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diff --git a/56840-0.txt b/56840-0.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..321963b --- /dev/null +++ b/56840-0.txt @@ -0,0 +1,2231 @@ +*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 56840 *** + + + + + + + + + + + +[Illustration: HARPER'S YOUNG PEOPLE] + + * * * * * + +VOL. III.--NO. 130. PUBLISHED BY HARPER & BROTHERS, NEW YORK. PRICE FOUR +CENTS. + +Tuesday, April 25, 1882. Copyright, 1882, by HARPER & BROTHERS. $1.50 +per Year, in Advance. + + * * * * * + + + + +[Illustration: "'NOW BE ALL READY TO RUN,' HE SAID."] + +MR. STUBBS'S BROTHER.[1] + +[1] Begun in No. 127, HARPER'S YOUNG PEOPLE. + +BY JAMES OTIS, + +AUTHOR OF "TOBY TYLER," "TIM AND TIP," ETC. + +CHAPTER IV. + +THE PONY. + + +It certainly seemed, when they arrived at the pasture again, as if +everything was conspiring in favor of their circus, for Chandler Merrill +had willingly consented to let them use his pony; but he had done so +with the kindly prophecy that the little animal would "kick their brains +out" if they were not careful with him. + +In order to make sure that the consent would not be withdrawn, and at +the same time to prove that he told the truth, Bob had brought the pony +with him, and, judging from his general appearance as he stood gazing +suspiciously at the Douglass horse, he deserved all that was said of him +regarding his vicious qualities. He was about half the size of an +ordinary horse, and his coat was ragged-looking, owing to its having +been rubbed off in spots, thus giving him the air of just such a pony as +one would suppose willing to join a party of boys in starting a circus. + +"Now there's a hoss that ain't either lame or blind," said Bob, proudly, +as he led the pony once around the ring to show his partners how he +stepped. If he was intending to say anything more, he concluded to defer +it while he made some very rapid movements in order to escape the blow +the "hoss" aimed at him with his hind-feet. + +"Kicks, don't he?" said Toby, in a tone which plainly told he did not +think him very well suited to their purpose. + +"Well, he did then;" and Bob fastened the halter more securely by +putting one end of the rope through the pony's mouth; "but you see +that's because he ain't been used much, an' he's tickled 'cause he's +goin' to belong to a circus." + +"How long before he'll get over bein' tickled?" asked Joe. "I'm willin' +to train Jack Douglass's hoss; but I don't know 'bout this one till he +gets sorry enough not to kick." + +"Oh, he'll be all right jest as soon as Toby rides him 'round the ring a +little while." + +"Do you think I'm goin' to ride him?" asked Toby, beginning to believe +his partners expected more of him than ever Mr. Castle did. + +"Of course; a feller what's been with a circus ought to know how to ride +any hoss that ever lived," replied Bob, with considerable emphasis, +owing to the fact that the pony kicked and plunged so that his words +were jerked out of him, rather than spoken. + +"I s'pose some fellers can; but I wasn't with the circus long enough to +find out how to ride such hosses as them;" and Toby retired to the shade +of the alder bushes, where Abner was sitting, to wait until Bob and the +pony had come to terms. + +It was quite as much as Bob could do to hold his prize, without trying +to make any arrangements for having him ridden, and he called Reddy to +help him. + +Now, as the ring-master of the contemplated circus, Reddy ought to have +known all about horses, and he thought he did until the pony made one +plunge, just as he came up smiling with whip in hand. Then he said, as +he ran toward Toby, + +"I don't believe I want to be ring-master if we're goin' to have that +hoss." + +"Here, Joe, you help me," cried Bob, in desperation, growing each moment +more afraid of the steed. "I want to get him up by the fence, where we +can hitch him, till we find out what to do with him." + +Joe was perfectly willing to assist the unfortunate clown in his +troubles; but as he started toward him, the pony wheeled and flung his +heels out with a force that showed he would do some damage if he could, +and Joe also joined the party among the bushes. + +Bob was thus left alone with his prize, and a most uncomfortable time he +appeared to be having of it, standing there in the hot sun, clinging +desperately to the halter, and jumping from one side to the other when +the pony attempted to bite or strike him with his fore-feet. + +"Let him go; he hain't any good," shouted Reddy, from his secure +retreat. + +"If I let go the halter, he'll jump right at me;" and there was a +certain ring in Bob's voice that told he was afraid. + +"Hitch him to the fence, an' then climb over," suggested Joe. + +"But I can't get him over there, for he won't go a step;" and Bob +continued to hold fast to the halter, afraid to do so, but still more +afraid to let go. + +He had borrowed the pony, but it certainly seemed as if the animal had +borrowed him, for his fear caused him to cling desperately to the halter +as the only possible means of saving his life. + +The boys under the alder bushes were fully alive to the fact that +something should be done, although they were undecided as to what that +something should be. + +Joe proposed that they all rush out, and scare the pony away, but Bob +insisted that he would be the sufferer by such a course. Reddy thought +if Bob should show more spirit, and let the vicious little animal see +that he was not afraid of him, everything would be all right; but when +it was proposed that he should try the plan himself, he concluded there +might be serious objections to such a course. + +Ben thought that if they all took hold of the halter, they could pull +the pony to the fence, and this plan was looked upon with such favor +that it was adopted at once. + +Every one except Abner took hold of the halter, after some little delay +in getting there, owing to the readiness of the pony to use his heels at +the slightest provocation. But just when they were about to put forth +all their strength in pulling, the pony jumped toward them suddenly, +rendering their efforts useless, and starting all save Bob back to the +alder bushes in ignominious flight. + +Bob still remained at his post, or, more correctly speaking, the halter, +and it was very much against his will that he did so. + +"I wish Chandler Merrill would come up here, an' get his old hoss, for I +don't want him any longer," he said, angrily. "He ought to be prosecuted +for lettin' us have such a tiger." + +Bob did not seem to remember that if he had been refused the loan of the +pony he would have considered Chandler Merrill very selfish; in fact, he +hardly remembered anything save his own desire to get rid of the animal +as quickly as possible. + +"What shall I do?" he cried, in desperation. "I can't stand here all +day, an' the hoss don't mean to let me get away." + +"We've got to help Bob," said Toby, decidedly, as he arose to his feet +again, and went toward the unfortunate clown. "If you fellers will try +to hold him, I'll get on his back, an' then Bob can get away." + +"But he'll throw you off, an' hurt you," objected Abner, trying to +protect his newly made friend. + +"I can stop him from doing that, an' it's the only way I know of to help +Bob." + +"You get on, Toby, an' then I'll scoot jest as soon as you get hold of +the halter," said Bob, happy at this prospect of being relieved. "Then, +when you get a chance, you jump off, an' we'll let somebody else take +him home." + +It was a hard task, and they all ran considerable risk of getting +kicked; but at last it was accomplished, so far as mounting was +concerned. Toby was on the pony's back, with a firm grasp of the rope +that was made to serve as bridle. + +"Now be all ready to run," he said; and there was no disposition to +linger shown by any of his friends. "Let go!" he shouted, and at the +sound of his voice the boys went one way and the pony another at full +speed. + +It was not until the would-be circus managers were within the shelter of +the clump of bushes that they stopped to look for their partner, and +then they saw him at the further end of the pasture, the pony running +and leaping as if doing his best to dislodge his rider. + +Even the Douglass horse seemed to be excited by the display of spirit, +for he capered around in a manner very unbecoming one as old and blind +as he. + +Only for a few moments could they watch the contest, and then the +distant trees hid Toby Tyler and Chandler Merrill's pony from view. + +Some time the boys watched for Toby's return; and just as they were +beginning to think they ought to go in search of him, and fearing lest +he had been hurt by the vicious pony, they saw him coming from among the +trees, alone and on foot. + +"Well," said Bob, with a sigh of relief, "he's got rid of the hoss, an' +that was all we wanted." + +Toby's story, when at last, hot and tired, he reached the alder bushes, +was not nearly so exciting as his partners anticipated. He had clung to +the pony until they entered the woods, where he was brushed off by the +branches of the trees as easily as if he had been a fly, and with as +little damage. + +How they should get the pony back into its owner's keeping was a +question difficult to answer, and they were all so completely worn out +by their exertions to get rid of him that they did not attempt to come +to any conclusion regarding it. + +While they were resting from their labors, and before they had ceased to +congratulate each other that they had succeeded in separating themselves +from the pony, Leander Leighton, his accordion under his arm and his +clappers in his hands, made his appearance. + +His struggle with the baby had evidently come to an end sooner than he +had dared hope, and the managers were happy at this speedy prospect of +hearing what their band could do in the way of music. + +"Boys!" shouted Leander, excitedly, while he was some distance away, +"there's a real circus comin' here next week--the same one Toby Tyler +run away with--an' the men are pastin' up the bills now down to the +village!" + +The boys looked at each other in surprise; it had never entered into +their calculations that they might have a real circus as a rival, and +certainly Toby had never thought he would again see those whom he had +first run away with, and then run away from. He was rather disturbed by +the prospect at first, for it seemed certain that Job Lord and Mr. +Castle would try to compel him to go with them; but a moment's thought +convinced him that Uncle Daniel would not allow them to carry him away, +and he grew as eager for more news as any of the others. + +Leander knew no more than he had already told; after having been +relieved from his care of the baby, he had started for the pasture, and +had seen the show-bills as he came along. He was certain it was the same +circus Toby had gone with, for the names on the bills were the same, and +he had heard some of the townspeople say so as he came along. + +"An' I shall see the skeleton an' the fat woman again," said Toby, very +much delighted at the idea of meeting those kind friends from whom he +had thought himself parted forever. + +"Don't you s'pose you could get 'em to leave that show an' come with +ours?" asked Bob, thinking perhaps some kind fortune had thrown this +opportunity in their way that they might the better succeed in their +project. + +Toby was not sure such a plan could be made to work, for the reason that +they were only intending to give two or three performances, and Mr. and +Mrs. Treat might not think it worth their while to leave the circus they +were with on the strength of such uncertain prospects. + +"And you shall go to the show, Abner," said Toby, pleased at the +opportunity he would have of making the crippled boy happy for one day +at least; "an' I'll take all of you fellers down, an' get the skeleton +to talk to you, so's you can see how nice he is. You shall see his wife, +an' old Ben, an' Ella, an'--" + +"But won't you be afraid of Job Lord?" interrupted Leander, fearful lest +Toby's dread of meeting his old employer might prevent them from having +all this promised enjoyment. + +"Uncle Dan'l wouldn't let him take me away; an' now I'm home here, I +don't believe old Ben would let him touch me." + +There was evidently no probability that they would transact any more +business relative to their own circus that day, so intent were they on +talking about the one that was to come, and it was not until nearly time +to drive the cows home that they remembered the presence of their band. + +Ben proposed that Leander should show them what he could do in the way +of music, so that he need not be at the trouble of bringing his +accordion up to the pasture again, and the boys ceased all conversation +for the purpose of listening to the so-called melody. + +[TO BE CONTINUED.] + + + + +CATCHING QUAIL IN INDIA. + + +India is a land of wonders; but among the strange sights few are more +utterly ridiculous than that of a party of natives driving quail. + +The quail-hunter throws a large white cloth over his head, which is +extended in front by means of two sticks held in the hands. Arrayed in +this manner, the quail-hunter performs various antics and movements +which would lead a looker-on to suppose him insane. + +There is a method in his madness, however. This remarkable adjustment of +the white cloth is supposed to transform the man into a bull or other +horned animal. He pretends to paw the earth, tosses his make-believe +horns, turns round and round, pretending to scratch himself in true +bovine fashion. It is irresistibly comic to watch him, and a little +attention generally pleases him to such an extent that he will redouble +his efforts and multiply his ridiculous pranks until the spectator is +thrown into convulsions of laughter. + +There are several distinct varieties of quail in India; they frequent +open places near rivers, keeping near the ground when flying, and +running rapidly among the grasses. The hunters spread fine nets around +two sides of the field, and at the end they place a large cage with one +or more decoy birds inside. + +The idiotic-looking cow has all his wits about him. He proceeds warily; +his keen eye detects the coveys of quail, and sees which way they are +running. He is no more like a cow than that respectable animal is like a +cucumber, but his ruse succeeds wonderfully. He moves about, tosses his +head, switches his ingeniously contrived tail, and so manoeuvres that +he keeps the running quail away from the unprotected edges of the field. + +When they get to the verge protected by the net they begin to take +alarm. They are probably a little uncertain about the peculiar-looking +"old cow" behind them, and running along the net, they see the decoy +quail apparently feeding in great security and comfort. The V-shaped +mouth of the large basket cage looks invitingly open. The puzzling nets +are barring the way, and the cow is gradually closing up behind. + +As the hunter moves along, he rubs two pieces of dry stick gently up and +down his thigh with one hand, thus producing a crackling sound. It is +not enough to startle the birds into flight, but alarms them +sufficiently to make them get out of the way. One bird, perhaps a little +bolder than the others, irritated by the queer crackling sound, now +enters the basket, when the others follow like a flock of sheep, and +once in, the puzzling shape of the entrance prevents their exit. + +Hunters will not unfrequently bag twenty or thirty brace of quail in one +field by this absurdly appearing but ingenious method. + + + + +[Illustration] + +MAY I COME IN? + + + May I come in? My little Grace + Peeps round the door with laughing face. + I lift my head, and feign surprise + At wistful mouth and roguish eyes. + + I know she'll trip across to me, + And give me kisses, one, two, three. + May she come in? Of course she may-- + The sweetest thing I've seen to-day. + + + + +CHATS ABOUT PHILATELY. + +BY J. J. CASEY. + + +VIII.--SURINAM. + +[Illustration] + +The design of the postage stamps of Surinam, or Dutch Guiana, is shown +in the accompanying illustration, the name being spelled, of course, +after the Dutch method. In English the final "e" is omitted. + +Surinam lies on the northern coast of South America. On the east is +French, and on the west British, Guiana. The territory over which the +Dutch claim dominion is about fifty-eight thousand square miles in +extent, or more than four times the size of Holland, but the actual area +under cultivation is a little over two hundred square miles. The +principal settlements are in the lower valley of the Surinam River, +which at its mouth is three miles wide. The water is of a dirty yellow +color, with bubbles on its surface, and its current can be traced far +out to sea. Its source has not yet been found. + +The Dutch began to visit the coasts of Guiana about 1580. In 1614, the +States of Holland granted to any Dutch citizen four years' monopoly of +any harbor or place of commerce he might discover in that region. The +first settlement in Surinam, in 1630, was made by an Englishman, whose +name is still preserved by Marshall's Creek. Thirty-six years afterward +the English settlement was taken by the Zealanders, and one hundred +thousand pounds of sugar were exacted as a ransom. Finally, the country +was confirmed to the Dutch by treaty, in 1674. + +The most renowned name connected with Surinam is that of Cornelis van +Aerssens, lord of Sommelsdjik, who in 1683 purchased one-third of the +territory from the New Dutch West India Company. Sommelsdjik agreed to +govern the colony at his own expense, and his rule was marked by rare +wisdom and energy. He repressed and pacified the Indians, he erected +forts, established a court of justice, introduced the cultivation of the +cocoa-nut, and, in short, devoted himself to the welfare of his people. +But his soldiery turned against him, and massacred him, after five years +of beneficent rule. + +His death threw affairs into great confusion. It became necessary to +make some new arrangement, and his widow offered to sell his large +interest in the colony to William III. of England. The arrangement would +not, however, have been satisfactory to Holland, and Sommelsdjik's +portion of the territory was finally purchased by the city of Amsterdam. + +Surinam has continued under Dutch rule from 1804, with the exception of +a period of eleven years, when it was in possession of the English. +Slavery was abolished during this period. There is a House of Assembly, +the members of which may never be less than nine nor more than thirteen. +Four are appointed by the government, and the others are regularly +elected by the colonists. There is one curious provision. A royal decree +may overrule a unanimous decision of the Assembly, and not infrequently +a command will arrive from Holland undoing all that has been +accomplished by that body. + +The capital of Dutch Guiana is Paramaribo. It has a population of +22,000, a large proportion of which are negroes. The city is regularly +built, and the streets present a pleasant sight, owing to the rows of +tamarind and orange trees which line them on both sides. In 1832 the +city was nearly destroyed by a band of negro slaves, who set fire to the +city. The flames were fortunately subdued before they made any great +headway. In order to deter others from making a similar attempt, the +negroes who executed the horrible deed were publicly burned alive. + +There are about seventeen thousand bush negroes in Surinam. These are +descendants of runaway slaves, and consist of three tribes. They retain +curious traces of their former connection with Christianity, though they +are, and consider themselves, pagans. Their chief god is Gran Gado +(grand god), his wife is Maria, and his son Jesi Kist. Various minor +deities are also worshipped; Ampeeka, the bush god, Toni, the water god, +etc. Among themselves these people speak a language based on a corrupt +English, mingled with many Dutch, Portuguese, and native elements. + +I came near neglecting to state that in Surinam, in addition to postage +stamps, there are also in use postal cards, and an extensive series of +revenue stamps. These are of two kinds, stamped and unstamped, and in +color correspond to the postage stamps of the colony. The cards were +introduced in July, 1876. A very neat frame surrounds the card, with the +word "Briefkaart" at the top, and four lines for the address. + +A card for fifteen cents was first issued; then followed, in 1877, a +card for twelve and a half cents. But last year, a change being made in +postal rates, a card of seven and a half cents was issued. As an example +of the economy so characteristic of the Dutch, the old cards were still +kept in use, and the change made by simply printing the new value on +them in black figures. + + + + +WANTED, A LIVE RATTLESNAKE. + +BY FRANK R. STOCKTON. + + +Few strangers ever came to Cornham after the 1st of April. It was a +sleepy little Southern town, and even the approach of spring made it too +warm for comfort. + +But one morning, when the sun was pouring down its beams with particular +brightness, the few loungers at the railway station were astonished by +the arrival of a middle-aged gentleman with a red beard and a pair of +gold spectacles. He took lodgings at the only tavern in the place--the +Bull's Head--and before he went to bed that night he had posted up by +the side of the tavern door the following notice: + +"WANTED, A LIVE RATTLESNAKE. + + "The undersigned will pay for a live rattlesnake, not less than + thirty inches long, and with at least three rattles, the sum of one + dollar. The fangs of the snake must be extracted before it is + offered for inspection, but the animal must not be injured in any + other way, and must be perfectly healthy and lively. For a snake + four feet long, with six or more rattles, two dollars will be paid. + + "JOHN G. HARRIMAN." + +This notice attracted the attention of a number of the people of the +town, who gathered in a little crowd to read it; and after that had been +done, most of the good folks sat down on the benches in front of the +tavern to talk about it. It was generally agreed that Mr. Harriman must +be either a showman, or one of those scientific fellows who go about the +country collecting weeds and bits of stone, and all manner of worms and +insects. Whatever he might have been, any one in the town who had +happened to own a live rattlesnake would have been glad to let him have +it for a dollar; but it was pretty certain that no one possessed such a +creature. There were, however, in the stony hills and mountains around +Cornham plenty of rattlesnakes, and it was in the hope of inducing some +of the villagers to capture one of these for him that Mr. Harriman had +put up his notice. + +About nine o'clock Tom Welden came walking by the tavern, and stopped to +read the notice. Tom was fourteen years old, and was the son of a farmer +in the neighborhood. He had finished his morning's work about the barn, +and had come into town to get something from the store. + +The notice was very interesting to Tom, and he read it twice. A dollar +was to him quite a large sum of money, and he was not long in making up +his mind to try to get a rattlesnake for Mr. Harriman. If he could catch +one four feet long, so much the better. He had nothing in particular to +do that day, and he would start off at once for Block Mountain, where it +was understood there were always rattlesnakes to be found. + +He did not, however, wish to go on such an expedition by himself, and so +he called on Charlie Crawford, one of his boy friends, and asked him to +go with him. + +"Is it to be half and half?" asked Charlie. + +Tom hesitated a little at this. He had not thought of dividing the +reward. + +"All right," said Charlie, laughing. "I don't want any of the money; +I'll go for fun." + +But Tom was too generous a fellow to consent to anything like that. "We +will first get the snake," he said, "and then we will see about dividing +the money. But we must hurry up, for I've got to stop at the house on my +way to the mountain." + +In an hour from this time the boys had begun the ascent of Block +Mountain, which was about two miles from the village. They had not gone +very far up the mountain-side before they came to a cabin standing by +itself on a small level space. An elderly man, very roughly dressed, was +sitting on a bench by the door. + +"Charlie," said Tom, "I'm going to stop for a moment to speak to old +Ramsay. He can tell us more about rattlesnakes than anybody in these +parts." + +The boys found old Ramsay very willing to talk about rattlesnakes. "If +it wasn't for my rheumatism," he said, "I'd just as lief go with you as +not. But if you go up to the Break-Neck Rocks, and look around in the +sunny places, you'll be sure to find some. You know how to scotch 'em, +don't you?" + +"Oh yes," said Tom, "I've done it before; but what bothers me is how to +get the fangs out of the snake after we catch it. It's got to have its +fangs out before it's delivered." + +"Don't you try to take 'em out at all," said Ramsay. "Just you get your +snake into this basket, and fasten the lid down tight, and then bring it +to me. I'll take the fangs out." + +The man then handed Tom a small but strong basket, made of split white +oak, and thanking him for it, the boys started off again. On the way up +Tom cut a pole about six feet long. He whittled off the upper branches, +leaving only a small crotch at the top. + +The Break-Neck Rocks were near the top of the mountain, but before they +got there the boys sat down to rest. + +"Tom," said Charlie, "if I'd been you, I would have put on my shoes +before I came out to hunt rattlesnakes." + +Tom looked at his bare feet in despair. "I never thought of it," he +said. "I had so many things to do, that shoes never entered into my +head." + +"If your feet had entered your shoes, that would have been much better," +said Charlie. + +"Well, I'm not going back," said Tom, "for it's too far. I'll pick my +way gingerly, and I guess I won't tread on a snake." + +[Illustration: "FOR SOME TIME THE BOYS RESTED ON THE SIDE OF THE +MOUNTAIN."] + +For some time the boys rested on the side of the mountain, looking out +over the country below them, and at the river which flowed not far away. +Then they started up again, and soon reached the Break-Neck Rocks. + +These rocks covered several acres, and between them were clefts or +openings, often a yard or more wide at the top, and extending downward +for fifteen or twenty feet. In the middle of the day, when the sun shone +down into these great fissures, the ground at the bottom was a favorite +resort for rattlesnakes; and here it was old Ramsay had meant the boys +to look for them. + +Tom and Charlie now began their search, stepping from rock to rock, and +carefully looking into every cleft. It was not long before they saw very +plainly a large rattlesnake on the ground at the bottom of the cleft. He +was coiled up, and evidently fast asleep. + +"How are we going to get him?" whispered Charlie. "The pole won't reach +down there." + +"I think we can manage it," said Tom. "I'll get part of the way down, +and then you can hand me the pole, and I'll rouse him up, and when he +sticks his head out to crawl, I will clap the crotch down over his neck, +and hold him fast." + +"All right," said Charlie. + +Tom now began to cautiously clamber down the sides of the cleft. He had +often gone down into these little ravines, but the walls here were much +smoother than he had generally found them, and he did not meet with many +projections on which he could place his feet. He was, however, slowly +working his way down, when, to his own horror, and that of Charlie, who +was watching him from above, he suddenly began to slip. He vigorously +thrust out his arms and legs on either side, and as the cleft gradually +narrowed in a downward direction, he succeeded by a great exertion in +stopping himself when about half-way down. But now his position was very +critical. If he slipped to the bottom, he might not only hurt himself, +but he would most likely come down with his bare feet right on the +sleeping snake. In working his way down he had, without intending it, +got into a position directly above the creature. + +It was a situation of great peril, and Charlie, who watched the scene +from above, was even more frightened than Tom. He reached down the pole +to his companion, but Tom could not take either of his hands from the +rocks to seize it, and even if he could have done so, it would have been +of little service, for Charlie was not strong enough to pull him up. + +Then another idea struck Charlie. "If I can drive away the snake," he +thought, "it will not be so bad for Tom, if he must fall." He picked up +some small pieces of stone, and going back a little distance, where +there would be no chance of his hitting Tom, he began to hurl the stones +at the sleeping snake. One of them soon struck it, and in an instant the +animal was aroused; but instead of uncoiling himself and crawling away, +he thrust up his head and glared around, at the same instant raising his +tail and rattling violently. + +"Now I have done it," thought poor Charlie. "Tom might have got away +from the snake when it was asleep, but now it is all ready for him." +Charlie was in despair, but stepping back to a point just above Tom, and +looking down upon his friend, another idea entered his mind. + +"Tom," he cried, "can you hold on for half a minute longer?" + +"Yes," said Tom, rather faintly. + +"All right, then," cried Charlie. "Hold on tight, and shut your eyes." + +Charlie turned around, and looking about him, picked up a piece of rock +as big as his head. Taking this in both hands he stepped across the +chasm, and stood astride of it, not exactly over Tom, but a little in +front of him. Charlie had noticed that the snake had moved a little, and +its head was now so far forward that a large stone might possibly be +dropped upon it without hitting Tom. To do so, however, the stone must +almost graze Tom's nose. But there was no time to be lost, and this was +the only plan Charlie could think of to save his friend. + +"Keep your eyes shut," he cried, "and don't move." + +Down dropped the stone, and the wind of it as it passed Tom's face made +him jerk back his head. + +"Did it touch you?" cried Charlie, excitedly. + +"Nothing touched me," answered Tom. + +"It's on top of the snake!" cried Charlie. "Now get down as fast as you +can." + +Tom gave a glance downward, and then, half-slipping, half-scrambling, he +came heavily to the bottom of the ravine. Charlie now ran off some +distance to a place where there was a comparatively easy descent to the +paths among the rocks, and he soon reached the spot where Tom stood. + +"Are you hurt?" he asked. + +"No," said Tom, "only scratched a little. But there isn't a man alive +who would give three cents for this snake. You've smashed its head +nearly off." + +"That is what I tried to do," said Charlie. "Now we will go and look for +another one." + +The boys moved slowly among the rocks, and it was not long before they +saw another snake, coiled up and asleep. Tom roused him with the +crotched end of his pole, and when the snake, after rattling and +hissing, laid his head upon the ground to crawl, Tom clapped the crotch +over his neck, and held him firmly down. It was of no use for the +creature to squirm and wriggle; he could not get his head from under +that crotch. Charlie carried the basket, and he now ran up to the snake. +Taking a piece of twine from his pocket, he slipped it under the head, +and tied it around the neck just in front of the crotch. It required +some care to tie the cord tightly enough to prevent its slipping, but +not so tight as to choke the snake. The ends of the cord were about two +feet long, and each of the boys took hold of one of them. The stick was +now removed, and the snake began to struggle violently, but could not +get at either of his captors. He was then lifted up by the cord, and +dropped, tail foremost, into the basket, when the lid was clapped down +quickly upon him, and securely fastened. The ends of the twine, which +hung outside, were tied together under the basket, and the boys started +homeward with their prize. + +When they reached the cabin of old Ramsay, the veteran snake-hunter was +still sitting at his door. As soon as he heard that the boys had caught +a snake, he began to make preparations to take out its fangs. + +"It's too tetchy a business for young boys like you," he said. + +Ramsay hobbled into the house, and brought out a strong leather strap. +He then untied the ends of the twine, giving one to each of the boys to +hold. The lid of the basket was removed, and the snake angrily raised +its head. Ramsay then held the end of the strap toward it, when, quick +as lightning, the shake struck at the leather, and fiercely bit it. The +moment the creature's fangs entered the strap, Ramsay violently pulled +it away. + +Glancing at the end the snake had bitten, Ramsay held it out toward the +boys. + +"Thar's his fangs," he said, "sticking into the leather. I jerked 'em +out. Now the varmint couldn't hurt a baby--that is, till his fangs grow +again, which won't be for a good while." + +When the snake was delivered that afternoon to Mr. Harriman, it was an +object of great attention to that gentleman and many of the villagers. +It was found to be forty-nine inches long, and had seven rattles. + +"Why, it's a two-dollar snake!" said Tom. + +"Yes," said Mr. Harriman, "it is a very fine specimen, and I gladly pay +you the two dollars. To which of you must I give the money?" + +"This is Tom's snake," said Charlie, quickly. "The one I got, I smashed +to flinders." + +And in spite of Tom's arguments, he refused to accept a cent of the +reward. + +"It was a plucky thing in you," said Tom to his friend as they walked +away, "to drop that big stone so close to my face." + +"There was nothing plucky about it," said Charlie, laughing. "It +wouldn't have hurt me if it had hit you." + +"I don't believe a word of that," said Tom. "I believe it would have +hurt you just as much as me." + +Which was exactly the truth. + + + + +THE ORCHESTRA OF YESTERDAY AND TO-DAY. + +BY MRS. JOHN LILLIE. + + +I suppose that every one who enjoys music likes to hear either a band or +an orchestra. There is something very inspiring and fine about a +performance where a great many people take part. + +It is always well, even in the most delightful music, to stop and think +how much you enjoy because you _understand_ it; that is, if you are a +student, and I am addressing myself chiefly to young people who are +studying music. + +Is not an orchestra a confusing sight in one way? You look at all the +violins and violoncellos, the flutes, the hautboys, the wind +instruments, and finally the conductor, and even if he waves his baton +ever so knowingly, you wonder _how_ he knows just what to do. + +I think the conductor of an orchestra always looks like the possessor of +some curious secret. His baton goes here and there; he waves it in a +rhythmical or sharp fashion, and yet if you look closely you will see +that not one in the orchestra but feels that he is his leader. There is +a regular meaning in everything he does. + +There are very few portions of musical history so interesting to me as +the orchestra. To-day we have such excellent music in public orchestras +that I suppose we forget there ever was a time when even musicians were +not sure how orchestras ought to be arranged. In the thirteenth and +fourteenth centuries there were flutes and many stringed instruments; +but the people who played on them did not know that they might be used +harmoniously together. I am sure that seems almost funny to you now, but +it undoubtedly was the case. + +You see, music was in just that unformed condition then that they did +not know what they could do with it. Now we will try and think a little, +and see when orchestras began, and how they gradually prospered. + +To go very far back, I must tell you that certain instruments, like +lutes and lyres, were used among the ancients. I think they played them +in concert. At all events, they had a dim idea that, performed upon +together, they would sound well. But it was not until the sixteenth +century--in 1581--that anything like a real orchestra was known. And +just here I want to tell you what the word itself means. + +_Orchestra_ is a Greek word. It really means an open space where people +sit, but it expresses now a place for an instrumental band and a chorus, +and, properly speaking, an orchestra must sit. This is one of the chief +distinctions between an _orchestra_ and a _band_. Bands must, by right, +stand while they play; orchestras ought, by right, to sit, that is, +unless the weight of their instruments obliges them to stand. Besides +this distinction, a _band_ is composed of wind instruments; an +_orchestra_ has both wind and stringed instruments. + +Now, when you hear any orchestral concert, look back into olden days and +see the first orchestra that we have record of. It was in the days of +the sixteenth century. + +In France there lived a certain famous nobleman--the Duc de Joyeuse. The +splendor and beauty of his entertainments were renowned; and when, in +1581, he married the Lady Margaret of Lorraine, a very gorgeous festival +was gotten up by him regardless of the expenditure of time or money or +genius. + +Now at this entertainment was produced a sort of dramatic performance +with an instrumental band--the first on record. But it was in a very +different fashion from the performance of an orchestra of to-day. They +knew very few rules for harmonizing the instruments, yet, from the +accounts given, the effect must have been very pleasing. Certain it is +the gay audience were delighted by it. + +Of course writing for orchestras was soon adopted by the various +composers of the seventeenth century. Before the close of the century +there were some quite well-ordered orchestras of stringed instruments, +and when Bach began to write, the science of orchestration had gone very +much further. + +In writing for orchestras Bach used a great many times what is called +the _obligato_. This word, when written over a part, means that it can +not be left out--it must be played. + +The other day I was listening to Beethoven's Fourth Symphony performed +by some of the best players in the world, and led by a famous conductor, +and I could not help thinking how very interesting it might be even to +very young students to listen to any such performance, having a copy of +the music with them, and then, on going home, to pick out certain parts +and try to play them, reproducing some of the stringed effects. Now +perhaps you will think this work for very advanced students. So it is, +but little hands can try it too. Try some little chosen part of any +symphony you may hear at a good concert, and see if you can remember, +when you play, just what part of the expression belonged to any one +particular instrument. I have heard pianists who seemed to me to almost +reproduce the feeling of an entire orchestra. + +Another interesting and useful study is to find out, before hearing a +concert, the names of the various instruments used, and then, by means +of a dictionary or encyclopædia, you can read all about them. See if it +will not transform the whole concert to you. + +Here is a list of the instruments of a complete orchestra: First violins +15, second violins 12, violas 10, violoncellos 10, double basses 8, +flutes 2, piccolo 1, oboes, cor Anglais, clarionet, corno di bassetto, +bassoon, double bassoon, trumpets, horns, trombones, timpani, cornet à +piston, bass trumpet, tenor tuba, ophicleide, contra bass tuba, harp, +bass drum, cymbals. The number and kind of instruments can of course be +varied to a certain extent without losing the effect. + +Chamber music differs from ordinary orchestras because none of the +instruments are doubled; that is, only one of a kind is included in it, +and it is adapted to a small number of performers on stringed +instruments. + +Many famous musicians have been equally famous conductors of orchestras. +Mendelssohn and Moscheles, who were dear friends and great musicians, +were celebrated for their conducting. Mendelssohn had a peculiar power +over the musicians. They looked at his face as well as at his baton. +Those sweet keen eyes seemed to tell each what to do--his whole soul was +in the work. Very many stories are told of how on certain occasions +parts of the score were found missing just as the men were taking their +places, and yet Mendelssohn always contrived to get it together again +with his marvellous faculty for rapid musical work. Once he is said to +have dashed off a whole part while the audience were waiting, writing it +from memory. + +In an old house in London there is a book full of Mendelssohn's sketches +when he and Moscheles were on their concert tours; and looking at +them--some bright, some humorous, all happy and kindly--one could fancy +just how much heart and soul he carried into his work; he put his fun +into it as well as his sadness. Whatever he had, he gave it all to those +around him when he stood in the conductor's place. + + + + +[Illustration: AN APRIL SHOWER.] + + + + +THE MAN IN THE MOON. + + +Who does not know the Mother Goose jingle of + + "The man in the moon + Came down too soon + To ask his way to Norwich"? + +But the question is, how did he get in the moon, and what is he doing +there? Most people can see only a face in the moon, and not always that; +but in old times it was firmly believed that there was an actual man in +the moon, with a bundle of sticks on his back, which he had to carry +always as a punishment for gathering them on Sunday. + +Some of the old English poets represented the man in the moon as a +thief, who had been sent there for stealing, with a thorn bush on his +back. Sometimes he had a dog with him for company, and in Shakspeare's +_Midsummer Night's Dream_ it is said, + + "This man, with lantern, dog, and bush of thorn, + Presenteth moonshine." + +In Sweden, the country people say that the spots on the moon are a girl +and boy carrying a pail of water between them, whom the moon once +kidnapped and carried up to heaven. But the Germans see a man and woman +in the moon, who were put there for punishment; the man because he +strewed thorns and brambles on the path to church to prevent people from +going there on Sunday morning, and the woman because she did her +churning on that holy day. The man has to carry a bundle of thorns, and +the woman her butter tub, and to stand in the moon always as a warning +to other Sabbath-breakers. + +The Dutch say that the man was caught stealing vegetables. But in the +island of Ceylon they speak of "the _hare_ in the moon," instead of the +man, and tell this story about it: + +Buddha, the god whom they worship, was once a hermit on earth, and got +lost in a forest. He wandered about until he met a hare, which said to +him, "I can help you out of your trouble; take the path on your left +hand, and it will lead you out of the forest." + +"I am very much obliged to you," replied Buddha, "but I am very poor and +very hungry, and have nothing to offer you as a reward for your +kindness." + +"If you are hungry," returned the hare, "I am again at your service. +Make a fire, kill me, roast me, and eat me." + +Buddha made the fire, the hare at once jumped into it, and has been seen +in the moon ever since. + +There are any number of old superstitions and strange beliefs in regard +to the moon. In Suffolk County, England, it is considered unlucky to +kill a pig when the moon is waning. The pork, so the old wives say, will +waste in the boiling. Another fancy is that to look at the moon for the +first time through glass brings ill luck. According to an old rhyme, + + "A Saturday's moon, + If it comes once in seven years, + Comes once too soon." + +The application of this is that if the new moon happens on a Saturday +the weather will be bad for the ensuing month. + +The Chinese represent the moon by the figure of a rabbit pounding rice +in a mortar, and sometimes by a beautiful young woman with a rabbit at +her feet. But, after all, we have got to let most of our fancies in +regard to the moon go. They will not stand for a moment after one glance +through an astronomer's telescope. + + + + +[Illustration: HOW JUMBO CROSSED THE OCEAN.] + +HOW JUMBO CROSSED THE OCEAN. + +BY W. L. ALDEN. + + +Jumbo has arrived. Two weeks ago there was published in YOUNG PEOPLE an +account of his departure from England by a lady who knew him very well, +and who was very familiar with his doings during his last days on +English soil. + +Now we have the great elephant with us, safe at the Hippodrome, under +Mr. Barnum's care, and where thousands of American children can make his +acquaintance, and find out what made him such a wonderful favorite on +the other side of the ocean. + +Jumbo had a great time crossing the sea. A big elephant is a very +awkward passenger when he travels by water. He weighs so much that he +must be kept in the centre of the ship, and he must be fastened so +securely that he can not possibly break loose. Jumbo made the passage in +the same box in which he was drawn eight miles from the Zoological +Gardens in London to the dock where the great steamer that was to carry +him to America lay. + +This box was made as strong as oak and iron could make it, and was +provided with openings in the front, through which Jumbo could stretch +out his trunk to receive his food and drink. Jumbo's cage was only a +trifle smaller than the main hatchway of the steamer, and yet it fitted +him almost as closely as if it had been an Ulster overcoat. Being wedged +closely into the hatchway, the box could not be moved by the rolling or +pitching of the ship, and Jumbo, being packed tightly in the box, could +not bruise himself. Thus he was as well situated as a sea-faring +elephant could expect to be. + +Jumbo did not like the sea, particularly when he was seasick. When we +remember how seasick a child weighing sixty pounds often is at sea, we +can understand how tremendously seasick an elephant weighing six tons +can be. For the first two or three days of the passage Jumbo suffered +greatly from seasickness. He lost his appetite. He frequently sighed +like a small earthquake, and he tried to get rid of his headache by +beating his head against the front of his box. This remedy seemed to +help him, for on the third day he began to get better, and made a light +breakfast of two hundred pounds of hay, two bushels of oats, a bushel of +biscuits, fifteen loaves of bread, twenty buckets of water, and a few +trifles, and in a few hours he felt well enough to receive visits from +the passengers. + +Two keepers--Mr. Scott, who has been with Jumbo seventeen years in +England, and one whom Mr. Barnum had sent over from New York--were with +him constantly while at sea, taking turns in sitting up with him at +night, so that he need never feel lonesome. Lamps were also kept burning +in front of him all night, in case he should want to read, and far more +care was taken of him in every way than of any other passenger. Most of +the time he was amiable, and conducted himself in a way to win the +approbation of everybody. Once, however, he became very ill-tempered, +and his keepers could not please him, no matter what they did. Finally +they brought some little children to him. The sight of them reminded +Jumbo of his happy life in the Zoological Gardens, where he was +accustomed to carry children on his back. The ill-temper vanished, and +he became once more the gentle beast that he had been before he was +forced to go to sea. + +In spite of his general amiability, Jumbo does not like to be treated +with disrespect. One of the sailors of the vessel found this out. The +man was washing his clothes near Jumbo's box, and he rudely slapped the +elephant's trunk to make him move it out of the way. This was, in +Jumbo's opinion, an outrage which no gentleman would offer to a +respectable elephant, and he determined to resent it. Presently the man +went away, leaving his clean clothes within Jumbo's reach. The latter +instantly seized them, wiped the deck with them until they were far +blacker than before they had been washed, and with a sweet smile, handed +them back to the astonished sailor. + +The great ship, the _Assyrian Monarch_, arrived at New York on the +morning of Easter Sunday. An immense floating derrick was brought +alongside of the vessel, and heavy chains being made fast to the +elephant's box, it was hoisted out of the ship, and lowered to the deck +of a big lighter. Jumbo strongly disapproved of this proceeding, and +mentioned it loudly. It was his opinion that the chains would break +while the box was in the air, and that he would get a terrible fall. In +this he proved to be mistaken, for he was brought without accident to +Pier No. 1, North River, which, being built of stone and iron, was +strong enough to bear his weight, and there he was landed. + +It was nearly nine o'clock in the evening by the time that everything +was ready for a start. Eight horses were harnessed to the box, which, +with Jumbo, weighed over twelve tons, and long ropes were fastened to +the axles, so that men could assist the horses in dragging the enormous +load. Each rope was about two hundred feet long, and at least five +hundred people took hold of them. The horses and the men made a +tremendous effort, but after they had pulled the box about three feet, +the wheels sank into the ground, and it could not be stirred. Mr. Barnum +then sent to the Madison Square Garden for two elephants. He proposed to +take Jumbo out of his box, and to introduce him to the two elephants, +hoping that he would accept their invitation to take a stroll up +Broadway with them, and to stop at their hotel--as they would politely +call the Madison Square Garden. + +Before the elephants arrived, eight more horses were harnessed to the +box; it was pried out of the mud, and started slowly on its way. At the +Bowling Green the two elephants from Madison Square Garden were met, and +welcomed Jumbo with enthusiastic "trumpetings," to which he courteously +replied. Two or three times the box came to a stop while on the way up +Broadway, but the horses and men pulled and the two elephants pushed +until it was in motion again. It was after midnight when the Madison +Square Garden was reached, and then it was found that the box was so big +it would not go through the doors. So poor Jumbo had to pass the night +in the street. + +On Monday, however, he was safely installed in his new home. He has not +mentioned how he likes this new continent, or the strange people among +whom he has come; but considering the attention he receives, and the +dainties fed him by thousands of admiring little folks, he ought to be a +serene and satisfied elephant. + + + + +CHASED BY A SHARK. + +A REMINISCENCE OF THE RED SEA. + +BY DAVID KER. + + +"What a jolly place for a swim! I'll have one as soon as my dinner's +digested." + +"Take my advice, and don't do nothin' of the sort; for if you do, as +sure as eggs are eggs, there'll be somethin' else digested besides your +dinner." + +"How do you mean?" + +"_Sharks!_" + +And with this impressive conclusion, the worthy Captain turned on his +heel and walked off. + +We had run three parts of the way down the Red Sea, and were now +anchored close to the Arabian shore, just off the Turkish fort of +Koomfidah, the low massive wall of which stood out white and bare in the +blistering sunshine, while beyond it stretched, far as the eye could +reach, the dim immensity of the great central desert. + +Our vessel lay fully a mile and a half from the shore, although it +seemed within a stone's-throw in the clearness of that wonderful +atmosphere. But between us and the interminable waste of flat sandy +beach the clear bright water was flecked with a broad band of white, +very much like a streak of thick cream, marking the whereabouts of one +of those treacherous coral reefs which make the Red Sea as dangerous a +place as any in the world. + +Outside the reef where we lay the sea was still heaving restlessly from +the effects of the gale that had blown overnight; but the broad shallow +lagoon within was as calm as a mill-pond. Half a dozen gaunt, swarthy +Arabs were splashing and wallowing in the smooth water with shouts of +delight, which were very tantalizing to us as we "stood on the burning +deck," with the very pitch melting between the planks under the +intolerable heat. Others still were trooping down to the beach in their +long white robes, like a train of ghosts, from the little group of +tumble-down mud hovels which, clustering around the outer wall of the +fort, represented the "town" of Koomfidah. + +Their bathing-place was of course safe enough, for no shark could enter +there; but as if on purpose to show us how little they cared for this, +several of the nearest Arabs scrambled across the reef and began to swim +toward us; and in a twinkling the water around our ship swarmed with +dusky figures (including not a few round-faced "pickaninnies" who could +not have been more than six or seven years old at the outside), plashing +and paddling about as merrily as if no such thing as a shark had ever +been heard of. + +"Some o' them chaps'll be gettin' picked up, if they don't look out," +said a young sailor, looking down at them over the bows. + +"Not they!" rejoined a veteran "salt," who had made the Red Sea voyage +many a time before. "Sharks never touches a Harab." + +"Nor a darky neither," added another. "I've see'd the darkies in the +West Injies, jist afore they dived, put tar on the palms o' their 'ands +where they was rubbed white, so as to give the sharks nothin' to aim at, +like." + +"I take it them Harabs ain't good enough to suit Mr. Shark's taste, and +mayhap it's the same way with the darkies," said No. 1, with a grin. + +And the two old sea-dogs, perching themselves upon the bulwarks, watched +with a look of quiet amusement the whirl of lean brown limbs that kept +darting to and fro like shoals of fish through the cool, clear water. + +"You see," remarked No. 1, "there ain't a sign o' _their_ bein' touched, +and yet there's lots o' sharks close by, I'll be bound. But if you or +me, Bill, was to jump in there, we wouldn't ha' touched the water afore +there'd be 'arf a dozen o' them sea-lawyers at us all to once." + +This conversation, following so closely upon the Captain's warning, +certainly did not encourage me to try a swim in these perilous waters, +and a little incident which occurred that very afternoon encouraged me +still less. + +I was standing near the binnacle, watching the bursting of the waves +upon the reef, when one of them suddenly broke into a high jet of +glittering spray, flinging off a shower of tiny rainbows in every +direction. A second glance showed me that the rainbows were a shoal of +flying-fish, which plunged again the next moment, and then leaped a +second time into the air, flashing and sparkling till the whole sea +appeared to be on fire. + +All of a sudden, just as the graceful little sea-fairies were passing +close to our stern, up through the bright, smooth water shot a huge +shovel-like snout and sharp three-cornered back fin, seeming to come +right from under the ship itself, and in the very midst of the +fluttering column appeared a monstrous black shark, at least sixteen +feet from snout to tail. One snap of his powerful jaws took in a round +dozen of the terrified fish, which scattered in all directions, two or +three of them leaping even clear over our bulwarks, and falling upon the +deck, where the sailors inhospitably seized and cooked them for supper. + +This last incident was more effectual in keeping me from risking a "dip" +than either the Captain's warning or that of the sailors. But what was +to be done? To be roasted as if by a slow fire for six or seven days +together in a temperature of 117 in the shade, with this splendid cool +sea always before me to invite me to a bath, was not to be thought of, +while to escape this martyrdom by going down the throat of a shark would +be a case of "out of the frying-pan into the fire." + +At last a bright idea struck me. One of our quarter-boats, which was +getting rather shaky, had been moored astern, and allowed to fill with +water, in order to keep it from being split by the heat of the sun. +Here, then, was a first-rate bath ready-made, which, if not exactly big +enough for a swim, would serve admirably for every other purpose. The +first experiment was a complete success, and from that time regularly +every morning I slid down the mooring-rope, and had a "duck" in my +floating tub, to the unbounded amusement of the Arab boys, who came +splashing and chattering around me. + +In this way things went on up to the very day of our departure from +Koomfidah. That morning I rose earlier than usual from my "luxurious +couch" (which consisted of a spare sail on the planks of the after-deck) +to have just one more bath before leaving. But it is always that "just +one more" which does all the mischief; and as a matter of course, after +being prudent and cautious up to the very last moment, I ended by +committing an imprudence which all but cost me my life. + +The sea, as I well remember, seemed cooler and more tempting than ever +that day, and since the appearance of that energetic gentleman who had +such a good appetite for flying-fish, no sharks had been seen except at +a great distance. In short, I got tired of wallowing from side to side +of my boat-bath, like a hippopotamus in a tank, and decided to scramble +out of it, and have a swim round the ship itself. + +Twice, thrice, four times, I made the circuit of the vessel, and then, +seeing no sign of danger, determined to strike farther out to sea. I was +already about a hundred yards from the ship's bow, when I suddenly heard +a shout that made me feel _creepy_ all over. + +"Look out! here's a shark!" + +Instantly came a rush in the water beside me, and up started between me +and the ship the big ungainly head, the grinning teeth, the small, +narrow, cruel eye, the huge pointed fin, like some ugly vision in a +nightmare. + +Luckily the shark's overlapping snout forces him to turn on his side in +order to bite, or all would have been over at the first rush. A sudden +turn foiled the monster, but the next moment he was round and at me +again like an arrow. And so we went plunging to and fro, churning the +smooth blue water into foam, while the shouts of the sailors (who had +clustered like bees along the ship's side) seemed to rend the very sky. + +But my enemy was too hungry to be scared by noise, and although we were +gradually nearing the ship, always kept himself between. My breath began +to fail, and I felt that before the boat could be lowered I should be +past help, for the shark had turned short round and met me front to +front. + +There was a loud halloo from above--something splashed heavily into the +water--and then the sea all round me became a whirl of foam. A billet of +wood, flung from the upper deck, had hit the shark on his tenderest +point, the snout; and before he could rally from this stunning blow, I +had seized the anchor-chain and was safe on board. + +"Captain," said I, as the worthy man came up just in time to witness my +ascent, "I shall certainly take your advice after this." + +"Dare say you will, when it's too late to be of any use!" growled the +uncourteous skipper. "I always thought you was a fool, and now I'm sure +of it." + +This was certainly not complimentary, but on reflection I was much of +the same opinion myself. + + + + +[Illustration] + +"DELLUSK." + +BY A. W. ROBERTS. + + +There is in Chatham Street, New York city, an old Irish-woman who sits +all day beside a stand on which is piled a substance, of a dark purple +color, that strongly suggests dried red cabbage. No one seems to +purchase any of this puzzling material, yet there she sits, serene and +contented, behind a short black pipe. + +Taking up a fragment, I found it soft and pliable. Smelling it, I seemed +to be at once down by the shore at Canarsie Bay, packing soft crabs in +sea-lettuce. + +The old woman continued silently smoking her pipe, neither asking me to +purchase nor informing me as to the cost of the mysterious substance, +its use, its name, or that of the manufacturer. + +Being an American, it was but natural that I should wonder if it was +"patented." This word, however, proved too much for the old lady, and so +I had to come down to the commonplace inquiry, + +"Madam, what is this?" + +"Dellusk." + +"What is it good for?" + +"To ate." + +"Where does it come from?" + +"From the say." + +"I mean from what country." + +"Tralee, County Kerry." + +"How do you sell it?" + +"Twinty cints a quart, tin cints a pint." + +"Can I have this piece?" + +"Yez can for a cint." + +Taking a Third Avenue car for home, I secure a quiet corner seat, and +say to myself, "I was born in New York city; I know it from one end to +the other, particularly all things that are good to eat, but I don't +know dellusk.'" + +Presently we arrive at the Cooper Institute, and I ask the conductor to +let me out. Hastily directing my steps toward the Astor Library, and +entering, I ask the librarian for DEL in all the cyclopædias he has. I +make a thorough search, and find nothing. Then I think of looking under +DUL. What have we here? Not Dellusk by any means, but the following +account of Dulse (_Rhodomenia palmata_): "A sea-weed of a dark purple +color growing on rocks. It is used as food by the poor of Ireland, +Scotland, Finland, and Iceland, and occasionally by those of the +wealthier classes who have acquired a taste for it. It is eaten raw or +roasted, or with vinegar as a salad. In Ireland it is boiled with milk, +or broiled between hot irons. It is an important plant to the +Icelanders, who eat it with zest." + +Further on the same author, who is an Englishman, informed me: "In +Kamtchatka a fermented liquor is made from it. Sheep are fond of it, +eagerly seeking it at low water. 'De-ulse!' was once a common cry in the +streets of Scotland. It is common to our coasts, but is imported from +Ireland." + +Some time after my conversation with the dulse woman, I purchased a pint +of the sea-weed from which to obtain a perfect specimen to make a +drawing. Taking it home, I left it spread out on my table. It had been +there but a short time when "Landy," our old housekeeper, detected the +strong odor that rises from it. In a moment she had seized my specimen, +and with rapturous delight began to devour it, without even asking +permission so to do. + +"Oh, the beautiful, darling dellusk!" she exclaimed, between the pauses +in the feast! "Shure it's thirty-five years gone last November, whin I +was a slip of a girl, an' was clim'ing over the big stones in the big +say, a-dryin' yez on them in the sun, till the lovely white salt would +flake off, an' 'ating yez every day, till I grew so round and fat and +rosy that me mother didn't know me." + +I myself tried a bit of the dulse, but I can not say I liked it. At the +same time I was glad to learn of one more article of food that I did not +before know existed. + + + + +TOPS, AND HOW TO SPIN THEM. + +BY AN OLD BOY. + + +[Illustration] + +Simple as it appears to the looker-on, it requires no little practice to +spin a top. Only after a series of mortifying failures can a boy make +sure of seeing his top successfully describe an arc through the air, +disengage itself from the string, and then spin round triumphantly for +some seconds upon its sharp iron point. + +In order to spin a top of the common kind, the player should be provided +with quite a stout piece of whip-cord, with a knot at about an inch from +one end, and a large metal button attached to the other. Hold the top in +the left hand, unravel the end of the whip-cord beyond the knot, and +slightly wet it. Now lay the wet end along the top just above the peg, +and hold it down with the thumb. Take the string in the right hand and +wind it round the top, beginning at the upper part of the peg and +winding gradually upward. When you have wound up all the string, put the +button between the middle and third fingers; place the thumb under the +peg and the fore and middle fingers on the top. Take care to keep the +string tight, as otherwise it will become unwound, and all your labor +will be lost. + +To give the top a spinning motion, hold your hand high, and bring the +arm down with a bold swing from the shoulder. It will then fly from the +string with a kind of "swishing" sound, and come down on its peg with +great force. A little practice will make you perfect in spinning the +top, and if you know the length of your string, you can make it strike +the ground exactly where you please, merely by measuring with your eye +the distance from the point where you stand to the spot on which you +want the top to strike. + +PEG IN THE RING. To play this game, first draw a circle five or six feet +in diameter, and in the centre of this draw a smaller circle about a +foot in diameter. The first player throws his top at the ring, allowing +it to spin. If, when it falls, it remains within the large ring, it is +called "dead," and the owner is obliged to lay it in the little ring, +where any one may play on it. The same penalty is incurred if the top +fails to spin, and in neither case can the owner have his top again +until it has been knocked out of the ring by some other player, who thus +counts to himself one point. The great object in this game is to split +some other player's top and keep your own safe. In order to do this, +skillful players have a way of throwing the top in such a manner that if +it miss the object aimed at, it leaps out of the ring with a single +bound, thus getting out of danger. This feat is performed by drawing the +arm smartly toward the body just before the top reaches the ground. It +is not an easy thing to do, but can be accomplished by practice. + +[Illustration] + +CHIP STONE is a game in which a wooden spoon is needed. Two lines are +drawn on the ground five or six feet apart, and some smooth, flat stones +about the size of a penny are placed between them at equal distance from +each. The first player spins his top in the usual manner, slips the bowl +of the spoon under it, and lifts it off the ground. He then drops it on +one of the stones, and tries to drive it toward the boundary line. He +may pick the top up in the spoon and drop it on the stones so long as it +continues to spin, so that if a top be properly spun it may be dropped +six or seven times on the stone, and drive it fairly across the +boundary. When this is done, he holds the stone as a trophy of success, +or wins a marble from each of the other players, as may be decided upon. + +[Illustration] + +WHIP-TOPS will spin better if the point is armed with a hollow-headed +brass nail, such as are used for furniture. The whip may be made of +leather shoe-lacings, but the best and most lasting is eel-skin, kept in +a moist condition. To whip a top the stroke should never be a high one, +but the real motion should come from the wrist rather than the arm. In +playing the game, tuck the whip under the left arm, and take the point +between the hands, the fingers pointing downward; then place the point +on the ground, and give it a twirl from right to left, which will make +it spin for a second or two. As soon as you have made it spin, snatch +the whip from under the arm, and give it a smart lash at the top, +drawing the hand toward you as you strike. If you hit the top fairly, +this stroke will make it spin well, and then you can do what you like. A +way of fighting whip-tops is for two boys to stand about twenty yards +apart, and lash their tops toward each other, so as to make them come in +contact. Of course each player tries to knock over his adversary's top +with his own. If, however, he touches his opponent's top with his whip, +he is adjudged to have lost. Racing tops is another very interesting way +to show one's expertness in the game. + +Humming-tops are so made now that it requires no skill to spin them, and +since nothing in the way of games can be done with them, save to keep +them humming, it is not necessary to speak of them at any length. + + + + +[Illustration: THE DUNCES' BENCH.] + + + + +[Illustration: OUR POST-OFFICE BOX.] + + +The other day the Postmistress was riding in a horse-car, and she saw a +lad whom she will call Jack, though she does not know his name. He was +in the company of a sweet-looking old lady, who seemed to be his +grandmamma. Jack was a fine healthy boy, large for his age, which was +about twelve. But, dears--would you believe it?--he allowed the old lady +to carry her own little basket and bundle; and when they left the car, +this thoughtless boy jumped nimbly off and ran to the sidewalk, while +the feeble grandmamma was helped down by the conductor, and then +tottered on as well as she could, by herself. + +You would have assisted her, would you not, had it been your +grandmother, and given her your arm, and carried her bundles? Of course +you would. + +Probably Jack does not read HARPER'S YOUNG PEOPLE. + + * * * * * + + VILLA SCIARRA, NAPLES. + + I am a little girl of thirteen, and rather short for my age. We + live at Naples in a nice villa by the sea-side, and there are lots + of rocks, from which I get fishes and crabs. I have a little + aquarium, in which are some very pretty specimens of anemones and + three fishes, one large and two small. The large one knows me quite + well, and dances about when I come near. + + My father takes HARPER'S YOUNG PEOPLE for me, and I like it so + much! I like Jimmy Brown's stories best, and thought "The Little + Dolls' Dressmaker" was beautiful. I am very fond of reading, and + have 135 books, many of which came from the United States. + + BLANCHE F. T. + + * * * * * + + FORT CRAIG, NEW MEXICO. + + I am ten years old, and papa says a right smart boy for my age; + anyway, I heard him say so to a captain of the army last week. + Father is a scout, and goes out with the soldiers after Indians. + There used to be lots of bad Indians in New Mexico. My papa was + wounded just one year ago. He and two miners were prospecting for + gold, when five Indians jumped on them from a cañon. Papa was up on + the side of a hill, and when the Indians began to fire he climbed + up to the top, while the other men went for the horses, and got + them out of the cañon to the creek. Papa staid and fought the + Indians for about twenty minutes. He kept them off until the miners + got to the creek, and after that he had a running fight for a mile. + He was shot in the left hand, the bullet taking part of his + gunstock with it. I own a little rifle, and am a good marksman; I + can hit the bull's-eye three out of five times at fifty yards. I + can ride a bucking bronco, too, and so can sister Eva. I have been + reading all the letters in the Post-office Box, and thought some + little folks would like to hear from New Mexico. Papa is in the + mountains now, and mamma said I could write if I wished. + + HARRY W. C. + +What is a bucking bronco? You will have to write again and tell us. What +else do you learn besides riding and shooting? Those accomplishments are +very necessary ones on the frontier and in a new country, but we hope +you study faithfully; and we should think your sister Eva and yourself +might sketch, botanize, and collect curious specimens for your cabinets. +We hope your papa may not come to such close quarters with "bad" Indians +again. + + * * * * * + + FLORA, CUBA. + + I am a little girl ten years old, and I have never been away from + my country, but I am learning English with my governess, and I hope + papa will take me to New York this summer. As perhaps you have + never been in Cuba, I wish to tell you something about my beautiful + island. The climate is delightful and healthy enough. We have many + fine fruit trees--oranges, limes, and lemons. When the trees are + young they are a lighter green than when they are old; they have + many thorns, and the leaves are pointed. The fruit is not very + large, but is very good, and is planted by seeds in the rainy + weather. We have several kinds of oranges; the best is called + China. The trees have white flowers, which are called azahar, and + make a very good essence and oil. + + MARY DE A. + + * * * * * + + HAVANA, CUBA. + + We live at a country seat very near the city of Havana. It is a + very pretty farm; it has many flowers and trees, two or three + fountains playing bright water all the time, and also two ponds. + One of them is for gold-fish. There are nineteen gold-fish, and in + the centre of the pond is a cave for them to play with their little + ones. In the other pond lives a beautiful white lily all alone. It + is the size of a tea-plate, and as white as my paper. Then, in the + farm-yards there are lots of chickens, turkeys, ducks, guinea-hens, + and also two cranes. We have a pair of horses, four goats, eight or + nine pigs, and eight rabbits. One of the rabbits had ten little + ones, but they all died. + + I am a Cuban boy eight years old. I know how to read and write in + English better than in Spanish, but I can speak Spanish better, + because it is my native language. Do you think this is good enough + to put in your paper? My teacher sends you her regards, and thanks + you for your paper because it gives us so much pleasure. She wishes + me to ask the young people if any of them have read a story called + _The Runaway_, and if they can tell us who is the author, and where + the book can be obtained. It is one of the best children's stories + she has ever read. It is about two little girls named Olga and + Clara. + + DOMINGO T. DE L. + +Among our thousands of young readers there may be some who can answer +Domingo's question about the book which his teacher likes so well. Will +they send us the author's name, as we should be glad to give our little +friend the information he desires? + + * * * * * + + BLUFFTON, INDIANA. + + I want to tell the readers of YOUNG PEOPLE about my pet. It is a + little bird; I call it Jenny Wren. We take it out of the cage, and + let it fly around the room. It has two principal places where it + alights, and those two are each at the top of a window. We can make + it play that it is a dead bird. It will eat sugar from my hand. I + like Jimmy Brown's stories very much. I liked "Art's Organ + Adventure," "Todd and Ketchum's Grate Show," "Mr. Thompson and the + Bull-Frog," and lots of other stories. I just love to read the + Post-office Box. + + TOMMY P. S. + + * * * * * + + ORFORD, NEW HAMPSHIRE. + + I live away up among the hills in New Hampshire, almost in the + White Mountains. I suppose you city boys think I am about out of + the world, and don't have any good times, but I would not change + places with you. I have a papa who gets lots of papers and + magazines for us to read, and a mamma who is always ready to read + them to us, and a grandpa who will play checkers with me, but + almost always beats, a little sister who is ready for any fun, and + Ida, the girl who does the housework, is very kind in helping us to + have a good time, and the two men who work on the farm let me work + with them whenever I wish. I know it is pretty cold when the high + hills are covered with snow, but it is just fun sliding down them + on my new sled. I have a pair of steers, yoke, and sled all + complete; they will work like oxen. I can get up wood or ice with + them; they are better than your ponies. We have three horses I can + drive, and thirty cattle to tend. When it is warm weather I can go + hunting for partridges, gray squirrel, etc. I don't always find + any, but when I do I feel pretty big. I go fishing pretty often + too. My little cousin Willie and I went up on the side of Mount + Cube last summer after trout; he got forty, and I got seventy-five. + But if you had seen us when we came home, you would have thought + something had bit besides fish. I will say black flies were + plentier than fish, but we enjoyed it. We have good clear springs + of water, pure air, and plenty to eat. I think you will believe it + when I tell you I am thirteen years old, and weigh one hundred and + seventy-five pounds. Boys, please make me a visit. We are making + sugar, and I promise you a "sweet" time. I always go to school when + we have one, but that is not more than six months in a year, and I + will have to attend Haverhill Academy this spring. Please pity me. + I was glad to see "Mr. Stubbs's Brother." I think it is going to be + just as good as "Toby Tyler." + + HARRY E. M. + +We are sure that many boys will wish they might go and see you in the +home among the hills, where you have such a kind grandpa, and such +loving parents, and so many delightful occupations. But we shall not +pity you in the least that you must be sent away to school, for six +months' tuition in the year is not quite enough for a boy of thirteen. +You need at least nine months, under a good teacher, and so success to +you, Harry, at Haverhill Academy! + + * * * * * + + WINNSBORO, LOUISIANA. + + I am a Louisiana boy eleven years old. My brother Bertie is eight, + and my little sister five. If any of the young people wished to + visit me now, they could come all the way in a boat. You have no + idea what a sea of water covers this whole country! It never was so + high here before! It has done a great deal of damage, and caused a + great deal of suffering. It would make you sad to see how the poor + cattle suffer from the water and gnats. The deer, too, are dying in + the woods. A gentleman who came to town in a canoe said he saw six + dead ones floating in the water. Deer horns are no rarity with us, + as I have an uncle who kills a great many deer. They have no horns + at this season of the year; they shed them in the winter. Although + it is sad to see such an overflow, still it brings some fun to + little boys who are fond of boating. Bertie and I and our little + sister Kate spend a great deal of our time on the water in our + little boat. It would make my letter too long to give you a + description of our trips to the pasture to look after the cattle, + and to town on errands for mamma. We have been taking YOUNG PEOPLE + for nearly a year, and enjoy reading it so much! Mamma gave it to + us this year, but Bertie and I have made enough to take it + ourselves. I take it down to school sometimes, and our teacher + reads it aloud to the pupils, who enjoy it so much! + + EDDIE Y. + + * * * * * + +Which little girl will read these stanzas, and see her own portrait? + +WHEN MOTHER IS ILL. + + When mother is ill, you ought to see + How kind and loving I try to be. + I step about in the gentlest way; + I bathe her head, and I set her tray + With the best of tea and the brownest toast, + And whatever I think will tempt her most; + And I keep the little ones, oh, so still! + You ought to see me when mother is ill! + + I carry the baby up the stair; + I let him play with my dollies there-- + I give him the one that I keep on the shelf; + And I rock him to sleep just my own self. + I never scold, and I never fret; + I call him a darling, a pink, a pet. + And I'm ever so kind to Jack and Will, + Ever so patient when mother is ill. + + When mother is ill, I take her place, + As well as I can, with a sober face. + I go to the door when father goes, + And bid him good-by on my tip-toes; + I watch for the doctor, and let him in, + And he's sure to tip me under the chin; + I help when Bridget is making cake, + And a taste of the cookies she lets me take; + And I baste in my dress a nice white frill, + For I try to be neat when mother is ill. + + What's that you are saying? You think that Nell + Should do those things when mother is well?-- + Should sit in the corner, like a mouse, + And mind the baby, and help keep house, + And be as dear as a child can be, + As sweet as a lily! Oh, you shall see, + Just watch me now, and I know you'll tell + The folks I'm good when mother is well. + + * * * * * + + WEST HAVEN, CONNECTICUT. + + I enjoy reading your nice stories very much indeed, especially the + stories written by Mr. Otis. I think Jimmy Brown's stories are very + funny indeed. Mamma laughs till she cries reading them sometimes. I + wonder if there ever was a Jimmy Brown. + + Little boys and girls tell about their pets in their letters. All + the pets my sister Mary and I have are five hens and one rooster. + Specky is my hen, and I think a great deal of her; she will hold + still and be patted. + + I have been very sick this winter, and I enjoyed hearing YOUNG + PEOPLE read to me. I am very much better now, so that I am able to + write this all alone myself. I was ten years old last 22d of + January. I have never written before. + + BESSIE L. C. + +The Postmistress assures you, dear, that she has frequently seen Jimmy +Brown. How pleasant it is to be well now that spring is here! If one +must be sick, winter is the best period of the year to be shut in-doors. +Don't you think so? + + * * * * * + +The wee tots must not think the Postmistress forgets them. She thinks +this little story about a poor alarmed mother whose children ran away +will be just what they will ask their own mammas to read to them two or +three times over: + +A FRIGHTENED LITTLE MOTHER. + + She was a nice old mother, but not like yours, little children, + because she was covered all over with feathers, and she had two + wings, which, when she felt crusty, she would spread out until she + seemed three times her usual size. She had always lived in the + country, roaming around in the grass or scratching in the garden. + She was a fluttering, fuming creature, but sometimes very civil and + pretty-looking. This little mother was just an old hen. + + Once upon a time she had been very quiet for three weeks. She had + sat still the most of that time, and, indeed, the poor thing went + half-starved often rather than forsake the little white eggs in her + nest. She knew she must keep them warm, no matter what happened. + + At last there came a fine spring morning, when Mrs. Hen stepped + very carefully off her nest. In it there lay a mass of broken + shells. She led into the sunlight a half-dozen golden balls. As + they tottled along by her side, they looked very pretty. Of such a + brood any mother might be proud. + + Mother Hen was ever so proud. Any one could see that. She flustered + about, calling one little bright speck to her, and then another, + while scratching in the earth in search of something very nice for + her pets. + + Four weeks sped by. The country grew prettier and greener day by + day. This kind mother thought she would give her darlings a + treat--a sort of picnic. So off she started toward the meadow, the + little brood walking after her. They went in single file through + the path, the old hen's head bobbing up and down through the + clover, as she encouraged the little mities waddling along to keep + up with her. She came to a brook which fairly danced in the + sunlight under the old willows. She drew near, and began to cluck, + when, lo! her little brood stepped off all at once into the + sparkling waters. The golden balls floated on the amber stream. + + Poor old hen! how she fluttered and clucked and called! But all in + vain; her children did not mind her. They knew more about water + than she did, for these chicks were mere goslings. On they swam, + and the poor hen did not know what to do. + + But the little goslings came back after a while, and cuddled that + night under their mother's wing. + + A. E. T. + + * * * * * + +Let me tell you a story about a dog and a cat. + +Wolf, the dog, was a great stag-hound, who could run almost as fast as a +swift horse. + +He loved to chase cats, and was their constant foe. One morning he spied +a poor gray pussy in the garden, and away he went after her in full +career. + +She ran as fast as she could, but her short legs were no match for +Wolf's long ones. The dog's master tried to call him off, but he was too +excited to pay any heed to his voice. + +Suddenly pussy stopped running. She crouched in the middle of the path, +and looked pitifully at the great form of her foe. + +On he came, panting. Suddenly he stopped, stared, and stood still, +trembling. + +Pussy began to purr. + +Wolf turned around and walked slowly home. He could not hurt the little +creature who gave herself up to his mercy. + + * * * * * + + CHESLEY PLACE, KENTUCKY. + + I want to tell you about my baby brother. He is five weeks old, but + has only been down stairs twice, as the March winds have been + blowing very hard. He was born on the 20th of February, and we + think he is so sweet! + + There is a wild bush in our yard which bears red blossoms, and I + have been gathering them, with some others, and arranging them in a + box, and they look very pretty. With the red blossoms and pink + peach ones, the yellow buttercups and the lovely little hyacinths, + make it quite a pretty ornament. + + I am ten years old. I study spelling, reading, writing, grammar, + French, geography, botany, and arithmetic. My grandmamma teaches me + at home. I hope my letter is not too long. Good-by. + + CICELY DE G. MCC. + +How glad we are to hear about the baby brother! Flowers brighten the +house wonderfully. Do you make pretty bouquets for the breakfast table? + + * * * * * + + NEW YORK CITY. + + Among the eager little ones who look anxiously for the coming of + HARPER'S YOUNG PEOPLE is a brown-eyed little boy, three years old, + named Carlos--called Carlie, for short. He knows all his letters, + and recites some of the _Mother Goose Melodies_, and frequently + makes funny speeches, sometimes to the great discomfort of his + parents. While at the depot at Lockport waiting for a train, a very + fleshy lady, weighing not less than two hundred and fifty pounds, + came in, and very unfortunately seated herself next to Master + Carlie and his mamma. He had been very naughty, and now wanted to + make up with mamma. He said, "Please kiss me, won't you, mamma?" + "No, no; I am displeased with you," replied she. He teased until + she finally kissed him. But the kiss lacked warmth, and did not + satisfy him, so he pleaded, "Kiss me again, mamma; give me a _big_ + kiss--one as big as--as that big fat lady," pointing his finger at + her. Everybody present laughed heartily, except the "big fat lady," + who failed to see the joke. + + Another time he had been unusually trying all day long, and mamma + was quite out of patience, and asked, "Carlie, why don't you be + good? When papa comes home and I tell how you have behaved, it will + make him have a pain in his heart." He looked up from his play, and + said very seriously, "_What_ makes you tell him, then?" His aunt, a + very dignified, middle-aged lady, came to visit us, and of course + all Carlie's accomplishments had to be shown off--the chief one + being turning summersaults. After one or two failures, over he went + and hurt himself against the bed. He rose rubbing his back, and + looking very earnestly at his aunt, said, "Aunt Lydia, does it hurt + your back when you turn summersaults?" He took it for granted she + turned summersaults every day of her life, like himself. He + occasionally tries to make rhymes (regardless of measure, however). + One day he said, "One, two, three, a flea bit me;" and another + time, in saying his letters, came to Y, said, "Y, y, y, what a + smart boy am I." Every week mamma reads HARPER'S YOUNG PEOPLE to + him, all the stories and letters, poetry, etc.; but that does not + satisfy if I omit the advertisements, so they are read too. He is a + queer little fellow. + + "MRS. CALIFORNIA." + + * * * * * + +GUSTAVUS W. S.--The editor would think it unfair to other exchangers to +do what you propose. + + * * * * * + +Thanks to the little friends who have found arbutus, and sent it to us. +The little boxes fairly smiled at us when opened, and the sweet shy +perfume of the flowers was like a kiss from Spring herself. + + * * * * * + +IRENE.--Messrs. Harper & Brothers have recently published a practical +little volume entitled _Money-Making for Ladies_, by Ella Rodman Church. +It gives many excellent suggestions to girls who, like yourself, are +anxious to find some pleasant way of adding to their incomes. + + * * * * * + +GERTRUDE H.--Although we do not think your story, "The Morning Ride," +quite good enough to print, we like it very much as the composition of a +little girl who is only eleven years old. + + * * * * * + +LOUIS P. P.--_Bancroft's History of the United States_ (new edition) +will be adapted to your purpose. We do not advise the organization of a +formal club. One or two friends and yourself will do better work if you +read with each other when you can conveniently meet. + + * * * * * + +C. Y. P. R. U. + +DOLLY.--The Postmistress advises you not to mind a few freckles or a +little deeper brown on your skin, but to go out every day and walk in +the sunshine and fresh air. Begin by taking short walks, and going home +before you are very tired. Try to keep the mouth closed, and breathe +through the nose. You may walk a little farther each day than you did +the day before, as you grow stronger. The bright eyes and rosy cheeks of +health will soon make up for the pallor you lose, and the freckles, if +they come, will be little beauty-spots. Do not wear a veil unless it is +very windy indeed, but tie on a large shade hat. Try a little gardening. +With a sun-bonnet and a pair of long loose gloves you can protect your +complexion thoroughly, if mamma desires you to do so, and you will have +hours of real delight among your lilies and roses. + + * * * * * + +THEODORE.--Whether the reform in spelling, of which some writers and +scholars are in favor, will be adopted by people generally I can not +tell. Of course it would be a good thing if our English spelling could +be more uniform, but at present the best way for your friend and +yourself, and for a Postmistress too, is to spell according to the +standard dictionaries. The English language is derived from many +sources, and there is danger that in spelling words by their sound we +may lose some of their sense, as we find it, by tracing the word back to +its root. It is quite interesting to notice what great changes have +taken place in our spelling and grammar by comparing our style of the +present with that of some of the earlier authors, as Chaucer, for +instance, or Spenser. If you will take your New Testament, and turn to +the parable in Matthew, vii. 27, where allusion is made to the two men +who built their houses, the one on the sand and the other on the rock, +we read: "And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds +blew, and beat upon that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of +it." In the version of Wycliffe, in 1380, the same text is given as +follows: "And rayn came doun, and floode's camen, and wynde's blewen, +and thei hurliden in to that house, and it felle doun, and the fallying +doun thereof was grete." + + * * * * * + +Members of the C. Y. P. R. U. will find in this number a variety of +articles from which to choose. The boys will be interested on "Chats +about Philately," describing the postage stamps and cards of the far-off +colony of Surinam, while the girls will welcome "The Orchestra of +Yesterday and To-day," another of Mrs. John Lillie's entertaining +articles on music. Mr. William L. Alden tells us, in his humorous +fashion, "How Jumbo Crossed the Ocean." Mr. A. W. Roberts has something +interesting to tell us about the curious plant which our Irish friends +find so palatable, and to which they apply the curious name of +"Dellusk." It is top-time too, and we have an article by "An Old Boy" +which ought to make us all successful as top-spinners. + + * * * * * + +PUZZLES FROM YOUNG CONTRIBUTORS. + +No. 1. + +THREE EASY DIAMONDS. + +1.--1. A letter. 2. An instrument. 3. A tree. 4. An animal. 5. A letter. + +2.--1. In leaf. 2. A liquor. 3. A stone. 4. Finis. 5. In tent. + +3.--1. A letter. 2. Before. 3. To wrong. 4. An animal. 5. A letter. + + HELEN S. H. + + * * * * * + +No. 2. + +TWO ENIGMAS. + +1. + + My first is in Ernest, but not in Dora. + My second is in Arthur, but not in Willie. + My third is in George, but not in Flora. + My fourth is in Larry, in Lem, and Lillie. + My fifth is in Demas, but not in Dan. + Tell me my name, little boys, if you can. + + A. T. F. + +2. + + First in down, not in up. + Second in saucer, not in cup. + Third in ivory, not in bone. + Fourth in sound, not in tone. + Fifth in yes, and not in no. + Whole in meadows is seen to grow. + + BY A LITTLE GIRL AGED SEVEN. + + * * * * * + +No. 3. + +AN ACROSTIC. + +1. The duty of the besieged. 2. Something soldiers do. 3. A good way +from morning. 4. Not continents. 5. Faint answers. 6. A shelter. 7. A +rush. 8. A small hole. 9. A busy place. 10. A warbler. 11. A bird. 12. A +motor. 13. A high place. Primals compose the name of a celebrated +statesman. + + EDDIE. + + * * * * * + +No. 4. + +FOUR EASY CHARADES. + +1. + + My first a silken gown may wear. + My second crown sweet golden-hair. + My whole, though on no map outlined, + Is a state full well defined. + +2. + + Harry hurried home from school, + Famished as a boy could be. + With my first he did begin, + With my second ended he. + +3. + + Such a sight as Jennie was, + Playing by the door; + But my second brought my first + To the child once more. + + MOTHER BUNCH. + +4. + + My first is soft and fleecy, + My second is hard and tough, + My whole is a thing of beauty, + And will stand usage rough. + + * * * * * + +No. 5. + +WORDS WITHIN WORDS. + +1. A nobleman in jewels. 2. A seed-vessel in a wrap. 3. An owl's cry in +small branches. 4. A strong drink in soldiers' quarters. 5. A margin in +an account-book. 6. A little stream in the stem of a tree. 7. An +entranceway in stones. 8. A mountain in a fiddle-string. 9. Everything +in partitions. 10. Fishing-tackle in snarls. + + J. P. B. + + * * * * * + +ANSWERS TO PUZZLES IN No. 127. + +No. 1. + +1. Maple. Birch. Pine. Elm. 2. Genoa. Athens. Oxford. Omaha. + +No. 2. + + A damsoni A + N enupha R + E b B + M oinea U + O palescen T + N and U + E ya S + +No. 3. + +Scamp. Coat. Speck. Strap. Flower. Squills. Grace. Taunt. Mace. Prink. +Thatch. Swill. + +No. 4. + +"The May-Queen." + +No. 5. + +Parrot. + + M T + H O E L E T + M O U N D T E X A S + E N D T A P + D S + + * * * * * + +Correct answers to puzzles have been received from Florence H. Chambers, +Helen S. H., Henry Berlan, Jun., George P. Taggart, Nan T., Alice Mabon, +William Binney, "Owl," Jack Bolcher, Fanny Green, Jennie Van Winkle, Tom +Talbot, A. F. Ford, "Silver," Eda L. Baldwin, Hattie Sylvester, George +Sylvester, George M. Baird, H. R. G., "Phil I. Pene," Jacob Marks, +Maggie Thompson, W. S. Rose. + + * * * * * + +[_For Exchanges, see 2d and 3d pages of cover._] + + + + +[Illustration: THE PUPPET SHOW.] + + + + +EBONY AND PEARL. + +BY JOSEPHINE POLLARD. + + + Our Dinah has a baby + That you really ought to see; + Its skin is black all over, + Like a piece of ebony; + Its hair is black, and curly too, + And Dinah never fails + To braid it so it stands around + Its head in little tails. + We play together now and then, + And both of us get hurt; + But Dinah's baby seldom cries, + And never shows the dirt, + Is real good-natured all the time, + And that's the reason, maybe, + Why everybody makes a fuss + With Dinah's little baby. + + My skin is white and satin-soft, + My mother calls me Pearl, + And says there never, never was + So sweet a little girl! + And Dinah's baby stares at me, + And I keep staring back; + She wonders why I am so white, + I wonder why she's black. + + And Dinah gives her loving hugs + And kisses that must be, + I really think, as sweet, as those + My mother gives to me. + Oh, mothers' hearts are all alike, + And that's the reason, maybe, + Why every mother thinks she has + The very nicest baby. + + + + +IN-DOOR AMUSEMENTS. + +ÆSOP'S MISSION. + + +This being a game of mystery, it is, of course, necessary that it should +be unknown to, at any rate, a few of the company--the more the better. +One of the gentlemen well acquainted with the game undertakes to +represent Æsop. In order to do so more effectually, he may put a cushion +or pillow under his coat to imitate a hump, provide himself with a stick +for a crutch, make a false nose, and put a patch over one eye. + +The rest of the company must then each assume the name of some subject +of the animal kingdom--a bird, beast, or fish--and having done this, +must prepare themselves to listen to the words of their great master. + +Limping into their midst, Æsop then tells them that the wrath of the +great god Jupiter has been aroused, and as the cause of a calamity so +terrible must be that one or more of them have been committing some +crime or other, he is anxious to discover without further delay who are +the guilty subjects. "I shall therefore," continues he, "question you +closely all round, and I shall expect you every one to give me truthful +answers." He then fixes his mind upon a certain letter--for instance, +O--and begins, "Mr. Lion, as you are the king of beasts, I sincerely +hope you have done nothing derogatory to your high position; still, as +it is absolutely necessary that you should be examined with the rest of +your friends, will you please tell me what food you have eaten lately?" +Should the lion have eaten a lamb, a sheep, a tiger, a bear, or any +other dainty that is spelled without the letter O, he is acquitted as +innocent; but should he have eaten a leopard, a goose, a fox, or any +other creature in the name of which the letter O occurs, he is +pronounced by Æsop to be deserving of punishment, and is therefore +sentenced to pay a forfeit. + +The other animals, in turn, then undergo a similar examination, during +which each one must remember that in naming his prey he must confine +himself to such food as is suited to the species he has himself adopted. +The game may be carried on for any length of time, or until all have +discovered the secret in it. + +There is no fear of the interest flagging so long as even only one of +the company is still left unable to solve the mystery. + + + + +[Illustration: FUN AT RECESS--"LEAP-FROG."] + + + + + +End of Project Gutenberg's Harper's Young People, April 25, 1882, by Various + +*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 56840 *** |