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diff --git a/44927-0.txt b/44927-0.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..662acb7 --- /dev/null +++ b/44927-0.txt @@ -0,0 +1,2380 @@ +*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 44927 *** + +[Illustration: HARPER'S YOUNG PEOPLE +AN ILLUSTRATED WEEKLY.] + + * * * * * + +VOL. II.--NO. 69. PUBLISHED BY HARPER & BROTHERS, NEW YORK. PRICE FOUR +CENTS. + +Tuesday, February 22, 1881. Copyright, 1881, by HARPER & BROTHERS. $1.50 +per Year, in Advance. + + * * * * * + + + + +[Illustration: THE RACE ON THE TAPPAN ZEE.] + +HOW THE PENNANT WAS WON. + +AN ICE-BOAT STORY. + +BY J. O. DAVIDSON. + + +Bump, bang, clatter, clatter. + +"Eh! hello, who's there?" and Arthur jumps from his warm bed, and +starts, shivering, to open the window-shutter; but ere he can reach it, +another thump from without, and the rattle of a broken snow-ball on the +tin roof of the veranda greets his ears. + +He gets the shutter open just as Joe Henderson is about to throw another +snow-ball, to knock at his door, as it were. + +"Hello, Joe! what's up? Phew! ain't it cold!" + +"Oh, Art, hurry up and dress, and come down," cries Joe. "I've splendid +news for you. The river is frozen clear to Tarrytown, and the ice-boats +from there are coming over to race with the Nyack boats to-day, and +Uncle Nye is going to enter his new yacht, the _Jack Frost_, in the +regatta, and says you and I may go along to help make up the crew. Won't +it be fun, though? There's an elegant breeze." + +"I should say so," chattered Arthur, as he shivered before the window. +"But I'm afraid I can't go. I don't dare miss school, it's so near +examination-day." + +"Oh, that's all right," cried Joe. "I stopped with a letter at Dominie +Switchell's on my way up, and he's laid up with another attack of +rheumatism, and can't teach school to-day. Ain't it glorious?" + +"Elegant! Hooray! I'm with you!" shouted Arthur, as he disappeared from +the window. Hurrying on his clothes, and scarcely dipping his face in +the icy water, he completed a hasty toilet, bounded down stairs two +steps at a time, and tumbled over a chair that grandma had placed before +her door to trip up burglars. + +"Oh dear, what's the matter?" cried a voice from the room, as grandma +opened the door and peeped into the hall. + +"Why, Artie dear, how you frightened me! What is the cause of--" + +"Ice-boat regatta to-day," shouted Artie, rubbing his ankle; "and +there's no school, and I'm going on the _Jack Frost_. Won't be back till +afternoon; keep my dinner hot, and--" The rest of the sentence was +inaudible to grandma, for the boy was down the back stairs and in the +kitchen, where, joined by Joe, he hurriedly ate the breakfast which +good-natured Julia quickly set before them, for she knew just how to +treat boys, having been a romping country girl herself. + +In a few minutes the back door banged to, and our lads ran down the +slippery pathway toward the river, where the bright sails of the +Tarrytown fleet were already gliding toward the hither shore, as if in +challenge to a contest. A minute's steady trot brought the boys to the +steamboat dock where the ferry-boat lay frozen in. A number of graceful +ice-yachts were gliding hither and thither over the glassy surface, +while several near the wharf stood with sails flapping in the crisp, +freshening breeze, as numbers of men and boys hurried about making the +last preparations for the race, while shouts and halloos resounded on +all sides. An animated group was gathered about one large and very +stanch-looking boat. + +"Oh, ain't she a beauty?" exclaimed Artie, as they ran and slid over the +ice toward her. + +"Why, it's the _Jack Frost_!" replied Joe. "Look at her flag; and here +comes Uncle Nye, and Marc, and Charlie Haines, who built the boat." + +"Good-morning, boys; just in time," called Mr. Nye. "It's a fine day for +our sport. Jump aboard now, and let's be off. Haines, you take the +windward runner; Joe, you stand by the peak halyards; Marc, you take the +jib sheets; while Artie minds the main, and I'll tend the helm. Now tuck +in the buffalo-robes. Are you all ready there forward?" + +"Ay, ay, sir." + +"Let go; steady now; there she fills;" and as the beautiful craft +gathered headway, and glided over the smooth ice, a cheer went up for +the new yacht. As they gained the open ice, several other racers ranged +alongside to test the speed of the new-comer. + +"What boat is that, Charlie?" called Mr. Nye, pointing to a fine boat +close to. + +"That's Mr. Snow's boat, the _Icicle_, sir; and here comes Mr. +Voorhees's flyer, the _Avalanche_. There's Mr. Smith's _Snow Squall_, +from Tarrytown. Look out, sir; here comes Mr. Hoff's boat, the _Marie_, +trying to cross our bows. But she can't do it." + +In a few minutes the _Jack Frost_ had drawn away slightly from her +rivals; and putting about, Mr. Nye ran back, and brought the boat to a +stand-still near the dock. + +"Oh, uncle, do you think we'll win the race?" + +"I can not tell, of course, Joe, but Haines says she handles +beautifully, and we stand a good chance if nothing breaks." + +"Is Artie there?" called a voice from the dock to Joe. + +"Yes, Ed, he's here." + +"Tell him that grandma sent him this muffler, and wants him to wrap well +up, and not catch--" + +"There goes the signal to get ready!" exclaimed Charlie, as he jumped on +the windward runner; and they ran rapidly down to the starting-point, +where a long line of boats was drawn up like white-winged birds, their +sails trembling in the breeze. + +"What is the course, sir?" asked Artie. + +"From Hook Mountain to Piermont Dock, two miles out in mid-river, then +back to the Hook, three times--about thirty miles." + +"There, Artie, there's the new pennant the young ladies offered as a +prize last year, and Tom Hackett and Jim Burger, from Tarrytown, won it +on the _Eagle_; but the boys say they didn't win it fairly, for they +started ahead of the rest, and crowded one of our boats into an ice +crack, and broke her runner." + +"Now, boys, attention," ordered Mr. Nye, sharply. "Let her come into the +wind." + +"Are you ready?" came a clear voice down the wind; and a pistol report +cracked on the air. + +"Jib sheet--quick, Marc; more main sheet, Art; now sway down on the peak +halyards, Joe; lie close, Haines. That's it--all snug;" and they were +off on the race. + +After our boys had attended to their duties, they had time to look about +at the rest of the fleet. + +Away on either side stretched a line of swiftly moving yachts, white +sails flat as boards, flags fluttering, the wind humming through the +rigging, while their glittering runners cut feathery flakes of +glistening ice in their tracks. + +"Oh, ain't it too bad!" cried Joe. "The _Eagle_ and _Icicle_ are both +ahead of us." + +"Never mind, boys; it's early in the race yet. Wait till we get on a +wind," replied Haines. "Now watch the turning-point, sir; don't let the +_Snow Squall_ get inside of us; ready, about," and the three leading +boats turned the stake together. + +"Phew! how we fly!" cried Art. "Isn't she a hummer?" + +"I wonder why they call a boat _Jack_, and then call it 'she,' as if it +were a girl?" queried Joe. + +"Give it up," replied Marc. + +"Because they require so much rigging," promptly responded Mr. Nye. + +"Oh, uncle, that's not fair," cried Joe; "you knew the answer before." + +"Well, I've two daughters, and ought to," replied Mr. Nye; and they all +joined in his jolly laugh. + +"Look out for the crack ahead!" shouted Charlie, as they rushed by a +split in the ice. "Ready, about!" away they went on the other tack; and +so the exciting race went on. Now one boat would be ahead, again another +would dart by and take the lead, but some had fallen so hopelessly in +the rear, that only a half-dozen remained in the race, and of these it +was hard to tell which was the swiftest. + +"I'm afraid we're going to have a snow-squall, sir," shouted Charlie. +"There's a black cloud coming over the Hook Mountain." + +"Let it come; I think the heavier it blows, the better for us," replied +Mr. Nye. + +The race was now three-quarters run, and everything must be decided in a +few minutes. The squall had come over the Hook, darkening the heavens, +and the gale made the boats dart along with lightning speed. + +"The _Marie_ is ahead of us," exclaimed Charlie Haines, peering into the +flying snow. "Hello, something's the matter with her! Boat ahoy! Sheer +off, or you'll run into us. Steady, boys," and a phantom shape rushed +out of the mist and darted across their wake with peak halyard parted +and the mainsail thundering in the wind. + +The snow now hid everything in a wild whirl of mist. + +"Here comes the _Eagle_, sir," as another yacht appeared close aboard in +the gloom, with her flag streaming wildly on the gale. + +"Keep off! keep off!" roared Charlie Haines to Tom Hackett, who was +steering the rival yacht. + +"Clear the track!" came back the answer, in angry tones. + +"Keep on your course, Mr. Nye!" yelled Charlie. "You have the right of +way, and he dare not run us down." + +Scarcely had he spoken when Hackett altered his boat's course. + +"Luff, sir, luff!" shouted Charlie Haines, and with a light touch of the +helm, Mr. Nye avoided the collision. Not entirely, though, for the +_Eagle_ caught her jib-stay under her rival's main-boom; a sharp snap +followed, a heavy lurch, and the _Eagle_, devoid of her jib, whirled +about and upset, throwing her crew along the ice. + +"Served them right!" exclaimed Haines. "They tried to crowd us out of +our course, but got upset themselves. Now, boys, hold on tight." + +A terrific gust of wind and snow drove them swiftly on; it blew so hard, +that the windward runner, with Charlie clinging to it, was lifted high +in the air, and it seemed as though the boat must capsize. + +"Shall we drop the peak?" called Mr. Nye. "I hardly think she'll stand +it." + +"Yes, she will, sir," answered Charlie. "Hold hard, _every one_!" and a +moment later he added, "Hurrah! I see the stake ahead," and a burst of +sunshine through the clouds revealed the flag close by. + +Several other boats now emerged from the squall, but much of their +canvas was shivering, and most of their peaks had been dropped before +the fury of the gale. + +It was no use trying to recover their lost ground, and our friends on +the _Jack Frost_ darted by the flag, winners of the race by several +seconds, and also of the champion pennant of the Tappan Zee. + + + + +BITS OF ADVICE. + +BY AUNT MARJORIE PRECEPT. + +GOING TO A PARTY. + + +I remember that when I was quite young going to a party was nearly as +much a trial to me as a pleasure. Being diffident, I dreaded entering +the room, and encountering the eyes of the people already assembled +there; and once fairly in, I was overshadowed all the evening by the +dreadful necessity of, by-and-by, retiring. Besides, I felt a sense of +responsibility which was very oppressive, and was so afraid of not doing +or saying what was expected of me, that I moved and acted awkwardly, and +no doubt looked perfectly miserable. + +Perhaps some of you may have had experiences similar to mine. Now let me +tell you that I have lived to laugh at my foolish shyness, and to be +very sorry for boys and girls who suffer from the same thing. When you +are invited to a company, the first thing in order is to reply to the +invitation. This is _polite_, whether you accept or decline, and it is +_imperative_ if you decline. Send your answer as soon as possible, in +some such simple phrase as this: "Harold," or "Florence, thanks Mrs. +---- for her kind invitation for Thursday evening, and accepts it with +pleasure," or "declines it with real regret," as the case may be. +Arrived at your friend's house, you will be directed to the proper place +for the removal of your wraps, and the arrangement of your toilet, and +then you have only to proceed to the parlor, where your hostess will +relieve you from embarrassment by meeting you at once. She is, of +course, the first person whom you are to greet. Having spoken to her, +you are at liberty to find other friends. Do not think that people are +looking at you, or noticing your dress or your looks. They are doing +nothing of the kind. Engage heartily in whatever amusement is provided +for the occasion, but do not put yourself needlessly forward. If spoken +to, reply modestly but intelligently, even though for the moment there +may be a hush in the room. If you really wish to enjoy yourself, seek +out somebody who seems to be more a stranger than yourself, and try to +do something for his or her pleasure. Forget that you are not acquainted +with everybody, and remember that it is your duty to help your hostess +in making her party a success. Should your greatest enemy be present, +you must of course be perfectly civil and agreeable in your manner to +him, for in your friend's house you are both under a flag of truce. + +When you say good-night to your entertainers, be sure to thank them for +the pleasure you have had. Do not stay too late, but avoid being the +first to go; or, if you must leave early, do it as quietly as possible, +lest your withdrawal should be the signal for others to leave, thus +breaking up the party too soon. + + + + +POPPING CORN. + +BY GEORGE COOPER. + + + This is the way we drop the corn-- + Drop the corn to pop the corn: + Shower the tiny lumps of gold, + All that our heaping hands can hold; + Listen awhile, and blithe and bold, + Pip! pop-corn! + + This is the way we shake the corn-- + Shake the corn to wake the corn: + Rattle the pan, and then behold! + What are the tiny lumps of gold? + Pretty wee white lambs in the fold! + Tip-top corn! + + + + +THE WEEPING-WILLOW. + +BY BENSON J. LOSSING. + + +You have seen and admired the weeping-willow tree--the _Salix +babylonica_--upon which the captive Hebrews hung their harps when they +sat down "by the rivers of Babylon" and "wept when they remembered +Zion." It is a native of the garden of Eden, and not of America, and I +will tell you how it emigrated to this country. + +More than a hundred and fifty years ago a London merchant lost his +fortune. He went to Smyrna, a sea-side city in Asia Minor, to recover +it. Alexander Pope, one of the great poets of England, was the +merchant's warm friend, and sympathized with him in his misfortunes. + +Soon after the merchant arrived in Smyrna, he sent to Pope, as a +present, a box of dried figs. At that time the poet had built a +beautiful villa at Twickenham, on the bank of the river Thames, and was +adorning it with trees, shrubbery, and flowering plants. + +On opening the box of figs Pope discovered in it a small twig of a tree. +It was a stranger to him. As it came from the East, he planted the twig +in the ground near the edge of the river, close by his villa. The spot +accidentally chosen for the planting was favorable to its growth, for +the twig was from a weeping-willow tree--possibly from the bank of one +of "the rivers of Babylon"--which flourishes best along the borders of +water-courses. + +This little twig grew vigorously, and in a few years it became a large +tree, spreading wide its branches and drooping, graceful sprays, and +winning the admiration of the poet's friends as well as of strangers. It +became the ancestor of all the weeping-willows in England. + +There was rebellion in the English-American colonies in 1775. British +troops were sent to Boston to put down the insurrection. Their leaders +expected to end it in a few weeks after their arrival. Some young +officers brought fishing-tackle with them, to enable them to enjoy sport +after the brief war. Others came to settle on the confiscated lands of +the "rebels." + +Among the latter was a young officer on the staff of General Howe. He +brought with him, wrapped in oiled silk, a twig from Pope's +weeping-willow at Twickenham, which he intended to plant on some stream +watering his American estate. + +Washington commanded an army before Boston, which kept the British +imprisoned in that city a long time against their will. On his staff was +his step-son, John Parke Custis, who frequently went to the British +head-quarters, under the protection of a flag, with dispatches for +General Howe. He became acquainted with the young officer who had the +willow twig, and they became friends. + +Instead of "crushing the rebellion in six weeks," the British army at +Boston, at the end of an imprisonment of nine months, were glad to fly, +by sea, for life and liberty, to Halifax. Long before that flight, the +British subaltern, satisfied that he should never have an estate in +America to adorn, gave his carefully preserved willow twig to young +Custis, who planted it at Abingdon, his estate in Virginia, where it +grew and flourished, and became the parent of all the weeping-willows in +the United States. + +Some time after the war, General Horatio Gates, of the Revolution, +settled on the "Rose Hill Farm," on New York Island, and at the entrance +to a lane which led from a country road to his house he planted a twig +from the vigorous willow at Abingdon, which he had brought with him. +That country road is now the Third Avenue, and the lane is Twenty-second +Street. Gates's mansion, built of wood, and two stories in height, stood +near the corner of Twenty-seventh Street and Second Avenue, where I saw +it consumed by fire in 1845. The tree which grew from the twig planted +at the entrance to Gates's lane remained until comparatively a few years +ago. It stood on the northeast corner of Third Avenue and Twenty-second +Street. It was a direct descendant, in the third generation, of Pope's +willow, planted at Twickenham about 1722. + + + + +[Illustration: INDIAN CHILDREN PLAYING "BUFFALO."--DRAWN BY W. M. CARY.] + +THE GAME OF "BUFFALO." + + +In inventing games, and playing them heartily too, the Indian children +of the western plains are fully as active as their little white brothers +and sisters of the east. + +One of the favorite games among the boys of the great Sioux nation is +that of "Buffalo," a game that may be played by any number; but while as +many as choose may act as hunters, only two, and they the largest and +strongest, can be buffaloes. These two procure a couple of buffalo-robes +as nearly perfect as possible, and, going a short distance from camp, +put them on, get down on their hands and knees, and pretend to be +feeding. Then the hunters, each armed with a bow and a quiver of +blunt-headed arrows, creep cautiously toward their game, taking pains to +keep on the leeward side of the feeding animals. + +Taking advantage of every hummock and tuft of grass to conceal their +approach, the hunters finally get within bow-shot of the make-believe +buffaloes. At a signal a flight of arrows is discharged at the hairy +monsters, and they in turn, apparently maddened by the pain of their +wounds, charge upon the hunters, bellowing with rage, and knocking down +with their heads any whom they happen to overtake. + +Finally the buffaloes are supposed to be killed; they roll over and lie +perfectly still, while the hunters, with loud rejoicings, remove their +skins, which they bear in triumph to camp. Then all, hunters and +buffaloes, unite in a wild dance in imitation of their fathers when they +return from a successful hunt, and the game is ended. + + + + +[Begun in No. 58 of HARPER'S YOUNG PEOPLE, December 7.] + +TOBY TYLER; + +OR, TEN WEEKS WITH A CIRCUS. + +BY JAMES OTIS. + +CHAPTER XI. + +A STORMY NIGHT. + + +When Toby awoke, it was nearly dark, and the bustle around him told very +plainly that the time for the departure was near at hand. He rubbed his +eyes just enough to make sure that he was thoroughly awake, and then +jumped down from his rather lofty bed, and ran around to the door of the +cage to assure himself that Mr. Stubbs was safe. This done, his +preparations for the journey were made. + +Now Toby noticed that each one of the drivers was clad in rubber +clothing, and, after listening for a moment, he learned the cause of +their water-proof garments. It was raining very hard, and Toby thought +with dismay of the long ride that he would have to take on the top of +the monkeys' cage, with no protection whatever save that afforded by his +ordinary clothing. + +While he was standing by the side of the wagon, wondering how he should +get along, old Ben came in. The water was pouring from his clothes in +little rivulets, and he afforded most unmistakable evidence of the damp +state of the weather. + +"It's a nasty night, my boy," said the old driver, in much the same +cheery tone that he would have used had he been informing Toby that it +was a beautiful moonlight evening. + +"I guess I'll get wet," said Toby, ruefully, as he looked up at the +lofty seat which he was to occupy. + +"Bless me!" said Ben, as if the thought had just come to him, "it won't +do for you to ride outside on a night like this. You wait here, an' I'll +see what I can do for you." + +The old man hurried off to the other end of the tent, and almost before +Toby thought he had time to go as far as the ring, he returned. + +"It's all right," he said, and this time in a gruff voice, as if he were +announcing some misfortune; "you're to ride in the women's wagon. Come +with me." + +Toby followed without a question, though he was wholly at a loss to +understand what the "women's wagon" was, for he had never seen anything +which looked like one. + +He soon learned, however, when old Ben stopped in front--or rather at +the end--of a long covered wagon that looked like an omnibus, except +that it was considerably longer, and the seats inside were divided by +arms, padded to make them comfortable to lean against. + +"Here's the boy," said Ben, as he lifted Toby up on the step, gave him a +gentle push to intimate that he was to get inside, and then left him. + +As Toby stepped inside he saw that the wagon was nearly full of women +and children, and fearing lest he should take a seat that belonged to +some one else, he stood in the middle of the wagon, not knowing what to +do. + +"Why don't you sit down, little boy?" asked one of the ladies, after +Toby had remained standing nearly five minutes, and the wagon was about +to start. + +"Well," said Toby, with some hesitation, as he looked around at the two +or three empty seats that remained, "I didn't want to get in anybody +else's place, an' I didn't know where to sit." + +"Come right here," said the lady, as she pointed to a seat by the side +of a little girl who did not look any older than Toby; "the lady who +usually occupies that seat will not be here to-night, and you can have +it." + +"Thank you, marm," said Toby, as he sat timidly down on the edge of the +seat, hardly daring to sit back comfortably, and feeling very awkward +meanwhile, but congratulating himself on being thus protected from the +pouring rain. + +The wagon started, and as each one talked with her neighbor, Toby felt a +most dismal sense of loneliness, and almost wished that he was riding on +the monkey cart with Ben, where he could have some one to talk with. He +gradually pushed himself back into a more comfortable position, and then +had an opportunity of seeing more plainly the young girl who rode by his +side. + +She was quite as young as Toby, and small of her age; but there was an +old look on her face, that made the boy think of her as quite an old +woman cut down to fit children's clothes. Toby had looked at her so long +and earnestly, that she observed him, and asked, "What is your name?" + +"Toby Tyler." + +"What do you do in the circus?" + +"Sell candy for Mr. Lord." + +"Oh, I thought you was a new member of the company." + +Toby knew by the tone of her voice that he had fallen considerably in +her estimation by not being one of the performers, and it was some +little time before he ventured to speak; then he asked, timidly, "What +do you do?" + +"I ride one of the horses with mother." + +"Are you the little girl that comes out with the lady an' four horses?" +asked Toby, in awe that he should be conversing with so famous a person. + +"Yes, I am. Don't I do it nicely?" + +"Why, you're a perfect little--little--fairy!" exclaimed Toby, after +hesitating a moment to find some word which would exactly express his +idea. + +This praise seemed to please the young lady, and in a short time the two +became very good friends, even if Toby did not occupy a more exalted +position than that of candy-seller. She had learned from him all about +the accident to the monkey cage, and Mr. Stubbs, and in return had told +him that her name was Ella Mason, though on the bills she was called +Mademoiselle Jeannette. + +[Illustration: TOBY IN THE "WOMEN'S WAGON."] + +For several hours the two children sat talking together, and then +Mademoiselle Jeannette curled herself up on the seat, with her head in +her mother's lap, and went to sleep. + +Toby had resolved to keep awake and watch her, for he was quite struck +with admiration at her face, but sleep got the better of him in less +than five minutes after he had made such a resolution, and he sat +bolt-upright, with his little round head nodding and bobbing, until it +seemed almost certain that he would shake it off. + +When Toby awoke, the wagon was drawn up by the side of the road, the sun +was shining brightly, preparations were being made for the entrée into +town, and the harsh voice of Mr. Job Lord was shouting his name in a +tone that boded no good for the owner of it when he should make his +appearance. + +Toby would have hesitated before meeting his angry employer, but that he +knew it would only make matters worse for him when he did show himself, +and he mentally braced himself for the trouble which he knew was coming. +The little girl whose acquaintance he had made the night previous was +still sleeping, and wishing to say good-by to her in some way without +awakening her, he stooped down and gently kissed the skirt of her dress. +Then he went out to meet his master. + +Mr. Lord was thoroughly in a rage when Toby left the wagon, and he saw +the boy just as he stepped to the ground. The angry man gave one quick +glance around, to make sure that none of Toby's friends were in sight, +and then he caught him by the coat collar, and commenced to whip him +severely with the small rubber cane that he usually carried. + +Mr. Job Lord lifted the poor boy entirely clear from the ground, and +each blow that he struck could be heard nearly the entire length of the +circus train. + +"You've been makin' so many acquaintances here that you hain't willin' +to do any work," he said, savagely, as he redoubled the force of his +blows. + +"Oh, please stop! please stop!" shrieked the poor boy in his agony. +"I'll do everything you tell me to, if you won't strike me again." + +This piteous appeal seemed to have no effect upon the cruel man, and he +continued to whip the boy, despite his cries and entreaties, until his +arm fairly ached from the exertion, and Toby's body was crossed and +recrossed with the livid marks of the cane. + +"Now let's see whether you'll 'tend to your work or not," said the man, +as he flung Toby from him with such force that the boy staggered, +reeled, and nearly fell into the little brook that flowed by the +road-side. "I'll make you understand that all the friends you've whined +around in this show can't save you from a lickin' when I get ready to +give you one. Now go an' do your work that ought to have been done an +hour ago." + +Mr. Lord walked away with the proud consciousness of a man who has +achieved some great victory, and Toby was limping painfully along toward +the cart that was used in conveying Mr. Lord's stock in trade, when he +felt a tiny hand slip into his, and heard a childish voice say: + +"Don't cry, Toby. Some time, when I get big enough, I'll make Mr. Lord +sorry that he whipped you as he did; and I'm big enough now to tell him +just what kind of a man I think he is." + +Looking around, Toby saw his little acquaintance of the evening +previous, and he tried to force back the big tears that were rolling +down his cheeks, as he said, in a voice choked with grief, "You're awful +good, an' I don't mind the lickin' when you say you're sorry for me. I +s'pose I deserve it for runnin' away from Uncle Dan'l." + +"Did it hurt you much?" she asked, feelingly. + +"It did when he was doin' it," replied Toby, manfully, "but it don't a +bit now that you've come." + +"Then I'll go and talk to that Mr. Lord, and I'll come and see you again +after we get into town," said the little miss, as she hurried away to +tell the candy vender what she thought of him. + +That day, as on all others since he had been with the circus, Toby went +to his work with a heavy heart, and time and time again did he count the +money which had been given him by kind-hearted strangers, to see whether +he had enough to warrant his attempting to run away. Three dollars and +twenty-five cents was the total amount of his treasure, and large as +that sum appeared to him, he could not satisfy himself that he had +sufficient to enable him to get back to the home which he had so +wickedly left. Whenever he thought of this home, of the Uncle Daniel who +had, in charity, cared for him--a motherless, fatherless boy--and of +returning to it, with not even as much right as the Prodigal Son, of +whom he had heard Uncle Daniel tell, his heart sank within him, and he +doubted whether he would be allowed to remain if he should be so +fortunate as ever to reach Guilford again. + +This day passed, so far as Toby was concerned, very much as had the +others; he could not satisfy either of his employers, try as hard as he +might, and, as usual, he met with two or three kindly disposed people, +who added to the fund that he was accumulating for his second venture of +running away, by little gifts of money, each one of which gladdened his +heart, and made his troubles a trifle less hard to bear. + +During that entire week one day was very much like another. Each day he +added something to his fund, and each night it seemed to him that he was +one day nearer the freedom for which he so ardently longed. + +The skeleton, the fat lady, old Ben, the Albino Children, little Ella, +and even the sword-swallower, each gave him a kindly word as they passed +him while he was at his work, or saw him as the preparations for the +grand entrée were being made. + +The time had passed slowly to Toby, and yet Sunday came again, as +Sundays always come; and on this day old Ben hunted him up, made him +wash his face and hands until they fairly shone from very cleanliness, +and then took him with him to church. Toby was surprised to find that it +was really a pleasant thing to be able to go to church after being +deprived of it, and he was more light-hearted than he had been since he +left Guilford when he returned to the tent at noon. + +The skeleton had invited him to another dinner party; but Toby had +declined the invitation, agreeing to present himself in time for supper +instead. He hardly cared to go through the ordeal of another state +dinner, and, besides, he wanted to go off to the woods with the old +monkey, where he could enjoy the silence of the forest, which ever +seemed like a friend to him, because it reminded him of home. + +Taking the monkey with him as usual, he inquired the nearest way to some +grove, and without waiting for dinner, started off for an afternoon's +quiet enjoyment. + +[TO BE CONTINUED.] + + + + +THE STORY OF THE DIGITS, AND WHAT THEY REPRESENT. + + + 1 is the lord of the manor, + 2 is his swan-like bride, + 3 is his gentle daughter, + And 4 is the pony to ride; + 5 is young Jack, so nimble, + 6 is the careful maid, + 7 the priest so humble, + And 8 is the church where he staid; + 9 is the palace castle, + And 10 the poor around-- + This is the story of Numbers, + While the whirl of Time goes round. + + + + +THE TALL PINE. + +A STORY FOR WASHINGTON'S BIRTHDAY. + +BY KATE UPSON CLARK. + + +"The tall pine" grew upon the backbone of Bald Mountain, a mighty spur +of the Green Mountain range, and from nearly every point for miles +around the great tree could be seen standing out clear and distinct +against the sky, and towering, like Saul, head and shoulders above its +brethren. + +It happened that upon a certain Fourth of July, years ago, the eloquent +orator of the day, in dilating upon the grandeur of his country and her +great men, particularly that greatest of all, George Washington, turned, +in a sudden fit of inspiration, and pointed to the tall pine. + +"As yonder magnificent tree, fellow-citizens," said the grandiloquent +speaker, "uplifts itself above all the giants of the surrounding forest, +so, friends and fellow-citizens, does the character of George Washington +uplift itself above all others upon the page of history." + +These words were received with great applause, and the tall pine was +ever after known in the neighborhood as "George Washington." + +The land upon which "George Washington" stood was owned by a crabbed old +farmer named Hardaker. Mr. Hardaker had a contract for supplying the +Fitchburg Railroad with wood, and, winter by winter, was gradually +stripping his share of Bald Mountain of all its beautiful trees. This +made good places to go blackberrying, but hurt the appearance of the +hill-side very much. People wondered how Mr. Hardaker could be so "mean" +as to cut everything down so, all at once. He did not need the money +particularly, and his motive was just "clear greed"--or so the neighbors +said. + +At last he neared the vicinity of the tall pine; and as February +advanced he announced, with a loud laugh at his own wit, that he was +going to "celebrate Washington's Birthday by cutting down 'George +Washington' himself with his little hatchet." + +This created no little excitement throughout the town, and everybody +protested. + +"Oh, I wouldn't, Mr. Hardaker," said Mr. Prouty, the village minister; +"it has been a landmark here for many years, and it is really, as things +have come to be, an object lesson in history to all the children and +youth around." + +"Humph!" said the old farmer, crossly. "I ain't a-settin' up landmarks +for folks, or a-givin' objec' lessons. I pay taxes for all that sort of +thing to be did in the schools--awful big taxes, too. _I_ can't raise +the money to pay 'em without cuttin' timber pretty stiddy. I calc'late +there's--wa'al, a thousan' foot o' lumber in that ar pine, an' I can't +afford to leave it stan' no longer." + +The old farmer scowled and shook himself as he walked away. He was +evidently more "sot" than ever on cutting down "George Washington." + +There was a bright boy in town, the son of a Mr. Farnsworth, and named, +like so many other bright American boys, after the father of his +country. As might have been expected of a boy with such a name, Master +George Washington Farnsworth had been brought up to think very highly of +his namesake, and all of the Farnsworth family were justly indignant +when the news of Farmer Hardaker's intention reached them. + +"I declare," said his sister Grace, "it almost seems like killing a real +person." + +"Well," said her mother, thoughtfully, "you can't expect to find much +sentiment in a grasping, narrow-minded man like Mr. Hardaker. There +isn't any use in saying much about it, but it is too bad to do it--on +his birthday, too. I'm really ashamed to be so 'worked up,' but it seems +as if a tree like that might be allowed to stand till it died a natural +death." + + "The bolt that strikes the towering cedar dead + Glides harmless o'er the hazel's lowly head.'" + +quoted Grace. + +"Cedars and hazels alike fall before Farmer Hardaker's rapacious axe," +said her mother, smiling. "I fancy that he doesn't skip anything, +judging from the looks of the poor, shorn mountain-side. It's too bad!" + +But, day by day, Farmer Hardaker's ox-sleds, unheeding the +expostulations of the entire population, climbed the steep, and came +back loaded with the carcasses of "George Washington's" sturdy +neighbors. He was getting very near to "George" himself. + +"I say, boys," said George Farnsworth to his school-mates, as they were +sliding at recess, a few days after he had overheard the conversation +between his mother and sister--"I say, ain't it pretty mean of old +Hardaker to cut down 'George Washington'?" + +"It is that," said several of the boys, heartily, and they turned and +looked up to the stately tree, which stood in silent grandeur, as ever +since they could remember, and appealed speechlessly to them all. + +"He says," continued George, "that he is going to celebrate Washington's +birthday by cutting it down with his little hatchet." + +The other boys laughed, but George kept sober. + +"It's rather funny," he said, slowly; "but can't we manage to save it +some way?" + +The general opinion seemed to be--borrowed from their friends at home, +probably--that it couldn't be done, until at last Tom Dermot said, +speculatively, + +"Maybe he'd sell it?" + +"Maybe he would," said George, brightening up. "You know my name's +George Washington, boys, and I'm bound to save the dear old gentleman if +I can." + +"I don't see why he couldn't sell it standing as well as cut up," +continued Tom--"only, if he would, it wouldn't do us any good. We +haven't got any money." + +"Maybe we could raise some," said George, bravely. "Wonder how he'd sell +it?" + +"Dear enough, I presume; but we might ask him." + +The upshot of this conversation was that, after school, George +Farnsworth persuaded his father to let him and Tom Dermot, feeling +pretty important, you may be sure, take his horse and sleigh to go over +and talk with Mr. Hardaker upon the subject of selling "George +Washington" standing. + +"Thirty dollars," said the gruff old fellow, who was very angry at the +remarks which had been made at his expense, and who had vowed that he +would cut the tree down now, whatever happened. + +"I won't leave the plaguey thing up for a cent less than thirty +dollars." + +"I'm afraid we can't raise a sum like that between now and day after +to-morrow," said George, looking at Tom in some dismay. + +"Then I'll cut it down," roared Mr. Hardaker; and seeing what a rage he +was in, the boys discreetly took their leave. They amused themselves on +the way home by singing, as loud as they possibly could, + + "Woodman, spare that tree, + Touch not a single bough." + +"Father," said George, when they reached home, "he says thirty +dollars--not a cent less." + +Mr. Farnsworth gave a long whistle. + +"Pretty dear," he said, smiling, "but I'm glad you have shown so much +interest. I'd almost give five dollars myself to save the old tree." + +"Would you, father--would you?" + +"But I don't want to encourage Hardaker in such extortion as that." + +"But you know he's mad, father--that's why he sets the price so high. He +thinks now that we can't raise the money, and so he can cut the tree +down." + +"Yes, I don't see any way to save it." + +But George would not give it up, and pleaded his cause so well that his +father finally told him that if he and Tom could raise the other +twenty-five dollars in time, he would really give him five dollars. + +The boys started out that evening in fine spirits to "solicit" for +"George Washington." The enthusiasm over the historical "Old South +Church" in Boston never ran higher. Mr. Prouty gave them one dollar, and +Mr. Steele, the school-master, another. Everybody gave them something. +It was astonishing to see how many friends the old tree had. + +When school was out the next day, George and Tom started again for +Farmer Hardaker's. They were feeling pretty well, for George had in his +pocket a deed of the tree, drawn up by the village lawyer, and needing +only the signatures of Farmer Hardaker and witnesses to make it valid, +and thirty dollars in good current money. + +They managed to catch their man just as he was starting for the station +with a load of chestnut wood for ties. + +"Mr. Hardaker," said George, politely, springing from the sleigh, and +approaching the old man, "would you mind stepping into the house a +minute, and signing a deed for me?" + +"Signing a deed?" said Farmer Hardaker, opening eyes and mouth very +wide. + +"Yes, sir," went on George, courteously. "You said that you would sell +us the tall pine for thirty dollars, and I have brought you the money, +and a deed of the purchase for you to sign." + +"The mischief you have!" said the old fellow, crossly, but with his eyes +twinkling a little at the sight of the money, which George judiciously +exposed just then. "Wa'al, I s'pose I'll have to give in." + +So the money was handed over, and the rest done in good shape, and the +boys went home feeling better than they had ever felt before in their +lives. + +One or two who hadn't had a chance to contribute to the "fund" went up +to the top of the mountain on the 22d of February with their mite. It +was a silver plate, on which were inscribed these words (you may have +seen them before): + + GEORGE WASHINGTON: + + First in War, first in Peace, and first in the Hearts of his Countrymen. + +And that very plate, only tarnished a little by wind and weather, may be +seen upon the mighty trunk of "George Washington" to this day. + + + + +[Illustration: COASTING SKETCHES.--DRAWN BY F. S. CHURCH.] + + + + +[Illustration: FEEDING THE LOVE-BIRDS.] + +"ROMEO AND JULIET." + +BY F. W. ROBINSON. + + +"When my good uncle Benjamin sent home his presents for the children I +am afraid there was less harmony in the family--that is, amongst my +brothers and sisters--than one might have expected. The presents were +many, the choice was embarrassing, and tastes did not agree. Tom was the +bother--Tom always has been the bother, I am sorry to add. Without Tom I +think we could have got along pretty well, and arranged our differences +by degrees, and with the help of mamma and the governess, and perhaps +papa to be called in if wanted very much. But Tom--though he is my own +brother, and I love him dearly, particularly when he is good, which +occurs on his birthday, and sometimes on half-holidays--was very +aggravating. I don't remember when Tom was more aggravating, except when +he was getting over the measles, and bit his nurse in the arm. Tom was +greatly excited over the presents, and said they were all for him--Uncle +Benjamin being his godfather--until papa explained the case, and read +aloud uncle's letter to us. + +"Let the dear children take it in turns to choose, according to their +respective ages," wrote uncle. + +Maggie was the eldest, and chose the "love-birds," two pretty little +dears like baby paroquets, green balls of wool with red noses--crimson +beaks, papa calls them. We were all anxious about the love-birds: they +were something alive, and to be petted and made much of. It was +discovered, however, that Tom wanted the love-birds; it was his second +choice, and he had set his heart upon them. And having set his heart +upon them, Tom sat down and howled when Maggie had made her selection. +There was no pacifying Tom--there never is, Bella says, and so does +Charlie--and Tom stamped and raved and sobbed, and would not have +anything else but the love-birds "if he died for it," he said. He was +quieter when papa came in, and withdrew his threat of poisoning the +birds if they became Maggie's property, and apologized behind the cuff +of his jacket to his sister, and with his mouth full of cloth. Tom's +apology having been graciously accepted, it remained to be seen if Tom's +grief could be in any way appeased; and after some whispering between +Maggie and mamma, in which I fancied I heard the words "pantomime next +Christmas," it was finally settled that Maggie should be consoled by a +box of paints, and Tom should have the birds. I don't think I could have +agreed to that myself, although I don't quite know what mamma might have +promised me; but I was content with my big doll, and I thought that when +Tom was at school we should all be able to see the love-birds and feed +them just as well as their owner. But we did not tell Tom this, or he +might have sold the birds, or taken them to school in his pocket; for +Tom was a very cross-grained brother when he liked, and was rather a +trouble to mamma and papa. I was never a trouble--I was a good girl, and +they called me "Pet." + +Tom did not get tired of his present so soon as we expected. He was the +whole day without getting tired, although a little shaken in the evening +by an offer of his friend Walker--who came from school with +five-and-twenty other friends to see the birds--to "swap" with him for +ten white mice and a Jew's-harp. He was very fond of the birds, and he +christened them Romeo and Juliet, because they were love-birds too, and +we should hear all about them when we were a little older. Well, I hoped +they loved each other better than Tom's birds, for presently Tom saw, +and we all saw, that considering our Romeo and Juliet _were_ love-birds, +their behavior was far from conveying that idea to any one who studied +them. They were quarrelsome in the extreme, which pleased Tom, who +"liked to see them fight," he said; and as they were always fighting, he +got a great deal of pleasure from Uncle Benjamin's present. + +No, Romeo and Juliet gave no impression of love and happiness to any of +us. Juliet was very spiteful, and even when huddled against Romeo for +warmth would suddenly jerk her head round and try to peck his eye out. +But Romeo was always on guard, having mistrusted Juliet from the first +hours of his introduction to her; he was a bird who had seen the world, +and thoroughly understood the character of his mate. Juliet was +untrustworthy and malicious, and Romeo always kept his eye on her--the +eye which she wanted to peck out especially. At feeding-time their +conduct was the worst. We took it in turns to feed the birds, Tom, who +loved them very much, having quite forgotten to feed them after the +first four-and-twenty hours, and sister Maggie, who was always +tender-hearted, took great pains over them, and tried hard to teach them +better manners, especially at meal-times. Alone, each bird was as good +as gold, but it was seldom that Juliet would allow Romeo to take any +food out of a spoon without seizing the advantage of his being off guard +to have a savage peck at him somewhere; and I am sorry to say that Romeo +was almost as bad, and there were times when so many feathers of Juliet +were found at the bottom of the cage, that we were afraid that in some +rash moment of revenge he would pluck her like a goose. + +This constant quarrelling and fighting, not to mention hours and days of +incessant screaming, was a source of much anxiety to Maggie, and Bella, +and Charlie, and Tottie, and me. Tom, as I have said before, liked it +all very much, which we were sorry to see; but then Tom is a big boy, +and fond of fighting. He is going to boarding-school next term, where +papa says they will take the nonsense out of him, he hopes. I wonder how +they will get it out, for there is a great deal in him, we all think. I +have asked Tom, but he doesn't know. We told papa and mamma about the +unhappy lives of Romeo and Juliet, and they were very much surprised. +They had always understood that love-birds were most engaging and +amiable creatures; and what unhappy difference of opinion could have led +Juliet to regard Romeo with such complete contempt, or to induce Romeo +to despise Juliet and try to hurt her--just as Juliet availed herself of +every chance to do some mortal injury to Romeo--was a mystery which even +our good, wise parents could not solve. + +There came a time when there was great grief to us all. Tom had left the +cage door open one day; the window was open, and Romeo, tired of his +cage, of Juliet's hen-pecking, and of us, took advantage of Tom's +carelessness and flew away to the outer world. We were all very sorry; +even Juliet was very sorry, and sat in one corner of the big cage and +moped, oh! so dreadfully, for the loss of her poor mate. Which mamma +told us was a moral to us little ones to be contented and happy in each +other's company; for no one could tell, not even Juliet, how painful it +was to miss somebody forever to whom one had been unkind, or said or +done harsh things, and what a bitter memory it would leave behind! + +We thought so too, and we pitied poor Juliet very much, and were +distressed that she lost her appetite, and that even lump-sugar was +hardly to her taste. Yes, she was fretting for Romeo. There was no one +to love now, or no one to peck; we were not quite certain which regret +was uppermost in Juliet's mind. But we were sure that Juliet took +Romeo's desertion of her very much to heart. And where was Romeo, who, +after all, was our favorite? What had become of him? Had he found +another home--another Juliet, perhaps? papa suggested, or was he +wandering about the world, and being badly treated by other birds? or +coming rapidly to ruin in the society of disreputable sparrows? + +We offered a reward for him. Even Tom was distressed at the loss of him. +"He was such a plucky little chap," Tom said; and Tom came home full of +grief that afternoon, because John Simmonds had told him that somebody +else had told him that he, the somebody else, had caught the bird and +made a pie of him, to try how he would taste. Which was a wicked story +of John Simmonds, for the very next day a gentleman in a corduroy suit +splashed with whitewash, and smelling very strongly of paint and putty, +called with Romeo in a little bag, and waited in the hall for the reward +that had been offered. We all ran out to welcome back the truant, and +papa was as glad as any of us, I am sure. + +How we kissed and fondled poor Romeo, and what a grand procession of the +family it was into the drawing-room to see the old companions reunited, +and watch the joy of Juliet at the return of the loved one! I remember +the man with the paper cap followed us, as papa had not paid him, in his +excitement, and stood looking over our shoulders, as interested as +ourselves. Juliet fluttered her wings and uttered what we took for a cry +of joyful welcome, and Romeo was sent fluttering into the cage to rejoin +his long-lost mate. + +Alas! the meeting was not an affectionate one after all, or some little +mistake had occurred, or Juliet was short-sighted and took Romeo for a +stranger; for Juliet went straight at Romeo, and once more made every +effort to peck his eye out, whilst Romeo, resenting the affront, or +bewildered by emerging from his paper bag to daylight, flew wildly about +the cage, and tried desperately to stretch Juliet a corpse at the bottom +of it. We were aroused and alarmed--we shed many tears. Tottie screamed. + +A husky voice behind us said at this juncture: "Ah, that's the worst of +putting two Romeos in one cage, sir. It never answers--one of 'em's sure +to kill the other." + +"Two Romeos!" exclaimed papa. "Do you mean to say that Juliet +isn't--isn't a female?" + +"Bless your heart, sir, no." + +"Good gracious! what a mistake of Uncle Benjamin's, to be sure!" + +We have separated Romeo from Juliet now, and there is peace in the house +at last. I am not quite certain there is a moral to this story, unless +it is, "Do not judge by appearances," or proves that people who can not +agree together are much better apart. + + + + +SEA-BREEZES. + +BESSIE MAYNARD TO HER DOLL. + + + BERLIN, _December_, 1880. + +Yes, we are really in Europe at last, my Clytie. So much has happened +since I wrote last, that I don't know where to begin; and I shouldn't +have a nidear what I had written about if I didn't keep a "mimete" of my +letters, as papa says, in a little memberandum-book he gave me. + +Everything I put down in it he calls an "entry." Funny to have a +book full of _entries_, isn't it? Well, this is the last one; +"Steamer--seasick--got over it--fun with R. and N.--dance on deck--will +write next about Captain's birthday, etsetterer." + +But now the birthday seems ages ago, and all that I can say about it is +that the Captain was forty-five years old and we had a neligant time, +with all sorts of things for dinner, and a birthday cake as big as a +flower bed, with forty-five colored tapers, and every single slice had +one or more presents in it, so we all got something. The Captain found +in his piece a gold ring and a china Cupid, and a donkey with great long +ears and his mouth wide open. Mamma had a stone cigar, and papa a +_thimble_; and in my slice was the teentiest tontiest china doll not +more than half an inch long. I keep her in a cradle made of a pecan-nut, +and she's the cunningest child you ever saw. I've named her "Wee Tot," +for the little girl who writes sometimes in my YOUNG PEOPLE's +Post-office Box. + +A week after the birthday we derived at Bremen, and I was awfully sorry +to leave the steamer, for it seemed almost like home. We had to say +good-by to everybody, and it was real sad. + +Papa, mamma, and I came away by ourselves, Cousin Frank and Cousin +Carrie (and oh, Clytie, she is just _perfeckly eligant_!) went some +other roundabout way from Bremen, and the Peytons are going to Paris +first; but by-and-by our party will come together again, and we shall +proberly live in the same house, or at least in the same place, for the +winter. + +_We_ are at Aunt Mary's now. She lives here in Berlin, and is mamma's +auntie as well as mine. She _used_ to live in Cambridge when she was a +little girl, and was dear great-grandma's truly baby once! I never saw +her before, but I love her already. Uncle Max has gray hair, and wears +speckertles, and carries a cane, and so I suppose he's _old_, but he +plays with us children, and you can't help laughing just to hear _him_ +laugh, and he sings funny songs to us, and he doesn't _seem_ any older +than Randolph. He keeps us having a good time from morning till night; +and guess how many children there are. But you never _could_ guess. +There's _eight_ right here in the house, and all of them belong to Uncle +Max and Aunt Mary. + +Gretchen and Wilhelm are quite grown up, but Ilsie wears short dresses, +and her hair in two long braids; Lisbet isn't any taller than I; Karl is +eight years old, Fritz is six, and cunning little Max and Marie are +three-year-old twins. + +The nursery is the jolliest room in the house. The floor is bare, and +polished like glass. The stove reaches almost to the ceiling, and is +made of white porcelain covered all over with the prettiest little baby +figures. They are raised 'way up, you know, and their arras are as round +and fat as a real doll's. Some of them are playing tag, some are in +swings or wading in brooks, and all round the top of the stove is a row +of little angels. Wouldn't you like to see a stove like that? In the +bay-window there are lots of plants, and three cages full of +canary-birds, besides another cage, 'most as big as a bureau, for the +parrot. He is gray, with red tips to his wings, and a green collar round +his neck, and he calls all the children's names, and says "Guten +Morgen," "Gute Nacht," "Schlafe wohl," "Wie geht's" (Good-morning, +Good-night, Sleep well, How do you do?), and he sings and whistles, and +is just as happy as the rest of the family. + +And now tell me, was Jack's nose really broken, or only cracked, as we +hoped when I came away, and did the glue-liniment do him any good? I +_long_ to know if poor little Mopsy can use her arm yet, or does she +still wear it in a sling? Do they all mind you, Clytie, and is Leonora +getting over her vain and silly ways? Don't fail to suppress upon her +that "handsome _is_ that handsome _does_," and of all things, don't +allow her to be imperent to the others. + +Give my love to George Washington and Lafayette, and tell them that of +all the soldier-dolls on parade in the shops here (and there are whole +regiments of them), I haven't seen one I would change for them. Papa +says, "In military bearing they are equal to any we find here," and I +agree with him. It is a great compliment, too, for Germany is full of +soldiers. + +Lisbet is calling me to go with her in the little goat-phaeton for a +drive in the park. The next time I write I will tell you about this +cunning little phaeton. + +Gute Nacht--träume süss, as they say here. It means just what I say to +you at home, Good-night and pleasant dreams. + + Your loving mamma, + BESSIE MAYNARD. + +P.S.--Please tell Cousin Fanny, who reads my letters to you, that I do +wish she would be your meanuensis, and write to me for you. If she looks +close in your eyes, she can see what you will want to say, even if you +do not speak, and a letter from you would be _such_ a comfort to your +anxious mamma. + + + + +A SAILOR'S WIFE. + + +There have been heroines as well as heroes on the sea, and of these Mrs. +Annie Wilson is certainly one. When she was fourteen years of age, she +married the captain of a vessel sailing from Boston, and for seven years +accompanied him on his voyages around the world, without accident. + +But in 1872 the ship encountered a terrible storm off the banks of +Newfoundland. The captain was knocked down and his shoulder was broken +by the fall of one of the masts. The first mate and several of the crew +were also disabled, and the second mate was so frightened that he could +not give any orders. The captain was carried down, lashed on a door, +into the cabin; and when his wife saw him rendered helpless in this way, +instead of yielding to useless lamentations, she only thought of what +she could do to supply his place. She rushed on deck, and called the men +around her. + +"Boys, our lives are in danger," she said; "but stick to me, and do what +I tell you. I'll take you into port all right." + +She set them to work to clear away the wreck; they manned the pumps; and +when the gale had subsided a little, they rigged up a jury-mast, under +their new captain's orders, set sail again, and in twenty-one days the +ship was safely anchored at St. Thomas. + +After the necessary repairs had been made there, and as her husband was +still quite helpless, the brave woman worked the ship to Liverpool, and +made the voyage in thirty days. After this, she settled down in New +York, and for seven years has supported her crippled husband and her +child by working as a clerk in a dry-goods store in this city. + +A few months ago her husband died, and Secretary Sherman has appointed +her to the post of inspectress in the New York Custom-house. + + + + +[Begun in Harper's YOUNG PEOPLE No. 66, February 1.] + +PHIL'S FAIRIES. + +BY MRS. W. J. HAYS, + +AUTHOR OF "PRINCESS IDLEWAYS," ETC. + +CHAPTER IV. + +A PROMISE OF BETTER TIMES. + + +When Phil was alone again, he waited impatiently for the long twilight +to end in darkness, and the stars to come out. It seemed a very long +time. Once in a while a faint murmur came from his harp, but it was a +mere breathing of sound, and he turned restlessly in his chair. Then he +closed his eyes and waited again, and his waiting was rewarded by a +small voice in his ear whispering, + +"Here we are, here we are." + +"Oh," said Phil, "I thought you never would come again." + +[Illustration: PHIL'S DREAM.] + +"Tut, tut, child, you must not be so doubtful," said the little voice +again, and the starry coronet gleamed in his eyes. + +"I have brought you some sweet odors of wild flowers, and spicy breath +of pine and hemlock, for I thought you needed a tonic." + +Phil smelled something exquisite as she spoke, but all he said was, + +"What is a tonic?" + +"Something the doctors give when children are pale and thin, and do not +have enough fresh air. I don't pretend to know what it means, but I +often go to see sick children in hospitals, and so I hear about such +things." + +"Hark! is that my wind harp?--why, it sounds like water dropping and +gurgling over stones." + +"It is the song of a mountain brook that my friends are singing as they +dance over your harp. Look!" + +Phil looked, and saw the flock of fairies like white butterflies +swarming again over his harp, and heard the soft sweet singing which +kept time to their steps. + +"Oh, how beautiful! how beautiful!" said Phil. + +"When you hear a brook singing, you must remember us," said the fairy. + +"Indeed I will; but I am afraid I shall never hear one: only the hoarse +cries of the street and the rumbling of wagons come to me here." + +"Ah, better times are coming; then you will not need us." + +Phil lay still in his chair, listening intently; the white figures +glanced in shadowy indistinctness across the window, only the starry ray +from each little brow lighting their dance. They swept up and down, and +swayed like flowers in a breeze, and still the little clear notes of +their song fell like dripping water in cool cascades. Now it flowed +smoothly and softly, again it seemed to dash and foam among pebbly +nooks. + +"Does it rest you? Are you better?" asked the one little fairy who did +all the talking. + +"Oh, so much!" said Phil. + +After a while the song stopped, and the fairies drew all together in a +cluster, and were quite still. + +"What does that mean?" asked Phil. + +"They are disturbed; there is a storm coming. We shall have to return." + +"I am so sorry! I wanted to know more about you, and to see what you +wear." + +"Mortals must not approach us too nearly. We may draw near to you. See, +I will stand before you." + +"You seem to be all moon-shine," said Phil. + +"Yes," said the fairy, laughing merrily; "these robes of ours are of +mountain mist, spangled with star-dust so fine that it makes us only +glisten. We have to wear the lightest sort of fabric, so that we are not +hindered in our long flights." + +"Do you know flower fairies?" + +"Yes; but we are of a very different race. I suppose you thought we +dressed in rose leaves and rode on bumble-bees; but we do not; we are +more--now for a long word--more ethereal." And again the fairy laughed. + +"Ether means air," said Phil, quite proudly. "Do you know any fairy +stories?" he asked. + +"Yes; shall I tell you one next time I come?" + +"Oh do, please. So you _will_ come again." + +"Yes, if I can. Now I must go. I thought I heard distant thunder. We +must fly so fast!--so fast! Good-by, good-by." + +There was a long rumbling of thunder far off in the distance, and a +cooler air in the hot, close room. Phil lay and dreamed, wondering how +long it took the wind fairies to reach their home. Then the sweet spicy +odors came to him again, and he lifted the languid flowers Miss Schuyler +had brought him, and put them in his glass of water. + +He dreamed of fair green fields and meadows, of silent lakes bordered +with rushes, out of which sprang wild fowl slowly flapping their broad +wings; of forests thick and dark, where on fallen trees the green moss +had grown in velvet softness; of mountains lifting their purple tops +into the fleecy clouds, and of long shady country roads winding in and +out and about the hills; of lanes bordered with blackberry bushes and +sumac, clematis and wild rose; of dewy nooks full of ferns; of the songs +of birds and the chirp of insects; and it seemed to him that he must put +some of all this beauty into some shape of his own creation--picture or +poem, song or speech; and then came a sudden sharp twinge of pain, and +the brightness faded, and the room was dark, and he was hungry, and only +poor little Phil, sick and sad and weary and poor. + +[TO BE CONTINUED.] + + + + +PINAFORE RHYMES. + + +[Illustration] + + Here is a chorus + Of boys and girls, + Wee little darlings, + Dear little pearls. + Hear their sweet voices, + Like tinkling chimes, + Merrily singing + Pinafore rhymes. + + Mothers and sisters, + Cousins and aunts, + Listen delighted + To their little chants. + Here they are printed, + So you may see + What they are singing + So merrily. + +[Illustration] + + Annie, Mary, and Kate, + Each busy with pencil and slate, + Three pretty pictures are making; + Just see the pains they are taking, + So eager, and still, and sedate! + + But now it is growing quite late, + They put away pencil and slate; + And because they've been good in their classes, + They get some nice bread and molasses, + And swing on the garden gate. + +[Illustration] + + Your servant, madam! I must say + The bathing's very bad to-day; + The water never was so wet, + And colder, too, than ever yet; + I'm sure 'tis down to five degrees, + And I'm afraid you'd surely freeze. + A shark and sword-fish, too, have come, + And made themselves too much at home; + And just now, on the bath-house stair, + A water-witch sat combing her hair. + You can try it, madam, if you please, + But if they don't eat you up, you'll freeze. + +[Illustration] + + Cuckoo! + Where are you? + I've been hunting all about, + And I wish you would come out! + Have you hid in the big fire-place, + Or the clock, or the porcelain vase, + Or flown to the top of the house, + Or crawled into his hole with the mouse? + It's awful mean to hide away, + When I want you to go out and play! + + Boo! here I am, my little sis; + Now give me the sweetest, nicest kiss! + +[Illustration] + + Oh, such a funny dream I had when I was fast asleep; + I saw a lot of baby tots out of their cradles leap; + They threw away their rattles and their little ivory rings, + And joined their little hands to dance, the darling little things! + + "Hurrah! hurrah!" they gayly sang; "we're on a jolly strike; + The nurse's rule is over now, and we do what we like; + We'll go to bed just when we please, and sit up at the table, + And eat whatever old folks do, as long as we are able. + + "And if the nurses fret and scold, we'll put them all to bed, + And tell them not to make a noise, as they have often said; + They'll be afraid of getting whipped, and will not dare to peep." + And that's the funny dream I had when I was fast asleep. + + + + +[Illustration: OUR POST-OFFICE BOX.] + + + EUREKA, NEVADA. + + There are lots of silver mines near here. One day we went into the + tunnel in Uncle Dick's mine. We all had candles--oh, it was so + dark!--and I got some pretty specimens my own self. We rode almost + fifty miles that same day, and had our dinner on the grass, near + some springs. I thought it was ever so nice. + + There are furnaces here where the silver, gold, and lead are + "cooked" out of the ore. Papa sometimes takes us there, and I + always want to stay longer, although the noise of the machinery + almost makes my head crazy. + + We used to have some periwinkles and some bugs in a glass jar, and + lovely water-cresses growing, too. Mamma put the jar under the + faucet every morning, and let the water run slowly to freshen it + without disturbing "the family." The periwinkles ate the cress, + and the bugs ate each other, until there was only one left; then + he began to dine on the periwinkles; so we planted them all out in + the ditch. + + I am a little boy five years old, and my mamma wrote this for me. + Brother and I take YOUNG PEOPLE. We save them all, and we think + everything of them. + + GEORGIE B. C. + + * * * * * + + CROSS VILLAGE, MICHIGAN. + + I love _Young People_ very much. We live near old Fort Mackinac, + where the Indians once played a game of ball to mislead the white + men, and then surprised and took the fort, killing nearly all the + troops. + + There are many Indians living here now. They are mostly of the + Ottawa tribe. We live in an old Indian "garden." I have found an + ancient tomahawk, a hoe, and a ladle. + + I am seven years old, and I can read in the Fourth Reader. + + E. CLAIR S. + + * * * * * + + DOUGLAS CITY, CALIFORNIA. + + I live up in the mountains of Northern California, in Trinity + County. Although this place is called a city, it is only a small + town. There are a great many Portuguese families living here, but + only a few Americans. + + I go to school eight months in the year. Last year I attended + school at Honolulu, Sandwich Islands. I enjoyed my stay there very + much. I lived with my uncle. I was introduced to King Kalakaua and + Queen Kapiolani, and I had a good opportunity of seeing the + manners and customs of the people. + + SADIE T. + + * * * * * + + PORTLAND, OREGON. + + We think there is no paper that can excel YOUNG PEOPLE. There are + seven of us children. We have a few curiosities. We have two vases + made of lava from Herculaneum. + + There were two British barks lost on the coast here. + + I am nine years old, and am a constant reader of YOUNG PEOPLE. + + HENRY BISMARCK. T. + + * * * * * + + BALTIMORE, MARYLAND. + + We boys are having splendid coasting here. In the park near my home + great numbers of boys and girls coast on the hills, and in many of + the streets the boys coast four or five blocks without stopping. + + I am going to have two very small alligators, which I can handle + and play with, and I have a pet lizard, which I have kept in a + glass globe for a year. + + COLEMAN C. A. + + * * * * * + + NACOOCHEE, GEORGIA. + + I have read every story, letter, and advertisement in YOUNG PEOPLE + ever since it was published. I think it is the best paper printed + for young folks. The exchange department is the grandest of all. I + commenced with a few Indian arrow-heads, and now I have a good + collection of minerals, shells, and curiosities of various kinds, + and am constantly receiving letters from new exchanges. The + "wiggles," too, are very interesting. There is nothing that gives + me so much pleasure as making "wiggles" or packing boxes of + curiosities to send off. + + Many good wishes to YOUNG PEOPLE, and may it ever be as bright and + beautiful as now! + + JOHN R. G. + + * * * * * + + FACTORY POINT, VERMONT. + + I wrote a letter to YOUNG PEOPLE a little while ago, when I was at + grandpa's. My papa came after me, but I am very lonely now, for my + little playmate, my dear little sister Annie, died of diphtheria + while I was gone. I used to read the stories in YOUNG PEOPLE to + her. I have a little dog, and I used to play lots with him, but I + do not feel like playing any more. + + CHARLIE C. + + * * * * * + + CARROLL, OHIO. + + I read all the letters in the Post-office Box every week with so + much pleasure that I can hardly wait till my paper comes. Mamma + gave it to me for a Christmas present. + + My papa is agent at Crow Agency, Montana, and mamma and my brother + and sister are there with him. I live with my uncle, and I go to + school every day. Last spring papa was here, and he brought six + Indians with him. They were very large Indians. One of them + weighed two hundred and sixty-five pounds, and was over six feet + tall. + + DANIEL M. K. + + * * * * * + + GETTYSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA. + + We have had sleighing here for a long time, and first-rate + coasting. All the hills around the town are crowded every night, + and we coast by torch-light. I have two good sleds of my own. + + DAVIE B. + + * * * * * + + NYACK-ON-THE-HUDSON, NEW YORK. + + I live in the country, and I have very nice times. There has been + skating on the Hudson River almost all winter. We have very fine + hills here. I have a pair of bobs. As many as seven boys can get on + it, and it goes very fast indeed. I hope it will snow more, and + make the coasting better. + + WILLIE G. + + * * * * * + + I have been taking YOUNG PEOPLE for a year, and I think it is the + best paper ever published. + + I have a pet monkey named Jacko. He is up to all sorts of tricks. + He will put wood on the fire, and put on the tea-kettle. + + I would like to exchange minerals, for ocean curiosities. + + The snow here is six feet deep. + + E. G. KELLY, + 816 East Eighth Street, Leadville, Colorado. + + * * * * * + + FORT WAYNE, INDIANA, _January_ 30, 1881. + + I wish to inform my correspondents that I have no more curiosities + to exchange at present. I have sent for some more, but it will be + some time before I get them. + + WILLIAM C. MCCONNELL. + + * * * * * + + I was born on the Island of Curaçao, in the Dutch West Indies, and + I can get many stamps from there and from the United States of + Colombia, which I would like to exchange for others with readers of + YOUNG PEOPLE in the United States or Canada. + + J. DESOLA, + 1051 Lexington Avenue, New York City. + + * * * * * + + WASHINGTON COURT-HOUSE, OHIO. + + I have had over twenty applications for my arrow-head, and could + only answer one. If I can get any more arrow-heads, I will send + word to my correspondents. + + EMMER EDWARDS. + + * * * * * + + I have just begun a collection of stones, and have only a very few. + I have three white flints, which I thought were petrified birds' + eggs at first, which I would like to exchange for ocean + curiosities. I expect to receive some better flints in a few weeks. + I am nine years old. + + BERTHA BOOTH, + Anamosa, Jones County, Iowa. + + * * * * * + + I want to tell YOUNG PEOPLE what a pleasant winter we are having in + the Sierra Nevada Mountains, three thousand feet above the sea. We + have no snow. I found willow "pussies" on the 18th of January, and + sister Bell found some spring flowers two days later. + + Our dog Rover went hunting, and came home with his nose full of + porcupine quills. Papa had a hard time pulling them out, it hurt + Rover so badly. + + I do not go to school in the winter. I study at home. I study + language lessons, arithmetic, botany, spelling, and geography. I + am eight years old. I want to take YOUNG PEOPLE always. + + I will exchange minerals from the mines, for shells or any other + curiosities, with any readers of the Post-office Box. + + LOU R. KEEP, Smiths Hill, + East Branch of Feather River, California. + + * * * * * + + I would like to exchange stamps of the United States Treasury and + State Departments, postmarks, and Canadian and foreign postage + stamps, for rare stamps and postmarks, or for specimens of ores, + minerals, or shells. Correspondents will please label specimens. + + I am ten years old. + + WILLIE M. BLOSS, + U. S. Consulate-General, Montreal, Canada. + + * * * * * + + I would like to exchange a pair of new nickle-plated club skates, + which I do not need, as I have another pair, for any other similar + article. + + W. J. H., + 343 Fifth Avenue, New York City. + + * * * * * + + LUCKNOW, _November_ 30, 1880. + + MY DEAR YOUNG PEOPLE,--When I last wrote to you, it was in the + midst of the hot season; now it is a little cooler, but not much, + and we have been through dreadful times since then. Though I don't + often write to the Post-office Box, I love dearly to read all the + letters the children send to it. + + Our baby wasn't very well in the dreadful hot weather, and so + mamma and I had to take him to the hills, where it is cool and + nice. Of course we took his nurse and the khansaman (housekeeper) + too; the rest of the help we get there, because we keep house just + the same as here. Papa couldn't go, because the paper has to be + printed, if it is hot, and they can't get it ready without him, so + we went alone to Naina Tal. Mamma says Tal means lake, and Naina + is the name of a goddess that people thought (in the old days, you + know, when they had goddesses) presided over the lake. + + All through the rainy season, which begins the last of July, it + had rained much more than usual; and one night the men around were + up all night, turning the course of a stream that had swollen so + they were afraid it would carry away some of the houses. So mamma + was a little afraid to stay, and we were going home, and had + engaged our dandies (a little like a kind of chair) and men to + carry them, and were going to start the next Tuesday. It began to + rain Thursday afternoon. It was the 16th of September, I remember, + because baby was a year old that very day, and he had a new dress + and lots of toys, and was just as cunning as he could be. But it + rained hard all night, and the next day it was so dark mamma had + to sit close to the window to see to write to papa. I never saw it + rain so hard right straight along in my life, and I asked mamma if + she didn't think it must look like the flood, and she said, + Perhaps. After a while I went to bed and to sleep; but some time + in the night mamma came and woke us all up, and said the room was + filling with water. She dressed me, and nurse dressed baby; then + the other people in the house came in, and mamma was so scared she + didn't know what she was doing, and rolled up all her clothes and + shoes and stockings in the bedding. The windows and doors were + burst in, and we had to try to get somewhere, but even mamma + didn't know where to go. But one of the men carried me, and nurse + took baby; and the stones hurt poor mamma's bare feet so that two + of the jhampanis carried her, and in the pouring rain we went to + find Mr. Buck's house. We finally reached there, and had hardly + dried ourselves before it was light, and the men thought that + house would go too; so we all made another trip, this time to the + chapel, and still it rained as hard as it could pour. I told + mother I really thought it was another flood, and we'd better try + to get up higher. But she said the higher we went, the worse it + would be; if we could only get off this dreadful hill, we might be + safe. Then I said again something about the flood, for I couldn't + get it out of my head, it all looked so like the picture in the + big Bible--people going about wringing their hands, and trying to + get somewhere safe, men carrying children, half-dressed women, and + all the while the rain pouring down as if it never would stop. + Mamma stood stock-still, and took hold of me. "I tell you, child," + she said, "God has promised--_promised_, do you hear?--never to + drown the world again." So I said no more, and really felt better; + for if everybody was not drowned, there might be a chance for us. + We stood on the chapel veranda watching Mr. Cheney and Mr. Fleming + trying to turn the course of one stream away from Mr. Cheney's + house, when a great mass of stones, sand, and water took them off + their feet quick as a flash. Mr. Cheney caught hold of the low + roof of his house, and Mr. Fleming caught him, and they were saved + from being carried over the side of the hill. We had hardly time + to catch our breath, and not time to say a word, when the trees + began to tremble, and loose rocks to shake, and in another minute + the whole hill-side rushed past us, and the hotel, assembly-rooms, + shops, and stores were carried right into Naina Tal. More than one + hundred and fifty people were carried with them--some that we + knew, and had laughed and talked with only yesterday--without time + for one word to anybody, rushed straight to death. Oh, it was + terrible! Our fence was taken, too, and we could not stop to + think, for we had to plan to go somewhere. I never cried one word. + I only opened my eyes wider, and looked at mamma. She was just as + pale as anything, and I heard her say, "I _can't_--I _can't_ die + this way!" I never thought; I only kept saying to myself, "God + won't let there be a flood. He won't let it." Then Mr. Cheney came + and said we must go. So we started down the Mall. Mamma took hold + of my hand, but finally one of the men snatched me up and carried + me; and when we came to a broad stream, I heard mamma say, "Jat + Ram" (he is one of our jhampanis that carry us about the hill), + "give me your hand." "Get on my back, Mem Sahib," he said; and + mamma was in too much of a hurry to think, and hung on to him any + way. I wanted to laugh, she looked so funny; but somehow there + wasn't any laugh in me. Finally we came to a house, and went in; + it was a Mr. Kelley's. We were dreadful tired--nothing to eat, and + up all night. The men thought we were as safe there as anywhere we + could get, so we dried ourselves. Pretty soon--about eight--we had + dinner. We were so faint we would have eaten, I think, if the rain + had carried us away the next minute. + + It did not stop raining till Sunday night, and the next Thursday + we started for home. Some of the bridges were gone, but we crossed + over in boats, and Saturday morning got to Lucknow. + + Wasn't papa glad to see us! The Lal Bagh mission girls had been in + and trimmed the house to welcome us, and we went over to the + boarding-school to breakfast. Papa said "that it just poured + sixty-six hours--almost three days--and in that time thirty-three + inches of rain fell--almost three feet." Then he showed me on the + wall how high that would be; and you just measure yourself, and + you'll see such a lot of water washing down a mountain-side must + do something. + + But I've been writing too long, so good-by. + + JENNIE ANDERSON. + + P.S.--Mamma says I ought to say, as nearly as they know now, forty + white people and one hundred and fifty natives were killed. + + * * * * * + + We would like to exchange beryl, mica crystals, and garnets from + Connecticut, or shells, coral, and sea-beans from Florida or + California, for fine specimens of minerals, particularly from Lake + Superior or Northern New York. Our collection is a good one, and + we would like good exchanges. We have also some curiosities, and + could arrange exchanges for several different things. + + WILLIE R. CORSON and CHARLES E. BRAINARD, + 137 Washington Street, Hartford, Conn. + + * * * * * + +The following exchanges are also desired by correspondents: + + Sea-beach pebbles from New Jersey, or stamps, for ocean + curiosities, minerals, foreign postage stamps, or anything suitable + for a museum; or a New Zealand stamp and five kinds of English + stamps, for an Indian arrow-head. + + CLARENCE R. WILLIAMS, 4811 Hancock Street, + Germantown, Philadelphia, Penn. + + * * * * * + + Postmarks or stamps, for birds' eggs, Indian arrow-heads, or + relics. Correspondents will please label all specimens distinctly. + + ERNEST OSBORNE, + 761 De Kalb Avenue, Brooklyn, L. I. + + * * * * * + + Stamps. + + WINTHROP VAUGHAN, + P. O. Box 432, Brookline, Mass. + + * * * * * + + An ounce of sand or a stone from Ohio, for the same from any other + State. + + J. PUJOLS, + 16 New Street, Cleveland, Ohio. + + * * * * * + + Postmarks and stamps, for stamps. Fifteen postmarks, for one stamp. + + GEORGE N. PRENTISS, + Watertown, Wisconsin. + + * * * * * + + Birds' eggs. + + WINDSOR F. WHITE, + 1581 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, Ohio. + + * * * * * + + Postage stamps. + + S. WEATHERBE, + Glass Lock Box 107, Charlottetown, + Prince Edward Island, Canada. + + * * * * * + + A United States copper cent of 1802, for any ocean curiosity. + + FRANK P. HUESTED, + 183 Madison Avenue, Albany, N. Y. + + * * * * * + + An opossum to exchange. + + JOE BISSELL, + P. O. Box 957, Pittsburgh, Penn. + + * * * * * + + Postage stamps. + + EDWIN S. KETCHUM, + Care of Ketchum Wagon Company, + Marshalltown, Iowa. + + * * * * * + + Mexican stamps and rare specimens of Mexican shells, for rare + stamps from Ecuador, Peru, Guatemala, Finland, Iceland, or + Philippine Islands. + + HARRY L. BRIGGS, + 48 Chester Park, Boston, Mass. + + * * * * * + + Postage stamps. + + G. M. WOODCOCK, + Care of William H. Lyon & Co., + 483 and 485 Broadway, New York City. + + * * * * * + + Postmarks. + + K. MCKENSIE, + 12 Garden Street, Cambridge, Mass. + + * * * * * + + Cocoons of the silk-worm, for birds' eggs. + + NELLIE BRAINARD, + 265 Broad Street, Newark, N. J. + + * * * * * + + Shells, alligators' teeth, ocean curiosities, and stamps, for rare + stamps, Indian relics, or minerals. + + GEORGE W. MCELHOSE, + 24 Brill Street, Newark, N. J. + + * * * * * + + Postmarks. + + W. H. CHAPMAN, + Lock Box 40, Penn Yan, N. Y. + + * * * * * + + Postage stamps. + + FRED L. CAMP, + 188 Lefferts Place, Brooklyn, L. I. + + * * * * * + + Flints, for birds' eggs or postage stamps. + + ELIJAH G. B., + 522 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, Ohio. + + * * * * * + + Stamps, for coins or eggs. Correspondents will please label the + eggs. + + CHARLES C. KALBFLEISCH, + 8 West Forty-ninth Street, New York City. + + * * * * * + + Five birds' eggs, for twenty-five foreign postage stamps. No + duplicates. + + TRUMAN LEWIS, + P. O. Box 197, Waterbury, Conn. + + * * * * * + + Postage stamps, for stamps or relics. + + EZRA C. HARWOOD, + 68 West Broadway, New York City. + + * * * * * + + Revenue stamps and postmarks, for stamps and minerals. + + E. H. SMITH, + Care of E. I. Smith, Corner of Woodward and + Jefferson Avenues, Detroit, Mich. + + * * * * * + + A stone from Illinois, for one from any other State. + + CHARLIE F. HAVEN, + New Lenox, Will County, Ill. + + * * * * * + + California sea-weeds, acorn barnacles from the sea, some curious + egg cases of a shell-fish, two flint arrow-heads, or some + interesting objects for a microscope, for postage stamps from Asia, + Africa, South and Central America, Mexico, the West Indies, or + United States twelve, fifteen, or thirty cent, or any department + stamps. + + HUMPHREY NOYES, + Community, Madison County, N. Y. + + * * * * * + + A three-cent Canadian stamp, for one from Cuba; or an Austrian + stamp, for one from Italy. + + JAMES P. HOLDRIDGE, + 69 South Hamilton Street, Poughkeepsie, N. Y. + + * * * * * + + A collection of California sea-weeds, for specimens of wood from + different States, or for United States minor coins. + + F. M. ELLIOT, + Evanston, Cook County, Ill. + + * * * * * + +A. P. J.--The Yellowstone River flows in a northerly direction out of +Yellowstone Lake, and after a course of about 1300 miles, during which +it descends about 7000 feet, it reaches the Missouri. The lake is one of +the most beautiful sheets of water in the world, twenty-two miles in +length, and from twelve to fifteen in breadth. Its elevation above the +level of the sea is 7788 feet, and its greatest depth is 300 feet. Only +four other lakes are known to have a greater elevation--lakes Titicaca +and Uros, in Peru and Bolivia, which are respectively 12,874 and 12,359 +feet above the level of the sea, and lakes Manasarowar and Rakas-Tal, in +Tibet, which lie at the great height of 15,000 feet. The Upper and Lower +Falls of the Yellowstone are wonderfully beautiful. They are not more +than a quarter of a mile apart. Before reaching the first fall the river +flows through a grassy valley with a calm, steady current, until it +plunges over a ledge 140 feet in height. The second fall is more than +350 feet high. Over this precipice the river plunges in snow-white foam +and spray. From the foot of the falls rises a dense and heavy mist, and +no one can approach within several hundred yards without being drenched +to the skin. On the west side the wall of rock is covered to the height +of about 300 feet with a dense carpet of mosses, grasses, and other +vegetation, of the most vivid green. There is nowhere in the world a +more beautiful scene than that which is presented by this remarkable +fall, although Niagara is more impressive on account of the volume of +water which pours over the precipice. + + * * * * * + +MARY B.--Among the most celebrated poems of Robert Burns are "Tam o' +Shanter" (about which an article was printed in the Post-office Box in +No. 56), "The Cotter's Saturday Night," "To a Mouse," "Highland Mary," +"John Anderson," "To a Mountain Daisy," "The Twa Dogs," "The Banks o' +Doon," "Mary Morison," "Bruce's Address," "John Barleycorn," and "For a' +That, and a' That." The best piece for speaking is "Bruce's Address," +which can be found in almost every collection of poetry. + + * * * * * + +MARGARETTA B.--The fifteen decisive battles of the world to which Mr. +Herbert Spencer referred are probably those which are described in a +volume bearing that title, written by Mr. E. S. Creasy, of England, and +published in this country by Harper & Brothers. They are the battle of +Marathon, the defeat of the Athenians at Syracuse (B.C. 413), the battle +of Arbela, the battle of the Metaurus, the victory of Arminius over the +Roman Legions under Varus, the battle of Châlons, the battle of Tours, +the battle of Hastings, Joan of Arc's victory over the English at +Orleans, the defeat of the Spanish Armada, the battle of Blenheim, the +battle of Pultowa, victory of the Americans over Burgoyne at Saratoga, +the battle of Valmy, and Waterloo. These are called "decisive" battles +because, in the words of the historian Hallam, "a contrary event would +have essentially varied the drama of the world in all its subsequent +scenes." + + * * * * * + +FREDDIE L. F.--Directions for making an Æolian harp were given in the +Post-office Box of HARPER'S YOUNG PEOPLE No. 23, Vol. I. + + * * * * * + +S. S.--The rare issues of United States cents are of 1799, 1793, 1804, +1809, 1811, 1795, 1796, 1808, 1805, and 1823. The above dates are rare +in the order given. + +Many others are scarce; in fact, all before 1816, if in good condition, +are worth much more than their face value. Collectors should remember +that the value of all rare coins depends upon condition. A much-rubbed +specimen of a cent of 1799 might be dear at one dollar, while an +uncirculated cent of that date would readily find a market at thirty +dollars. + + * * * * * + +READER OF "YOUNG PEOPLE."--The postage stamps exchanged by our young +correspondents are, as a rule, cancelled stamps cut from letters. + + * * * * * + +Correct answers to puzzles have been sent by Walter Atcheson, May F. B., +Bessie Comstock, Robson D. Caldwell, R. O. Chester, Mary E. DeWitt, +Carrie Edwards, Fannie Edwards, Jesse S. Godine, William and Isabel +Harris, Bessie R. Howell, Ralph B. Larkin, Thomas Lunham, Isobel L. +Jacob, "Little Goosey," H. P. Meikleham, O. A. Mueller, Percy McDermott, +Mary B. Nesmith, Maggie Osborne, William Olfenbuttel, Augusta Low Parke, +Will H. Rogers, Will Rochester, Carrie Sinnamon, James Shriver, "Starry +Flag," Nellie S., George Schilling, E. C. T., T. P. Tregnor, Woodville +Wrenshall, Chester Maxwell White, Willie F. Woolard, Lily, Charles, and +Fred W. + + * * * * * + +PUZZLES FROM YOUNG CONTRIBUTORS. + +No. 1. + +HALF-SQUARE. + +A country in Europe. To separate. Practical skill. A pronoun. A letter. + + PERCY. + + * * * * * + +No. 2. + +ENIGMA. + + In little, not in grand. + In soil, not in land. + In going, not in come. + In water, not in rum. + In grain, not in hay. + The whole a beast of prey. + + MARTIE. + + * * * * * + +No. 3. + +ZIGZAGS--(TO BOLUS). + + 1 * * * * + * 2 * * * + * * 3 * * + * * * 4 * + * * * * 5 + * * * 6 * + * * 7 * * + * 8 * * * + 9 * * * * + * 10 * * * + * * 11 * * + * * * 12 * + * * * * 13 + +Across.--1. A bird. 2. Frolic. 3. A bird. 4. Polite. 5. To exhaust. 6. +Refuse. 7. To allude. 8. A hard stone. 9. A fertile spot. 10. A weapon. +11. Caprice. 12. Scanty. 13. Rust. + +Zigzags.--Something many readers of Young People will soon find. + + OWLET. + + * * * * * + +No. 4. + +DIAMOND--(_To our Young Contributors_). + +A letter. Equal value. A small surface. A universal remedy. A confused +medley. To regain. Doctrine. A fluid. A letter. + + BOLUS. + + * * * * * + +No. 5. + +Charade--(_To Zelotes_). + + As long as we retain our breath + My first is with us until death; + But none amongst us--no, not one-- + May keep it till to-morrow's sun. + + My second, ever speeding fast, + The same in future as in past; + Forever onward still it goes, + And with it brings both joys and woes. + + During my whole let's strive each day + Some worthy action to display; + And always deal with one another + As faithful friend and loving brother. + + RIP VAN WINKLE. + + * * * * * + +ANSWERS TO PUZZLES IN No. 66. + +No. 1. + + C H E T I M A C H E S + A M S T E R D A M + C O N C H O S + T O K I O + U L M + E + I N N + T I B E R + A U G U S T A + R I O G R A N D E + R E S T I G O U C H E + +No. 2. + +Mouse. + +No. 3. + +1. Hippopotamus. 2. Earwig. 3. Field-fare. 4. Vampire. + +No. 4. + + O P A L E T T A + P I N E T E A R + A N N A T A K E + L E A D A R E S + +No. 5. + +Charity. + + + + +HARPER'S YOUNG PEOPLE. + + +SINGLE COPIES, 4 cents; ONE SUBSCRIPTION, one year, $1.50; FIVE +SUBSCRIPTIONS, one year, $7.00--_payable in advance, postage free_. + +The Volumes of HARPER'S YOUNG PEOPLE commence with the first Number in +November of each year. + +Subscriptions may begin with any Number. When no time is specified, it +will be understood that the subscriber desires to commence with the +Number issued after the receipt of the order. + +Remittances should be made by POST-OFFICE MONEY-ORDER OR DRAFT, to avoid +risk of loss. + + HARPER & BROTHERS, + Franklin Square, N. Y. + + + + +[Illustration] + +THE GAME OF KANGAROO. + +BY FRANK BELLEW. + + +This is an entirely new game, invented and designed especially for +HARPER'S YOUNG PEOPLE, and we hope our readers will enjoy playing it. +The game can be played by two or more persons; and if convenient, they +should have a marker, or umpire, whose decision is in all cases final. + +In the first place, each player should provide himself with a small +strip of India rubber of about one or two inches in length; those +elastic bands which are sold at every stationery store are the thing's +to use; one of these cut in two will make an excellent pair of +Kangaroos. Now if you twist one of these pieces of rubber up like a +cord, and roll it into a kind of ball, and then place it on the table, +it will immediately give a spring (that is to say, it will nine times +out of ten), and sometimes a second spring, and then it will begin to +squirm and roll over, until finally it stops. This piece of rubber is +called the Kangaroo. The players can make their Kangaroos of any length +they like, so that they be of the same thickness. Indeed, they may be of +any size or form the players see fit, provided they all agree on the +matter. + +The way the game is played is this. You roll up your Kangaroo, and when +you are ready, you place it on the black spot in the centre of the Pen, +and as you let go you cry "Tip!" Then your Kangaroo jumps. If he does +not jump out of the Pen, you lose 5. If he jumps into any of the spaces +marked with numbers, you score the number marked in that space. If he +hops on the line between two spaces, you count both numbers; but if he +hops on the line of the Pen and a number, you only count half the +number. If he hops or squirms into two or three numbers, you score for +each one he touches. If he gets in Grasshopper, you score 20; if into +Bullfrog, you score 30; and if into Kangaroo, 40. But if he gets into or +only touches Dumpling, you lose 50. If he jumps off the board, it counts +nothing. + +As soon as you put your Kangaroo down, and cry "Tip!" your adversary +commences marking crosses on a piece of paper or a slate--like this, X X +X X X X X X--as fast as he can until you cry "Dead!" when he must stop; +each of these crosses counts him 1. You, of course, watch your Kangaroo +to see if he is likely to take another jump and give you a fresh count, +and you only cry "Dead!" when you think he has no more life in him. If +he jumps after you have cried "Dead!" you can count nothing for whatever +he has made by the extra jump. + +The umpire keeps the score of both players, and after each has thrown +ten times, the score is added up, and whoever has the highest number +wins the game. + +Some attention must be paid to the making of the Kangaroo. The rubber +must be slightly warm, so that it will hold together just enough to make +two or three springs, if possible; but it must not be too warm, or it +will stick together and not jump at all. + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Harper's Young People, February 22, +1881, by Various + +*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 44927 *** |