instruction to +boys and girls I have never seen, and who gather of evenings around +firesides far away from the one where all my stories are first told. + +As I sit down to write by this bright, blazing fire, the clouds are +scudding across the moon, and the wind is moaning around the old house, +shaking the doors, and rattling the windows, and snapping the branches +of the great trees as if a whole regiment of young giants were cracking +their whips in the court-yard. On just such a night a wounded boy lay +out on the Wilderness battle-ground! + +You have heard of that great battle; how two hundred thousand men met in +a dense forest, and for two long days and nights, over wooded hills, and +through tangled valleys, and deep, rocky ravines, surged against each +other like angry waves in a storm. And you have heard, too--what is very +pitiful to hear--how, when that bloody storm was over, and the sun came +out, dim and cold, on the cheerless May morning which followed, thirty +thousand men--every one the father, brother, or friend of some young +folks at home--lay dead and dying on that awful field. Amid such a host +of dead and dying men, you might overlook one little boy, who, all that +starless Friday night, lay there wounded in the Wilderness. I do not +want you to overlook him, and therefore I am going to tell you his +story. + +He was a bright-eyed, fair-haired boy of twelve, the only son of his +mother, who was a widow. He used to read at home of how little boys had +gone to the war, how they had been in the great battles, and how great +generals had praised them; and he longed to go to the war too, and to do +something to make himself as famous as the little boy who fought on the +Rappahannock. For a long time his mother was deaf to his +entreaties,--and he would not go without her consent; but at last, when +a friend of his father raised a company of hundred-days men in his +native town, she let him join as a drummer-boy in the regiment. + +The first battle he was in was the terrible one in the Wilderness. His +regiment shared in the first day's fight, but he escaped unharmed; and +all that night, though tired and hungry, he went about in the woods +carrying water to the wounded. The next morning he snatched a few hours' +sleep, and that and a good breakfast refreshed him greatly. At ten +o'clock his regiment moved, and it kept moving and fighting all that +day, until the sun went down; but, though a hundred of his comrades had +fallen around him, he remained unhurt. + +The shadows were deepening into darkness, and the night was hanging its +lanterns up in the sky, when the weary men threw themselves on the +ground to rest. Overcome with fatigue, he too lay down, and, giving one +thought to his mother at home, and another to his Father in heaven, fell +fast asleep. Suddenly the sharp rattle of musketry and the deafening +roar of cannon sounded along the lines, and five thousand rebels rushed +out upon them. Surprised and panic-stricken, our men broke and fled; +and, roused by the terrible uproar, James--that was his name--sprang to +his feet, but only in time to catch in his arms the captain, who was +falling. He was shot through and through by a minie ball. + +James laid him gently on the ground, took his head tenderly in his lap; +and listened to the last words he had to send to his wife and children. +Meanwhile, yelling like demons, the Rebels came on, and passed them. +Then he could have escaped to the woods, but he would not leave his +father's friend when he was dying. + +Soon our men rallied, and in turn drove the enemy. Slowly and sullenly +the Rebels fell back to the hill where James and his friend were lying. +There they made a stand, and for half an hour fought desperately, but +were at last overborne and forced back again. As they were on the eve of +retreating, a tall, ragged ruffian came up to James, and demanded the +watch and money of the captain. + +"You will not rob a dying man?" said the little boy, looking up to him +imploringly. + +"Wall, I woan't!" was the Rebel's brutal reply, as he aimed his bayonet +straight at the captain's heart. + +By a quick, dexterous movement, James parried the blow; but, turning +suddenly on the poor boy, the ruffian, with another thrust of his +bayonet, ran him directly through the body. His head sunk back to the +ground, and he fainted. + +How long he lay there unconscious he does not know, but when he came to +himself the moon had gone down, and the stars had disappeared, and +thick, black clouds were filling all the sky. It did not rain, but the +cold wind moaned among the trees, and chilled him through and through. +He tried to rise, but a sharp pain came in his side, and for the first +time he thought of his wound. Passing his hand to it, he found it was +clotted with blood. The cold air had stopped the bleeding, and thus +saved his life. Though the bayonet had gone clear through him, his hurt +was not mortal, for no vital part was injured. + +He thought of the captain, and spoke his name; but no answer came. Then +he reached out his hand to find him. He was there, but his face was +cold,--colder than the cold night that was about them. He was dead. + +The wounded lay all around, and all this while their cries and groans, +as they called piteously for water, or moaned aloud in their agony, came +to his ear, and went to his very soul. He had heard their cries the +night before, as he crept about among them in the thick woods; but then +they had not sounded so sad, so pitiful, as now, and that night was not +so cold, so dark, so cheerless as this was. Soon he knew the full extent +of their agony. An intolerable thirst came upon him. Hot, melted lead +seemed to run along his veins, and a burning heat, as of a fire of hot +coals kindling in his side, almost consumed him. He cried out for help, +but no help came,--for water, but still he thirsted. Then he +prayed,--prayed to the Good Father, who he knew was looking pitifully +down on him through the thick darkness, to come and help him. + +And He came. He always comes to those who ask for Him. Soon the clouds +grew darker, the wind rose higher, and the rain--the cooling, soothing, +grateful rain--poured down in torrents. It wet him through and through, +but it eased his pain, cooled the fever in his blood, and he slept! In +all that cold and pelting storm he slept! + +It was broad day when he awoke. The sun was shining dimly through the +thick masses of gray clouds which floated in the sky, but the wind had +gone down, and the rain was over. The moans of the wounded still came +to him, but they were not so frequent, nor so terrible, as they were the +night before. Many had found relief from the rain, and many had ceased +moaning forever. + +He could not rise, but, after long and painful effort, he succeeded in +turning over on his side. Then he had a view of the scene around him. He +lay near the summit of a gentle hill, at whose base a little brook was +flowing. At the north it was crowned with a dense growth of oaks and +pines and cedar thickets, but at the south and west it sloped away into +waving meadows and pleasant cornfields, already green with the opening +beauty of spring. Beyond the meadows were other hills, and knolls, and +rocky heights, all covered with an almost impenetrable forest, and there +the hardest fighting of those terrible days was done. A narrow road, +bordered by a worm-fence (Western boys know what a worm-fence is), wound +around the foot of the hill, and led to a large mansion standing half +hidden in a grove of oaks and elms, not half a mile away. Before this +mansion were pleasant lawns and gardens, and in its rear a score or more +of little negro houses, whose whitewashed walls were gleaming in the +sun. This was the plantation--so James afterwards learned--of Major +Lucy, one of those wicked men whose bad ambition has brought this +dreadful war on our country. + +The scene was very beautiful, and, looking at it, James forgot for a +moment the darker picture, drawn in blood, on the grass around him. But +there it was. Blackened muskets, broken saddles, overturned caissons, +wounded horses snorting in agony, and fair-haired boys and gray-haired +men mangled and bleeding,--some piled in heaps, and some stretched out +singly to die,--lay all over that green hillside! Here and there a +crippled soldier was creeping about among the wounded, and, close by, a +stalwart man, the blood dripping from his dangling sleeve, was wrapping +a blue-eyed, pale-faced boy in his blanket. "Don't cry, Freddy," he +said; "ye sha'n't be cold! Yer mother'll soon be yere!" But the boy gave +no answer, for--he was dead! + +"He don't hear you," said James. "He isn't cold now!" + +"I'se afeard he ar',--he said he war. Oh! ef his mother know'd he war +yere! 't would break her heart,--break her heart!" moaned the man, still +wrapping the blanket about the boy. + +James closed his eyes to shut out the painful scene, and the thought of +his own mother came to him. Would it not break _her_ heart to know he +was wounded? to hear, perhaps, that he was dead? He must not die; for +her sake, he must not die! ONE only could help him, and so he prayed. +Again he prayed that the Good Father would come to him, and again the +Good Father came! + +"What is _ye_ a doin' yere, honey,--a little one loike ye?" asked a kind +voice at his side. + +He looked up. It was an old black woman, dressed in a faded woollen +gown, a red and yellow turban, and a pair of flesh-colored stockings +which Nature herself had given her. She was very short, almost as broad +as she was long, and had a face as large round as the moon,--and it +looked very much like the moon when it shines through a black cloud; +for, though darker than midnight, it was all over light,--that kind of +light which shines through the faces of good people. + +"I am wounded; I want water," said the little boy, feebly. + +"Ye shill hab it, honey," said the woman, giving him some from a bucket +she had set on the ground. + +"Guv some ter _my_ lad," cried the man who sat by the dead boy; "he's +been a cryin' fur it all night--all night! Didn't ye yere him?" + +"No, I didn't, massa. I hain't been yere more'n a hour, and a tousand's +a heap fur one ole ooman ter 'tend on," she replied, filling a gourd +from the bucket, and going with it to the dead boy. + +She stooped down and held the water to his lips, but in a moment started +back, and cried out in a frightened way,--"He'm dead! _He_ can't drink +no more!" + +"He hain't dead!" yelled the man, fiercely; "he sha'n't die! Guv _me_ +the water, ole 'ooman." + +With a trembling hand, he tried to give it to his son. He held it to the +boy's lips for a moment, then, dropping the gourd, and sinking to the +ground, he cried out,--"It'll kill his mother,--kill his mother! Oh! +oh!" + +"He'm better off, massa," said the woman, in a voice full of pity; "he'm +whar he kin drink foreber ob de bery water ob life." + +"Gwo away, ole 'ooman,--gwo away,--doan't speak ter me!" moaned the man, +throwing his arms around the body of his boy, and burying his face in +the blanket he had wrapped about him. + +Brushing her tears away with her apron, the woman turned to James, and +said,--"Whar is ye hurted, honey? Leff aunty see." + +The little boy opened his jacket, and showed her his side. She could not +see the wound, for the blood had glued his shirt, and even his +waistcoat, to his body; but she said, kindly,--"Don't fret, honey. +'Tain't nuffin ter hurt,--it'll soon be well. Ole Katy'll borrer a +blanket or so frum some o' dese as is done dead, and git ye warm; and +den, when she's gub'n a little more water ter de firsty ones, she'll +take a keer ob you,--she will, honey; so neber you f'ar." + +She went away, but soon came again with the blankets, and, wrapping two +about him, and putting another under his head, said,--"Dar, honey, now +you'll be warm; and neber you keer ef ole Katy hab borrer'd de blankets. +Dey'll neber want 'em darselfs; and she knows it'll do dar bery souls +good, eben whar dey is, ter know _you's_ got 'em. So neber keer, and gwo +ter sleep,--dat's a good chile. Aunty'll be yere agin in a jiffin." + +James thanked the good woman, and, closing his eyes again, soon fell +asleep. The sun was right over his head, when old Katy awoke him, and +said,--"Now, honey, Aunty's ready now. She'll tote you off ter de +plantation, and hab you all well in less nur no time, she will; fur +massa's 'way, and dar haint no 'un dar now ter say she sha'n't." + +"You can't carry me; I'm too heavy, Aunty," said James, making a faint +effort to smile. + +"Carry you! Why, honey chile, ole Katy could tote a big man, forty times +so heaby as you is, ef dey was only a hurted so bad as you." + +Taking him up, then, as if he had been a bag of feathers, she laid his +head over her shoulder, and, cuddling him close to her bosom, carried +him off to the large mansion he had seen in the distance. + +What befell him there I shall tell "our young folks" in the next number +of this, their own Magazine. + +_Edmund Kirke._ + + + + +THOMAS HUGHES. + + +The portrait given with the present number of "Our Young Folks" is that +of one of England's cleverest writers and best men,--Thomas Hughes. Mr. +Hughes is well known throughout all America as the author of those most +spirited and truthful books, "School Days at Rugby," and "Tom Brown at +Oxford,"--books which all young people, girls as well as boys, ought to +read, and which their elders cannot fail to find delightful and +profitable. Another volume, "The Scouring of the White Horse," has also +been republished in this country, but as its interest is quite +local,--the scene being laid in the county of Kent, England, and the +principal incidents relating to a festival which took place there,--it +has not been so extensively circulated. + +Mr. Hughes is the second son of John Hughes, Esq., of Donington Priory, +near Newbury, Berks Co., England. He was born October 20, 1823, and +received his early education at Rugby under the instruction of the noble +Dr. Arnold, who is depicted so beautifully in "School Days at Rugby." In +1841 he entered Oriel College, Oxford, and received his degree of B. A. +in 1845. He immediately registered himself as a student at Lincoln's +Inn, and was called to the bar in January, 1848. + +Mr. Hughes still pursues the profession of a barrister, in which he +stands prominent, and devotes much of his time to the writing and doing +of good things. He has been a strong helper in plans for the education +and assistance of workmen in his own country, and has always advocated +the principles of liberty and justice everywhere. He is one of the +truest friends that the United States has in England, and his voice and +his pen have never failed to support her cause against that of Rebeldom. + +[Illustration] + + + + +PHYSICAL HEALTH. + +TO THE YOUNG PEOPLE OF AMERICA. + + +The great war will end. Then what magnificent expansion! But what +immense responsibilities! Soon they must rest upon you,--your manhood +and womanhood. God and the nations will watch you. + +A great and good nation is made up of great and good men and women. A +strong building cannot be made of weak timbers. + +A complete man is composed of a healthy body, a cultured brain, and a +true heart. Wanting either he fails. Is his heart false? His strong head +and body become instruments of evil. Is his head weak? His strong body +and true heart are cheated. Is the body sick? His noble head and heart +are like a great engine in a rickety boat. + + +_Our Young Folks are strong and good._ + +I have studied the life of the young among the better peoples of Europe. +It is not flattery to say, that you, my young fellow-countrymen, have +the best heads and hearts in the world. The great size of your brains is +noticed by every intelligent stranger. The ceaseless activity of those +brains is one of the most striking features of American life. American +growth, as seen in railways, telegraphs, and agriculture, is tame and +slow when compared with the achievements of our schools. And where else +among the young are there such organizations for the spread of the +Gospel, for temperance, for the relief of the sick and wounded? + + +_But our Young Folks are weak._ + +[Illustration: Fig. 1 John. Fig. 2 Thomas.] + +Your weakness is in your bodies. Here lies your danger. I see nothing +which distresses me so much as the physique of the children in our +public schools. Great heads, beautiful faces, brilliant eyes; but with +that attenuated neck, thin, flat chest, and languid gait. Look at these +two boys, John and Thomas. John is a native Yankee. I found him, without +long searching, in one of our public schools. Thomas is an imaginary +boy, composed by the artist. + + +_Causes of John's Deformity._ + +He has lain several hours every night in the position seen in Fig. 3. +Much of that ugly pushing forward of the head among girls is produced by +thick pillows. + +Young people should sleep on hair pillows two inches thick. Ambitious +girls and boys throw the pillow aside. This is the other extreme, and +wrong. It is unhealthy to lie constantly on the back. You must +frequently change to the side. But when you turn upon the side, if you +have no pillow, you must either twist the shoulders into a mischievous +attitude, or let the head fall down to the level of the shoulder, as +seen in Fig. 4. This disturbs the circulation in the neck. + +[Illustration: Fig. 3. Fig. 4.] + + +_False Positions while sitting._ + +Another cause of the bad shape of John's spine we find in his bad +positions while sitting. Fig. 5 represents the position in which he +should sit. You observe his feet rest on the floor. His hips are against +the back of the chair. His spine is erect. In this position he may sit +two hours without fatigue, provided the chair be a good one. About +chairs I shall presently say something. + +[Illustration: Fig. 5. Fig. 6.] + +Fig. 6 shows a position in which I often see John. Do you observe how, +_with his legs crossed_, he must push forward on the seat? The small of +the back is no longer supported. The strain will soon produce weakness +and pain. + +Fig. 7 represents a still worse position. The strain upon the small of +the back must not only produce weakness there, but must soon incline the +spine to bend backward, while its natural shape at that point is a +beautiful curve forward. + +Writers on manners say the positions seen in Figs. 6 and 7 are vulgar. +In this case, as in most others, propriety and physiology are in +harmony. + + +_Positions in School._ + +Fig. 8 shows a bad posture. Sitting thus three hours a day must soon +produce round shoulders. Various devices have been proposed to help the +pupil out of this difficulty. Our booksellers furnish a simple rack, +which is shown in Fig. 9. It holds one or two books. In Fig. 10 two +books are seen resting upon it. Fig. 11 shows the position of the pupil +while using the book-rack. An eminent professor in a New-England college +said to the assembled students, the other day, "This book-holder will +add years to a literary man's life." + +[Illustration: Fig. 7. Fig. 8.] + + +_Chairs._ + +I promised a word about chairs. Our manufacturers do not consider health +in designing the shape of chairs. The seats are too high, and too nearly +horizontal. Boys and girls occupy seats seventeen inches high. A girl +twelve years old should have a chair with the seat not more than twelve +inches high. For a man even, it should not be more than fifteen or +sixteen inches. (These dimensions apply to the front of the seat.) The +back part should be at least two inches lower. With this inclination, +the sitter will slide backward, against the back of the chair, instead +of sliding forward, as he generally does. This sliding forward produces +a strain upon the small of the back, and is, in fact, the cause of most +of the fatigue in sitting. The width of the chair-seat from front to +back should be the same as the height in front. + +[Illustration: Fig. 9. Fig. 10.] + +The chair-_back_ should project farthest forward at that point which +corresponds to the small of the back. Instead of this, there is +generally at that point a hollow. This error is the cause of much pain +and weakness in the lower part of the spine. + +Fig. 12 shows an unphysiological chair. It is a fashionable +parlor-chair. Fig. 13 is a physiological chair. Two hours in this will +fatigue less than half an hour in that. + +[Illustration: Fig. 11. Fig. 12. Fig. 13.] + + +_Walking._ + +Americans are bad walkers. It is rare to find an exception, even in our +army. Among Europeans, and the aborigines of our own continent, a noble +mien is not uncommon. I understand the causes of this ugly defect, among +our people, but my present purpose is simply to call attention to it, +and to point out the remedy. + +In English and French books on the military drill and physical training, +whole chapters discuss the subject of walking. We are told that this or +that part of the foot must touch the ground first,--that the angles must +be so and so, &c., &c. I will not say this advice is not right, but I +will say that very few have been helped by it. + +Look at a good walker. Shoulders, head, and hips drawn well back, and +the chest thrown forward. What a firm, vigorous tread! Such a walk may +easily be secured by carrying a weight upon the head. An iron crown has +been devised for this purpose. It consists of three crowns, one within +the other, each weighing about nine pounds. One or all three may be worn +at a time. + +The water-carriers of Southern Europe, although belonging to the lowest +class, have a noble bearing. Certain negroes in the South, who "tote" +burdens upon the head as a business, can be readily pointed out in a +crowd. The effort required to keep the burden directly over the spine so +develops the muscles of the back and neck, that in the absence of the +burden the head is carried in a noble, erect attitude. + +By carrying one of these crowns upon the head half an hour two or three +times a day, while walking in the garden or through the halls of the +house, one may soon become a fine walker. One tenth of the time occupied +in learning a few tunes on the piano, given to this exercise, would +insure any girl a noble carriage. The crown is not necessary. Any weight +which does not press upon the very crown of the head, but _about_ it, +will answer the purpose equally well. + +Fig. 14 exhibits John as the photographer took him the first time he +wore the crown. You observe how his form is changed. + + +_False Positions while walking, in Schools._ + +Fig. 15 shows the worst of them. This is no exaggeration of what I have +seen in our New-England schools. It is not common among scholars to join +the hands thus, and carry the body erect. Fig. 16 shows a still worse +position. If you stand erect, with your arms hanging by the sides, and +then deliberately fold the arms, as in this figure, you will find the +points of the shoulders are drawn forward two inches, and the chest much +contracted. Experiments prove that the amount of air which the lungs can +inhale is reduced fifteen to eighteen per cent when the arms are thus +folded. + +Fig. 17 secures a good position of the spine, and opens the chest. Fig. +18 is not very seemly, but, practised five minutes two or three times a +day, would do much to develop the muscles of the spine, and particularly +those of the back of the neck, whose weakness permits the head to +droop. This subject I commend to teachers and school-committees. + +[Illustration: Fig. 14. Fig. 15. Fig. 16. Fig. 17. Fig. 18.] + + +_The Muff._ + +It draws the shoulders forward, and produces an ugly gait. Let a boy +wear a shawl, and hold it together in front with his hands, and he will +have the same disagreeable waddle. If he wears it even for one winter, +he will learn to stoop. Muffs, shawls, and those cloaks which do not +allow the arms to swing freely, should all be thrown overboard. +Over-coats should be worn by both sexes. + +The arms are almost as necessary in walking as the legs. The first time +you are walking with your arms at liberty, stop moving them and hold +them by your sides. You will be surprised to find how soon your +companion will leave you behind, although you may hurry, twist, wriggle, +and try very hard to keep up. One reason for the slow walk among girls +is to be found in this practice of carrying the arms motionless. Three +miles an hour with the arms still, is as hard work as four miles with +the arms free. + +I have seen the queens of the stage walk. I have seen a few girls and +women of queenly bearing walk in the street and drawing-room. They moved +their arms in a free and graceful manner. Could this habit become +universal among girls, their chests would enlarge and their bearing be +greatly improved. See that girl walking with both hands in her muff. How +she wriggles and twists her shoulders and hips! This is because her arms +are pinioned. Give _them_ free swing, and her gait would soon become +more graceful. + +You have seen pictures of our muscles. Those of the upper part of the +body, you remember, spread out from the shoulder, in all directions, +like a fan. Now if you hold the shoulder still, the muscles of the chest +will shrink, the shoulders stoop, and the whole chest become thin and +ugly. + +But some girls will say, "Swinging the arms must be very _slight_ +exercise." True, it is very slight, if you swing the arms but once or +ten times, but if you swing them ten thousand times in a day, you will +obtain more exercise of the muscles of the chest than by all other +ordinary movements combined. Indeed, if I were asked what exercise I +thought most effective for developing the chests of American girls, I +should reply at once, _swinging the arms while walking_. + +_Dio Lewis._ + + + + +ANDY'S ADVENTURES; + +OR THE WORLD BEWITCHED. + + +Andy's folks had gone to town, and left him at home to take care of the +house, watch the garden, and amuse himself. + +Andy had a new bow and arrow, and he thought it would be great sport to +have nothing to do all the afternoon but to shoot at the robins and +woodpeckers. + +So, as soon as the wagon was out of sight, and the gate shut, he ran +into the orchard, and began the fun. He kept near enough to the house to +see if anybody came to the door, and near enough to the garden to see if +the pigs got into it; and whenever he saw a bird, he sent an arrow +after it. But the robins soon found out what he wanted, and flew away +when they saw him coming. Their beautiful red breasts would have been +capital marks, if they had only waited for him to get a good shot. The +wrens were not afraid, but they were so small he could not hit them. And +the swallows kept flying about so, twittering and darting here and +there, that he knew he would have to practise a long time before he +could take them on the wing. The yellow-birds and blue-birds were so +shy, that he could hardly see one in sight of the house. So there was no +game left but the woodpeckers. + +But woodpeckers are cunning fellows. They run up the trees, and stick in +their bills, and hop about, and fly from one tree to another so fast, +that it takes a pretty smart boy to hit one. They were tame enough, and +would sometimes let Andy come quite near; they would stop pecking a +moment, and hold up their red heads to take a good look at him; then +they would begin to drum again in the merriest way, making little holes +in the old peach-trees, which began to look like wooden soldiers that +had gone through the wars and been shot in hundreds of places. But the +instant Andy drew the bowstring and took aim, they knew well enough what +it meant; and it was provoking to see them dodge around on the bark and +get out of sight just in time to let the arrow whiz by them. Then they +would go to pecking and drumming again so near, that he wished a dozen +times that he had some kind of an arrow that would shoot around a tree +and hit on the other side. + +At length Andy grew tired of this fun; and he had lost his arrow so many +times in the grass, and had to hunt for it, that he got vexed, and +thought it would be much better sport to go and shoot a chicken. + +Now he did not mean to kill a chicken, and he did not really think he +would be able to hit one. But often we do things more easily when we are +not trying very hard, than when we are too anxious. So it happened with +Andy. He tried his luck on the speckled top-knot, which everybody +considered the handsomest chick that had been hatched that summer. He +drew his bow, let go the string, and the speckled top-knot keeled over. +He ran up to it, very proud, at first, of his good shot, but frightened +enough when he found that the chicken only just kicked a little, and +then lay quite still. + +Andy turned it over, and tried to stand it upon its legs, and thought +what he should tell his parents. + +"I'll say a hawk flew down and killed it! But I shot at the hawk, and he +let it drop, just as he was flying away with it." + +This was the story he made up, as he took poor top-knot and laid it down +by the well-curb. + +He was still wishing to shoot something that was alive, and, seeing the +cat creeping along on the fence watching for a mouse, he concluded to +try his luck with her. So he drew up, aimed, and fired. Puss was so +intent on watching the mouse that she paid no attention at all to the +arrow, which struck the rail a little behind her, and glanced off +towards the house. Andy heard a sound like shivered glass, and, running +up, saw to his dismay that he had broken a window. + +Now he had been told never to shoot his arrow towards the house; and how +to conceal the accident and avoid punishment he couldn't at first +imagine. The glass lay scattered on the pantry shelf, and the hole in +the pane was large enough to put his hand through. + +"I'll say Joe Beals came and wanted my bow, and because I wouldn't let +him have it, he threw a stone at me, and broke the window." + +And having made up this story, he searched for such a stone as Joe would +be apt to throw, and, having found one, placed it on the pantry floor, +to appear as if it had fallen there after passing through the glass. + +These accidents made him dislike his bow, and he hung it up in the +wood-shed. Then he made a lasso of a string, and caught the cat by +throwing the noose over her head. But Puss did not like the sport as +well as he did, and gave him such a scratch that he was glad to let her +run off with the lasso. Then he thought he would plague the old sow by +getting one of her little pink-white pigs; but the instant he had caught +it up in his arms, it began to squeal; and the mother, hearing it, ran +after him with such a frightful noise, throwing up her great, savage +tusks at him, that he dropped it, and ran for his life. She stopped to +smell of Piggy, and see if it was hurt; and so he got away, though he +was terribly frightened. + +Then Andy thought of his toy ship; and having stopped the holes in the +sink, and pumped it full of water, he called it his ocean, and launched +the "Sea-bird." With a pair of bellows he made wind, and with a dipper +he made waves; and by placing a kettle bottom upwards in the middle of +the sink he made an island; and the good ship pitched, and tossed, and +rolled in a very exciting manner. At length he resolved to have a +shipwreck. This he managed, not by putting the ship on a rock, but by +putting a rock on the ship. He used for the purpose the stone Joe Beals +did not throw through the pantry window, and the "Sea-bird" went down, +with all her crew on board. He then opened the holes in the sink, and +the tide, going out, left the vessel on her beam-ends, stranded. + +It would have been well for Andy if he had been contented with such +innocent pastimes, without doing mischief to the cat, or chickens, or +pigs, or trying to shoot the pretty birds that fly about the orchards, +singing so sweetly, and eating the worms that destroy the trees. + +But nothing satisfied him; and to have some better fun than any yet, he +determined to stand in the door and scream, "Fire!" He could not imagine +greater sport than to see the neighbors come running to put out the +fire, and then laugh at them for being duped. He did not consider that +they would have to leave their work, and run a long distance, till they +were quite out of breath; or that his laughter would be a very mean and +foolish return for the good-will they would show in hastening to save +his father's house; or that, in case the house should really take fire +some day, and he should call for help, people might think it another +silly trick, and stay away. + +He stood in the door, filled his lungs with a long breath, opened his +mouth as wide as he could, and screamed,--"Fire! fire! fire!" + +Three times. He thought it so funny, that he had to stop and laugh. +Then he took another breath, and screamed again, louder than +before,--"Fire! fire! fire! fire! fire!" + +Five times; and he heard the echoes away off among the hills; and, +looking across the lot, he saw old Mother Quirk hobbling on her crutch. + +Old Mother Quirk was just about the queerest woman in the world. She had +a nose as crooked as a horn, and almost as long. It crooked down to meet +her chin, and her chin crooked up to meet her nose. And some people said +she could hold the end of a thread between them, when she wished to +twist a cord with both hands,--although I doubt it. Her face was so full +of wrinkles, that the smallest spot you could think of had at least +twenty in it. Her eyes were as black as charcoal, and as bright as +diamonds. She was very old; and her back was bent like a bow; and her +hair was perfectly white, and as long and fine as the finest kind of +flax; and she was so lame that she could never walk without her crutch. + +She was a good woman though, people said, and knew almost everything. +She could tell when it would rain to-morrow, and when it would be fair. +She would shut her eyes, and tell you all about your friends at a +distance; describe them as plainly as if she saw them, and inform you if +anything pleasant or unpleasant had happened to them. She knew more +about curing the sick than the doctors did; and once when Andy had hurt +his foot by jumping upon a sharp stub, and it was so sore for a week +that he could not step, and it had been poulticed and plastered till it +was as white and soft as cheese-curd, Mother Quirk had cured it in three +days, by putting on to it a bit of dried beef's gall, which drew out a +sliver that the doctors had never thought of. She was always ready to +help people who were in trouble; and now, when Andy screamed fire, she +was the first to come hobbling on her crutch. + +"What is burning, Andy?" she cried, as she came through the gate. "Where +is the fire?" + +"In the bottom of the well!" replied Andy, laughing till his side ached. +"O, ho, ho! why don't you bring some water in a thimble, and put the +well out? O, ho, ho! Mother Quirk!" + +There was fire in the old woman's eyes just then, if not in the well. It +flashed out of them like two little streams of lightning out of two +little jet-black clouds. She lifted her crutch, and I am not sure but +she would have struck Andy with it, if she had not been too lame to +catch him. + +"Put the well out, ho, ho, ho!" laughed Andy, hopping away. + +"I would put you in, if I could get hold of you!" said Mother Quirk, +shaking her crutch at him. "You wouldn't be dancing around so on that +foot of yours, if I hadn't cured it for you, and this is the thanks I +get for it!" + +That made Andy feel rather ashamed; for he began to see how ungrateful +it was in him to play the old woman such a trick. + +"It isn't the first time you've made me run for nothing, with my poor +old crutch," she went on, as he stopped laughing. "The other day you +told me your mother was sick abed, and wanted to see me; and I left +everything and hobbled over here; and didn't I find her ironing clothes +in the kitchen, as well a woman as she ever was in her life, you little +rogue!" + +Andy laughed again at the recollection. "You was smoking your pipe," +said he, "with your old black cat in your lap, and 't was fun to see you +jump up and catch your crutch!" + +"Fun to you! but do you think of my poor old bones? I'm almost a hundred +years old," said Mother Quirk; "and shall I tell you what I've learnt +all this time? I've learnt that the meanest thing in the world is to +treat ill those who treat you kindly; and that the worst thing is +lying." + +Andy was sobered again, and the old woman continued:-- + +"What if everybody and everything should lie? What if we could never +know when to believe what our friends and neighbors tell us? What if my +crutch should lie, and, when I lean on it, break and let me fall?" + +"I think it would be fun!" said Andy. + +"And what if the ground you stand on should not be the ground it appears +to be, but a great pit, and should let you fall into it when you think +you are walking on the grass? Suppose that everything was a lie, that +nothing was what it pretends to be, that the whole world should trick +and cheat us?" cried the old woman, raising her voice. + +"I should like to see the spot!" said Andy, giggling again. + +"Should you?" almost shrieked the old woman, with a terrible look. + +"Yes!" and Andy grinned at a safe distance. + +"Then try it!" exclaimed Mother Quirk. + +And holding her crutch under her shoulder, she brought her hands +together with a loud slap. Although Andy was at least three yards off, +it seemed to him exactly as if she had boxed his ear. He was almost +knocked down, and his head hummed like a beehive; but he could not, to +save his life, tell which ear had been boxed, nor which he ought to rub. +For a minute, he kept whirling around, as dizzy as a top. Then a voice +cried, "Catch that rabbit!" + +_J. T. Trowbridge._ + +(_To be continued._) + + + + +WINNING HIS WAY. + +CHAPTER I. + +FIRST YEARS. + + +Many years ago, before railroads were thought of, a company of +Connecticut farmers, who had heard marvellous stories of the richness of +the land in the West, sold their farms, packed up their goods, bade +adieu to their friends, and with their families started for Ohio. + +After weeks of travel over dusty roads, they came to a beautiful valley, +watered by a winding brook. The hills around were fair and sunny. There +were groves of oaks, and maples, and lindens. The air was fragrant with +honeysuckle and jasmine. There was plenty of game. The swift-footed deer +browsed the tender grass upon the hills. Squirrels chattered in the +trees and the ringdoves cooed in the depths of the forest. The place was +so fertile and fair, so pleasant and peaceful, that the emigrants made +it their home, and called it New Hope. + +They built a mill upon the brook. They laid out a wide, level street, +and a public square, erected a school-house, and then a church. One of +their number opened a store. Other settlers came, and then, as the years +passed by, the village rang with the shouts of children pouring from the +school-house for a frolic upon the square. Glorious times they had +beneath the oaks and maples. + +One of the jolliest of the boys was Paul Parker, only son of Widow +Parker, who lived in a little old house on the outskirts of the village, +shaded by a great maple. Her husband died when Paul was in his cradle. +Paul's grandfather was still living. The people called him "Old +Pensioner Parker," for he fought at Bunker Hill, and received a pension +from government. He was hale and hearty, though more than eighty years +of age. + +The Pensioner was the main support of the family; but by keeping a cow, +a pig, turkeys and chickens, by selling milk and eggs, which Paul +carried to their customers, they brought the years round without running +in debt. Paul's pantaloons had a patch on each knee, but he laughed just +as loud and whistled just as cheerily for all that. + +In summer he went barefoot. He did not have to turn out at every +mud-puddle, and he could plash into the mill-pond and give the frogs a +crack over the head without stopping to take off stockings and shoes. +Paul did not often have a dinner of roast beef, but he had an abundance +of bean porridge, brown bread, and milk. + +"Bean porridge is wholesome food, Paul," said his grandfather. "When I +was a boy we used to say,-- + + 'Bean porridge hot, + Bean porridge cold,-- + Bean porridge best + Nine days old.' + +The wood-choppers in winter used to freeze it into cakes and carry it +into the woods. Many a time I have made a good dinner on a chunk of +frozen porridge." + +The Pensioner remembered what took place in his early years, but he lost +his reckoning many times a day upon what was going on in the town. He +loved to tell stories, and Paul was a willing listener. Pleasant +winter-evenings they had in the old kitchen, the hickory logs blazing on +the hearth, the tea-kettle singing through its nose, the clock ticking +soberly, the old Pensioner smoking his pipe in the arm-chair, Paul's +mother knitting,--Bruno by Paul's side, wagging his tail and watching +Muff in the opposite corner rolling her great round yellow eyes. Bruno +was always ready to give Muff battle whenever Paul tipped him the wink +to pitch in. + +The Pensioner's stories were of his boyhood,--how he joined the army, +and fought the battles of the Revolution. Thus his story ran. + +"I was only a little bigger than you are, Paul," he said, "when the +red-coats began the war at Lexington. I lived in old Connecticut then; +that was a long time before we came out here. The meeting-house bell +rung, and the people blew their dinner-horns, and ran up to the +meeting-house and found the militia forming. The men had their guns and +powder-horns. The women were at work melting their pewter porringers +into bullets. I wasn't old enough to train, but I could fire a gun and +bring down a squirrel from the top of a tree. I wanted to go and help +drive the red-coats into the ocean. I asked mother if I might. I was +afraid that she didn't want me to go. 'Why, Paul,' says she, 'you +haven't any clothes.' 'Mother,' says I, 'I can shoot a red-coat just as +well as any of the men can.' Says she, 'Do you want to go, Paul?' 'Yes, +mother!' 'You shall go; I'll fix you out.' As I hadn't any coat she took +a meal-bag, cut a hole for my head in the bottom, and made holes for my +arms, cut off a pair of her own stocking-legs, and sewed them on for +sleeves, and I was rigged. I took the old gun which father carried at +Ticonderoga, and the powder-horn, and started. There is the gun and the +horn, Paul, hanging up. + +"The red-coats had got back to Boston, but we cooped them up. Our +company was in Colonel Knowlton's regiment. I carried the flag, which +said, _Qui transtulit sustinet_. I don't know anything about Latin, but +those who do say it means that God who hath transported us will sustain +us, and that is true, Paul. He sustained us at Bunker Hill, and we +should have held it if our powder had not given out. Our regiment was by +a rail-fence on the northeast side of the hill. Stark, with his New +Hampshire boys, was by the river. Prescott was in the redoubt on the top +of the hill. Old Put kept walking up and down the lines. This is the way +it was, Paul." + +The Pensioner laid aside his pipe, bent forward, and traced upon the +hearth the positions of the troops. + +"There is the redoubt; here is the rail-fence; there is where the +red-coats formed their lines. They came up in front of us here. We +didn't fire a gun till they got close to us. I'll show you how the fire +ran down the line." + +He took down the horn, pulled out the stopper, held his finger over the +tip, and made a trail of powder. + +"There, Paul, that is by the fence. As the red-coats came up, some of us +began to be uneasy and wanted to fire, but Old Put kept saying, 'Don't +fire yet! Wait till you can see the white of their eyes! Aim at their +belts!'" + +While Pensioner was saying this, he took the tongs and picked a live +coal from the fire. + +"They came up beautifully, Paul,--the tall grenadiers and light-infantry +in their scarlet coats, and the sun shining on their gun-barrels and +bayonets. They wer'n't more than ten rods off when a soldier on top of +the hill couldn't stand it any longer. Pop! went his gun, and the fire +ran down the hill quicker than scat! just like this!" + +He touched the coal to the powder. There was a flash, a puff of smoke +rising to the ceiling, and filling the room. + +"Hooray!" shouted Paul, springing to his feet. Muff went with a jump +upon the bureau in the corner of the room, her tail as big as Paul's +arm, and her back up. Bruno was after her in a twinkling, bouncing +about, barking, and looking round to Paul to see if it was all right. + +[Illustration] + +"There, grandpa, you have made a great smut on the hearth," said Mrs. +Parker, who kept her house neat and tidy, though it was a crazy old +affair. + +"Well, mother, I thought it would please Paul." + +"S-s-s-s-si'c!" Paul made a hiss which Bruno understood, and went at +Muff more fiercely. It was glorious to see Muff spit fire, and hear her +growl low and deep like distant thunder. Paul would not have Muff hurt +for anything, but he loved to see Bruno show his teeth at her, and see +how gritty she was when she was waked up. + +"Be still, Paul, and let Muff alone," said Paul's mother. + +"Come, Bruno, she ain't worth minding," said Paul. + +"They have got good courage, both of 'em," said the pensioner; "and +courage is one half of the battle, and truth and honor is the other +half. Paul, I want you to remember that. It will be worth more than a +fortune to you. I don't mean that cats and dogs know much about truth +and honor, and I have seen some men who didn't know much more about +those qualities of character than Muff and Bruno; but what I have said, +Paul, is true for all that. The men who win success in life are those +who love truth, and who follow what is noble and good. No matter how +brave a man may be, if he hasn't these qualities he won't succeed. He +may get rich, but that won't amount to much. Success, Paul, is to have +an unblemished character,--to be true to ourselves, to our country, and +to God." + +He went on with his story, telling how the British troops ran before the +fire of the Yankees,--how they re-formed and came on a second time, and +were repulsed again,--how General Clinton went over from Boston with +reinforcements,--how Charlestown was set on fire,--how the flames leaped +from house to house, and curled round the spire of the church,--how the +red-coats advanced a third time beneath the great black clouds of +smoke,--how the ammunition of the Yankees gave out, and they were +obliged to retreat,--how General Putnam tried to rally them,--how they +escaped across Charlestown Neck, where the cannon-balls from the British +floating batteries raked the ranks! He made it all so plain, that Paul +wished he had been there. + +The story completed, Paul climbed the creaking stairway to his narrow +chamber, repeated his evening prayer, and scrambled into bed. + +"He is a jolly boy," said the pensioner to Paul's mother, as Paul left +the room. + +"I don't know what will become of him," she replied, "he is so wild and +thoughtless. He leaves the door open, throws his cap into the corner, +sets Bruno and Muff to growling, stops to play on his way home from +school, sings, whistles, shouts, hurrahs, and tears round like all +possessed." + +If she could have looked into Paul's desk at school, she would have +found whirligigs, tops, pin-boxes, nails, and no end of strings and +dancing dandy-jims. + +"Paul is a rogue," said the Pensioner. "You remember how he got on top +of the house awhile ago and frightened us out of our wits by shouting +'Fire! fire!' down the chimney; how we ran out to see about it; how I +asked him 'Where?' and says he, 'Down there in the fireplace, grandpa.' +He is a chip of the old block. I used to do just so. But there is one +good thing about him, he don't do mean tricks. He don't bend up pins and +put them in the boys' seats, or tuck chestnut-burs into the girls' +hoods. I never knew him to tell a lie. He will come out all right." + +"I hope so," said Mrs. Parker. + +Paul could look through the crevices between the shingles, and the +cracks in the walls, and behold the stars gleaming from the unfathomable +spaces. He wondered how far they were away. He listened to the wind +chanting a solemn dirge, filling his soul with longings for he knew not +what. He thought over his grandfather's stories, and the words he had +spoken about courage, truth, and honor, till a shingle clattering in the +wind took up the refrain, and seemed to say, Truth and honor,--truth and +honor,--truth and honor,--so steadily and pleasantly, that while he +listened the stars faded from his sight, and he sailed away into +dream-land. + +Paul was twelve years old, stout, hearty, and healthy,--full of life, +and brimming over with fun. Once he set the village in a roar. The +people permitted their pigs to run at large. The great maple in front of +the Pensioner's house was cool and shady,--a delightful place for the +pigs through the hot summer days. + +Mr. Chrome, the carriage-painter, lived across the road. He painted a +great many wagons for the farmers,--the wheels yellow, the bodies blue, +green, or red, with scrolls and flowers on the sides. Paul watched him +by the hour, and sometimes made up his mind to be a carriage-painter +when he became a man. + +"Mr. Chrome," said Paul, "don't you think that those pigs would look +better if they were painted?" + +"Perhaps so." + +"I should like to see how they would look painted as you paint your +wagons." + +Mr. Chrome laughed at the ludicrous fancy. He loved fun, and was ready +to help carry out the freak. + +"Well, just try your hand on improving nature." + +Paul went to work. Knowing that pigs like to have their backs scratched, +he had no difficulty in keeping them quiet. To one he gave green legs, +blue ears, red rings round its eyes, and a red tail. Another had one red +leg, one blue, one yellow, one green, with red and blue stripes and +yellow stars on its body. "I will make him a star-spangled pig," Paul +shouted to Mr. Chrome. Another had a green head, yellow ears, and a red +body. Bruno watched the proceedings, wagging his tail, looking now at +Paul and then at the pigs, ready to help on the fun. + +"Si'c!--si'c!--si'c!" said Paul. Bruno was upon them with a bound. Away +they capered, with Bruno at their heels. As soon as they came into the +sunshine the spirits of turpentine in the paint was like fire to their +flesh. Faster they ran up the street squealing, with Bruno barking +behind. Mr. Chrome laughed till the tears ran down his cheeks. All the +dogs, great and small, joined Bruno in chase of the strange game. People +came out from the stores, windows were thrown up, and all hands--men, +women, and children--ran to see what was the matter, laughing and +shouting, while the pigs and dogs ran round the square. + +"Paul Parker did that, I'll bet," said Mr. Leatherby, the shoemaker, +peeping out from his shop. "It is just like him." + +An old white horse, belonging to Mr. Smith, also sought the shade of the +maple before the Pensioner's house. Bruno barked at him by the hour, but +the old horse would not move for anything short of a club or stone. + +"I'll see if I can't get rid of him," said Paul to himself. + +He went into the barn, found a piece of rope, tied up a little bundle of +hay, got a stick five or six feet long, and some old harness-straps. In +the evening, when it was so dark that people could not see what he was +up to, he caught the old horse, laid the stick between his ears and +strapped it to his neck, and tied the hay to the end of the stick; then +it hung a few inches beyond old Whitey's nose. The old horse took a step +ahead to nibble the hay,--another,--another,--another! "Don't you wish +you may get it?" said Paul. Tramp,--tramp,--tramp. Old Whitey went down +the road. Paul heard him go across the bridge by the mill, and up the +hill the other side of the brook. + +"Go it, old fellow!" he shouted, then listened again. It was a calm +night, and he could just hear old Whitey's feet,--tramp,--tramp,--tramp. + +The next morning the good people of Fairview, ten miles from New Hope, +laughed to see an old white horse, with a bundle of hay a few inches +beyond his nose, passing through the place. + +"Have you seen my horse?" Mr. Smith asked Paul in the morning. + +"Yes, sir, I saw him going down towards the bridge last evening," Paul +replied, chuckling to himself. + +Mr. Smith went down to the mill and inquired. The miller heard a horse +go over the bridge. The farmer on the other side heard a horse go up the +hill. Mr. Smith looked at the tracks. They were old Whitey's, for he had +a broken shoe on his left hind foot. He followed on. "I never knew him +to go away before," he said to himself, as he walked hour after hour, +seeing the tracks all the way to Fairview. + +"Have you seen a white horse about here?" he asked of one of the +villagers. + +"Yes, sir; there was one here this morning trying to overtake a bundle +of hay," the man replied, laughing. "There he is now!" he added. + +Mr. Smith looked up and saw old Whitey, who had turned about, and was +reaching forward to get a nibble of the hay. Mr. Smith felt like being +angry, but the old horse was walking so soberly and earnestly that he +couldn't help laughing. + +"That is some of Paul's doings, I know. I'll give him a blessing when I +get back." + +It was noon before Mr. Smith reached New Hope. Paul and Bruno were +sitting beneath the maple. + +"Where did you find old Whitey?" Paul asked. + +"You was the one who did it, you little rascal?" + +"Did what?" + +"You know what. You have made me walk clear to Fairview. I have a mind +to horsewhip you." + +Paul laughed to think that the old horse had tramped so far, though he +was sorry that Mr. Smith had been obliged to walk that distance. + +"I didn't mean any harm, Mr. Smith, but old Whitey has made our +door-yard his stamping-place all summer, and I thought I would see if I +could get rid of him." + +"Well, sir, if you do it again I'll trounce you," said Mr. Smith as he +rode away, his anger coming up. + +"Wouldn't it be better for you to put him in a pasture, Mr. Smith? Then +he wouldn't trouble us," said Paul, who knew that Mr. Smith had no right +to let old Whitey run at large. Paul was not easily frightened when he +had right on his side. The people in the stores and at the tavern had a +hearty laugh when they heard how old Whitey went to Fairview. + +Mr. Cipher taught the village school. He was tall, slim, thin-faced, +with black eyes deeply set in his head, and a long, hooked nose like an +eagle's bill. He wore a loose swallow-tailed coat with bright brass +buttons, and pants which were several inches too short. The Committee +employed him, not because he was a superior teacher, but they could get +him for twelve dollars a month, while Mr. Rudiment, who had been through +college, and who was known to be an excellent instructor, asked sixteen. + +There was a crowd of roistering boys and rosy-cheeked girls, who made +the old school-house hum like a beehive. Very pleasant to the passers-by +was the music of their voices. At recess and at noon they had leap-frog +and tag. Paul was in a class with Philip Funk, Hans Middlekauf, and +Michael Murphy. There were other boys and girls of all nationalities. +Paul's ancestors were from Connecticut, Philip's father was a Virginian. +Hans was born in Germany, and Michael in Ireland. Philip's father kept a +grocery, and sold sugar, molasses, tobacco, and whiskey. He was rich, +and Philip wore good clothes and calf-skin boots. Paul could get his +lessons very quick whenever he set about them in earnest, but he spent +half his time in inventing fly-traps, making whirligigs, or drawing +pictures on his slate. He could draw admirably, for he had a quick eye +and natural ability. Philip could get his lessons also if he chose to +apply himself, but it was a great deal easier to get some one to work +out the problems in arithmetic than to do them himself. + +"Here, Paul, just do this question for me; that is a good fellow." + +It was at recess. + +"No; Cipher has forbid it. Each one has got to do his own," said Paul. + +"If you will do it, I will give you a handful of raisins," said Philip, +who usually had his pockets full of raisins, candy, or nuts. + +"It wouldn't be right." + +"Come, just do that one; Cipher never will know it." + +"No!" Paul said it resolutely. + +"You are a mean, sneaking fellow," said Philip with a sneer, turning up +his nose. + +Philip was a year older than Paul. He had sandy hair, white eyelashes, +and a freckled face. He carried a watch, and always had money in his +pocket. Paul, on the other hand, hardly ever had a cent which he could +call his own. His clothes were worn till they were almost past mending. + +"Rag-tag has got a hole in his trousers," said Philip to the other boys. + +Paul's face flushed. He wanted to knock Philip's teeth down his throat. +He knew that his mother had hard work to clothe him, and felt the +insult. He went into the school-house, choked his anger down, and tried +to forget all about it by drawing a picture of the master. It was an +excellent likeness,--his spindle legs, great feet, short pants, loose +coat, sunken eyes, hooked nose, thin face, and long bony fingers. + +Philip sat behind Paul. Instead of studying his lesson, he was planning +how to get Paul into trouble. He saw the picture. Now was his time. He +giggled aloud. Mr. Cipher looked up in astonishment. + +"What are you laughing at, Master Funk?" + +"At what Paul is doing." + +Paul hustled his slate into his desk. + +"Let me see what you have here," said Cipher, walking up to Paul, who +spat in his fingers, and ran his hand into the desk, to rub out the +drawing; but he felt that it would be better to meet his punishment +boldly than to have the school think that he was a sneak. He laid the +slate before the master without a line effaced. + +"Giving your attention to drawing, are you, Master Paul?" His eyes +flashed. He knit his brows. The blood rushed to his cheeks. There was a +popping up of heads all over the school-room to get a sight of the +picture. + +The boys laughed aloud, and there was a tittering among the girls, which +made Cipher very angry. "Silence!" he roared, and stamped upon the floor +so savagely that the windows rattled. "Come out here, Sir. I'll give you +a drawing-lesson of another sort." He seized Paul by the collar, and +threw him into the space in front of his own desk. "Hold out your hand." + +Paul felt that he was about to receive a tremendous thrashing; but he +determined that he would not flinch. He held out his right hand, and +spat! came the blow from a heavy ferule. His hand felt as if he had been +struck by a piece of hot iron. + +"The other, sir." + +Whack! it fell, a blow which made the flesh purple. There was an Oh! +upon his tongue; but he set his teeth together, and bit his lips till +they bled, and so smothered it. Another blow,--another,--another,--which +were hard to bear; but his teeth were set like a vice. There was a +twitching of the muscles round his lips; he was pale. When the blows +fell, he held his breath, but he did not snivel. + +"I'll see if I can't bring you to your feeling, you good-for-nothing +scape-grace," said the master, mad with passion, and surprised that Paul +made no outcry. He gave another round, bringing the ferule down with +great force. Blood began to ooze from the pores. The last blow spattered +the drops around the room. Cipher came to his senses. He stopped. + +"Are you sorry, sir?" + +"I don't know whether I am or not. I didn't mean any harm. I suppose I +ought not to have drawn it in school; but I didn't do it to make fun. I +drew you just as you are," said Paul,--his voice trembling a little in +spite of his efforts to control it. + +The master could not deny that it was a perfect likeness. He was +surprised at Paul's cleverness at drawing, and for the first time in his +life saw that he cut a ridiculous figure wearing that long, loose, +swallow-tailed coat, with great, flaming brass buttons, and resolved +upon the spot that his next coat should be a frock, and that he would +get a longer pair of pants. + +"You may take your seat, sir!" he said, puzzled to know whether to +punish Paul still more, and compel him to say that he was sorry, or +whether to accept the explanations, and apologize for whipping him so +severely. + +Paul sat down. His hands ached terribly; but what troubled him most was +the thought that he had been whipped before the whole school. All the +girls had witnessed his humiliation. There was one among them,--Azalia +Adams,--who stood at the head of Paul's class, the best reader and +speller in school. She had ruby lips, and cheeks like roses; the golden +sunlight falling upon her chestnut hair crowned her with glory; deep, +thoughtful, and earnest was the liquid light of her hazel eyes; she was +as lovely and beautiful as the flower whose name she bore. Paul had +drawn her picture many times,--sometimes bending over her task, +sometimes as she sat, unmindful of the hum of voices around her, looking +far away into a dim and distant dream-land. He never wearied of tracing +the features of one so fair and good as she. Her laugh was as musical as +a mountain-brook; and in the church on Sunday, when he heard her voice +sweetly, softly, and melodiously mingling with the choir, he thought of +the angels,--of her as in heaven and he on earth. + +"Run home, sonny, and tell your marm that you got a licking," said +Philip when school was out. + +Paul's face became livid. He would have doubled his fist and given +Philip a blow in the face, but his palms were like puff-balls. There was +an ugly feeling inside, but just then a pair of bright hazel eyes, +almost swimming with tears, looked into his own. "Don't mind it, Paul," +said Azalia. + +The pain was not half so hard to bear after that. He wanted to say, "I +thank you," but did not know how. Till then his lips had hardly +quivered, and he had not shed a tear; now his eyes became moist; one +great drop rolled down his cheeks, but he wiped it off with his +coat-sleeve, and turned away, for fear that Azalia would think that he +was a baby. + +On his way home the thought uppermost in his mind was, "What will mother +say?" Why tell her? Would it not be better to keep the matter to +himself? But then he remembered that she had said, "Paul, I shall expect +you to tell me truthfully all that happens to you at school." He loved +his mother. She was one of the best mothers that ever lived, working for +him day and night. How could he abuse such confidence as she had given +him? He would not violate it. He would not be a sneak. + +His mother and the Pensioner were sitting before the fire as he entered +the house. She welcomed him with a smile,--a beautiful smile it was, for +she was a noble woman, and Paul was her darling, her pride, the light, +joy, and comfort of her life. + +"Well, Paul, how do you get on at school?" his grandfather asked. + +"I got a whipping to-day." It was spoken boldly and manfully. + +"What! My son got a whipping!" his mother exclaimed. + +"Yes, mother." + +"I am astonished. Come here, and tell me all about it." + +Paul stood by her side and told the story,--how Philip Funk tried to +bribe him, how he called him names,--how, having got his lessons, he +made a picture of the master. "Here it is, mother." He took his slate +from his little green bag. The picture had not been effaced. His mother +looked at it and laughed, notwithstanding her efforts to keep sober, for +it was such a perfect likeness. She had an exquisite sense of the +ludicrous, and Paul was like her. She was surprised to find that he +could draw so well. + +"We will talk about the matter after supper," she said. She had told +Paul many times, that, if he was justly punished at school, he must +expect a second punishment at home; but she wanted to think awhile +before deciding what to do. She was pleased to know that her boy could +not be bribed to do what his conscience told him he ought not to do, and +that he was manly and truthful. She would rather follow him to the +church-yard and lay him in his grave beneath the bending elms, than to +have him untruthful or wicked. + +The evening passed away. Paul sat before the fire, looking steadily into +the coals. He was sober and thoughtful, wondering what his mother would +say at last. The clock struck nine. It was his bedtime. He went and +stood by her side once more. "You are not angry with me, mother, are +you?" + +"No, my son. I do not think that you deserved so severe a punishment. I +am rejoiced to know that you are truthful, and that you despise a mean +act. Be always as you have been to-night, and I never shall be angry +with you." + +He threw his arms around her neck, and gave way to tears, such as Cipher +could not extort by his pounding. She gave him a good-night kiss,--so +sweet that it seemed to lie upon his lips all through the night. + +"God bless you, Paul," said the Pensioner. + +Paul climbed the creaking stairs, and knelt with an overflowing heart to +say his evening prayer. He spoke the words earnestly when he asked God +to take care of his mother and grandfather. He was very happy. He looked +out through the crevices in the walls, and saw the stars and the moon +flooding the landscape with silver light. There was sweet music in the +air,--the merry melody of the water murmuring by the mill, the cheerful +chirping of the crickets, and the lullaby of the winds, near at hand and +far away, putting him in mind of the choirs on earth and the choirs in +heaven. "Don't mind it, Paul!" were the words they sung, so sweetly and +tenderly that for many days they rang in his ears. + +_Carleton._ + +[Illustration] + + + + +NEW-YEAR CAROL. + +[Illustration] + + + Ding, Dong, Bell! + Little children, down the turnpike goes the year, + Down through every dell, + All the bells of all the country in its ear: + Ding, Dong, Bell! + + Ding, Dong, Bell! + Through the meadows and the woods, o'er the plain, + Past where children dwell, + All the children, some in joy and some in pain: + Ding, Dong, Bell! + + Ding, Dong, Bell! + Is it from a belfry, or the beating heart + Of the year, this swell, + Solemn like the steps of friends who have to part? + Ding, Dong, Bell! + + Ding, Dong, Bell! + Little children's homes in heaven and on earth, + All have hearts to tell + How good actions overflow the year with mirth: + Ding, Dong, Bell! + + Ding, Dong, Bell! + And it needeth not a steeple's voice to say, + What a dreary knell + Hearts are ringing as their goodness flies away: + Ding, Dong, Bell! + + Ding, Dong, Bell! + Down the turnpike for you comes another year; + Children, treat it well: + Naught but goodness brings to homes right jolly cheer: + Ding, Dong, Bell! + +_John Weiss._ + + + + +FARMING FOR BOYS. + +WHAT HAVE THEY DONE, AND WHAT OTHERS MAY DO IN THE CULTIVATION OF FARM +AND GARDEN,--HOW TO BEGIN, HOW TO PROCEED, AND WHAT TO AIM AT. + + +NO. I. + +There is an old farm-house in the State of New Jersey, not a hundred +miles from the city of Trenton, having the great railroad which runs +between New York and Philadelphia so near to it that one can hear the +whistle of the locomotive as it hurries onward every hour in the day, +and see the trains of cars as they whirl by with their loads of living +freight. The laborers in the fields along the road, though they see +these things so frequently, invariably pause in their work and watch the +advancing train until it passes them, and follow it with their eyes +until it is nearly lost in the distance. The boy leans upon his hoe, the +mower rests upon his scythe, the ploughman halts his horses in the +furrow,--all stop to gaze upon a spectacle that has long ceased to be +either a wonder or a novelty. Why it is so may be difficult to answer, +except that the snorting combination of wheels, and cranks, and fire, +and smoke, thundering by the quiet fields, breaks in upon the monotonous +labor of the hand who works alone, with no one to converse with,--for +the fact is equally curious, that gangs of laborers make no pause on the +appearance of a locomotive. They have companionship enough already. + +This old wooden farm-house was a very shabby affair. To look at it, one +would be sure that the owner had a particular aversion to both paint and +whitewash. The weather-boarding was fairly honeycombed by age and +exposure to the sun and rain, and in some places the end of a board had +dropped off, and hung down a foot or two, for want of a nail which +everybody about the place appeared to be too lazy or neglectful to +supply in time. One or two of the window-shutters had lost a hinge, and +they also hung askew,--nobody had thought it worth while to drive back +the staple when it first became loose. + +Then there were several broken lights of glass in the kitchen windows. +As the men about the house neglected to have them mended, or to do it +themselves by using the small bit of putty that would have kept the +cracked ones from going to pieces, the women had been compelled to keep +out the wind and rain by stuffing in the first thing that came to hand. +There was a bit of red flannel in one, an old straw bonnet in another, +while in a third, from which all the glass was gone, a tolerably good +fur hat, certainly worth the cost of half a dozen lights, had been +crammed in to fill up the vacancy. The whole appearance of the windows +was deplorable. Some of them had lost the little wooden buttons which +kept up the sash when hoisted, and which anybody could have replaced by +whittling out new ones with his knife; but as no one did it, and as the +women must sometimes have the sashes raised, they propped them up with +pretty big sticks from the wood-pile. It was not a nice sight, that of a +rough stick as thick as one's arm to hold up the sash, especially when, +of a sultry day, three or four of them were always within view. + +Then the wooden step at the kitchen door, instead of being nailed fast +to the house, was not only loose, but it rested on the ground so +unevenly as to tilt over whenever any one stepped carelessly on its +edge. As the house contained a large family, all of whom generally lived +in the kitchen, there was a great deal of running in and out over this +loose step. When it first broke away from the building, it gave quite a +number of severe tumbles to the women and children. Everybody complained +of it, but nobody mended it, though a single stout nail would have held +it fast. One dark night a pig broke loose, and, snuffing and smelling +around the premises in search of forage, came upon the loose step, and, +imagining that he scented a supper in its neighborhood, used his snout +so vigorously as to push it clear away from the door. One of the girls, +hearing the noise, stepped out into the yard to see what was going on; +but the step being gone, and she not observing it, down she went on her +face, striking her nose on the edge of a bucket which some one had left +exactly in the wrong place, and breaking the bone so badly that she will +carry a very homely face as long as she lives. It was a very painful +hurt to the poor girl, and the family all grieved over her misfortune; +but not one of the men undertook to mend the step. Finally, the mother +managed to drive down two sticks in front of it, which held it up to the +house, though not half so firmly as would have been done by a couple of +good stout nails. + +Things were very much in the same condition all over the premises. The +fence round the garden, and in fact all about the house, was dropping to +pieces simply for want of a nail here and there. The barn-yard enclosure +was strong enough to keep the cattle in, but it was a curious exhibition +of hasty patch-work, that would hurt the eye of any mechanic to look at. +As to the gates, every one of them rested at one end on the ground. It +was hard work even for a man to open and shut them, as they had to be +lifted clear up before they could be moved an inch. For a half-grown +boy to open them was really a very serious undertaking, especially in +muddy weather. The posts had sagged, or the upper staples had drawn out, +but nobody attended to putting them to rights, though it would not have +been an hour's job to make them all swing as freely as every good +farm-gate ought to. The barn-yard was a hard place for the boys on this +farm. + +No touch of whitewash had been spread over either house, or fence, or +outbuilding, for many years, though lime is known to everybody as being +one of the surest preservers of wood-work, as well as the very cheapest, +while it so beautifully sets off a farm-house to see its surroundings +covered once a year with a fresh coat of white. The hen-house was of +course equally neglected, though whitewash is so well known to be an +indispensable purifier of such places, materially helping to keep away +those kinds of vermin that prevent poultry from thriving. In fact, the +absence of lime was so general, that the hens could hardly pick up +enough to make egg-shells. Had they laid eggs without shells, the +circumstance would have mortified the hens as much as it would have +surprised the family. As it was, their only dependence was on the pile +of lime rubbish which was left every spring after whitewashing the +kitchen. The women who presided there did manage to fix up things once a +year. They thought lime was good to drive away ants and roaches, and so +they and the hens were the only parties on the premises who used it. + +There were many other things about this farm-house that were quite as +much neglected,--more than it is worth while at present to mention, +unless it be the wood-pile. Though there were two men on the farm, and +several well-grown boys, yet the women could rarely prevail on any of +them to split a single stick of wood. The wood for the house caused +great trouble,--it was difficult to get it at all. Then when it did +come, it was crooked and knotty, much of it such as a woman could not +split. Yet whenever a stick or two was wanted, the females of the family +must run out into the shed to chop and split it. They never could get an +armful ahead, such was the strange neglect of one of the most +indispensable comforts of housekeeping. If the female head of the family +had only thought of letting the male portion go a few times without +their dinners, it is more than likely they would have brought them to +terms, and taught them that it was quite as much their duty to split the +wood as it was hers to cook their dinners. But she was a good, easy +creature, like most of the others. They had all been brought up in the +same neglectful way, just rubbing along from day to day, never getting +ahead, but everything getting ahead of them. + +This farmer's name was Philip Spangler, and he was unlucky enough to +have a hundred acres in his farm. The word _unlucky_ is really a very +proper one; because it was unlucky for such a man as Philip that he +should have so much more land than he knew how to manage, and it was +equally unlucky for the land that it should have so poor a manager. The +man was perfectly sober, and in his own way was a very industrious one. +He worked hard himself, and made every one about him do the same. He was +what is known as a "slaving farmer,"--up by daylight, having all hands +up and out of doors quite as early as himself, and he and they stuck to +it as long as they could see to work. With him and them it was all work +and no play. He had no recreations; he took no newspaper, had no reading +in the house except the children's school-books, the Bible, and an +almanac,--which he bought once a year, not because he wanted it, but +because his wife would have it. + +What was very singular in Mr. Spangler's mode of managing things, when a +wet day came on, too rainy for out-of-door work, he seemed to have no +indoor employments provided, either for himself or hands to do, having +apparently no sort of forethought. On such occasions he let everything +slide,--that is, take care of itself,--and went, in spite of the rain, +to a tavern near by on the railroad, where he sat all day among a crowd +of neighboring idlers who collected there at such times; for although it +might be wet enough to stop all work in the fields, it was never too wet +to keep them away from the tavern. There these fellows sat, drinking +juleps, smoking pipes, or cigars that smelt even worse, and retailing +among each other the news of their several neighborhoods. + +What Spangler thus picked up at the tavern was about all the news he +ever heard. As to talking of farming, of their crops, or what was the +best thing to raise, or how best to carry on this or that branch of +their business,--such matters were rarely spoken of. They came there to +shake off the farm. Politics was a standing topic,--who was likely to be +nominated on their ticket,--whether he would be elected,--and whether it +was true that so-and-so was going to be sold out by the sheriff. It was +much to Spangler's credit, that, if at this rainy-day rendezvous he +learned nothing useful, he contracted no other bad habit than that of +lounging away a day when he should have been at home attending to his +business. It was much after the same fashion that he spent his long +winter's evenings,--dozing in the chimney-corner,--for the tavern was +too far away, or he would have spent them there. + +Now it somehow happens that there are quite as many rainy days in the +country as in the city. But those who live in the latter never think of +quitting work because it snows deep or rains hard. The merchant never +closes his counting-house or store, nor does the mechanic cease to labor +from such a cause; they have still something on hand, whether it rain or +shine. Even the newsboys run about the streets as actively, and a +hundred other kinds of workers keep on without interruption. + +If the laboring men of a large city were to quit work because of a hard +rain, there would be a loss of many thousand dollars for every such day +that happened. So also with a farmer. There is plenty of rainy-day work +on a farm, if the owner only knew it, or thought of it beforehand, and +set his men or boys to do it,--in the barn, or cellar, or wood-shed. If +he had a bench and tools, a sort of workshop, a rainy day would be a +capital time for him to teach his boys how to drive a nail, or saw a +board, or push a plane, to make a new box or mend an old one, to put a +new handle in an axe or hoe, or to do twenty such little things as are +always wanted on a farm. Besides saving the time and money lost by +frequent running to the blacksmith or wheelwright, to have such trifles +attended to, things would be kept always ready when next wanted, and his +boys would become good mechanics. There is so much of this kind of light +repairing to be done on a farm, that, having a set of tools, and knowing +how to use them, are almost as indispensable as having ploughs and +harrows, and the boys cannot be too early instructed in their use. Many +boys are natural mechanics, and even without instruction could +accomplish great things if they only had a bench and tools. The making +of the commonest bird-box will give an ambitious boy a very useful +lesson. + +It seemed that Mr. Spangler was learning nothing while he lived. His +main idea appeared to be, that farming was an affair of muscle +only,--that it was hands, not heads, that farmers ought to have; and +that whoever worked hardest and longest, wasted no time in reading, +spent no money for fine cattle or better breeds of pigs, or for new +seeds, new tools or machines, and stuck to the good old way, was the +best farmer. He never devoted a day now and then to visiting the +agricultural exhibitions which were held in all the counties round him, +where he would be sure to see samples of the very best things that good +farmers were producing,--fine cattle, fine pigs, fine poultry, and a +hundred other products which sensible men are glad to exhibit at such +fairs, knowing that it is the smart men who go to such places to learn +what is going on, as well as to make purchases, and that it is the +agricultural drones who stay at home. The fact was, he had been badly +educated, and he could not shake off the habits of his early life. He +had been taught that hard work was the chief end of man. + +Of course such a farmer had a poor time of it, as well as the hands he +employed. He happened to be pretty well out of debt, there being only a +small mortgage on his farm; but he was so poor a manager that his hard +work went for little, in reality just enough to enable his family to +live, with sometimes very close shaving to pay interest. As to getting +rich, it was out of the question. He had a son whose name was Joe, a +smart, ambitious boy of sixteen years old; another son, Bill, two years +younger; and an orphan named Tony King, exactly a year younger than Joe; +together with a hired man for helper about the farm. + +Mr. Spangler had found Tony in the adjoining county. On the death of his +parents, they being miserably poor, and having no relations to take care +of him, he had had a hard time among strangers. They kept him until old +enough to be bound out to a trade. Mr. Spangler thinking he needed +another hand, and being at the same time in such low repute as a farmer +and manager that those who knew him were not willing to let their sons +live with him as apprentices, he was obliged to go quite out of the +neighborhood, where he was not so well known, in order to secure one. In +one of his trips he brought up at the house where Tony was staying, and, +liking his looks,--for he was even a brighter boy than Joe Spangler,--he +had him bound to him as an apprentice to the art and mystery of farming. + +In engaging himself to teach this art and mystery to Tony, he undertook +to impart a great deal more knowledge than he himself possessed,--a +thing, by the way, which is very common with a good many other people. +Altogether it was a hard bargain for poor Tony; but when parents are so +idle and thriftless as to expose their children to such a fate as his, +they leave them a legacy of nothing better than the very hardest kind of +bargains. + +In addition to this help, about a year after Tony took up his quarters +with Mr. Spangler, there came along an old man of seventy, a sort of +distant relation of the Spanglers, who thenceforward made the farm his +home. Mr. Spangler and his wife called him "Benny," but all the younger +members of the family, out of respect for his age, called him "Uncle," +so that in a very short time he went by no other name than that of +"Uncle Benny," and this not only on the farm, but all over the +neighborhood. + +Uncle Benny turned out to be the pleasantest old man the boys and girls +had ever been acquainted with. It was no wonder they liked him, for he +was very fond of children, and like generally begets like. He was a very +different sort of character from any about the farm. He had been well +educated, and being in his younger days of a roving, sight-hunting +disposition, he had travelled all over the world, had seen a multitude +of strange men and strange things, and had such a way of telling what he +had thus picked up as never to fail of interesting those who heard him. +Sometimes of a long winter evening, when he was giving accounts of +foreign countries, or how people lived in our great cities, or how they +carried on farming in other parts of our country, he talked so +pleasantly that no one thought of being sleepy. On such evenings, before +he came to live on the farm, Mr. Spangler would often fall asleep on his +chair in the chimney corner, and once or twice actually tipped over +quite into the ashes; but now, when Uncle Benny got fairly under way, +there was no more going to sleep. Mr. Spangler pricked up his ears, and +listened better than if any one had been reading from a book. + +Then Uncle Benny had a way of always putting in some good advice to both +men and boys, and even to the girls. He had read and travelled so much, +that he had something appropriate for every event that turned up. +Indeed, every one was surprised at his knowing so much. Besides this, he +was very lively and cheerful, and as fond of fun as could be, and seemed +able to make any one laugh whenever he chose to indulge in a joke. + +In addition to all this, he was uncommonly handy with tools. Though an +old man, and not strong enough to do a full day's work at mowing or +hay-making, because of stiff joints, yet he could potter about the house +and barns, with a hatchet, and saw, and a nail-box, and mend up a +hundred broken places that had been neglected for years before he came +to live there. If he saw anything out of order, a gate with no latch, a +picket loose in the garden fence, or any other trifling defect about the +premises, he went to work and made all right again. He even mended the +broken lights in the kitchen windows, and got rid of all the old hats +and bonnets that had been stuffed into them. He put on new buttons to +keep up the sashes, and so banished the big sticks from the wood-pile +that had been used to prop them up. He said they were too ugly even to +look at. + +It was Uncle Benny who nailed up the loose door-step which the pig had +rooted away from its place, causing Lucy Spangler to fall on the edge of +a bucket and break her nose. Lucy came out to thank him for doing the +thing so nicely; for ever since the accident to her nose, she had been +very skittish about putting her foot on the step. + +"Ah, Lucy," said Uncle Benny, "I wish I could mend your nose as easily." + +"Indeed I wish so too," replied Lucy. + +Inside of the house were numerous things that wanted looking after in +the same way. There was not a bolt or a latch that would work as it +ought to. All the closet locks were out of order, while one half the +doors refused to shut. In fact there were twenty little provocations of +this kind that were perpetual annoyances to the women. Uncle Benny went +to work and removed them all; there was no odd job that he was not able +to go through with. Indeed, it was the luckiest day in the history of +that farm when he came to live upon it, for it did seem that, if the +farm were ever to be got to rights, he was the very man to do it. Now, +it was very curious, but no one told Uncle Benny to do these things. But +as soon as he had anchored himself at Mr. Spangler's he saw how much the +old concern was out of gear, and, providing himself with tools, he +undertook, as one of his greatest pleasures, to repair these +long-standing damages, not because he expected to be paid for it, but +from his own natural anxiety to have things look as they ought. + +The boys watched the old man's operations with great interest, for both +Joe and Tony were ambitious of knowing how to handle tools. One day he +took hold of the coffee-mill, which some clumsy fellow had only half +nailed up in the kitchen, so that, whenever the coffee was ground, +whoever turned the crank was sure to bruise his knuckles against the +wall. Mrs. Spangler and her daughters of course did all the grinding, +and complained bitterly of the way the mill was fixed. Besides, it had +become shockingly dull, so that it only cracked the grains, and thus +gave them a miserably weak decoction for breakfast. Now, Uncle Benny had +been used to strong coffee, and couldn't stand what Mrs. Spangler gave +him. So he unshipped the mill, took it to pieces, with a small file +sharpened up the grinders, which by long use had become dull, oiled its +joints, and screwed it up in a new place, where it was impossible for +the knuckles to be bruised. It then worked so beautifully, that, instead +of every one hating to put his hand on the crank, the difficulty was to +keep the children away from it,--they would grind on it an hour at a +time. Such a renovation of damaged goods had never before been seen on +Spangler's premises. + +_Author of "Ten Acres Enough."_ + +(_To be continued._) + + + + +AFLOAT IN THE FOREST: + +OR, A VOYAGE AMONG THE TREE-TOPS. + + +CHAPTER I. + +THE BROTHERS AT HOME. + + +Twenty years ago, not twenty miles from the Land's End, there lived a +Cornish gentleman named Trevannion. Just twenty years ago he died, +leaving to lament him a brace of noble boys, whose mother all three had +mourned, with like profound sorrow, but a short while before. + +"Squire" Trevannion, as he was called, died in his own house, where his +ancestors for hundreds of years before him had dispensed hospitality. +None of them, however, had entertained so profusely as he; or rather +improvidently, it might be said, since in less than three months after +his death the old family mansion, with the broad acres appertaining to +it, passed into the hands of an alien, leaving his two sons, Ralph and +Richard, landless, houseless, and almost powerless. One thousand pounds +apiece was all that remained to them out of the wreck of the patrimonial +estates. It was whispered that even this much was not in reality theirs, +but had been given to them by the _very respectable_ solicitor who had +managed their father's affairs, and had furthermore _managed_ to succeed +him in the ownership of a property worth a rental of three thousand a +year. + +Any one knowing the conditions under which the young Trevannions +received their two thousand pounds must have believed it to be a gift, +since it was handed over to them by the family solicitor with the +private understanding that they were to use it in pushing their fortunes +elsewhere,--anywhere except in Cornwall! + +The land-pirate who had plucked them--for in reality had they been +plucked--did not wish them to stay at home, divested, as they were, of +their valuable plumage. He had appropriated their fine feathers, and +cared not for the naked bodies of the birds. + +There were those in Cornwall who suspected foul play in the lawyer's +dealings with the young Trevannions,--among others, the victims +themselves. But what could they do? They were utterly ignorant of their +late father's affairs,--indeed, with any affairs that did not partake of +the nature of "sports." A solicitor "most respectable,"--a phrase that +has become almost synonymous with rascality,--a regular +church-goer,--accounts kept with scrupulous exactness,--a man of honest +face, distinguished for probity of speech and integrity of heart,--what +could the Trevannions do? What more than the Smiths and the Browns and +the Joneses, who, notwithstanding their presumed greater skill in the +ways of a wicked lawyer world, are duped every day in a similar manner. +It is an old and oft-repeated story,--a tale too often told, and too +often true,--that of the family lawyer and his confiding client, +standing in the relationship of robber and robbed. + +The two children of Squire Trevannion could do nothing to save or +recover their paternal estate. Caught in the net of legal chicanery, +they were forced to yield, as other squire's children have had to do, +and make the best of a bad matter,--forced to depart from a home that +had been held by Trevannions perhaps since the Phoenicians strayed +thitherward in search of their shining tin. + +It sore grieved them to separate from the scenes of their youth; but the +secret understanding with the solicitor required that sacrifice. By +staying at home a still greater might be called for,--subsistence in +penury, and, worse than all, in a humiliating position; for, +notwithstanding the open house long kept by their father, his friends +had disappeared with his guests. Impelled by these thoughts, the +brothers resolved to go forth into the wide world, and seek fortune +wherever it seemed most likely they should find it. + +They were at this period something more than mere children. Ralph had +reached within twelve months of being twenty. Richard was his junior by +a couple of years. Their book-education had been good; the practice of +manly sports had imparted to both of them a physical strength that +fitted them for toil, either of the mind or body. They were equal to a +tough struggle, either in the intellectual or material world; and to +this they determined to resign themselves. + +For a time they debated between themselves where they should go, and +what do. The army and navy came under their consideration. With such +patronage as their father's former friends could command, and might +still exert in favor of their fallen fortunes, a commission in either +army or navy was not above their ambition. But neither felt much +inclined towards a naval or military life; the truth being, that a +thought had taken shape in their minds leading them to a different +determination. + +Their deliberations ended by each of them proclaiming a resolve,--almost +sealing it with a vow,--that they would enter into some more profitable, +though perhaps less pretentious, employment than that of either +soldiering or sailoring; that they would toil--with their hands, if need +be--until they should accumulate a sufficient sum to return and recover +the ancestral estate from the grasp of the avaricious usurper. They did +not know how it was to be done; but, young, strong, and hopeful, they +believed it might be done,--with time, patience, and industry to aid +them in the execution. + +"Where shall we go?" inquired Richard, the younger of the two. "To +America, where every poor man appears to prosper? With a thousand each +to begin the world with, we might do well there. What say you, Ralph?" + +"America is a country where men seem to thrive best who have _nothing_ +to begin the world with. You mean North America,--the United States,--I +suppose?" + +"I do." + +"I don't much like the United States as a home,--not because it is a +republic, for I believe that is the only just form of government, +whatever our aristocratic friends may say. I object to it simply because +I wish to go south,--to some part of the tropical world, where one may +equally be in the way of acquiring a fortune." + +"Is there such a place?" + +"There is." + +"Where, brother?" + +"Peru. Anywhere along the Sierra of the Andes from Chili to the Isthmus +of Panama. As Cornish men we should adopt the specialty of our province, +and become miners. The Andes mountains will give us that opportunity, +where, instead of gray tin, we may delve for yellow gold. What say you +to South America?" + +"I like the thought of South America,--nothing would please me better +than going there. But I must confess, brother, I have no inclination for +the occupation you speak of. I had rather be a merchant than a miner." + +"Don't let that _penchant_ prevent you from selecting Peru as the scene +of mercantile transactions. There are many Englishmen who have made +fortunes in the Peruvian trade. You may hope to follow their example. We +may choose different occupations and still be near each other. One +thousand pounds each may give both of us a start,--you as a merchant of +goods, I as a digger for gold. Peru is the place for either business. +Decide, Dick! Shall we sail for the scenes rendered celebrated by +Pizarro?" + +"If you will it--I'm agreed." + +"Thither then let us go." + +In a month from that time the two Trevannions might have been seen upon +a ship, steering westward from the Land's End, and six months later both +disembarked upon the beach of Callao,--_en route_ first for Lima, thence +up the mountains, to the sterile snow-crested mountains, that tower +above the treasures of Cerro Pasco,--vainly guarded within the bosom of +adamantine rocks. + + +CHAPTER II. + +THE BROTHERS ABROAD. + + +This book is not intended as a history of the brothers Ralph and Richard +Trevannion. If it were so, a gap of some fifteen years--after the date +of their arrival at Cerro Pasco--would have to be filled up. I decline +to speak of this interval of their lives, simply because the details +might not have any remarkable interest for those before whom they would +be laid. + +Suffice it to say, that Richard, the younger, soon became wearied of a +miner's life; and, parting with his brother, he crossed the Cordilleras, +and descended into the great Amazonian forest,--the "montaña," as it is +called by the Spanish inhabitants of the Andes. Thence, in company with +a party of Portuguese traders, he kept on down the river Amazon, trading +along its banks, and upon some of its tributary streams; and finally +established himself as a merchant at its mouth, in the thriving "city" +of Gran Pará. + +Richard was not unsocial in his habits; and soon became the husband of a +fair-haired wife,--the daughter of a countryman who, like himself, had +established commercial relations at Pará. In a few years after, several +sweet children called him "father,"--only two of whom survived to +prattle in his ears this endearing appellation, alas! no longer to be +pronounced in the presence of their mother. + +Fifteen years after leaving the Land's End, Richard Trevannion, still +under thirty-five years of age, was a widower, with two +children,--respected wherever known, prosperous in pecuniary +affairs,--rich enough to return home, and spend the remainder of his +days in that state so much desired by the Sybarite Roman poet,--"otium +cum dignitate." + +Did he remember the vow mutually made between him and his brother, that, +having enough money, they would one day go back to Cornwall, and recover +the ancestral estate? He did remember it. He longed to accomplish this +design. He only awaited his brother's answer to a communication he had +made to him on this very subject. + +He had no doubt that Ralph's desire would be in unison with his +own,--that his brother would soon join him, and then both would return +to their native land,--perhaps to dwell again under the same roof that +had sheltered them as children. + +The history of the elder brother during this period of fifteen years, if +less eventful, was not less distinguished by success. By steadily +following the pursuit which had first attracted him to Peru, he +succeeded in becoming a man of considerable means,--independent, if not +wealthy. + +Like his brother, he got married at an early period,--in fact, within +the first year after establishing himself in Cerro Pasco. Unlike the +latter, however, he chose for his wife one of the women of the +country,--a beautiful Peruvian lady. She too, but a short while before, +had gone to a better world, leaving motherless two pretty children, of +twelve and fourteen years of age,--the elder of the two being a +daughter. + +Such was the family of Ralph Trevannion, and such the condition of life +in which his brother's epistle reached him,--that epistle containing the +proposal that they should wind up their respective businesses, dispose +of both, and carry their gains to the land that had given them birth. + +The proposition was at once accepted, as Richard knew it would be. It +was far from the first time that the thing had been discussed, +epistolary fashion, between them; for letters were exchanged as often as +opportunity permitted,--sometimes twice or thrice in the year. + +In these letters, during the last few years of their sojourn in South +America, the promise made on leaving home was mutually mentioned, and as +often renewed on either side. Richard knew that his brother was as eager +as himself to keep that well-remembered vow. + +So long as the mother of Ralph's children was alive, he had not urged +his brother to its fulfilment; but now that she had been dead for more +than a year, he had written to say that the time had come for their +return to their country and their home. + +His proposal was, that Ralph, having settled his affairs in +Peru,--which, of course, included the selling out of his share in the +mines,--should join him, Richard, at Pará, thence to take ship for +England. That instead of going round by Cape Horn, or across the +isthmus, by Panama, Ralph should make the descent of the great Amazon +River, which traverse would carry him latitudinally across the continent +from west to east. + +Richard had two reasons for recommending this route. First, because he +wished his brother to see the great river of Orellana, as he himself had +done; and secondly, because he was still more desirous that his _own +son_ should see it. + +How this last wish was to be gratified by his brother making the descent +of the Amazon, may require explanation; but it will suffice to say that +the son of Richard Trevannion was at that time residing with his uncle +at the mines of Cerro Pasco. + +The boy had gone to Peru the year before, in one of his father's +ships,--first, to see the Great Ocean, then the Great Andes,--afterwards +to become acquainted with the country of the Incas, and last, though not +of least importance, to make the acquaintance of his own uncle and his +two interesting cousins, the elder of whom was exactly his own age. He +had gone to the Pacific side by _sea_. It was his father's wish he +should return to the Atlantic side by land,--or, to speak more +accurately, by _river_. + +The merchant's wish was to be gratified. The miner had no desire to +refuse compliance with his proposal. On the contrary, it chimed in with +his own inclinations. Ralph Trevannion possessed a spirit adventurous as +his brother's, which fourteen years of mining industry, carried on in +the cold mountains of Cerro Pasco, had neither deadened nor chilled. The +thought of once more returning to the scenes of his youth quite +rejuvenated him; and on the day of receiving his brother's challenge to +go, he not only accepted it, but commenced proceedings towards carrying +the design into execution. + +A month afterwards and he might have been seen descending the eastern +slope of the Cordilleras on mule-back, and accompanied by his family and +followers; afterwards aboard a _balsa_,--one of those curious crafts +used in the descent of the Huallaga; and later still on the _montaria_, +upon the bosom of the great river itself. + +With the details of his mountain travels, interesting as they may be, we +have naught to do. No more with his descent of the Huallaga, nor his +long voyage on the Amazon itself, in that up-river portion of the stream +where it is called the "Marañon." Only where it becomes the stupendous +"Solimoës" do we join Ralph Trevannion on his journey, and remain with +him as long as he is "AFLOAT IN THE FOREST," _or making a voyage among +the tree-tops_. + + +CHAPTER III. + +THE GALATEA. + + +On an evening in the early part of December, a craft of singular +construction might have been seen descending the Solimoës, and +apparently making for the little Portuguese port of Coary, that lies on +the southern side of the river. + +When we say of singular construction, we mean singular to one +unaccustomed to the navigation of Amazonian waters. There the craft in +question was too common to excite curiosity, since it was nothing more +than a _galatea_, or large canoe, furnished with mast and sail, with a +palm-thatched cabin, or _tolda_, rising over the quarter, a low-decked +locker running from bow to midships,--along each side of which were to +be seen, half seated, half standing, some half-dozen dark-skinned men, +each plying, instead of an oar, a paddle-blade. + +[Illustration] + +Perhaps the most singular sight on board this embarkation was the group +of animated beings who composed its crew and passengers. The former, as +already stated, were dark-skinned men, scantily clad,--in fact, almost +naked, since a single pair of white cotton drawers constituted the +complete costume of each. + +For passengers there were three men, and a like number of individuals of +younger age. Two of the men were white, apparently Europeans; the other +was as black as soot could have made him,--unquestionably an African +negro. Of the young people two were boys, not much differing in size, +and apparently not much in age, while the third was a half-grown girl, +of dark complexion, raven-colored hair, and beautiful features. + +One of the white men appeared to be, and was, the proprietor of the +montaria, and the employer of its swarthy crew. He was Ralph Trevannion. + +The young girl was his daughter, and bore her Peruvian mother's name, +Rosa, more often pronounced by its diminutive of endearment, Rosita. The +younger of the two boys--also of dark complexion--was his son Ralph, +while the older, of true Saxon physiognomy and hue, was the son of his +brother, also bearing his father's Christian name, Richard. + +The second white man was unmistakably of European race,--so much so that +any one possessing the slightest knowledge of the hibernian type, would +at once have pronounced him a "Son of the Sod." A pure pug nose, a shock +of curled hair of the clearest carrot color, an eternal twinkle in the +eye, a volume of fun lying open at each angle of the mouth,--were all +characteristics by which "Tipperary Tom"--for such was his +_sobriquet_--might be remembered. + +About the negro there was nothing special, more than that he was a pure +negro, with enormously thick lips, flattened nose, long protruding +heels, teeth white as hippopotamus ivory, and almost always set in a +good-humored grin. The darkey had been a sailor, or rather ship-steward, +before landing in Peru. Thither had he strayed, and settled at Cerro +Pasco after several years spent aboard ship. He was a native of +Mozambique, on the eastern coast of Africa, to which circumstance was he +indebted for the only name ever given him,--Mozey. + +Both he and the Irishman were the servants of the miner, or rather his +retainers, who served him in various ways, and had done so almost ever +since his establishing himself among the rocks of Cerro Pasco. + +The other creatures of the animated kingdom that found lodgment upon the +craft, were of various shapes, sizes, and species. There were +quadrupeds, quadrumana, and birds,--beasts of the field, monkeys of the +forest, and birds of the air,--clustering upon the cabin top, squatted +in the hold, perched upon the gangway, the tolda, the yard, and the +mast,--forming an epitomized menagerie, such as may be seen on every +kind of craft that navigates the mighty Amazon. + +It is not our design to give any description of the galatea's crew. +There were nine of them,--all Indians,--four on each side acting as +rowers, or more properly "paddlers," the ninth being the pilot or +steersman, standing abaft the tolda. + +Our reason for not describing them is that they were a changing crew, +only attached to the craft for a particular stage of the long river +voyage, and had succeeded several other similar sets since the +embarkation of our voyagers on the waters of the Upper Amazon. They had +joined the galatea at the port of Ega, and would take leave of her at +Coary, where a fresh crew of civilized Indians--"tapuyos"--would be +required. + +And they _were_ required, but not obtained. On the galatea putting into +the port of Coary, it was found that nearly every man in the place was +off upon a hunting excursion,--turtle and cowfish being the game that +had called them out. Not a canoe-man could be had for love or money. + +The owner of the galatea endeavored to tempt the Ega crew to continue +another stage. It was contrary to their habit, and they refused to go. +Persuasion and threats were tried in vain. Coaxing and scolding proved +equally unavailable; all except one remained firm in their refusal, the +exception being an old Indian who did not belong to the Ega tribe, and +who could not resist the large bribe offered by Trevannion. + +The voyagers must either suspend their journey till the Coary +turtle-hunters should return, or proceed without paddlers. The hunters +were not expected for a month. To stay a month at Coary was out of the +question. The galatea must go on manned by her own people, and the old +Indian, who was to act as pilot. Such was the determination of Ralph +Trevannion. But for that resolve,--rash as it was, and ending +unfortunately for him who made it,--we should have no story to tell. + + +CHAPTER IV. + +DRIFTING WITH THE CURRENT. + + +The craft that carried the ex-miner, his family and following, once more +floated on the broad bosom of the Solimoës. Not so swift as before, +since, instead of eight paddlers, it was now impelled by only half the +number,--these, too, with less than half the experience of the crew who +had preceded them. + +The owner himself acted as steersman, while the paddles were plied by +"Tipperary Tom," Mozey, the old Indian,--who, being of the Mundurucú +tribe, passed by the name of "Monday,"--and Richard Trevannion. + +The last, though by far the youngest, was perhaps the best paddler in +the party. Brought up in his native place of Gran Pará, he had been +accustomed to spend half his time either in or upon the water; and an +oar or paddle was to him no novelty. + +Young Ralph, on the contrary, a true mountaineer, knew nothing of +either, and therefore counted for nothing among the crew of the galatea. +To him and the little Rosa was assigned the keeping of the pets, with +such other light duties as they were capable of performing. + +For the first day the voyage was uninterrupted by any incident,--at +least any that might be called unpleasant. Their slow progress, it is +true, was a cause of dissatisfaction; but so long as they were going at +all, and going in the right direction, this might be borne with +equanimity. Three miles an hour was about their average rate of speed; +for half of which they were indebted to the current of the river, and +for the other half to the impulsion of their paddles. + +Considering that they had still a thousand miles to go before reaching +Gran Pará, the prospect of a protracted voyage was very plainly outlined +before them. + +Could they have calculated on making three miles an hour for every hour +of the twenty-four, things would not have been bad. This rate of speed +would have carried them to their destination in a dozen days,--a mere +bagatelle. But they knew enough of river-navigation to disregard such +data. They knew the current of the Solimoës to be extremely slow; they +had heard of the strange phenomenon, that, run which way the river +might, north, south, east, or west,--and it _does_ keep bending and +curving in all these directions,--the wind is almost always met with +blowing _up stream_! + +For this reason they could put no dependence in their sail, and would +have to trust altogether to the paddles. These could not be always in +the water. Human strength could not stand a perpetual spell, even at +paddles; and less so in the hands of a crew of men so little used to +them. + +Nor could they continue the voyage at night. By doing so, they would be +in danger of losing their course, their craft, and themselves! + +You may smile at the idea. You will ask--a little scornfully, +perhaps--how a canoe, or any other craft, drifting down a deep river to +its destination, could possibly go astray. Does not the current point +out the path,--the broad water-way not to be mistaken? + +So it might appear to one seated in a skiff, and floating down the +tranquil Thames, with its well-defined banks. But far different is the +aspect of the stupendous Solimoës to the voyager gliding through its +_gapo_. + +I have made use of a word of strange sound, and still stranger +signification. Perhaps it is new to your eye, as your ear. You will +become better acquainted with it before the end of our voyage; for into +the "Gapo" it is my intention to take you, where ill-luck carried the +galatea and her crew. + +On leaving Coary, it was not the design of her owner to attempt taking +his craft, so indifferently manned, all the way to Pará. He knew there +were several civilized settlements between,--as Barra at the mouth of +the Rio Negro, Obidos below it, Santarem, and others. At one or other of +these places he expected to obtain a supply of _tapuyos_, to replace the +crew who had so provokingly forsaken him. + +The voyage to the nearest of them, however, would take several days, at +the rate of speed the galatea was now making; and the thought of being +delayed on their route became each hour more irksome. The ex-miner, who +had not seen his beloved brother during half a score of years, was +impatient once more to embrace him. He had been, already, several months +travelling towards him by land and water; and just as he was beginning +to believe that the most difficult half of the journey had been +accomplished, he found himself delayed by an obstruction vexatious as +unexpected. + +The first night after his departure from Coary, he consented that the +galatea should lie to,--moored to some bushes that grew upon the banks +of the river. + +On the second night, however, he acted with less prudence. His +impatience to make way prompted him to the resolution to keep on. The +night was clear,--a full moon shining conspicuously above, which is not +always the case in the skies of the Solimoës. + +There was to be no sail set, no use made of the paddles. The crew were +fatigued, and wanted rest and repose. The current alone was to favor +their progress; and as it appeared to be running nearly two miles an +hour, it should advance them between twenty and thirty miles before the +morning. + +The Mundurucú made an attempt to dissuade his "patron" from the course +he designed pursuing; but his advice was disregarded,--perhaps because +ill-understood,--and the galatea glided on. + +Who could mistake that broad expanse of water--upon which the moon shone +so clearly--for aught else than the true channel of the Solimoës? Not +Tipperary Tom, who, in the second watch of the night,--the owner himself +having kept the first,--acted as steersman of the galatea. + +The others had gone to sleep. Trevannion and the three young people +under the tolda; Mozey and the Mundurucú along the staging known as the +"hold." The birds and monkeys were at rest on their respective perches, +and in their respective cages,--all was silent in the galatea, and +around,--all save the rippling of the water, as it parted to the +cleaving of her keel. + + +CHAPTER V. + +THE GALATEA AGROUND. + + +Little experienced as he was in the art of navigation, the steersman was +not inattentive to his duty. Previously to his taking the rudder, he had +been admonished about the importance of keeping the craft in the channel +of the stream, and to this had he been giving his attention. + +It so chanced, however, that he had arrived at a place where there were +two channels,--as if an island was interposed in the middle of the +river, causing it to branch at an acute angle. Which of these was the +right one? Which should be taken? These were the questions that occurred +to Tipperary Tom. + +At first he thought of awakening his master, and consulting him, but on +once more glancing at the two channels, he became half convinced that +the broader one must be the proper route to be followed. + +"Bay Japers!" muttered he to himself. "Shure I can't be mistaken. The +biggest av the two ought to be the mane sthrame. Anyway, I won't wake +the masther. I'll lave it to the ship to choose for hersilf." Saying +this he relaxed his hold upon the steering oar, and permitted the +galatea to drift with the current. + +Sure enough, the little craft inclined towards the branch that appeared +the broader one; and in ten minutes' time had made such way that the +other opening was no longer visible from her decks. The steersman, +confident of being on the right course, gave himself no further +uneasiness; but, once more renewing his hold upon the steering oar, +guided the galatea in the middle of the channel. + +Notwithstanding all absence of suspicion as to having gone astray, he +could not help noticing that the banks on each side appeared to be +singularly irregular, as if here and there indented by deep bays, or +reaches of water. Some of these opened out vistas of shining surface, +apparently illimitable, while the dark patches that separated them +looked more like clumps of trees half submerged under water, than +stretches of solid earth. + +As the galatea continued her course, this puzzling phenomenon ceased to +be a conjecture; Tipperary Tom saw that he was no longer steering down a +river between two boundary banks, but on a broad expanse of water, +stretching as far as eye could reach, with no other boundary than that +afforded by a _flooded forest_. + +There was nothing in all this to excite alarm,--at least in the mind of +Tipperary Tom. The Mundurucú, had he been awake, might have shown some +uneasiness at the situation. But the Indian was asleep,--perhaps +dreaming of some Múra enemy,--whose head he would have been happy to +embalm. + +Tom simply supposed himself to be in some part of the Solimoës, flooded +beyond its banks, as he had seen it in more places than one. With this +confidence, he stuck faithfully to his steering oar, and allowed the +galatea to glide on. It was only when the reach of water--upon which the +craft was drifting--began to narrow, or rather after it had narrowed to +a surprising degree, that the steersman began to suspect himself of +having taken the wrong course. + +His suspicions became stronger, at length terminating in a conviction +that such was the truth, when the galatea arrived at a part where less +than a cable's length lay between her beam-ends and the bushes that +stood out of the water on both sides of her. Too surely had he strayed +from the "mane sthrame." The craft that carried him could no longer be +in the channel of the mighty Solimoës! + +The steersman was alarmed, and this very alarm hindered him from +following the only prudent course he could have taken under the +circumstances. He should have aroused his fellow-voyagers, and +proclaimed the error into which he had fallen. He did not do so. A sense +of shame at having neglected his duty, or rather at having performed it +in an indifferent manner,--a species of regret not uncommon among his +countrymen,--hindered him from disclosing the truth, and taking steps to +avert any evil consequences that might spring from it. + +He knew nothing of the great river on which they were voyaging. There +_might_ be such a strait as that through which the galatea was gliding. +The channel might widen below; and, after all, he might have steered in +the proper direction. With such conjectures, strengthened by such hopes, +he permitted the vessel to float on. + +The channel _did_ widen again; and the galatea once more rode upon open +water. The steersman was restored to confidence and contentment. Only +for a short while did this state of mind continue. Again the clear water +became contracted, this time to a very strip, while on either side +extended reaches and estuaries, bordered by half-submerged bushes,--some +of them opening apparently to the sky horizon, wider and freer from +obstruction than that upon which the galatea was holding her course. + +The steersman no longer thought of continuing his course, which he was +now convinced must be the wrong one. Bearing with all his strength upon +the steering oar, he endeavored to direct the galatea back into the +channel through which he had come; but partly from the drifting of the +current, and partly owing to the deceptive light of the moon, he could +no longer recognize the latter, and, dropping the rudder in despair, he +permitted the vessel to drift whichever way the current might carry her! + +Before Tipperary Tom could summon courage to make known to his +companions the dilemma into which he had conducted them, the galatea had +drifted among the tree-tops of the flooded forest, where she was +instantly "brought to anchor." + +The crashing of broken boughs roused her crew from their slumbers. The +ex-miner, followed by his children, rushed forth from the tolda. He was +not only alarmed, but perplexed, by the unaccountable occurrence. Mozey +was equally in a muddle. The only one who appeared to comprehend the +situation was the old Indian, who showed sufficient uneasiness as to its +consequences by the terrified manner in which he called out: "The Gapo! +The Gapo!" + +_Mayne Reid._ + +(_To be continued._) + +[Illustration] + + + + + +[Illustration] + +CHARADES. + + +NO. 1. + + An old man lay on a bed of death, + Slowly drawing each labored breath; + His pulse was felt by a friendly hand, + While the doctor issued a stern command + To swallow my _first_ without delay, + If he wished to live till another day. + At this the patient looked my _second_, + And slowly spoke: "When Death has beckoned, + In vain the doctor's healing art; + I now am called, and I depart; + I'm glad I've lasted till my _third_." + The listeners scarcely caught the word + With which escaped the unfettered soul, + And finished then his long--my _whole_. + +H. C. + + +NO. 2. + + When I'm my _first_, I lie in bed; + My _second_ wins me gold; + My _third_ I keep safe in my head; + My _fourth_ you may behold + In all its pride, when victory + Shall bid my _whole_ light up the sky. + + + + +ARITHMETICAL PUZZLES. + + +NO. 1. + +In a gale of wind, the top part of a flagstaff in my neighbor's garden +was broken off, and struck the ground in my garden at a distance of 15 +feet from the bottom of the pole, and in its fall broke two vases, worth +$63.25 apiece. My neighbor, in paying for these vases, made four +payments. The second payment was twice as much as the first; the third +amounted to three times as much as the first; and the last amounted to +five times as much as the first. + +Supposing the broken piece of flagstaff to measure 39 feet, what was the +length of the whole pole, and what did my neighbor pay at each payment? + + +NO. 2. + +100--1--5--1--50. + +This is what all young people ought to be. + + +ENIGMA. No. 1. + + I am composed of 13 letters. + My 8, 10, is an abrupt dismissal. + My 11, 5, 7, 8, is not short. + My 9, 1, 3, 12, goes well with a knife. + My 13, 12, 6, 7, 12, is an unpleasant animal. + My 13, 1, 3, 3, 4, is what you will be if + you can't discover me. + My 4, 1, 11, 12, is part of an egg. + My 9, 3, 5, 8, 13, a Frenchman would eat. + My 9, 2, 7, you like now. + My whole I hope you will always like. + + + + +ILLUSTRATED REBUS.--No. 1. + + +[Illustration] + +H. M. T. + + +VON RAIL. + + There was an old Dutchman, Von Rail, + Who had an ambition to sail, + So he put out to sea, + In a fit of high glee, + That hilarious old person, Von Rail. + + +[Illustration] + + +Transcriber's Note: + +Hyphenated words have been standardized. Inconsistencies in spellings +have been left as in the original except those listed below. + +Page 75--Typo corrected from Para to Pará. + + + + + +End of Project Gutenberg's Our Young Folks, Vol 1, No. 1, by Various + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK OUR YOUNG FOLKS, VOL 1, NO. 1 *** + +***** This file should be named 29626-8.txt or 29626-8.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/2/9/6/2/29626/ + +Produced by Marcia Brooks, David Edwards and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Canada Team at +http://www.pgdpcanada.net (This file was produced from +images generously made available by The Internet +Archive/American Libraries.) + + +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, are 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. diff --git a/29626-8.zip b/29626-8.zip Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..aa14018 --- /dev/null +++ b/29626-8.zip diff --git a/29626-h.zip b/29626-h.zip Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..cc3d18b --- /dev/null +++ b/29626-h.zip diff --git a/29626-h/29626-h.htm b/29626-h/29626-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..b114330 --- /dev/null +++ b/29626-h/29626-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,4784 @@ +<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" + "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"> + +<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"> + <head> + <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html;charset=iso-8859-1" /> + <title> + The Project Gutenberg eBook of Our Young Folks Vol I Issue 1, by Various. + </title> + <style type="text/css"> + + p { margin-top: .75em; + text-align: justify; + margin-bottom: .75em; + } + + p.hang {text-indent: -3em; margin-left: 3em;} + + p.sign {text-align: right; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-right: 5%;} + + p.sign2 {text-align: right; margin-bottom: .5em; margin-right: 15%;} + + h1,h4,h5 { + text-align: center; /* all headings centered */ + clear: both; + } + + h1 {page-break-before: always; } + + h2 { + text-align: center; /* all headings centered */ + margin-top: 3em; + margin-bottom: 2em; + clear: both; + } + + h3 { + text-align: center; /* all headings centered */ + margin-top: 2em; + margin-bottom: 2em; + clear: both; + } + + hr { width: 33%; + margin-top: 2em; + margin-bottom: 2em; + margin-left: auto; + margin-right: auto; + clear: both; + } + +div.trans-note {border-style: solid; border-width: 1px; + margin: 3em 15%; padding: 1em; text-align: center; + background: #def; font-size: 90%; + } + + table {margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;} + + body{margin-left: 10%; + margin-right: 10%; + } + + .pagenum { position: absolute; + left: 2%; + font-size: 75%; + text-align: right; + } /* page numbers */ + + .blockquot{margin-left: 15%; margin-right: 15%; + text-indent: -3em; margin-left: 3em;} + + .quote {margin-left: 20%; margin-right: 20%; } + + .notec {padding: 1em; text-align: center; width: 50%; margin: auto; + clear:both; background: #eeeeee; border: solid 1px;} + + .bbox {border-top: solid 2px; border-bottom: solid 2px;} + + .center {text-align: center;} + + .smcap {font-variant: small-caps;} + + .smcap2 {font-size: 90%;} + + .first {font-size: 250%; float: left; padding-right: 0.1em; clear: left; } + + .totoc {position: absolute; right: 2%; font-size: 75%; text-align: right;} + + .caption {font-weight: bold; font-size: 90%; text-align: center;} + + .figcenter {margin: auto; text-align: center;} + + .figdrop {float: left; clear: left; margin-left: 0; + margin-bottom: .5em; margin-top: .5em; + margin-right: .5em; padding: 0; + vertical-align: top; text-indent: 0;} + + .floatl {float: left; clear: left; + padding-right: 3em; margin: 0; /* right margin to keep out from body */ + } + + .footnotes {border: dashed 1px;} + .footnote {margin-left: 10%; margin-right: 10%; font-size: 0.9em;} + .footnote .label {position: absolute; right: 84%; text-align: right;} + .fnanchor {vertical-align: super; font-size: .8em; text-decoration: none;} + + .poem {margin-left:10%; margin-right:10%; text-align: left;} + .poem br {display: none;} + .poem .stanza {margin: 1em 0em 1em 0em;} + .poem span.i0 {display: block; margin-left: 0em; padding-left: 3em; text-indent: -3em;} + .poem span.i2 {display: block; margin-left: 2em; padding-left: 3em; text-indent: -3em;} + .poem span.i4 {display: block; margin-left: 4em; padding-left: 3em; text-indent: -1em;} + .poem span.i6 {display: block; margin-left: 6em; padding-left: 3em; text-indent: 1em;} + .poem span.i8 {display: block; margin-left: 8em; padding-left: 3em; text-indent: -3em;} + .poem span.sig {display: block; margin-left: 22em; padding-left: 3em; text-indent: -3em;} + .poem span.title {display: block; margin-left: 10em; padding-left: 3em; text-indent: -3em; + font-size: 110%; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 1.5em;} + + </style> + </head> +<body> + + +<pre> + +The Project Gutenberg EBook of Our Young Folks, Vol 1, No. 1, 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: Our Young Folks, Vol 1, No. 1 + An Illustrated Magazine + +Author: Various + +Editor: J.T. Trowbridge + Gail Hamilton + Lucy Larcom + +Release Date: August 6, 2009 [EBook #29626] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK OUR YOUNG FOLKS, VOL 1, NO. 1 *** + + + + +Produced by Marcia Brooks, David Edwards and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Canada Team at +http://www.pgdpcanada.net (This file was produced from +images generously made available by The Internet +Archive/American Libraries.) + + + + + + +</pre> + + + + + +<h1>OUR YOUNG FOLKS.</h1> + +<h2><i>An Illustrated Magazine</i></h2> + +<h2>FOR BOYS AND GIRLS.</h2> + +<br /> +<div class="bbox"> +<div class='center'> +<table border="0" cellpadding="4" cellspacing="0" summary="Volume 1" width="100%"> +<tr> + <td align='left'><span class="smcap">Vol.</span> I.</td> + <td align='center'>JANUARY, 1865.</td> + <td align='right'><span class="smcap">No.</span> I.</td> +</tr> +</table></div> +</div> +<br /><br /> +<a name="toc" id="toc"></a> +<div class="notec"> +<h4>This Table of Contents is added for convenience</h4> +<a href="#HUM_THE_SON_OF_BUZ"><b>HUM, THE SON OF BUZ.</b></a><br /> +<a href="#THE_VOLUNTEERS_THANKSGIVING"><b>THE VOLUNTEER'S THANKSGIVING.</b></a><br /> +<a href="#THUMBLING"><b>THUMBLING</b></a><br /> +<a href="#THE_RED-COATS"><b>THE RED-COATS.</b></a><br /> +<a href="#THE_COLOR-BEARER"><b>THE COLOR-BEARER.</b></a><br /> +<a href="#THE_LITTLE_PRISONER"><b>THE LITTLE PRISONER.</b></a><br /> +<a href="#THOMAS_HUGHES"><b>THOMAS HUGHES.</b></a><br /> +<a href="#PHYSICAL_HEALTH"><b>PHYSICAL HEALTH.</b></a><br /> +<a href="#ANDYS_ADVENTURES"><b>ANDY'S ADVENTURES;</b></a><br /> +<a href="#WINNING_HIS_WAY"><b>WINNING HIS WAY.</b></a><br /> +<a href="#NEW-YEAR_CAROL"><b>NEW-YEAR CAROL.</b></a><br /> +<a href="#FARMING_FOR_BOYS"><b>FARMING FOR BOYS.</b></a><br /> +<a href="#AFLOAT_IN_THE_FOREST"><b>AFLOAT IN THE FOREST</b></a><br /> +<a href="#ROUND_THE_EVENING_LAMP"><b>ROUND THE EVENING LAMP</b></a><br /> +</div> + + + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_1" id="Page_1">Pg 1</a></span></p> +<span class="totoc"><a href="#toc">Top</a></span> +<h2><a name="HUM_THE_SON_OF_BUZ" id="HUM_THE_SON_OF_BUZ"></a>HUM, THE SON OF BUZ.</h2> + + +<div class="figdrop"> +<img src="images/jan1865_001.jpg" width="237" height="500" alt="A" title="A" /> +</div><p><span style="display:none;">A</span>t Rye Beach, during our summer's vacation, there came, as there always +will to seaside visitors, two or three cold, chilly, rainy days,—days +when the skies that long had not rained a drop seemed suddenly to +bethink themselves of their remissness, and to pour down water, not by +drops, but by pailfuls. The chilly wind blew and whistled, the water +dashed along the ground, and careered in foamy rills along the roadside, +and the bushes bent beneath the constant flood. It was plain that there +was to be no sea-bathing on such a day, no walks, no rides; and so, +shivering and drawing our blanket-shawls close about us, we sat down to +the window to watch the storm outside. The rose-bushes under the window +hung dripping under their load of moisture, each spray shedding a +constant shower on the spray below it. On one of these lower sprays, +under the perpetual drip, what should we see but a poor little +humming-bird, drawn up into the tiniest shivering ball, and clinging +with a desperate grasp to his uncomfortable perch. A humming-bird we +knew him to be at once, though his feathers were so matted and glued +down by the rain that he looked not much bigger than a honey-bee, and as +different as possible from the smart, pert, airy little character that +we had so often seen flirting with the flowers. He was evidently a +humming-bird in adversity, and whether he ever would hum again looked to +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_2" id="Page_2">Pg 2</a></span>us exceedingly doubtful. Immediately, however, we sent out to have him +taken in. When the friendly hand seized him, he gave a little, faint, +watery squeak, evidently thinking that his last hour was come, and that +grim Death was about to carry him off to the land of dead birds. What a +time we had reviving him,—holding the little wet thing in the warm +hollow of our hands, and feeling him shiver and palpitate! His eyes were +fast closed; his tiny claws, which looked slender as cobwebs, were +knotted close to his body, and it was long before one could feel the +least motion in them. Finally, to our great joy, we felt a brisk little +kick, and then a flutter of wings, and then a determined peck of the +beak, which showed that there was some bird left in him yet, and that he +meant at any rate to find out where he was.</p> + +<p>Unclosing our hands a small space, out popped the little head with a +pair of round brilliant eyes. Then we bethought ourselves of feeding +him, and forthwith prepared him a stiff glass of sugar and water, a drop +of which we held to his bill. After turning his head attentively, like a +bird who knew what he was about and didn't mean to be chaffed, he +briskly put out a long, flexible tongue, slightly forked at the end, and +licked off the comfortable beverage with great relish. Immediately he +was pronounced out of danger by the small humane society which had +undertaken the charge of his restoration, and we began to cast about for +getting him a settled establishment in our apartment. I gave up my +work-box to him for a sleeping-room, and it was medically ordered that +he should take a nap. So we filled the box with cotton, and he was +formally put to bed with a folded cambric handkerchief round his neck, +to keep him from beating his wings. Out of his white wrappings he looked +forth green and grave as any judge with his bright round eyes. Like a +bird of discretion, he seemed to understand what was being done to him, +and resigned himself sensibly to go to sleep.</p> + +<p>The box was covered with a sheet of paper perforated with holes for +purposes of ventilation; for even humming-birds have a little pair of +lungs, and need their own little portion of air to fill them, so that +they may make bright scarlet little drops of blood to keep life's fire +burning in their tiny bodies. Our bird's lungs manufactured brilliant +blood, as we found out by experience; for in his first nap he contrived +to nestle himself into the cotton of which his bed was made, and to get +more of it than he needed into his long bill. We pulled it out as +carefully as we could, but there came out of his bill two round, bright, +scarlet, little drops of blood. Our chief medical authority looked +grave, pronounced a probable hemorrhage from the lungs, and gave him +over at once. We, less scientific, declared that we had only cut his +little tongue by drawing out the filaments of cotton, and that he would +do well enough in time,—as it afterward appeared he did,—for from that +day there was no more bleeding. In the course of the second day he began +to take short flights about the room, though he seemed to prefer to +return to us,—perching on our fingers or heads or shoulders, and +sometimes choosing to sit in this way for half an hour at a time. “These +great giants,” he seemed to say to himself, “are not bad people after +all; they have a comfortable way with them; how nicely they dried and +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_3" id="Page_3">Pg 3</a></span>warmed me! Truly a bird might do worse than to live with them.”</p> + +<p>So he made up his mind to form a fourth in the little company of three +that usually sat and read, worked and sketched, in that apartment, and +we christened him “Hum, the son of Buz.” He became an individuality, a +character, whose little doings formed a part of every letter, and some +extracts from these will show what some of his little ways were.</p> + +<p>“Hum has learned to sit upon my finger, and eat his sugar and water out +of a teaspoon with most Christian-like decorum. He has but one +weakness,—he will occasionally jump into the spoon and sit in his sugar +and water, and then appear to wonder where it goes to. His plumage is in +rather a drabbled state, owing to these performances. I have sketched +him as he sat to-day on a bit of Spiræa which I brought in for him. When +absorbed in reflection, he sits with his bill straight up in the air, as +I have drawn him. Mr. A—— reads Macaulay to us, and you should see the +wise air with which, perched on Jenny's thumb, he cocked his head now +one side and then the other, apparently listening with most critical +attention. His confidence in us seems unbounded; he lets us stroke his +head, smooth his feathers, without a flutter; and is never better +pleased than sitting, as he has been doing all this while, on my hand, +turning up his bill, and watching my face with great edification.</p> + +<p>“I have just been having a sort of maternal struggle to make him go to +bed in his box; but he evidently considers himself sufficiently +convalescent to make a stand for his rights as a bird, and so scratched +indignantly out of his wrappings, and set himself up to roost on the +edge of his box, with an air worthy of a turkey, at the very least. +Having brought in a lamp, he has opened his eyes round and wide, and +sits cocking his little head at me reflectively.”</p> + +<p>When the weather cleared away, and the sun came out bright, Hum became +entirely well, and seemed resolved to take the measure of his new life +with us. Our windows were closed in the lower part of the sash by frames +with mosquito gauze, so that the sun and air found free admission, and +yet our little rover could not pass out. On the first sunny day he took +an exact survey of our apartment from ceiling to floor, humming about, +examining every point with his bill,—all the crevices, mouldings, each +little indentation in the bed-posts, each window-pane, each chair and +stand; and, as it was a very simply furnished seaside apartment, his +scrutiny was soon finished. We wondered, at first, what this was all +about; but, on watching him more closely, we found that he was actively +engaged in getting his living, by darting out his long tongue hither and +thither, and drawing in all the tiny flies and insects which in +summer-time are to be found in an apartment. In short, we found that, +though the nectar of flowers was his dessert, yet he had his roast beef +and mutton-chop to look after, and that his bright, brilliant blood was +not made out of a simple vegetarian diet. Very shrewd and keen he was, +too, in measuring the size of insects before he attempted to swallow +them. The smallest class were whisked off with lightning speed; but +about larger ones he would sometimes wheel and hum for some minutes, +darting hither and thither, and surveying them warily; and if satisfied +that they<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_4" id="Page_4">Pg 4</a></span> could be carried, he would come down with a quick, central +dart which would finish the unfortunate at a snap. The larger flies +seemed to irritate him,—especially when they intimated to him that his +plumage was sugary, by settling on his wings and tail; when he would lay +about him spitefully, wielding his bill like a sword. A grasshopper that +strayed in, and was sunning himself on the window-seat, gave him great +discomposure. Hum evidently considered him an intruder, and seemed to +long to make a dive at him; but, with characteristic prudence, confined +himself to threatening movements, which did not exactly hit. He saw +evidently that he could not swallow him whole, and what might ensue from +trying him piecemeal he wisely forbore to essay.</p> + +<p>Hum had his own favorite places and perches. From the first day he chose +for his nightly roost a towel-line which had been drawn across the +corner over the wash-stand, where he every night established himself +with one claw in the edge of the towel and the other clasping the line, +and, ruffling up his feathers till he looked like a little chestnut-bur, +he would resign himself to the soundest sleep. He did not tuck his head +under his wing, but seemed to sink it down between his shoulders, with +his bill almost straight up in the air. One evening one of us, going to +use the towel, jarred the line, and soon after found that Hum had been +thrown from his perch, and was hanging head downward fast asleep, still +clinging to the line. Another evening, being discomposed by somebody +coming to the towel-line after he had settled himself, he fluttered off; +but so sleepy that he had not discretion to poise himself again, and was +found clinging, like a little bunch of green floss silk, to the mosquito +netting of the window.</p> + +<p>A day after this we brought in a large green bough, and put it up over +the looking-glass. Hum noticed it before it had been there five minutes, +flew to it, and began a regular survey, perching now here, now there, +till he seemed to find a twig that exactly suited him; and after that he +roosted there every night. Who does not see in this change all the signs +of reflection and reason that are shown by us in thinking over our +circumstances, and trying to better them? It seemed to say in so many +words: “That towel-line is an unsafe place for a bird; I get frightened, +and wake from bad dreams to find myself head downward; so I will find a +better roost on this twig.”</p> + +<p>When our little Jenny one day put on a clean white muslin gown +embellished with red sprigs, Hum flew towards her, and with his bill +made instant examination of these new appearances; and one day, being +very affectionately disposed, perched himself on her shoulder, and sat +some time. On another occasion, while Mr. A—— was reading, Hum +established himself on the top of his head just over the middle of his +forehead, in the precise place where our young belles have lately worn +stuffed humming-birds, making him look as if dressed out for a party. +Hum's most favorite perch was the back of the great rocking-chair, +which, being covered by a tidy, gave some hold into which he could catch +his little claws. There he would sit, balancing himself cleverly if its +occupant chose to swing to and fro, and seeming to be listening to the +conversation or reading.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_5" id="Page_5">Pg 5</a></span></p> + +<p>Hum had his different moods, like human beings. On cold, cloudy, gray +days, he appeared to be somewhat depressed in spirits, hummed less about +the room, and sat humped-up with his feathers ruffled, looking as much +like a bird in a great-coat as possible. But on hot, sunny days, every +feather sleeked itself down, and his little body looked natty and trim, +his head alert, his eyes bright, and it was impossible to come near him, +for his agility. Then let mosquitos and little flies look about them! +Hum snapped them up without mercy, and seemed to be all over the ceiling +in a moment, and resisted all our efforts at any personal familiarity +with a saucy alacrity.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 500px;"> +<img src="images/jan1865_005.jpg" width="500" height="379" alt="he would stoop over and dip his bill in the +water in the tumbler" title="he would stoop over and dip his bill in the +water in the tumbler" /> +</div> + +<p>Hum had his established institutions in our room, the chief of which was +a tumbler with a little sugar and water mixed in it, and a spoon laid +across, out of which he helped himself whenever he felt in the +mood,—sitting on the edge of the tumbler, and dipping his long bill, +and lapping with his little forked tongue like a kitten. When he found +his spoon accidentally dry, he would stoop over and dip his bill in the +water in the tumbler,—which caused the prophecy on the part of some of +his guardians, that he would fall in some day and be drowned. For which +reason it was agreed to keep only an inch in depth of the fluid at the +bottom of the tumbler. A wise precaution this proved; for the next +morning I was awaked, not by the usual hum over my head, but by a sharp +little flutter, and found Mr. Hum beating his wings in the +tumbler,—having actually tumbled in during his energetic efforts to get +his morning coffee before I was awake.</p> + +<p>Hum seemed perfectly happy and satisfied in his quarters,—but one day,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_6" id="Page_6">Pg 6</a></span> +when the door was left open, made a dart out, and so into the open +sunshine. Then, to be sure, we thought we had lost him. We took the +mosquito netting out of all the windows, and, setting his tumbler of +sugar and water in a conspicuous place, went about our usual +occupations. We saw him joyous and brisk among the honeysuckles outside +the window, and it was gravely predicted that he would return no more. +But at dinner-time in came Hum, familiar as possible, and sat down to +his spoon as if nothing had happened; instantly we closed our windows, +and had him secure once more.</p> + +<p>At another time I was going to ride to the Atlantic House, about a mile +from my boarding-place. I left all secure, as I supposed, at home. While +gathering moss on the walls there, I was surprised by a little green +humming-bird flying familiarly right towards my face, and humming above +my head. I called out, “Here is Hum's very brother.” But, on returning +home, I saw that the door of the room was open, and Hum was gone. Now +certainly we gave him up for lost. I sat down to painting, and in a few +minutes in flew Hum, and settled on the edge of my tumbler in a social, +confidential way, which seemed to say, “O, you've got back then.” After +taking his usual drink of sugar and water, he began to fly about the +ceiling as usual, and we gladly shut him in.</p> + +<p>When our five weeks at the seaside were up, and it was time to go home, +we had great questionings what was to be done with Hum. To get him home +with us was our desire,—but who ever heard of a humming-bird travelling +by railroad? Great were the consultings; a little basket of Indian work +was filled up with cambric handkerchiefs, and a bottle of sugar and +water provided, and we started with him for a day's journey. When we +arrived at night, the first care was to see what had become of Hum, who +had not been looked at since we fed him with sugar and water in Boston. +We found him alive and well, but so dead asleep that we could not wake +him to roost; so we put him to bed on a toilet cushion, and arranged his +tumbler for morning. The next day found him alive and humming, exploring +the room and pictures, perching now here and now there; but, as the +weather was chilly, he sat for the most part of the time in a humped-up +state on the tip of a pair of stag's horns. We moved him to a more sunny +apartment; but, alas! the equinoctial storm came on, and there was no +sun to be had for days. Hum was blue; the pleasant seaside days were +over; his room was lonely, the pleasant three that had enlivened the +apartment at Rye no longer came in and out; evidently he was lonesome, +and gave way to depression. One chilly morning he managed again to fall +into his tumbler, and wet himself through; and, notwithstanding warm +bathings and tender nursings, the poor little fellow seemed to get +diptheria, or something quite as bad for humming-birds.</p> + +<p>We carried him to a neighboring sunny parlor, where ivy embowers all the +walls, and the sun lies all day. There he revived a little, danced up +and down, perched on a green spray that was wreathed across the breast +of a Psyche, and looked then like a little flitting soul returning to +its rest.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_7" id="Page_7">Pg 7</a></span> Towards evening he drooped; and, having been nursed and +warmed and cared for, he was put to sleep on a green twig laid on the +piano. In that sleep the little head drooped—nodded—fell; and little +Hum went where other bright dreams go,—to the Land of the Hereafter.</p> + +<p class="sign"> +<i>Harriet Beecher Stowe.</i> +</p> +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 300px;"> +<img src="images/jan1865_007.jpg" width="300" height="35" alt="Decoration" title="Decoration" /> +</div> + + +<h2><a name="THE_VOLUNTEERS_THANKSGIVING" id="THE_VOLUNTEERS_THANKSGIVING"></a>THE VOLUNTEER'S THANKSGIVING.</h2> +<span class="totoc"><a href="#toc">Top</a></span> + +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">The last days of November, and everything so green!<br /></span> +<span class="i0">A finer bit of country my eyes have never seen.<br /></span> +<span class="i0">'Twill be a thing to tell of, ten years or twenty hence,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">How I came down to Georgia at Uncle Sam's expense.<br /></span> +</div><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">Four years ago this winter, up at the district school,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">I wrote all day, and ciphered, perched on a white-pine stool;<br /></span> +<span class="i0">And studied in my atlas the boundaries of the States,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">And learnt the wars with England, the history and the dates.<br /></span> +</div><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">Then little I expected to travel in such haste<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Along the lines my fingers and fancy often traced,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">To bear a soldier's knapsack, and face the cannon's mouth,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">And help to save for Freedom the lovely, perjured South.<br /></span> +</div><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">That red, old-fashioned school-house! what winds came sweeping through<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Its doors from bald Monadnock, and from the mountains blue<br /></span> +<span class="i0">That slope off south and eastward beyond the Merrimack!<br /></span> +<span class="i0">O pleasant Northern river, your music calls me back<br /></span> +</div><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">To where the pines are humming the slow notes of their psalm<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Around a shady farm-house, half hid within their calm,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Reflecting in the river a picture not so bright<br /></span> +<span class="i0">As these verandahed mansions,—but yet my heart's delight.<br /></span> +</div><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">They're sitting at the table this clear Thanksgiving noon;<br /></span> +<span class="i0">I smell the crispy turkey, the pies will come in soon,—<br /></span> +<span class="i0">The golden squares of pumpkin, the flaky rounds of mince,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Behind the barberry syrups, the cranberry and the quince.<br /></span> +</div><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">Be sure my mouth does water,—but then I am content<br /></span> +<span class="i0">To stay and do the errand on which I have been sent.<br /></span> +<span class="i0">A soldier mustn't grumble at salt beef and hard-tack:<br /></span> +<span class="i0">We'll have a grand Thanksgiving if ever we get back!<br /></span> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_8" id="Page_8">Pg 8</a></span></div><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">I'm very sure they'll miss me at dinner-time to-day,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">For I was good at stowing their provender away.<br /></span> +<span class="i0">When mother clears the table, and wipes the platters bright,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">She'll say, “I hope my baby don't lose his appetite!”<br /></span> +</div><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">But oh! the after-dinner! I miss that most of all,—<br /></span> +<span class="i0">The shooting at the targets, the jolly game of ball,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">And then the long wood-ramble! We climbed, and slid, and ran,—<br /></span> +<span class="i0">We and the neighbor-children,—and one was Mary Ann,<br /></span> +</div><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">Who (as I didn't mention) sat next to me at school:<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Sometimes I had to show her the way to work the rule<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Of Ratio and Proportion, and do upon her slate<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Those long, hard sums that puzzle a merry maiden's pate.<br /></span> +</div><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">I wonder if they're going across the hills to-day;<br /></span> +<span class="i0">And up the cliffs I wonder what boy will lead the way;<br /></span> +<span class="i0">And if they'll gather fern-leaves and checkerberries red,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">And who will put a garland of ground-pine on her head.<br /></span> +</div><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">O dear! the air grows sultry: I'd wish myself at home<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Were it a whit less noble, the cause for which I've come.<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Four years ago a school-boy; as foolish now as then!<br /></span> +<span class="i0">But greatly they don't differ, I fancy,—boys and men.<br /></span> +</div><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">I'm just nineteen to-morrow, and I shall surely stay<br /></span> +<span class="i0">For Freedom's final battle, be it until I'm gray,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Unless a Southern bullet should take me off my feet.—<br /></span> +<span class="i0">There's nothing left to live for, if Rebeldom should beat;<br /></span> +</div><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">For home and love and honor and freedom are at stake,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">And life may well be given for our dear Union's sake;<br /></span> +<span class="i0">So reads the Proclamation, and so the sermon ran;<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Do ministers and people feel it as soldiers can?<br /></span> +</div><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">When will it all be ended? 'Tis not in youth to hold<br /></span> +<span class="i0">In quietness and patience, like people grave and old:<br /></span> +<span class="i0">A year? three? four? or seven?—O then, when I return,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Put on a big log, mother, and let it blaze and burn,<br /></span> +</div><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">And roast your fattest turkey, bake all the pies you can,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">And, if she isn't married, invite in Mary Ann!<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Hang flags from every window! we'll all be glad and gay,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">For Peace will light the country on that Thanksgiving Day.<br /></span> +<span class="sig"><i>Lucy Larcom.</i></span> +</div></div> +<br /><br /> + + + + + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 493px;"> +<img src="images/jan1865_009.jpg" width="493" height="500" alt="Thumbling: A Story for Children" title="Thumbling" /> +</div> + +<h2><a name="THUMBLING" id="THUMBLING"></a>THUMBLING:</h2> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_9" id="Page_9">Pg 9</a></span></p> +<span class="totoc"><a href="#toc">Top</a></span> +<h3>A STORY FOR CHILDREN.</h3> + + +<h4><i>The Introduction.</i></h4> + +<p><span class="first">D</span><span class="smcap">ear Old Friend:</span>—We were all sitting round the fire the other evening +after dinner. The evening paper had been read and explained, and the +Colonel was now nursing his wounded arm, and musingly smoking his old +camp-pipe, browned to a rich mahogany in many marches among the sands of +Folly Island, through the rose-gardens of Florida, and over the hills +and valleys of battle-worn old Virginia; I myself, who have never yet +taken kindly to pipes,—though I suppose I shall have to ere many +days,—was dreaming over a fragrant Cabañas; Madame was hard at work +over a pile of the week's stockings; and the children taking their last +frolic about the parlor, preparatory to their unwilling Good-night and +fearful departure to the hated regions above stairs;—when our +neat-handed Bridget entered the room, staggering under the weight of the +monthly parcel of French books, just arrived by express.</p> + +<p>You, who live where you can see all the new books as soon as they +appear,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_10" id="Page_10">Pg 10</a></span> can hardly imagine the eagerness with which we poor country +people, far away from publishing-houses and foreign bookstores, welcome +the sight of this monthly parcel. We passed over the green and yellow +duodecimos, glancing at Féval, About, Berthel, Sand, and the rest, each +looking for his particular favorite among the authors, when the +children, whose busy fingers had helped to untie the knots and unwrap +the packages, and who were rummaging with as much eagerness as we, +suddenly discovered a sober octavo, that seemed to promise well; for, +after a hasty look at it, they carried it away to the library-table, and +examined it, for a time, in profound silence. After a while, one little +boy spoke out:—</p> + +<p>“O, papa! this must be a real old-fashioned fairy-book, for it is full +of pictures of fairies, and knights, and giants, and dwarfs, and +dragons! Do read it to us, please!”</p> + +<p>Now, my dear friend, you know that my youngsters have a most insatiate +appetite for, and a most thorough appreciation of, real fairy stories, +as they call them. But they are pitiless judges; they can hardly tire of +Blue Beard, and Beauty and the Beast, and the Arabian Nights; but they +turn up their little noses in contempt at the <i>moral</i> fairy stories, +which some of their kind aunts have attempted to impose upon them. I +myself have a secret dislike for those sham stories which deceive you +into believing you are hearing about real fairies and giants, only to +tell you, at the end, that the good fairy is no other than Cheerfulness, +Industry, or some sister virtue, and that the giant is Luxury, +Ill-Temper, or some kindred vice. Yet the children are severer critics +than I. They will have nothing whatever to do with the good fairies who +have no magical power, and who live in their own little bodies; nor with +the wicked giants who, they can see at once, have none of the attributes +of the giants of old. They swallow the pill once, thinking it a +sugar-plum; but after finding it to be a pill, no amount of sugar +coating will make it anything but medicine. And all boys and girls are +alike in this, and will be so, let us hope, to the end of time. Even we +old fellows recall those old-time stories with something of the same +awe-struck admiration, and something of the same unquestioning belief, +with which we listened to them, I don't know how many years ago. We +sneer at the improbabilities and inconsistencies of modern fiction; but +who thinks of being startled at the charming incongruities, the bold but +fascinating impossibilities, of Cinderella, and Aladdin, and Puss in +Boots? Don't we in our heart of hearts still believe that, a long time +ago, before men grew too wicked for them, the gentle fairies really +lived in their jewelled palaces under ground, and came out, now and +then, to protect the youth and beauty they loved from giants, and +dragons, and malicious genii, and all manner of evil things? I declare I +should be ashamed of myself if I did not; and I am sure that none of us, +who are good for anything, have altogether lost that old belief; and +when we look back at those days of young romance, and remember the +thrill with which we read of Bluebeard's punishment, and Beauty's +reward, we feel that it would be better for us if they had more of that +old childlike faith. And so I encourage my youngsters to read and listen +to, over and over<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_11" id="Page_11">Pg 11</a></span> again, the same old stories that, when I was a boy, +warmed my young imagination, and to eschew the dismal allegories with +which well-meaning but short-sighted writers try to supply the places of +Jack the Giant-killer and all his marvellous family. And so I was almost +as pleased as the children, when I saw, from its quaint and grotesque +pictures, that their treasure-trove was really a book of real +old-fashioned fairy stories.</p> + +<p>Of course, nothing would do but that the bedtime should be put off, and +that I should read one, at least, of the stories to the young folks. As +my selection won their unqualified admiration, and they are, as I have +said, good critics, I send it to you for the benefit of your little +people. Your studies in the Norse languages have perhaps made you +familiar with the original of it; but I think it will be new to most +boys and girls.</p> + +<p class="sign2">Your old chum,</p> +<p class="sign"><span class="smcap">Philip.</span></p> +<br /> + + +<h4><i>The Story.</i></h4> +<span class="totoc"><a href="#toc">Top</a></span> + +<h3>I.</h3> + +<p><span class="smcap">Once</span> upon a time there was a peasant, who had three sons, Peter, Paul, +and John. Peter was tall, stout, rosy and good-natured, but a stupid +fellow; Paul was thin, yellow, envious, and surly; while Jack was full +of mischief, pale as a girl, but so small that he could stow himself +away in his father's jack-boots; and so he was called Thumbling.</p> + +<p>All the wealth the poor peasant had was his family; and so poor was he, +that it was a very feast-day in his cottage if only a penny happened to +jingle there. Food was very high then, and wages low; so, as soon as the +three boys were big enough to work for themselves, the good father was +obliged to urge them to leave the cottage where they were born, and to +go out into the world to seek their fortune.</p> + +<p>“In foreign lands,” he said, “across the sea, bread could always be had, +even if it took hard work to get it; while at home, in spite of all +their toil, they were never sure of a crust for the morrow.”</p> + +<p>Now it happened that, not a mile from the woodman's hut, there was a +magnificent wooden palace, with twenty balconies and six beautiful +windows. And directly opposite these windows there sprang up, one fine +summer's night, without the least warning, an immense oak, whose leaves +and branches were so thickly clustered together, that one could hardly +see in the king's house. It was no easy task to cut down this enormous +tree, for it was so tough that it turned the edge of every axe that was +wielded against it; and for every branch that was lopped off, or root +that was plucked up, two instantly grew in its place. In vain did the +king promise three bags of golden crowns to any one who would rid him of +his troublesome neighbor; it was of no use at all; and he had at last to +light his palace with candles, in broad daylight.</p> + +<p>Nor was this the poor king's only trouble. Although the surrounding +country was so rich in springs and brooks, that they frequently gushed +out<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_12" id="Page_12">Pg 12</a></span> of the solid rock itself, yet in the royal gardens they couldn't +get a drop of water. In summer time, the king and all his court had to +wash their hands in beer, and their faces with mead, which was not +convenient, if it was pleasant. So that at last the king promised broad +lands, heaps of money, and the title of Lord Marquis, to anybody who +would dig a well in his court-yard deep enough to give a supply of water +all the year round. In spite, however, of these magnificent promises, no +one could get the reward; for the palace was on a lofty hill, and after +digging a foot under ground there was a solid granite rock, as hard as +flint.</p> + +<p>Now these two troubles disturbed the king so much, that he couldn't get +them out of his head. Although he was not a very great monarch, yet he +was as obstinate as the Emperor of China himself. So one fine day he hit +upon this wise plan. He caused an enormous placard to be prepared, with +the royal arms magnificently displayed at the top; and in it he +promised, to whoever would cut down the troublesome oak-tree, and dig +him a satisfactory well, no less rewards than the hand of his only +daughter, and the half of his kingdom. This placard was posted up on the +palace-gate, and copies all over the kingdom. Now, as the princess was +as beautiful as the morning, and the half of a kingdom by no means to be +despised, the offer was enough to tempt any one; and there shortly came +to the palace, from Sweden and Norway, from Denmark and Russia, from the +continent and from the islands, a host of sturdy suitors, with axe on +shoulder and pick in hand, ready to undertake the task. But all that +they hacked and hewed, picked and hollowed, was labor lost. At every +stroke the oak grew harder, and the granite no softer; so that the most +persevering had at last to give up in despair.</p> + + +<h3>II.</h3> + +<p><span class="smcap">One</span> fine day, about this time, when everybody all over the land was +talking of this wonderful affair, and everybody's head was full of it, +our three brothers began to ask each other why, since their father +wished them to do so, they shouldn't go out into the world to seek their +fortune. They didn't hope for any great success, nor did they expect the +hand of the princess, or the half of the kingdom. All they wished for +was a good place and a kind master; and who could say they wouldn't find +them both somewhere at the court? So they decided to try their luck; and +after receiving the blessing of their good father, they started off, +with stout hearts, on their way to the king's palace.</p> + +<p>Whilst the two older brothers were slowly trudging along, Thumbling +scampered up and down the road like a wild thing, running backwards and +forwards like a sportive dog, spying here, there, and everywhere, and +noticing everything that was to be noticed. Nothing was too small for +his sharp little eyes, and he kept constantly stopping his brothers to +ask the why and the wherefore of everything: why the bees dived into the +fragrant flower-cups? why the swallows skimmed along the rivers? why the +butterflies zigzagged capriciously along the fields? To all these +questions Peter<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_13" id="Page_13">Pg 13</a></span> only answered with a burst of stupid laughter; while +the surly Paul shrugged his shoulders, and crossly bade the little +Thumbling hold his tongue, telling him he was an inquisitive little +simpleton.</p> + +<p>As they were going along, they came to a dense forest of pines, that +covered the crest of a mountain, on the top of which they heard the +sound of a woodman's axe, and the crackling of branches as they fell to +the ground.</p> + +<p>“That is a very strange thing,” said Thumbling, “to be cutting trees on +the top of a mountain like this.”</p> + +<p>“It would astonish me very much to find that you were not astonished at +everything,” answered Peter, in a sour tone; “everything is wonderful to +simpletons. I suppose you never heard of woodcutters.”</p> + +<p>“It's all the same to me what you say,” said Thumbling; “but I am going +to see what is going on up there.”</p> + +<p>“Be off with you!” cried Paul; “tire yourself all out, and that will be +a good lesson to you, for wanting to know more than your big brothers.”</p> + +<p>Thumbling didn't trouble himself much with what his big brothers said, +but started for the place whence the noise seemed to come, and, after +much hard climbing and running, he arrived at the top of the mountain. +And what do you suppose he found there? You would never guess, and so I +will tell you. A <span class="smcap2">MAGIC AXE</span>, that all by itself was hacking away at one +of the tallest trees on the mountain.</p> + +<p>“Good morning, Mistress Axe,” cried Thumbling. “Doesn't it tire you to +be chopping all alone there at that old tree?”</p> + +<p>“Many long years I have been waiting for you, my son,” replied the axe.</p> + +<p>“Very well, ma'am, here I am!” said Thumbling; and without being +astonished at anything, he seized the axe, put it in the stout leather +bag he carried over his shoulder, and gayly descended to overtake his +brothers.</p> + +<p>“What marvel did Master Moonstruck see up there?” asked Paul, looking at +Thumbling with a very scornful air.</p> + +<p>“It <i>was</i> an axe that we heard,” answered Thumbling, slyly.</p> + +<p>“I could have told you so beforehand,” said Peter; “and here you are +now, all tired out, for nothing. You had better stay with us another +time.”</p> + +<p>A little farther along, they came to a place where the road was hollowed +with extreme difficulty out of a mass of solid rock; and here, in the +distance, the brothers heard a sharp noise, like that of iron striking +against stone.</p> + +<p>“It is very wonderful that anybody should be hammering away at rocks +away up there!” remarked Thumbling.</p> + +<p>“Truly,” said Paul, “you must have been fledged yesterday! Didn't you +ever hear a woodpecker pecking at the trunk of an old tree?”</p> + +<p>“He is right,” added Peter, laughing; “it must be a woodpecker. Stay +with us, you foolish fellow.”</p> + +<p>“It's all the same to me,” answered Thumbling; “but I am very curious to +see what is going on up there.” So he began to climb the rocks on his +hands and knees, while his two brothers trudged along, making as much +fun of him as possible.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_14" id="Page_14">Pg 14</a></span></p> + +<p>When he got up to the top of the rock, which was only after a deal of +hard work, what do you suppose he found there? A <span class="smcap2">MAGIC PICKAXE</span>, that, +all alone by itself, was digging at the hard stone as if it were soft +clay; and digging so well, that at every blow it went down more than a +foot in the rock.</p> + +<p>“Good morning, Mistress Pickaxe,” said Thumbling. “Doesn't it tire you +to be delving alone there, hollowing away at that old rock?”</p> + +<p>“Many long years I have been waiting for you, my son,” answered the +pickaxe.</p> + +<p>“Very well, ma'am! here I am,” replied Thumbling; and, without being +astonished at anything, he seized the pick, took it off its handle, put +the two pieces in the stout leather bag he carried over his shoulder, +and gayly descended to overtake his brothers.</p> + +<p>“What miracle did his Worship see this time?” asked Paul, in a surly +tone.</p> + +<p>“It <i>was</i> a pickaxe that we heard,” answered Thumbling, slyly; and he +plodded along, without any more words.</p> + +<p>A little farther along, they came to a brook. The water was clear and +fresh, and, as the travellers were thirsty, they all stopped to drink +out of the hollows of their hands.</p> + +<p>“It is very wonderful,” said Thumbling, “that there should be so much +water in this little valley. I should like to see where this brook +starts from.”</p> + +<p>But to this the only answer was from Paul, who said gruffly to his +brother, “We shall soon see this inquisitive fellow climbing up to +Heaven, and asking questions of the angels themselves.”</p> + +<p>“Very well!” says Thumbling; “it's all the same; and I am very curious +to see where all this water comes from.”</p> + +<p>So saying, he began to follow up the streamlet, in spite of the jeers +and scoldings of his brothers. And lo and behold! the farther he went, +smaller and smaller grew the brook, and less and less the quantity of +water. And when he came to the end, what do you think he found? A simple +nut-shell, from the bottom of which a tiny stream of water burst out and +sparkled in the sun.</p> + +<p>“Good morning, Mistress Spring,” cried Thumbling. “Doesn't it tire you +to be gushing away there all alone in your little corner?”</p> + +<p>“Many long years I have been waiting for you, my son,” replied the +spring.</p> + +<p>“Very well, ma'am! here I am,” said Thumbling; and without being +astonished at anything, he seized the nut-shell, plugged it up with +moss, so that the water shouldn't run out, put it in the stout leather +bag he carried over his shoulder, and gayly descended to overtake his +brothers.</p> + +<p>“Do you know now where the brook starts from?” shouted Peter, as soon as +he saw him.</p> + +<p>“Yes, brother Peter,” replied Thumbling; “it came out of a little hole.”</p> + +<p>“This boy is too bright to live,” grumbled Peter.</p> + +<p>But Thumbling quietly said to himself, and rubbed his hands meanwhile, +“I have seen what I wanted to see, and I know what I wanted to know; let +those laugh who wish.”<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_15" id="Page_15">Pg 15</a></span></p> + + +<h3>III.</h3> + +<p><span class="smcap">Shortly</span> after this, the brothers arrived at the king's palace. The oak +was stouter and thicker than ever; there was no sign of a well in the +court-yard; and at the gate of the palace still hung the imposing +placard that promised the hand of the princess, and the half of the +kingdom, to whoever, noble, gentleman, or peasant, should accomplish the +two things his Majesty so ardently desired. Only, as the king was weary +of so many fruitless attempts, which had only resulted in making him +more despairing than before, he had ordered a second and smaller placard +to be pasted directly above the large one. On this placard was written, +in red letters, the following terrible words:</p> + +<p>“<i>Be it known, by these presents, that, in his inexhaustible goodness, +his Majesty, the King, has deigned to order, that whosoever does not +succeed in cutting down the oak, or in digging the well, shall have his +ears promptly stricken off, in order to teach him the first lesson of +wisdom</i>,—<span class="smcap2">TO KNOW HIMSELF</span>.”</p> + +<p>And, in order that everybody should profit by this wise and prudent +counsel, the king had caused to be nailed around this placard thirty +bleeding ears, belonging to the unfortunate fellows who had proved +themselves ignorant of the first lesson of wisdom.</p> + +<p>When Peter read this notice, he laughed to himself, twisted his +mustaches, looked proudly at his brawny arms, whose swollen veins looked +like so many pieces of blue whipcord, swung his axe twice around his +head, and with one blow chopped off one of the biggest branches of the +enchanted tree. To his horror and dismay, however, there immediately +sprang forth two more branches, each bigger and thicker than the first; +and the king's guards thereupon immediately seized the unlucky +woodcutter, and, without any more ado, sliced off both his ears.</p> + +<p>“You are an awkward booby, and deserve your punishment,” said Paul to +his brother. Saying this, he took his axe, walked slowly around the +tree, and, seeing a large root that projected from the soil, he chopped +it off with a single blow. At the same instant, two enormous new roots +broke from the ground; and, wonderful to relate, each one immediately +shot out a trunk, thickly covered with foliage.</p> + +<p>“Seize this miserable fellow,” shouted the furious king; “and, since he +did not profit by the example of his brother, shave off both <i>his</i> ears, +close to his head!”</p> + +<p>No sooner said than done. But now Thumbling, undismayed by this double +misfortune, stepped bravely forward to try his fortune.</p> + +<p>“Drive this little abortion away,” cried the king; “and if he resists, +chop off his ears. He will have the lesson all the same, and will spare +us the sight of his stupidity.”</p> + +<p>“Pardon, gracious Majesty!” interrupted Thumbling. “The king has passed +his word, and I have the right to a trial. It will be time enough to cut +off my ears when I fail.”</p> + +<p>“Away, then, to the trial,” said the king, with a heavy sigh; “but be +careful that I don't have your nose cut off to boot.”<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_16" id="Page_16">Pg 16</a></span></p> + +<p>Thumbling now drew his magic axe from the bottom of his stout leather +bag. It was almost as big as he was, and he had no little difficulty and +trouble in standing it up, with the handle leaning against the enchanted +tree. At last, however, all was accomplished; and stepping back a few +steps, he cried out, “Chop! chop!! chop!!!” And lo and behold! the axe +began to chop, hew, hack, now right, now left, and up and down! Trunk, +branches, roots, all were speedily cut to bits. In fact, it only took a +quarter of an hour, and yet there was such a heap, a monstrous heap of +wood, that the whole court had nothing else to burn for a whole year.</p> + +<p>When the tree was entirely cut down and cleared away, Thumbling +approached the king, (who, in the mean time, had sent for the princess, +and caused her to sit down by his side, to see the wonderful thing,) +and, making them both a low bow, said:—</p> + +<p>“Is your Majesty entirely satisfied with his faithful subject?”</p> + +<p>“Yes, so far so good,” answered the king; “but I must have my well, or +look out for your ears!”</p> + +<p>All went then into the grand court-yard. The king placed himself on an +elevated seat. The princess sat a little below, and looked with some +anxiety at the little husband that Heaven seemed to have sent her. He +was not the spouse she had dreamed of, certainly. Without troubling +himself the least in the world, Thumbling now drew the magic pickaxe +from his stout leather bag, calmly put it together, and then, laying it +carefully on the ground in the proper place, he cried:—</p> + +<p>“Pick! Pick!! Pick!!!”</p> + +<p>And lo and behold! the pick began to burst the granite to splinters, and +in less than a quarter of an hour had dug a well more than a hundred +feet deep, in the solid rock.</p> + +<p>“Does your Majesty think,” asked Thumbling, bowing profoundly, “that the +well is sufficiently deep?”</p> + +<p>“Certainly,” answered the king; “but where is the water to come from?”</p> + +<p>“If your Majesty will grant me a moment longer,” rejoined Thumbling, +“your just impatience shall be satisfied.” So saying, he drew from his +stout leather bag the nut-shell, all covered as it was with moss, and +placed it on a magnificent fountain vase, where, not having any water, +they had put a bouquet of flowers.</p> + +<p>“Gush! Gush!! Gush!!!” cried Thumbling.</p> + +<p>And lo and behold! the water began to burst out among the flowers, +singing with a gentle murmur, and falling down in a charming cascade, +that was so cold that it made everybody present shiver; and so abundant, +that in a quarter of an hour the well was filled, and a deep trench had +to be dug to take away the surplus water; otherwise the whole palace +would have been overflowed.</p> + +<p>“Sire!” now said Thumbling, bending gracefully on one knee before the +royal chair, “does your Majesty find that I have answered your +conditions?”</p> + +<p>“Yes! my <i>Lord Marquis Thumbling</i>,” answered the king; “I am ready to +give you the half of my kingdom, or to pay you the value of it, by +means<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_17" id="Page_17">Pg 17</a></span> of a tax my loyal subjects will only be too happy to pay. As to +giving you the princess, however, and calling you my son-in-law, that is +another question; for that doesn't depend upon me alone.”</p> + +<p>“And what must I do for that?” asked Thumbling proudly, ogling the +princess at the same time.</p> + +<p>“You shall know to-morrow,” replied the king; “and meanwhile you are my +guest, and the most magnificent apartment in the palace shall be +prepared for you.”</p> + +<p>After the departure of the king and princess, Thumbling ran to find his +two brothers, who, with their ears cut off, looked like cropped curs. +“Ah! my boys,” said he, “do you think now I was wrong in being +astonished at everything, as you said, and in trying to find out the why +and wherefore of it?”</p> + +<p>“You have had the luck,” answered Paul coldly; “Fortune is blind, and +doesn't always choose the most worthy upon whom to bestow her favors.”</p> + +<p>But Peter said, “You have done well, brother; and with or without ears, +I am delighted at your good fortune, and only wish our poor old father +was here to see it also.”</p> + +<p>Thumbling took his two brothers along with him, and, as he was in high +favor at court, that very day he secured them good situations.</p> + + +<h3>IV.</h3> + +<p><span class="smcap">Meanwhile,</span> the king was tossing uneasily on his magnificent bed, and +broad awake. Such a son-in-law as Thumbling didn't please him overmuch, +so he tried to see if he couldn't think of some way of breaking his +word, without seeming to do so. For people that call themselves honest, +this is by no means an easy task. Put a thief between honor and +interest, you won't find him hesitate; but that is because he <i>is</i> a +thief. In his perplexity, the king sent for Peter and Paul, since the +two brothers were the only ones who could enlighten him on the birth, +character, and disposition of our hero. Peter, who, as you remember, was +good-natured, praised his brother warmly, which didn't please the king +overmuch; but Paul put the king more at his ease, by trying to prove to +him that Thumbling was nothing but an adventurer, and that it would be +ridiculous that so great a monarch should be under obligations to such a +contemptible fellow.</p> + +<p>“The scamp is so vain,” continued the malicious Paul, “that he thinks he +is stout enough to manage a giant; and you can use this vanity of his to +get rid of him. In the neighboring country there is an ugly Troll, who +is the terror of the whole neighborhood. He devours all the cattle for +ten leagues about, and commits unheard-of devastation everywhere. Now +Thumbling has said a great many times that, if he wanted to, he would +make this giant his slave.”</p> + +<p>“We shall see about this,” said the king, who caught at the insinuation +of the wicked brother, and thereupon sent the two brothers away, and +slept tranquilly the rest of the night.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_18" id="Page_18">Pg 18</a></span></p> + +<p>The next morning, when the whole court was called together, the king +ordered Thumbling to be sent for; and presently he made his appearance, +white as a lily, ruddy as a rose, and smiling as the morn.</p> + +<p>“My good son-in-law,” said the king, emphasizing these words, “a hero +like yourself cannot marry a princess without giving her a present +worthy of her exalted rank. Now there is in the neighboring woods a +Troll, who, they say, is twenty feet high, and who eats a whole ox for +his breakfast. This fine fellow, with his three-cornered hat, his golden +epaulettes, his braided jacket, and his staff, fifteen feet long, would +make a servant indeed worthy of a king. My daughter begs you to make her +this trifling present, after which she will see about giving you her +hand.”</p> + +<p>“That is not an easy task,” answered Thumbling; “but, if it please your +Majesty, I will try.”</p> + +<p>So saying, he went down to the kitchen, took his stout leather bag, put +in it the magic axe, a loaf of bread, some cheese, and a knife, and +then, throwing all over his shoulder, started off for the woods. Peter +whimpered, but Paul chuckled, thinking that, his brother once gone, he +should never see him back again.</p> + +<p>Once fairly in the forest, Thumbling looked around to right and left; +but the grass was so thick that he couldn't see anything, so he began to +sing at the top of his voice,—</p> + +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">“Master Troll, Master Troll!<br /></span> +<span class="i0">I defy you to appear!<br /></span> +<span class="i0">I must have you, body and soul,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Master Troll, Master Troll!<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Show yourself, for I <span class="smcap2">AM HERE</span>!”<br /></span> +</div></div> + +<p>“<span class="smcap">And I am here!</span>” cried the giant, with a terrible shout. “Wait a minute, +and I will only make a mouthful of you!”</p> + +<p>“Don't be in a hurry, my good fellow,” replied Thumbling, in a little +squeaking voice, “I have a whole hour to give you.”</p> + +<p>When the Troll came to the place where Thumbling was, he looked around +on every side, very much astonished at not seeing anything. At last, +lowering his eyes to the ground, he discovered what appeared to be a +little child, sitting on a fallen tree, with a stout leather bag between +his knees.</p> + +<p>“Is it you, pigmy, who woke me up from my nap?” growled the Troll, +rolling his great red eyes.</p> + +<p>“I am the very one,” replied Thumbling, “I have come to take you into my +service.”</p> + +<p>“He! he!” laughed the giant, who was as stupid as he was big, “that is a +good joke indeed. But I am going to pitch you into that raven's nest I +see up there, to teach you not to make a noise in my forest.”</p> + +<p>“<i>Your</i> forest!” laughed Thumbling. “It is as much mine as it is yours, +and if you say a word more, I will cut it down in a quarter of an hour.”</p> + +<p>“Ha! ha!” shouted the giant, “and I should like to see you begin, my +brave fellow.”</p> + +<p>Thumbling carefully placed the axe on the ground, and said, “Chop! +chop!! chop!!!”<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_19" id="Page_19">Pg 19</a></span></p> + +<p>And lo and behold! the axe begins to chop, hew, hack, now right, now +left, and up and down, till the branches tumble on the Troll's head like +hail in autumn.</p> + +<p>“Enough, enough!” said the Troll, who began to be alarmed. “Don't +destroy my forest. But who the mischief are you?”</p> + +<p>“I am the famous sorcerer <span class="smcap">Thumbling</span>,” answered our hero, in as gruff a +voice as his little body was capable of; “and I have only to say a +single word to chop your head off your shoulders. You don't know yet +with whom you have to do.”</p> + +<p>The giant hesitated, very much disturbed at what he saw. Meanwhile, +Thumbling, who began to be hungry, opened his stout leather bag, and +took out his bread and cheese.</p> + +<p>“What is that white stuff?” asked the Troll, who had never seen any +cheese before.</p> + +<p>“That is a stone,” answered Thumbling. He began to eat as eagerly as +possible.</p> + +<p>“Do you eat stones?” asked the giant.</p> + +<p>“O yes,” replied Thumbling, “that is my ordinary food, and that is the +reason I am not so big as you, who eat oxen; but it is also the reason +why, little as I am, I am ten times as strong as you are. Now take me to +your house.”</p> + +<p>The Troll was conquered; and, marching before Thumbling like a dog +before a little child, he led him to his monstrous cabin.</p> + +<p>“Now listen,” said Thumbling to the giant, after they were fairly +seated, “one of us has got to be the master, and the other the servant. +Let us make this bargain: if I can't do whatever you do, I am to be your +slave; if you are not able to do whatever I do, you are to be mine.”</p> + +<p>“Agreed,” said the Troll; “I should admire to have such a little servant +as you are. It is too much work for me to think, and you have wit enough +for both; so begin with the trial. Here are my two buckets,—go and get +the water to make the soup.”</p> + +<p>Thumbling looked at the buckets. They were two enormous hogsheads, ten +feet high and six broad. It would have been much easier for him to drown +himself in them than to move them.</p> + +<p>“O, ho!” shouted the giant, as he saw his hesitation; “and so you are +stuck at the first thing, my boy! Do what I do, you know, and get the +water.”</p> + +<p>“What is the good of that?” replied Thumbling, calmly; “I will go and +get the spring itself, and put that in the pot.”</p> + +<p>“No! no!” said the Troll; “that won't do. You have already half spoiled +my forest, and I don't want you to take my spring away, lest to-morrow I +shall go dry. You may attend to the fire, and I will go and get the +water.”</p> + +<p>After having hung up the kettle, the giant put into it an ox cut into +pieces, fifty cabbages, and a wagon-load of carrots. He then skimmed the +broth with a frying-pan, tasting it every now and then, to see if it was +done. When all was ready, he turned to Thumbling, and said:—<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_20" id="Page_20">Pg 20</a></span></p> + +<p>“Now to the table. We'll see if you can do what I can there. I feel like +eating the whole ox, and you into the bargain. I think I will serve you +for dessert.”</p> + +<p>“All right,” said Thumbling; but before sitting down to the table, he +slipped under his jacket his stout leather bag, which reached down to +his feet.</p> + +<p>The two champions now set to work. The Troll ate and ate, and Thumbling +wasn't idle; only he pitched everything, beef, cabbage, carrots, and +all, into his bag, when the giant wasn't looking.</p> + +<p>“Ouf!” at last grunted the Troll; “I can't do much more; I have got to +unbutton the lower button of my waistcoat.”</p> + +<p>“Eat away, starveling!” cried Thumbling, sticking the half of a cabbage +into his bag.</p> + +<p>“Ouf!” groaned the giant; “I have got to unbutton another button. But +what sort of an ostrich's stomach have you got, my son? I should think +you were used to eating stones!”</p> + +<p>“Eat away, lazy-bones!” said Thumbling, sticking a huge junk of beef +into his bag.</p> + +<p>“Ouf!” sighed the giant, for the third time; “I have got to unbutton the +third button. I am almost suffocated; and how is it with you, sorcerer?”</p> + +<p>“Bah!” answered Thumbling; “it is the easiest thing in the world to +relieve yourself; and so saying he took his knife, and slit his jacket +and the bag under it the whole length of his stomach.</p> + +<p>“It is your turn now,” he said to the giant; “do as I do, you know, <i>if +you can</i>.”</p> + +<p>“Your humble servant,” replied the Troll; “pray excuse me! I had rather +be your servant than do that; <i>my</i> stomach don't digest steel!”</p> + +<p>No sooner said than done; the giant kissed Thumbling's hand in token of +submission, and taking his little master on one shoulder, and a huge bag +of gold on the other, he started off for the king's palace.</p> + + +<h3>V.</h3> + +<p><span class="smcap">They</span> were having a great feast at the palace, and thinking no more of +Thumbling than if the giant had eaten him up a week before; when, all of +a sudden, they heard a terrible noise that shook the palace to its very +foundations. It was the Troll, who, finding the great gateway too low +for him to enter, had overturned it with a single kick of his foot. +Everybody ran to the windows, the king among the rest, and there saw +Thumbling quietly seated on the shoulder of his terrible servant.</p> + +<p>Our adventurer sprang lightly to the balcony of the second story, where +he saw his betrothed, and, bending gracefully on one knee, he said:—</p> + +<p>“Princess, you asked me for a slave; I present you two.”</p> + +<p>This gallant speech was published the next morning in the Court Gazette; +but at the moment it was said it was quite embarrassing to the poor +king; and as he didn't know how to reply to it, he drew the princess one +side, and thus addressed her:—<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_21" id="Page_21">Pg 21</a></span></p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 500px;"> +<img src="images/jan1865_021.jpg" width="500" height="495" alt="Large Troll carrying the thumbling on his back" title="Large Troll carrying the thumbling" /> +</div> + +<p>“My child, I have now no possible excuse for refusing your hand to this +daring young man; sacrifice yourself, my darling, to your country; +remember that princesses do not marry to please themselves.”</p> + +<p>“Pardon me, father,” answered the princess, courtesying; “princess or +not, every woman likes to marry according to her taste. Let me defend my +rights as I think best.”</p> + +<p>“Thumbling,” added she, aloud, “you are brave and lucky; but that is not +enough alone to please women.”</p> + +<p>“I know that,” answered Thumbling; “it is necessary besides to do their +pleasure, and submit to their caprices.”</p> + +<p>“You are a witty fellow,” said the princess; “and since you understand +me so well, I am going to propose another trial to you. You need not be +alarmed, for this time you will only have me for an antagonist. Let us +try and see who will be the sharpest and quickest, and my hand shall be +the prize of the battle.”</p> + +<p>Thumbling assented, with a low bow, and followed the court into the +great hall of audience, where the trial was to take place. There, to the +affright of all, the Troll was found, sprawling on the floor; for, as +the hall was only fifteen feet high, the poor fellow couldn't get up. On +a sign of his young<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_22" id="Page_22">Pg 22</a></span> master, he crawled humbly to him, happy and proud +to obey. It was Force itself, in the service of Wit.</p> + +<p>“Now,” said the princess, “let us begin with some nonsense. It is an old +story that women are not afraid to lie; and we will see which of us will +stand the biggest story without objection. The first one who says, +'<i>That is too much</i>,' will be beaten.”</p> + +<p>“I am always at the service of your Royal Highness,” answered Thumbling; +“whether to lie in sport, or to tell the truth in sober earnest.”</p> + +<p>“I am sure,” began the princess, “that you haven't got a farm half as +beautiful as ours; and it is so large, that, when two shepherds are +blowing their horns at each end of it, neither can hear the other.”</p> + +<p>“That is nothing at all,” said Thumbling; “my father's farm is so large, +that, if a heifer two months old goes in at the gate on one side of it, +when she goes out at the other she takes a calf of her own with her.”</p> + +<p>“That don't surprise me,” continued the princess; “but you haven't got a +bull half as big as ours; a man can sit on each of his horns, and the +two can't touch each other with a twenty-foot pole.”</p> + +<p>“That is nothing at all,” replied Thumbling; “my father's bull is so +large, that a servant sitting on one of his horns can't see the servant +sitting on the other.”</p> + +<p>“That don't surprise me,” said the princess; “but you haven't got half +so much milk at your farm as we have; for we fill, every day, twenty +hogsheads, a hundred feet high; and every week, we make a pile of cheese +as high as the big pyramid of Egypt.”</p> + +<p>“That is nothing at all,” said Thumbling. “In my father's dairy they +make such big cheeses, that once, when my father's mare fell into the +press, we only found her after travelling seven days, and she was so +much injured that her back was broken. So to mend that I made her a +backbone of a pine-tree, that answered splendidly; till one fine morning +the tree took it into its head to grow, and it grew and grew until it +was so high that I climbed up to Heaven on it. There I looked down, and +saw a lady in a white gown spinning sea-foam to make gossamer with. I +went to take hold of it, and snap! the thread broke, and I fell into a +rat-hole. There I saw your father and my mother spinning; and as your +father was clumsy, lo and behold, my mother gave him such a box on the +ear, that it made his old wig shake——”</p> + +<p>“<i>That is too much!</i>” interrupted the princess. “My father never +suffered such an insult in all his life.”</p> + +<p>“She said it! she said it!” shouted the giant “Now, master, the princess +is ours!”</p> + + +<h3>VI.</h3> + +<p><span class="smcap">But</span> the princess said, blushing: “Not quite yet. I have three riddles to +give you, Thumbling; guess them, and I will obey my father, and become +your wife without any more objections. Tell me, first, what that is +which is always falling, and is never broken?”<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_23" id="Page_23">Pg 23</a></span></p> + +<p>“Oh!” answered Thumbling, “my mother told me that a long time ago; it is +a waterfall.”</p> + +<p>“That is so,” interrupted the giant; “but who would have thought of +that.”</p> + +<p>“Tell me, next,” continued the princess, with a slight trembling in her +voice, “what is that that every day goes the same journey, and yet never +returns on its steps?”</p> + +<p>“Oh!” answered Thumbling, “my mother told me that a long time ago; it is +the sun.”</p> + +<p>“You are right,” said the princess, pale with emotion. “And now for my +last question, which you will never guess. What is that that you think, +and that I don't think? What is that we both think, and what is that we +neither of us think?”</p> + +<p>Thumbling bent his head, and seemed embarrassed; and the Troll whispered +to him: “Master, don't be disturbed. If you can't guess it, just make a +sign to me, and I will carry off the princess, and make an end of the +matter at once.”</p> + +<p>“Be silent, slave!” answered Thumbling. “Force alone can do nothing, my +poor friend, and no one ought to know it better than you. Let me have my +own way.”</p> + +<p>“Madame,” said he then to the princess, in the midst of a profound +silence, “I hardly dare guess; and yet in this riddle I plainly perceive +my own happiness. I dared to think that your questions would have no +difficulty for me, while you thought the contrary; you have the goodness +to believe that I am not unworthy to please you, while I have hardly the +boldness to think so; finally,” added he, smilingly, “what we both think +is, that there are bigger fools in the world than you and I; and what we +neither of us think is, that the king, your august father, and this poor +giant have as much—”</p> + +<p>“Silence!” interrupted the princess; “here is my hand.”</p> + +<p>“What were you thinking about me?” asked the king; “I should be +delighted to know.”</p> + +<p>“My dear father,” said the princess, embracing him, “we think that you +are the wisest of kings, and the best of fathers.”</p> + +<p>“It is well!” replied the king, loftily; “and now I must do something +for my subjects. Thumbling, from this moment you are a Duke!”</p> + +<p>“Long live Duke Thumbling! long live my master!” shouted the giant, with +a terrific roar, that sounded like a clap of thunder breaking over the +palace. But, luckily, there was no harm done, save badly frightening +everybody, and breaking all the windows.</p> + + +<h3>VII.</h3> + +<p><span class="smcap">It</span> would be unnecessary to give a full account of the wedding of the +princess and Duke Thumbling. All weddings are alike; the difference is +in what follows after them. Nevertheless, it would be improper in a +truthful historian not to say that the presence of the Troll added a +great deal to the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_24" id="Page_24">Pg 24</a></span> magnificent display. For instance, when the happy +couple were returning from the church, the giant, in the excess of his +joy, found nothing better to do than to take the royal carriage on the +top of his head, and to carry the wedded pair back to the palace. This +is an incident worth noting, because it doesn't happen every day.</p> + +<p>At night there was a splendid feast at the palace, with suppers, +orations, poems, fireworks, illuminations, and everything. Nothing was +wanting, and the joy was universal. Everybody in the palace laughed, +sung, ate, or drank, save one man, who, seated sullenly alone in a dark +corner, amused himself in a very different way from everybody else. It +was the surly Paul, who rejoiced that his ears had been cut off, because +he had become deaf, and consequently couldn't hear the praises all were +showering on his brother. On the other hand, he was unhappy, because he +couldn't help seeing the happiness of the bride and bridegroom. So he +rushed out into the forest, where the bears speedily made an end of him; +and I wish a like punishment to all envious people like him.</p> + +<p>Thumbling was such a little fellow that it was hard work for his +subjects to respect him; but he was so wise, so affable, and so kind, +that he very soon conquered the love of his wife, and the affection of +all his people.</p> + +<p>After the death of his father-in-law, he succeeded to the throne, which +he occupied fifty-two years, without anybody ever having thought of a +revolution; a fact that would be incredible, if it were not attested by +the official records of his reign. He was so wise, says history, that he +always divined what could best serve or please the humblest of his +subjects, while he was so good, that the pleasures of others constituted +his greatest happiness. He only lived for others.</p> + +<p>But why praise his goodness? Is not that the virtue of all men of +intelligence and wit? Whatever others may say, <i>I</i> don't believe there +are such things as good brutes here on earth; I speak now of featherless +brutes that go on two legs. When a man is brutal, he cannot be kind and +good; when a man is good, he cannot be brutal;—believe my long +experience, which has learned it. If all blockheads are not +vicious,—and I think they are,—all wicked men are necessarily foolish. +And that is the moral of this story, if you can't find a better one. If +you will find me a better, I will go and tell it to the Pope of Rome +himself.</p> + +<p class="sign"> +<i>From the Finnish</i>. +</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 200px;"> +<img src="images/jan1865_024.jpg" width="200" height="166" alt="Decoration" title="Decoration" /> +</div> + + + + + +<h2><a name="THE_RED-COATS" id="THE_RED-COATS"></a>THE RED-COATS.</h2> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_25" id="Page_25">Pg 25</a></span></p> +<span class="totoc"><a href="#toc">Top</a></span> + + +<p><span class="first">T</span><span class="smcap">here</span> was commotion in Leafland. All the cities of the Great Republic +were smitten with sudden dismay. Oakwich, Mapleton, Ashby, Elmthorpe, +Beechworth, Sumachford, Nutham, trembled from centre to circumference. +There were hurried consultations, desperate resolutions rejected as soon +as adopted, eager inventories taken of domestic property, and a fearful +looking-for of coming calamity. For, on the fine September morning when +the sun poured out golden showers, and Leafland sat fair and smiling in +robes of green, and so the whole universe was golden-green, there came a +messenger flying from the North country,—a wandering Wood-thrush, +deserted, draggled, and forlorn, faltering on weary wing through the +lovely lanes of Leafland. The men begged him to tarry; the women +promised him the daintiest tidbit in the sweetest bower on the sunniest +bough; and the little Leaf-people clapped their tiny hands, and danced +on the tips of their tiny toes for glee. For so admirably managed in +Leafland are the Department of the Interior and the Bureau of Foreign +Affairs, that you might think the Leaflanders had solved the great +problem of universal brotherhood. The stranger that is within their +gates is all one with him who is bone of their bone and flesh of their +flesh. No sooner does a foreigner enter their borders, than he is +presented with the freedom of all their cities. They provide for his +wants, protect him from danger, and cherish his home as tenderly as if +he were one of themselves. Robin the Red-breast and shy little Veery, +Pewee the plaintive and cheerful Chewink, Long-sparrow, Bluebird, and +sweet Chickadee, all glide freely in and out of their green and golden +halls, flit through their winding streets, and take part in all their +delights. Nor have the Leaflanders any trouble to understand +bird-language. They have not, like the old Ger-men, eaten the hearts of +birds, but by a more excellent way have they entered into all their +secrets. Through long summer days and the silence of dewy nights, they +lean so lovingly over them, they stir so softly around the still +bird-cradles, they coo so tenderly to the sweet egg-nestlings and the +helpless baby-birds, that one heart-language springs up between them, +and shines familiarly through all foreign phrase. Nor is it the birds +alone who take out naturalization-papers in Leafland. All manner of +nations and peoples partake of its hospitalities and remember it for +blessing. You have only to be pure-hearted, and you may become at once a +Leaflander.</p> + +<p>So it came to pass that the Leaflanders were sore grieved at heart to +see the weary Wood-thrush deaf to all their entreaties, and bent alone +on pursuing his solitary way. But as he wheeled slowly above their +heads, as he seemed just about to vanish into the blue distance, they +heard his faint voice—whether in terror or weakness they could not +tell—only the words fell distinctly on their ears,—</p> + +<p>“<i>I see! I see! I see! The Red-coats are coming!</i>”</p> + +<p>Faint and far and clarion-clear, it trembled through Leafland, low but +ominous.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_26" id="Page_26">Pg 26</a></span> Mapleton heard it and wondered; Elmthorpe and Ashby and Nutham +repeated it, looking into one another's eyes for a meaning. Proud old +Oakwich tried to assume a grave aspect, but was inwardly at her wits' +end. “The Red-coats are coming.” All the ancient men and women, +great-great-great-great-grandfathers and grandmothers, whose childhood +lay wellnigh lost in the infinite past of April days, said it over to +each other with thin, quavering voices; but all their experience gave +them no key to the mysterious message. Then the post-riders were brought +into requisition. The whole corporation of Gale, Breeze, Zephyr, & Co., +Express Company, all their clerks, agents, and errand-boys, were sent to +and fro through the Commonwealth, to see if any one anywhere had a +little light to bestow upon the subject. Alas! the light came all too +soon, and brought infinite sighing and sobbing. A thought suddenly broke +loose in Oakwich, and up spake an old Oakwichian. “Oh! and oh! and woe +is me for my miserable land now, now about to be bereft of her children! +All her strength destroyed, all her loveliness laid desolate!”</p> + +<p>Straightway throughout Leafland rose the voice of wailing, “Woe! woe! +woe! for the miserable land!” but none of them knew what they were +crying for; only the Oakwichian began it, and nothing better occurred to +them to do than to join in; which soon made the sunny day overcast, and +all the people walking in Netherworld where it approaches Leafland +wrapped their old cloaks about them, and said spitefully, “What a +disagreeable, raw east-wind it is, to be sure!”</p> + +<p>But by and by, when their throats were quite dry and sore with wailing, +one of the Mapletonians, a very sensible young woman, quite famous +indeed for her wisdom, bethought herself to inquire what it was all +about. Then there was a very pretty outburst of indignation. For a +moment they forgot their grief, and, what was still worse, their good +manners, and turned upon the unfortunate young woman.</p> + +<p>“And so you set yourself above your betters, and fiddle while Leafland +is burning!” cried one.</p> + +<p>“And pray, Miss Wiseacre,” asked another, “how came <i>you</i> to know so +much more than any one else? Who told <i>you</i> that nothing was the +matter?”</p> + +<p>“Oh! if women would only mind the house, and not meddle with what does +not belong to them!” exclaimed a third.</p> + +<p>All very unjust as you see, for surely the destruction of Leafland +concerned the women as much as the men, and poor “Miss Wiseacre” had not +so much as made an assertion,—only asked a question. However, the +Leaflanders must be excused, because they were quite beside themselves +with terror, and, moreover, a question is sometimes more exasperating +than fire and sword.</p> + +<p>But the old Oakwichian was more reasonable, and, ever glad, even in the +article of death, to disseminate useful knowledge, interposed. “I will +tell you what the matter is,” he said. “Well I remember in the far-away +past, in the sunny summer-days that will return, alas! no more,”—here a +burst<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_27" id="Page_27">Pg 27</a></span> of sorrow prevented speech, but he presently recovered +himself,—“how a little maid used to walk in Netherworld, and rest under +the shadow of our greatness, toying with the light. She was a favorite +with every one hereabouts. Gold was her hair like a spun sunbeam, blue +her eyes like our own June sky, and her voice might sing the lowest +lullaby of the Red Mavis, or his song to his love in her nest. Sometimes +the little maiden looked up wistfully to us, her eyes all a-gleam with +her glowing fancies. Then we pelted her with sunshine, and caressed her +with shade, and then she was happiest of all. But sometimes she brought +with her hateful things, tasks and tools, useless, awkward, bungling, +sharp weapons, that hurt her tender fingers, long cords that she pulled +aimlessly back and forth, huge books with harsh names, that blurred her +dear eyes and gloomed her bright face. First we tried to shame and then +to woo her away from them, but some invisible old dragon stood over her, +and forced her on; and so we learned at length to watch and wait till +the hated task was over. Thereby we learned many strange and wonderful +things; but this alone is to the purpose, that I surely recall how for +many days she kept reading about the Red-coats, and I peeped down over +her shoulder, as we swayed in the dance one afternoon, and saw pictures +of these same Red-coats, a great destroying army, fierce and fell, who +burn villages, and talk piously, and slay men, women, and children. Them +has friend Wood-thrush verily seen, and against them he strove to warn +us. But, ah! what avails it? What can we do, or whither shall we flee! +Can a nation take wing like a Wood-thrush? Can Leafland flit about like +a Swallow? And who should warrant us that the Red-coats should not +pursue us to remotest fastnesses? Nay, they may be even now upon us. +Woe! woe is me! We were Leaflanders; Oakwich was, and the great glory of +the Elmthorpians! But now we be all dead men!”</p> + +<p>At this, the Leaflanders only paused long enough to upbraid the young +woman. “See now whether anything is the matter!” and immediately fell to +upon their despair.</p> + +<p>“A nation in ruins!” cried the statesman. “Leafland falls from its lofty +summit, and I live to see the day.”</p> + +<p>“I behold the gods departing from Leafland,” spake the scholar. “This is +the end of the fates of Leafland.”</p> + +<p>“Now I do not care for your gods and your fates and your what-all,” +sobbed a nervous little lady. “I never could see that they were of any +use in housekeeping; but who shall watch over the tender birdlings when +we are gone?”</p> + +<p>“And never any more dances! Forever, never, never, forever!” You may +know it was a belle said that.</p> + +<p>“Dances are but the vanity of this world,” moaned a sedate matron; “but +woe for my dear pet Aphides, with their six hundred thousand children, +who will be dead before they are born!”</p> + +<p>“Bother your six hundred thousand children!” growled a crusty +philosopher. “If they <i>are</i> dead, it is the only good thing ever I heard +about them. It might be worth while to have one's country crashing about +one's ears<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_28" id="Page_28">Pg 28</a></span> occasionally, for the sake of being well rid of such trash. +Here are all our laboratories broken up, and the sun's occupation gone, +and you making a to-do about a parcel of babies!”</p> + +<p>“O the sweet sunshine!” wept a poet, but most musically,—“the warm, +delicious sunshine, that our hungry souls can feed upon no more, nor +ever fill our drinking-cups with nectared dew!”</p> + +<p>And so in Mapleton and Sumachford and through all Leafland was nothing +heard but the voice of lamentation, and nothing seen but floods of +tears, and nothing thought of but how to avert or escape the threatened +calamity; and, in their terror and trouble, the Leaflanders almost lost +their fine tempers, and were often on the brink of quarrelling; and the +people walking in Netherworld met each other under blue cotton +umbrellas, and exclaimed, “What a spell of weather!” and altogether it +was very uncomfortable, both in Leafland and Netherworld.</p> + +<p>Just at this time a gay young Chipmonk appeared upon the scene,—a +careless, dashing, saucy fellow, very popular among the young +Leaflanders of the rapid sort. He came skipping and frisking into +Nutham, as his manner was, both pockets full of corn which he had +<i>confiscated</i>, he remarked significantly, from a field down yonder. He +nodded jauntily right and left, and then disposed himself comfortably in +a corner, and began cracking his dainties in a very free-and-easy +manner, not noticing the woe-begone aspect of his friends. All at once, +however, he awoke to a realizing sense of things, and showed his +sympathy after his own fashion, by giving a sudden flirt with his tail, +and calling out, irreverently, “What's the row?”</p> + +<p>Amid tears and sighs, the sad story was related to him, in all its +length and breadth and thickness; but, instead of the answering tear and +sigh which his auditors expected, he only thrust his paws into his +pockets, and whisked his tail over his back in frantic convulsions of +laughter; muttering, as breath came to him in the pauses, “O, what a +gony! For that matter, O, what a pack of gonies!”</p> + +<p>Now the Leaflanders were quite too well-bred ever to have used or heard +so barbarous a word as “gony.” Nevertheless, reason and instinct both +taught them, as it will teach all people of refined sensibilities, that +to be called a gony is to be called something very disagreeable; and if +anything can heighten the unpleasant sensation, it is to be called “a +pack of gonies.” Consequently the Leaflanders began to look at each +other blankly, and even to suspect that possibly they had been making +fools of themselves. But Chipmonk did not leave them long in suspense. +“Your terrible Red-coats are your own selves,” he cried. “I have heard +of people being frightened by their own shadow; but never, in all my +born days, did I hear of any one being frightened by his own shine.”</p> + +<p>“Now will you explain yourself?” cried one of the young ladies, her +curiosity getting the better of her chagrin. All the old men and the +young men were longing to know, but were too proud to ask; but the +question being asked for them, they were glad enough to crowd in, and +hear the answer.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_29" id="Page_29">Pg 29</a></span></p> + +<p>“It is only this, and nothing more,” answered Chipmonk, ejecting a +pine-seed from his mouth. “You are all going to have a new suit of +clothes, more splendid than you ever saw in your lives,—yellow and +brown and spotted, and all manner of magnificent colors, but chiefly +red; and then you will be Red-coats, won't you? Wood-thrush came from +north, where the tailoring began; and he saw it, and told you. It is a +sign for him to be up and flying. He thought it would be his excuse for +declining your invitation, instead of which you all went thrusting your +heads into a bramble-bush. O my!”</p> + +<p>“But say, Chipmonk, do you know this? Are you sure of it? It seems too +good news to be true.”</p> + +<p>“Well, all I can say is, I have lived here, man and boy, nigh on to +forty months; and I know it always <i>has</i> happened about this time. I am +young for a Chipmonk; but I was in full career long before the oldest +crone among you was born; and if there is anything hereabouts that I +don't know, you may take your affidavit it isn't worth knowing.” And he +sat back, and betook himself once more to his “confiscated” corn with +the most indifferent superiority.</p> + +<p>Oh! but there was gladness then in Leafland, you may be sure. All their +sadness was turned to rejoicing; and even then the work of +transformation—called, in squirrelicular, “tailoring”—began. Old and +young, men and maids, felt a glory in their blood. All the essence of +the summer-long sunshine seemed to pour itself into their hearts. From +one end of Leafland to another was only singing and dancing and delight. +Mapleton crowned herself with a golden crown, and Oakwich wreathed her +brows with the sunset. All the beauty of the past was dull and sombre to +this new splendor, this royal magnificence, born of the ineffable light.</p> + +<p>A poet and a publisher walked through the Essex woods one October +afternoon; and they remarked that the foliage was very brilliant this +year, which was quite true; but if I had not been born, you never would +have known all about it.</p> + +<p class="sign"><i>Gail Hamilton</i>.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 200px;"> +<img src="images/jan1865_029.jpg" width="200" height="193" alt="Decoration" title="Decoration" /> +</div> +<br /><br /> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_30" id="Page_30">Pg 30</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="THE_COLOR-BEARER" id="THE_COLOR-BEARER"></a>THE COLOR-BEARER</h2> +<span class="totoc"><a href="#toc">Top</a></span> +<p> +<img src="images/jan1865_030a.jpg" width="400" height="325" alt="The color-bearer" class="floatl" /> + +<img src="images/jan1865_030b.jpg" width="168" height="327" alt="The color-bearer" class="floatl" /> +</p> +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i4">Was a fortress to be stormed:<br /></span> +<span class="i4">Boldly right in view they formed,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">All as quiet as a regiment parading:<br /></span> +<span class="i4">Then in front a line of flame!<br /></span> +<span class="i4">Then at left and right the same!<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Two platoons received a furious enfilading.<br /></span> +<span class="i4">To their places still they filed,<br /></span> +<span class="i4">And they smiled at the wild<br /></span> +<span class="i6">Cannonading.<br /></span> +</div><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i4">“'T will be over in an hour!<br /></span> +<span class="i4">'T will not be much of a shower!<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Never mind, my boys,” said he, “a little drizzling!”<br /></span> +<span class="i4">Then to cross that fatal plain,<br /></span> +<span class="i4">Through the whirring, hurtling rain<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Of the grape-shot, and the minie-bullets' whistling!<br /></span> +<span class="i4">But he nothing heeds nor shuns,<br /></span> +<span class="i4">As he runs with the guns<br /></span> +<span class="i6">Brightly bristling!<br /></span> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_31" id="Page_31">Pg 31</a></span> +</div><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i4">Leaving trails of dead and dying<br /></span> +<span class="i4">In their track, yet forward flying<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Like a breaker where the gale of conflict rolled them,<br /></span> +<span class="i4">With a foam of flashing light<br /></span> +<span class="i4">Borne before them on their bright<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Burnished barrels,—O, 't was fearful to behold them!<br /></span> +<span class="i4">While from ramparts roaring loud<br /></span> +<span class="i4">Swept a cloud like a shroud<br /></span> +<span class="i6">To enfold them!<br /></span> +</div><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i4">O, his color was the first!<br /></span> +<span class="i4">Through the burying cloud he burst,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">With the standard to the battle forward slanted!<br /></span> +<span class="i4">Through the belching, blinding breath<br /></span> +<span class="i4">Of the flaming jaws of Death,<br /></span> +<span class="i2">Till his banner on the bastion he had planted!<br /></span> +<span class="i4">By the screaming shot that fell,<br /></span> +<span class="i4">And the yell of the shell,<br /></span> +<span class="i6">Nothing daunted.<br /></span> +</div><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i4">Right against the bulwark dashing,<br /></span> +<span class="i4">Over tangled branches crashing,<br /></span> +<span class="i2">'Mid the plunging volleys thundering ever louder!<br /></span> +<span class="i4">There he clambers, there he stands,<br /></span> +<span class="i4">With the ensign in his hands,—<br /></span> +<span class="i2">O, was ever hero handsomer or prouder?<br /></span> +<span class="i4">Streaked with battle-sweat and slime,<br /></span> +<span class="i4">And sublime in the grime<br /></span> +<span class="i6">Of the powder!<br /></span> +</div><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i4">'T was six minutes, at the least,<br /></span> +<span class="i4">Ere the closing combat ceased,—<br /></span> +<span class="i2">Near as we the mighty moments then could measure,—<br /></span> +<span class="i4">And we held our souls with awe,<br /></span> +<span class="i4">Till his haughty flag we saw<br /></span> +<span class="i2">On the lifting vapors drifting o'er the embrasure!<br /></span> +<span class="i4">Saw it glimmer in our tears,<br /></span> +<span class="i4">While our ears heard the cheers<br /></span> +<span class="i6">Rend the azure!<br /></span> +</div><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i4">Through the abatis they broke,<br /></span> +<span class="i4">Through the surging cannon-smoke,<br /></span> +<span class="i2">And they drove the foe before like frightened cattle!<br /></span> +<span class="i4">O, but never wound was his,<br /></span> +<span class="i4">For in other wars than this,<br /></span> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_32" id="Page_32">Pg 32</a></span><span class="i2">Where the volleys of Life's conflict roar and rattle,<br /></span> +<span class="i4">He must still, as he was wont,<br /></span> +<span class="i4">In the front bear the brunt<br /></span> +<span class="i6">Of the battle.<br /></span> +</div><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i4">He shall guide the van of Truth!<br /></span> +<span class="i4">And in manhood, as in youth,<br /></span> +<span class="i2">Be her fearless, be her peerless Color-Bearer!<br /></span> +<span class="i4">With his high and bright example,<br /></span> +<span class="i4">Like a banner brave and ample,<br /></span> +<span class="i2">Ever leading through receding clouds of Error,<br /></span> +<span class="i4">To the empire of the Strong,<br /></span> +<span class="i4">And to Wrong he shall long<br /></span> +<span class="i6">Be a terror!<br /></span> +</div><div class="stanza"> +<span class="sig"><i>J. T. Trowbridge</i>.<br /></span> +</div></div> +<br /> +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 300px;"> +<img src="images/jan1865_032.jpg" width="300" height="37" alt="Decoration" title="Decoration" /> +</div> +<br /> + + +<h2><a name="THE_LITTLE_PRISONER" id="THE_LITTLE_PRISONER"></a>THE LITTLE PRISONER.</h2> +<span class="totoc"><a href="#toc">Top</a></span> +<h3><span class="smcap">Part I</span>.</h3> + +<h4>ON THE BATTLE-GROUND.</h4> + + +<p><span class="first">W</span><span class="smcap">e</span>—grandma, “our young folks,” and I—live up here among the hills, in +a quaint, old-fashioned farm-house,—older than any of the “old folks” +now living; and every day, when the sun goes down, we gather around the +great wood fire in the sitting-room, and talk and tell stories by the +hour together. I tell the most of the stories; for, though I am only a +plain farmer, going about in a slouched hat, a rusty coat, and a pair of +pantaloons so old and threadbare that you would not wear them if you +were in the ash business, I have mingled with men, seen a great many +places, and been almost all over the world.</p> + +<p>My own children like my stories, because they think they are true, and +because they are all about the men I have met, and the places I have +seen, and so give them some glimpses of what is going on in the busy +life outside of our quiet country home; but I do not expect other young +folks to like them as well as my own do,—for their own father will not +tell them. However, I am going to write out a few of the many I know, in +the hope that they may give some trifling pleasure and instruction to +boys and girls I have never seen, and who gather of evenings around +firesides far away from the one where all my stories are first told.</p> + +<p>As I sit down to write by this bright, blazing fire, the clouds are +scudding across the moon, and the wind is moaning around the old house, +shaking the doors, and rattling the windows, and snapping the branches +of the great<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_33" id="Page_33">Pg 33</a></span> trees as if a whole regiment of young giants were cracking +their whips in the court-yard. On just such a night a wounded boy lay +out on the Wilderness battle-ground!</p> + +<p>You have heard of that great battle; how two hundred thousand men met in +a dense forest, and for two long days and nights, over wooded hills, and +through tangled valleys, and deep, rocky ravines, surged against each +other like angry waves in a storm. And you have heard, too—what is very +pitiful to hear—how, when that bloody storm was over, and the sun came +out, dim and cold, on the cheerless May morning which followed, thirty +thousand men—every one the father, brother, or friend of some young +folks at home—lay dead and dying on that awful field. Amid such a host +of dead and dying men, you might overlook one little boy, who, all that +starless Friday night, lay there wounded in the Wilderness. I do not +want you to overlook him, and therefore I am going to tell you his +story.</p> + +<p>He was a bright-eyed, fair-haired boy of twelve, the only son of his +mother, who was a widow. He used to read at home of how little boys had +gone to the war, how they had been in the great battles, and how great +generals had praised them; and he longed to go to the war too, and to do +something to make himself as famous as the little boy who fought on the +Rappahannock. For a long time his mother was deaf to his +entreaties,—and he would not go without her consent; but at last, when +a friend of his father raised a company of hundred-days men in his +native town, she let him join as a drummer-boy in the regiment.</p> + +<p>The first battle he was in was the terrible one in the Wilderness. His +regiment shared in the first day's fight, but he escaped unharmed; and +all that night, though tired and hungry, he went about in the woods +carrying water to the wounded. The next morning he snatched a few hours' +sleep, and that and a good breakfast refreshed him greatly. At ten +o'clock his regiment moved, and it kept moving and fighting all that +day, until the sun went down; but, though a hundred of his comrades had +fallen around him, he remained unhurt.</p> + +<p>The shadows were deepening into darkness, and the night was hanging its +lanterns up in the sky, when the weary men threw themselves on the +ground to rest. Overcome with fatigue, he too lay down, and, giving one +thought to his mother at home, and another to his Father in heaven, fell +fast asleep. Suddenly the sharp rattle of musketry and the deafening +roar of cannon sounded along the lines, and five thousand rebels rushed +out upon them. Surprised and panic-stricken, our men broke and fled; +and, roused by the terrible uproar, James—that was his name—sprang to +his feet, but only in time to catch in his arms the captain, who was +falling. He was shot through and through by a minie ball.</p> + +<p>James laid him gently on the ground, took his head tenderly in his lap; +and listened to the last words he had to send to his wife and children. +Meanwhile, yelling like demons, the Rebels came on, and passed them. +Then he could have escaped to the woods, but he would not leave his +father's friend when he was dying.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_34" id="Page_34">Pg 34</a></span></p> + +<p>Soon our men rallied, and in turn drove the enemy. Slowly and sullenly +the Rebels fell back to the hill where James and his friend were lying. +There they made a stand, and for half an hour fought desperately, but +were at last overborne and forced back again. As they were on the eve of +retreating, a tall, ragged ruffian came up to James, and demanded the +watch and money of the captain.</p> + +<p>“You will not rob a dying man?” said the little boy, looking up to him +imploringly.</p> + +<p>“Wall, I woan't!” was the Rebel's brutal reply, as he aimed his bayonet +straight at the captain's heart.</p> + +<p>By a quick, dexterous movement, James parried the blow; but, turning +suddenly on the poor boy, the ruffian, with another thrust of his +bayonet, ran him directly through the body. His head sunk back to the +ground, and he fainted.</p> + +<p>How long he lay there unconscious he does not know, but when he came to +himself the moon had gone down, and the stars had disappeared, and +thick, black clouds were filling all the sky. It did not rain, but the +cold wind moaned among the trees, and chilled him through and through. +He tried to rise, but a sharp pain came in his side, and for the first +time he thought of his wound. Passing his hand to it, he found it was +clotted with blood. The cold air had stopped the bleeding, and thus +saved his life. Though the bayonet had gone clear through him, his hurt +was not mortal, for no vital part was injured.</p> + +<p>He thought of the captain, and spoke his name; but no answer came. Then +he reached out his hand to find him. He was there, but his face was +cold,—colder than the cold night that was about them. He was dead.</p> + +<p>The wounded lay all around, and all this while their cries and groans, +as they called piteously for water, or moaned aloud in their agony, came +to his ear, and went to his very soul. He had heard their cries the +night before, as he crept about among them in the thick woods; but then +they had not sounded so sad, so pitiful, as now, and that night was not +so cold, so dark, so cheerless as this was. Soon he knew the full extent +of their agony. An intolerable thirst came upon him. Hot, melted lead +seemed to run along his veins, and a burning heat, as of a fire of hot +coals kindling in his side, almost consumed him. He cried out for help, +but no help came,—for water, but still he thirsted. Then he +prayed,—prayed to the Good Father, who he knew was looking pitifully +down on him through the thick darkness, to come and help him.</p> + +<p>And He came. He always comes to those who ask for Him. Soon the clouds +grew darker, the wind rose higher, and the rain—the cooling, soothing, +grateful rain—poured down in torrents. It wet him through and through, +but it eased his pain, cooled the fever in his blood, and he slept! In +all that cold and pelting storm he slept!</p> + +<p>It was broad day when he awoke. The sun was shining dimly through the +thick masses of gray clouds which floated in the sky, but the wind had +gone down, and the rain was over. The moans of the wounded still came<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_35" id="Page_35">Pg 35</a></span> +to him, but they were not so frequent, nor so terrible, as they were the +night before. Many had found relief from the rain, and many had ceased +moaning forever.</p> + +<p>He could not rise, but, after long and painful effort, he succeeded in +turning over on his side. Then he had a view of the scene around him. He +lay near the summit of a gentle hill, at whose base a little brook was +flowing. At the north it was crowned with a dense growth of oaks and +pines and cedar thickets, but at the south and west it sloped away into +waving meadows and pleasant cornfields, already green with the opening +beauty of spring. Beyond the meadows were other hills, and knolls, and +rocky heights, all covered with an almost impenetrable forest, and there +the hardest fighting of those terrible days was done. A narrow road, +bordered by a worm-fence (Western boys know what a worm-fence is), wound +around the foot of the hill, and led to a large mansion standing half +hidden in a grove of oaks and elms, not half a mile away. Before this +mansion were pleasant lawns and gardens, and in its rear a score or more +of little negro houses, whose whitewashed walls were gleaming in the +sun. This was the plantation—so James afterwards learned—of Major +Lucy, one of those wicked men whose bad ambition has brought this +dreadful war on our country.</p> + +<p>The scene was very beautiful, and, looking at it, James forgot for a +moment the darker picture, drawn in blood, on the grass around him. But +there it was. Blackened muskets, broken saddles, overturned caissons, +wounded horses snorting in agony, and fair-haired boys and gray-haired +men mangled and bleeding,—some piled in heaps, and some stretched out +singly to die,—lay all over that green hillside! Here and there a +crippled soldier was creeping about among the wounded, and, close by, a +stalwart man, the blood dripping from his dangling sleeve, was wrapping +a blue-eyed, pale-faced boy in his blanket. “Don't cry, Freddy,” he +said; “ye sha'n't be cold! Yer mother'll soon be yere!” But the boy gave +no answer, for—he was dead!</p> + +<p>“He don't hear you,” said James. “He isn't cold now!”</p> + +<p>“I'se afeard he ar',—he said he war. Oh! ef his mother know'd he war +yere! 't would break her heart,—break her heart!” moaned the man, still +wrapping the blanket about the boy.</p> + +<p>James closed his eyes to shut out the painful scene, and the thought of +his own mother came to him. Would it not break <i>her</i> heart to know he +was wounded? to hear, perhaps, that he was dead? He must not die; for +her sake, he must not die! <span class="smcap">One</span> only could help him, and so he prayed. +Again he prayed that the Good Father would come to him, and again the +Good Father came!</p> + +<p>“What is <i>ye</i> a doin' yere, honey,—a little one loike ye?” asked a kind +voice at his side.</p> + +<p>He looked up. It was an old black woman, dressed in a faded woollen +gown, a red and yellow turban, and a pair of flesh-colored stockings +which Nature herself had given her. She was very short, almost as broad +as she was long, and had a face as large round as the moon,—and it +looked very<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_36" id="Page_36">Pg 36</a></span> much like the moon when it shines through a black cloud; +for, though darker than midnight, it was all over light,—that kind of +light which shines through the faces of good people.</p> + +<p>“I am wounded; I want water,” said the little boy, feebly.</p> + +<p>“Ye shill hab it, honey,” said the woman, giving him some from a bucket +she had set on the ground.</p> + +<p>“Guv some ter <i>my</i> lad,” cried the man who sat by the dead boy; “he's +been a cryin' fur it all night—all night! Didn't ye yere him?”</p> + +<p>“No, I didn't, massa. I hain't been yere more'n a hour, and a tousand's +a heap fur one ole ooman ter 'tend on,” she replied, filling a gourd +from the bucket, and going with it to the dead boy.</p> + +<p>She stooped down and held the water to his lips, but in a moment started +back, and cried out in a frightened way,—“He'm dead! <i>He</i> can't drink +no more!”</p> + +<p>“He hain't dead!” yelled the man, fiercely; “he sha'n't die! Guv <i>me</i> +the water, ole 'ooman.”</p> + +<p>With a trembling hand, he tried to give it to his son. He held it to the +boy's lips for a moment, then, dropping the gourd, and sinking to the +ground, he cried out,—“It'll kill his mother,—kill his mother! Oh! +oh!”</p> + +<p>“He'm better off, massa,” said the woman, in a voice full of pity; “he'm +whar he kin drink foreber ob de bery water ob life.”</p> + +<p>“Gwo away, ole 'ooman,—gwo away,—doan't speak ter me!” moaned the man, +throwing his arms around the body of his boy, and burying his face in +the blanket he had wrapped about him.</p> + +<p>Brushing her tears away with her apron, the woman turned to James, and +said,—“Whar is ye hurted, honey? Leff aunty see.”</p> + +<p>The little boy opened his jacket, and showed her his side. She could not +see the wound, for the blood had glued his shirt, and even his +waistcoat, to his body; but she said, kindly,—“Don't fret, honey. +'Tain't nuffin ter hurt,—it'll soon be well. Ole Katy'll borrer a +blanket or so frum some o' dese as is done dead, and git ye warm; and +den, when she's gub'n a little more water ter de firsty ones, she'll +take a keer ob you,—she will, honey; so neber you f'ar.”</p> + +<p>She went away, but soon came again with the blankets, and, wrapping two +about him, and putting another under his head, said,—“Dar, honey, now +you'll be warm; and neber you keer ef ole Katy hab borrer'd de blankets. +Dey'll neber want 'em darselfs; and she knows it'll do dar bery souls +good, eben whar dey is, ter know <i>you's</i> got 'em. So neber keer, and gwo +ter sleep,—dat's a good chile. Aunty'll be yere agin in a jiffin.”</p> + +<p>James thanked the good woman, and, closing his eyes again, soon fell +asleep. The sun was right over his head, when old Katy awoke him, and +said,—“Now, honey, Aunty's ready now. She'll tote you off ter de +plantation, and hab you all well in less nur no time, she will; fur +massa's 'way, and dar haint no 'un dar now ter say she sha'n't.”</p> + +<p>“You can't carry me; I'm too heavy, Aunty,” said James, making a faint +effort to smile.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_37" id="Page_37">Pg 37</a></span></p> + +<p>“Carry you! Why, honey chile, ole Katy could tote a big man, forty times +so heaby as you is, ef dey was only a hurted so bad as you.”</p> + +<p>Taking him up, then, as if he had been a bag of feathers, she laid his +head over her shoulder, and, cuddling him close to her bosom, carried +him off to the large mansion he had seen in the distance.</p> + +<p>What befell him there I shall tell “our young folks” in the next number +of this, their own Magazine.</p> + +<p class="sign"><i>Edmund Kirke.</i></p> +<br /> +<br /><div class="figcenter" style="width: 300px;"> +<img src="images/jan1865_037a.jpg" width="300" height="38" alt="Decoration" title="Decoration" /> +</div> + + + +<h2><a name="THOMAS_HUGHES" id="THOMAS_HUGHES"></a>THOMAS HUGHES.</h2> +<span class="totoc"><a href="#toc">Top</a></span> + +<p><span class="first">T</span><span class="smcap">he</span> portrait given with the present number of “Our Young Folks” is that +of one of England's cleverest writers and best men,—Thomas Hughes. Mr. +Hughes is well known throughout all America as the author of those most +spirited and truthful books, “School Days at Rugby,” and “Tom Brown at +Oxford,”—books which all young people, girls as well as boys, ought to +read, and which their elders cannot fail to find delightful and +profitable. Another volume, “The Scouring of the White Horse,” has also +been republished in this country, but as its interest is quite +local,—the scene being laid in the county of Kent, England, and the +principal incidents relating to a festival which took place there,—it +has not been so extensively circulated.</p> + +<p>Mr. Hughes is the second son of John Hughes, Esq., of Donington Priory, +near Newbury, Berks Co., England. He was born October 20, 1823, and +received his early education at Rugby under the instruction of the noble +Dr. Arnold, who is depicted so beautifully in “School Days at Rugby.” In +1841 he entered Oriel College, Oxford, and received his degree of B. A. +in 1845. He immediately registered himself as a student at Lincoln's +Inn, and was called to the bar in January, 1848.</p> + +<p>Mr. Hughes still pursues the profession of a barrister, in which he +stands prominent, and devotes much of his time to the writing and doing +of good things. He has been a strong helper in plans for the education +and assistance of workmen in his own country, and has always advocated +the principles of liberty and justice everywhere. He is one of the +truest friends that the United States has in England, and his voice and +his pen have never failed to support her cause against that of Rebeldom.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 200px;"> +<img src="images/jan1865_037b.jpg" width="200" height="189" alt="Decoration" title="Decoration" /> +</div> + + + +<h2><a name="PHYSICAL_HEALTH" id="PHYSICAL_HEALTH"></a>PHYSICAL HEALTH.</h2> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_38" id="Page_38">Pg 38</a></span></p> +<span class="totoc"><a href="#toc">Top</a></span> +<h4>TO THE YOUNG PEOPLE OF AMERICA.</h4> + +<p><span class="first">T</span><span class="smcap">he</span> great war will end. Then what magnificent expansion! But what +immense responsibilities! Soon they must rest upon you,—your manhood +and womanhood. God and the nations will watch you.</p> + +<p>A great and good nation is made up of great and good men and women. A +strong building cannot be made of weak timbers.</p> + +<p>A complete man is composed of a healthy body, a cultured brain, and a +true heart. Wanting either he fails. Is his heart false? His strong head +and body become instruments of evil. Is his head weak? His strong body +and true heart are cheated. Is the body sick? His noble head and heart +are like a great engine in a rickety boat.</p> + + +<h4><i>Our Young Folks are strong and good.</i></h4> + +<p><span class="smcap">I have</span> studied the life of the young among the better peoples of Europe. +It is not flattery to say, that you, my young fellow-countrymen, have +the best heads and hearts in the world. The great size of your brains is +noticed by every intelligent stranger. The ceaseless activity of those +brains is one of the most striking features of American life. American +growth, as seen in railways, telegraphs, and agriculture, is tame and +slow when compared with the achievements of our schools. And where else +among the young are there such organizations for the spread of the +Gospel, for temperance, for the relief of the sick and wounded?</p> + + +<h4><i>But our Young Folks are weak.</i></h4> + +<div class='center'> +<table border="0" cellpadding="4" cellspacing="0" summary="Figs 1 and 2" width="100%"> +<colgroup > + <col width="40%" /> + <col width="60%" /> +</colgroup> +<tr> +<td align='left'><img src="images/jan1865_038.jpg" width="260" height="300" alt="Fig. 1 John. Fig. 2 Thomas." title="Fig. 1 John. Fig. 2 Thomas." /></td> +<td align='left'><p><span class="smcap">Your</span> weakness is in your bodies. Here lies your danger. I see nothing +which distresses me so much as the physique of the children in our +public schools. Great heads, beautiful faces, brilliant eyes; but with +that attenuated neck, thin, flat chest, and languid gait. Look at these +two boys, John and Thomas. John is a native Yankee. I found him, without +long searching, in one of our public schools. Thomas is an imaginary +boy, composed by the artist.</p></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td align='left'><span class="caption">Fig. 1 +John. Fig. 2 Thomas.</span></td> +<td align='left'></td> +</tr> +</table></div> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_39" id="Page_39">Pg 39</a></span></p> + + +<h4><i>Causes of John's Deformity.</i></h4> + +<div class='center'> +<table border="0" cellpadding="4" cellspacing="0" summary="Figs 3 and 4"> +<colgroup> + <col width="40%" /> + <col width="60%" /> +</colgroup> +<tr> +<td align='left'><p><span class="smcap">He</span> has lain several hours every night in the position seen in Fig. 3. +Much of that ugly pushing forward of the head among girls is produced by +thick pillows.</p></td> +<td align='left'><img src="images/jan1865_039a.jpg" width="300" height="181" alt="Fig. 3" title="Fig. 3" /> +<span class="caption">Fig. 3</span></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td align='left'> +<p>Young people should sleep on hair pillows two inches thick. Ambitious +girls and boys throw the pillow aside. This is the other extreme, and +wrong. It is unhealthy to lie constantly on the back. You must +frequently change to the side. But when you turn upon the side, if you +have no pillow, you must either twist the shoulders into a mischievous +attitude, or let the head fall down to the level of the shoulder, as +seen in Fig. 4. This disturbs the circulation in the neck.</p></td> +<td align='left'><img src="images/jan1865_039b.jpg" width="300" height="201" alt="Fig. 4" title="Fig. 4" /> +<span class="caption">Fig. 4</span></td> +</tr> +</table></div> + +<h4><i>False Positions while sitting.</i></h4> + +<p><span class="smcap">Another</span> cause of the bad shape of John's spine we find in his bad +positions while sitting. Fig. 5 represents the position in which he +should sit. You observe his feet rest on the floor. His hips are against +the back of the chair. His spine is erect. In this position he may sit +two hours without fatigue, provided the chair be a good one. About +chairs I shall presently say something.</p> + +<div class='center'> +<table border="0" cellpadding="4" cellspacing="0" summary="Figs 5 and 6"> +<tr><td align='center'><img src="images/jan1865_039c.jpg" width="225" height="300" alt="Fig. 5" title="Fig. 5" /> +<span class="caption">Fig. 5</span></td> +<td align='center'><img src="images/jan1865_039d.jpg" width="316" height="300" alt="Fig. 6" title="Fig. 6" /> +<span class="caption">Fig. 6</span></td></tr> +</table></div> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_40" id="Page_40">Pg 40</a></span>Fig. 6 shows a position in which I often see John. Do you observe how, +<i>with his legs crossed</i>, he must push forward on the seat? The small of +the back is no longer supported. The strain will soon produce weakness +and pain.</p> + +<p>Fig. 7 represents a still worse position. The strain upon the small of +the back must not only produce weakness there, but must soon incline the +spine to bend backward, while its natural shape at that point is a +beautiful curve forward.</p> + +<p>Writers on manners say the positions seen in Figs. 6 and 7 are vulgar. +In this case, as in most others, propriety and physiology are in +harmony.</p> + + +<h4><i>Positions in School.</i></h4> + +<p><span class="smcap">Fig.</span> 8 shows a bad posture. Sitting thus three hours a day must soon +produce round shoulders. Various devices have been proposed to help the +pupil out of this difficulty. Our booksellers furnish a simple rack, +which is shown in Fig. 9. It holds one or two books. In Fig. 10 two +books are seen resting upon it. Fig. 11 shows the position of the pupil +while using the book-rack. An eminent professor in a New-England college +said to the assembled students, the other day, “This book-holder will +add years to a literary man's life.”</p> + +<div class='center'> +<table border="0" cellpadding="4" cellspacing="0" summary="Figs 7 and 8"> +<tr><td align='center'><img src="images/jan1865_040a.jpg" width="300" height="300" alt="Fig. 7" title="Fig. 7" /> +<span class="caption">Fig. 7</span></td> +<td align='center'><img src="images/jan1865_040b.jpg" width="271" height="300" alt="Fig. 8" title="Fig. 8" /> +<span class="caption">Fig. 8</span></td></tr> +</table></div> + +<h4><i>Chairs.</i></h4> + +<p><span class="smcap">I promised</span> a word about chairs. Our manufacturers do not consider health +in designing the shape of chairs. The seats are too high, and too nearly +horizontal. Boys and girls occupy seats seventeen inches high. A girl +twelve years old should have a chair with the seat not more than twelve +inches high. For a man even, it should not be more than fifteen or +sixteen inches. (These dimensions apply to the front of the seat.) The +back part should be at least two inches lower. With this inclination, +the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_41" id="Page_41">Pg 41</a></span> sitter will slide backward, against the back of the chair, instead +of sliding forward, as he generally does. This sliding forward produces +a strain upon the small of the back, and is, in fact, the cause of most +of the fatigue in sitting. The width of the chair-seat from front to +back should be the same as the height in front.</p> + +<div class='center'> +<table border="0" cellpadding="4" cellspacing="0" summary="Figs 9 and 10"> +<tr><td align='center'><img src="images/jan1865_041a.jpg" width="400" height="492" alt="Fig. 9" title="Fig. 9" /> +<span class="caption">Fig. 9</span></td> +<td align='center'><img src="images/jan1865_041b.jpg" width="400" height="489" alt="Fig. 10" title="Fig. 10" /> +<span class="caption">Fig. 10</span></td></tr> +</table></div> + +<p>The chair-<i>back</i> should project farthest forward at that point which +corresponds to the small of the back. Instead of this, there is +generally at that point a hollow. This error is the cause of much pain +and weakness in the lower part of the spine.</p> + +<p>Fig. 12 shows an unphysiological chair. It is a fashionable +parlor-chair. Fig. 13 is a physiological chair. Two hours in this will +fatigue less than half an hour in that.</p> + +<div class='center'> +<table border="0" cellpadding="4" cellspacing="0" summary="Figs 7 and 8"> +<tr><td align='center'><img src="images/jan1865_041c.jpg" width="200" height="259" alt="Fig. 11" title="Fig. 11" /> +<span class="caption">Fig. 11</span></td> +<td align='center'><img src="images/jan1865_041d.jpg" width="200" height="242" alt="Fig. 12" title="Fig. 12" /> +<span class="caption">Fig. 12</span></td> +<td align='center'><img src="images/jan1865_041e.jpg" width="200" height="257" alt="Fig. 13" title="Fig. 13" /> +<span class="caption">Fig. 13</span></td></tr> +</table></div> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_42" id="Page_42">Pg 42</a></span></p> + +<h4><i>Walking.</i></h4> + +<p><span class="smcap">Americans</span> are bad walkers. It is rare to find an exception, even in our +army. Among Europeans, and the aborigines of our own continent, a noble +mien is not uncommon. I understand the causes of this ugly defect, among +our people, but my present purpose is simply to call attention to it, +and to point out the remedy.</p> + +<p>In English and French books on the military drill and physical training, +whole chapters discuss the subject of walking. We are told that this or +that part of the foot must touch the ground first,—that the angles must +be so and so, &c., &c. I will not say this advice is not right, but I +will say that very few have been helped by it.</p> + +<p>Look at a good walker. Shoulders, head, and hips drawn well back, and +the chest thrown forward. What a firm, vigorous tread! Such a walk may +easily be secured by carrying a weight upon the head. An iron crown has +been devised for this purpose. It consists of three crowns, one within +the other, each weighing about nine pounds. One or all three may be worn +at a time.</p> + +<p>The water-carriers of Southern Europe, although belonging to the lowest +class, have a noble bearing. Certain negroes in the South, who “tote” +burdens upon the head as a business, can be readily pointed out in a +crowd. The effort required to keep the burden directly over the spine so +develops the muscles of the back and neck, that in the absence of the +burden the head is carried in a noble, erect attitude.</p> + +<p>By carrying one of these crowns upon the head half an hour two or three +times a day, while walking in the garden or through the halls of the +house, one may soon become a fine walker. One tenth of the time occupied +in learning a few tunes on the piano, given to this exercise, would +insure any girl a noble carriage. The crown is not necessary. Any weight +which does not press upon the very crown of the head, but <i>about</i> it, +will answer the purpose equally well.</p> + +<p>Fig. 14 exhibits John as the photographer took him the first time he +wore the crown. You observe how his form is changed.</p> + + +<h4><i>False Positions while walking, in Schools.</i></h4> + +<p><span class="smcap">Fig.</span> 15 shows the worst of them. This is no exaggeration of what I have +seen in our New-England schools. It is not common among scholars to join +the hands thus, and carry the body erect. Fig. 16 shows a still worse +position. If you stand erect, with your arms hanging by the sides, and +then deliberately fold the arms, as in this figure, you will find the +points of the shoulders are drawn forward two inches, and the chest much +contracted. Experiments prove that the amount of air which the lungs can +inhale is reduced fifteen to eighteen per cent when the arms are thus +folded.</p> + +<p>Fig. 17 secures a good position of the spine, and opens the chest. Fig. +18 is not very seemly, but, practised five minutes two or three times a +day, would do much to develop the muscles of the spine, and particularly +those<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_43" id="Page_43">Pg 43</a></span> of the back of the neck, whose weakness permits the head to +droop. This subject I commend to teachers and school-committees.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 500px;"> +<img src="images/jan1865_043a.jpg" width="500" height="352" alt="Fig. 14, 15 and 16" title="Fig. 14, 15 and 16" /> +<span class="caption">Fig. 14 Fig. 15 Fig. 16</span> +</div><br /> +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 500px;"> +<img src="images/jan1865_043b.jpg" width="500" height="424" alt="Fig. 17 and 18" title="Fig. 17 and 18" /> +<span class="caption">Fig. 17 Fig. 18</span> +</div> + +<h4><i>The Muff.</i></h4> + +<p><span class="smcap">It</span> draws the shoulders forward, and produces an ugly gait. Let a boy +wear a shawl, and hold it together in front with his hands, and he will +have the same disagreeable waddle. If he wears it even for one winter, +he will learn to stoop. Muffs, shawls, and those cloaks which do not +allow the arms<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_44" id="Page_44">Pg 44</a></span> to swing freely, should all be thrown overboard. +Over-coats should be worn by both sexes.</p> + +<p>The arms are almost as necessary in walking as the legs. The first time +you are walking with your arms at liberty, stop moving them and hold +them by your sides. You will be surprised to find how soon your +companion will leave you behind, although you may hurry, twist, wriggle, +and try very hard to keep up. One reason for the slow walk among girls +is to be found in this practice of carrying the arms motionless. Three +miles an hour with the arms still, is as hard work as four miles with +the arms free.</p> + +<p>I have seen the queens of the stage walk. I have seen a few girls and +women of queenly bearing walk in the street and drawing-room. They moved +their arms in a free and graceful manner. Could this habit become +universal among girls, their chests would enlarge and their bearing be +greatly improved. See that girl walking with both hands in her muff. How +she wriggles and twists her shoulders and hips! This is because her arms +are pinioned. Give <i>them</i> free swing, and her gait would soon become +more graceful.</p> + +<p>You have seen pictures of our muscles. Those of the upper part of the +body, you remember, spread out from the shoulder, in all directions, +like a fan. Now if you hold the shoulder still, the muscles of the chest +will shrink, the shoulders stoop, and the whole chest become thin and +ugly.</p> + +<p>But some girls will say, “Swinging the arms must be very <i>slight</i> +exercise.” True, it is very slight, if you swing the arms but once or +ten times, but if you swing them ten thousand times in a day, you will +obtain more exercise of the muscles of the chest than by all other +ordinary movements combined. Indeed, if I were asked what exercise I +thought most effective for developing the chests of American girls, I +should reply at once, <i>swinging the arms while walking</i>.</p> + +<p class="sign"> +<i>Dio Lewis</i>.<br /> +</p> +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 300px;"> +<img src="images/jan1865_044.jpg" width="300" height="40" alt="Decoration" title="Decoration" /> +</div> + + + +<h2><a name="ANDYS_ADVENTURES" id="ANDYS_ADVENTURES"></a>ANDY'S ADVENTURES;</h2> +<span class="totoc"><a href="#toc">Top</a></span> +<h3>OR THE WORLD BEWITCHED.</h3> + + +<p><span class="first">A</span><span class="smcap">ndy's</span> folks had gone to town, and left him at home to take care of the +house, watch the garden, and amuse himself.</p> + +<p>Andy had a new bow and arrow, and he thought it would be great sport to +have nothing to do all the afternoon but to shoot at the robins and +woodpeckers.</p> + +<p>So, as soon as the wagon was out of sight, and the gate shut, he ran +into the orchard, and began the fun. He kept near enough to the house to +see if anybody came to the door, and near enough to the garden to see if +the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_45" id="Page_45">Pg 45</a></span> pigs got into it; and whenever he saw a bird, he sent an arrow +after it. But the robins soon found out what he wanted, and flew away +when they saw him coming. Their beautiful red breasts would have been +capital marks, if they had only waited for him to get a good shot. The +wrens were not afraid, but they were so small he could not hit them. And +the swallows kept flying about so, twittering and darting here and +there, that he knew he would have to practise a long time before he +could take them on the wing. The yellow-birds and blue-birds were so +shy, that he could hardly see one in sight of the house. So there was no +game left but the woodpeckers.</p> + +<p>But woodpeckers are cunning fellows. They run up the trees, and stick in +their bills, and hop about, and fly from one tree to another so fast, +that it takes a pretty smart boy to hit one. They were tame enough, and +would sometimes let Andy come quite near; they would stop pecking a +moment, and hold up their red heads to take a good look at him; then +they would begin to drum again in the merriest way, making little holes +in the old peach-trees, which began to look like wooden soldiers that +had gone through the wars and been shot in hundreds of places. But the +instant Andy drew the bowstring and took aim, they knew well enough what +it meant; and it was provoking to see them dodge around on the bark and +get out of sight just in time to let the arrow whiz by them. Then they +would go to pecking and drumming again so near, that he wished a dozen +times that he had some kind of an arrow that would shoot around a tree +and hit on the other side.</p> + +<p>At length Andy grew tired of this fun; and he had lost his arrow so many +times in the grass, and had to hunt for it, that he got vexed, and +thought it would be much better sport to go and shoot a chicken.</p> + +<p>Now he did not mean to kill a chicken, and he did not really think he +would be able to hit one. But often we do things more easily when we are +not trying very hard, than when we are too anxious. So it happened with +Andy. He tried his luck on the speckled top-knot, which everybody +considered the handsomest chick that had been hatched that summer. He +drew his bow, let go the string, and the speckled top-knot keeled over. +He ran up to it, very proud, at first, of his good shot, but frightened +enough when he found that the chicken only just kicked a little, and +then lay quite still.</p> + +<p>Andy turned it over, and tried to stand it upon its legs, and thought +what he should tell his parents.</p> + +<p>“I'll say a hawk flew down and killed it! But I shot at the hawk, and he +let it drop, just as he was flying away with it.”</p> + +<p>This was the story he made up, as he took poor top-knot and laid it down +by the well-curb.</p> + +<p>He was still wishing to shoot something that was alive, and, seeing the +cat creeping along on the fence watching for a mouse, he concluded to +try his luck with her. So he drew up, aimed, and fired. Puss was so +intent on watching the mouse that she paid no attention at all to the +arrow, which struck the rail a little behind her, and glanced off +towards the house. Andy heard a sound like shivered glass, and, running +up, saw to his dismay that he had broken a window.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_46" id="Page_46">Pg 46</a></span></p> + +<p>Now he had been told never to shoot his arrow towards the house; and how +to conceal the accident and avoid punishment he couldn't at first +imagine. The glass lay scattered on the pantry shelf, and the hole in +the pane was large enough to put his hand through.</p> + +<p>“I'll say Joe Beals came and wanted my bow, and because I wouldn't let +him have it, he threw a stone at me, and broke the window.”</p> + +<p>And having made up this story, he searched for such a stone as Joe would +be apt to throw, and, having found one, placed it on the pantry floor, +to appear as if it had fallen there after passing through the glass.</p> + +<p>These accidents made him dislike his bow, and he hung it up in the +wood-shed. Then he made a lasso of a string, and caught the cat by +throwing the noose over her head. But Puss did not like the sport as +well as he did, and gave him such a scratch that he was glad to let her +run off with the lasso. Then he thought he would plague the old sow by +getting one of her little pink-white pigs; but the instant he had caught +it up in his arms, it began to squeal; and the mother, hearing it, ran +after him with such a frightful noise, throwing up her great, savage +tusks at him, that he dropped it, and ran for his life. She stopped to +smell of Piggy, and see if it was hurt; and so he got away, though he +was terribly frightened.</p> + +<p>Then Andy thought of his toy ship; and having stopped the holes in the +sink, and pumped it full of water, he called it his ocean, and launched +the “Sea-bird.” With a pair of bellows he made wind, and with a dipper +he made waves; and by placing a kettle bottom upwards in the middle of +the sink he made an island; and the good ship pitched, and tossed, and +rolled in a very exciting manner. At length he resolved to have a +shipwreck. This he managed, not by putting the ship on a rock, but by +putting a rock on the ship. He used for the purpose the stone Joe Beals +did not throw through the pantry window, and the “Sea-bird” went down, +with all her crew on board. He then opened the holes in the sink, and +the tide, going out, left the vessel on her beam-ends, stranded.</p> + +<p>It would have been well for Andy if he had been contented with such +innocent pastimes, without doing mischief to the cat, or chickens, or +pigs, or trying to shoot the pretty birds that fly about the orchards, +singing so sweetly, and eating the worms that destroy the trees.</p> + +<p>But nothing satisfied him; and to have some better fun than any yet, he +determined to stand in the door and scream, “Fire!” He could not imagine +greater sport than to see the neighbors come running to put out the +fire, and then laugh at them for being duped. He did not consider that +they would have to leave their work, and run a long distance, till they +were quite out of breath; or that his laughter would be a very mean and +foolish return for the good-will they would show in hastening to save +his father's house; or that, in case the house should really take fire +some day, and he should call for help, people might think it another +silly trick, and stay away.</p> + +<p>He stood in the door, filled his lungs with a long breath, opened his +mouth as wide as he could, and screamed,—“Fire! fire! fire!”</p> + +<p>Three times. He thought it so funny, that he had to stop and laugh.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_47" id="Page_47">Pg 47</a></span> +Then he took another breath, and screamed again, louder than +before,—“Fire! fire! fire! fire! fire!”</p> + +<p>Five times; and he heard the echoes away off among the hills; and, +looking across the lot, he saw old Mother Quirk hobbling on her crutch.</p> + +<p>Old Mother Quirk was just about the queerest woman in the world. She had +a nose as crooked as a horn, and almost as long. It crooked down to meet +her chin, and her chin crooked up to meet her nose. And some people said +she could hold the end of a thread between them, when she wished to +twist a cord with both hands,—although I doubt it. Her face was so full +of wrinkles, that the smallest spot you could think of had at least +twenty in it. Her eyes were as black as charcoal, and as bright as +diamonds. She was very old; and her back was bent like a bow; and her +hair was perfectly white, and as long and fine as the finest kind of +flax; and she was so lame that she could never walk without her crutch.</p> + +<p>She was a good woman though, people said, and knew almost everything. +She could tell when it would rain to-morrow, and when it would be fair. +She would shut her eyes, and tell you all about your friends at a +distance; describe them as plainly as if she saw them, and inform you if +anything pleasant or unpleasant had happened to them. She knew more +about curing the sick than the doctors did; and once when Andy had hurt +his foot by jumping upon a sharp stub, and it was so sore for a week +that he could not step, and it had been poulticed and plastered till it +was as white and soft as cheese-curd, Mother Quirk had cured it in three +days, by putting on to it a bit of dried beef's gall, which drew out a +sliver that the doctors had never thought of. She was always ready to +help people who were in trouble; and now, when Andy screamed fire, she +was the first to come hobbling on her crutch.</p> + +<p>“What is burning, Andy?” she cried, as she came through the gate. “Where +is the fire?”</p> + +<p>“In the bottom of the well!” replied Andy, laughing till his side ached. +“O, ho, ho! why don't you bring some water in a thimble, and put the +well out? O, ho, ho! Mother Quirk!”</p> + +<p>There was fire in the old woman's eyes just then, if not in the well. It +flashed out of them like two little streams of lightning out of two +little jet-black clouds. She lifted her crutch, and I am not sure but +she would have struck Andy with it, if she had not been too lame to +catch him.</p> + +<p>“Put the well out, ho, ho, ho!” laughed Andy, hopping away.</p> + +<p>“I would put you in, if I could get hold of you!” said Mother Quirk, +shaking her crutch at him. “You wouldn't be dancing around so on that +foot of yours, if I hadn't cured it for you, and this is the thanks I +get for it!”</p> + +<p>That made Andy feel rather ashamed; for he began to see how ungrateful +it was in him to play the old woman such a trick.</p> + +<p>“It isn't the first time you've made me run for nothing, with my poor +old crutch,” she went on, as he stopped laughing. “The other day you +told me your mother was sick abed, and wanted to see me; and I left +everything and hobbled over here; and didn't I find her ironing clothes +in the kitchen, as well a woman as she ever was in her life, you little +rogue!”<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_48" id="Page_48">Pg 48</a></span></p> + +<p>Andy laughed again at the recollection. “You was smoking your pipe,” +said he, “with your old black cat in your lap, and 't was fun to see you +jump up and catch your crutch!”</p> + +<p>“Fun to you! but do you think of my poor old bones? I'm almost a hundred +years old,” said Mother Quirk; “and shall I tell you what I've learnt +all this time? I've learnt that the meanest thing in the world is to +treat ill those who treat you kindly; and that the worst thing is +lying.”</p> + +<p>Andy was sobered again, and the old woman continued:—</p> + +<p>“What if everybody and everything should lie? What if we could never +know when to believe what our friends and neighbors tell us? What if my +crutch should lie, and, when I lean on it, break and let me fall?”</p> + +<p>“I think it would be fun!” said Andy.</p> + +<p>“And what if the ground you stand on should not be the ground it appears +to be, but a great pit, and should let you fall into it when you think +you are walking on the grass? Suppose that everything was a lie, that +nothing was what it pretends to be, that the whole world should trick +and cheat us?” cried the old woman, raising her voice.</p> + +<p>“I should like to see the spot!” said Andy, giggling again.</p> + +<p>“Should you?” almost shrieked the old woman, with a terrible look.</p> + +<p>“Yes!” and Andy grinned at a safe distance.</p> + +<p>“Then try it!” exclaimed Mother Quirk.</p> + +<p>And holding her crutch under her shoulder, she brought her hands +together with a loud slap. Although Andy was at least three yards off, +it seemed to him exactly as if she had boxed his ear. He was almost +knocked down, and his head hummed like a beehive; but he could not, to +save his life, tell which ear had been boxed, nor which he ought to rub. +For a minute, he kept whirling around, as dizzy as a top. Then a voice +cried, “Catch that rabbit!”</p> + +<p class="sign"><i>J. T. Trowbridge</i>.</p> +<br /> + +<h5>(<i>To be continued</i>.)</h5> +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 300px;"> +<img src="images/jan1865_048.jpg" width="300" height="38" alt="Decoration" title="Decoration" /> +</div> + + + + +<h2><a name="WINNING_HIS_WAY" id="WINNING_HIS_WAY"></a>WINNING HIS WAY.</h2> + +<h3>CHAPTER I.</h3> +<span class="totoc"><a href="#toc">Top</a></span> +<h4>FIRST YEARS.</h4> + + +<p><span class="first">M</span><span class="smcap">any</span> years ago, before railroads were thought of, a company of +Connecticut farmers, who had heard marvellous stories of the richness of +the land in the West, sold their farms, packed up their goods, bade +adieu to their friends, and with their families started for Ohio.</p> + +<p>After weeks of travel over dusty roads, they came to a beautiful valley, +watered by a winding brook. The hills around were fair and sunny. There<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_49" id="Page_49">Pg 49</a></span> +were groves of oaks, and maples, and lindens. The air was fragrant with +honeysuckle and jasmine. There was plenty of game. The swift-footed deer +browsed the tender grass upon the hills. Squirrels chattered in the +trees and the ringdoves cooed in the depths of the forest. The place was +so fertile and fair, so pleasant and peaceful, that the emigrants made +it their home, and called it New Hope.</p> + +<p>They built a mill upon the brook. They laid out a wide, level street, +and a public square, erected a school-house, and then a church. One of +their number opened a store. Other settlers came, and then, as the years +passed by, the village rang with the shouts of children pouring from the +school-house for a frolic upon the square. Glorious times they had +beneath the oaks and maples.</p> + +<p>One of the jolliest of the boys was Paul Parker, only son of Widow +Parker, who lived in a little old house on the outskirts of the village, +shaded by a great maple. Her husband died when Paul was in his cradle. +Paul's grandfather was still living. The people called him “Old +Pensioner Parker,” for he fought at Bunker Hill, and received a pension +from government. He was hale and hearty, though more than eighty years +of age.</p> + +<p>The Pensioner was the main support of the family; but by keeping a cow, +a pig, turkeys and chickens, by selling milk and eggs, which Paul +carried to their customers, they brought the years round without running +in debt. Paul's pantaloons had a patch on each knee, but he laughed just +as loud and whistled just as cheerily for all that.</p> + +<p>In summer he went barefoot. He did not have to turn out at every +mud-puddle, and he could plash into the mill-pond and give the frogs a +crack over the head without stopping to take off stockings and shoes. +Paul did not often have a dinner of roast beef, but he had an abundance +of bean porridge, brown bread, and milk.</p> + +<p>“Bean porridge is wholesome food, Paul,” said his grandfather. “When I +was a boy we used to say,—</p> + +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">'Bean porridge hot,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Bean porridge cold,—<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Bean porridge best<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Nine days old.'<br /></span> +</div></div> + +<p>The wood-choppers in winter used to freeze it into cakes and carry it +into the woods. Many a time I have made a good dinner on a chunk of +frozen porridge.”</p> + +<p>The Pensioner remembered what took place in his early years, but he lost +his reckoning many times a day upon what was going on in the town. He +loved to tell stories, and Paul was a willing listener. Pleasant +winter-evenings they had in the old kitchen, the hickory logs blazing on +the hearth, the tea-kettle singing through its nose, the clock ticking +soberly, the old Pensioner smoking his pipe in the arm-chair, Paul's +mother knitting,—Bruno by Paul's side, wagging his tail and watching +Muff in the opposite corner rolling her great round yellow eyes. Bruno +was always ready to give Muff battle whenever Paul tipped him the wink +to pitch in.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_50" id="Page_50">Pg 50</a></span></p> + +<p>The Pensioner's stories were of his boyhood,—how he joined the army, +and fought the battles of the Revolution. Thus his story ran.</p> + +<p>“I was only a little bigger than you are, Paul,” he said, “when the +red-coats began the war at Lexington. I lived in old Connecticut then; +that was a long time before we came out here. The meeting-house bell +rung, and the people blew their dinner-horns, and ran up to the +meeting-house and found the militia forming. The men had their guns and +powder-horns. The women were at work melting their pewter porringers +into bullets. I wasn't old enough to train, but I could fire a gun and +bring down a squirrel from the top of a tree. I wanted to go and help +drive the red-coats into the ocean. I asked mother if I might. I was +afraid that she didn't want me to go. 'Why, Paul,' says she, 'you +haven't any clothes.' 'Mother,' says I, 'I can shoot a red-coat just as +well as any of the men can.' Says she, 'Do you want to go, Paul?' 'Yes, +mother!' 'You shall go; I'll fix you out.' As I hadn't any coat she took +a meal-bag, cut a hole for my head in the bottom, and made holes for my +arms, cut off a pair of her own stocking-legs, and sewed them on for +sleeves, and I was rigged. I took the old gun which father carried at +Ticonderoga, and the powder-horn, and started. There is the gun and the +horn, Paul, hanging up.</p> + +<p>“The red-coats had got back to Boston, but we cooped them up. Our +company was in Colonel Knowlton's regiment. I carried the flag, which +said, <i>Qui transtulit sustinet</i>. I don't know anything about Latin, but +those who do say it means that God who hath transported us will sustain +us, and that is true, Paul. He sustained us at Bunker Hill, and we +should have held it if our powder had not given out. Our regiment was by +a rail-fence on the northeast side of the hill. Stark, with his New +Hampshire boys, was by the river. Prescott was in the redoubt on the top +of the hill. Old Put kept walking up and down the lines. This is the way +it was, Paul.”</p> + +<p>The Pensioner laid aside his pipe, bent forward, and traced upon the +hearth the positions of the troops.</p> + +<p>“There is the redoubt; here is the rail-fence; there is where the +red-coats formed their lines. They came up in front of us here. We +didn't fire a gun till they got close to us. I'll show you how the fire +ran down the line.”</p> + +<p>He took down the horn, pulled out the stopper, held his finger over the +tip, and made a trail of powder.</p> + +<p>“There, Paul, that is by the fence. As the red-coats came up, some of us +began to be uneasy and wanted to fire, but Old Put kept saying, 'Don't +fire yet! Wait till you can see the white of their eyes! Aim at their +belts!'”</p> + +<p>While Pensioner was saying this, he took the tongs and picked a live +coal from the fire.</p> + +<p>“They came up beautifully, Paul,—the tall grenadiers and light-infantry +in their scarlet coats, and the sun shining on their gun-barrels and +bayonets. They wer'n't more than ten rods off when a soldier on top of +the hill couldn't stand it any longer. Pop! went his gun, and the fire +ran down the hill quicker than scat! just like this!”<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_51" id="Page_51">Pg 51</a></span></p> + +<p>He touched the coal to the powder. There was a flash, a puff of smoke +rising to the ceiling, and filling the room.</p> + +<p>“Hooray!” shouted Paul, springing to his feet. Muff went with a jump +upon the bureau in the corner of the room, her tail as big as Paul's +arm, and her back up. Bruno was after her in a twinkling, bouncing +about, barking, and looking round to Paul to see if it was all right.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 435px;"> +<img src="images/jan1865_051.jpg" width="435" height="500" alt="He touched the coal to the powder" title="He touched the coal to the powder" /> +</div> + +<p>“There, grandpa, you have made a great smut on the hearth,” said Mrs. +Parker, who kept her house neat and tidy, though it was a crazy old +affair.</p> + +<p>“Well, mother, I thought it would please Paul.”</p> + +<p>“S-s-s-s-si'c!” Paul made a hiss which Bruno understood, and went at +Muff more fiercely. It was glorious to see Muff spit fire, and hear her +growl low and deep like distant thunder. Paul would not have Muff hurt +for anything, but he loved to see Bruno show his teeth at her, and see +how gritty she was when she was waked up.</p> + +<p>“Be still, Paul, and let Muff alone,” said Paul's mother.</p> + +<p>“Come, Bruno, she ain't worth minding,” said Paul.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_52" id="Page_52">Pg 52</a></span></p> + +<p>“They have got good courage, both of 'em,” said the pensioner; “and +courage is one half of the battle, and truth and honor is the other +half. Paul, I want you to remember that. It will be worth more than a +fortune to you. I don't mean that cats and dogs know much about truth +and honor, and I have seen some men who didn't know much more about +those qualities of character than Muff and Bruno; but what I have said, +Paul, is true for all that. The men who win success in life are those +who love truth, and who follow what is noble and good. No matter how +brave a man may be, if he hasn't these qualities he won't succeed. He +may get rich, but that won't amount to much. Success, Paul, is to have +an unblemished character,—to be true to ourselves, to our country, and +to God.”</p> + +<p>He went on with his story, telling how the British troops ran before the +fire of the Yankees,—how they re-formed and came on a second time, and +were repulsed again,—how General Clinton went over from Boston with +reinforcements,—how Charlestown was set on fire,—how the flames leaped +from house to house, and curled round the spire of the church,—how the +red-coats advanced a third time beneath the great black clouds of +smoke,—how the ammunition of the Yankees gave out, and they were +obliged to retreat,—how General Putnam tried to rally them,—how they +escaped across Charlestown Neck, where the cannon-balls from the British +floating batteries raked the ranks! He made it all so plain, that Paul +wished he had been there.</p> + +<p>The story completed, Paul climbed the creaking stairway to his narrow +chamber, repeated his evening prayer, and scrambled into bed.</p> + +<p>“He is a jolly boy,” said the pensioner to Paul's mother, as Paul left +the room.</p> + +<p>“I don't know what will become of him,” she replied, “he is so wild and +thoughtless. He leaves the door open, throws his cap into the corner, +sets Bruno and Muff to growling, stops to play on his way home from +school, sings, whistles, shouts, hurrahs, and tears round like all +possessed.”</p> + +<p>If she could have looked into Paul's desk at school, she would have +found whirligigs, tops, pin-boxes, nails, and no end of strings and +dancing dandy-jims.</p> + +<p>“Paul is a rogue,” said the Pensioner. “You remember how he got on top +of the house awhile ago and frightened us out of our wits by shouting +'Fire! fire!' down the chimney; how we ran out to see about it; how I +asked him 'Where?' and says he, 'Down there in the fireplace, grandpa.' +He is a chip of the old block. I used to do just so. But there is one +good thing about him, he don't do mean tricks. He don't bend up pins and +put them in the boys' seats, or tuck chestnut-burs into the girls' +hoods. I never knew him to tell a lie. He will come out all right.”</p> + +<p>“I hope so,” said Mrs. Parker.</p> + +<p>Paul could look through the crevices between the shingles, and the +cracks in the walls, and behold the stars gleaming from the unfathomable +spaces. He wondered how far they were away. He listened to the wind +chanting a solemn dirge, filling his soul with longings for he knew not +what. He<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_53" id="Page_53">Pg 53</a></span> thought over his grandfather's stories, and the words he had +spoken about courage, truth, and honor, till a shingle clattering in the +wind took up the refrain, and seemed to say, Truth and honor,—truth and +honor,—truth and honor,—so steadily and pleasantly, that while he +listened the stars faded from his sight, and he sailed away into +dream-land.</p> + +<p>Paul was twelve years old, stout, hearty, and healthy,—full of life, +and brimming over with fun. Once he set the village in a roar. The +people permitted their pigs to run at large. The great maple in front of +the Pensioner's house was cool and shady,—a delightful place for the +pigs through the hot summer days.</p> + +<p>Mr. Chrome, the carriage-painter, lived across the road. He painted a +great many wagons for the farmers,—the wheels yellow, the bodies blue, +green, or red, with scrolls and flowers on the sides. Paul watched him +by the hour, and sometimes made up his mind to be a carriage-painter +when he became a man.</p> + +<p>“Mr. Chrome,” said Paul, “don't you think that those pigs would look +better if they were painted?”</p> + +<p>“Perhaps so.”</p> + +<p>“I should like to see how they would look painted as you paint your +wagons.”</p> + +<p>Mr. Chrome laughed at the ludicrous fancy. He loved fun, and was ready +to help carry out the freak.</p> + +<p>“Well, just try your hand on improving nature.”</p> + +<p>Paul went to work. Knowing that pigs like to have their backs scratched, +he had no difficulty in keeping them quiet. To one he gave green legs, +blue ears, red rings round its eyes, and a red tail. Another had one red +leg, one blue, one yellow, one green, with red and blue stripes and +yellow stars on its body. “I will make him a star-spangled pig,” Paul +shouted to Mr. Chrome. Another had a green head, yellow ears, and a red +body. Bruno watched the proceedings, wagging his tail, looking now at +Paul and then at the pigs, ready to help on the fun.</p> + +<p>“Si'c!—si'c!—si'c!” said Paul. Bruno was upon them with a bound. Away +they capered, with Bruno at their heels. As soon as they came into the +sunshine the spirits of turpentine in the paint was like fire to their +flesh. Faster they ran up the street squealing, with Bruno barking +behind. Mr. Chrome laughed till the tears ran down his cheeks. All the +dogs, great and small, joined Bruno in chase of the strange game. People +came out from the stores, windows were thrown up, and all hands—men, +women, and children—ran to see what was the matter, laughing and +shouting, while the pigs and dogs ran round the square.</p> + +<p>“Paul Parker did that, I'll bet,” said Mr. Leatherby, the shoemaker, +peeping out from his shop. “It is just like him.”</p> + +<p>An old white horse, belonging to Mr. Smith, also sought the shade of the +maple before the Pensioner's house. Bruno barked at him by the hour, but +the old horse would not move for anything short of a club or stone.</p> + +<p>“I'll see if I can't get rid of him,” said Paul to himself.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_54" id="Page_54">Pg 54</a></span></p> + +<p>He went into the barn, found a piece of rope, tied up a little bundle of +hay, got a stick five or six feet long, and some old harness-straps. In +the evening, when it was so dark that people could not see what he was +up to, he caught the old horse, laid the stick between his ears and +strapped it to his neck, and tied the hay to the end of the stick; then +it hung a few inches beyond old Whitey's nose. The old horse took a step +ahead to nibble the hay,—another,—another,—another! “Don't you wish +you may get it?” said Paul. Tramp,—tramp,—tramp. Old Whitey went down +the road. Paul heard him go across the bridge by the mill, and up the +hill the other side of the brook.</p> + +<p>“Go it, old fellow!” he shouted, then listened again. It was a calm +night, and he could just hear old Whitey's feet,—tramp,—tramp,—tramp.</p> + +<p>The next morning the good people of Fairview, ten miles from New Hope, +laughed to see an old white horse, with a bundle of hay a few inches +beyond his nose, passing through the place.</p> + +<p>“Have you seen my horse?” Mr. Smith asked Paul in the morning.</p> + +<p>“Yes, sir, I saw him going down towards the bridge last evening,” Paul +replied, chuckling to himself.</p> + +<p>Mr. Smith went down to the mill and inquired. The miller heard a horse +go over the bridge. The farmer on the other side heard a horse go up the +hill. Mr. Smith looked at the tracks. They were old Whitey's, for he had +a broken shoe on his left hind foot. He followed on. “I never knew him +to go away before,” he said to himself, as he walked hour after hour, +seeing the tracks all the way to Fairview.</p> + +<p>“Have you seen a white horse about here?” he asked of one of the +villagers.</p> + +<p>“Yes, sir; there was one here this morning trying to overtake a bundle +of hay,” the man replied, laughing. “There he is now!” he added.</p> + +<p>Mr. Smith looked up and saw old Whitey, who had turned about, and was +reaching forward to get a nibble of the hay. Mr. Smith felt like being +angry, but the old horse was walking so soberly and earnestly that he +couldn't help laughing.</p> + +<p>“That is some of Paul's doings, I know. I'll give him a blessing when I +get back.”</p> + +<p>It was noon before Mr. Smith reached New Hope. Paul and Bruno were +sitting beneath the maple.</p> + +<p>“Where did you find old Whitey?” Paul asked.</p> + +<p>“You was the one who did it, you little rascal?”</p> + +<p>“Did what?”</p> + +<p>“You know what. You have made me walk clear to Fairview. I have a mind +to horsewhip you.”</p> + +<p>Paul laughed to think that the old horse had tramped so far, though he +was sorry that Mr. Smith had been obliged to walk that distance.</p> + +<p>“I didn't mean any harm, Mr. Smith, but old Whitey has made our +door-yard his stamping-place all summer, and I thought I would see if I +could get rid of him.”<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_55" id="Page_55">Pg 55</a></span></p> + +<p>“Well, sir, if you do it again I'll trounce you,” said Mr. Smith as he +rode away, his anger coming up.</p> + +<p>“Wouldn't it be better for you to put him in a pasture, Mr. Smith? Then +he wouldn't trouble us,” said Paul, who knew that Mr. Smith had no right +to let old Whitey run at large. Paul was not easily frightened when he +had right on his side. The people in the stores and at the tavern had a +hearty laugh when they heard how old Whitey went to Fairview.</p> + +<p>Mr. Cipher taught the village school. He was tall, slim, thin-faced, +with black eyes deeply set in his head, and a long, hooked nose like an +eagle's bill. He wore a loose swallow-tailed coat with bright brass +buttons, and pants which were several inches too short. The Committee +employed him, not because he was a superior teacher, but they could get +him for twelve dollars a month, while Mr. Rudiment, who had been through +college, and who was known to be an excellent instructor, asked sixteen.</p> + +<p>There was a crowd of roistering boys and rosy-cheeked girls, who made +the old school-house hum like a beehive. Very pleasant to the passers-by +was the music of their voices. At recess and at noon they had leap-frog +and tag. Paul was in a class with Philip Funk, Hans Middlekauf, and +Michael Murphy. There were other boys and girls of all nationalities. +Paul's ancestors were from Connecticut, Philip's father was a Virginian. +Hans was born in Germany, and Michael in Ireland. Philip's father kept a +grocery, and sold sugar, molasses, tobacco, and whiskey. He was rich, +and Philip wore good clothes and calf-skin boots. Paul could get his +lessons very quick whenever he set about them in earnest, but he spent +half his time in inventing fly-traps, making whirligigs, or drawing +pictures on his slate. He could draw admirably, for he had a quick eye +and natural ability. Philip could get his lessons also if he chose to +apply himself, but it was a great deal easier to get some one to work +out the problems in arithmetic than to do them himself.</p> + +<p>“Here, Paul, just do this question for me; that is a good fellow.”</p> + +<p>It was at recess.</p> + +<p>“No; Cipher has forbid it. Each one has got to do his own,” said Paul.</p> + +<p>“If you will do it, I will give you a handful of raisins,” said Philip, +who usually had his pockets full of raisins, candy, or nuts.</p> + +<p>“It wouldn't be right.”</p> + +<p>“Come, just do that one; Cipher never will know it.”</p> + +<p>“No!” Paul said it resolutely.</p> + +<p>“You are a mean, sneaking fellow,” said Philip with a sneer, turning up +his nose.</p> + +<p>Philip was a year older than Paul. He had sandy hair, white eyelashes, +and a freckled face. He carried a watch, and always had money in his +pocket. Paul, on the other hand, hardly ever had a cent which he could +call his own. His clothes were worn till they were almost past mending.</p> + +<p>“Rag-tag has got a hole in his trousers,” said Philip to the other boys.</p> + +<p>Paul's face flushed. He wanted to knock Philip's teeth down his throat. +He knew that his mother had hard work to clothe him, and felt the +insult.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_56" id="Page_56">Pg 56</a></span> He went into the school-house, choked his anger down, and tried +to forget all about it by drawing a picture of the master. It was an +excellent likeness,—his spindle legs, great feet, short pants, loose +coat, sunken eyes, hooked nose, thin face, and long bony fingers.</p> + +<p>Philip sat behind Paul. Instead of studying his lesson, he was planning +how to get Paul into trouble. He saw the picture. Now was his time. He +giggled aloud. Mr. Cipher looked up in astonishment.</p> + +<p>“What are you laughing at, Master Funk?”</p> + +<p>“At what Paul is doing.”</p> + +<p>Paul hustled his slate into his desk.</p> + +<p>“Let me see what you have here,” said Cipher, walking up to Paul, who +spat in his fingers, and ran his hand into the desk, to rub out the +drawing; but he felt that it would be better to meet his punishment +boldly than to have the school think that he was a sneak. He laid the +slate before the master without a line effaced.</p> + +<p>“Giving your attention to drawing, are you, Master Paul?” His eyes +flashed. He knit his brows. The blood rushed to his cheeks. There was a +popping up of heads all over the school-room to get a sight of the +picture.</p> + +<p>The boys laughed aloud, and there was a tittering among the girls, which +made Cipher very angry. “Silence!” he roared, and stamped upon the floor +so savagely that the windows rattled. “Come out here, Sir. I'll give you +a drawing-lesson of another sort.” He seized Paul by the collar, and +threw him into the space in front of his own desk. “Hold out your hand.”</p> + +<p>Paul felt that he was about to receive a tremendous thrashing; but he +determined that he would not flinch. He held out his right hand, and +spat! came the blow from a heavy ferule. His hand felt as if he had been +struck by a piece of hot iron.</p> + +<p>“The other, sir.”</p> + +<p>Whack! it fell, a blow which made the flesh purple. There was an Oh! +upon his tongue; but he set his teeth together, and bit his lips till +they bled, and so smothered it. Another blow,—another,—another,—which +were hard to bear; but his teeth were set like a vice. There was a +twitching of the muscles round his lips; he was pale. When the blows +fell, he held his breath, but he did not snivel.</p> + +<p>“I'll see if I can't bring you to your feeling, you good-for-nothing +scape-grace,” said the master, mad with passion, and surprised that Paul +made no outcry. He gave another round, bringing the ferule down with +great force. Blood began to ooze from the pores. The last blow spattered +the drops around the room. Cipher came to his senses. He stopped.</p> + +<p>“Are you sorry, sir?”</p> + +<p>“I don't know whether I am or not. I didn't mean any harm. I suppose I +ought not to have drawn it in school; but I didn't do it to make fun. I +drew you just as you are,” said Paul,—his voice trembling a little in +spite of his efforts to control it.</p> + +<p>The master could not deny that it was a perfect likeness. He was +surprised at Paul's cleverness at drawing, and for the first time in his +life saw<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_57" id="Page_57">Pg 57</a></span> that he cut a ridiculous figure wearing that long, loose, +swallow-tailed coat, with great, flaming brass buttons, and resolved +upon the spot that his next coat should be a frock, and that he would +get a longer pair of pants.</p> + +<p>“You may take your seat, sir!” he said, puzzled to know whether to +punish Paul still more, and compel him to say that he was sorry, or +whether to accept the explanations, and apologize for whipping him so +severely.</p> + +<p>Paul sat down. His hands ached terribly; but what troubled him most was +the thought that he had been whipped before the whole school. All the +girls had witnessed his humiliation. There was one among them,—Azalia +Adams,—who stood at the head of Paul's class, the best reader and +speller in school. She had ruby lips, and cheeks like roses; the golden +sunlight falling upon her chestnut hair crowned her with glory; deep, +thoughtful, and earnest was the liquid light of her hazel eyes; she was +as lovely and beautiful as the flower whose name she bore. Paul had +drawn her picture many times,—sometimes bending over her task, +sometimes as she sat, unmindful of the hum of voices around her, looking +far away into a dim and distant dream-land. He never wearied of tracing +the features of one so fair and good as she. Her laugh was as musical as +a mountain-brook; and in the church on Sunday, when he heard her voice +sweetly, softly, and melodiously mingling with the choir, he thought of +the angels,—of her as in heaven and he on earth.</p> + +<p>“Run home, sonny, and tell your marm that you got a licking,” said +Philip when school was out.</p> + +<p>Paul's face became livid. He would have doubled his fist and given +Philip a blow in the face, but his palms were like puff-balls. There was +an ugly feeling inside, but just then a pair of bright hazel eyes, +almost swimming with tears, looked into his own. “Don't mind it, Paul,” +said Azalia.</p> + +<p>The pain was not half so hard to bear after that. He wanted to say, “I +thank you,” but did not know how. Till then his lips had hardly +quivered, and he had not shed a tear; now his eyes became moist; one +great drop rolled down his cheeks, but he wiped it off with his +coat-sleeve, and turned away, for fear that Azalia would think that he +was a baby.</p> + +<p>On his way home the thought uppermost in his mind was, “What will mother +say?” Why tell her? Would it not be better to keep the matter to +himself? But then he remembered that she had said, “Paul, I shall expect +you to tell me truthfully all that happens to you at school.” He loved +his mother. She was one of the best mothers that ever lived, working for +him day and night. How could he abuse such confidence as she had given +him? He would not violate it. He would not be a sneak.</p> + +<p>His mother and the Pensioner were sitting before the fire as he entered +the house. She welcomed him with a smile,—a beautiful smile it was, for +she was a noble woman, and Paul was her darling, her pride, the light, +joy, and comfort of her life.</p> + +<p>“Well, Paul, how do you get on at school?” his grandfather asked.</p> + +<p>“I got a whipping to-day.” It was spoken boldly and manfully.</p> + +<p>“What! My son got a whipping!” his mother exclaimed.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_58" id="Page_58">Pg 58</a></span></p> + +<p>“Yes, mother.”</p> + +<p>“I am astonished. Come here, and tell me all about it.”</p> + +<p>Paul stood by her side and told the story,—how Philip Funk tried to +bribe him, how he called him names,—how, having got his lessons, he +made a picture of the master. “Here it is, mother.” He took his slate +from his little green bag. The picture had not been effaced. His mother +looked at it and laughed, notwithstanding her efforts to keep sober, for +it was such a perfect likeness. She had an exquisite sense of the +ludicrous, and Paul was like her. She was surprised to find that he +could draw so well.</p> + +<p>“We will talk about the matter after supper,” she said. She had told +Paul many times, that, if he was justly punished at school, he must +expect a second punishment at home; but she wanted to think awhile +before deciding what to do. She was pleased to know that her boy could +not be bribed to do what his conscience told him he ought not to do, and +that he was manly and truthful. She would rather follow him to the +church-yard and lay him in his grave beneath the bending elms, than to +have him untruthful or wicked.</p> + +<p>The evening passed away. Paul sat before the fire, looking steadily into +the coals. He was sober and thoughtful, wondering what his mother would +say at last. The clock struck nine. It was his bedtime. He went and +stood by her side once more. “You are not angry with me, mother, are +you?”</p> + +<p>“No, my son. I do not think that you deserved so severe a punishment. I +am rejoiced to know that you are truthful, and that you despise a mean +act. Be always as you have been to-night, and I never shall be angry +with you.”</p> + +<p>He threw his arms around her neck, and gave way to tears, such as Cipher +could not extort by his pounding. She gave him a good-night kiss,—so +sweet that it seemed to lie upon his lips all through the night.</p> + +<p>“God bless you, Paul,” said the Pensioner.</p> + +<p>Paul climbed the creaking stairs, and knelt with an overflowing heart to +say his evening prayer. He spoke the words earnestly when he asked God +to take care of his mother and grandfather. He was very happy. He looked +out through the crevices in the walls, and saw the stars and the moon +flooding the landscape with silver light. There was sweet music in the +air,—the merry melody of the water murmuring by the mill, the cheerful +chirping of the crickets, and the lullaby of the winds, near at hand and +far away, putting him in mind of the choirs on earth and the choirs in +heaven. “Don't mind it, Paul!” were the words they sung, so sweetly and +tenderly that for many days they rang in his ears.</p> + +<p class="sign"><i>Carleton</i>.<br /></p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 200px;"> +<img src="images/jan1865_058.jpg" width="200" height="149" alt="Decoration" title="Decoration" /> +</div> + + + +<h2><a name="NEW-YEAR_CAROL" id="NEW-YEAR_CAROL"></a>NEW-YEAR CAROL.</h2> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_59" id="Page_59">Pg 59</a></span> +<span class="totoc"><a href="#toc">Top</a></span> +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 500px;"> +<img src="images/jan1865_059.jpg" width="500" height="392" alt="Old man with a cape and walking stick." title="Old man with a cape and walking stick." /> +</div> + + +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i4">Ding, Dong, Bell!<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Little children, down the turnpike goes the year,<br /></span> +<span class="i2">Down through every dell,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">All the bells of all the country in its ear:<br /></span> +<span class="i4">Ding, Dong, Bell!<br /></span> +</div><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i4">Ding, Dong, Bell!<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Through the meadows and the woods, o'er the plain,<br /></span> +<span class="i2">Past where children dwell,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">All the children, some in joy and some in pain:<br /></span> +<span class="i4">Ding, Dong, Bell!<br /></span> +</div><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i4">Ding, Dong, Bell!<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Is it from a belfry, or the beating heart<br /></span> +<span class="i2">Of the year, this swell,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Solemn like the steps of friends who have to part?<br /></span> +<span class="i4">Ding, Dong, Bell!<br /></span> +</div><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i4">Ding, Dong, Bell!<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Little children's homes in heaven and on earth,<br /></span> +<span class="i2">All have hearts to tell<br /></span> +<span class="i0">How good actions overflow the year with mirth:<br /></span> +<span class="i4">Ding, Dong, Bell!<br /></span> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_60" id="Page_60">Pg 60</a></span></div><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i4">Ding, Dong, Bell!<br /></span> +<span class="i0">And it needeth not a steeple's voice to say,<br /></span> +<span class="i2">What a dreary knell<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Hearts are ringing as their goodness flies away:<br /></span> +<span class="i4">Ding, Dong, Bell!<br /></span> +</div><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i4">Ding, Dong, Bell!<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Down the turnpike for you comes another year;<br /></span> +<span class="i2">Children, treat it well:<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Naught but goodness brings to homes right jolly cheer:<br /></span> +<span class="i4">Ding, Dong, Bell!<br /></span> +</div><div class="stanza"> +<span class="sig"><i>John Weiss</i>.<br /></span> +</div></div> +<br /> +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 300px;"> +<img src="images/jan1865_060.jpg" width="300" height="40" alt="Decoration" title="Decoration" /> +</div> + + + + +<h2><a name="FARMING_FOR_BOYS" id="FARMING_FOR_BOYS"></a>FARMING FOR BOYS.</h2> +<span class="totoc"><a href="#toc">Top</a></span> + +<div class="blockquot"><p class="hang"><b>WHAT HAVE THEY DONE, AND WHAT OTHERS MAY DO IN THE CULTIVATION OF FARM +AND GARDEN,—HOW TO BEGIN, HOW TO PROCEED, AND WHAT TO AIM AT.</b></p></div> + + +<h3><span class="smcap">No. I.</span></h3> + +<p><span class="first">T</span><span class="smcap">here</span> is an old farm-house in the State of New Jersey, not a hundred +miles from the city of Trenton, having the great railroad which runs +between New York and Philadelphia so near to it that one can hear the +whistle of the locomotive as it hurries onward every hour in the day, +and see the trains of cars as they whirl by with their loads of living +freight. The laborers in the fields along the road, though they see +these things so frequently, invariably pause in their work and watch the +advancing train until it passes them, and follow it with their eyes +until it is nearly lost in the distance. The boy leans upon his hoe, the +mower rests upon his scythe, the ploughman halts his horses in the +furrow,—all stop to gaze upon a spectacle that has long ceased to be +either a wonder or a novelty. Why it is so may be difficult to answer, +except that the snorting combination of wheels, and cranks, and fire, +and smoke, thundering by the quiet fields, breaks in upon the monotonous +labor of the hand who works alone, with no one to converse with,—for +the fact is equally curious, that gangs of laborers make no pause on the +appearance of a locomotive. They have companionship enough already.</p> + +<p>This old wooden farm-house was a very shabby affair. To look at it, one +would be sure that the owner had a particular aversion to both paint and +whitewash. The weather-boarding was fairly honeycombed by age and +exposure to the sun and rain, and in some places the end of a board had +dropped off, and hung down a foot or two, for want of a nail which +everybody<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_61" id="Page_61">Pg 61</a></span> about the place appeared to be too lazy or neglectful to +supply in time. One or two of the window-shutters had lost a hinge, and +they also hung askew,—nobody had thought it worth while to drive back +the staple when it first became loose.</p> + +<p>Then there were several broken lights of glass in the kitchen windows. +As the men about the house neglected to have them mended, or to do it +themselves by using the small bit of putty that would have kept the +cracked ones from going to pieces, the women had been compelled to keep +out the wind and rain by stuffing in the first thing that came to hand. +There was a bit of red flannel in one, an old straw bonnet in another, +while in a third, from which all the glass was gone, a tolerably good +fur hat, certainly worth the cost of half a dozen lights, had been +crammed in to fill up the vacancy. The whole appearance of the windows +was deplorable. Some of them had lost the little wooden buttons which +kept up the sash when hoisted, and which anybody could have replaced by +whittling out new ones with his knife; but as no one did it, and as the +women must sometimes have the sashes raised, they propped them up with +pretty big sticks from the wood-pile. It was not a nice sight, that of a +rough stick as thick as one's arm to hold up the sash, especially when, +of a sultry day, three or four of them were always within view.</p> + +<p>Then the wooden step at the kitchen door, instead of being nailed fast +to the house, was not only loose, but it rested on the ground so +unevenly as to tilt over whenever any one stepped carelessly on its +edge. As the house contained a large family, all of whom generally lived +in the kitchen, there was a great deal of running in and out over this +loose step. When it first broke away from the building, it gave quite a +number of severe tumbles to the women and children. Everybody complained +of it, but nobody mended it, though a single stout nail would have held +it fast. One dark night a pig broke loose, and, snuffing and smelling +around the premises in search of forage, came upon the loose step, and, +imagining that he scented a supper in its neighborhood, used his snout +so vigorously as to push it clear away from the door. One of the girls, +hearing the noise, stepped out into the yard to see what was going on; +but the step being gone, and she not observing it, down she went on her +face, striking her nose on the edge of a bucket which some one had left +exactly in the wrong place, and breaking the bone so badly that she will +carry a very homely face as long as she lives. It was a very painful +hurt to the poor girl, and the family all grieved over her misfortune; +but not one of the men undertook to mend the step. Finally, the mother +managed to drive down two sticks in front of it, which held it up to the +house, though not half so firmly as would have been done by a couple of +good stout nails.</p> + +<p>Things were very much in the same condition all over the premises. The +fence round the garden, and in fact all about the house, was dropping to +pieces simply for want of a nail here and there. The barn-yard enclosure +was strong enough to keep the cattle in, but it was a curious exhibition +of hasty patch-work, that would hurt the eye of any mechanic to look at. +As to the gates, every one of them rested at one end on the ground. It +was hard work even for a man to open and shut them, as they had to be +lifted clear up before they<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_62" id="Page_62">Pg 62</a></span> could be moved an inch. For a half-grown +boy to open them was really a very serious undertaking, especially in +muddy weather. The posts had sagged, or the upper staples had drawn out, +but nobody attended to putting them to rights, though it would not have +been an hour's job to make them all swing as freely as every good +farm-gate ought to. The barn-yard was a hard place for the boys on this +farm.</p> + +<p>No touch of whitewash had been spread over either house, or fence, or +outbuilding, for many years, though lime is known to everybody as being +one of the surest preservers of wood-work, as well as the very cheapest, +while it so beautifully sets off a farm-house to see its surroundings +covered once a year with a fresh coat of white. The hen-house was of +course equally neglected, though whitewash is so well known to be an +indispensable purifier of such places, materially helping to keep away +those kinds of vermin that prevent poultry from thriving. In fact, the +absence of lime was so general, that the hens could hardly pick up +enough to make egg-shells. Had they laid eggs without shells, the +circumstance would have mortified the hens as much as it would have +surprised the family. As it was, their only dependence was on the pile +of lime rubbish which was left every spring after whitewashing the +kitchen. The women who presided there did manage to fix up things once a +year. They thought lime was good to drive away ants and roaches, and so +they and the hens were the only parties on the premises who used it.</p> + +<p>There were many other things about this farm-house that were quite as +much neglected,—more than it is worth while at present to mention, +unless it be the wood-pile. Though there were two men on the farm, and +several well-grown boys, yet the women could rarely prevail on any of +them to split a single stick of wood. The wood for the house caused +great trouble,—it was difficult to get it at all. Then when it did +come, it was crooked and knotty, much of it such as a woman could not +split. Yet whenever a stick or two was wanted, the females of the family +must run out into the shed to chop and split it. They never could get an +armful ahead, such was the strange neglect of one of the most +indispensable comforts of housekeeping. If the female head of the family +had only thought of letting the male portion go a few times without +their dinners, it is more than likely they would have brought them to +terms, and taught them that it was quite as much their duty to split the +wood as it was hers to cook their dinners. But she was a good, easy +creature, like most of the others. They had all been brought up in the +same neglectful way, just rubbing along from day to day, never getting +ahead, but everything getting ahead of them.</p> + +<p>This farmer's name was Philip Spangler, and he was unlucky enough to +have a hundred acres in his farm. The word <i>unlucky</i> is really a very +proper one; because it was unlucky for such a man as Philip that he +should have so much more land than he knew how to manage, and it was +equally unlucky for the land that it should have so poor a manager. The +man was perfectly sober, and in his own way was a very industrious one. +He worked hard himself, and made every one about him do the same. He was +what is known as a “slaving farmer,”—up by daylight, having all hands +up and out<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_63" id="Page_63">Pg 63</a></span> of doors quite as early as himself, and he and they stuck to +it as long as they could see to work. With him and them it was all work +and no play. He had no recreations; he took no newspaper, had no reading +in the house except the children's school-books, the Bible, and an +almanac,—which he bought once a year, not because he wanted it, but +because his wife would have it.</p> + +<p>What was very singular in Mr. Spangler's mode of managing things, when a +wet day came on, too rainy for out-of-door work, he seemed to have no +indoor employments provided, either for himself or hands to do, having +apparently no sort of forethought. On such occasions he let everything +slide,—that is, take care of itself,—and went, in spite of the rain, +to a tavern near by on the railroad, where he sat all day among a crowd +of neighboring idlers who collected there at such times; for although it +might be wet enough to stop all work in the fields, it was never too wet +to keep them away from the tavern. There these fellows sat, drinking +juleps, smoking pipes, or cigars that smelt even worse, and retailing +among each other the news of their several neighborhoods.</p> + +<p>What Spangler thus picked up at the tavern was about all the news he +ever heard. As to talking of farming, of their crops, or what was the +best thing to raise, or how best to carry on this or that branch of +their business,—such matters were rarely spoken of. They came there to +shake off the farm. Politics was a standing topic,—who was likely to be +nominated on their ticket,—whether he would be elected,—and whether it +was true that so-and-so was going to be sold out by the sheriff. It was +much to Spangler's credit, that, if at this rainy-day rendezvous he +learned nothing useful, he contracted no other bad habit than that of +lounging away a day when he should have been at home attending to his +business. It was much after the same fashion that he spent his long +winter's evenings,—dozing in the chimney-corner,—for the tavern was +too far away, or he would have spent them there.</p> + +<p>Now it somehow happens that there are quite as many rainy days in the +country as in the city. But those who live in the latter never think of +quitting work because it snows deep or rains hard. The merchant never +closes his counting-house or store, nor does the mechanic cease to labor +from such a cause; they have still something on hand, whether it rain or +shine. Even the newsboys run about the streets as actively, and a +hundred other kinds of workers keep on without interruption.</p> + +<p>If the laboring men of a large city were to quit work because of a hard +rain, there would be a loss of many thousand dollars for every such day +that happened. So also with a farmer. There is plenty of rainy-day work +on a farm, if the owner only knew it, or thought of it beforehand, and +set his men or boys to do it,—in the barn, or cellar, or wood-shed. If +he had a bench and tools, a sort of workshop, a rainy day would be a +capital time for him to teach his boys how to drive a nail, or saw a +board, or push a plane, to make a new box or mend an old one, to put a +new handle in an axe or hoe, or to do twenty such little things as are +always wanted on a farm. Besides<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_64" id="Page_64">Pg 64</a></span> saving the time and money lost by +frequent running to the blacksmith or wheelwright, to have such trifles +attended to, things would be kept always ready when next wanted, and his +boys would become good mechanics. There is so much of this kind of light +repairing to be done on a farm, that, having a set of tools, and knowing +how to use them, are almost as indispensable as having ploughs and +harrows, and the boys cannot be too early instructed in their use. Many +boys are natural mechanics, and even without instruction could +accomplish great things if they only had a bench and tools. The making +of the commonest bird-box will give an ambitious boy a very useful +lesson.</p> + +<p>It seemed that Mr. Spangler was learning nothing while he lived. His +main idea appeared to be, that farming was an affair of muscle +only,—that it was hands, not heads, that farmers ought to have; and +that whoever worked hardest and longest, wasted no time in reading, +spent no money for fine cattle or better breeds of pigs, or for new +seeds, new tools or machines, and stuck to the good old way, was the +best farmer. He never devoted a day now and then to visiting the +agricultural exhibitions which were held in all the counties round him, +where he would be sure to see samples of the very best things that good +farmers were producing,—fine cattle, fine pigs, fine poultry, and a +hundred other products which sensible men are glad to exhibit at such +fairs, knowing that it is the smart men who go to such places to learn +what is going on, as well as to make purchases, and that it is the +agricultural drones who stay at home. The fact was, he had been badly +educated, and he could not shake off the habits of his early life. He +had been taught that hard work was the chief end of man.</p> + +<p>Of course such a farmer had a poor time of it, as well as the hands he +employed. He happened to be pretty well out of debt, there being only a +small mortgage on his farm; but he was so poor a manager that his hard +work went for little, in reality just enough to enable his family to +live, with sometimes very close shaving to pay interest. As to getting +rich, it was out of the question. He had a son whose name was Joe, a +smart, ambitious boy of sixteen years old; another son, Bill, two years +younger; and an orphan named Tony King, exactly a year younger than Joe; +together with a hired man for helper about the farm.</p> + +<p>Mr. Spangler had found Tony in the adjoining county. On the death of his +parents, they being miserably poor, and having no relations to take care +of him, he had had a hard time among strangers. They kept him until old +enough to be bound out to a trade. Mr. Spangler thinking he needed +another hand, and being at the same time in such low repute as a farmer +and manager that those who knew him were not willing to let their sons +live with him as apprentices, he was obliged to go quite out of the +neighborhood, where he was not so well known, in order to secure one. In +one of his trips he brought up at the house where Tony was staying, and, +liking his looks,—for he was even a brighter boy than Joe Spangler,—he +had him bound to him as an apprentice to the art and mystery of farming.</p> + +<p>In engaging himself to teach this art and mystery to Tony, he undertook<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_65" id="Page_65">Pg 65</a></span> +to impart a great deal more knowledge than he himself possessed,—a +thing, by the way, which is very common with a good many other people. +Altogether it was a hard bargain for poor Tony; but when parents are so +idle and thriftless as to expose their children to such a fate as his, +they leave them a legacy of nothing better than the very hardest kind of +bargains.</p> + +<p>In addition to this help, about a year after Tony took up his quarters +with Mr. Spangler, there came along an old man of seventy, a sort of +distant relation of the Spanglers, who thenceforward made the farm his +home. Mr. Spangler and his wife called him “Benny,” but all the younger +members of the family, out of respect for his age, called him “Uncle,” +so that in a very short time he went by no other name than that of +“Uncle Benny,” and this not only on the farm, but all over the +neighborhood.</p> + +<p>Uncle Benny turned out to be the pleasantest old man the boys and girls +had ever been acquainted with. It was no wonder they liked him, for he +was very fond of children, and like generally begets like. He was a very +different sort of character from any about the farm. He had been well +educated, and being in his younger days of a roving, sight-hunting +disposition, he had travelled all over the world, had seen a multitude +of strange men and strange things, and had such a way of telling what he +had thus picked up as never to fail of interesting those who heard him. +Sometimes of a long winter evening, when he was giving accounts of +foreign countries, or how people lived in our great cities, or how they +carried on farming in other parts of our country, he talked so +pleasantly that no one thought of being sleepy. On such evenings, before +he came to live on the farm, Mr. Spangler would often fall asleep on his +chair in the chimney corner, and once or twice actually tipped over +quite into the ashes; but now, when Uncle Benny got fairly under way, +there was no more going to sleep. Mr. Spangler pricked up his ears, and +listened better than if any one had been reading from a book.</p> + +<p>Then Uncle Benny had a way of always putting in some good advice to both +men and boys, and even to the girls. He had read and travelled so much, +that he had something appropriate for every event that turned up. +Indeed, every one was surprised at his knowing so much. Besides this, he +was very lively and cheerful, and as fond of fun as could be, and seemed +able to make any one laugh whenever he chose to indulge in a joke.</p> + +<p>In addition to all this, he was uncommonly handy with tools. Though an +old man, and not strong enough to do a full day's work at mowing or +hay-making, because of stiff joints, yet he could potter about the house +and barns, with a hatchet, and saw, and a nail-box, and mend up a +hundred broken places that had been neglected for years before he came +to live there. If he saw anything out of order, a gate with no latch, a +picket loose in the garden fence, or any other trifling defect about the +premises, he went to work and made all right again. He even mended the +broken lights in the kitchen windows, and got rid of all the old hats +and bonnets that had been stuffed into them. He put on new buttons to +keep up the sashes, and so banished the big sticks from the wood-pile +that had been used to prop them up. He said they were too ugly even to +look at.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_66" id="Page_66">Pg 66</a></span></p> + +<p>It was Uncle Benny who nailed up the loose door-step which the pig had +rooted away from its place, causing Lucy Spangler to fall on the edge of +a bucket and break her nose. Lucy came out to thank him for doing the +thing so nicely; for ever since the accident to her nose, she had been +very skittish about putting her foot on the step.</p> + +<p>“Ah, Lucy,” said Uncle Benny, “I wish I could mend your nose as easily.”</p> + +<p>“Indeed I wish so too,” replied Lucy.</p> + +<p>Inside of the house were numerous things that wanted looking after in +the same way. There was not a bolt or a latch that would work as it +ought to. All the closet locks were out of order, while one half the +doors refused to shut. In fact there were twenty little provocations of +this kind that were perpetual annoyances to the women. Uncle Benny went +to work and removed them all; there was no odd job that he was not able +to go through with. Indeed, it was the luckiest day in the history of +that farm when he came to live upon it, for it did seem that, if the +farm were ever to be got to rights, he was the very man to do it. Now, +it was very curious, but no one told Uncle Benny to do these things. But +as soon as he had anchored himself at Mr. Spangler's he saw how much the +old concern was out of gear, and, providing himself with tools, he +undertook, as one of his greatest pleasures, to repair these +long-standing damages, not because he expected to be paid for it, but +from his own natural anxiety to have things look as they ought.</p> + +<p>The boys watched the old man's operations with great interest, for both +Joe and Tony were ambitious of knowing how to handle tools. One day he +took hold of the coffee-mill, which some clumsy fellow had only half +nailed up in the kitchen, so that, whenever the coffee was ground, +whoever turned the crank was sure to bruise his knuckles against the +wall. Mrs. Spangler and her daughters of course did all the grinding, +and complained bitterly of the way the mill was fixed. Besides, it had +become shockingly dull, so that it only cracked the grains, and thus +gave them a miserably weak decoction for breakfast. Now, Uncle Benny had +been used to strong coffee, and couldn't stand what Mrs. Spangler gave +him. So he unshipped the mill, took it to pieces, with a small file +sharpened up the grinders, which by long use had become dull, oiled its +joints, and screwed it up in a new place, where it was impossible for +the knuckles to be bruised. It then worked so beautifully, that, instead +of every one hating to put his hand on the crank, the difficulty was to +keep the children away from it,—they would grind on it an hour at a +time. Such a renovation of damaged goods had never before been seen on +Spangler's premises.</p> + +<p class="sign"><i>Author of “Ten Acres Enough.”</i><br /></p> +<h5>(<i>To be continued.</i>)</h5> +<br /> + + + +<h2><a name="AFLOAT_IN_THE_FOREST" id="AFLOAT_IN_THE_FOREST"></a>AFLOAT IN THE FOREST:</h2> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_67" id="Page_67">Pg 67</a></span> +<span class="totoc"><a href="#toc">Top</a></span> +<h4>OR, A VOYAGE AMONG THE TREE-TOPS.</h4> + + +<h3>CHAPTER I.</h3> + +<h4>THE BROTHERS AT HOME.</h4> + +<p><span class="first">T</span><span class="smcap">wenty</span> years ago, not twenty miles from the Land's End, there lived a +Cornish gentleman named Trevannion. Just twenty years ago he died, +leaving to lament him a brace of noble boys, whose mother all three had +mourned, with like profound sorrow, but a short while before.</p> + +<p>“Squire” Trevannion, as he was called, died in his own house, where his +ancestors for hundreds of years before him had dispensed hospitality. +None of them, however, had entertained so profusely as he; or rather +improvidently, it might be said, since in less than three months after +his death the old family mansion, with the broad acres appertaining to +it, passed into the hands of an alien, leaving his two sons, Ralph and +Richard, landless, houseless, and almost powerless. One thousand pounds +apiece was all that remained to them out of the wreck of the patrimonial +estates. It was whispered that even this much was not in reality theirs, +but had been given to them by the <i>very respectable</i> solicitor who had +managed their father's affairs, and had furthermore <i>managed</i> to succeed +him in the ownership of a property worth a rental of three thousand a +year.</p> + +<p>Any one knowing the conditions under which the young Trevannions +received their two thousand pounds must have believed it to be a gift, +since it was handed over to them by the family solicitor with the +private understanding that they were to use it in pushing their fortunes +elsewhere,—anywhere except in Cornwall!</p> + +<p>The land-pirate who had plucked them—for in reality had they been +plucked—did not wish them to stay at home, divested, as they were, of +their valuable plumage. He had appropriated their fine feathers, and +cared not for the naked bodies of the birds.</p> + +<p>There were those in Cornwall who suspected foul play in the lawyer's +dealings with the young Trevannions,—among others, the victims +themselves. But what could they do? They were utterly ignorant of their +late father's affairs,—indeed, with any affairs that did not partake of +the nature of “sports.” A solicitor “most respectable,”—a phrase that +has become almost synonymous with rascality,—a regular +church-goer,—accounts kept with scrupulous exactness,—a man of honest +face, distinguished for probity of speech and integrity of heart,—what +could the Trevannions do? What more than the Smiths and the Browns and +the Joneses, who, notwithstanding their presumed greater skill in the +ways of a wicked lawyer world, are duped every day in a similar manner. +It is an old and oft-repeated story,—a tale too often told, and too +often true,—that of the family lawyer and his confiding client, +standing in the relationship of robber and robbed.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_68" id="Page_68">Pg 68</a></span></p> + +<p>The two children of Squire Trevannion could do nothing to save or +recover their paternal estate. Caught in the net of legal chicanery, +they were forced to yield, as other squire's children have had to do, +and make the best of a bad matter,—forced to depart from a home that +had been held by Trevannions perhaps since the Phœnicians strayed +thitherward in search of their shining tin.</p> + +<p>It sore grieved them to separate from the scenes of their youth; but the +secret understanding with the solicitor required that sacrifice. By +staying at home a still greater might be called for,—subsistence in +penury, and, worse than all, in a humiliating position; for, +notwithstanding the open house long kept by their father, his friends +had disappeared with his guests. Impelled by these thoughts, the +brothers resolved to go forth into the wide world, and seek fortune +wherever it seemed most likely they should find it.</p> + +<p>They were at this period something more than mere children. Ralph had +reached within twelve months of being twenty. Richard was his junior by +a couple of years. Their book-education had been good; the practice of +manly sports had imparted to both of them a physical strength that +fitted them for toil, either of the mind or body. They were equal to a +tough struggle, either in the intellectual or material world; and to +this they determined to resign themselves.</p> + +<p>For a time they debated between themselves where they should go, and +what do. The army and navy came under their consideration. With such +patronage as their father's former friends could command, and might +still exert in favor of their fallen fortunes, a commission in either +army or navy was not above their ambition. But neither felt much +inclined towards a naval or military life; the truth being, that a +thought had taken shape in their minds leading them to a different +determination.</p> + +<p>Their deliberations ended by each of them proclaiming a resolve,—almost +sealing it with a vow,—that they would enter into some more profitable, +though perhaps less pretentious, employment than that of either +soldiering or sailoring; that they would toil—with their hands, if need +be—until they should accumulate a sufficient sum to return and recover +the ancestral estate from the grasp of the avaricious usurper. They did +not know how it was to be done; but, young, strong, and hopeful, they +believed it might be done,—with time, patience, and industry to aid +them in the execution.</p> + +<p>“Where shall we go?” inquired Richard, the younger of the two. “To +America, where every poor man appears to prosper? With a thousand each +to begin the world with, we might do well there. What say you, Ralph?”</p> + +<p>“America is a country where men seem to thrive best who have <i>nothing</i> +to begin the world with. You mean North America,—the United States,—I +suppose?”</p> + +<p>“I do.”</p> + +<p>“I don't much like the United States as a home,—not because it is a +republic, for I believe that is the only just form of government, +whatever our aristocratic friends may say. I object to it simply because +I wish to go<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_69" id="Page_69">Pg 69</a></span> south,—to some part of the tropical world, where one may +equally be in the way of acquiring a fortune.”</p> + +<p>“Is there such a place?”</p> + +<p>“There is.”</p> + +<p>“Where, brother?”</p> + +<p>“Peru. Anywhere along the Sierra of the Andes from Chili to the Isthmus +of Panama. As Cornish men we should adopt the specialty of our province, +and become miners. The Andes mountains will give us that opportunity, +where, instead of gray tin, we may delve for yellow gold. What say you +to South America?”</p> + +<p>“I like the thought of South America,—nothing would please me better +than going there. But I must confess, brother, I have no inclination for +the occupation you speak of. I had rather be a merchant than a miner.”</p> + +<p>“Don't let that <i>penchant</i> prevent you from selecting Peru as the scene +of mercantile transactions. There are many Englishmen who have made +fortunes in the Peruvian trade. You may hope to follow their example. We +may choose different occupations and still be near each other. One +thousand pounds each may give both of us a start,—you as a merchant of +goods, I as a digger for gold. Peru is the place for either business. +Decide, Dick! Shall we sail for the scenes rendered celebrated by +Pizarro?”</p> + +<p>“If you will it—I'm agreed.”</p> + +<p>“Thither then let us go.”</p> + +<p>In a month from that time the two Trevannions might have been seen upon +a ship, steering westward from the Land's End, and six months later both +disembarked upon the beach of Callao,—<i>en route</i> first for Lima, thence +up the mountains, to the sterile snow-crested mountains, that tower +above the treasures of Cerro Pasco,—vainly guarded within the bosom of +adamantine rocks.</p> + + +<h3>CHAPTER II.</h3> + +<h4>THE BROTHERS ABROAD.</h4> + +<p><span class="smcap">This</span> book is not intended as a history of the brothers Ralph and Richard +Trevannion. If it were so, a gap of some fifteen years—after the date +of their arrival at Cerro Pasco—would have to be filled up. I decline +to speak of this interval of their lives, simply because the details +might not have any remarkable interest for those before whom they would +be laid.</p> + +<p>Suffice it to say, that Richard, the younger, soon became wearied of a +miner's life; and, parting with his brother, he crossed the Cordilleras, +and descended into the great Amazonian forest,—the “montaña,” as it is +called by the Spanish inhabitants of the Andes. Thence, in company with +a party of Portuguese traders, he kept on down the river Amazon, trading +along its banks, and upon some of its tributary streams; and finally +established himself as a merchant at its mouth, in the thriving “city” +of Gran Pará.</p> + +<p>Richard was not unsocial in his habits; and soon became the husband of a +fair-haired wife,—the daughter of a countryman who, like himself, had<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_70" id="Page_70">Pg 70</a></span> +established commercial relations at Pará. In a few years after, several +sweet children called him “father,”—only two of whom survived to +prattle in his ears this endearing appellation, alas! no longer to be +pronounced in the presence of their mother.</p> + +<p>Fifteen years after leaving the Land's End, Richard Trevannion, still +under thirty-five years of age, was a widower, with two +children,—respected wherever known, prosperous in pecuniary +affairs,—rich enough to return home, and spend the remainder of his +days in that state so much desired by the Sybarite Roman poet,—“otium +cum dignitate.”</p> + +<p>Did he remember the vow mutually made between him and his brother, that, +having enough money, they would one day go back to Cornwall, and recover +the ancestral estate? He did remember it. He longed to accomplish this +design. He only awaited his brother's answer to a communication he had +made to him on this very subject.</p> + +<p>He had no doubt that Ralph's desire would be in unison with his +own,—that his brother would soon join him, and then both would return +to their native land,—perhaps to dwell again under the same roof that +had sheltered them as children.</p> + +<p>The history of the elder brother during this period of fifteen years, if +less eventful, was not less distinguished by success. By steadily +following the pursuit which had first attracted him to Peru, he +succeeded in becoming a man of considerable means,—independent, if not +wealthy.</p> + +<p>Like his brother, he got married at an early period,—in fact, within +the first year after establishing himself in Cerro Pasco. Unlike the +latter, however, he chose for his wife one of the women of the +country,—a beautiful Peruvian lady. She too, but a short while before, +had gone to a better world, leaving motherless two pretty children, of +twelve and fourteen years of age,—the elder of the two being a +daughter.</p> + +<p>Such was the family of Ralph Trevannion, and such the condition of life +in which his brother's epistle reached him,—that epistle containing the +proposal that they should wind up their respective businesses, dispose +of both, and carry their gains to the land that had given them birth.</p> + +<p>The proposition was at once accepted, as Richard knew it would be. It +was far from the first time that the thing had been discussed, +epistolary fashion, between them; for letters were exchanged as often as +opportunity permitted,—sometimes twice or thrice in the year.</p> + +<p>In these letters, during the last few years of their sojourn in South +America, the promise made on leaving home was mutually mentioned, and as +often renewed on either side. Richard knew that his brother was as eager +as himself to keep that well-remembered vow.</p> + +<p>So long as the mother of Ralph's children was alive, he had not urged +his brother to its fulfilment; but now that she had been dead for more +than a year, he had written to say that the time had come for their +return to their country and their home.</p> + +<p>His proposal was, that Ralph, having settled his affairs in +Peru,—which, of course, included the selling out of his share in the +mines,—should join<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_71" id="Page_71">Pg 71</a></span> him, Richard, at Pará, thence to take ship for +England. That instead of going round by Cape Horn, or across the +isthmus, by Panama, Ralph should make the descent of the great Amazon +River, which traverse would carry him latitudinally across the continent +from west to east.</p> + +<p>Richard had two reasons for recommending this route. First, because he +wished his brother to see the great river of Orellana, as he himself had +done; and secondly, because he was still more desirous that his <i>own +son</i> should see it.</p> + +<p>How this last wish was to be gratified by his brother making the descent +of the Amazon, may require explanation; but it will suffice to say that +the son of Richard Trevannion was at that time residing with his uncle +at the mines of Cerro Pasco.</p> + +<p>The boy had gone to Peru the year before, in one of his father's +ships,—first, to see the Great Ocean, then the Great Andes,—afterwards +to become acquainted with the country of the Incas, and last, though not +of least importance, to make the acquaintance of his own uncle and his +two interesting cousins, the elder of whom was exactly his own age. He +had gone to the Pacific side by <i>sea</i>. It was his father's wish he +should return to the Atlantic side by land,—or, to speak more +accurately, by <i>river</i>.</p> + +<p>The merchant's wish was to be gratified. The miner had no desire to +refuse compliance with his proposal. On the contrary, it chimed in with +his own inclinations. Ralph Trevannion possessed a spirit adventurous as +his brother's, which fourteen years of mining industry, carried on in +the cold mountains of Cerro Pasco, had neither deadened nor chilled. The +thought of once more returning to the scenes of his youth quite +rejuvenated him; and on the day of receiving his brother's challenge to +go, he not only accepted it, but commenced proceedings towards carrying +the design into execution.</p> + +<p>A month afterwards and he might have been seen descending the eastern +slope of the Cordilleras on mule-back, and accompanied by his family and +followers; afterwards aboard a <i>balsa</i>,—one of those curious crafts +used in the descent of the Huallaga; and later still on the <i>montaria</i>, +upon the bosom of the great river itself.</p> + +<p>With the details of his mountain travels, interesting as they may be, we +have naught to do. No more with his descent of the Huallaga, nor his +long voyage on the Amazon itself, in that up-river portion of the stream +where it is called the “Marañon.” Only where it becomes the stupendous +“Solimoës” do we join Ralph Trevannion on his journey, and remain with +him as long as he is “<span class="smcap">Afloat in the Forest</span>,” <i>or making a voyage among +the tree-tops</i>.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_72" id="Page_72">Pg 72</a></span></p> + + +<h3>CHAPTER III.</h3> + +<h4>THE GALATEA.</h4> + +<p><span class="smcap">On</span> an evening in the early part of December, a craft of singular +construction might have been seen descending the Solimoës, and +apparently making for the little Portuguese port of Coary, that lies on +the southern side of the river.</p> + +<img src="images/jan1865_072a.jpg" width="229" height="180" alt="Floating down the river in a boat." class="floatl" /> +<img src="images/jan1865_072b.jpg" width="500" height="328" alt="Floating down the river in a boat." class="floatl" /> + +<p>When we say of singular construction, we mean singular to one +unaccustomed to the navigation of Amazonian waters. There the craft in +question was too common to excite curiosity, since it was nothing more +than a <i>galatea</i>, or large canoe, furnished with mast and sail, with a +palm-thatched cabin, or <i>tolda</i>, rising over the quarter, a low-decked +locker running from bow to midships,—along each side of which were to +be seen, half seated, half standing, some half-dozen dark-skinned men, +each plying, instead of an oar, a paddle-blade.</p> + +<p>Perhaps the most singular sight on board this embarkation was the group +of animated beings who composed its crew and passengers. The former, as +already stated, were dark-skinned men, scantily clad,—in fact, almost +naked, since a single pair of white cotton drawers constituted the +complete costume of each.</p> + +<p>For passengers there were three men, and a like number of individuals of +younger age. Two of the men were white, apparently Europeans; the other<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_73" id="Page_73">Pg 73</a></span> +was as black as soot could have made him,—unquestionably an African +negro. Of the young people two were boys, not much differing in size, +and apparently not much in age, while the third was a half-grown girl, +of dark complexion, raven-colored hair, and beautiful features.</p> + +<p>One of the white men appeared to be, and was, the proprietor of the +montaria, and the employer of its swarthy crew. He was Ralph Trevannion.</p> + +<p>The young girl was his daughter, and bore her Peruvian mother's name, +Rosa, more often pronounced by its diminutive of endearment, Rosita. The +younger of the two boys—also of dark complexion—was his son Ralph, +while the older, of true Saxon physiognomy and hue, was the son of his +brother, also bearing his father's Christian name, Richard.</p> + +<p>The second white man was unmistakably of European race,—so much so that +any one possessing the slightest knowledge of the hibernian type, would +at once have pronounced him a “Son of the Sod.” A pure pug nose, a shock +of curled hair of the clearest carrot color, an eternal twinkle in the +eye, a volume of fun lying open at each angle of the mouth,—were all +characteristics by which “Tipperary Tom”—for such was his +<i>sobriquet</i>—might be remembered.</p> + +<p>About the negro there was nothing special, more than that he was a pure +negro, with enormously thick lips, flattened nose, long protruding +heels, teeth white as hippopotamus ivory, and almost always set in a +good-humored grin. The darkey had been a sailor, or rather ship-steward, +before landing in Peru. Thither had he strayed, and settled at Cerro +Pasco after several years spent aboard ship. He was a native of +Mozambique, on the eastern coast of Africa, to which circumstance was he +indebted for the only name ever given him,—Mozey.</p> + +<p>Both he and the Irishman were the servants of the miner, or rather his +retainers, who served him in various ways, and had done so almost ever +since his establishing himself among the rocks of Cerro Pasco.</p> + +<p>The other creatures of the animated kingdom that found lodgment upon the +craft, were of various shapes, sizes, and species. There were +quadrupeds, quadrumana, and birds,—beasts of the field, monkeys of the +forest, and birds of the air,—clustering upon the cabin top, squatted +in the hold, perched upon the gangway, the tolda, the yard, and the +mast,—forming an epitomized menagerie, such as may be seen on every +kind of craft that navigates the mighty Amazon.</p> + +<p>It is not our design to give any description of the galatea's crew. +There were nine of them,—all Indians,—four on each side acting as +rowers, or more properly “paddlers,” the ninth being the pilot or +steersman, standing abaft the tolda.</p> + +<p>Our reason for not describing them is that they were a changing crew, +only attached to the craft for a particular stage of the long river +voyage, and had succeeded several other similar sets since the +embarkation of our voyagers on the waters of the Upper Amazon. They had +joined the galatea at the port of Ega, and would take leave of her at +Coary, where a fresh crew of civilized Indians—“tapuyos”—would be +required.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_74" id="Page_74">Pg 74</a></span></p> + +<p>And they <i>were</i> required, but not obtained. On the galatea putting into +the port of Coary, it was found that nearly every man in the place was +off upon a hunting excursion,—turtle and cowfish being the game that +had called them out. Not a canoe-man could be had for love or money.</p> + +<p>The owner of the galatea endeavored to tempt the Ega crew to continue +another stage. It was contrary to their habit, and they refused to go. +Persuasion and threats were tried in vain. Coaxing and scolding proved +equally unavailable; all except one remained firm in their refusal, the +exception being an old Indian who did not belong to the Ega tribe, and +who could not resist the large bribe offered by Trevannion.</p> + +<p>The voyagers must either suspend their journey till the Coary +turtle-hunters should return, or proceed without paddlers. The hunters +were not expected for a month. To stay a month at Coary was out of the +question. The galatea must go on manned by her own people, and the old +Indian, who was to act as pilot. Such was the determination of Ralph +Trevannion. But for that resolve,—rash as it was, and ending +unfortunately for him who made it,—we should have no story to tell.</p> + + +<h3>CHAPTER IV.</h3> + +<h4>DRIFTING WITH THE CURRENT.</h4> + +<p><span class="smcap">The</span> craft that carried the ex-miner, his family and following, once more +floated on the broad bosom of the Solimoës. Not so swift as before, +since, instead of eight paddlers, it was now impelled by only half the +number,—these, too, with less than half the experience of the crew who +had preceded them.</p> + +<p>The owner himself acted as steersman, while the paddles were plied by +“Tipperary Tom,” Mozey, the old Indian,—who, being of the Mundurucú +tribe, passed by the name of “Monday,”—and Richard Trevannion.</p> + +<p>The last, though by far the youngest, was perhaps the best paddler in +the party. Brought up in his native place of Gran Pará, he had been +accustomed to spend half his time either in or upon the water; and an +oar or paddle was to him no novelty.</p> + +<p>Young Ralph, on the contrary, a true mountaineer, knew nothing of +either, and therefore counted for nothing among the crew of the galatea. +To him and the little Rosa was assigned the keeping of the pets, with +such other light duties as they were capable of performing.</p> + +<p>For the first day the voyage was uninterrupted by any incident,—at +least any that might be called unpleasant. Their slow progress, it is +true, was a cause of dissatisfaction; but so long as they were going at +all, and going in the right direction, this might be borne with +equanimity. Three miles an hour was about their average rate of speed; +for half of which they were indebted to the current of the river, and +for the other half to the impulsion of their paddles.</p> + +<p>Considering that they had still a thousand miles to go before reaching<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_75" id="Page_75">Pg 75</a></span> +Gran Pará, the prospect of a protracted voyage was very plainly outlined +before them.</p> + +<p>Could they have calculated on making three miles an hour for every hour +of the twenty-four, things would not have been bad. This rate of speed +would have carried them to their destination in a dozen days,—a mere +bagatelle. But they knew enough of river-navigation to disregard such +data. They knew the current of the Solimoës to be extremely slow; they +had heard of the strange phenomenon, that, run which way the river +might, north, south, east, or west,—and it <i>does</i> keep bending and +curving in all these directions,—the wind is almost always met with +blowing <i>up stream</i>!</p> + +<p>For this reason they could put no dependence in their sail, and would +have to trust altogether to the paddles. These could not be always in +the water. Human strength could not stand a perpetual spell, even at +paddles; and less so in the hands of a crew of men so little used to +them.</p> + +<p>Nor could they continue the voyage at night. By doing so, they would be +in danger of losing their course, their craft, and themselves!</p> + +<p>You may smile at the idea. You will ask—a little scornfully, +perhaps—how a canoe, or any other craft, drifting down a deep river to +its destination, could possibly go astray. Does not the current point +out the path,—the broad water-way not to be mistaken?</p> + +<p>So it might appear to one seated in a skiff, and floating down the +tranquil Thames, with its well-defined banks. But far different is the +aspect of the stupendous Solimoës to the voyager gliding through its +<i>gapo</i>.</p> + +<p>I have made use of a word of strange sound, and still stranger +signification. Perhaps it is new to your eye, as your ear. You will +become better acquainted with it before the end of our voyage; for into +the “Gapo” it is my intention to take you, where ill-luck carried the +galatea and her crew.</p> + +<p>On leaving Coary, it was not the design of her owner to attempt taking +his craft, so indifferently manned, all the way to Pará. He knew there +were several civilized settlements between,—as Barra at the mouth of +the Rio Negro, Obidos below it, Santarem, and others. At one or other of +these places he expected to obtain a supply of <i>tapuyos</i>, to replace the +crew who had so provokingly forsaken him.</p> + +<p>The voyage to the nearest of them, however, would take several days, at +the rate of speed the galatea was now making; and the thought of being +delayed on their route became each hour more irksome. The ex-miner, who +had not seen his beloved brother during half a score of years, was +impatient once more to embrace him. He had been, already, several months +travelling towards him by land and water; and just as he was beginning +to believe that the most difficult half of the journey had been +accomplished, he found himself delayed by an obstruction vexatious as +unexpected.</p> + +<p>The first night after his departure from Coary, he consented that the +galatea should lie to,—moored to some bushes that grew upon the banks +of the river.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_76" id="Page_76">Pg 76</a></span></p> + +<p>On the second night, however, he acted with less prudence. His +impatience to make way prompted him to the resolution to keep on. The +night was clear,—a full moon shining conspicuously above, which is not +always the case in the skies of the Solimoës.</p> + +<p>There was to be no sail set, no use made of the paddles. The crew were +fatigued, and wanted rest and repose. The current alone was to favor +their progress; and as it appeared to be running nearly two miles an +hour, it should advance them between twenty and thirty miles before the +morning.</p> + +<p>The Mundurucú made an attempt to dissuade his “patron” from the course +he designed pursuing; but his advice was disregarded,—perhaps because +ill-understood,—and the galatea glided on.</p> + +<p>Who could mistake that broad expanse of water—upon which the moon shone +so clearly—for aught else than the true channel of the Solimoës? Not +Tipperary Tom, who, in the second watch of the night,—the owner himself +having kept the first,—acted as steersman of the galatea.</p> + +<p>The others had gone to sleep. Trevannion and the three young people +under the tolda; Mozey and the Mundurucú along the staging known as the +“hold.” The birds and monkeys were at rest on their respective perches, +and in their respective cages,—all was silent in the galatea, and +around,—all save the rippling of the water, as it parted to the +cleaving of her keel.</p> + + +<h3>CHAPTER V.</h3> + +<h4>THE GALATEA AGROUND.</h4> + +<p><span class="smcap">Little</span> experienced as he was in the art of navigation, the steersman was +not inattentive to his duty. Previously to his taking the rudder, he had +been admonished about the importance of keeping the craft in the channel +of the stream, and to this had he been giving his attention.</p> + +<p>It so chanced, however, that he had arrived at a place where there were +two channels,—as if an island was interposed in the middle of the +river, causing it to branch at an acute angle. Which of these was the +right one? Which should be taken? These were the questions that occurred +to Tipperary Tom.</p> + +<p>At first he thought of awakening his master, and consulting him, but on +once more glancing at the two channels, he became half convinced that +the broader one must be the proper route to be followed.</p> + +<p>“Bay Japers!” muttered he to himself. “Shure I can't be mistaken. The +biggest av the two ought to be the mane sthrame. Anyway, I won't wake +the masther. I'll lave it to the ship to choose for hersilf.” Saying +this he relaxed his hold upon the steering oar, and permitted the +galatea to drift with the current.</p> + +<p>Sure enough, the little craft inclined towards the branch that appeared +the broader one; and in ten minutes' time had made such way that the +other opening was no longer visible from her decks. The steersman, +confident of being on the right course, gave himself no further +uneasiness; but, once<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_77" id="Page_77">Pg 77</a></span> more renewing his hold upon the steering oar, +guided the galatea in the middle of the channel.</p> + +<p>Notwithstanding all absence of suspicion as to having gone astray, he +could not help noticing that the banks on each side appeared to be +singularly irregular, as if here and there indented by deep bays, or +reaches of water. Some of these opened out vistas of shining surface, +apparently illimitable, while the dark patches that separated them +looked more like clumps of trees half submerged under water, than +stretches of solid earth.</p> + +<p>As the galatea continued her course, this puzzling phenomenon ceased to +be a conjecture; Tipperary Tom saw that he was no longer steering down a +river between two boundary banks, but on a broad expanse of water, +stretching as far as eye could reach, with no other boundary than that +afforded by a <i>flooded forest</i>.</p> + +<p>There was nothing in all this to excite alarm,—at least in the mind of +Tipperary Tom. The Mundurucú, had he been awake, might have shown some +uneasiness at the situation. But the Indian was asleep,—perhaps +dreaming of some Múra enemy,—whose head he would have been happy to +embalm.</p> + +<p>Tom simply supposed himself to be in some part of the Solimoës, flooded +beyond its banks, as he had seen it in more places than one. With this +confidence, he stuck faithfully to his steering oar, and allowed the +galatea to glide on. It was only when the reach of water—upon which the +craft was drifting—began to narrow, or rather after it had narrowed to +a surprising degree, that the steersman began to suspect himself of +having taken the wrong course.</p> + +<p>His suspicions became stronger, at length terminating in a conviction +that such was the truth, when the galatea arrived at a part where less +than a cable's length lay between her beam-ends and the bushes that +stood out of the water on both sides of her. Too surely had he strayed +from the “mane sthrame.” The craft that carried him could no longer be +in the channel of the mighty Solimoës!</p> + +<p>The steersman was alarmed, and this very alarm hindered him from +following the only prudent course he could have taken under the +circumstances. He should have aroused his fellow-voyagers, and +proclaimed the error into which he had fallen. He did not do so. A sense +of shame at having neglected his duty, or rather at having performed it +in an indifferent manner,—a species of regret not uncommon among his +countrymen,—hindered him from disclosing the truth, and taking steps to +avert any evil consequences that might spring from it.</p> + +<p>He knew nothing of the great river on which they were voyaging. There +<i>might</i> be such a strait as that through which the galatea was gliding. +The channel might widen below; and, after all, he might have steered in +the proper direction. With such conjectures, strengthened by such hopes, +he permitted the vessel to float on.</p> + +<p>The channel <i>did</i> widen again; and the galatea once more rode upon open +water. The steersman was restored to confidence and contentment. Only<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_78" id="Page_78">Pg 78</a></span> +for a short while did this state of mind continue. Again the clear water +became contracted, this time to a very strip, while on either side +extended reaches and estuaries, bordered by half-submerged bushes,—some +of them opening apparently to the sky horizon, wider and freer from +obstruction than that upon which the galatea was holding her course.</p> + +<p>The steersman no longer thought of continuing his course, which he was +now convinced must be the wrong one. Bearing with all his strength upon +the steering oar, he endeavored to direct the galatea back into the +channel through which he had come; but partly from the drifting of the +current, and partly owing to the deceptive light of the moon, he could +no longer recognize the latter, and, dropping the rudder in despair, he +permitted the vessel to drift whichever way the current might carry her!</p> + +<p>Before Tipperary Tom could summon courage to make known to his +companions the dilemma into which he had conducted them, the galatea had +drifted among the tree-tops of the flooded forest, where she was +instantly “brought to anchor.”</p> + +<p>The crashing of broken boughs roused her crew from their slumbers. The +ex-miner, followed by his children, rushed forth from the tolda. He was +not only alarmed, but perplexed, by the unaccountable occurrence. Mozey +was equally in a muddle. The only one who appeared to comprehend the +situation was the old Indian, who showed sufficient uneasiness as to its +consequences by the terrified manner in which he called out: “The Gapo! +The Gapo!”</p> + +<p class="sign"><i>Mayne Reid</i>.</p> +<br /> +<h5>(<i>To be continued.</i>)</h5> +<br /> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 200px;"> +<img src="images/jan1865_078.jpg" width="200" height="187" alt="Decoration" title="Decoration" /> +</div> +<hr /> + +<a name="ROUND_THE_EVENING_LAMP" id="ROUND_THE_EVENING_LAMP"></a> +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 500px;"> +<img src="images/jan1865_079.jpg" width="500" height="306" alt="Round the Evening Lamp" title="Round the Evening Lamp" /> +</div> +<h3>CHARADES.</h3> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_79" id="Page_79">Pg 79</a></span></p> +<span class="totoc"><a href="#toc">Top</a></span> + +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<span class="title">NO. 1<br /></span> +<span class="i0">An old man lay on a bed of death,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Slowly drawing each labored breath;<br /></span> +<span class="i0">His pulse was felt by a friendly hand,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">While the doctor issued a stern command<br /></span> +<span class="i0">To swallow my <i>first</i> without delay,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">If he wished to live till another day.<br /></span> +<span class="i0">At this the patient looked my <i>second</i>,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">And slowly spoke: “When Death has beckoned,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">In vain the doctor's healing art;<br /></span> +<span class="i0">I now am called, and I depart;<br /></span> +<span class="i0">I'm glad I've lasted till my <i>third</i>.”<br /></span> +<span class="i0">The listeners scarcely caught the word<br /></span> +<span class="i0">With which escaped the unfettered soul,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">And finished then his long—my <i>whole</i>.<br /></span> +<span class="i8">H. C.<br /></span> +</div></div> + +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<span class="title">NO. 2<br /></span> +<span class="i0">When I'm my <i>first</i>, I lie in bed;<br /></span> +<span class="i2">My <i>second</i> wins me gold;<br /></span> +<span class="i0">My <i>third</i> I keep safe in my head;<br /></span> +<span class="i2">My <i>fourth</i> you may behold<br /></span> +<span class="i0">In all its pride, when victory<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Shall bid my <i>whole</i> light up the sky.<br /></span> +</div></div> + + +<h3>ARITHMETICAL PUZZLES.</h3> + + +<h4>NO. 1.</h4> + + +<p>In a gale of wind, the top part of a flagstaff in my neighbor's garden +was broken off, and struck the ground in my garden at a distance of 15 +feet from the bottom of the pole, and in its fall broke two vases, worth +$63.25 apiece. My neighbor, in paying for these vases, made four +payments. The second payment was twice as much as the first; the third +amounted to three times as much as the first; and the last amounted to +five times as much as the first.</p> + +<p>Supposing the broken piece of flagstaff to measure 39 feet, what was the +length of the whole pole, and what did my neighbor pay at each payment?</p> + + + +<h4>NO. 2.</h4> + +<div class="center"> +100—1—5—1—50.<br /> +</div> +<br /> +This is what all young people ought to be. + + +<h4>ENIGMA. No. 1.</h4> + +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">I am composed of 13 letters.<br /></span> +<span class="i0">My 8, 10, is an abrupt dismissal.<br /></span> +<span class="i0">My 11, 5, 7, 8, is not short.<br /></span> +<span class="i0">My 9, 1, 3, 12, goes well with a knife.<br /></span> +<span class="i0">My 13, 12, 6, 7, 12, is an unpleasant animal.<br /></span> +<span class="i0">My 13, 1, 3, 3, 4, is what you will be if<br /></span> +<span class="i0">you can't discover me.<br /></span> +<span class="i0">My 4, 1, 11, 12, is part of an egg.<br /></span> +<span class="i0">My 9, 3, 5, 8, 13, a Frenchman would eat.<br /></span> +<span class="i0">My 9, 2, 7, you like now.<br /></span> +<span class="i0">My whole I hope you will always like.<br /></span> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_80" id="Page_80">Pg 80</a></span></div></div> + + +<h4>ILLUSTRATED REBUS.—No. 1.</h4> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 750px;"> +<img src="images/jan1865_080a.jpg" width="750" height="481" alt="Rebus" title="Rebus" /> +</div> + +<p class="sign">H. M. T.</p> + + +<h3>VON RAIL.</h3> + +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">There was an old Dutchman, Von Rail,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Who had an ambition to sail,<br /></span> +<span class="i2">So he put out to sea,<br /></span> +<span class="i2">In a fit of high glee,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">That hilarious old person, Von Rail.<br /></span> +</div></div> + + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 487px;"> +<img src="images/jan1865_080b.jpg" width="487" height="500" alt="Decoration" title="Decoration" /> +</div> + +<div class="trans-note"> +<p>Transcriber's Note:</p> + +<p>Hyphenated words have been standardized. Inconsistencies in spellings +have been left as in the original except those listed below.</p> + +<p>Page 75—Typo corrected from Para to Pará.</p> +</div> +<br /><br /> + + + + + + + + + +<pre> + + + + + +End of Project Gutenberg's Our Young Folks, Vol 1, No. 1, by Various + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK OUR YOUNG FOLKS, VOL 1, NO. 1 *** + +***** This file should be named 29626-h.htm or 29626-h.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/2/9/6/2/29626/ + +Produced by Marcia Brooks, David Edwards and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Canada Team at +http://www.pgdpcanada.net (This file was produced from +images generously made available by The Internet +Archive/American Libraries.) + + +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, are 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. + + +</pre> + + </body> +</html> diff --git a/29626-h/images/jan1865_001.jpg b/29626-h/images/jan1865_001.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..9983c10 --- /dev/null +++ b/29626-h/images/jan1865_001.jpg diff --git a/29626-h/images/jan1865_005.jpg b/29626-h/images/jan1865_005.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..ac9dd27 --- /dev/null +++ b/29626-h/images/jan1865_005.jpg diff --git a/29626-h/images/jan1865_007.jpg b/29626-h/images/jan1865_007.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..1874e5c --- /dev/null +++ b/29626-h/images/jan1865_007.jpg diff --git a/29626-h/images/jan1865_009.jpg b/29626-h/images/jan1865_009.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..ed7a147 --- /dev/null +++ b/29626-h/images/jan1865_009.jpg diff --git a/29626-h/images/jan1865_021.jpg b/29626-h/images/jan1865_021.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..cbc3a9a --- /dev/null +++ b/29626-h/images/jan1865_021.jpg diff --git a/29626-h/images/jan1865_024.jpg b/29626-h/images/jan1865_024.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..c00928a --- /dev/null +++ b/29626-h/images/jan1865_024.jpg diff --git a/29626-h/images/jan1865_029.jpg b/29626-h/images/jan1865_029.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..8d70f57 --- /dev/null +++ b/29626-h/images/jan1865_029.jpg diff --git a/29626-h/images/jan1865_030a.jpg b/29626-h/images/jan1865_030a.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..4e8914a --- /dev/null +++ b/29626-h/images/jan1865_030a.jpg diff --git a/29626-h/images/jan1865_030b.jpg b/29626-h/images/jan1865_030b.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..8ce514e --- /dev/null +++ b/29626-h/images/jan1865_030b.jpg diff --git a/29626-h/images/jan1865_032.jpg b/29626-h/images/jan1865_032.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..46c9996 --- /dev/null +++ b/29626-h/images/jan1865_032.jpg diff --git a/29626-h/images/jan1865_037a.jpg b/29626-h/images/jan1865_037a.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..34218fa --- /dev/null +++ b/29626-h/images/jan1865_037a.jpg diff --git a/29626-h/images/jan1865_037b.jpg b/29626-h/images/jan1865_037b.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..4810bd4 --- /dev/null +++ b/29626-h/images/jan1865_037b.jpg diff --git a/29626-h/images/jan1865_038.jpg b/29626-h/images/jan1865_038.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..7a3582c --- /dev/null +++ b/29626-h/images/jan1865_038.jpg diff --git a/29626-h/images/jan1865_039a.jpg b/29626-h/images/jan1865_039a.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..12af420 --- /dev/null +++ b/29626-h/images/jan1865_039a.jpg diff --git a/29626-h/images/jan1865_039b.jpg b/29626-h/images/jan1865_039b.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..311e949 --- /dev/null +++ b/29626-h/images/jan1865_039b.jpg diff --git a/29626-h/images/jan1865_039c.jpg b/29626-h/images/jan1865_039c.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..9baac91 --- /dev/null +++ b/29626-h/images/jan1865_039c.jpg diff --git a/29626-h/images/jan1865_039d.jpg b/29626-h/images/jan1865_039d.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..f321fe2 --- /dev/null +++ b/29626-h/images/jan1865_039d.jpg diff --git a/29626-h/images/jan1865_040a.jpg b/29626-h/images/jan1865_040a.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..b20877d --- /dev/null +++ b/29626-h/images/jan1865_040a.jpg diff --git a/29626-h/images/jan1865_040b.jpg b/29626-h/images/jan1865_040b.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..83476bb --- /dev/null +++ b/29626-h/images/jan1865_040b.jpg diff --git a/29626-h/images/jan1865_041a.jpg b/29626-h/images/jan1865_041a.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..133898c --- /dev/null +++ b/29626-h/images/jan1865_041a.jpg diff --git a/29626-h/images/jan1865_041b.jpg b/29626-h/images/jan1865_041b.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..fda67c4 --- /dev/null +++ b/29626-h/images/jan1865_041b.jpg diff --git a/29626-h/images/jan1865_041c.jpg b/29626-h/images/jan1865_041c.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..b6b1154 --- /dev/null +++ b/29626-h/images/jan1865_041c.jpg diff --git a/29626-h/images/jan1865_041d.jpg b/29626-h/images/jan1865_041d.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..057c9f9 --- /dev/null +++ b/29626-h/images/jan1865_041d.jpg diff --git a/29626-h/images/jan1865_041e.jpg b/29626-h/images/jan1865_041e.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..d2290c9 --- /dev/null +++ b/29626-h/images/jan1865_041e.jpg diff --git a/29626-h/images/jan1865_043a.jpg b/29626-h/images/jan1865_043a.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..cf5249b --- /dev/null +++ b/29626-h/images/jan1865_043a.jpg diff --git a/29626-h/images/jan1865_043b.jpg b/29626-h/images/jan1865_043b.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..5540ac0 --- /dev/null +++ b/29626-h/images/jan1865_043b.jpg diff --git a/29626-h/images/jan1865_044.jpg b/29626-h/images/jan1865_044.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..797df82 --- /dev/null +++ b/29626-h/images/jan1865_044.jpg diff --git a/29626-h/images/jan1865_048.jpg b/29626-h/images/jan1865_048.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..dd5149b --- /dev/null +++ b/29626-h/images/jan1865_048.jpg diff --git a/29626-h/images/jan1865_051.jpg b/29626-h/images/jan1865_051.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..4821901 --- /dev/null +++ b/29626-h/images/jan1865_051.jpg diff --git a/29626-h/images/jan1865_058.jpg b/29626-h/images/jan1865_058.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..8e64960 --- /dev/null +++ b/29626-h/images/jan1865_058.jpg diff --git a/29626-h/images/jan1865_059.jpg b/29626-h/images/jan1865_059.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..7b5dad1 --- /dev/null +++ b/29626-h/images/jan1865_059.jpg diff --git a/29626-h/images/jan1865_060.jpg b/29626-h/images/jan1865_060.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..b917531 --- /dev/null +++ b/29626-h/images/jan1865_060.jpg diff --git a/29626-h/images/jan1865_072a.jpg b/29626-h/images/jan1865_072a.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..33ab314 --- /dev/null +++ b/29626-h/images/jan1865_072a.jpg diff --git a/29626-h/images/jan1865_072b.jpg b/29626-h/images/jan1865_072b.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..090dcfc --- /dev/null +++ b/29626-h/images/jan1865_072b.jpg diff --git a/29626-h/images/jan1865_078.jpg b/29626-h/images/jan1865_078.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..37823f4 --- /dev/null +++ b/29626-h/images/jan1865_078.jpg diff --git a/29626-h/images/jan1865_079.jpg b/29626-h/images/jan1865_079.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..4599f9b --- /dev/null +++ b/29626-h/images/jan1865_079.jpg diff --git a/29626-h/images/jan1865_080a.jpg b/29626-h/images/jan1865_080a.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..18e699c --- /dev/null +++ b/29626-h/images/jan1865_080a.jpg diff --git a/29626-h/images/jan1865_080b.jpg b/29626-h/images/jan1865_080b.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..48ffb5d --- /dev/null +++ b/29626-h/images/jan1865_080b.jpg diff --git a/29626.txt b/29626.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..2b10b84 --- /dev/null +++ b/29626.txt @@ -0,0 +1,4482 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of Our Young Folks, Vol 1, No. 1, 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: Our Young Folks, Vol 1, No. 1 + An Illustrated Magazine + +Author: Various + +Editor: J.T. Trowbridge + Gail Hamilton + Lucy Larcom + +Release Date: August 6, 2009 [EBook #29626] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK OUR YOUNG FOLKS, VOL 1, NO. 1 *** + + + + +Produced by Marcia Brooks, David Edwards and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Canada Team at +http://www.pgdpcanada.net (This file was produced from +images generously made available by The Internet +Archive/American Libraries.) + + + + + + + + OUR YOUNG FOLKS. + + _An Illustrated Magazine_ + + FOR BOYS AND GIRLS. + + +VOL. I. JANUARY, 1865. NO. I. + + + + +HUM, THE SON OF BUZ. + + +At Rye Beach, during our summer's vacation, there came, as there always +will to seaside visitors, two or three cold, chilly, rainy days,--days +when the skies that long had not rained a drop seemed suddenly to +bethink themselves of their remissness, and to pour down water, not by +drops, but by pailfuls. The chilly wind blew and whistled, the water +dashed along the ground, and careered in foamy rills along the roadside, +and the bushes bent beneath the constant flood. It was plain that there +was to be no sea-bathing on such a day, no walks, no rides; and so, +shivering and drawing our blanket-shawls close about us, we sat down to +the window to watch the storm outside. The rose-bushes under the window +hung dripping under their load of moisture, each spray shedding a +constant shower on the spray below it. On one of these lower sprays, +under the perpetual drip, what should we see but a poor little +humming-bird, drawn up into the tiniest shivering ball, and clinging +with a desperate grasp to his uncomfortable perch. A humming-bird we +knew him to be at once, though his feathers were so matted and glued +down by the rain that he looked not much bigger than a honey-bee, and as +different as possible from the smart, pert, airy little character that +we had so often seen flirting with the flowers. He was evidently a +humming-bird in adversity, and whether he ever would hum again looked to +us exceedingly doubtful. Immediately, however, we sent out to have him +taken in. When the friendly hand seized him, he gave a little, faint, +watery squeak, evidently thinking that his last hour was come, and that +grim Death was about to carry him off to the land of dead birds. What a +time we had reviving him,--holding the little wet thing in the warm +hollow of our hands, and feeling him shiver and palpitate! His eyes were +fast closed; his tiny claws, which looked slender as cobwebs, were +knotted close to his body, and it was long before one could feel the +least motion in them. Finally, to our great joy, we felt a brisk little +kick, and then a flutter of wings, and then a determined peck of the +beak, which showed that there was some bird left in him yet, and that he +meant at any rate to find out where he was. + +Unclosing our hands a small space, out popped the little head with a +pair of round brilliant eyes. Then we bethought ourselves of feeding +him, and forthwith prepared him a stiff glass of sugar and water, a drop +of which we held to his bill. After turning his head attentively, like a +bird who knew what he was about and didn't mean to be chaffed, he +briskly put out a long, flexible tongue, slightly forked at the end, and +licked off the comfortable beverage with great relish. Immediately he +was pronounced out of danger by the small humane society which had +undertaken the charge of his restoration, and we began to cast about for +getting him a settled establishment in our apartment. I gave up my +work-box to him for a sleeping-room, and it was medically ordered that +he should take a nap. So we filled the box with cotton, and he was +formally put to bed with a folded cambric handkerchief round his neck, +to keep him from beating his wings. Out of his white wrappings he looked +forth green and grave as any judge with his bright round eyes. Like a +bird of discretion, he seemed to understand what was being done to him, +and resigned himself sensibly to go to sleep. + +The box was covered with a sheet of paper perforated with holes for +purposes of ventilation; for even humming-birds have a little pair of +lungs, and need their own little portion of air to fill them, so that +they may make bright scarlet little drops of blood to keep life's fire +burning in their tiny bodies. Our bird's lungs manufactured brilliant +blood, as we found out by experience; for in his first nap he contrived +to nestle himself into the cotton of which his bed was made, and to get +more of it than he needed into his long bill. We pulled it out as +carefully as we could, but there came out of his bill two round, bright, +scarlet, little drops of blood. Our chief medical authority looked +grave, pronounced a probable hemorrhage from the lungs, and gave him +over at once. We, less scientific, declared that we had only cut his +little tongue by drawing out the filaments of cotton, and that he would +do well enough in time,--as it afterward appeared he did,--for from that +day there was no more bleeding. In the course of the second day he began +to take short flights about the room, though he seemed to prefer to +return to us,--perching on our fingers or heads or shoulders, and +sometimes choosing to sit in this way for half an hour at a time. "These +great giants," he seemed to say to himself, "are not bad people after +all; they have a comfortable way with them; how nicely they dried and +warmed me! Truly a bird might do worse than to live with them." + +So he made up his mind to form a fourth in the little company of three +that usually sat and read, worked and sketched, in that apartment, and +we christened him "Hum, the son of Buz." He became an individuality, a +character, whose little doings formed a part of every letter, and some +extracts from these will show what some of his little ways were. + +"Hum has learned to sit upon my finger, and eat his sugar and water out +of a teaspoon with most Christian-like decorum. He has but one +weakness,--he will occasionally jump into the spoon and sit in his sugar +and water, and then appear to wonder where it goes to. His plumage is in +rather a drabbled state, owing to these performances. I have sketched +him as he sat to-day on a bit of Spiraea which I brought in for him. When +absorbed in reflection, he sits with his bill straight up in the air, as +I have drawn him. Mr. A---- reads Macaulay to us, and you should see the +wise air with which, perched on Jenny's thumb, he cocked his head now +one side and then the other, apparently listening with most critical +attention. His confidence in us seems unbounded; he lets us stroke his +head, smooth his feathers, without a flutter; and is never better +pleased than sitting, as he has been doing all this while, on my hand, +turning up his bill, and watching my face with great edification. + +"I have just been having a sort of maternal struggle to make him go to +bed in his box; but he evidently considers himself sufficiently +convalescent to make a stand for his rights as a bird, and so scratched +indignantly out of his wrappings, and set himself up to roost on the +edge of his box, with an air worthy of a turkey, at the very least. +Having brought in a lamp, he has opened his eyes round and wide, and +sits cocking his little head at me reflectively." + +When the weather cleared away, and the sun came out bright, Hum became +entirely well, and seemed resolved to take the measure of his new life +with us. Our windows were closed in the lower part of the sash by frames +with mosquito gauze, so that the sun and air found free admission, and +yet our little rover could not pass out. On the first sunny day he took +an exact survey of our apartment from ceiling to floor, humming about, +examining every point with his bill,--all the crevices, mouldings, each +little indentation in the bed-posts, each window-pane, each chair and +stand; and, as it was a very simply furnished seaside apartment, his +scrutiny was soon finished. We wondered, at first, what this was all +about; but, on watching him more closely, we found that he was actively +engaged in getting his living, by darting out his long tongue hither and +thither, and drawing in all the tiny flies and insects which in +summer-time are to be found in an apartment. In short, we found that, +though the nectar of flowers was his dessert, yet he had his roast beef +and mutton-chop to look after, and that his bright, brilliant blood was +not made out of a simple vegetarian diet. Very shrewd and keen he was, +too, in measuring the size of insects before he attempted to swallow +them. The smallest class were whisked off with lightning speed; but +about larger ones he would sometimes wheel and hum for some minutes, +darting hither and thither, and surveying them warily; and if satisfied +that they could be carried, he would come down with a quick, central +dart which would finish the unfortunate at a snap. The larger flies +seemed to irritate him,--especially when they intimated to him that his +plumage was sugary, by settling on his wings and tail; when he would lay +about him spitefully, wielding his bill like a sword. A grasshopper that +strayed in, and was sunning himself on the window-seat, gave him great +discomposure. Hum evidently considered him an intruder, and seemed to +long to make a dive at him; but, with characteristic prudence, confined +himself to threatening movements, which did not exactly hit. He saw +evidently that he could not swallow him whole, and what might ensue from +trying him piecemeal he wisely forbore to essay. + +Hum had his own favorite places and perches. From the first day he chose +for his nightly roost a towel-line which had been drawn across the +corner over the wash-stand, where he every night established himself +with one claw in the edge of the towel and the other clasping the line, +and, ruffling up his feathers till he looked like a little chestnut-bur, +he would resign himself to the soundest sleep. He did not tuck his head +under his wing, but seemed to sink it down between his shoulders, with +his bill almost straight up in the air. One evening one of us, going to +use the towel, jarred the line, and soon after found that Hum had been +thrown from his perch, and was hanging head downward fast asleep, still +clinging to the line. Another evening, being discomposed by somebody +coming to the towel-line after he had settled himself, he fluttered off; +but so sleepy that he had not discretion to poise himself again, and was +found clinging, like a little bunch of green floss silk, to the mosquito +netting of the window. + +A day after this we brought in a large green bough, and put it up over +the looking-glass. Hum noticed it before it had been there five minutes, +flew to it, and began a regular survey, perching now here, now there, +till he seemed to find a twig that exactly suited him; and after that he +roosted there every night. Who does not see in this change all the signs +of reflection and reason that are shown by us in thinking over our +circumstances, and trying to better them? It seemed to say in so many +words: "That towel-line is an unsafe place for a bird; I get frightened, +and wake from bad dreams to find myself head downward; so I will find a +better roost on this twig." + +When our little Jenny one day put on a clean white muslin gown +embellished with red sprigs, Hum flew towards her, and with his bill +made instant examination of these new appearances; and one day, being +very affectionately disposed, perched himself on her shoulder, and sat +some time. On another occasion, while Mr. A---- was reading, Hum +established himself on the top of his head just over the middle of his +forehead, in the precise place where our young belles have lately worn +stuffed humming-birds, making him look as if dressed out for a party. +Hum's most favorite perch was the back of the great rocking-chair, +which, being covered by a tidy, gave some hold into which he could catch +his little claws. There he would sit, balancing himself cleverly if its +occupant chose to swing to and fro, and seeming to be listening to the +conversation or reading. + +Hum had his different moods, like human beings. On cold, cloudy, gray +days, he appeared to be somewhat depressed in spirits, hummed less about +the room, and sat humped-up with his feathers ruffled, looking as much +like a bird in a great-coat as possible. But on hot, sunny days, every +feather sleeked itself down, and his little body looked natty and trim, +his head alert, his eyes bright, and it was impossible to come near him, +for his agility. Then let mosquitos and little flies look about them! +Hum snapped them up without mercy, and seemed to be all over the ceiling +in a moment, and resisted all our efforts at any personal familiarity +with a saucy alacrity. + +[Illustration] + +Hum had his established institutions in our room, the chief of which was +a tumbler with a little sugar and water mixed in it, and a spoon laid +across, out of which he helped himself whenever he felt in the +mood,--sitting on the edge of the tumbler, and dipping his long bill, +and lapping with his little forked tongue like a kitten. When he found +his spoon accidentally dry, he would stoop over and dip his bill in the +water in the tumbler,--which caused the prophecy on the part of some of +his guardians, that he would fall in some day and be drowned. For which +reason it was agreed to keep only an inch in depth of the fluid at the +bottom of the tumbler. A wise precaution this proved; for the next +morning I was awaked, not by the usual hum over my head, but by a sharp +little flutter, and found Mr. Hum beating his wings in the +tumbler,--having actually tumbled in during his energetic efforts to get +his morning coffee before I was awake. + +Hum seemed perfectly happy and satisfied in his quarters,--but one day, +when the door was left open, made a dart out, and so into the open +sunshine. Then, to be sure, we thought we had lost him. We took the +mosquito netting out of all the windows, and, setting his tumbler of +sugar and water in a conspicuous place, went about our usual +occupations. We saw him joyous and brisk among the honeysuckles outside +the window, and it was gravely predicted that he would return no more. +But at dinner-time in came Hum, familiar as possible, and sat down to +his spoon as if nothing had happened; instantly we closed our windows, +and had him secure once more. + +At another time I was going to ride to the Atlantic House, about a mile +from my boarding-place. I left all secure, as I supposed, at home. While +gathering moss on the walls there, I was surprised by a little green +humming-bird flying familiarly right towards my face, and humming above +my head. I called out, "Here is Hum's very brother." But, on returning +home, I saw that the door of the room was open, and Hum was gone. Now +certainly we gave him up for lost. I sat down to painting, and in a few +minutes in flew Hum, and settled on the edge of my tumbler in a social, +confidential way, which seemed to say, "O, you've got back then." After +taking his usual drink of sugar and water, he began to fly about the +ceiling as usual, and we gladly shut him in. + +When our five weeks at the seaside were up, and it was time to go home, +we had great questionings what was to be done with Hum. To get him home +with us was our desire,--but who ever heard of a humming-bird travelling +by railroad? Great were the consultings; a little basket of Indian work +was filled up with cambric handkerchiefs, and a bottle of sugar and +water provided, and we started with him for a day's journey. When we +arrived at night, the first care was to see what had become of Hum, who +had not been looked at since we fed him with sugar and water in Boston. +We found him alive and well, but so dead asleep that we could not wake +him to roost; so we put him to bed on a toilet cushion, and arranged his +tumbler for morning. The next day found him alive and humming, exploring +the room and pictures, perching now here and now there; but, as the +weather was chilly, he sat for the most part of the time in a humped-up +state on the tip of a pair of stag's horns. We moved him to a more sunny +apartment; but, alas! the equinoctial storm came on, and there was no +sun to be had for days. Hum was blue; the pleasant seaside days were +over; his room was lonely, the pleasant three that had enlivened the +apartment at Rye no longer came in and out; evidently he was lonesome, +and gave way to depression. One chilly morning he managed again to fall +into his tumbler, and wet himself through; and, notwithstanding warm +bathings and tender nursings, the poor little fellow seemed to get +diptheria, or something quite as bad for humming-birds. + +We carried him to a neighboring sunny parlor, where ivy embowers all the +walls, and the sun lies all day. There he revived a little, danced up +and down, perched on a green spray that was wreathed across the breast +of a Psyche, and looked then like a little flitting soul returning to +its rest. Towards evening he drooped; and, having been nursed and +warmed and cared for, he was put to sleep on a green twig laid on the +piano. In that sleep the little head drooped--nodded--fell; and little +Hum went where other bright dreams go,--to the Land of the Hereafter. + +_Harriet Beecher Stowe._ + + + + +THE VOLUNTEER'S THANKSGIVING. + + + The last days of November, and everything so green! + A finer bit of country my eyes have never seen. + 'Twill be a thing to tell of, ten years or twenty hence, + How I came down to Georgia at Uncle Sam's expense. + + Four years ago this winter, up at the district school, + I wrote all day, and ciphered, perched on a white-pine stool; + And studied in my atlas the boundaries of the States, + And learnt the wars with England, the history and the dates. + + Then little I expected to travel in such haste + Along the lines my fingers and fancy often traced, + To bear a soldier's knapsack, and face the cannon's mouth, + And help to save for Freedom the lovely, perjured South. + + That red, old-fashioned school-house! what winds came sweeping through + Its doors from bald Monadnock, and from the mountains blue + That slope off south and eastward beyond the Merrimack! + O pleasant Northern river, your music calls me back + + To where the pines are humming the slow notes of their psalm + Around a shady farm-house, half hid within their calm, + Reflecting in the river a picture not so bright + As these verandahed mansions,--but yet my heart's delight. + + They're sitting at the table this clear Thanksgiving noon; + I smell the crispy turkey, the pies will come in soon,-- + The golden squares of pumpkin, the flaky rounds of mince, + Behind the barberry syrups, the cranberry and the quince. + + Be sure my mouth does water,--but then I am content + To stay and do the errand on which I have been sent. + A soldier mustn't grumble at salt beef and hard-tack: + We'll have a grand Thanksgiving if ever we get back! + + I'm very sure they'll miss me at dinner-time to-day, + For I was good at stowing their provender away. + When mother clears the table, and wipes the platters bright, + She'll say, "I hope my baby don't lose his appetite!" + + But oh! the after-dinner! I miss that most of all,-- + The shooting at the targets, the jolly game of ball, + And then the long wood-ramble! We climbed, and slid, and ran,-- + We and the neighbor-children,--and one was Mary Ann, + + Who (as I didn't mention) sat next to me at school: + Sometimes I had to show her the way to work the rule + Of Ratio and Proportion, and do upon her slate + Those long, hard sums that puzzle a merry maiden's pate. + + I wonder if they're going across the hills to-day; + And up the cliffs I wonder what boy will lead the way; + And if they'll gather fern-leaves and checkerberries red, + And who will put a garland of ground-pine on her head. + + O dear! the air grows sultry: I'd wish myself at home + Were it a whit less noble, the cause for which I've come. + Four years ago a school-boy; as foolish now as then! + But greatly they don't differ, I fancy,--boys and men. + + I'm just nineteen to-morrow, and I shall surely stay + For Freedom's final battle, be it until I'm gray, + Unless a Southern bullet should take me off my feet.-- + There's nothing left to live for, if Rebeldom should beat; + + For home and love and honor and freedom are at stake, + And life may well be given for our dear Union's sake; + So reads the Proclamation, and so the sermon ran; + Do ministers and people feel it as soldiers can? + + When will it all be ended? 'Tis not in youth to hold + In quietness and patience, like people grave and old: + A year? three? four? or seven?--O then, when I return, + Put on a big log, mother, and let it blaze and burn, + + And roast your fattest turkey, bake all the pies you can, + And, if she isn't married, invite in Mary Ann! + Hang flags from every window! we'll all be glad and gay, + For Peace will light the country on that Thanksgiving Day. + +_Lucy Larcom._ + + + + +[Illustration] + +THUMBLING: + +A STORY FOR CHILDREN. + + +_The Introduction._ + +DEAR OLD FRIEND:--We were all sitting round the fire the other evening +after dinner. The evening paper had been read and explained, and the +Colonel was now nursing his wounded arm, and musingly smoking his old +camp-pipe, browned to a rich mahogany in many marches among the sands of +Folly Island, through the rose-gardens of Florida, and over the hills +and valleys of battle-worn old Virginia; I myself, who have never yet +taken kindly to pipes,--though I suppose I shall have to ere many +days,--was dreaming over a fragrant Cabanas; Madame was hard at work +over a pile of the week's stockings; and the children taking their last +frolic about the parlor, preparatory to their unwilling Good-night and +fearful departure to the hated regions above stairs;--when our +neat-handed Bridget entered the room, staggering under the weight of the +monthly parcel of French books, just arrived by express. + +You, who live where you can see all the new books as soon as they +appear, can hardly imagine the eagerness with which we poor country +people, far away from publishing-houses and foreign bookstores, welcome +the sight of this monthly parcel. We passed over the green and yellow +duodecimos, glancing at Feval, About, Berthel, Sand, and the rest, each +looking for his particular favorite among the authors, when the +children, whose busy fingers had helped to untie the knots and unwrap +the packages, and who were rummaging with as much eagerness as we, +suddenly discovered a sober octavo, that seemed to promise well; for, +after a hasty look at it, they carried it away to the library-table, and +examined it, for a time, in profound silence. After a while, one little +boy spoke out:-- + +"O, papa! this must be a real old-fashioned fairy-book, for it is full +of pictures of fairies, and knights, and giants, and dwarfs, and +dragons! Do read it to us, please!" + +Now, my dear friend, you know that my youngsters have a most insatiate +appetite for, and a most thorough appreciation of, real fairy stories, +as they call them. But they are pitiless judges; they can hardly tire of +Blue Beard, and Beauty and the Beast, and the Arabian Nights; but they +turn up their little noses in contempt at the _moral_ fairy stories, +which some of their kind aunts have attempted to impose upon them. I +myself have a secret dislike for those sham stories which deceive you +into believing you are hearing about real fairies and giants, only to +tell you, at the end, that the good fairy is no other than Cheerfulness, +Industry, or some sister virtue, and that the giant is Luxury, +Ill-Temper, or some kindred vice. Yet the children are severer critics +than I. They will have nothing whatever to do with the good fairies who +have no magical power, and who live in their own little bodies; nor with +the wicked giants who, they can see at once, have none of the attributes +of the giants of old. They swallow the pill once, thinking it a +sugar-plum; but after finding it to be a pill, no amount of sugar +coating will make it anything but medicine. And all boys and girls are +alike in this, and will be so, let us hope, to the end of time. Even we +old fellows recall those old-time stories with something of the same +awe-struck admiration, and something of the same unquestioning belief, +with which we listened to them, I don't know how many years ago. We +sneer at the improbabilities and inconsistencies of modern fiction; but +who thinks of being startled at the charming incongruities, the bold but +fascinating impossibilities, of Cinderella, and Aladdin, and Puss in +Boots? Don't we in our heart of hearts still believe that, a long time +ago, before men grew too wicked for them, the gentle fairies really +lived in their jewelled palaces under ground, and came out, now and +then, to protect the youth and beauty they loved from giants, and +dragons, and malicious genii, and all manner of evil things? I declare I +should be ashamed of myself if I did not; and I am sure that none of us, +who are good for anything, have altogether lost that old belief; and +when we look back at those days of young romance, and remember the +thrill with which we read of Bluebeard's punishment, and Beauty's +reward, we feel that it would be better for us if they had more of that +old childlike faith. And so I encourage my youngsters to read and listen +to, over and over again, the same old stories that, when I was a boy, +warmed my young imagination, and to eschew the dismal allegories with +which well-meaning but short-sighted writers try to supply the places of +Jack the Giant-killer and all his marvellous family. And so I was almost +as pleased as the children, when I saw, from its quaint and grotesque +pictures, that their treasure-trove was really a book of real +old-fashioned fairy stories. + +Of course, nothing would do but that the bedtime should be put off, and +that I should read one, at least, of the stories to the young folks. As +my selection won their unqualified admiration, and they are, as I have +said, good critics, I send it to you for the benefit of your little +people. Your studies in the Norse languages have perhaps made you +familiar with the original of it; but I think it will be new to most +boys and girls. + +Your old chum, + +PHILIP. + + + + +_The Story._ + +I. + + +Once upon a time there was a peasant, who had three sons, Peter, Paul, +and John. Peter was tall, stout, rosy and good-natured, but a stupid +fellow; Paul was thin, yellow, envious, and surly; while Jack was full +of mischief, pale as a girl, but so small that he could stow himself +away in his father's jack-boots; and so he was called Thumbling. + +All the wealth the poor peasant had was his family; and so poor was he, +that it was a very feast-day in his cottage if only a penny happened to +jingle there. Food was very high then, and wages low; so, as soon as the +three boys were big enough to work for themselves, the good father was +obliged to urge them to leave the cottage where they were born, and to +go out into the world to seek their fortune. + +"In foreign lands," he said, "across the sea, bread could always be had, +even if it took hard work to get it; while at home, in spite of all +their toil, they were never sure of a crust for the morrow." + +Now it happened that, not a mile from the woodman's hut, there was a +magnificent wooden palace, with twenty balconies and six beautiful +windows. And directly opposite these windows there sprang up, one fine +summer's night, without the least warning, an immense oak, whose leaves +and branches were so thickly clustered together, that one could hardly +see in the king's house. It was no easy task to cut down this enormous +tree, for it was so tough that it turned the edge of every axe that was +wielded against it; and for every branch that was lopped off, or root +that was plucked up, two instantly grew in its place. In vain did the +king promise three bags of golden crowns to any one who would rid him of +his troublesome neighbor; it was of no use at all; and he had at last to +light his palace with candles, in broad daylight. + +Nor was this the poor king's only trouble. Although the surrounding +country was so rich in springs and brooks, that they frequently gushed +out of the solid rock itself, yet in the royal gardens they couldn't +get a drop of water. In summer time, the king and all his court had to +wash their hands in beer, and their faces with mead, which was not +convenient, if it was pleasant. So that at last the king promised broad +lands, heaps of money, and the title of Lord Marquis, to anybody who +would dig a well in his court-yard deep enough to give a supply of water +all the year round. In spite, however, of these magnificent promises, no +one could get the reward; for the palace was on a lofty hill, and after +digging a foot under ground there was a solid granite rock, as hard as +flint. + +Now these two troubles disturbed the king so much, that he couldn't get +them out of his head. Although he was not a very great monarch, yet he +was as obstinate as the Emperor of China himself. So one fine day he hit +upon this wise plan. He caused an enormous placard to be prepared, with +the royal arms magnificently displayed at the top; and in it he +promised, to whoever would cut down the troublesome oak-tree, and dig +him a satisfactory well, no less rewards than the hand of his only +daughter, and the half of his kingdom. This placard was posted up on the +palace-gate, and copies all over the kingdom. Now, as the princess was +as beautiful as the morning, and the half of a kingdom by no means to be +despised, the offer was enough to tempt any one; and there shortly came +to the palace, from Sweden and Norway, from Denmark and Russia, from the +continent and from the islands, a host of sturdy suitors, with axe on +shoulder and pick in hand, ready to undertake the task. But all that +they hacked and hewed, picked and hollowed, was labor lost. At every +stroke the oak grew harder, and the granite no softer; so that the most +persevering had at last to give up in despair. + + +II. + +One fine day, about this time, when everybody all over the land was +talking of this wonderful affair, and everybody's head was full of it, +our three brothers began to ask each other why, since their father +wished them to do so, they shouldn't go out into the world to seek their +fortune. They didn't hope for any great success, nor did they expect the +hand of the princess, or the half of the kingdom. All they wished for +was a good place and a kind master; and who could say they wouldn't find +them both somewhere at the court? So they decided to try their luck; and +after receiving the blessing of their good father, they started off, +with stout hearts, on their way to the king's palace. + +Whilst the two older brothers were slowly trudging along, Thumbling +scampered up and down the road like a wild thing, running backwards and +forwards like a sportive dog, spying here, there, and everywhere, and +noticing everything that was to be noticed. Nothing was too small for +his sharp little eyes, and he kept constantly stopping his brothers to +ask the why and the wherefore of everything: why the bees dived into the +fragrant flower-cups? why the swallows skimmed along the rivers? why the +butterflies zigzagged capriciously along the fields? To all these +questions Peter only answered with a burst of stupid laughter; while +the surly Paul shrugged his shoulders, and crossly bade the little +Thumbling hold his tongue, telling him he was an inquisitive little +simpleton. + +As they were going along, they came to a dense forest of pines, that +covered the crest of a mountain, on the top of which they heard the +sound of a woodman's axe, and the crackling of branches as they fell to +the ground. + +"That is a very strange thing," said Thumbling, "to be cutting trees on +the top of a mountain like this." + +"It would astonish me very much to find that you were not astonished at +everything," answered Peter, in a sour tone; "everything is wonderful to +simpletons. I suppose you never heard of woodcutters." + +"It's all the same to me what you say," said Thumbling; "but I am going +to see what is going on up there." + +"Be off with you!" cried Paul; "tire yourself all out, and that will be +a good lesson to you, for wanting to know more than your big brothers." + +Thumbling didn't trouble himself much with what his big brothers said, +but started for the place whence the noise seemed to come, and, after +much hard climbing and running, he arrived at the top of the mountain. +And what do you suppose he found there? You would never guess, and so I +will tell you. A MAGIC AXE, that all by itself was hacking away at one +of the tallest trees on the mountain. + +"Good morning, Mistress Axe," cried Thumbling. "Doesn't it tire you to +be chopping all alone there at that old tree?" + +"Many long years I have been waiting for you, my son," replied the axe. + +"Very well, ma'am, here I am!" said Thumbling; and without being +astonished at anything, he seized the axe, put it in the stout leather +bag he carried over his shoulder, and gayly descended to overtake his +brothers. + +"What marvel did Master Moonstruck see up there?" asked Paul, looking at +Thumbling with a very scornful air. + +"It _was_ an axe that we heard," answered Thumbling, slyly. + +"I could have told you so beforehand," said Peter; "and here you are +now, all tired out, for nothing. You had better stay with us another +time." + +A little farther along, they came to a place where the road was hollowed +with extreme difficulty out of a mass of solid rock; and here, in the +distance, the brothers heard a sharp noise, like that of iron striking +against stone. + +"It is very wonderful that anybody should be hammering away at rocks +away up there!" remarked Thumbling. + +"Truly," said Paul, "you must have been fledged yesterday! Didn't you +ever hear a woodpecker pecking at the trunk of an old tree?" + +"He is right," added Peter, laughing; "it must be a woodpecker. Stay +with us, you foolish fellow." + +"It's all the same to me," answered Thumbling; "but I am very curious to +see what is going on up there." So he began to climb the rocks on his +hands and knees, while his two brothers trudged along, making as much +fun of him as possible. + +When he got up to the top of the rock, which was only after a deal of +hard work, what do you suppose he found there? A MAGIC PICKAXE, that, +all alone by itself, was digging at the hard stone as if it were soft +clay; and digging so well, that at every blow it went down more than a +foot in the rock. + +"Good morning, Mistress Pickaxe," said Thumbling. "Doesn't it tire you +to be delving alone there, hollowing away at that old rock?" + +"Many long years I have been waiting for you, my son," answered the +pickaxe. + +"Very well, ma'am! here I am," replied Thumbling; and, without being +astonished at anything, he seized the pick, took it off its handle, put +the two pieces in the stout leather bag he carried over his shoulder, +and gayly descended to overtake his brothers. + +"What miracle did his Worship see this time?" asked Paul, in a surly +tone. + +"It _was_ a pickaxe that we heard," answered Thumbling, slyly; and he +plodded along, without any more words. + +A little farther along, they came to a brook. The water was clear and +fresh, and, as the travellers were thirsty, they all stopped to drink +out of the hollows of their hands. + +"It is very wonderful," said Thumbling, "that there should be so much +water in this little valley. I should like to see where this brook +starts from." + +But to this the only answer was from Paul, who said gruffly to his +brother, "We shall soon see this inquisitive fellow climbing up to +Heaven, and asking questions of the angels themselves." + +"Very well!" says Thumbling; "it's all the same; and I am very curious +to see where all this water comes from." + +So saying, he began to follow up the streamlet, in spite of the jeers +and scoldings of his brothers. And lo and behold! the farther he went, +smaller and smaller grew the brook, and less and less the quantity of +water. And when he came to the end, what do you think he found? A simple +nut-shell, from the bottom of which a tiny stream of water burst out and +sparkled in the sun. + +"Good morning, Mistress Spring," cried Thumbling. "Doesn't it tire you +to be gushing away there all alone in your little corner?" + +"Many long years I have been waiting for you, my son," replied the +spring. + +"Very well, ma'am! here I am," said Thumbling; and without being +astonished at anything, he seized the nut-shell, plugged it up with +moss, so that the water shouldn't run out, put it in the stout leather +bag he carried over his shoulder, and gayly descended to overtake his +brothers. + +"Do you know now where the brook starts from?" shouted Peter, as soon as +he saw him. + +"Yes, brother Peter," replied Thumbling; "it came out of a little hole." + +"This boy is too bright to live," grumbled Peter. + +But Thumbling quietly said to himself, and rubbed his hands meanwhile, +"I have seen what I wanted to see, and I know what I wanted to know; let +those laugh who wish." + + +III. + +Shortly after this, the brothers arrived at the king's palace. The oak +was stouter and thicker than ever; there was no sign of a well in the +court-yard; and at the gate of the palace still hung the imposing +placard that promised the hand of the princess, and the half of the +kingdom, to whoever, noble, gentleman, or peasant, should accomplish the +two things his Majesty so ardently desired. Only, as the king was weary +of so many fruitless attempts, which had only resulted in making him +more despairing than before, he had ordered a second and smaller placard +to be pasted directly above the large one. On this placard was written, +in red letters, the following terrible words: + +"_Be it known, by these presents, that, in his inexhaustible goodness, +his Majesty, the King, has deigned to order, that whosoever does not +succeed in cutting down the oak, or in digging the well, shall have his +ears promptly stricken off, in order to teach him the first lesson of +wisdom_,--TO KNOW HIMSELF." + +And, in order that everybody should profit by this wise and prudent +counsel, the king had caused to be nailed around this placard thirty +bleeding ears, belonging to the unfortunate fellows who had proved +themselves ignorant of the first lesson of wisdom. + +When Peter read this notice, he laughed to himself, twisted his +mustaches, looked proudly at his brawny arms, whose swollen veins looked +like so many pieces of blue whipcord, swung his axe twice around his +head, and with one blow chopped off one of the biggest branches of the +enchanted tree. To his horror and dismay, however, there immediately +sprang forth two more branches, each bigger and thicker than the first; +and the king's guards thereupon immediately seized the unlucky +woodcutter, and, without any more ado, sliced off both his ears. + +"You are an awkward booby, and deserve your punishment," said Paul to +his brother. Saying this, he took his axe, walked slowly around the +tree, and, seeing a large root that projected from the soil, he chopped +it off with a single blow. At the same instant, two enormous new roots +broke from the ground; and, wonderful to relate, each one immediately +shot out a trunk, thickly covered with foliage. + +"Seize this miserable fellow," shouted the furious king; "and, since he +did not profit by the example of his brother, shave off both _his_ ears, +close to his head!" + +No sooner said than done. But now Thumbling, undismayed by this double +misfortune, stepped bravely forward to try his fortune. + +"Drive this little abortion away," cried the king; "and if he resists, +chop off his ears. He will have the lesson all the same, and will spare +us the sight of his stupidity." + +"Pardon, gracious Majesty!" interrupted Thumbling. "The king has passed +his word, and I have the right to a trial. It will be time enough to cut +off my ears when I fail." + +"Away, then, to the trial," said the king, with a heavy sigh; "but be +careful that I don't have your nose cut off to boot." + +Thumbling now drew his magic axe from the bottom of his stout leather +bag. It was almost as big as he was, and he had no little difficulty and +trouble in standing it up, with the handle leaning against the enchanted +tree. At last, however, all was accomplished; and stepping back a few +steps, he cried out, "Chop! chop!! chop!!!" And lo and behold! the axe +began to chop, hew, hack, now right, now left, and up and down! Trunk, +branches, roots, all were speedily cut to bits. In fact, it only took a +quarter of an hour, and yet there was such a heap, a monstrous heap of +wood, that the whole court had nothing else to burn for a whole year. + +When the tree was entirely cut down and cleared away, Thumbling +approached the king, (who, in the mean time, had sent for the princess, +and caused her to sit down by his side, to see the wonderful thing,) +and, making them both a low bow, said:-- + +"Is your Majesty entirely satisfied with his faithful subject?" + +"Yes, so far so good," answered the king; "but I must have my well, or +look out for your ears!" + +All went then into the grand court-yard. The king placed himself on an +elevated seat. The princess sat a little below, and looked with some +anxiety at the little husband that Heaven seemed to have sent her. He +was not the spouse she had dreamed of, certainly. Without troubling +himself the least in the world, Thumbling now drew the magic pickaxe +from his stout leather bag, calmly put it together, and then, laying it +carefully on the ground in the proper place, he cried:-- + +"Pick! Pick!! Pick!!!" + +And lo and behold! the pick began to burst the granite to splinters, and +in less than a quarter of an hour had dug a well more than a hundred +feet deep, in the solid rock. + +"Does your Majesty think," asked Thumbling, bowing profoundly, "that the +well is sufficiently deep?" + +"Certainly," answered the king; "but where is the water to come from?" + +"If your Majesty will grant me a moment longer," rejoined Thumbling, +"your just impatience shall be satisfied." So saying, he drew from his +stout leather bag the nut-shell, all covered as it was with moss, and +placed it on a magnificent fountain vase, where, not having any water, +they had put a bouquet of flowers. + +"Gush! Gush!! Gush!!!" cried Thumbling. + +And lo and behold! the water began to burst out among the flowers, +singing with a gentle murmur, and falling down in a charming cascade, +that was so cold that it made everybody present shiver; and so abundant, +that in a quarter of an hour the well was filled, and a deep trench had +to be dug to take away the surplus water; otherwise the whole palace +would have been overflowed. + +"Sire!" now said Thumbling, bending gracefully on one knee before the +royal chair, "does your Majesty find that I have answered your +conditions?" + +"Yes! my _Lord Marquis Thumbling_," answered the king; "I am ready to +give you the half of my kingdom, or to pay you the value of it, by +means of a tax my loyal subjects will only be too happy to pay. As to +giving you the princess, however, and calling you my son-in-law, that is +another question; for that doesn't depend upon me alone." + +"And what must I do for that?" asked Thumbling proudly, ogling the +princess at the same time. + +"You shall know to-morrow," replied the king; "and meanwhile you are my +guest, and the most magnificent apartment in the palace shall be +prepared for you." + +After the departure of the king and princess, Thumbling ran to find his +two brothers, who, with their ears cut off, looked like cropped curs. +"Ah! my boys," said he, "do you think now I was wrong in being +astonished at everything, as you said, and in trying to find out the why +and wherefore of it?" + +"You have had the luck," answered Paul coldly; "Fortune is blind, and +doesn't always choose the most worthy upon whom to bestow her favors." + +But Peter said, "You have done well, brother; and with or without ears, +I am delighted at your good fortune, and only wish our poor old father +was here to see it also." + +Thumbling took his two brothers along with him, and, as he was in high +favor at court, that very day he secured them good situations. + + +IV. + +Meanwhile, the king was tossing uneasily on his magnificent bed, and +broad awake. Such a son-in-law as Thumbling didn't please him overmuch, +so he tried to see if he couldn't think of some way of breaking his +word, without seeming to do so. For people that call themselves honest, +this is by no means an easy task. Put a thief between honor and +interest, you won't find him hesitate; but that is because he _is_ a +thief. In his perplexity, the king sent for Peter and Paul, since the +two brothers were the only ones who could enlighten him on the birth, +character, and disposition of our hero. Peter, who, as you remember, was +good-natured, praised his brother warmly, which didn't please the king +overmuch; but Paul put the king more at his ease, by trying to prove to +him that Thumbling was nothing but an adventurer, and that it would be +ridiculous that so great a monarch should be under obligations to such a +contemptible fellow. + +"The scamp is so vain," continued the malicious Paul, "that he thinks he +is stout enough to manage a giant; and you can use this vanity of his to +get rid of him. In the neighboring country there is an ugly Troll, who +is the terror of the whole neighborhood. He devours all the cattle for +ten leagues about, and commits unheard-of devastation everywhere. Now +Thumbling has said a great many times that, if he wanted to, he would +make this giant his slave." + +"We shall see about this," said the king, who caught at the insinuation +of the wicked brother, and thereupon sent the two brothers away, and +slept tranquilly the rest of the night. + +The next morning, when the whole court was called together, the king +ordered Thumbling to be sent for; and presently he made his appearance, +white as a lily, ruddy as a rose, and smiling as the morn. + +"My good son-in-law," said the king, emphasizing these words, "a hero +like yourself cannot marry a princess without giving her a present +worthy of her exalted rank. Now there is in the neighboring woods a +Troll, who, they say, is twenty feet high, and who eats a whole ox for +his breakfast. This fine fellow, with his three-cornered hat, his golden +epaulettes, his braided jacket, and his staff, fifteen feet long, would +make a servant indeed worthy of a king. My daughter begs you to make her +this trifling present, after which she will see about giving you her +hand." + +"That is not an easy task," answered Thumbling; "but, if it please your +Majesty, I will try." + +So saying, he went down to the kitchen, took his stout leather bag, put +in it the magic axe, a loaf of bread, some cheese, and a knife, and +then, throwing all over his shoulder, started off for the woods. Peter +whimpered, but Paul chuckled, thinking that, his brother once gone, he +should never see him back again. + +Once fairly in the forest, Thumbling looked around to right and left; +but the grass was so thick that he couldn't see anything, so he began to +sing at the top of his voice,-- + + "Master Troll, Master Troll! + I defy you to appear! + I must have you, body and soul, + Master Troll, Master Troll! + Show yourself, for I AM HERE!" + +"AND I AM HERE!" cried the giant, with a terrible shout. "Wait a minute, +and I will only make a mouthful of you!" + +"Don't be in a hurry, my good fellow," replied Thumbling, in a little +squeaking voice, "I have a whole hour to give you." + +When the Troll came to the place where Thumbling was, he looked around +on every side, very much astonished at not seeing anything. At last, +lowering his eyes to the ground, he discovered what appeared to be a +little child, sitting on a fallen tree, with a stout leather bag between +his knees. + +"Is it you, pigmy, who woke me up from my nap?" growled the Troll, +rolling his great red eyes. + +"I am the very one," replied Thumbling, "I have come to take you into my +service." + +"He! he!" laughed the giant, who was as stupid as he was big, "that is a +good joke indeed. But I am going to pitch you into that raven's nest I +see up there, to teach you not to make a noise in my forest." + +"_Your_ forest!" laughed Thumbling. "It is as much mine as it is yours, +and if you say a word more, I will cut it down in a quarter of an hour." + +"Ha! ha!" shouted the giant, "and I should like to see you begin, my +brave fellow." + +Thumbling carefully placed the axe on the ground, and said, "Chop! +chop!! chop!!!" + +And lo and behold! the axe begins to chop, hew, hack, now right, now +left, and up and down, till the branches tumble on the Troll's head like +hail in autumn. + +"Enough, enough!" said the Troll, who began to be alarmed. "Don't +destroy my forest. But who the mischief are you?" + +"I am the famous sorcerer THUMBLING," answered our hero, in as gruff a +voice as his little body was capable of; "and I have only to say a +single word to chop your head off your shoulders. You don't know yet +with whom you have to do." + +The giant hesitated, very much disturbed at what he saw. Meanwhile, +Thumbling, who began to be hungry, opened his stout leather bag, and +took out his bread and cheese. + +"What is that white stuff?" asked the Troll, who had never seen any +cheese before. + +"That is a stone," answered Thumbling. He began to eat as eagerly as +possible. + +"Do you eat stones?" asked the giant. + +"O yes," replied Thumbling, "that is my ordinary food, and that is the +reason I am not so big as you, who eat oxen; but it is also the reason +why, little as I am, I am ten times as strong as you are. Now take me to +your house." + +The Troll was conquered; and, marching before Thumbling like a dog +before a little child, he led him to his monstrous cabin. + +"Now listen," said Thumbling to the giant, after they were fairly +seated, "one of us has got to be the master, and the other the servant. +Let us make this bargain: if I can't do whatever you do, I am to be your +slave; if you are not able to do whatever I do, you are to be mine." + +"Agreed," said the Troll; "I should admire to have such a little servant +as you are. It is too much work for me to think, and you have wit enough +for both; so begin with the trial. Here are my two buckets,--go and get +the water to make the soup." + +Thumbling looked at the buckets. They were two enormous hogsheads, ten +feet high and six broad. It would have been much easier for him to drown +himself in them than to move them. + +"O, ho!" shouted the giant, as he saw his hesitation; "and so you are +stuck at the first thing, my boy! Do what I do, you know, and get the +water." + +"What is the good of that?" replied Thumbling, calmly; "I will go and +get the spring itself, and put that in the pot." + +"No! no!" said the Troll; "that won't do. You have already half spoiled +my forest, and I don't want you to take my spring away, lest to-morrow I +shall go dry. You may attend to the fire, and I will go and get the +water." + +After having hung up the kettle, the giant put into it an ox cut into +pieces, fifty cabbages, and a wagon-load of carrots. He then skimmed the +broth with a frying-pan, tasting it every now and then, to see if it was +done. When all was ready, he turned to Thumbling, and said:-- + +"Now to the table. We'll see if you can do what I can there. I feel like +eating the whole ox, and you into the bargain. I think I will serve you +for dessert." + +"All right," said Thumbling; but before sitting down to the table, he +slipped under his jacket his stout leather bag, which reached down to +his feet. + +The two champions now set to work. The Troll ate and ate, and Thumbling +wasn't idle; only he pitched everything, beef, cabbage, carrots, and +all, into his bag, when the giant wasn't looking. + +"Ouf!" at last grunted the Troll; "I can't do much more; I have got to +unbutton the lower button of my waistcoat." + +"Eat away, starveling!" cried Thumbling, sticking the half of a cabbage +into his bag. + +"Ouf!" groaned the giant; "I have got to unbutton another button. But +what sort of an ostrich's stomach have you got, my son? I should think +you were used to eating stones!" + +"Eat away, lazy-bones!" said Thumbling, sticking a huge junk of beef +into his bag. + +"Ouf!" sighed the giant, for the third time; "I have got to unbutton the +third button. I am almost suffocated; and how is it with you, sorcerer?" + +"Bah!" answered Thumbling; "it is the easiest thing in the world to +relieve yourself; and so saying he took his knife, and slit his jacket +and the bag under it the whole length of his stomach. + +"It is your turn now," he said to the giant; "do as I do, you know, _if +you can_." + +"Your humble servant," replied the Troll; "pray excuse me! I had rather +be your servant than do that; _my_ stomach don't digest steel!" + +No sooner said than done; the giant kissed Thumbling's hand in token of +submission, and taking his little master on one shoulder, and a huge bag +of gold on the other, he started off for the king's palace. + + +V. + +They were having a great feast at the palace, and thinking no more of +Thumbling than if the giant had eaten him up a week before; when, all of +a sudden, they heard a terrible noise that shook the palace to its very +foundations. It was the Troll, who, finding the great gateway too low +for him to enter, had overturned it with a single kick of his foot. +Everybody ran to the windows, the king among the rest, and there saw +Thumbling quietly seated on the shoulder of his terrible servant. + +Our adventurer sprang lightly to the balcony of the second story, where +he saw his betrothed, and, bending gracefully on one knee, he said:-- + +"Princess, you asked me for a slave; I present you two." + +This gallant speech was published the next morning in the Court Gazette; +but at the moment it was said it was quite embarrassing to the poor +king; and as he didn't know how to reply to it, he drew the princess one +side, and thus addressed her:-- + +[Illustration] + +"My child, I have now no possible excuse for refusing your hand to this +daring young man; sacrifice yourself, my darling, to your country; +remember that princesses do not marry to please themselves." + +"Pardon me, father," answered the princess, courtesying; "princess or +not, every woman likes to marry according to her taste. Let me defend my +rights as I think best." + +"Thumbling," added she, aloud, "you are brave and lucky; but that is not +enough alone to please women." + +"I know that," answered Thumbling; "it is necessary besides to do their +pleasure, and submit to their caprices." + +"You are a witty fellow," said the princess; "and since you understand +me so well, I am going to propose another trial to you. You need not be +alarmed, for this time you will only have me for an antagonist. Let us +try and see who will be the sharpest and quickest, and my hand shall be +the prize of the battle." + +Thumbling assented, with a low bow, and followed the court into the +great hall of audience, where the trial was to take place. There, to the +affright of all, the Troll was found, sprawling on the floor; for, as +the hall was only fifteen feet high, the poor fellow couldn't get up. On +a sign of his young master, he crawled humbly to him, happy and proud +to obey. It was Force itself, in the service of Wit. + +"Now," said the princess, "let us begin with some nonsense. It is an old +story that women are not afraid to lie; and we will see which of us will +stand the biggest story without objection. The first one who says, +'_That is too much_,' will be beaten." + +"I am always at the service of your Royal Highness," answered Thumbling; +"whether to lie in sport, or to tell the truth in sober earnest." + +"I am sure," began the princess, "that you haven't got a farm half as +beautiful as ours; and it is so large, that, when two shepherds are +blowing their horns at each end of it, neither can hear the other." + +"That is nothing at all," said Thumbling; "my father's farm is so large, +that, if a heifer two months old goes in at the gate on one side of it, +when she goes out at the other she takes a calf of her own with her." + +"That don't surprise me," continued the princess; "but you haven't got a +bull half as big as ours; a man can sit on each of his horns, and the +two can't touch each other with a twenty-foot pole." + +"That is nothing at all," replied Thumbling; "my father's bull is so +large, that a servant sitting on one of his horns can't see the servant +sitting on the other." + +"That don't surprise me," said the princess; "but you haven't got half +so much milk at your farm as we have; for we fill, every day, twenty +hogsheads, a hundred feet high; and every week, we make a pile of cheese +as high as the big pyramid of Egypt." + +"That is nothing at all," said Thumbling. "In my father's dairy they +make such big cheeses, that once, when my father's mare fell into the +press, we only found her after travelling seven days, and she was so +much injured that her back was broken. So to mend that I made her a +backbone of a pine-tree, that answered splendidly; till one fine morning +the tree took it into its head to grow, and it grew and grew until it +was so high that I climbed up to Heaven on it. There I looked down, and +saw a lady in a white gown spinning sea-foam to make gossamer with. I +went to take hold of it, and snap! the thread broke, and I fell into a +rat-hole. There I saw your father and my mother spinning; and as your +father was clumsy, lo and behold, my mother gave him such a box on the +ear, that it made his old wig shake----" + +"_That is too much!_" interrupted the princess. "My father never +suffered such an insult in all his life." + +"She said it! she said it!" shouted the giant "Now, master, the princess +is ours!" + + +VI. + +But the princess said, blushing: "Not quite yet. I have three riddles to +give you, Thumbling; guess them, and I will obey my father, and become +your wife without any more objections. Tell me, first, what that is +which is always falling, and is never broken?" + +"Oh!" answered Thumbling, "my mother told me that a long time ago; it is +a waterfall." + +"That is so," interrupted the giant; "but who would have thought of +that." + +"Tell me, next," continued the princess, with a slight trembling in her +voice, "what is that that every day goes the same journey, and yet never +returns on its steps?" + +"Oh!" answered Thumbling, "my mother told me that a long time ago; it is +the sun." + +"You are right," said the princess, pale with emotion. "And now for my +last question, which you will never guess. What is that that you think, +and that I don't think? What is that we both think, and what is that we +neither of us think?" + +Thumbling bent his head, and seemed embarrassed; and the Troll whispered +to him: "Master, don't be disturbed. If you can't guess it, just make a +sign to me, and I will carry off the princess, and make an end of the +matter at once." + +"Be silent, slave!" answered Thumbling. "Force alone can do nothing, my +poor friend, and no one ought to know it better than you. Let me have my +own way." + +"Madame," said he then to the princess, in the midst of a profound +silence, "I hardly dare guess; and yet in this riddle I plainly perceive +my own happiness. I dared to think that your questions would have no +difficulty for me, while you thought the contrary; you have the goodness +to believe that I am not unworthy to please you, while I have hardly the +boldness to think so; finally," added he, smilingly, "what we both think +is, that there are bigger fools in the world than you and I; and what we +neither of us think is, that the king, your august father, and this poor +giant have as much--" + +"Silence!" interrupted the princess; "here is my hand." + +"What were you thinking about me?" asked the king; "I should be +delighted to know." + +"My dear father," said the princess, embracing him, "we think that you +are the wisest of kings, and the best of fathers." + +"It is well!" replied the king, loftily; "and now I must do something +for my subjects. Thumbling, from this moment you are a Duke!" + +"Long live Duke Thumbling! long live my master!" shouted the giant, with +a terrific roar, that sounded like a clap of thunder breaking over the +palace. But, luckily, there was no harm done, save badly frightening +everybody, and breaking all the windows. + + +VII. + +It would be unnecessary to give a full account of the wedding of the +princess and Duke Thumbling. All weddings are alike; the difference is +in what follows after them. Nevertheless, it would be improper in a +truthful historian not to say that the presence of the Troll added a +great deal to the magnificent display. For instance, when the happy +couple were returning from the church, the giant, in the excess of his +joy, found nothing better to do than to take the royal carriage on the +top of his head, and to carry the wedded pair back to the palace. This +is an incident worth noting, because it doesn't happen every day. + +At night there was a splendid feast at the palace, with suppers, +orations, poems, fireworks, illuminations, and everything. Nothing was +wanting, and the joy was universal. Everybody in the palace laughed, +sung, ate, or drank, save one man, who, seated sullenly alone in a dark +corner, amused himself in a very different way from everybody else. It +was the surly Paul, who rejoiced that his ears had been cut off, because +he had become deaf, and consequently couldn't hear the praises all were +showering on his brother. On the other hand, he was unhappy, because he +couldn't help seeing the happiness of the bride and bridegroom. So he +rushed out into the forest, where the bears speedily made an end of him; +and I wish a like punishment to all envious people like him. + +Thumbling was such a little fellow that it was hard work for his +subjects to respect him; but he was so wise, so affable, and so kind, +that he very soon conquered the love of his wife, and the affection of +all his people. + +After the death of his father-in-law, he succeeded to the throne, which +he occupied fifty-two years, without anybody ever having thought of a +revolution; a fact that would be incredible, if it were not attested by +the official records of his reign. He was so wise, says history, that he +always divined what could best serve or please the humblest of his +subjects, while he was so good, that the pleasures of others constituted +his greatest happiness. He only lived for others. + +But why praise his goodness? Is not that the virtue of all men of +intelligence and wit? Whatever others may say, _I_ don't believe there +are such things as good brutes here on earth; I speak now of featherless +brutes that go on two legs. When a man is brutal, he cannot be kind and +good; when a man is good, he cannot be brutal;--believe my long +experience, which has learned it. If all blockheads are not +vicious,--and I think they are,--all wicked men are necessarily foolish. +And that is the moral of this story, if you can't find a better one. If +you will find me a better, I will go and tell it to the Pope of Rome +himself. + +_From the Finnish._ + +[Illustration] + + + + +THE RED-COATS. + + +There was commotion in Leafland. All the cities of the Great Republic +were smitten with sudden dismay. Oakwich, Mapleton, Ashby, Elmthorpe, +Beechworth, Sumachford, Nutham, trembled from centre to circumference. +There were hurried consultations, desperate resolutions rejected as soon +as adopted, eager inventories taken of domestic property, and a fearful +looking-for of coming calamity. For, on the fine September morning when +the sun poured out golden showers, and Leafland sat fair and smiling in +robes of green, and so the whole universe was golden-green, there came a +messenger flying from the North country,--a wandering Wood-thrush, +deserted, draggled, and forlorn, faltering on weary wing through the +lovely lanes of Leafland. The men begged him to tarry; the women +promised him the daintiest tidbit in the sweetest bower on the sunniest +bough; and the little Leaf-people clapped their tiny hands, and danced +on the tips of their tiny toes for glee. For so admirably managed in +Leafland are the Department of the Interior and the Bureau of Foreign +Affairs, that you might think the Leaflanders had solved the great +problem of universal brotherhood. The stranger that is within their +gates is all one with him who is bone of their bone and flesh of their +flesh. No sooner does a foreigner enter their borders, than he is +presented with the freedom of all their cities. They provide for his +wants, protect him from danger, and cherish his home as tenderly as if +he were one of themselves. Robin the Red-breast and shy little Veery, +Pewee the plaintive and cheerful Chewink, Long-sparrow, Bluebird, and +sweet Chickadee, all glide freely in and out of their green and golden +halls, flit through their winding streets, and take part in all their +delights. Nor have the Leaflanders any trouble to understand +bird-language. They have not, like the old Ger-men, eaten the hearts of +birds, but by a more excellent way have they entered into all their +secrets. Through long summer days and the silence of dewy nights, they +lean so lovingly over them, they stir so softly around the still +bird-cradles, they coo so tenderly to the sweet egg-nestlings and the +helpless baby-birds, that one heart-language springs up between them, +and shines familiarly through all foreign phrase. Nor is it the birds +alone who take out naturalization-papers in Leafland. All manner of +nations and peoples partake of its hospitalities and remember it for +blessing. You have only to be pure-hearted, and you may become at once a +Leaflander. + +So it came to pass that the Leaflanders were sore grieved at heart to +see the weary Wood-thrush deaf to all their entreaties, and bent alone +on pursuing his solitary way. But as he wheeled slowly above their +heads, as he seemed just about to vanish into the blue distance, they +heard his faint voice--whether in terror or weakness they could not +tell--only the words fell distinctly on their ears,-- + +"_I see! I see! I see! The Red-coats are coming!_" + +Faint and far and clarion-clear, it trembled through Leafland, low but +ominous. Mapleton heard it and wondered; Elmthorpe and Ashby and Nutham +repeated it, looking into one another's eyes for a meaning. Proud old +Oakwich tried to assume a grave aspect, but was inwardly at her wits' +end. "The Red-coats are coming." All the ancient men and women, +great-great-great-great-grandfathers and grandmothers, whose childhood +lay wellnigh lost in the infinite past of April days, said it over to +each other with thin, quavering voices; but all their experience gave +them no key to the mysterious message. Then the post-riders were brought +into requisition. The whole corporation of Gale, Breeze, Zephyr, & Co., +Express Company, all their clerks, agents, and errand-boys, were sent to +and fro through the Commonwealth, to see if any one anywhere had a +little light to bestow upon the subject. Alas! the light came all too +soon, and brought infinite sighing and sobbing. A thought suddenly broke +loose in Oakwich, and up spake an old Oakwichian. "Oh! and oh! and woe +is me for my miserable land now, now about to be bereft of her children! +All her strength destroyed, all her loveliness laid desolate!" + +Straightway throughout Leafland rose the voice of wailing, "Woe! woe! +woe! for the miserable land!" but none of them knew what they were +crying for; only the Oakwichian began it, and nothing better occurred to +them to do than to join in; which soon made the sunny day overcast, and +all the people walking in Netherworld where it approaches Leafland +wrapped their old cloaks about them, and said spitefully, "What a +disagreeable, raw east-wind it is, to be sure!" + +But by and by, when their throats were quite dry and sore with wailing, +one of the Mapletonians, a very sensible young woman, quite famous +indeed for her wisdom, bethought herself to inquire what it was all +about. Then there was a very pretty outburst of indignation. For a +moment they forgot their grief, and, what was still worse, their good +manners, and turned upon the unfortunate young woman. + +"And so you set yourself above your betters, and fiddle while Leafland +is burning!" cried one. + +"And pray, Miss Wiseacre," asked another, "how came _you_ to know so +much more than any one else? Who told _you_ that nothing was the +matter?" + +"Oh! if women would only mind the house, and not meddle with what does +not belong to them!" exclaimed a third. + +All very unjust as you see, for surely the destruction of Leafland +concerned the women as much as the men, and poor "Miss Wiseacre" had not +so much as made an assertion,--only asked a question. However, the +Leaflanders must be excused, because they were quite beside themselves +with terror, and, moreover, a question is sometimes more exasperating +than fire and sword. + +But the old Oakwichian was more reasonable, and, ever glad, even in the +article of death, to disseminate useful knowledge, interposed. "I will +tell you what the matter is," he said. "Well I remember in the far-away +past, in the sunny summer-days that will return, alas! no more,"--here a +burst of sorrow prevented speech, but he presently recovered +himself,--"how a little maid used to walk in Netherworld, and rest under +the shadow of our greatness, toying with the light. She was a favorite +with every one hereabouts. Gold was her hair like a spun sunbeam, blue +her eyes like our own June sky, and her voice might sing the lowest +lullaby of the Red Mavis, or his song to his love in her nest. Sometimes +the little maiden looked up wistfully to us, her eyes all a-gleam with +her glowing fancies. Then we pelted her with sunshine, and caressed her +with shade, and then she was happiest of all. But sometimes she brought +with her hateful things, tasks and tools, useless, awkward, bungling, +sharp weapons, that hurt her tender fingers, long cords that she pulled +aimlessly back and forth, huge books with harsh names, that blurred her +dear eyes and gloomed her bright face. First we tried to shame and then +to woo her away from them, but some invisible old dragon stood over her, +and forced her on; and so we learned at length to watch and wait till +the hated task was over. Thereby we learned many strange and wonderful +things; but this alone is to the purpose, that I surely recall how for +many days she kept reading about the Red-coats, and I peeped down over +her shoulder, as we swayed in the dance one afternoon, and saw pictures +of these same Red-coats, a great destroying army, fierce and fell, who +burn villages, and talk piously, and slay men, women, and children. Them +has friend Wood-thrush verily seen, and against them he strove to warn +us. But, ah! what avails it? What can we do, or whither shall we flee! +Can a nation take wing like a Wood-thrush? Can Leafland flit about like +a Swallow? And who should warrant us that the Red-coats should not +pursue us to remotest fastnesses? Nay, they may be even now upon us. +Woe! woe is me! We were Leaflanders; Oakwich was, and the great glory of +the Elmthorpians! But now we be all dead men!" + +At this, the Leaflanders only paused long enough to upbraid the young +woman. "See now whether anything is the matter!" and immediately fell to +upon their despair. + +"A nation in ruins!" cried the statesman. "Leafland falls from its lofty +summit, and I live to see the day." + +"I behold the gods departing from Leafland," spake the scholar. "This is +the end of the fates of Leafland." + +"Now I do not care for your gods and your fates and your what-all," +sobbed a nervous little lady. "I never could see that they were of any +use in housekeeping; but who shall watch over the tender birdlings when +we are gone?" + +"And never any more dances! Forever, never, never, forever!" You may +know it was a belle said that. + +"Dances are but the vanity of this world," moaned a sedate matron; "but +woe for my dear pet Aphides, with their six hundred thousand children, +who will be dead before they are born!" + +"Bother your six hundred thousand children!" growled a crusty +philosopher. "If they _are_ dead, it is the only good thing ever I heard +about them. It might be worth while to have one's country crashing about +one's ears occasionally, for the sake of being well rid of such trash. +Here are all our laboratories broken up, and the sun's occupation gone, +and you making a to-do about a parcel of babies!" + +"O the sweet sunshine!" wept a poet, but most musically,--"the warm, +delicious sunshine, that our hungry souls can feed upon no more, nor +ever fill our drinking-cups with nectared dew!" + +And so in Mapleton and Sumachford and through all Leafland was nothing +heard but the voice of lamentation, and nothing seen but floods of +tears, and nothing thought of but how to avert or escape the threatened +calamity; and, in their terror and trouble, the Leaflanders almost lost +their fine tempers, and were often on the brink of quarrelling; and the +people walking in Netherworld met each other under blue cotton +umbrellas, and exclaimed, "What a spell of weather!" and altogether it +was very uncomfortable, both in Leafland and Netherworld. + +Just at this time a gay young Chipmonk appeared upon the scene,--a +careless, dashing, saucy fellow, very popular among the young +Leaflanders of the rapid sort. He came skipping and frisking into +Nutham, as his manner was, both pockets full of corn which he had +_confiscated_, he remarked significantly, from a field down yonder. He +nodded jauntily right and left, and then disposed himself comfortably in +a corner, and began cracking his dainties in a very free-and-easy +manner, not noticing the woe-begone aspect of his friends. All at once, +however, he awoke to a realizing sense of things, and showed his +sympathy after his own fashion, by giving a sudden flirt with his tail, +and calling out, irreverently, "What's the row?" + +Amid tears and sighs, the sad story was related to him, in all its +length and breadth and thickness; but, instead of the answering tear and +sigh which his auditors expected, he only thrust his paws into his +pockets, and whisked his tail over his back in frantic convulsions of +laughter; muttering, as breath came to him in the pauses, "O, what a +gony! For that matter, O, what a pack of gonies!" + +Now the Leaflanders were quite too well-bred ever to have used or heard +so barbarous a word as "gony." Nevertheless, reason and instinct both +taught them, as it will teach all people of refined sensibilities, that +to be called a gony is to be called something very disagreeable; and if +anything can heighten the unpleasant sensation, it is to be called "a +pack of gonies." Consequently the Leaflanders began to look at each +other blankly, and even to suspect that possibly they had been making +fools of themselves. But Chipmonk did not leave them long in suspense. +"Your terrible Red-coats are your own selves," he cried. "I have heard +of people being frightened by their own shadow; but never, in all my +born days, did I hear of any one being frightened by his own shine." + +"Now will you explain yourself?" cried one of the young ladies, her +curiosity getting the better of her chagrin. All the old men and the +young men were longing to know, but were too proud to ask; but the +question being asked for them, they were glad enough to crowd in, and +hear the answer. + +"It is only this, and nothing more," answered Chipmonk, ejecting a +pine-seed from his mouth. "You are all going to have a new suit of +clothes, more splendid than you ever saw in your lives,--yellow and +brown and spotted, and all manner of magnificent colors, but chiefly +red; and then you will be Red-coats, won't you? Wood-thrush came from +north, where the tailoring began; and he saw it, and told you. It is a +sign for him to be up and flying. He thought it would be his excuse for +declining your invitation, instead of which you all went thrusting your +heads into a bramble-bush. O my!" + +"But say, Chipmonk, do you know this? Are you sure of it? It seems too +good news to be true." + +"Well, all I can say is, I have lived here, man and boy, nigh on to +forty months; and I know it always _has_ happened about this time. I am +young for a Chipmonk; but I was in full career long before the oldest +crone among you was born; and if there is anything hereabouts that I +don't know, you may take your affidavit it isn't worth knowing." And he +sat back, and betook himself once more to his "confiscated" corn with +the most indifferent superiority. + +Oh! but there was gladness then in Leafland, you may be sure. All their +sadness was turned to rejoicing; and even then the work of +transformation--called, in squirrelicular, "tailoring"--began. Old and +young, men and maids, felt a glory in their blood. All the essence of +the summer-long sunshine seemed to pour itself into their hearts. From +one end of Leafland to another was only singing and dancing and delight. +Mapleton crowned herself with a golden crown, and Oakwich wreathed her +brows with the sunset. All the beauty of the past was dull and sombre to +this new splendor, this royal magnificence, born of the ineffable light. + +A poet and a publisher walked through the Essex woods one October +afternoon; and they remarked that the foliage was very brilliant this +year, which was quite true; but if I had not been born, you never would +have known all about it. + +_Gail Hamilton._ + +[Illustration] + + + + +THE COLOR-BEARER + +[Illustration] + + + Was a fortress to be stormed: + Boldly right in view they formed, + All as quiet as a regiment parading: + Then in front a line of flame! + Then at left and right the same! + Two platoons received a furious enfilading. + To their places still they filed, + And they smiled at the wild + Cannonading. + + "'T will be over in an hour! + 'T will not be much of a shower! + Never mind, my boys," said he, "a little drizzling!" + Then to cross that fatal plain, + Through the whirring, hurtling rain + Of the grape-shot, and the minie-bullets' whistling! + But he nothing heeds nor shuns, + As he runs with the guns + Brightly bristling! + + Leaving trails of dead and dying + In their track, yet forward flying + Like a breaker where the gale of conflict rolled them, + With a foam of flashing light + Borne before them on their bright + Burnished barrels,--O, 't was fearful to behold them! + While from ramparts roaring loud + Swept a cloud like a shroud + To enfold them! + + O, his color was the first! + Through the burying cloud he burst, + With the standard to the battle forward slanted! + Through the belching, blinding breath + Of the flaming jaws of Death, + Till his banner on the bastion he had planted! + By the screaming shot that fell, + And the yell of the shell, + Nothing daunted. + + Right against the bulwark dashing, + Over tangled branches crashing, + 'Mid the plunging volleys thundering ever louder! + There he clambers, there he stands, + With the ensign in his hands,-- + O, was ever hero handsomer or prouder? + Streaked with battle-sweat and slime, + And sublime in the grime + Of the powder! + + 'T was six minutes, at the least, + Ere the closing combat ceased,-- + Near as we the mighty moments then could measure,-- + And we held our souls with awe, + Till his haughty flag we saw + On the lifting vapors drifting o'er the embrasure! + Saw it glimmer in our tears, + While our ears heard the cheers + Rend the azure! + + Through the abatis they broke, + Through the surging cannon-smoke, + And they drove the foe before like frightened cattle! + O, but never wound was his, + For in other wars than this, + Where the volleys of Life's conflict roar and rattle, + He must still, as he was wont, + In the front bear the brunt + Of the battle. + + He shall guide the van of Truth! + And in manhood, as in youth, + Be her fearless, be her peerless Color-Bearer! + With his high and bright example, + Like a banner brave and ample, + Ever leading through receding clouds of Error, + To the empire of the Strong, + And to Wrong he shall long + Be a terror! + + _J. T. Trowbridge._ + + + + +THE LITTLE PRISONER. + +PART I. + +ON THE BATTLE-GROUND. + + +We--grandma, "our young folks," and I--live up here among the hills, in +a quaint, old-fashioned farm-house,--older than any of the "old folks" +now living; and every day, when the sun goes down, we gather around the +great wood fire in the sitting-room, and talk and tell stories by the +hour together. I tell the most of the stories; for, though I am only a +plain farmer, going about in a slouched hat, a rusty coat, and a pair of +pantaloons so old and threadbare that you would not wear them if you +were in the ash business, I have mingled with men, seen a great many +places, and been almost all over the world. + +My own children like my stories, because they think they are true, and +because they are all about the men I have met, and the places I have +seen, and so give them some glimpses of what is going on in the busy +life outside of our quiet country home; but I do not expect other young +folks to like them as well as my own do,--for their own father will not +tell them. However, I am going to write out a few of the many I know, in +the hope that they may give some trifling pleasure and instruction to +boys and girls I have never seen, and who gather of evenings around +firesides far away from the one where all my stories are first told. + +As I sit down to write by this bright, blazing fire, the clouds are +scudding across the moon, and the wind is moaning around the old house, +shaking the doors, and rattling the windows, and snapping the branches +of the great trees as if a whole regiment of young giants were cracking +their whips in the court-yard. On just such a night a wounded boy lay +out on the Wilderness battle-ground! + +You have heard of that great battle; how two hundred thousand men met in +a dense forest, and for two long days and nights, over wooded hills, and +through tangled valleys, and deep, rocky ravines, surged against each +other like angry waves in a storm. And you have heard, too--what is very +pitiful to hear--how, when that bloody storm was over, and the sun came +out, dim and cold, on the cheerless May morning which followed, thirty +thousand men--every one the father, brother, or friend of some young +folks at home--lay dead and dying on that awful field. Amid such a host +of dead and dying men, you might overlook one little boy, who, all that +starless Friday night, lay there wounded in the Wilderness. I do not +want you to overlook him, and therefore I am going to tell you his +story. + +He was a bright-eyed, fair-haired boy of twelve, the only son of his +mother, who was a widow. He used to read at home of how little boys had +gone to the war, how they had been in the great battles, and how great +generals had praised them; and he longed to go to the war too, and to do +something to make himself as famous as the little boy who fought on the +Rappahannock. For a long time his mother was deaf to his +entreaties,--and he would not go without her consent; but at last, when +a friend of his father raised a company of hundred-days men in his +native town, she let him join as a drummer-boy in the regiment. + +The first battle he was in was the terrible one in the Wilderness. His +regiment shared in the first day's fight, but he escaped unharmed; and +all that night, though tired and hungry, he went about in the woods +carrying water to the wounded. The next morning he snatched a few hours' +sleep, and that and a good breakfast refreshed him greatly. At ten +o'clock his regiment moved, and it kept moving and fighting all that +day, until the sun went down; but, though a hundred of his comrades had +fallen around him, he remained unhurt. + +The shadows were deepening into darkness, and the night was hanging its +lanterns up in the sky, when the weary men threw themselves on the +ground to rest. Overcome with fatigue, he too lay down, and, giving one +thought to his mother at home, and another to his Father in heaven, fell +fast asleep. Suddenly the sharp rattle of musketry and the deafening +roar of cannon sounded along the lines, and five thousand rebels rushed +out upon them. Surprised and panic-stricken, our men broke and fled; +and, roused by the terrible uproar, James--that was his name--sprang to +his feet, but only in time to catch in his arms the captain, who was +falling. He was shot through and through by a minie ball. + +James laid him gently on the ground, took his head tenderly in his lap; +and listened to the last words he had to send to his wife and children. +Meanwhile, yelling like demons, the Rebels came on, and passed them. +Then he could have escaped to the woods, but he would not leave his +father's friend when he was dying. + +Soon our men rallied, and in turn drove the enemy. Slowly and sullenly +the Rebels fell back to the hill where James and his friend were lying. +There they made a stand, and for half an hour fought desperately, but +were at last overborne and forced back again. As they were on the eve of +retreating, a tall, ragged ruffian came up to James, and demanded the +watch and money of the captain. + +"You will not rob a dying man?" said the little boy, looking up to him +imploringly. + +"Wall, I woan't!" was the Rebel's brutal reply, as he aimed his bayonet +straight at the captain's heart. + +By a quick, dexterous movement, James parried the blow; but, turning +suddenly on the poor boy, the ruffian, with another thrust of his +bayonet, ran him directly through the body. His head sunk back to the +ground, and he fainted. + +How long he lay there unconscious he does not know, but when he came to +himself the moon had gone down, and the stars had disappeared, and +thick, black clouds were filling all the sky. It did not rain, but the +cold wind moaned among the trees, and chilled him through and through. +He tried to rise, but a sharp pain came in his side, and for the first +time he thought of his wound. Passing his hand to it, he found it was +clotted with blood. The cold air had stopped the bleeding, and thus +saved his life. Though the bayonet had gone clear through him, his hurt +was not mortal, for no vital part was injured. + +He thought of the captain, and spoke his name; but no answer came. Then +he reached out his hand to find him. He was there, but his face was +cold,--colder than the cold night that was about them. He was dead. + +The wounded lay all around, and all this while their cries and groans, +as they called piteously for water, or moaned aloud in their agony, came +to his ear, and went to his very soul. He had heard their cries the +night before, as he crept about among them in the thick woods; but then +they had not sounded so sad, so pitiful, as now, and that night was not +so cold, so dark, so cheerless as this was. Soon he knew the full extent +of their agony. An intolerable thirst came upon him. Hot, melted lead +seemed to run along his veins, and a burning heat, as of a fire of hot +coals kindling in his side, almost consumed him. He cried out for help, +but no help came,--for water, but still he thirsted. Then he +prayed,--prayed to the Good Father, who he knew was looking pitifully +down on him through the thick darkness, to come and help him. + +And He came. He always comes to those who ask for Him. Soon the clouds +grew darker, the wind rose higher, and the rain--the cooling, soothing, +grateful rain--poured down in torrents. It wet him through and through, +but it eased his pain, cooled the fever in his blood, and he slept! In +all that cold and pelting storm he slept! + +It was broad day when he awoke. The sun was shining dimly through the +thick masses of gray clouds which floated in the sky, but the wind had +gone down, and the rain was over. The moans of the wounded still came +to him, but they were not so frequent, nor so terrible, as they were the +night before. Many had found relief from the rain, and many had ceased +moaning forever. + +He could not rise, but, after long and painful effort, he succeeded in +turning over on his side. Then he had a view of the scene around him. He +lay near the summit of a gentle hill, at whose base a little brook was +flowing. At the north it was crowned with a dense growth of oaks and +pines and cedar thickets, but at the south and west it sloped away into +waving meadows and pleasant cornfields, already green with the opening +beauty of spring. Beyond the meadows were other hills, and knolls, and +rocky heights, all covered with an almost impenetrable forest, and there +the hardest fighting of those terrible days was done. A narrow road, +bordered by a worm-fence (Western boys know what a worm-fence is), wound +around the foot of the hill, and led to a large mansion standing half +hidden in a grove of oaks and elms, not half a mile away. Before this +mansion were pleasant lawns and gardens, and in its rear a score or more +of little negro houses, whose whitewashed walls were gleaming in the +sun. This was the plantation--so James afterwards learned--of Major +Lucy, one of those wicked men whose bad ambition has brought this +dreadful war on our country. + +The scene was very beautiful, and, looking at it, James forgot for a +moment the darker picture, drawn in blood, on the grass around him. But +there it was. Blackened muskets, broken saddles, overturned caissons, +wounded horses snorting in agony, and fair-haired boys and gray-haired +men mangled and bleeding,--some piled in heaps, and some stretched out +singly to die,--lay all over that green hillside! Here and there a +crippled soldier was creeping about among the wounded, and, close by, a +stalwart man, the blood dripping from his dangling sleeve, was wrapping +a blue-eyed, pale-faced boy in his blanket. "Don't cry, Freddy," he +said; "ye sha'n't be cold! Yer mother'll soon be yere!" But the boy gave +no answer, for--he was dead! + +"He don't hear you," said James. "He isn't cold now!" + +"I'se afeard he ar',--he said he war. Oh! ef his mother know'd he war +yere! 't would break her heart,--break her heart!" moaned the man, still +wrapping the blanket about the boy. + +James closed his eyes to shut out the painful scene, and the thought of +his own mother came to him. Would it not break _her_ heart to know he +was wounded? to hear, perhaps, that he was dead? He must not die; for +her sake, he must not die! ONE only could help him, and so he prayed. +Again he prayed that the Good Father would come to him, and again the +Good Father came! + +"What is _ye_ a doin' yere, honey,--a little one loike ye?" asked a kind +voice at his side. + +He looked up. It was an old black woman, dressed in a faded woollen +gown, a red and yellow turban, and a pair of flesh-colored stockings +which Nature herself had given her. She was very short, almost as broad +as she was long, and had a face as large round as the moon,--and it +looked very much like the moon when it shines through a black cloud; +for, though darker than midnight, it was all over light,--that kind of +light which shines through the faces of good people. + +"I am wounded; I want water," said the little boy, feebly. + +"Ye shill hab it, honey," said the woman, giving him some from a bucket +she had set on the ground. + +"Guv some ter _my_ lad," cried the man who sat by the dead boy; "he's +been a cryin' fur it all night--all night! Didn't ye yere him?" + +"No, I didn't, massa. I hain't been yere more'n a hour, and a tousand's +a heap fur one ole ooman ter 'tend on," she replied, filling a gourd +from the bucket, and going with it to the dead boy. + +She stooped down and held the water to his lips, but in a moment started +back, and cried out in a frightened way,--"He'm dead! _He_ can't drink +no more!" + +"He hain't dead!" yelled the man, fiercely; "he sha'n't die! Guv _me_ +the water, ole 'ooman." + +With a trembling hand, he tried to give it to his son. He held it to the +boy's lips for a moment, then, dropping the gourd, and sinking to the +ground, he cried out,--"It'll kill his mother,--kill his mother! Oh! +oh!" + +"He'm better off, massa," said the woman, in a voice full of pity; "he'm +whar he kin drink foreber ob de bery water ob life." + +"Gwo away, ole 'ooman,--gwo away,--doan't speak ter me!" moaned the man, +throwing his arms around the body of his boy, and burying his face in +the blanket he had wrapped about him. + +Brushing her tears away with her apron, the woman turned to James, and +said,--"Whar is ye hurted, honey? Leff aunty see." + +The little boy opened his jacket, and showed her his side. She could not +see the wound, for the blood had glued his shirt, and even his +waistcoat, to his body; but she said, kindly,--"Don't fret, honey. +'Tain't nuffin ter hurt,--it'll soon be well. Ole Katy'll borrer a +blanket or so frum some o' dese as is done dead, and git ye warm; and +den, when she's gub'n a little more water ter de firsty ones, she'll +take a keer ob you,--she will, honey; so neber you f'ar." + +She went away, but soon came again with the blankets, and, wrapping two +about him, and putting another under his head, said,--"Dar, honey, now +you'll be warm; and neber you keer ef ole Katy hab borrer'd de blankets. +Dey'll neber want 'em darselfs; and she knows it'll do dar bery souls +good, eben whar dey is, ter know _you's_ got 'em. So neber keer, and gwo +ter sleep,--dat's a good chile. Aunty'll be yere agin in a jiffin." + +James thanked the good woman, and, closing his eyes again, soon fell +asleep. The sun was right over his head, when old Katy awoke him, and +said,--"Now, honey, Aunty's ready now. She'll tote you off ter de +plantation, and hab you all well in less nur no time, she will; fur +massa's 'way, and dar haint no 'un dar now ter say she sha'n't." + +"You can't carry me; I'm too heavy, Aunty," said James, making a faint +effort to smile. + +"Carry you! Why, honey chile, ole Katy could tote a big man, forty times +so heaby as you is, ef dey was only a hurted so bad as you." + +Taking him up, then, as if he had been a bag of feathers, she laid his +head over her shoulder, and, cuddling him close to her bosom, carried +him off to the large mansion he had seen in the distance. + +What befell him there I shall tell "our young folks" in the next number +of this, their own Magazine. + +_Edmund Kirke._ + + + + +THOMAS HUGHES. + + +The portrait given with the present number of "Our Young Folks" is that +of one of England's cleverest writers and best men,--Thomas Hughes. Mr. +Hughes is well known throughout all America as the author of those most +spirited and truthful books, "School Days at Rugby," and "Tom Brown at +Oxford,"--books which all young people, girls as well as boys, ought to +read, and which their elders cannot fail to find delightful and +profitable. Another volume, "The Scouring of the White Horse," has also +been republished in this country, but as its interest is quite +local,--the scene being laid in the county of Kent, England, and the +principal incidents relating to a festival which took place there,--it +has not been so extensively circulated. + +Mr. Hughes is the second son of John Hughes, Esq., of Donington Priory, +near Newbury, Berks Co., England. He was born October 20, 1823, and +received his early education at Rugby under the instruction of the noble +Dr. Arnold, who is depicted so beautifully in "School Days at Rugby." In +1841 he entered Oriel College, Oxford, and received his degree of B. A. +in 1845. He immediately registered himself as a student at Lincoln's +Inn, and was called to the bar in January, 1848. + +Mr. Hughes still pursues the profession of a barrister, in which he +stands prominent, and devotes much of his time to the writing and doing +of good things. He has been a strong helper in plans for the education +and assistance of workmen in his own country, and has always advocated +the principles of liberty and justice everywhere. He is one of the +truest friends that the United States has in England, and his voice and +his pen have never failed to support her cause against that of Rebeldom. + +[Illustration] + + + + +PHYSICAL HEALTH. + +TO THE YOUNG PEOPLE OF AMERICA. + + +The great war will end. Then what magnificent expansion! But what +immense responsibilities! Soon they must rest upon you,--your manhood +and womanhood. God and the nations will watch you. + +A great and good nation is made up of great and good men and women. A +strong building cannot be made of weak timbers. + +A complete man is composed of a healthy body, a cultured brain, and a +true heart. Wanting either he fails. Is his heart false? His strong head +and body become instruments of evil. Is his head weak? His strong body +and true heart are cheated. Is the body sick? His noble head and heart +are like a great engine in a rickety boat. + + +_Our Young Folks are strong and good._ + +I have studied the life of the young among the better peoples of Europe. +It is not flattery to say, that you, my young fellow-countrymen, have +the best heads and hearts in the world. The great size of your brains is +noticed by every intelligent stranger. The ceaseless activity of those +brains is one of the most striking features of American life. American +growth, as seen in railways, telegraphs, and agriculture, is tame and +slow when compared with the achievements of our schools. And where else +among the young are there such organizations for the spread of the +Gospel, for temperance, for the relief of the sick and wounded? + + +_But our Young Folks are weak._ + +[Illustration: Fig. 1 John. Fig. 2 Thomas.] + +Your weakness is in your bodies. Here lies your danger. I see nothing +which distresses me so much as the physique of the children in our +public schools. Great heads, beautiful faces, brilliant eyes; but with +that attenuated neck, thin, flat chest, and languid gait. Look at these +two boys, John and Thomas. John is a native Yankee. I found him, without +long searching, in one of our public schools. Thomas is an imaginary +boy, composed by the artist. + + +_Causes of John's Deformity._ + +He has lain several hours every night in the position seen in Fig. 3. +Much of that ugly pushing forward of the head among girls is produced by +thick pillows. + +Young people should sleep on hair pillows two inches thick. Ambitious +girls and boys throw the pillow aside. This is the other extreme, and +wrong. It is unhealthy to lie constantly on the back. You must +frequently change to the side. But when you turn upon the side, if you +have no pillow, you must either twist the shoulders into a mischievous +attitude, or let the head fall down to the level of the shoulder, as +seen in Fig. 4. This disturbs the circulation in the neck. + +[Illustration: Fig. 3. Fig. 4.] + + +_False Positions while sitting._ + +Another cause of the bad shape of John's spine we find in his bad +positions while sitting. Fig. 5 represents the position in which he +should sit. You observe his feet rest on the floor. His hips are against +the back of the chair. His spine is erect. In this position he may sit +two hours without fatigue, provided the chair be a good one. About +chairs I shall presently say something. + +[Illustration: Fig. 5. Fig. 6.] + +Fig. 6 shows a position in which I often see John. Do you observe how, +_with his legs crossed_, he must push forward on the seat? The small of +the back is no longer supported. The strain will soon produce weakness +and pain. + +Fig. 7 represents a still worse position. The strain upon the small of +the back must not only produce weakness there, but must soon incline the +spine to bend backward, while its natural shape at that point is a +beautiful curve forward. + +Writers on manners say the positions seen in Figs. 6 and 7 are vulgar. +In this case, as in most others, propriety and physiology are in +harmony. + + +_Positions in School._ + +Fig. 8 shows a bad posture. Sitting thus three hours a day must soon +produce round shoulders. Various devices have been proposed to help the +pupil out of this difficulty. Our booksellers furnish a simple rack, +which is shown in Fig. 9. It holds one or two books. In Fig. 10 two +books are seen resting upon it. Fig. 11 shows the position of the pupil +while using the book-rack. An eminent professor in a New-England college +said to the assembled students, the other day, "This book-holder will +add years to a literary man's life." + +[Illustration: Fig. 7. Fig. 8.] + + +_Chairs._ + +I promised a word about chairs. Our manufacturers do not consider health +in designing the shape of chairs. The seats are too high, and too nearly +horizontal. Boys and girls occupy seats seventeen inches high. A girl +twelve years old should have a chair with the seat not more than twelve +inches high. For a man even, it should not be more than fifteen or +sixteen inches. (These dimensions apply to the front of the seat.) The +back part should be at least two inches lower. With this inclination, +the sitter will slide backward, against the back of the chair, instead +of sliding forward, as he generally does. This sliding forward produces +a strain upon the small of the back, and is, in fact, the cause of most +of the fatigue in sitting. The width of the chair-seat from front to +back should be the same as the height in front. + +[Illustration: Fig. 9. Fig. 10.] + +The chair-_back_ should project farthest forward at that point which +corresponds to the small of the back. Instead of this, there is +generally at that point a hollow. This error is the cause of much pain +and weakness in the lower part of the spine. + +Fig. 12 shows an unphysiological chair. It is a fashionable +parlor-chair. Fig. 13 is a physiological chair. Two hours in this will +fatigue less than half an hour in that. + +[Illustration: Fig. 11. Fig. 12. Fig. 13.] + + +_Walking._ + +Americans are bad walkers. It is rare to find an exception, even in our +army. Among Europeans, and the aborigines of our own continent, a noble +mien is not uncommon. I understand the causes of this ugly defect, among +our people, but my present purpose is simply to call attention to it, +and to point out the remedy. + +In English and French books on the military drill and physical training, +whole chapters discuss the subject of walking. We are told that this or +that part of the foot must touch the ground first,--that the angles must +be so and so, &c., &c. I will not say this advice is not right, but I +will say that very few have been helped by it. + +Look at a good walker. Shoulders, head, and hips drawn well back, and +the chest thrown forward. What a firm, vigorous tread! Such a walk may +easily be secured by carrying a weight upon the head. An iron crown has +been devised for this purpose. It consists of three crowns, one within +the other, each weighing about nine pounds. One or all three may be worn +at a time. + +The water-carriers of Southern Europe, although belonging to the lowest +class, have a noble bearing. Certain negroes in the South, who "tote" +burdens upon the head as a business, can be readily pointed out in a +crowd. The effort required to keep the burden directly over the spine so +develops the muscles of the back and neck, that in the absence of the +burden the head is carried in a noble, erect attitude. + +By carrying one of these crowns upon the head half an hour two or three +times a day, while walking in the garden or through the halls of the +house, one may soon become a fine walker. One tenth of the time occupied +in learning a few tunes on the piano, given to this exercise, would +insure any girl a noble carriage. The crown is not necessary. Any weight +which does not press upon the very crown of the head, but _about_ it, +will answer the purpose equally well. + +Fig. 14 exhibits John as the photographer took him the first time he +wore the crown. You observe how his form is changed. + + +_False Positions while walking, in Schools._ + +Fig. 15 shows the worst of them. This is no exaggeration of what I have +seen in our New-England schools. It is not common among scholars to join +the hands thus, and carry the body erect. Fig. 16 shows a still worse +position. If you stand erect, with your arms hanging by the sides, and +then deliberately fold the arms, as in this figure, you will find the +points of the shoulders are drawn forward two inches, and the chest much +contracted. Experiments prove that the amount of air which the lungs can +inhale is reduced fifteen to eighteen per cent when the arms are thus +folded. + +Fig. 17 secures a good position of the spine, and opens the chest. Fig. +18 is not very seemly, but, practised five minutes two or three times a +day, would do much to develop the muscles of the spine, and particularly +those of the back of the neck, whose weakness permits the head to +droop. This subject I commend to teachers and school-committees. + +[Illustration: Fig. 14. Fig. 15. Fig. 16. Fig. 17. Fig. 18.] + + +_The Muff._ + +It draws the shoulders forward, and produces an ugly gait. Let a boy +wear a shawl, and hold it together in front with his hands, and he will +have the same disagreeable waddle. If he wears it even for one winter, +he will learn to stoop. Muffs, shawls, and those cloaks which do not +allow the arms to swing freely, should all be thrown overboard. +Over-coats should be worn by both sexes. + +The arms are almost as necessary in walking as the legs. The first time +you are walking with your arms at liberty, stop moving them and hold +them by your sides. You will be surprised to find how soon your +companion will leave you behind, although you may hurry, twist, wriggle, +and try very hard to keep up. One reason for the slow walk among girls +is to be found in this practice of carrying the arms motionless. Three +miles an hour with the arms still, is as hard work as four miles with +the arms free. + +I have seen the queens of the stage walk. I have seen a few girls and +women of queenly bearing walk in the street and drawing-room. They moved +their arms in a free and graceful manner. Could this habit become +universal among girls, their chests would enlarge and their bearing be +greatly improved. See that girl walking with both hands in her muff. How +she wriggles and twists her shoulders and hips! This is because her arms +are pinioned. Give _them_ free swing, and her gait would soon become +more graceful. + +You have seen pictures of our muscles. Those of the upper part of the +body, you remember, spread out from the shoulder, in all directions, +like a fan. Now if you hold the shoulder still, the muscles of the chest +will shrink, the shoulders stoop, and the whole chest become thin and +ugly. + +But some girls will say, "Swinging the arms must be very _slight_ +exercise." True, it is very slight, if you swing the arms but once or +ten times, but if you swing them ten thousand times in a day, you will +obtain more exercise of the muscles of the chest than by all other +ordinary movements combined. Indeed, if I were asked what exercise I +thought most effective for developing the chests of American girls, I +should reply at once, _swinging the arms while walking_. + +_Dio Lewis._ + + + + +ANDY'S ADVENTURES; + +OR THE WORLD BEWITCHED. + + +Andy's folks had gone to town, and left him at home to take care of the +house, watch the garden, and amuse himself. + +Andy had a new bow and arrow, and he thought it would be great sport to +have nothing to do all the afternoon but to shoot at the robins and +woodpeckers. + +So, as soon as the wagon was out of sight, and the gate shut, he ran +into the orchard, and began the fun. He kept near enough to the house to +see if anybody came to the door, and near enough to the garden to see if +the pigs got into it; and whenever he saw a bird, he sent an arrow +after it. But the robins soon found out what he wanted, and flew away +when they saw him coming. Their beautiful red breasts would have been +capital marks, if they had only waited for him to get a good shot. The +wrens were not afraid, but they were so small he could not hit them. And +the swallows kept flying about so, twittering and darting here and +there, that he knew he would have to practise a long time before he +could take them on the wing. The yellow-birds and blue-birds were so +shy, that he could hardly see one in sight of the house. So there was no +game left but the woodpeckers. + +But woodpeckers are cunning fellows. They run up the trees, and stick in +their bills, and hop about, and fly from one tree to another so fast, +that it takes a pretty smart boy to hit one. They were tame enough, and +would sometimes let Andy come quite near; they would stop pecking a +moment, and hold up their red heads to take a good look at him; then +they would begin to drum again in the merriest way, making little holes +in the old peach-trees, which began to look like wooden soldiers that +had gone through the wars and been shot in hundreds of places. But the +instant Andy drew the bowstring and took aim, they knew well enough what +it meant; and it was provoking to see them dodge around on the bark and +get out of sight just in time to let the arrow whiz by them. Then they +would go to pecking and drumming again so near, that he wished a dozen +times that he had some kind of an arrow that would shoot around a tree +and hit on the other side. + +At length Andy grew tired of this fun; and he had lost his arrow so many +times in the grass, and had to hunt for it, that he got vexed, and +thought it would be much better sport to go and shoot a chicken. + +Now he did not mean to kill a chicken, and he did not really think he +would be able to hit one. But often we do things more easily when we are +not trying very hard, than when we are too anxious. So it happened with +Andy. He tried his luck on the speckled top-knot, which everybody +considered the handsomest chick that had been hatched that summer. He +drew his bow, let go the string, and the speckled top-knot keeled over. +He ran up to it, very proud, at first, of his good shot, but frightened +enough when he found that the chicken only just kicked a little, and +then lay quite still. + +Andy turned it over, and tried to stand it upon its legs, and thought +what he should tell his parents. + +"I'll say a hawk flew down and killed it! But I shot at the hawk, and he +let it drop, just as he was flying away with it." + +This was the story he made up, as he took poor top-knot and laid it down +by the well-curb. + +He was still wishing to shoot something that was alive, and, seeing the +cat creeping along on the fence watching for a mouse, he concluded to +try his luck with her. So he drew up, aimed, and fired. Puss was so +intent on watching the mouse that she paid no attention at all to the +arrow, which struck the rail a little behind her, and glanced off +towards the house. Andy heard a sound like shivered glass, and, running +up, saw to his dismay that he had broken a window. + +Now he had been told never to shoot his arrow towards the house; and how +to conceal the accident and avoid punishment he couldn't at first +imagine. The glass lay scattered on the pantry shelf, and the hole in +the pane was large enough to put his hand through. + +"I'll say Joe Beals came and wanted my bow, and because I wouldn't let +him have it, he threw a stone at me, and broke the window." + +And having made up this story, he searched for such a stone as Joe would +be apt to throw, and, having found one, placed it on the pantry floor, +to appear as if it had fallen there after passing through the glass. + +These accidents made him dislike his bow, and he hung it up in the +wood-shed. Then he made a lasso of a string, and caught the cat by +throwing the noose over her head. But Puss did not like the sport as +well as he did, and gave him such a scratch that he was glad to let her +run off with the lasso. Then he thought he would plague the old sow by +getting one of her little pink-white pigs; but the instant he had caught +it up in his arms, it began to squeal; and the mother, hearing it, ran +after him with such a frightful noise, throwing up her great, savage +tusks at him, that he dropped it, and ran for his life. She stopped to +smell of Piggy, and see if it was hurt; and so he got away, though he +was terribly frightened. + +Then Andy thought of his toy ship; and having stopped the holes in the +sink, and pumped it full of water, he called it his ocean, and launched +the "Sea-bird." With a pair of bellows he made wind, and with a dipper +he made waves; and by placing a kettle bottom upwards in the middle of +the sink he made an island; and the good ship pitched, and tossed, and +rolled in a very exciting manner. At length he resolved to have a +shipwreck. This he managed, not by putting the ship on a rock, but by +putting a rock on the ship. He used for the purpose the stone Joe Beals +did not throw through the pantry window, and the "Sea-bird" went down, +with all her crew on board. He then opened the holes in the sink, and +the tide, going out, left the vessel on her beam-ends, stranded. + +It would have been well for Andy if he had been contented with such +innocent pastimes, without doing mischief to the cat, or chickens, or +pigs, or trying to shoot the pretty birds that fly about the orchards, +singing so sweetly, and eating the worms that destroy the trees. + +But nothing satisfied him; and to have some better fun than any yet, he +determined to stand in the door and scream, "Fire!" He could not imagine +greater sport than to see the neighbors come running to put out the +fire, and then laugh at them for being duped. He did not consider that +they would have to leave their work, and run a long distance, till they +were quite out of breath; or that his laughter would be a very mean and +foolish return for the good-will they would show in hastening to save +his father's house; or that, in case the house should really take fire +some day, and he should call for help, people might think it another +silly trick, and stay away. + +He stood in the door, filled his lungs with a long breath, opened his +mouth as wide as he could, and screamed,--"Fire! fire! fire!" + +Three times. He thought it so funny, that he had to stop and laugh. +Then he took another breath, and screamed again, louder than +before,--"Fire! fire! fire! fire! fire!" + +Five times; and he heard the echoes away off among the hills; and, +looking across the lot, he saw old Mother Quirk hobbling on her crutch. + +Old Mother Quirk was just about the queerest woman in the world. She had +a nose as crooked as a horn, and almost as long. It crooked down to meet +her chin, and her chin crooked up to meet her nose. And some people said +she could hold the end of a thread between them, when she wished to +twist a cord with both hands,--although I doubt it. Her face was so full +of wrinkles, that the smallest spot you could think of had at least +twenty in it. Her eyes were as black as charcoal, and as bright as +diamonds. She was very old; and her back was bent like a bow; and her +hair was perfectly white, and as long and fine as the finest kind of +flax; and she was so lame that she could never walk without her crutch. + +She was a good woman though, people said, and knew almost everything. +She could tell when it would rain to-morrow, and when it would be fair. +She would shut her eyes, and tell you all about your friends at a +distance; describe them as plainly as if she saw them, and inform you if +anything pleasant or unpleasant had happened to them. She knew more +about curing the sick than the doctors did; and once when Andy had hurt +his foot by jumping upon a sharp stub, and it was so sore for a week +that he could not step, and it had been poulticed and plastered till it +was as white and soft as cheese-curd, Mother Quirk had cured it in three +days, by putting on to it a bit of dried beef's gall, which drew out a +sliver that the doctors had never thought of. She was always ready to +help people who were in trouble; and now, when Andy screamed fire, she +was the first to come hobbling on her crutch. + +"What is burning, Andy?" she cried, as she came through the gate. "Where +is the fire?" + +"In the bottom of the well!" replied Andy, laughing till his side ached. +"O, ho, ho! why don't you bring some water in a thimble, and put the +well out? O, ho, ho! Mother Quirk!" + +There was fire in the old woman's eyes just then, if not in the well. It +flashed out of them like two little streams of lightning out of two +little jet-black clouds. She lifted her crutch, and I am not sure but +she would have struck Andy with it, if she had not been too lame to +catch him. + +"Put the well out, ho, ho, ho!" laughed Andy, hopping away. + +"I would put you in, if I could get hold of you!" said Mother Quirk, +shaking her crutch at him. "You wouldn't be dancing around so on that +foot of yours, if I hadn't cured it for you, and this is the thanks I +get for it!" + +That made Andy feel rather ashamed; for he began to see how ungrateful +it was in him to play the old woman such a trick. + +"It isn't the first time you've made me run for nothing, with my poor +old crutch," she went on, as he stopped laughing. "The other day you +told me your mother was sick abed, and wanted to see me; and I left +everything and hobbled over here; and didn't I find her ironing clothes +in the kitchen, as well a woman as she ever was in her life, you little +rogue!" + +Andy laughed again at the recollection. "You was smoking your pipe," +said he, "with your old black cat in your lap, and 't was fun to see you +jump up and catch your crutch!" + +"Fun to you! but do you think of my poor old bones? I'm almost a hundred +years old," said Mother Quirk; "and shall I tell you what I've learnt +all this time? I've learnt that the meanest thing in the world is to +treat ill those who treat you kindly; and that the worst thing is +lying." + +Andy was sobered again, and the old woman continued:-- + +"What if everybody and everything should lie? What if we could never +know when to believe what our friends and neighbors tell us? What if my +crutch should lie, and, when I lean on it, break and let me fall?" + +"I think it would be fun!" said Andy. + +"And what if the ground you stand on should not be the ground it appears +to be, but a great pit, and should let you fall into it when you think +you are walking on the grass? Suppose that everything was a lie, that +nothing was what it pretends to be, that the whole world should trick +and cheat us?" cried the old woman, raising her voice. + +"I should like to see the spot!" said Andy, giggling again. + +"Should you?" almost shrieked the old woman, with a terrible look. + +"Yes!" and Andy grinned at a safe distance. + +"Then try it!" exclaimed Mother Quirk. + +And holding her crutch under her shoulder, she brought her hands +together with a loud slap. Although Andy was at least three yards off, +it seemed to him exactly as if she had boxed his ear. He was almost +knocked down, and his head hummed like a beehive; but he could not, to +save his life, tell which ear had been boxed, nor which he ought to rub. +For a minute, he kept whirling around, as dizzy as a top. Then a voice +cried, "Catch that rabbit!" + +_J. T. Trowbridge._ + +(_To be continued._) + + + + +WINNING HIS WAY. + +CHAPTER I. + +FIRST YEARS. + + +Many years ago, before railroads were thought of, a company of +Connecticut farmers, who had heard marvellous stories of the richness of +the land in the West, sold their farms, packed up their goods, bade +adieu to their friends, and with their families started for Ohio. + +After weeks of travel over dusty roads, they came to a beautiful valley, +watered by a winding brook. The hills around were fair and sunny. There +were groves of oaks, and maples, and lindens. The air was fragrant with +honeysuckle and jasmine. There was plenty of game. The swift-footed deer +browsed the tender grass upon the hills. Squirrels chattered in the +trees and the ringdoves cooed in the depths of the forest. The place was +so fertile and fair, so pleasant and peaceful, that the emigrants made +it their home, and called it New Hope. + +They built a mill upon the brook. They laid out a wide, level street, +and a public square, erected a school-house, and then a church. One of +their number opened a store. Other settlers came, and then, as the years +passed by, the village rang with the shouts of children pouring from the +school-house for a frolic upon the square. Glorious times they had +beneath the oaks and maples. + +One of the jolliest of the boys was Paul Parker, only son of Widow +Parker, who lived in a little old house on the outskirts of the village, +shaded by a great maple. Her husband died when Paul was in his cradle. +Paul's grandfather was still living. The people called him "Old +Pensioner Parker," for he fought at Bunker Hill, and received a pension +from government. He was hale and hearty, though more than eighty years +of age. + +The Pensioner was the main support of the family; but by keeping a cow, +a pig, turkeys and chickens, by selling milk and eggs, which Paul +carried to their customers, they brought the years round without running +in debt. Paul's pantaloons had a patch on each knee, but he laughed just +as loud and whistled just as cheerily for all that. + +In summer he went barefoot. He did not have to turn out at every +mud-puddle, and he could plash into the mill-pond and give the frogs a +crack over the head without stopping to take off stockings and shoes. +Paul did not often have a dinner of roast beef, but he had an abundance +of bean porridge, brown bread, and milk. + +"Bean porridge is wholesome food, Paul," said his grandfather. "When I +was a boy we used to say,-- + + 'Bean porridge hot, + Bean porridge cold,-- + Bean porridge best + Nine days old.' + +The wood-choppers in winter used to freeze it into cakes and carry it +into the woods. Many a time I have made a good dinner on a chunk of +frozen porridge." + +The Pensioner remembered what took place in his early years, but he lost +his reckoning many times a day upon what was going on in the town. He +loved to tell stories, and Paul was a willing listener. Pleasant +winter-evenings they had in the old kitchen, the hickory logs blazing on +the hearth, the tea-kettle singing through its nose, the clock ticking +soberly, the old Pensioner smoking his pipe in the arm-chair, Paul's +mother knitting,--Bruno by Paul's side, wagging his tail and watching +Muff in the opposite corner rolling her great round yellow eyes. Bruno +was always ready to give Muff battle whenever Paul tipped him the wink +to pitch in. + +The Pensioner's stories were of his boyhood,--how he joined the army, +and fought the battles of the Revolution. Thus his story ran. + +"I was only a little bigger than you are, Paul," he said, "when the +red-coats began the war at Lexington. I lived in old Connecticut then; +that was a long time before we came out here. The meeting-house bell +rung, and the people blew their dinner-horns, and ran up to the +meeting-house and found the militia forming. The men had their guns and +powder-horns. The women were at work melting their pewter porringers +into bullets. I wasn't old enough to train, but I could fire a gun and +bring down a squirrel from the top of a tree. I wanted to go and help +drive the red-coats into the ocean. I asked mother if I might. I was +afraid that she didn't want me to go. 'Why, Paul,' says she, 'you +haven't any clothes.' 'Mother,' says I, 'I can shoot a red-coat just as +well as any of the men can.' Says she, 'Do you want to go, Paul?' 'Yes, +mother!' 'You shall go; I'll fix you out.' As I hadn't any coat she took +a meal-bag, cut a hole for my head in the bottom, and made holes for my +arms, cut off a pair of her own stocking-legs, and sewed them on for +sleeves, and I was rigged. I took the old gun which father carried at +Ticonderoga, and the powder-horn, and started. There is the gun and the +horn, Paul, hanging up. + +"The red-coats had got back to Boston, but we cooped them up. Our +company was in Colonel Knowlton's regiment. I carried the flag, which +said, _Qui transtulit sustinet_. I don't know anything about Latin, but +those who do say it means that God who hath transported us will sustain +us, and that is true, Paul. He sustained us at Bunker Hill, and we +should have held it if our powder had not given out. Our regiment was by +a rail-fence on the northeast side of the hill. Stark, with his New +Hampshire boys, was by the river. Prescott was in the redoubt on the top +of the hill. Old Put kept walking up and down the lines. This is the way +it was, Paul." + +The Pensioner laid aside his pipe, bent forward, and traced upon the +hearth the positions of the troops. + +"There is the redoubt; here is the rail-fence; there is where the +red-coats formed their lines. They came up in front of us here. We +didn't fire a gun till they got close to us. I'll show you how the fire +ran down the line." + +He took down the horn, pulled out the stopper, held his finger over the +tip, and made a trail of powder. + +"There, Paul, that is by the fence. As the red-coats came up, some of us +began to be uneasy and wanted to fire, but Old Put kept saying, 'Don't +fire yet! Wait till you can see the white of their eyes! Aim at their +belts!'" + +While Pensioner was saying this, he took the tongs and picked a live +coal from the fire. + +"They came up beautifully, Paul,--the tall grenadiers and light-infantry +in their scarlet coats, and the sun shining on their gun-barrels and +bayonets. They wer'n't more than ten rods off when a soldier on top of +the hill couldn't stand it any longer. Pop! went his gun, and the fire +ran down the hill quicker than scat! just like this!" + +He touched the coal to the powder. There was a flash, a puff of smoke +rising to the ceiling, and filling the room. + +"Hooray!" shouted Paul, springing to his feet. Muff went with a jump +upon the bureau in the corner of the room, her tail as big as Paul's +arm, and her back up. Bruno was after her in a twinkling, bouncing +about, barking, and looking round to Paul to see if it was all right. + +[Illustration] + +"There, grandpa, you have made a great smut on the hearth," said Mrs. +Parker, who kept her house neat and tidy, though it was a crazy old +affair. + +"Well, mother, I thought it would please Paul." + +"S-s-s-s-si'c!" Paul made a hiss which Bruno understood, and went at +Muff more fiercely. It was glorious to see Muff spit fire, and hear her +growl low and deep like distant thunder. Paul would not have Muff hurt +for anything, but he loved to see Bruno show his teeth at her, and see +how gritty she was when she was waked up. + +"Be still, Paul, and let Muff alone," said Paul's mother. + +"Come, Bruno, she ain't worth minding," said Paul. + +"They have got good courage, both of 'em," said the pensioner; "and +courage is one half of the battle, and truth and honor is the other +half. Paul, I want you to remember that. It will be worth more than a +fortune to you. I don't mean that cats and dogs know much about truth +and honor, and I have seen some men who didn't know much more about +those qualities of character than Muff and Bruno; but what I have said, +Paul, is true for all that. The men who win success in life are those +who love truth, and who follow what is noble and good. No matter how +brave a man may be, if he hasn't these qualities he won't succeed. He +may get rich, but that won't amount to much. Success, Paul, is to have +an unblemished character,--to be true to ourselves, to our country, and +to God." + +He went on with his story, telling how the British troops ran before the +fire of the Yankees,--how they re-formed and came on a second time, and +were repulsed again,--how General Clinton went over from Boston with +reinforcements,--how Charlestown was set on fire,--how the flames leaped +from house to house, and curled round the spire of the church,--how the +red-coats advanced a third time beneath the great black clouds of +smoke,--how the ammunition of the Yankees gave out, and they were +obliged to retreat,--how General Putnam tried to rally them,--how they +escaped across Charlestown Neck, where the cannon-balls from the British +floating batteries raked the ranks! He made it all so plain, that Paul +wished he had been there. + +The story completed, Paul climbed the creaking stairway to his narrow +chamber, repeated his evening prayer, and scrambled into bed. + +"He is a jolly boy," said the pensioner to Paul's mother, as Paul left +the room. + +"I don't know what will become of him," she replied, "he is so wild and +thoughtless. He leaves the door open, throws his cap into the corner, +sets Bruno and Muff to growling, stops to play on his way home from +school, sings, whistles, shouts, hurrahs, and tears round like all +possessed." + +If she could have looked into Paul's desk at school, she would have +found whirligigs, tops, pin-boxes, nails, and no end of strings and +dancing dandy-jims. + +"Paul is a rogue," said the Pensioner. "You remember how he got on top +of the house awhile ago and frightened us out of our wits by shouting +'Fire! fire!' down the chimney; how we ran out to see about it; how I +asked him 'Where?' and says he, 'Down there in the fireplace, grandpa.' +He is a chip of the old block. I used to do just so. But there is one +good thing about him, he don't do mean tricks. He don't bend up pins and +put them in the boys' seats, or tuck chestnut-burs into the girls' +hoods. I never knew him to tell a lie. He will come out all right." + +"I hope so," said Mrs. Parker. + +Paul could look through the crevices between the shingles, and the +cracks in the walls, and behold the stars gleaming from the unfathomable +spaces. He wondered how far they were away. He listened to the wind +chanting a solemn dirge, filling his soul with longings for he knew not +what. He thought over his grandfather's stories, and the words he had +spoken about courage, truth, and honor, till a shingle clattering in the +wind took up the refrain, and seemed to say, Truth and honor,--truth and +honor,--truth and honor,--so steadily and pleasantly, that while he +listened the stars faded from his sight, and he sailed away into +dream-land. + +Paul was twelve years old, stout, hearty, and healthy,--full of life, +and brimming over with fun. Once he set the village in a roar. The +people permitted their pigs to run at large. The great maple in front of +the Pensioner's house was cool and shady,--a delightful place for the +pigs through the hot summer days. + +Mr. Chrome, the carriage-painter, lived across the road. He painted a +great many wagons for the farmers,--the wheels yellow, the bodies blue, +green, or red, with scrolls and flowers on the sides. Paul watched him +by the hour, and sometimes made up his mind to be a carriage-painter +when he became a man. + +"Mr. Chrome," said Paul, "don't you think that those pigs would look +better if they were painted?" + +"Perhaps so." + +"I should like to see how they would look painted as you paint your +wagons." + +Mr. Chrome laughed at the ludicrous fancy. He loved fun, and was ready +to help carry out the freak. + +"Well, just try your hand on improving nature." + +Paul went to work. Knowing that pigs like to have their backs scratched, +he had no difficulty in keeping them quiet. To one he gave green legs, +blue ears, red rings round its eyes, and a red tail. Another had one red +leg, one blue, one yellow, one green, with red and blue stripes and +yellow stars on its body. "I will make him a star-spangled pig," Paul +shouted to Mr. Chrome. Another had a green head, yellow ears, and a red +body. Bruno watched the proceedings, wagging his tail, looking now at +Paul and then at the pigs, ready to help on the fun. + +"Si'c!--si'c!--si'c!" said Paul. Bruno was upon them with a bound. Away +they capered, with Bruno at their heels. As soon as they came into the +sunshine the spirits of turpentine in the paint was like fire to their +flesh. Faster they ran up the street squealing, with Bruno barking +behind. Mr. Chrome laughed till the tears ran down his cheeks. All the +dogs, great and small, joined Bruno in chase of the strange game. People +came out from the stores, windows were thrown up, and all hands--men, +women, and children--ran to see what was the matter, laughing and +shouting, while the pigs and dogs ran round the square. + +"Paul Parker did that, I'll bet," said Mr. Leatherby, the shoemaker, +peeping out from his shop. "It is just like him." + +An old white horse, belonging to Mr. Smith, also sought the shade of the +maple before the Pensioner's house. Bruno barked at him by the hour, but +the old horse would not move for anything short of a club or stone. + +"I'll see if I can't get rid of him," said Paul to himself. + +He went into the barn, found a piece of rope, tied up a little bundle of +hay, got a stick five or six feet long, and some old harness-straps. In +the evening, when it was so dark that people could not see what he was +up to, he caught the old horse, laid the stick between his ears and +strapped it to his neck, and tied the hay to the end of the stick; then +it hung a few inches beyond old Whitey's nose. The old horse took a step +ahead to nibble the hay,--another,--another,--another! "Don't you wish +you may get it?" said Paul. Tramp,--tramp,--tramp. Old Whitey went down +the road. Paul heard him go across the bridge by the mill, and up the +hill the other side of the brook. + +"Go it, old fellow!" he shouted, then listened again. It was a calm +night, and he could just hear old Whitey's feet,--tramp,--tramp,--tramp. + +The next morning the good people of Fairview, ten miles from New Hope, +laughed to see an old white horse, with a bundle of hay a few inches +beyond his nose, passing through the place. + +"Have you seen my horse?" Mr. Smith asked Paul in the morning. + +"Yes, sir, I saw him going down towards the bridge last evening," Paul +replied, chuckling to himself. + +Mr. Smith went down to the mill and inquired. The miller heard a horse +go over the bridge. The farmer on the other side heard a horse go up the +hill. Mr. Smith looked at the tracks. They were old Whitey's, for he had +a broken shoe on his left hind foot. He followed on. "I never knew him +to go away before," he said to himself, as he walked hour after hour, +seeing the tracks all the way to Fairview. + +"Have you seen a white horse about here?" he asked of one of the +villagers. + +"Yes, sir; there was one here this morning trying to overtake a bundle +of hay," the man replied, laughing. "There he is now!" he added. + +Mr. Smith looked up and saw old Whitey, who had turned about, and was +reaching forward to get a nibble of the hay. Mr. Smith felt like being +angry, but the old horse was walking so soberly and earnestly that he +couldn't help laughing. + +"That is some of Paul's doings, I know. I'll give him a blessing when I +get back." + +It was noon before Mr. Smith reached New Hope. Paul and Bruno were +sitting beneath the maple. + +"Where did you find old Whitey?" Paul asked. + +"You was the one who did it, you little rascal?" + +"Did what?" + +"You know what. You have made me walk clear to Fairview. I have a mind +to horsewhip you." + +Paul laughed to think that the old horse had tramped so far, though he +was sorry that Mr. Smith had been obliged to walk that distance. + +"I didn't mean any harm, Mr. Smith, but old Whitey has made our +door-yard his stamping-place all summer, and I thought I would see if I +could get rid of him." + +"Well, sir, if you do it again I'll trounce you," said Mr. Smith as he +rode away, his anger coming up. + +"Wouldn't it be better for you to put him in a pasture, Mr. Smith? Then +he wouldn't trouble us," said Paul, who knew that Mr. Smith had no right +to let old Whitey run at large. Paul was not easily frightened when he +had right on his side. The people in the stores and at the tavern had a +hearty laugh when they heard how old Whitey went to Fairview. + +Mr. Cipher taught the village school. He was tall, slim, thin-faced, +with black eyes deeply set in his head, and a long, hooked nose like an +eagle's bill. He wore a loose swallow-tailed coat with bright brass +buttons, and pants which were several inches too short. The Committee +employed him, not because he was a superior teacher, but they could get +him for twelve dollars a month, while Mr. Rudiment, who had been through +college, and who was known to be an excellent instructor, asked sixteen. + +There was a crowd of roistering boys and rosy-cheeked girls, who made +the old school-house hum like a beehive. Very pleasant to the passers-by +was the music of their voices. At recess and at noon they had leap-frog +and tag. Paul was in a class with Philip Funk, Hans Middlekauf, and +Michael Murphy. There were other boys and girls of all nationalities. +Paul's ancestors were from Connecticut, Philip's father was a Virginian. +Hans was born in Germany, and Michael in Ireland. Philip's father kept a +grocery, and sold sugar, molasses, tobacco, and whiskey. He was rich, +and Philip wore good clothes and calf-skin boots. Paul could get his +lessons very quick whenever he set about them in earnest, but he spent +half his time in inventing fly-traps, making whirligigs, or drawing +pictures on his slate. He could draw admirably, for he had a quick eye +and natural ability. Philip could get his lessons also if he chose to +apply himself, but it was a great deal easier to get some one to work +out the problems in arithmetic than to do them himself. + +"Here, Paul, just do this question for me; that is a good fellow." + +It was at recess. + +"No; Cipher has forbid it. Each one has got to do his own," said Paul. + +"If you will do it, I will give you a handful of raisins," said Philip, +who usually had his pockets full of raisins, candy, or nuts. + +"It wouldn't be right." + +"Come, just do that one; Cipher never will know it." + +"No!" Paul said it resolutely. + +"You are a mean, sneaking fellow," said Philip with a sneer, turning up +his nose. + +Philip was a year older than Paul. He had sandy hair, white eyelashes, +and a freckled face. He carried a watch, and always had money in his +pocket. Paul, on the other hand, hardly ever had a cent which he could +call his own. His clothes were worn till they were almost past mending. + +"Rag-tag has got a hole in his trousers," said Philip to the other boys. + +Paul's face flushed. He wanted to knock Philip's teeth down his throat. +He knew that his mother had hard work to clothe him, and felt the +insult. He went into the school-house, choked his anger down, and tried +to forget all about it by drawing a picture of the master. It was an +excellent likeness,--his spindle legs, great feet, short pants, loose +coat, sunken eyes, hooked nose, thin face, and long bony fingers. + +Philip sat behind Paul. Instead of studying his lesson, he was planning +how to get Paul into trouble. He saw the picture. Now was his time. He +giggled aloud. Mr. Cipher looked up in astonishment. + +"What are you laughing at, Master Funk?" + +"At what Paul is doing." + +Paul hustled his slate into his desk. + +"Let me see what you have here," said Cipher, walking up to Paul, who +spat in his fingers, and ran his hand into the desk, to rub out the +drawing; but he felt that it would be better to meet his punishment +boldly than to have the school think that he was a sneak. He laid the +slate before the master without a line effaced. + +"Giving your attention to drawing, are you, Master Paul?" His eyes +flashed. He knit his brows. The blood rushed to his cheeks. There was a +popping up of heads all over the school-room to get a sight of the +picture. + +The boys laughed aloud, and there was a tittering among the girls, which +made Cipher very angry. "Silence!" he roared, and stamped upon the floor +so savagely that the windows rattled. "Come out here, Sir. I'll give you +a drawing-lesson of another sort." He seized Paul by the collar, and +threw him into the space in front of his own desk. "Hold out your hand." + +Paul felt that he was about to receive a tremendous thrashing; but he +determined that he would not flinch. He held out his right hand, and +spat! came the blow from a heavy ferule. His hand felt as if he had been +struck by a piece of hot iron. + +"The other, sir." + +Whack! it fell, a blow which made the flesh purple. There was an Oh! +upon his tongue; but he set his teeth together, and bit his lips till +they bled, and so smothered it. Another blow,--another,--another,--which +were hard to bear; but his teeth were set like a vice. There was a +twitching of the muscles round his lips; he was pale. When the blows +fell, he held his breath, but he did not snivel. + +"I'll see if I can't bring you to your feeling, you good-for-nothing +scape-grace," said the master, mad with passion, and surprised that Paul +made no outcry. He gave another round, bringing the ferule down with +great force. Blood began to ooze from the pores. The last blow spattered +the drops around the room. Cipher came to his senses. He stopped. + +"Are you sorry, sir?" + +"I don't know whether I am or not. I didn't mean any harm. I suppose I +ought not to have drawn it in school; but I didn't do it to make fun. I +drew you just as you are," said Paul,--his voice trembling a little in +spite of his efforts to control it. + +The master could not deny that it was a perfect likeness. He was +surprised at Paul's cleverness at drawing, and for the first time in his +life saw that he cut a ridiculous figure wearing that long, loose, +swallow-tailed coat, with great, flaming brass buttons, and resolved +upon the spot that his next coat should be a frock, and that he would +get a longer pair of pants. + +"You may take your seat, sir!" he said, puzzled to know whether to +punish Paul still more, and compel him to say that he was sorry, or +whether to accept the explanations, and apologize for whipping him so +severely. + +Paul sat down. His hands ached terribly; but what troubled him most was +the thought that he had been whipped before the whole school. All the +girls had witnessed his humiliation. There was one among them,--Azalia +Adams,--who stood at the head of Paul's class, the best reader and +speller in school. She had ruby lips, and cheeks like roses; the golden +sunlight falling upon her chestnut hair crowned her with glory; deep, +thoughtful, and earnest was the liquid light of her hazel eyes; she was +as lovely and beautiful as the flower whose name she bore. Paul had +drawn her picture many times,--sometimes bending over her task, +sometimes as she sat, unmindful of the hum of voices around her, looking +far away into a dim and distant dream-land. He never wearied of tracing +the features of one so fair and good as she. Her laugh was as musical as +a mountain-brook; and in the church on Sunday, when he heard her voice +sweetly, softly, and melodiously mingling with the choir, he thought of +the angels,--of her as in heaven and he on earth. + +"Run home, sonny, and tell your marm that you got a licking," said +Philip when school was out. + +Paul's face became livid. He would have doubled his fist and given +Philip a blow in the face, but his palms were like puff-balls. There was +an ugly feeling inside, but just then a pair of bright hazel eyes, +almost swimming with tears, looked into his own. "Don't mind it, Paul," +said Azalia. + +The pain was not half so hard to bear after that. He wanted to say, "I +thank you," but did not know how. Till then his lips had hardly +quivered, and he had not shed a tear; now his eyes became moist; one +great drop rolled down his cheeks, but he wiped it off with his +coat-sleeve, and turned away, for fear that Azalia would think that he +was a baby. + +On his way home the thought uppermost in his mind was, "What will mother +say?" Why tell her? Would it not be better to keep the matter to +himself? But then he remembered that she had said, "Paul, I shall expect +you to tell me truthfully all that happens to you at school." He loved +his mother. She was one of the best mothers that ever lived, working for +him day and night. How could he abuse such confidence as she had given +him? He would not violate it. He would not be a sneak. + +His mother and the Pensioner were sitting before the fire as he entered +the house. She welcomed him with a smile,--a beautiful smile it was, for +she was a noble woman, and Paul was her darling, her pride, the light, +joy, and comfort of her life. + +"Well, Paul, how do you get on at school?" his grandfather asked. + +"I got a whipping to-day." It was spoken boldly and manfully. + +"What! My son got a whipping!" his mother exclaimed. + +"Yes, mother." + +"I am astonished. Come here, and tell me all about it." + +Paul stood by her side and told the story,--how Philip Funk tried to +bribe him, how he called him names,--how, having got his lessons, he +made a picture of the master. "Here it is, mother." He took his slate +from his little green bag. The picture had not been effaced. His mother +looked at it and laughed, notwithstanding her efforts to keep sober, for +it was such a perfect likeness. She had an exquisite sense of the +ludicrous, and Paul was like her. She was surprised to find that he +could draw so well. + +"We will talk about the matter after supper," she said. She had told +Paul many times, that, if he was justly punished at school, he must +expect a second punishment at home; but she wanted to think awhile +before deciding what to do. She was pleased to know that her boy could +not be bribed to do what his conscience told him he ought not to do, and +that he was manly and truthful. She would rather follow him to the +church-yard and lay him in his grave beneath the bending elms, than to +have him untruthful or wicked. + +The evening passed away. Paul sat before the fire, looking steadily into +the coals. He was sober and thoughtful, wondering what his mother would +say at last. The clock struck nine. It was his bedtime. He went and +stood by her side once more. "You are not angry with me, mother, are +you?" + +"No, my son. I do not think that you deserved so severe a punishment. I +am rejoiced to know that you are truthful, and that you despise a mean +act. Be always as you have been to-night, and I never shall be angry +with you." + +He threw his arms around her neck, and gave way to tears, such as Cipher +could not extort by his pounding. She gave him a good-night kiss,--so +sweet that it seemed to lie upon his lips all through the night. + +"God bless you, Paul," said the Pensioner. + +Paul climbed the creaking stairs, and knelt with an overflowing heart to +say his evening prayer. He spoke the words earnestly when he asked God +to take care of his mother and grandfather. He was very happy. He looked +out through the crevices in the walls, and saw the stars and the moon +flooding the landscape with silver light. There was sweet music in the +air,--the merry melody of the water murmuring by the mill, the cheerful +chirping of the crickets, and the lullaby of the winds, near at hand and +far away, putting him in mind of the choirs on earth and the choirs in +heaven. "Don't mind it, Paul!" were the words they sung, so sweetly and +tenderly that for many days they rang in his ears. + +_Carleton._ + +[Illustration] + + + + +NEW-YEAR CAROL. + +[Illustration] + + + Ding, Dong, Bell! + Little children, down the turnpike goes the year, + Down through every dell, + All the bells of all the country in its ear: + Ding, Dong, Bell! + + Ding, Dong, Bell! + Through the meadows and the woods, o'er the plain, + Past where children dwell, + All the children, some in joy and some in pain: + Ding, Dong, Bell! + + Ding, Dong, Bell! + Is it from a belfry, or the beating heart + Of the year, this swell, + Solemn like the steps of friends who have to part? + Ding, Dong, Bell! + + Ding, Dong, Bell! + Little children's homes in heaven and on earth, + All have hearts to tell + How good actions overflow the year with mirth: + Ding, Dong, Bell! + + Ding, Dong, Bell! + And it needeth not a steeple's voice to say, + What a dreary knell + Hearts are ringing as their goodness flies away: + Ding, Dong, Bell! + + Ding, Dong, Bell! + Down the turnpike for you comes another year; + Children, treat it well: + Naught but goodness brings to homes right jolly cheer: + Ding, Dong, Bell! + +_John Weiss._ + + + + +FARMING FOR BOYS. + +WHAT HAVE THEY DONE, AND WHAT OTHERS MAY DO IN THE CULTIVATION OF FARM +AND GARDEN,--HOW TO BEGIN, HOW TO PROCEED, AND WHAT TO AIM AT. + + +NO. I. + +There is an old farm-house in the State of New Jersey, not a hundred +miles from the city of Trenton, having the great railroad which runs +between New York and Philadelphia so near to it that one can hear the +whistle of the locomotive as it hurries onward every hour in the day, +and see the trains of cars as they whirl by with their loads of living +freight. The laborers in the fields along the road, though they see +these things so frequently, invariably pause in their work and watch the +advancing train until it passes them, and follow it with their eyes +until it is nearly lost in the distance. The boy leans upon his hoe, the +mower rests upon his scythe, the ploughman halts his horses in the +furrow,--all stop to gaze upon a spectacle that has long ceased to be +either a wonder or a novelty. Why it is so may be difficult to answer, +except that the snorting combination of wheels, and cranks, and fire, +and smoke, thundering by the quiet fields, breaks in upon the monotonous +labor of the hand who works alone, with no one to converse with,--for +the fact is equally curious, that gangs of laborers make no pause on the +appearance of a locomotive. They have companionship enough already. + +This old wooden farm-house was a very shabby affair. To look at it, one +would be sure that the owner had a particular aversion to both paint and +whitewash. The weather-boarding was fairly honeycombed by age and +exposure to the sun and rain, and in some places the end of a board had +dropped off, and hung down a foot or two, for want of a nail which +everybody about the place appeared to be too lazy or neglectful to +supply in time. One or two of the window-shutters had lost a hinge, and +they also hung askew,--nobody had thought it worth while to drive back +the staple when it first became loose. + +Then there were several broken lights of glass in the kitchen windows. +As the men about the house neglected to have them mended, or to do it +themselves by using the small bit of putty that would have kept the +cracked ones from going to pieces, the women had been compelled to keep +out the wind and rain by stuffing in the first thing that came to hand. +There was a bit of red flannel in one, an old straw bonnet in another, +while in a third, from which all the glass was gone, a tolerably good +fur hat, certainly worth the cost of half a dozen lights, had been +crammed in to fill up the vacancy. The whole appearance of the windows +was deplorable. Some of them had lost the little wooden buttons which +kept up the sash when hoisted, and which anybody could have replaced by +whittling out new ones with his knife; but as no one did it, and as the +women must sometimes have the sashes raised, they propped them up with +pretty big sticks from the wood-pile. It was not a nice sight, that of a +rough stick as thick as one's arm to hold up the sash, especially when, +of a sultry day, three or four of them were always within view. + +Then the wooden step at the kitchen door, instead of being nailed fast +to the house, was not only loose, but it rested on the ground so +unevenly as to tilt over whenever any one stepped carelessly on its +edge. As the house contained a large family, all of whom generally lived +in the kitchen, there was a great deal of running in and out over this +loose step. When it first broke away from the building, it gave quite a +number of severe tumbles to the women and children. Everybody complained +of it, but nobody mended it, though a single stout nail would have held +it fast. One dark night a pig broke loose, and, snuffing and smelling +around the premises in search of forage, came upon the loose step, and, +imagining that he scented a supper in its neighborhood, used his snout +so vigorously as to push it clear away from the door. One of the girls, +hearing the noise, stepped out into the yard to see what was going on; +but the step being gone, and she not observing it, down she went on her +face, striking her nose on the edge of a bucket which some one had left +exactly in the wrong place, and breaking the bone so badly that she will +carry a very homely face as long as she lives. It was a very painful +hurt to the poor girl, and the family all grieved over her misfortune; +but not one of the men undertook to mend the step. Finally, the mother +managed to drive down two sticks in front of it, which held it up to the +house, though not half so firmly as would have been done by a couple of +good stout nails. + +Things were very much in the same condition all over the premises. The +fence round the garden, and in fact all about the house, was dropping to +pieces simply for want of a nail here and there. The barn-yard enclosure +was strong enough to keep the cattle in, but it was a curious exhibition +of hasty patch-work, that would hurt the eye of any mechanic to look at. +As to the gates, every one of them rested at one end on the ground. It +was hard work even for a man to open and shut them, as they had to be +lifted clear up before they could be moved an inch. For a half-grown +boy to open them was really a very serious undertaking, especially in +muddy weather. The posts had sagged, or the upper staples had drawn out, +but nobody attended to putting them to rights, though it would not have +been an hour's job to make them all swing as freely as every good +farm-gate ought to. The barn-yard was a hard place for the boys on this +farm. + +No touch of whitewash had been spread over either house, or fence, or +outbuilding, for many years, though lime is known to everybody as being +one of the surest preservers of wood-work, as well as the very cheapest, +while it so beautifully sets off a farm-house to see its surroundings +covered once a year with a fresh coat of white. The hen-house was of +course equally neglected, though whitewash is so well known to be an +indispensable purifier of such places, materially helping to keep away +those kinds of vermin that prevent poultry from thriving. In fact, the +absence of lime was so general, that the hens could hardly pick up +enough to make egg-shells. Had they laid eggs without shells, the +circumstance would have mortified the hens as much as it would have +surprised the family. As it was, their only dependence was on the pile +of lime rubbish which was left every spring after whitewashing the +kitchen. The women who presided there did manage to fix up things once a +year. They thought lime was good to drive away ants and roaches, and so +they and the hens were the only parties on the premises who used it. + +There were many other things about this farm-house that were quite as +much neglected,--more than it is worth while at present to mention, +unless it be the wood-pile. Though there were two men on the farm, and +several well-grown boys, yet the women could rarely prevail on any of +them to split a single stick of wood. The wood for the house caused +great trouble,--it was difficult to get it at all. Then when it did +come, it was crooked and knotty, much of it such as a woman could not +split. Yet whenever a stick or two was wanted, the females of the family +must run out into the shed to chop and split it. They never could get an +armful ahead, such was the strange neglect of one of the most +indispensable comforts of housekeeping. If the female head of the family +had only thought of letting the male portion go a few times without +their dinners, it is more than likely they would have brought them to +terms, and taught them that it was quite as much their duty to split the +wood as it was hers to cook their dinners. But she was a good, easy +creature, like most of the others. They had all been brought up in the +same neglectful way, just rubbing along from day to day, never getting +ahead, but everything getting ahead of them. + +This farmer's name was Philip Spangler, and he was unlucky enough to +have a hundred acres in his farm. The word _unlucky_ is really a very +proper one; because it was unlucky for such a man as Philip that he +should have so much more land than he knew how to manage, and it was +equally unlucky for the land that it should have so poor a manager. The +man was perfectly sober, and in his own way was a very industrious one. +He worked hard himself, and made every one about him do the same. He was +what is known as a "slaving farmer,"--up by daylight, having all hands +up and out of doors quite as early as himself, and he and they stuck to +it as long as they could see to work. With him and them it was all work +and no play. He had no recreations; he took no newspaper, had no reading +in the house except the children's school-books, the Bible, and an +almanac,--which he bought once a year, not because he wanted it, but +because his wife would have it. + +What was very singular in Mr. Spangler's mode of managing things, when a +wet day came on, too rainy for out-of-door work, he seemed to have no +indoor employments provided, either for himself or hands to do, having +apparently no sort of forethought. On such occasions he let everything +slide,--that is, take care of itself,--and went, in spite of the rain, +to a tavern near by on the railroad, where he sat all day among a crowd +of neighboring idlers who collected there at such times; for although it +might be wet enough to stop all work in the fields, it was never too wet +to keep them away from the tavern. There these fellows sat, drinking +juleps, smoking pipes, or cigars that smelt even worse, and retailing +among each other the news of their several neighborhoods. + +What Spangler thus picked up at the tavern was about all the news he +ever heard. As to talking of farming, of their crops, or what was the +best thing to raise, or how best to carry on this or that branch of +their business,--such matters were rarely spoken of. They came there to +shake off the farm. Politics was a standing topic,--who was likely to be +nominated on their ticket,--whether he would be elected,--and whether it +was true that so-and-so was going to be sold out by the sheriff. It was +much to Spangler's credit, that, if at this rainy-day rendezvous he +learned nothing useful, he contracted no other bad habit than that of +lounging away a day when he should have been at home attending to his +business. It was much after the same fashion that he spent his long +winter's evenings,--dozing in the chimney-corner,--for the tavern was +too far away, or he would have spent them there. + +Now it somehow happens that there are quite as many rainy days in the +country as in the city. But those who live in the latter never think of +quitting work because it snows deep or rains hard. The merchant never +closes his counting-house or store, nor does the mechanic cease to labor +from such a cause; they have still something on hand, whether it rain or +shine. Even the newsboys run about the streets as actively, and a +hundred other kinds of workers keep on without interruption. + +If the laboring men of a large city were to quit work because of a hard +rain, there would be a loss of many thousand dollars for every such day +that happened. So also with a farmer. There is plenty of rainy-day work +on a farm, if the owner only knew it, or thought of it beforehand, and +set his men or boys to do it,--in the barn, or cellar, or wood-shed. If +he had a bench and tools, a sort of workshop, a rainy day would be a +capital time for him to teach his boys how to drive a nail, or saw a +board, or push a plane, to make a new box or mend an old one, to put a +new handle in an axe or hoe, or to do twenty such little things as are +always wanted on a farm. Besides saving the time and money lost by +frequent running to the blacksmith or wheelwright, to have such trifles +attended to, things would be kept always ready when next wanted, and his +boys would become good mechanics. There is so much of this kind of light +repairing to be done on a farm, that, having a set of tools, and knowing +how to use them, are almost as indispensable as having ploughs and +harrows, and the boys cannot be too early instructed in their use. Many +boys are natural mechanics, and even without instruction could +accomplish great things if they only had a bench and tools. The making +of the commonest bird-box will give an ambitious boy a very useful +lesson. + +It seemed that Mr. Spangler was learning nothing while he lived. His +main idea appeared to be, that farming was an affair of muscle +only,--that it was hands, not heads, that farmers ought to have; and +that whoever worked hardest and longest, wasted no time in reading, +spent no money for fine cattle or better breeds of pigs, or for new +seeds, new tools or machines, and stuck to the good old way, was the +best farmer. He never devoted a day now and then to visiting the +agricultural exhibitions which were held in all the counties round him, +where he would be sure to see samples of the very best things that good +farmers were producing,--fine cattle, fine pigs, fine poultry, and a +hundred other products which sensible men are glad to exhibit at such +fairs, knowing that it is the smart men who go to such places to learn +what is going on, as well as to make purchases, and that it is the +agricultural drones who stay at home. The fact was, he had been badly +educated, and he could not shake off the habits of his early life. He +had been taught that hard work was the chief end of man. + +Of course such a farmer had a poor time of it, as well as the hands he +employed. He happened to be pretty well out of debt, there being only a +small mortgage on his farm; but he was so poor a manager that his hard +work went for little, in reality just enough to enable his family to +live, with sometimes very close shaving to pay interest. As to getting +rich, it was out of the question. He had a son whose name was Joe, a +smart, ambitious boy of sixteen years old; another son, Bill, two years +younger; and an orphan named Tony King, exactly a year younger than Joe; +together with a hired man for helper about the farm. + +Mr. Spangler had found Tony in the adjoining county. On the death of his +parents, they being miserably poor, and having no relations to take care +of him, he had had a hard time among strangers. They kept him until old +enough to be bound out to a trade. Mr. Spangler thinking he needed +another hand, and being at the same time in such low repute as a farmer +and manager that those who knew him were not willing to let their sons +live with him as apprentices, he was obliged to go quite out of the +neighborhood, where he was not so well known, in order to secure one. In +one of his trips he brought up at the house where Tony was staying, and, +liking his looks,--for he was even a brighter boy than Joe Spangler,--he +had him bound to him as an apprentice to the art and mystery of farming. + +In engaging himself to teach this art and mystery to Tony, he undertook +to impart a great deal more knowledge than he himself possessed,--a +thing, by the way, which is very common with a good many other people. +Altogether it was a hard bargain for poor Tony; but when parents are so +idle and thriftless as to expose their children to such a fate as his, +they leave them a legacy of nothing better than the very hardest kind of +bargains. + +In addition to this help, about a year after Tony took up his quarters +with Mr. Spangler, there came along an old man of seventy, a sort of +distant relation of the Spanglers, who thenceforward made the farm his +home. Mr. Spangler and his wife called him "Benny," but all the younger +members of the family, out of respect for his age, called him "Uncle," +so that in a very short time he went by no other name than that of +"Uncle Benny," and this not only on the farm, but all over the +neighborhood. + +Uncle Benny turned out to be the pleasantest old man the boys and girls +had ever been acquainted with. It was no wonder they liked him, for he +was very fond of children, and like generally begets like. He was a very +different sort of character from any about the farm. He had been well +educated, and being in his younger days of a roving, sight-hunting +disposition, he had travelled all over the world, had seen a multitude +of strange men and strange things, and had such a way of telling what he +had thus picked up as never to fail of interesting those who heard him. +Sometimes of a long winter evening, when he was giving accounts of +foreign countries, or how people lived in our great cities, or how they +carried on farming in other parts of our country, he talked so +pleasantly that no one thought of being sleepy. On such evenings, before +he came to live on the farm, Mr. Spangler would often fall asleep on his +chair in the chimney corner, and once or twice actually tipped over +quite into the ashes; but now, when Uncle Benny got fairly under way, +there was no more going to sleep. Mr. Spangler pricked up his ears, and +listened better than if any one had been reading from a book. + +Then Uncle Benny had a way of always putting in some good advice to both +men and boys, and even to the girls. He had read and travelled so much, +that he had something appropriate for every event that turned up. +Indeed, every one was surprised at his knowing so much. Besides this, he +was very lively and cheerful, and as fond of fun as could be, and seemed +able to make any one laugh whenever he chose to indulge in a joke. + +In addition to all this, he was uncommonly handy with tools. Though an +old man, and not strong enough to do a full day's work at mowing or +hay-making, because of stiff joints, yet he could potter about the house +and barns, with a hatchet, and saw, and a nail-box, and mend up a +hundred broken places that had been neglected for years before he came +to live there. If he saw anything out of order, a gate with no latch, a +picket loose in the garden fence, or any other trifling defect about the +premises, he went to work and made all right again. He even mended the +broken lights in the kitchen windows, and got rid of all the old hats +and bonnets that had been stuffed into them. He put on new buttons to +keep up the sashes, and so banished the big sticks from the wood-pile +that had been used to prop them up. He said they were too ugly even to +look at. + +It was Uncle Benny who nailed up the loose door-step which the pig had +rooted away from its place, causing Lucy Spangler to fall on the edge of +a bucket and break her nose. Lucy came out to thank him for doing the +thing so nicely; for ever since the accident to her nose, she had been +very skittish about putting her foot on the step. + +"Ah, Lucy," said Uncle Benny, "I wish I could mend your nose as easily." + +"Indeed I wish so too," replied Lucy. + +Inside of the house were numerous things that wanted looking after in +the same way. There was not a bolt or a latch that would work as it +ought to. All the closet locks were out of order, while one half the +doors refused to shut. In fact there were twenty little provocations of +this kind that were perpetual annoyances to the women. Uncle Benny went +to work and removed them all; there was no odd job that he was not able +to go through with. Indeed, it was the luckiest day in the history of +that farm when he came to live upon it, for it did seem that, if the +farm were ever to be got to rights, he was the very man to do it. Now, +it was very curious, but no one told Uncle Benny to do these things. But +as soon as he had anchored himself at Mr. Spangler's he saw how much the +old concern was out of gear, and, providing himself with tools, he +undertook, as one of his greatest pleasures, to repair these +long-standing damages, not because he expected to be paid for it, but +from his own natural anxiety to have things look as they ought. + +The boys watched the old man's operations with great interest, for both +Joe and Tony were ambitious of knowing how to handle tools. One day he +took hold of the coffee-mill, which some clumsy fellow had only half +nailed up in the kitchen, so that, whenever the coffee was ground, +whoever turned the crank was sure to bruise his knuckles against the +wall. Mrs. Spangler and her daughters of course did all the grinding, +and complained bitterly of the way the mill was fixed. Besides, it had +become shockingly dull, so that it only cracked the grains, and thus +gave them a miserably weak decoction for breakfast. Now, Uncle Benny had +been used to strong coffee, and couldn't stand what Mrs. Spangler gave +him. So he unshipped the mill, took it to pieces, with a small file +sharpened up the grinders, which by long use had become dull, oiled its +joints, and screwed it up in a new place, where it was impossible for +the knuckles to be bruised. It then worked so beautifully, that, instead +of every one hating to put his hand on the crank, the difficulty was to +keep the children away from it,--they would grind on it an hour at a +time. Such a renovation of damaged goods had never before been seen on +Spangler's premises. + +_Author of "Ten Acres Enough."_ + +(_To be continued._) + + + + +AFLOAT IN THE FOREST: + +OR, A VOYAGE AMONG THE TREE-TOPS. + + +CHAPTER I. + +THE BROTHERS AT HOME. + + +Twenty years ago, not twenty miles from the Land's End, there lived a +Cornish gentleman named Trevannion. Just twenty years ago he died, +leaving to lament him a brace of noble boys, whose mother all three had +mourned, with like profound sorrow, but a short while before. + +"Squire" Trevannion, as he was called, died in his own house, where his +ancestors for hundreds of years before him had dispensed hospitality. +None of them, however, had entertained so profusely as he; or rather +improvidently, it might be said, since in less than three months after +his death the old family mansion, with the broad acres appertaining to +it, passed into the hands of an alien, leaving his two sons, Ralph and +Richard, landless, houseless, and almost powerless. One thousand pounds +apiece was all that remained to them out of the wreck of the patrimonial +estates. It was whispered that even this much was not in reality theirs, +but had been given to them by the _very respectable_ solicitor who had +managed their father's affairs, and had furthermore _managed_ to succeed +him in the ownership of a property worth a rental of three thousand a +year. + +Any one knowing the conditions under which the young Trevannions +received their two thousand pounds must have believed it to be a gift, +since it was handed over to them by the family solicitor with the +private understanding that they were to use it in pushing their fortunes +elsewhere,--anywhere except in Cornwall! + +The land-pirate who had plucked them--for in reality had they been +plucked--did not wish them to stay at home, divested, as they were, of +their valuable plumage. He had appropriated their fine feathers, and +cared not for the naked bodies of the birds. + +There were those in Cornwall who suspected foul play in the lawyer's +dealings with the young Trevannions,--among others, the victims +themselves. But what could they do? They were utterly ignorant of their +late father's affairs,--indeed, with any affairs that did not partake of +the nature of "sports." A solicitor "most respectable,"--a phrase that +has become almost synonymous with rascality,--a regular +church-goer,--accounts kept with scrupulous exactness,--a man of honest +face, distinguished for probity of speech and integrity of heart,--what +could the Trevannions do? What more than the Smiths and the Browns and +the Joneses, who, notwithstanding their presumed greater skill in the +ways of a wicked lawyer world, are duped every day in a similar manner. +It is an old and oft-repeated story,--a tale too often told, and too +often true,--that of the family lawyer and his confiding client, +standing in the relationship of robber and robbed. + +The two children of Squire Trevannion could do nothing to save or +recover their paternal estate. Caught in the net of legal chicanery, +they were forced to yield, as other squire's children have had to do, +and make the best of a bad matter,--forced to depart from a home that +had been held by Trevannions perhaps since the Phoenicians strayed +thitherward in search of their shining tin. + +It sore grieved them to separate from the scenes of their youth; but the +secret understanding with the solicitor required that sacrifice. By +staying at home a still greater might be called for,--subsistence in +penury, and, worse than all, in a humiliating position; for, +notwithstanding the open house long kept by their father, his friends +had disappeared with his guests. Impelled by these thoughts, the +brothers resolved to go forth into the wide world, and seek fortune +wherever it seemed most likely they should find it. + +They were at this period something more than mere children. Ralph had +reached within twelve months of being twenty. Richard was his junior by +a couple of years. Their book-education had been good; the practice of +manly sports had imparted to both of them a physical strength that +fitted them for toil, either of the mind or body. They were equal to a +tough struggle, either in the intellectual or material world; and to +this they determined to resign themselves. + +For a time they debated between themselves where they should go, and +what do. The army and navy came under their consideration. With such +patronage as their father's former friends could command, and might +still exert in favor of their fallen fortunes, a commission in either +army or navy was not above their ambition. But neither felt much +inclined towards a naval or military life; the truth being, that a +thought had taken shape in their minds leading them to a different +determination. + +Their deliberations ended by each of them proclaiming a resolve,--almost +sealing it with a vow,--that they would enter into some more profitable, +though perhaps less pretentious, employment than that of either +soldiering or sailoring; that they would toil--with their hands, if need +be--until they should accumulate a sufficient sum to return and recover +the ancestral estate from the grasp of the avaricious usurper. They did +not know how it was to be done; but, young, strong, and hopeful, they +believed it might be done,--with time, patience, and industry to aid +them in the execution. + +"Where shall we go?" inquired Richard, the younger of the two. "To +America, where every poor man appears to prosper? With a thousand each +to begin the world with, we might do well there. What say you, Ralph?" + +"America is a country where men seem to thrive best who have _nothing_ +to begin the world with. You mean North America,--the United States,--I +suppose?" + +"I do." + +"I don't much like the United States as a home,--not because it is a +republic, for I believe that is the only just form of government, +whatever our aristocratic friends may say. I object to it simply because +I wish to go south,--to some part of the tropical world, where one may +equally be in the way of acquiring a fortune." + +"Is there such a place?" + +"There is." + +"Where, brother?" + +"Peru. Anywhere along the Sierra of the Andes from Chili to the Isthmus +of Panama. As Cornish men we should adopt the specialty of our province, +and become miners. The Andes mountains will give us that opportunity, +where, instead of gray tin, we may delve for yellow gold. What say you +to South America?" + +"I like the thought of South America,--nothing would please me better +than going there. But I must confess, brother, I have no inclination for +the occupation you speak of. I had rather be a merchant than a miner." + +"Don't let that _penchant_ prevent you from selecting Peru as the scene +of mercantile transactions. There are many Englishmen who have made +fortunes in the Peruvian trade. You may hope to follow their example. We +may choose different occupations and still be near each other. One +thousand pounds each may give both of us a start,--you as a merchant of +goods, I as a digger for gold. Peru is the place for either business. +Decide, Dick! Shall we sail for the scenes rendered celebrated by +Pizarro?" + +"If you will it--I'm agreed." + +"Thither then let us go." + +In a month from that time the two Trevannions might have been seen upon +a ship, steering westward from the Land's End, and six months later both +disembarked upon the beach of Callao,--_en route_ first for Lima, thence +up the mountains, to the sterile snow-crested mountains, that tower +above the treasures of Cerro Pasco,--vainly guarded within the bosom of +adamantine rocks. + + +CHAPTER II. + +THE BROTHERS ABROAD. + + +This book is not intended as a history of the brothers Ralph and Richard +Trevannion. If it were so, a gap of some fifteen years--after the date +of their arrival at Cerro Pasco--would have to be filled up. I decline +to speak of this interval of their lives, simply because the details +might not have any remarkable interest for those before whom they would +be laid. + +Suffice it to say, that Richard, the younger, soon became wearied of a +miner's life; and, parting with his brother, he crossed the Cordilleras, +and descended into the great Amazonian forest,--the "montana," as it is +called by the Spanish inhabitants of the Andes. Thence, in company with +a party of Portuguese traders, he kept on down the river Amazon, trading +along its banks, and upon some of its tributary streams; and finally +established himself as a merchant at its mouth, in the thriving "city" +of Gran Para. + +Richard was not unsocial in his habits; and soon became the husband of a +fair-haired wife,--the daughter of a countryman who, like himself, had +established commercial relations at Para. In a few years after, several +sweet children called him "father,"--only two of whom survived to +prattle in his ears this endearing appellation, alas! no longer to be +pronounced in the presence of their mother. + +Fifteen years after leaving the Land's End, Richard Trevannion, still +under thirty-five years of age, was a widower, with two +children,--respected wherever known, prosperous in pecuniary +affairs,--rich enough to return home, and spend the remainder of his +days in that state so much desired by the Sybarite Roman poet,--"otium +cum dignitate." + +Did he remember the vow mutually made between him and his brother, that, +having enough money, they would one day go back to Cornwall, and recover +the ancestral estate? He did remember it. He longed to accomplish this +design. He only awaited his brother's answer to a communication he had +made to him on this very subject. + +He had no doubt that Ralph's desire would be in unison with his +own,--that his brother would soon join him, and then both would return +to their native land,--perhaps to dwell again under the same roof that +had sheltered them as children. + +The history of the elder brother during this period of fifteen years, if +less eventful, was not less distinguished by success. By steadily +following the pursuit which had first attracted him to Peru, he +succeeded in becoming a man of considerable means,--independent, if not +wealthy. + +Like his brother, he got married at an early period,--in fact, within +the first year after establishing himself in Cerro Pasco. Unlike the +latter, however, he chose for his wife one of the women of the +country,--a beautiful Peruvian lady. She too, but a short while before, +had gone to a better world, leaving motherless two pretty children, of +twelve and fourteen years of age,--the elder of the two being a +daughter. + +Such was the family of Ralph Trevannion, and such the condition of life +in which his brother's epistle reached him,--that epistle containing the +proposal that they should wind up their respective businesses, dispose +of both, and carry their gains to the land that had given them birth. + +The proposition was at once accepted, as Richard knew it would be. It +was far from the first time that the thing had been discussed, +epistolary fashion, between them; for letters were exchanged as often as +opportunity permitted,--sometimes twice or thrice in the year. + +In these letters, during the last few years of their sojourn in South +America, the promise made on leaving home was mutually mentioned, and as +often renewed on either side. Richard knew that his brother was as eager +as himself to keep that well-remembered vow. + +So long as the mother of Ralph's children was alive, he had not urged +his brother to its fulfilment; but now that she had been dead for more +than a year, he had written to say that the time had come for their +return to their country and their home. + +His proposal was, that Ralph, having settled his affairs in +Peru,--which, of course, included the selling out of his share in the +mines,--should join him, Richard, at Para, thence to take ship for +England. That instead of going round by Cape Horn, or across the +isthmus, by Panama, Ralph should make the descent of the great Amazon +River, which traverse would carry him latitudinally across the continent +from west to east. + +Richard had two reasons for recommending this route. First, because he +wished his brother to see the great river of Orellana, as he himself had +done; and secondly, because he was still more desirous that his _own +son_ should see it. + +How this last wish was to be gratified by his brother making the descent +of the Amazon, may require explanation; but it will suffice to say that +the son of Richard Trevannion was at that time residing with his uncle +at the mines of Cerro Pasco. + +The boy had gone to Peru the year before, in one of his father's +ships,--first, to see the Great Ocean, then the Great Andes,--afterwards +to become acquainted with the country of the Incas, and last, though not +of least importance, to make the acquaintance of his own uncle and his +two interesting cousins, the elder of whom was exactly his own age. He +had gone to the Pacific side by _sea_. It was his father's wish he +should return to the Atlantic side by land,--or, to speak more +accurately, by _river_. + +The merchant's wish was to be gratified. The miner had no desire to +refuse compliance with his proposal. On the contrary, it chimed in with +his own inclinations. Ralph Trevannion possessed a spirit adventurous as +his brother's, which fourteen years of mining industry, carried on in +the cold mountains of Cerro Pasco, had neither deadened nor chilled. The +thought of once more returning to the scenes of his youth quite +rejuvenated him; and on the day of receiving his brother's challenge to +go, he not only accepted it, but commenced proceedings towards carrying +the design into execution. + +A month afterwards and he might have been seen descending the eastern +slope of the Cordilleras on mule-back, and accompanied by his family and +followers; afterwards aboard a _balsa_,--one of those curious crafts +used in the descent of the Huallaga; and later still on the _montaria_, +upon the bosom of the great river itself. + +With the details of his mountain travels, interesting as they may be, we +have naught to do. No more with his descent of the Huallaga, nor his +long voyage on the Amazon itself, in that up-river portion of the stream +where it is called the "Maranon." Only where it becomes the stupendous +"Solimoes" do we join Ralph Trevannion on his journey, and remain with +him as long as he is "AFLOAT IN THE FOREST," _or making a voyage among +the tree-tops_. + + +CHAPTER III. + +THE GALATEA. + + +On an evening in the early part of December, a craft of singular +construction might have been seen descending the Solimoes, and +apparently making for the little Portuguese port of Coary, that lies on +the southern side of the river. + +When we say of singular construction, we mean singular to one +unaccustomed to the navigation of Amazonian waters. There the craft in +question was too common to excite curiosity, since it was nothing more +than a _galatea_, or large canoe, furnished with mast and sail, with a +palm-thatched cabin, or _tolda_, rising over the quarter, a low-decked +locker running from bow to midships,--along each side of which were to +be seen, half seated, half standing, some half-dozen dark-skinned men, +each plying, instead of an oar, a paddle-blade. + +[Illustration] + +Perhaps the most singular sight on board this embarkation was the group +of animated beings who composed its crew and passengers. The former, as +already stated, were dark-skinned men, scantily clad,--in fact, almost +naked, since a single pair of white cotton drawers constituted the +complete costume of each. + +For passengers there were three men, and a like number of individuals of +younger age. Two of the men were white, apparently Europeans; the other +was as black as soot could have made him,--unquestionably an African +negro. Of the young people two were boys, not much differing in size, +and apparently not much in age, while the third was a half-grown girl, +of dark complexion, raven-colored hair, and beautiful features. + +One of the white men appeared to be, and was, the proprietor of the +montaria, and the employer of its swarthy crew. He was Ralph Trevannion. + +The young girl was his daughter, and bore her Peruvian mother's name, +Rosa, more often pronounced by its diminutive of endearment, Rosita. The +younger of the two boys--also of dark complexion--was his son Ralph, +while the older, of true Saxon physiognomy and hue, was the son of his +brother, also bearing his father's Christian name, Richard. + +The second white man was unmistakably of European race,--so much so that +any one possessing the slightest knowledge of the hibernian type, would +at once have pronounced him a "Son of the Sod." A pure pug nose, a shock +of curled hair of the clearest carrot color, an eternal twinkle in the +eye, a volume of fun lying open at each angle of the mouth,--were all +characteristics by which "Tipperary Tom"--for such was his +_sobriquet_--might be remembered. + +About the negro there was nothing special, more than that he was a pure +negro, with enormously thick lips, flattened nose, long protruding +heels, teeth white as hippopotamus ivory, and almost always set in a +good-humored grin. The darkey had been a sailor, or rather ship-steward, +before landing in Peru. Thither had he strayed, and settled at Cerro +Pasco after several years spent aboard ship. He was a native of +Mozambique, on the eastern coast of Africa, to which circumstance was he +indebted for the only name ever given him,--Mozey. + +Both he and the Irishman were the servants of the miner, or rather his +retainers, who served him in various ways, and had done so almost ever +since his establishing himself among the rocks of Cerro Pasco. + +The other creatures of the animated kingdom that found lodgment upon the +craft, were of various shapes, sizes, and species. There were +quadrupeds, quadrumana, and birds,--beasts of the field, monkeys of the +forest, and birds of the air,--clustering upon the cabin top, squatted +in the hold, perched upon the gangway, the tolda, the yard, and the +mast,--forming an epitomized menagerie, such as may be seen on every +kind of craft that navigates the mighty Amazon. + +It is not our design to give any description of the galatea's crew. +There were nine of them,--all Indians,--four on each side acting as +rowers, or more properly "paddlers," the ninth being the pilot or +steersman, standing abaft the tolda. + +Our reason for not describing them is that they were a changing crew, +only attached to the craft for a particular stage of the long river +voyage, and had succeeded several other similar sets since the +embarkation of our voyagers on the waters of the Upper Amazon. They had +joined the galatea at the port of Ega, and would take leave of her at +Coary, where a fresh crew of civilized Indians--"tapuyos"--would be +required. + +And they _were_ required, but not obtained. On the galatea putting into +the port of Coary, it was found that nearly every man in the place was +off upon a hunting excursion,--turtle and cowfish being the game that +had called them out. Not a canoe-man could be had for love or money. + +The owner of the galatea endeavored to tempt the Ega crew to continue +another stage. It was contrary to their habit, and they refused to go. +Persuasion and threats were tried in vain. Coaxing and scolding proved +equally unavailable; all except one remained firm in their refusal, the +exception being an old Indian who did not belong to the Ega tribe, and +who could not resist the large bribe offered by Trevannion. + +The voyagers must either suspend their journey till the Coary +turtle-hunters should return, or proceed without paddlers. The hunters +were not expected for a month. To stay a month at Coary was out of the +question. The galatea must go on manned by her own people, and the old +Indian, who was to act as pilot. Such was the determination of Ralph +Trevannion. But for that resolve,--rash as it was, and ending +unfortunately for him who made it,--we should have no story to tell. + + +CHAPTER IV. + +DRIFTING WITH THE CURRENT. + + +The craft that carried the ex-miner, his family and following, once more +floated on the broad bosom of the Solimoes. Not so swift as before, +since, instead of eight paddlers, it was now impelled by only half the +number,--these, too, with less than half the experience of the crew who +had preceded them. + +The owner himself acted as steersman, while the paddles were plied by +"Tipperary Tom," Mozey, the old Indian,--who, being of the Mundurucu +tribe, passed by the name of "Monday,"--and Richard Trevannion. + +The last, though by far the youngest, was perhaps the best paddler in +the party. Brought up in his native place of Gran Para, he had been +accustomed to spend half his time either in or upon the water; and an +oar or paddle was to him no novelty. + +Young Ralph, on the contrary, a true mountaineer, knew nothing of +either, and therefore counted for nothing among the crew of the galatea. +To him and the little Rosa was assigned the keeping of the pets, with +such other light duties as they were capable of performing. + +For the first day the voyage was uninterrupted by any incident,--at +least any that might be called unpleasant. Their slow progress, it is +true, was a cause of dissatisfaction; but so long as they were going at +all, and going in the right direction, this might be borne with +equanimity. Three miles an hour was about their average rate of speed; +for half of which they were indebted to the current of the river, and +for the other half to the impulsion of their paddles. + +Considering that they had still a thousand miles to go before reaching +Gran Para, the prospect of a protracted voyage was very plainly outlined +before them. + +Could they have calculated on making three miles an hour for every hour +of the twenty-four, things would not have been bad. This rate of speed +would have carried them to their destination in a dozen days,--a mere +bagatelle. But they knew enough of river-navigation to disregard such +data. They knew the current of the Solimoes to be extremely slow; they +had heard of the strange phenomenon, that, run which way the river +might, north, south, east, or west,--and it _does_ keep bending and +curving in all these directions,--the wind is almost always met with +blowing _up stream_! + +For this reason they could put no dependence in their sail, and would +have to trust altogether to the paddles. These could not be always in +the water. Human strength could not stand a perpetual spell, even at +paddles; and less so in the hands of a crew of men so little used to +them. + +Nor could they continue the voyage at night. By doing so, they would be +in danger of losing their course, their craft, and themselves! + +You may smile at the idea. You will ask--a little scornfully, +perhaps--how a canoe, or any other craft, drifting down a deep river to +its destination, could possibly go astray. Does not the current point +out the path,--the broad water-way not to be mistaken? + +So it might appear to one seated in a skiff, and floating down the +tranquil Thames, with its well-defined banks. But far different is the +aspect of the stupendous Solimoes to the voyager gliding through its +_gapo_. + +I have made use of a word of strange sound, and still stranger +signification. Perhaps it is new to your eye, as your ear. You will +become better acquainted with it before the end of our voyage; for into +the "Gapo" it is my intention to take you, where ill-luck carried the +galatea and her crew. + +On leaving Coary, it was not the design of her owner to attempt taking +his craft, so indifferently manned, all the way to Para. He knew there +were several civilized settlements between,--as Barra at the mouth of +the Rio Negro, Obidos below it, Santarem, and others. At one or other of +these places he expected to obtain a supply of _tapuyos_, to replace the +crew who had so provokingly forsaken him. + +The voyage to the nearest of them, however, would take several days, at +the rate of speed the galatea was now making; and the thought of being +delayed on their route became each hour more irksome. The ex-miner, who +had not seen his beloved brother during half a score of years, was +impatient once more to embrace him. He had been, already, several months +travelling towards him by land and water; and just as he was beginning +to believe that the most difficult half of the journey had been +accomplished, he found himself delayed by an obstruction vexatious as +unexpected. + +The first night after his departure from Coary, he consented that the +galatea should lie to,--moored to some bushes that grew upon the banks +of the river. + +On the second night, however, he acted with less prudence. His +impatience to make way prompted him to the resolution to keep on. The +night was clear,--a full moon shining conspicuously above, which is not +always the case in the skies of the Solimoes. + +There was to be no sail set, no use made of the paddles. The crew were +fatigued, and wanted rest and repose. The current alone was to favor +their progress; and as it appeared to be running nearly two miles an +hour, it should advance them between twenty and thirty miles before the +morning. + +The Mundurucu made an attempt to dissuade his "patron" from the course +he designed pursuing; but his advice was disregarded,--perhaps because +ill-understood,--and the galatea glided on. + +Who could mistake that broad expanse of water--upon which the moon shone +so clearly--for aught else than the true channel of the Solimoes? Not +Tipperary Tom, who, in the second watch of the night,--the owner himself +having kept the first,--acted as steersman of the galatea. + +The others had gone to sleep. Trevannion and the three young people +under the tolda; Mozey and the Mundurucu along the staging known as the +"hold." The birds and monkeys were at rest on their respective perches, +and in their respective cages,--all was silent in the galatea, and +around,--all save the rippling of the water, as it parted to the +cleaving of her keel. + + +CHAPTER V. + +THE GALATEA AGROUND. + + +Little experienced as he was in the art of navigation, the steersman was +not inattentive to his duty. Previously to his taking the rudder, he had +been admonished about the importance of keeping the craft in the channel +of the stream, and to this had he been giving his attention. + +It so chanced, however, that he had arrived at a place where there were +two channels,--as if an island was interposed in the middle of the +river, causing it to branch at an acute angle. Which of these was the +right one? Which should be taken? These were the questions that occurred +to Tipperary Tom. + +At first he thought of awakening his master, and consulting him, but on +once more glancing at the two channels, he became half convinced that +the broader one must be the proper route to be followed. + +"Bay Japers!" muttered he to himself. "Shure I can't be mistaken. The +biggest av the two ought to be the mane sthrame. Anyway, I won't wake +the masther. I'll lave it to the ship to choose for hersilf." Saying +this he relaxed his hold upon the steering oar, and permitted the +galatea to drift with the current. + +Sure enough, the little craft inclined towards the branch that appeared +the broader one; and in ten minutes' time had made such way that the +other opening was no longer visible from her decks. The steersman, +confident of being on the right course, gave himself no further +uneasiness; but, once more renewing his hold upon the steering oar, +guided the galatea in the middle of the channel. + +Notwithstanding all absence of suspicion as to having gone astray, he +could not help noticing that the banks on each side appeared to be +singularly irregular, as if here and there indented by deep bays, or +reaches of water. Some of these opened out vistas of shining surface, +apparently illimitable, while the dark patches that separated them +looked more like clumps of trees half submerged under water, than +stretches of solid earth. + +As the galatea continued her course, this puzzling phenomenon ceased to +be a conjecture; Tipperary Tom saw that he was no longer steering down a +river between two boundary banks, but on a broad expanse of water, +stretching as far as eye could reach, with no other boundary than that +afforded by a _flooded forest_. + +There was nothing in all this to excite alarm,--at least in the mind of +Tipperary Tom. The Mundurucu, had he been awake, might have shown some +uneasiness at the situation. But the Indian was asleep,--perhaps +dreaming of some Mura enemy,--whose head he would have been happy to +embalm. + +Tom simply supposed himself to be in some part of the Solimoes, flooded +beyond its banks, as he had seen it in more places than one. With this +confidence, he stuck faithfully to his steering oar, and allowed the +galatea to glide on. It was only when the reach of water--upon which the +craft was drifting--began to narrow, or rather after it had narrowed to +a surprising degree, that the steersman began to suspect himself of +having taken the wrong course. + +His suspicions became stronger, at length terminating in a conviction +that such was the truth, when the galatea arrived at a part where less +than a cable's length lay between her beam-ends and the bushes that +stood out of the water on both sides of her. Too surely had he strayed +from the "mane sthrame." The craft that carried him could no longer be +in the channel of the mighty Solimoes! + +The steersman was alarmed, and this very alarm hindered him from +following the only prudent course he could have taken under the +circumstances. He should have aroused his fellow-voyagers, and +proclaimed the error into which he had fallen. He did not do so. A sense +of shame at having neglected his duty, or rather at having performed it +in an indifferent manner,--a species of regret not uncommon among his +countrymen,--hindered him from disclosing the truth, and taking steps to +avert any evil consequences that might spring from it. + +He knew nothing of the great river on which they were voyaging. There +_might_ be such a strait as that through which the galatea was gliding. +The channel might widen below; and, after all, he might have steered in +the proper direction. With such conjectures, strengthened by such hopes, +he permitted the vessel to float on. + +The channel _did_ widen again; and the galatea once more rode upon open +water. The steersman was restored to confidence and contentment. Only +for a short while did this state of mind continue. Again the clear water +became contracted, this time to a very strip, while on either side +extended reaches and estuaries, bordered by half-submerged bushes,--some +of them opening apparently to the sky horizon, wider and freer from +obstruction than that upon which the galatea was holding her course. + +The steersman no longer thought of continuing his course, which he was +now convinced must be the wrong one. Bearing with all his strength upon +the steering oar, he endeavored to direct the galatea back into the +channel through which he had come; but partly from the drifting of the +current, and partly owing to the deceptive light of the moon, he could +no longer recognize the latter, and, dropping the rudder in despair, he +permitted the vessel to drift whichever way the current might carry her! + +Before Tipperary Tom could summon courage to make known to his +companions the dilemma into which he had conducted them, the galatea had +drifted among the tree-tops of the flooded forest, where she was +instantly "brought to anchor." + +The crashing of broken boughs roused her crew from their slumbers. The +ex-miner, followed by his children, rushed forth from the tolda. He was +not only alarmed, but perplexed, by the unaccountable occurrence. Mozey +was equally in a muddle. The only one who appeared to comprehend the +situation was the old Indian, who showed sufficient uneasiness as to its +consequences by the terrified manner in which he called out: "The Gapo! +The Gapo!" + +_Mayne Reid._ + +(_To be continued._) + +[Illustration] + + + + + +[Illustration] + +CHARADES. + + +NO. 1. + + An old man lay on a bed of death, + Slowly drawing each labored breath; + His pulse was felt by a friendly hand, + While the doctor issued a stern command + To swallow my _first_ without delay, + If he wished to live till another day. + At this the patient looked my _second_, + And slowly spoke: "When Death has beckoned, + In vain the doctor's healing art; + I now am called, and I depart; + I'm glad I've lasted till my _third_." + The listeners scarcely caught the word + With which escaped the unfettered soul, + And finished then his long--my _whole_. + +H. C. + + +NO. 2. + + When I'm my _first_, I lie in bed; + My _second_ wins me gold; + My _third_ I keep safe in my head; + My _fourth_ you may behold + In all its pride, when victory + Shall bid my _whole_ light up the sky. + + + + +ARITHMETICAL PUZZLES. + + +NO. 1. + +In a gale of wind, the top part of a flagstaff in my neighbor's garden +was broken off, and struck the ground in my garden at a distance of 15 +feet from the bottom of the pole, and in its fall broke two vases, worth +$63.25 apiece. My neighbor, in paying for these vases, made four +payments. The second payment was twice as much as the first; the third +amounted to three times as much as the first; and the last amounted to +five times as much as the first. + +Supposing the broken piece of flagstaff to measure 39 feet, what was the +length of the whole pole, and what did my neighbor pay at each payment? + + +NO. 2. + +100--1--5--1--50. + +This is what all young people ought to be. + + +ENIGMA. No. 1. + + I am composed of 13 letters. + My 8, 10, is an abrupt dismissal. + My 11, 5, 7, 8, is not short. + My 9, 1, 3, 12, goes well with a knife. + My 13, 12, 6, 7, 12, is an unpleasant animal. + My 13, 1, 3, 3, 4, is what you will be if + you can't discover me. + My 4, 1, 11, 12, is part of an egg. + My 9, 3, 5, 8, 13, a Frenchman would eat. + My 9, 2, 7, you like now. + My whole I hope you will always like. + + + + +ILLUSTRATED REBUS.--No. 1. + + +[Illustration] + +H. M. T. + + +VON RAIL. + + There was an old Dutchman, Von Rail, + Who had an ambition to sail, + So he put out to sea, + In a fit of high glee, + That hilarious old person, Von Rail. + + +[Illustration] + + +Transcriber's Note: + +Hyphenated words have been standardized. Inconsistencies in spellings +have been left as in the original except those listed below. + +Page 75--Typo corrected from Para to Para. + + + + + +End of Project Gutenberg's Our Young Folks, Vol 1, No. 1, by Various + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK OUR YOUNG FOLKS, VOL 1, NO. 1 *** + +***** This file should be named 29626.txt or 29626.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/2/9/6/2/29626/ + +Produced by Marcia Brooks, David Edwards and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Canada Team at +http://www.pgdpcanada.net (This file was produced from +images generously made available by The Internet +Archive/American Libraries.) + + +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, are 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. diff --git a/29626.zip b/29626.zip Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..874575f --- /dev/null +++ b/29626.zip diff --git a/LICENSE.txt b/LICENSE.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6312041 --- /dev/null +++ b/LICENSE.txt @@ -0,0 +1,11 @@ +This eBook, including all associated images, markup, improvements, +metadata, and any other content or labor, has been confirmed to be +in the PUBLIC DOMAIN IN THE UNITED STATES. + +Procedures for determining public domain status are described in +the "Copyright How-To" at https://www.gutenberg.org. + +No investigation has been made concerning possible copyrights in +jurisdictions other than the United States. Anyone seeking to utilize +this eBook outside of the United States should confirm copyright +status under the laws that apply to them. diff --git a/README.md b/README.md new file mode 100644 index 0000000..f39e0a6 --- /dev/null +++ b/README.md @@ -0,0 +1,2 @@ +Project Gutenberg (https://www.gutenberg.org) public repository for +eBook #29626 (https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/29626) |
