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diff --git a/57796-0.txt b/57796-0.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..d622e77 --- /dev/null +++ b/57796-0.txt @@ -0,0 +1,2070 @@ +*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 57796 *** + + + + + + + + + + + +[Illustration: HARPER'S YOUNG PEOPLE] + + * * * * * + +VOL. III.--NO. 132. PUBLISHED BY HARPER & BROTHERS, NEW YORK. PRICE FOUR +CENTS. + +Tuesday, May 9, 1882. Copyright, 1882, by HARPER & BROTHERS. $1.50 per +Year, in Advance. + + * * * * * + + + + +[Illustration] + +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 VI. + +OLD BEN. + + +Toby watched anxiously as each wagon came up, but he failed to recognize +any of the drivers. For the first time it occurred to him that perhaps +those whom he knew were no longer with this particular company, and his +delight gave way to sadness. + +Fully twenty wagons had come, and he had just begun to think his fears +had good foundation, when in the distance he saw the well-remembered +monkey wagon, with the burly form of old Ben on the box. + +Toby could not wait for that particular team to come up, even though it +was driven at a reasonably rapid speed; but he started toward it as fast +as he could run. After him, something like the tail of a comet, followed +all his friends, who, having come so far, were determined not to lose +sight of him for a single instant, if it could be prevented by any +exertion on their part. Old Ben was driving in a sleepy sort of way, and +paid no attention to the little fellow who was running toward him, until +Toby shouted. Then the horses were stopped with a jerk that nearly threw +them back on their haunches. + +"Well, Toby my son, I declare I am glad to see you;" and old Ben reached +down for the double purpose of shaking hands and helping the boy up to +the seat beside him. "Well, well, well, it's been some time since you've +been on this 'ere box, ain't it? I'd kinder forgotten what town it was +we took you from; I knew it was somewhere hereabouts, though, an' I've +kept my eye peeled for you ever since we've been in this part of the +country. So you found your uncle Dan'l all right, did you?" + +"Yes, Ben, an' he was awful good to me when I got home; but Mr. Stubbs +got shot." + +"No? you don't tell me! How did that happen?" + +Then Toby told the story of his pet's death, and although it had +occurred a year before, he could not keep the tears from his eyes as he +spoke of it. + +"You mustn't feel bad 'bout it, Toby," said Ben, consolingly, "for, you +see, monkeys has got to die jest like folks, an' your Stubbs was sich a +old feller that I reckon he'd have died anyhow before long. But I've got +one in the wagon here that looks a good deal like yours, an' I'll show +him to you." + +As Ben spoke, he drew his wagon, now completely surrounded by boys, up +by the side of the road near the others, and opened the panel in the top +so that Toby could have a view of his passengers. + +Curled up in the corner nearest the roof, where Mr. Stubbs had been in +the habit of sitting, Toby saw, as Ben had said, a monkey that looked +remarkably like Mr. Stubbs, save that he was younger and not so sedate. + +Toby uttered an exclamation of surprise and joy as he pushed his hand +through the bars of the cage, and the monkey shook hands with him as Mr. +Stubbs used to do when greeted in the morning. + +"Why, I never knew before that Mr. Stubbs had any relations!" said Toby, +looking around with joy imprinted on every feature. "Do you know where +the rest of the family is, Ben?" + +There was no reply from the driver for some time; but instead, Toby +heard certain familiar sounds as if the old man were choking, while his +face took on the purplish tinge which had so alarmed the boy when he saw +it for the first time. + +"No, I don't know where his family is," said Ben, after he had recovered +from his spasm of silent laughter, "an' I reckon he don't know nor care. +Say, Toby, you don't really think this one is any relation to your +monkey, do you?" + +"Why, it must be his brother," said Toby, earnestly, "'cause they look +so much alike; but perhaps Mr. Stubbs was only his cousin." + +Old Ben relapsed into another spasm, and Toby talked to the monkey, who +chattered back at him, until the boys on the ground were in a perfect +ferment of anxiety to know what was going on. + +It was some time before Toby could be persuaded to pay attention to +anything else, so engrossed was he with Mr. Stubbs's brother, as he +persisted in calling the monkey, and the only way Ben could engage him +in conversation was by saying: + +"You don't seem to be very much afraid of Job Lord now." + +"You won't let him take me away if he should try, will you?" Toby asked, +quickly, alarmed at the very mention of his former employer's name, even +though he had thought he would not be afraid of him, protected as he now +was by Uncle Daniel. + +"No, Toby, I wouldn't let him if he was to try it on, for you are just +where every boy ought to be, an' that's at home; but Job's where he +can't whip any more boys for some time to come." + +"Where's that?" + +"He's in jail. About a month after you left he licked his new boy so bad +that they arrested him, an' he got two years for it, 'cause it pretty +nigh made a cripple out of the youngster." + +Toby was about to make some reply; but Ben continued unfolding his +budget of news. + +"Castle staid with us till the season was over, an' then he went out +West. I don't know whether he got his hair cut trying to show the Injuns +how to ride, or not; but he never come back, an' nobody I ever saw has +heard anything about him." + +"Are Mr. and Mrs. Treat with the show?" + +"Yes, they're still here; he's a leetle thinner, I believe, an' she's +twenty pound heavier. She says she weighs fifty pounds more'n she did; +but I don't believe that, even if she did strike for five dollars more a +week this season on the strength of it, an' get it. They keep right on +cookin' up dinners, an' invitin' of folks in, an' the skeleton gets +choked about the same as when you was with the show. I don't know how it +is that a feller so thin as Treat is can eat so much." + +"Uncle Dan'l says it's 'cause he works so hard to get full," said Toby, +quietly; "an' I shouldn't wonder if I grew as thin as the skeleton one +of these days, for I eat jest as awful much as I used to." + +"Well, you look as if you got about all you needed, at any rate," said +Ben, as he mentally compared the plump boy at his side with the thin, +frightened-looking one who had run away from the circus with his monkey +on his shoulder and his bundle under his arm. + +"Is Ella here?" asked Toby, after a pause, during which it seemed as if +he were thinking of much the same thing that Ben was. + +"Yes, an' she 'keeps talkin' about what big cards you an' her would have +been if you had only staid with the show. But I'm glad you had pluck +enough to run away, Toby, for a life like this ain't no fit one for +boys." + +"And I was glad to get back to Uncle Dan'l," said Toby, with a great +deal of emphasis. "I wouldn't go away, without he wanted me to, if I +could go with a circus seven times as large as this. Do you suppose +young Stubbs would act bad if I was to take him for a walk?" + +"Who?" asked Ben, looking down at the crowd of boys with no slight show +of perplexity. + +"Mr. Stubbs's brother," and Toby motioned to the door of the cage. "I'd +like to take him up in my arms, cause it would seem so much like it used +to before his brother died." + +Ben was seized with one of the very worst laughing spasms Toby had ever +seen, and there was every danger that he would roll off the seat before +he could control himself; but he did recover after a time, and as the +purple hue slowly receded from his face, he said: + +"I'll tell you what we'll do, Toby. You come to the tent when the +afternoon performance is over, an' I'll fix it so's you shall see Mr. +Stubbs's brother as much as you want to." + +Just then Toby remembered that Ben was to be his guest for a while that +day, and after explaining all Aunt Olive had done in the way of +preparing dainties, invited him to dinner. + +"I'll come, Toby, because it's to see you an' them that has been good to +you," said Ben, slowly, and after quite a long pause: "but there ain't +anybody else I know of who could coax me out to dinner, for, you see, +rough fellows like me ain't fit to go around much, except among our own +kind. But say, Toby, your uncle Dan'l ain't right on his speech, is he?" + +Toby looked so puzzled that Ben saw he had not been understood, and he +explained: + +"I mean, he don't get up a dinner for the sake of havin' a chance to +make a speech, like the skeleton, does he, eh?" + +"Oh no, Uncle Dan'l don't do that. I know you'll like him when you see +him." + +"And I believe I shall, Toby," said Ben, speaking very seriously. "I'd +be sure to, because he's such a good uncle to you." + +Just then the conversation was interrupted by the orders to prepare for +the parade; and as the manager drove up to see that everything was done +properly, he stopped to speak with and congratulate Toby on being at +home again, a condescension on his part that caused a lively feeling of +envy in the breasts of the other boys because they had not been so +honored. + +[TO BE CONTINUED.] + + + + +"WHAT DO THE PANSIES THINK?" + +BY MARY A. BARR. + + + What do the pansies think, mamma, + When they first come in the spring? + Do they remember the robins, + And the songs they used to sing? + When the butterflies come again, + I wonder if they will say, + "We are ever so glad to see you, + And won't you sit down and stay?" + + Will the pansies tell the butterflies + How the snow lay white and deep, + And how beneath it, safe and warm, + They had such a pleasant sleep? + Will the butterflies tell the pansies + How they hid in their cradle bed, + And dreamed away the winter-time, + When people thought they were dead? + + And will they talk of the weather, + Just as grown-up people do? + And wish the sun would always shine, + And the skies be always blue? + Speak of the lilies dressed in white, + And the daffodils dressed in gold, + And say that they think the tulips + Are exceedingly gay and bold? + + I fancy the purple pansies are proud; + I fancy the yellow are gay. + Oh! I wish I could know just what they think; + I wish I could hear them say, + "Here comes our dear little Lucy, + The kind little girl in pink, + Who used to visit us every day-- + _And that's what we pansies think_." + + + + +HOW JELLY-FISH LIVE AND MOVE. + +BY SARAH COOPER. + + +When jelly-fish are seen lying in shapeless masses upon the beach, where +they have been washed by the tide, their appearance is not attractive. +If, however, we can watch them from the side of a boat, or from a long +pier, as they dart through the water with their tentacles trailing after +them, we shall soon learn to admire their graceful movements and their +elegant colors. There is something very interesting too in these little +inhabitants of the great deep. They are such soft and helpless little +things, and yet they live and have their own good times if only the +boisterous waves do not catch them and fling them too harshly against +the rough shore. + +[Illustration: FIG. 1.--SECTION OF JELLY-FISH SHOWING TUBES AND MOUTH.] + +Jelly-fish consist of a single bell-shaped mass of jelly, from the inner +surface of which hangs the body of the animal, with the mouth in the +centre. The mouth opens directly into the stomach, from which several +hollow tubes (usually four) extend to a circular tube around the edge of +the bell. In the jelly-fish, Fig. 1, _a_, the side next to us has been +removed that we may see the tubes and the mouth hanging in the centre; +_b_ shows us the same viewed from below. + +The eggs of jelly-fish are formed in large quantities in the tubes +leading from the centre. In Fig. 1 you will see the enlarged cavities +containing eggs. At certain seasons of the year great clusters of +bright-colored eggs may be seen through the transparent flesh. A few +jelly-fish are thought to produce young ones resembling themselves, +without passing through the strange forms we noticed in studying +hydroids. + +Hydroids, about which I told you in YOUNG PEOPLE March 14, No. 124, you +will remember, are abundant in all oceans. So are jelly-fish, and they +are often found floating in large companies. Jelly-fish are propelled by +alternately taking in and throwing out water under the bell. This gives +them a jerking movement, which looks as if it were caused by breathing. +They come to the surface chiefly when the water is quiet, and, as they +like the warm sun, you will not see many of them at an early hour in the +day. They are easily alarmed. If they meet with an obstacle in their +course, or if they are touched by an enemy, the bell contracts, the +tentacles are instantly drawn up, and the creature sinks in the water. + +Upon the outer edge of the bell there are bright-colored specks and +solid spots, which are thought to be the beginnings of eyes and ears. +Although they never grow to be perfect eyes and ears in the jelly-fish, +they promise that Nature has in store for her children the precious +gifts of sight and hearing. Such imperfect organs are called by the wise +men rudimentary organs. This is the lowest animal in which anything +corresponding to our nerves is found. + +Delicate fringes and tentacles hang from the lower edge of the bell, +adding greatly to its beauty. The tentacles are often many feet long, +yet the animal has the power of drawing them up so that they are not +visible. This curious power of contracting and expanding the tentacles +belongs to many humble sea creatures, and you will be greatly interested +in watching their movements. Sometimes, while we are still wondering at +their disappearance, they lengthen again as if by magic. + +The tentacles of jelly-fish are covered with a great many lasso cells. +These lasso cells are too small to be seen without a microscope; still, +they are powerful weapons in their way, and are quite sufficient to +enable the jelly-fish to catch its food. Many of you know how the +skillful hunter uses a lasso for catching wild cattle. The jelly-fish +uses its lasso in quite a different manner, but it may be equally +unfailing. + +When examined, each lasso cell, or little sac, is found to contain a +long slender thread, coiled within it, somewhat like a lasso, and +floating in a fluid. The cell is filled so full of the fluid that it +bursts with the slightest touch, and as the fluid squirts out, it +carries with it the slender lasso armed with sharp stings. In this way +lassoes are darted out to capture many little crabs or fish that brush +too near in passing. + +[Illustration: FIG. 2.--LASSO CELLS FROM A FRESH-WATER HYDROID +(MAGNIFIED).] + +The sting of the lasso seems to paralyze the unfortunate creatures, and +they make no effort to escape as the tentacles coil round them and carry +them to the mouth of the greedy jelly-fish. In Fig. 2 you will see a +group of lasso cells highly magnified. The cell at _a_ has not yet +burst, and through its thin walls we see the barbed dart at the end of +the lasso. At _b_ the lasso has been thrown out only a short distance, +while at _c_ the long slender lasso still carries the dart at the end, +and the curious little bladder is much larger than it was inside the +cell. The lasso cells of this specimen are exceedingly delicate and +simple, but in some animals the lasso may be seen coiled within the +cell; and when thrust out it bristles with sharp stings. Is it not a +dainty weapon to be used in the continual warfare carried on by these +innocent-looking creatures? Small as the lasso cells are, they serve to +protect the soft-bodied animals from their numerous enemies. + +Jelly-fish would hot hesitate in the least to use these tiny weapons +upon us if we should touch their soft, pretty tentacles with too much +familiarity. The irritation produced in the flesh by the numerous sharp +points on the lassoes is similar to the stinging of nettles. For this +reason jelly-fish are often called sea-nettles. The correct name, +however, which you will find in scientific books, is "Medusæ." + +[Illustration: FIG. 3.--JELLY-FISH, SHOWING TENTACLES.] + +Jelly-fish vary greatly in size. Some are mere dots, so extremely small +that we should not notice them in the water, while one species is said +to be seven feet in diameter, with tentacles measuring fifty feet (Fig. +3). The parent of this huge jelly-fish was a hydroid only half an inch +high. Its children will be the same. What do you think its grandchildren +will be? + +[Illustration: FIG. 4.--MUSHROOMS OF THE SEA.] + +The size of jelly-fish is greatly enlarged by the water they absorb; +indeed, the substance of which they are composed consists largely of +water. A specimen weighing several pounds when alive will shrink away to +almost nothing if exposed to the sun and the wind. As the body contains +no bones or other solid matter, it all perishes together, and no trace +is left of its former beautiful shape. You will see that jelly-fish are +in no way like real fish. One writer found them so much like a familiar +vegetable that he called them "Mushrooms of the Sea." + +It would be impossible to describe to you the varied colors of +jelly-fish, as they include almost every hue, the beautiful tints being +probably due to their transparency. Some are purely white and as clear +as glass, while all shades are to be found, from pale blue and pink, to +bright red and yellow. Those found in tropical seas are of a deeper +color than ours. + +In striking contrast with these brilliant jelly-fish is one species +which is so delicate and transparent that as it floats upon the water we +can scarcely see the substance of which it is composed. The only parts +that strike the eye are the circular tube around the edge and the four +radiating tubes with their large clusters of eggs. The tubes look as if +they were held together by some slight web. The movements of this +jelly-fish are languid, and it sometimes remains perfectly quiet in the +bright sunshine for hours, not even moving its tentacles. + +[Illustration: FIG. 5.--FIXED JELLY-FISH.] + +You have probably noticed a great difference in the movements of people. +So with jelly-fish: some are much more active and energetic than others. +While some kinds appear to delight in darting through the water, until +one might suppose from their frisky motions that they are having a great +deal of fun and frolic, others prefer to make no exertion, and to drift +idly with the waves. There have even been found "fixed jelly-fish" (Fig. +5)--those so fond of a settled resting-place that they have put out +suckers by which they attach themselves permanently to some rock or +stone. + +Although jelly-fish are so brilliant in the daytime, they have a +different beauty at night, when they throw out a golden light slightly +tinged with green, resembling the light of a glow-worm. Vast numbers of +small animals in the sea have this power of throwing out light from +their bodies. The light is called phosphorescence. As it may be seen at +anytime of the year illuminating air oceans, it is an unfailing source +of delight to voyagers. It is most conspicuous on a dark night, when the +water is agitated by the motion of a boat, or by the breaking-waves, +because the disturbance of the water excites the little animals. + +A pail of sea-water carried into a dark room often affords a good +opportunity for studying this interesting phenomenon. Although we may +not have detected the presence of any animals before, as soon as the +water is stirred or jostled we will see the beautiful sparkles of light. +The phosphorescence of some animals is of a bluish tint; in others it is +red, like flame. + +A person will rarely tire of watching a boat as its prow turns up a +furrow of liquid fire, and each dip of the oar sends a miniature flash +of lightning through the otherwise dark water. It fills us with wonder +to think of the countless millions of little creatures required to +produce these marvellous effects all over the ocean, and wherever the +restless waves break in lines of light, either upon tropical shores or +ice-bound rocks. + +Crabbe, the English poet, has given us the description of a +phosphorescent sea: + + "And now your view upon the ocean turn, + And there the splendor of the waves discern; + Cast but a stone, or strike them with an oar, + And you shall flames within the deep explore; + Or scoop the stream phosphoric as you stand, + And the cold flumes shall flash along your hand; + When, lost in wonder, you shall walk and gaze + On weeds that sparkle, and on waves that blaze." + + + + +FALSE COLORS. + +BY MRS. JOHN LILLIE. + + +"It's to be what I call _fun_." + +This from Mattie Blake, the eldest of the party, sitting on the bed, and +dangling her feet idly. + +"Rather risky," said little Joan in her shy voice. + +"Risky! how absurd!" Bella Jones exclaimed. And finally I broke in with: + +"What will Philip Sydney think of us?" + +Mattie, with the superiority of her years, looked very scornfully upon +my small figure. + +"Philip Sydney will be there, himself, and you may be sure he will be +delighted. Now come, Cecilia, don't make any new objections. Remember +you promised me last night;" and Mattie's black eyes flashed angrily. + +We all remained silent for two or three moments, while the dusk of the +spring afternoon gathered in the room. It was a big bare-looking room, +with our four beds and four dressing-tables and four chairs, but to my +mind the scene of much that was fascinating in our school life at +Hillbrow, for there Mattie Blake entertained us on every occasion with +thrilling experiences, in which she was usually the successful and +admired heroine. Nothing could have been more monotonous than our daily +school life, and these hours and Mattie's recitals were looked forward +to with romantic interest. + +Looking back, I remember Mattie as a tall, thin, black-eyed girl of +about fourteen, with saucy, independent ways, and a touch of what I now +know was a vulgar love of show about her. In her dress, her profuse +jewelry, her crimped hair, and her voice and laugh, she was not really +the fine young person we girls thought her. From her own accounts, she +led the most bewitching life at home. Her father was a rich railroad +man--a widower, who left Mattie to her own devices; and when she +descended one winter's morning into our midst she seemed to bring +splendor and riches and excitement with her. + +How she had happened to select me as a desirable acquaintance I can not +say, but the fact was soon known to the school. Mattie's favor was +bestowed upon my insignificant self, and I was delighted to be her +humble servitor. My own little past seemed very tame in comparison with +Mattie's: she had "fun" of the most daring, brilliant kind whenever she +was at home; I had led a thoroughly childish life, yet there had been +much pleasure in it too; but who could compare it with Mattie's? + +My father was a country clergyman, and on my mother's death, dear, dear +Aunt Anna had come to live with us, and to make our home very sweet and +happy. But for Mattie's influence not a shadow would have fallen on my +enjoyment of home pleasures and home duties; but during this one season +she had sowed seeds of discontent. Already I was beginning to dread a +return to Bridgeley, even though I knew the pleasures that were waiting +for me: the rides on my pony, with Philip and Laura Sydney, the Squire's +son and daughter; the long days out fishing and sailing; the picnics and +the girls' sewing circle; the evenings at home, with papa to read aloud +to us; and the quiet sunny Sunday mornings, when I liked to stand beside +Miss Sydney at the organ, and hear my voice mingling with the rest in +sweet, simple songs of praise to God. + +No, Mattie Blake had cast her spell: I wanted to go home with her to +North Erie to see "Bob" and "Jim," of whom she talked so much and so +foolishly; to ride out to the "Lake"; to dance at the "Bell House," and +to stay up until daybreak whenever I chose. And what would papa and Aunt +Anna and Philip and Laura think of my latest ambition--the scheme which +had brought us together on this afternoon, a thrilled little circle +about Mattie, who had been the originator of it? + +It was as follows: + +The boys--or should I say "young gentlemen"?--of Barnabas Academy, some +six miles distant, had sent us invitations to their "Prize Day": +invitations promptly declined by our principal, Miss Harding; for +although the day was to be a holiday with us, Miss Harding did not +approve of its being spent in the Academy among a party of boys unknown +to our friends, and who were always trying to make us break some of our +rules. Two or three girls were going with their parents, but our party +in "No. 6" had no such opportunity. Vainly had Mattie rebelled. Miss +Harding was firm. Then there had entered into the girl's wild head a +plan, which she unfolded to us with all her usual eloquence and dramatic +energy. We were to get off early in the day on some pretext, and, once +out of sight, make our own way to the Academy. Then, as we were invited +guests, no one would be the wiser, and as our school was to break up the +next day, the chances were that no one would ever betray us to Miss +Harding. + +"By the time we are back next fall," said Mattie, "it will all be +forgotten; and I'll tell you what, girls, Bob and Jim will give us a +splendid time. Just you leave it to me." + +We trembled, half with fear, half with admiration of Mattie's daring. +What were we three mites against her? And then to see the Bob and Jim of +her fascinating romances! Bob was described as "perfectly elegant," and +Jim was always depicted as "simply superb--one of the most splendid +fellows you ever saw." While we talked it over for the last time, I +happened to see my own figure and little brown face in the glass, while +near it was reflected Mattie's fine brown silk gown, her frizzles and +bracelets and rings. + +"But, Mattie," I said, suddenly, "how can I go? I've nothing to wear." + +"Humph! Let me think," she said, slowly, and added, with her usual +impressive air, "Just wait until to-night." + +When that decisive period came, it appeared that Mattie had decided to +lend me one of her own costumes. It was a last year's white muslin, +trimmed with Valenciennes lace, and so much finer than anything I had +ever owned that I was completely carried away by the prospect of wearing +it. It is true that for a few minutes my sense of refinement was +disturbed. In our simple home we would never have dreamed of borrowing +any finery. + +"Oh, Mattie!" I said, timidly, "I never wore any one else's things. What +would papa say?" + +Mattie laughed shrilly. "Don't be a goose!" she exclaimed. "Think of +_my_ wondering what my father would say to anything _I_ did!" + +And so the matter was settled, and by the time I had tried on the muslin +dress and a Roman sash, and tied some of Mattie's beads around my neck, +I felt no misgivings, and went to bed in high spirits. + + * * * * * + +And so the 18th of June dawned, and found Mattie waking me up to see +what a fine day it was. + +"Bella and Joan have backed out," she said, disdainfully. "But I've made +them promise not to tell of us. Now, Cecy, you leave the getting away to +me. When eleven o'clock strikes, you leave the school-room, slip up here +and dress, and put your duster over your dress, while I'm with Miss +Harding. Then just march down coolly to the front hall, and _you'll +see_." + +[Illustration: "I SEE MYSELF HURRYING INTO MATTIE'S DRESS."] + +How perfectly I can recall that morning! I see myself now hurrying into +Mattie's dress, tying on the sash and beads, and then slipping guiltily +down to the front hall, which was quite deserted, and where I stood for +a moment trembling, yet excited and happy. And then Mattie appeared from +a side door, caught my hand, and putting her finger on her lips, hurried +me out, down the garden, and into the road. + +Just below the school garden we came upon a rockaway, in which a young +girl, very like Mattie in general style, and a tall boy of sixteen were +seated. + +"Hello!" the boy called out, and Mattie, looking very delighted, said: + +"Here's Cecilia Martin, I told you I'd bring. This is Mr. Bob Rivers, +Cecilia, and Miss Rivers." + +Then this was Bob! I looked, trying to admire; but Bob was not like +Philip Sydney in any way. He was stout and red-faced, and decorated like +a young man of fashion; and Kate Rivers was a pert miss of fourteen, +quite unlike my dear Laura. + +These two, it appeared, had arranged with Mattie, and we were to drive +with them to the Academy. + +After all it seemed like "fun." Anyway, it was one of Mattie's dazzling +experiences; so we got in, I feeling quite finely, and prepared to enter +into the spirit of everything. Bob drove, and we girls sat inside. + +[TO BE CONTINUED.] + + + + +MR. THOMPSON AND THE SWALLOWS. + +BY ALLAN FORMAN. + + +Mr. Thompson was sitting in the barn belonging to the farm where he had +been spending the summer. He looked very disconsolate, and from time to +time heaved such deep sighs as to greatly disturb the family of swallows +who had their nest against the beam just above his head. + +Poor Mr. Thompson had had a hard time all summer. First of all, he had +met Miss Angelina, who had captured his heart; and everybody knows that +the most miserable object on earth is an old bachelor in love. + +"Oh, had I wings of a bird, I would fly--" murmured Mr. Thompson to +himself. + +"Course you would," interrupted a saucy voice. + +Mr. Thompson looked up. On the edge of the mud nest just above his head +sat a bright-looking barn-swallow, eying him curiously. + +"Where would you fly to?" inquired the swallow. + +"Away from this world of care," murmured Mr. Thompson. + +The swallow laughed heartily. + +"Well, I guess not; but you can try, if you want to." + +Mr. Thompson felt himself begin to shrink, and saw his clothes slowly +disappear and become changed into feathers. But he was getting so used +to these metamorphoses that he didn't mind it, and really gazed upon +himself with satisfaction as finally he felt that he was a perfect +swallow. + +"Come up here," said the swallow. + +Mr. Thompson stretched his wings, and fluttered up to the nest beside +his friend. + +"How do you like it?" inquired the swallow. + +"It is glorious," replied Mr. Thompson. "Oh, that I could always be a +bird!" + +"Humph!" replied the bird. "How would you like to have to build your +house every spring, going and coming a hundred times a day with your +mouth full of mud?" + +"But the glorious feeling of freedom!" said Mr. Thompson. + +"Oh yes," answered the swallow, sarcastically. "Come with me; I'll show +you." + +The two flew out of the barn, and after wheeling around for a few +minutes, flew up to a large vane on top of the carriage-house. Mr. +Thompson had often seen the swallows perched on this vane, twittering +and fighting among themselves. This morning he had a feeling of elation +at being there himself, and shook his wings proudly. Bang! whiz! the +shot flew around him, and two of his companions fell fluttering to the +ground. Just then he heard two boyish voices exclaim, + +"It's awful hard to hit a swaller on the wing, but you can shoot 'em +sittin' like pie." + +Mr. Thompson and his friend were uninjured; and as they flew away in +alarm, the bird said, in an ironical tone, "Such a feeling of freedom!" + +Mr. Thompson said nothing, but flew back to the barn. After resting for +a moment, the swallow said, "Let's go up to the Sound and visit my +cousins, the bank-swallows." + +Mr. Thompson followed the bird, and skimmed over the fields, snapping up +a fly or two by the way, until they reached the high sand-cliffs which +border Long Island Sound. Here, high up on the cliffs, were a number of +small round holes; flying about them, and darting out and in were a +number of small gray birds; sitting on a fence rail not far off were +nearly a hundred more solemnly sunning themselves. + +"I'll introduce you to one of them, and he will show you around," said +Mr. Thompson's friend. + +After the introduction had been effected, the bank-swallow said, in an +inquiring tone, "You are interested in birds?" + +"Yes," said Mr. Thompson; "theirs is so glorious and free a life." + +The swallow smiled pityingly; then, as if to change the subject, invited +Mr. Thompson to visit his house. It was high up under the overhanging +edge of the cliff. + +The swallow led the way, and Mr. Thompson followed through a corridor +about a foot long, and slanting slightly upward in order that the rain +would not drive into the nest. At the end of the corridor was a circular +apartment, lined with feathers and sea-weed, and here sat Mrs. +Bank-Swallow upon four speckled eggs. Mr. Thompson did not wish to +disturb her, so he retreated soon after having been introduced. His +companion led the way back to the rail upon which the barn-swallow was +seated, waiting. After a slight pause, Mr. Thompson inquired, "May I ask +what you find to eat up here?" + +"Certainly," replied the bank-swallow, good-naturedly. "During the +summer we eat grubs, flies, mosquitoes, and the like; in the fall, when +the bayberries are ripe, we eat them. You know each berry is covered +with a coating of vegetable wax, and we get very fat; then people shoot +us, for they say the berries give us a delicious flavor," added he, +bitterly. + +Mr. Thompson sighed, and was lost for a moment in reverie, when he was +suddenly aroused by his companions suddenly screaming, "A hawk!" + +Mr. Thompson followed the barn-swallow, too frightened to know where, +for as he turned back he saw the hawk pounce upon an unfortunate bird, +and bear it off in his claws. + +When they reached the house again, the swallow said, "Well, do you think +that the life of a bird is unalloyed pleasure?" Mr. Thompson paused for +a moment, and the swallow continued: "First, there are the boys who +steal the eggs, then they shoot at you; then there are the hawks, and +the snakes, and the cats." + +"Cats?" inquired Mr. Thompson. + +"Yes, cats!" screamed the swallow in alarm, fluttering away. Mr. +Thompson was too late. He felt the sharp claws in his leg, and with a +jump and a scream he awoke, to find himself sitting in the barn, with +the big house cat standing beside him, and looking somewhat surprised at +his sudden movement. Slowly Tabby lifted her paw, and putting it on Mr. +Thompson's knee, stretched herself lazily. 'Lisha, who was feeding the +horses, remarked: "Reckon it's goin' to rain; the swallers fly low, and +it's a great sign of rain when a cat stretches like that." + +Mr. Thompson walked slowly to the house, thinking that, after all, the +bird's life was not all happiness. + + + + +A PRINCELY ART. + +BY SHERWOOD RYSE. + + +It is not much more than a hundred years since gentlemen gave up wearing +rapiers at their sides--a practice which was once as common as is that +of carrying a cane among us. And with a weapon so handy, it can easily +be believed that it was drawn on very slight provocation. Hence every +gentleman who valued a whole skin was diligent to make himself a master +of the small-sword, as it was generally called. Small it was originally, +however, only by comparison with more formidable weapons. Richard +Coeur de Lion's sword, you will remember, was so large and heavy that +none other than himself could wield it. + +In the reign of the haughty Queen Elizabeth, the rapier, only lately +introduced into England, was so much in fashion that he was the greatest +dandy who wore the longest rapier and the widest "ruff." Queen Bess +herself set the fashion in ruffs, but the flattery of imitation was not +dear to her. She loved flattery; but to have every one copying her large +ruffs--and who ever saw a picture of Elizabeth without one?--was more +than her quick temper could put up with. And so she issued one of those +orders which seem so strange to us now: she stationed "grave persons" at +the gate of every town to break the points of all rapiers exceeding one +yard in length, and to cut all ruffs measuring more than the "nayle of a +yard." + +Skill with the small-sword was a necessary part of the education of a +gentleman. At the age when the boy of our day is just about opening his +Latin grammar for the first time, the young prince or noble of two +hundred years ago was being taught the art of _longe_ and _parry_, of +_tierce_ and _carte_. And besides the usefulness of being skillful with +a weapon which every gentleman carried and was ready to use at short +notice, the practice of fencing gave an easy carriage to the body, +making the joints supple, and strengthening every muscle. + +The art of fencing, says an old French comedy, consists of two simple +things--to hit, and not to be hit; but like a great many other simple +things, its simplicity takes a vast deal of finding out. Each position, +whether for thrust or parry, is easy by itself, but when your thrust is +quickly parried, and the point of your opponent's foil is reaching for +your breast quick as thought, then the cool head, the quick eye, the +ready hand, are brought into play. The first thing for the beginner to +do after equipping himself for the contest--and about this we shall have +a few words to say later on--is to master the proper position. In no +exercise is position of greater importance. Let the right side of your +body be half turned toward your adversary; feet at right angles, with +the left foot pointing to the left, and placed behind the right. The +foil is held in the left hand, down by your side. Grasping it by the +hilt with the right hand, you draw it through the left hand, at the same +time raising both hands so that by the time the point of your foil comes +into your left hand both hands are above your head, the one holding the +hilt and the other the point of the foil. + +From this position you will easily and gracefully fall into the third +position, "on guard," by bringing your sword-hand down in front of you, +and bending your elbow until the fore-arm and the sword make one +straight line. The left arm will remain where it was. While you are +doing this, bend the knees, and advance the right foot about twelve +inches, sinking down only just so far as that the shin-bone of the right +leg shall be perpendicular to the floor. This position is the position +of defense, and is always returned to after a thrust. + +Thus far you have maintained an attitude of defense only, and if you +have mastered that, you have laid the foundation of your future skill. +Watch your adversary's eye, and decide instantly when you will thrust, +or longe, as it is called. Straightening the right arm, you advance the +right foot about eighteen inches, taking care not to lean forward so far +that the shin-bone makes anything less than a right angle with the +floor. If you get up from the seat where you are sitting to read this, +and try the movement, you will see why this right angle formed by leg +and floor is important. Lean too far forward, and you can not spring +back instantly and without effort to the position of defense, and thus +you are at the mercy of your opponent, who will quickly parry your blow, +and be able to reach you almost without advancing his right foot. +Instantly after longeing you must spring back, in order to be able to +parry the longe of your adversary. + +In longeing, as in the "on-guard" position, the nails of the sword-hand +must be turned up. This may seem a trifle, but in reality it is of the +greatest importance, since the force and directness of the blow depend +upon it. Try it with a cane, and you will at once feel how much firmer +your wrist is than when you thrust with your nails turned down. To prove +it another way: do the stroke with a long poker, and see how much easier +it is to extend the poker and hold it extended with your nails turned up +than when they are turned down. + +There are four thrusts in fencing, and twice as many parries; that is, +there are two parries for each thrust. The object of this is that having +parried a thrust, you may at once return the blow; and were you always +to parry the same kind of thrust in the same manner, you would always be +obliged to attack in the same manner. The difference between the two +kinds of parries for each thrust is that one is done with the nails +turned up, the other with them turned down. Thus, having parried a +thrust, the hand is in one of two positions for making a return thrust. + +The various thrusts and parries are too large a subject to be gone into +here. The thrust, however, it may be remarked, is always some kind of a +longe, and in parrying the one sword does not beat the other aside, but +simply turns it by a turn of the wrist. The idea of the parry may be +gathered from the fact that the point of the foil always describes a +circle of not more than three feet in diameter in the air. Thus the +adversary's point is turned aside from its object. + +The art of fencing is so difficult to learn without a master that it is +useless for any one to attempt by himself to do more than acquire skill +in the simpler movements; and it is so graceful an accomplishment that +if it is worth doing, it is worth doing well. + +[Illustration: A YOUNG PRINCE PRACTICING THE ART OF FENCING.] + +Without attempting, therefore, to go into all the mysteries of _tierce_ +and _carte_, of _ripost_ and _reprise_, we will add a few words which an +instructor might omit. In the first place, never cross your blade with +any one who is not dressed for the exercise. He may say he will take his +chances of getting hurt, but you can not afford to take the chance of +putting out his eye. The proper armor to wear is a padded leather +jacket, a gauntlet on the right hand, a piece of padded leather on the +right thigh, and a wire mask over the head. Secondly, never use any but +a good and sound foil, and see that the button is firm: many accidents +have been caused by a broken foil or an unsafe button. Lastly--and +though this applies to all games, it is perhaps more necessary in +small-sword exercise than in anything else--remember that the coolest +head always goes with the quickest eye and the surest hand. + + + + +[Illustration: "THEY PULLED WITH A WILL WHEN THE WORD WAS GIVEN."] + +PERIL AND PRIVATION. + +BY JAMES PAYN. + +THE LOSS OF THE "HALSEWELL." + + +On Sunday, the 1st of January, 1786, the _Halsewell_, a vessel of 758 +tons burden, bound for the East Indies, sailed through the Downs with a +fair wind and under exceptionally favorable circumstances. She had a +well-tried commander, Captain Pierce, good officers, and a numerous +crew. To these were added a considerable number of soldiers of "John +Company," as the East India Company was called, so that security seemed +assured both by sea and land. + +There were, moreover, several lady passengers aboard, most of whom were +known to one another, including the daughters of the Captain, two of his +cousins, and one still younger lady, Miss Mansell, returning from a +school in England to her parents in Madras. The chief mate too was +related to Captain Pierce, so that the company in the chief cabin was +almost a family party. + +On Monday very thick weather came on, so that the ship was compelled to +anchor, and on Tuesday a gale arose that obliged her to cut her cables +and run out to sea. The gale grew to a tempest, which continued for +three days, and on Friday night the ship ended her voyage. + +At two in the morning of that day she was driving to her doom on the +sharp rocks between Peverel Point and St. Alban's Head, in Dorsetshire. +These rocks run sheer down to the sea, so that to approach them even in +fine weather is fraught with danger. + +There is a story told by the great humorist Thomas Hood of a terrible +scene on board ship, when every one was running about distracted with +fear, save one cheerful old lady. "There is nothing whatever to be +alarmed at," she said, when some one asked her how it was she showed +such courage, "for the Captain has just told me we are 'running on +shore.'" To her the land seemed like safety. And so it doubtless was +with some of the poor ladies on board the _Halsewell_. + +The Captain, as they drove nearer the rocky shore on that awful night, +consulted with his second mate, Mr. Meriton, as to their chances of +escape, and especially with reference to his daughters. + +"We can do nothing, sir, but wait for the morning," was the sad reply; +and even while he spoke the ship struck with a violence that dashed the +heads of those standing in the cuddy, as the saloon in an Indiaman was +called, against the deck above them. + +A frightful scene followed. The sailors had acted ill throughout the +storm, and, skulking in their hammocks, had compelled their officers and +the soldiers, who behaved admirably, to man the pumps; but now that the +catastrophe, which they might have helped to avert, was upon them, they +exhibited a frantic fear. + +The ship lay beating against the rocks, with her broadside toward them, +and the Captain's advice was that each man should take what opportunity +should offer itself to reach the land. The ensign staff was accordingly +unshipped, and laid between the ship's side and a rock; but it snapped +asunder with the weight of the first man who attempted to cross, so that +there was nothing for the rest to do but to drop into the raging sea, +and trust to the waves to carry them to the unknown shore. + +This desperate attempt, made by a number of the men, was of course +impossible for the ladies, who with the passengers, three black women, +and two soldiers' wives, had collected in the roundhouse upon deck to +the number of no less than fifty. The Captain, whose use was gone in +these dreadful straits, sat on a cot with a daughter upon each side, +whom he alternately pressed to his breast. The scene was indescribably +mournful. Mr. Meriton procured a quantity of wax candles, and stuck them +about the place in which it was their hope to wait for dawn; then +perceiving that the poor women were parched with thirst, he brought a +basket of oranges, with which they refreshed themselves. This was the +last meal they were ever to take on earth. + +At this time they were all tolerably composed, except Miss Mansell, who +lay sobbing upon the floor. Mr. Meriton thought he perceived that the +sides of the ship were visibly giving way; that her deck was lifting, +and that consequently she could not much longer hold together. + +On leaving the roundhouse to see whether his suspicions were correct, +they received a terrible confirmation. The ship had separated in the +middle, and not a moment was to be lost in seizing the slender chance of +saving his life. As a great sea struck the ship the poor ladies cried +out: "Oh, poor Meriton, he is drowned! Had he staid with us he would +have been safe." Whereupon Mr. Rogers, another officer, offered to go +and look for him. This they opposed, lest he should share the same fate. + +Rogers and the Captain, however, went out with a lantern, but being able +to see nothing but the black face of the perpendicular rock, the Captain +returned to his daughters, and was no more seen. A very heavy sea struck +the ship, and burst into the roundhouse, and Mr. Rogers heard the ladies +shriek at intervals until the water drowned their voices. + +He seized a hen-coop, and was carried by a wave on to a rock, where it +left him, miserably bruised, in the company of no less than one hundred +and twenty-four persons, among whom he found Mr. Meriton. The meeting +between these two was very touching, for they were old friends, and had +just survived a calamity, little less terrible, in another Indiaman, +between which event and their present peril an interval of only +twenty-five days had elapsed. They were prevented, however, from the +interchange of mutual congratulations by at least twenty men between +them, none of whom could move without imperilling his life. + +They were, in fact, on the ledge of a cavern overhung by the precipice, +as closely packed and with as little room to move in as those sea-birds +which we often see clustered on some ridge of rock. The full horror of +their situation was, however, hid from them. They could not even see the +ship they had just quitted, though in a few minutes a universal shriek, +which long vibrated in their ears, and in which the voice of female +agony was plainly distinguishable, informed them that she had gone to +pieces. Not one atom of the wreck of the _Halsewell_ was ever afterward +beheld. + +This terrible incident gave such a shock to the poor trembling wretches +on the ledge that many of them, being already unnerved and weak from +bruises, lost their feeble hold, and fell upon the rocks below. Their +groans and cries for succor increased the misery of the survivors. After +three hours, which seemed as many ages, the daylight broke, and revealed +the fact that unless aid was given from the cliff above them, escape was +impossible, while the total disappearance of the ship left no evidence +of their position, their guns and signals of distress through the night +having been unheard by reason of the roaring of the gale. + +The only hope of escape was to creep along the ledge to its extremity, +and then, on a ridge nearly as broad as a man's hand, to turn a corner, +and then scale a precipice almost perpendicular and two hundred feet in +height! Such was the courage of their despair that even this was +essayed. What with fear and fatigue, many lost their footing, and +perished in the attempt. The cook and quarter-master alone succeeded in +reaching the cliff top, and at once hastened to the nearest house. + +This chanced to be the residence of the steward of the Purbeck stone +quarries, who instantly collected his workmen, and furnished them with +ropes. Next to the two men who had escaped, and after an interval in +which many must have failed, a soldier and Mr. Meriton were trying to +make their way to the summit, as the quarrymen arrived. They perceived +the soldier, and dropped him a rope, of which he laid hold, but in the +effort loosened the stone on which he stood, which also supported Mr. +Meriton. The latter, however, seized another rope as he was in the very +act of falling. He had probably the narrowest escape of all. + +The perils of the rest were by no means at an end. The most fortunate +crawled to the edge of the ledge and waited for the rope held by two +strong men at the very brink of the cliff. Other ropes were tied about +them and fastened to an iron bar fixed in the ground. Four other men, +standing behind these, also held the rope which was let down, and we may +be sure that they pulled with a will when the word was given. + +Many of the poor shipwrecked souls, however, were too benumbed and weak +to help themselves even thus far; and for these the rope, with a strong +loop at the end of it, had to be let down. The force of the wind blew +the rope into the cavern, when whoever was so fortunate as to catch it +put the noose round his body and was drawn up. Many even of these +perished from nervousness or loss of presence of mind. One especially, +who lost his hold, fell into the sea, and being a strong swimmer, added +to the general distress by dying, as it were, by inches before the eyes +of the survivors. + +It was evening before they found themselves in safety; indeed, one poor +fellow, a soldier, remained in this perilous position until the next +morning. On being mustered at the steward's house, they were found to +number seventy-four out of a crew of two hundred and fifty. + +They were treated with the utmost hospitality, and word of their coming +was sent to the towns through which they would have to pass on their way +to London, that they might be helped along. "It is worthy of +commemoration," says the biographer, in which all my readers will agree, +"that the landlord of the Brown Inn at Blandford not only refreshed all +these distressed seamen at his house, but presented each with half a +crown." + +As one lies on the cliff-top above Peverel Point in the summer sun, with +the blue sea below smiling so smoothly, it is difficult to imagine what +took place in that unseen cavern beneath, or even the tears of joy which +were shed by those who, after such a night of horror, set foot for the +first time upon that grassy slope. + + + + +THE SPECKLED PIG. + +BY WILLIAM O. STODDARD. + + +"I'm glad spring's come," remarked Grandmother Gates, as she looked out +through the kitchen window, "if it's only so that boy can spend his time +out-of-doors. There isn't any house can hold him." + +"What, Bun?" said Aunt Dorcas, while the skimmer in her hand was +dripping over the soap-kettle. "He's all spring and India rubber. What's +he doing now?" + +"Doing?" said grandmother. "I'd say so! If he hasn't rigged some +leathers and strings, and he's trying to harness that little speckled +pig into his wagon. Can't you hear the pig squeal?" + +"He's always a-squealing," said Mrs. Gates, from the milk-room. She was +a large, motherly looking woman; but now she hurried to the door, and +shouted, "Audubon, my son, what are you doing to that poor critter?" + +"Why, mother, spring's come, and it's time he did something. I can drive +him if I can once get him harnessed. He's half in now; but he does just +plunge around!" + +The speckled pig was a small one, truly, and he was well acquainted with +Bun Gates; but his present occupation was new to him. The wagon matched +him fairly well as to size, and it was only a little too plain that he +had strength enough to haul it anywhere the moment he should have a fair +chance. The best he could do at that moment was to make music, and his +voice was uncommonly clear and shrill. + +"Dorcas! mother!" exclaimed Mrs. Gates, "do come here and look at that +boy." + +"I see him," said grandma, but Aunt Dorcas put down her skimmer, and +came to the door just as another boy, a head shorter than Bun, trotted +up the garden walk to see what was the matter with the pig. + +"Harnessed! harnessed! Oh, what a horse! I'll get in for a ride." + +"Jump in, Jeff," said Bun. "You take the reins that belong to his head, +and I'll hold on to the rein that goes to his hind-leg. We'll break him +in." + +Jeff was hardly more than eight years old, while his stoutly built and +chubby elder brother was at least thirteen. There was "boy" enough in +either of them, but the "spring" was tremendously developed in Bun. He +was so full of it that he could hardly stand still. Neither could the +pig stand still, and while the women at the kitchen door and window were +laughing until the tears came into their eyes, the speckled unfortunate +was dodging in every direction in a desperate effort to regain his +freedom. Bun had deceived him when he enticed him from the barn-yard. +The gate through which he had consented to be driven was well known to +Speckle as leading into the garden, and all the free rooting to be +desired of any pig could be had there. He had marched through the gate +meekly enough, and he had looked over the "promised land," with its +neatly kept walks and beds, and with all its green things just coming +up, and yet here he was with a rope still restraining his hind-leg and a +queer net-work of pig harness all over him. No part of that harness +worked as a muzzle, and Speckle did what he could with his voice to +express his opinion of the matter. + +"Don't you let him get away from you," said Aunt Dorcas. "There's no +telling what he'd do." + +Jeff was in the wagon now, and grandmother was on the point of +remarking, "Do?--why, he might run away with that there child, and break +his precious neck," when the precise help Bun Gates was wishing for came +hurrying through the front gate. + +"What you got there, Bun? I'm a-coming. Hold him." + +"You hold the shaft on that side, Rube, till we get him aimed right. I +want to point him for the front gate, and drive him into the street. +We'll have more room there to train him." + +"Biggest kind of an idea ever was," said Rube. "I saw a learned pig +once. He could play checkers, and count twenty. Smoke a pipe too. He was +bigger'n this one." + +"This one knows more'n most people now." + +"Can't he squeal, though!" + +"Audubon," said Mrs. Gates, "I want you to go to the store for me pretty +soon. You'll have to take your wagon." + +"All right," said Bun. + +"Stand back, Rube. Hold on tight, Jeff. He'll make things rattle. Look, +mother!" + +She looked, and so did Grandmother Gates and Aunt Dorcas, but it was +half a minute before there was anything to see, and Bun punched his +queer "horse" with a long stick to set him going. A short sharp grunt +replied to the punch, and suddenly the speckled pig made a plunging dart +forward, and the wagon went with him. + +"See!" shouted Bun. "That harness is just beautiful. It pulls +first-rate. He'll go anywhere." + +The pig felt about it in that way exactly, and the only drawback, so far +as he was concerned, was the strong cord that was so well knotted around +his left hind-leg. It had been a very strong cord in its day, and it was +so now in many places, but there was about an inch of it, not a foot +away from the pig's leg, that had seen its best and cordiest days. It +was frayed and worn out and weak, and it had been severely tested all +that morning. Fibre after fibre and strand after strand had given way, +until now it needed but one more long, strong, willful tug with a boy +pulling one way and an angry pig another, and the cord parted at its +weak spot. + +His first rush was straight forward for several yards; but the wagon did +not seem to hinder him at all, even with Jeff pulling his best upon the +"reins." He would have had to pull that pig's head nearly off before he +could have stopped him in that manner, and it was fastened on too +strongly. + +"Stop him!" shouted Jeff. "He's running away; he's dodging." + +That meant that he was making a sudden wheel across the grass-plot, +under the big cherry-tree, and that brought him in full view of the +garden. + +The pig knew where he wanted to go now, and he sprang away in that +direction with all his might and main. The boys were after him; but +Rube's first attempt at heading him off only made him give so sudden a +side rush that poor Jeff was pitched out, as the wagon keeled over, +right into the middle of the raspberry bushes. The kick he gave as he +landed set the wagon back on its wheels again, and it was easier running +for the pig after that. + +[Illustration: "OH, THAT PIG!"] + +"Oh, my son!" was all Mrs. Gates could say, and nobody could guess +whether she meant Bun or Jeff; but Jeff himself was remarking at that +very moment, "Oh, that pig!" and it was plain enough of whom he was +speaking. Aunt Dorcas and Grandmother Gates were at the same instant, as +with one united voice, saying the same words, and Aunt Dorcas added: + +"The garden'll just be ruined. There he goes, right through the tomato +plants, and they ain't but just been sot out." + +"Oh dear!" exclaimed Bun. "He's stopped in the spinach bed, and he's +gone to rooting right away." + +"Never mind," said Rube. "The wagon's all right. He might have broken +that." + +"We must get him out somehow." + +Yes, that was precisely the task they had before them; but the pig was +in the garden, and he knew it, and believed that he too had duties to +perform. He could run, and he could dodge, and he could change work from +one bed to another, but at any moment when he got at all away from those +boys, he found uses for his long, busy, root-hunting nose. + +Jeff crept out from among the raspberry bushes right away, and when his +mother and the two other women reached that spot, he was able to answer +them: "No, I ain't hurt a bit, but I'm scratched the worst kind. Oh, +that pig!" + +"Run, Jeff," said Aunt Dorcas, "and hold the barn-yard gate open. Don't +let any other pigs get in. There are three more out of the pen. Must be +Bun let 'em out when he went for that one." + +The pig was now making a stand among the young beets; but suddenly an +idea came to Bun, and he sprang forward. In an instant he was seated in +the wagon, and was goading his victim with the sharp end of his long +stick. + +"Got him, Rube! I've got him, mother! He'll have to go now." + +"Oh, my son! Yes, Dorcas, he's starting off. Look, mother; if he isn't +pulling wagon and all!" + +"He's going for the barn-yard gate, too," said Rube. "Punch him, Bun. +We'll train him in the barn-yard." + +Jeff was holding the gate open, but he was also shouting loudly at the +other pigs, and it was an open question--as wide open as the gate +itself--whether or not all three of them would not soon be at work in +the garden. Very likely they would have been but for Bun's presence of +mind in getting into the wagon. That puzzled the speckled pig, and the +sharp stick made it worse for him. He saw the open gate, and he made a +desperate rush for it. There was a deep drain furrow just before he +reached it, and Bun was thinking, "He can't pull me over that," when the +fore-wheels went down into it. The pig uttered the loudest squeal he had +squealed all that morning as he struggled forward. The three women +shouted in one breath, "Oh, Bun!" + +Rube Hollenhauser stooped down to pick up a stone, and Bun punched +harder than ever; but the pig had the best of it. That harness had not +been calculated for any such strain. There was a faint snap, then +another, and the pig was free. + +He did not pause to look back at the garden he had lost, but he dashed +wildly through the open gate, and Jeff banged it shut after him. + +"Mother," said Bun, "I believe I can train him to draw." + +"Draw?" exclaimed Aunt Dorcas. "He draws well enough now. The trouble is +to steer him. What'll your father say to that garden?" + +"I'll tell him my 'horse' ran away," said Bun. + +"Well," said his mother, "don't you bring him into this yard again. Do +your pig-training on the pigs' side of the fence. Come, now; it's time +you went on your errand." + +"Come on, Rube," remarked Bun. "We'll see about a better harness." + +"May I go too?" asked Jeff. "I'm all scratched up." + +"Come on, then. You may haul the wagon if you want to." + +In a few minutes more they were all away up the street; but the speckled +pig over in the barn-yard seemed to be in a manner grunting his +morning's experiences for the information of his three relatives. Every +now and then, too, one of them answered him with a grunt that seemed to +have surprise in it, for neither of them had ever before heard of or +from a pig in harness. + + + + +[Illustration: "SAIL A BOAT."] + + + + +[Illustration: MOVING DAY.] + + + + +[Illustration: OUR POST-OFFICE BOX.] + + +How the Postmistress wishes, on these bright May mornings, that she +could turn herself into a fairy godmother! + +"What would she do then," do you ask? + +Why, print ever so many more of the dear little letters, bright stories, +and tangled puzzles which every day are dropped for her into Uncle Sam's +great mail-bags by the children's hands. + +Her heart almost aches sometimes when she has to put aside so many +clever, amusing, and affectionate letters which can not possibly be +crowded into Our Post-office Box. Still, the dear little folks are too +sensible to be vexed at the Postmistress, when she can not possibly help +herself. You all know she must try to be fair in her treatment of each +of her host of correspondents. + +When you have anything interesting to write, do not mind even though you +may have sent two or three letters already and they have not appeared. +Write again. + +Now for a word to the Exchangers. I am sorry that several complaints +have come about careless little people who forget, when they send their +exchanges, to inclose plain directions as to where they live; and, worse +still, stories have been told about some who appear to be dishonorable. +I will _not_ believe that a single boy who reads YOUNG PEOPLE ever +willfully cheats another boy. I am sure this can not happen. But I fear +that some lads do not attend as they ought to the standing notice at the +head of our exchange list, and I think some may not be sufficiently +careful to fully prepay the postage on their budgets, and so the pretty +treasures and rare curiosities are sent away to the Dead-letter Office. + +Please be very careful about this in future. + + * * * * * + +Charlie's letter has been waiting its turn a long time, but his pleasant +way of telling about what he saw on the other side of the Atlantic has +lost nothing of its freshness, while lying in the Postmistress's drawer: + + NEW YORK CITY. + + I went up to the top of Mount Vesuvius, and it burned my feet, and + almost suffocated me with smoke. We were about three hours going + up. First we rode in a carriage for two hours, and then we took a + car, something like the car at Mount Washington, except that the + engine did not go along with us, but was left at the station from + which we started, and we were pulled up by a wire rope. When we got + out of the car, mamma and papa were carried in chairs on men's + shoulders, but as I am only nine years old, a man took me on his + back and carried me up. I had been carried in Switzerland on a + man's back before this, when we crossed the Mer de Glace (that is + French for sea of ice). The man said I was a heavy boy, but I think + I am not so fat now as then. + + I brought home a lot of foreign coin and stamps and curiosities. A + little girl gave me a bullet at Waterloo that she said she found in + the field. I drove over the road that Napoleon built across the + Alps, and saw at the house where the monks live the big dogs that + go out and find travellers when lost in the snow. I like to read + about Napoleon. I went to his tomb when we were in Paris; it is all + built of marble, and the church too. + + We had awful bad weather coming home, and I had a big pitcher of + water thrown all over me when asleep in my berth. + + CHARLIE P. R. + + * * * * * + + CARLINVILLE, ILLINOIS. + + I would like to tell Wickie J. M., of Ann Arbor, about two little + brothers who are as fond of playing marbles as he is. Their names + are Harry and Louis W., of this place. I am Harry. Mamma does not + think marbles a very nice game, because we wear such big holes in + the knees of our pants and stockings. We don't intend to play it + very often any more, but are trying to get a collection of pretty + ones. I would like to take a peep into that bag of beautiful + marbles of yours, Wickie. We never play keeps. + + Louis is six and I am eight years of age. We both go to school, and + take lessons on the piano. The only pets we have now are four + little kittens, whose eyes are just open. We once had two rabbits, + but they were killed by dogs. The mother of our little kittens is a + beautiful tortoise-shell and white cat. She does not like children + very much, but she catches rats and mice. She always wants mamma to + notice her when she has a mouse, and when she can will bring it to + her and purr and rub around her until she speaks to her. + + There are apple-trees in our yard, and every spring a great many + robins and other birds come and build in them. Louis and I often + feed them. One day we put some bread in some empty cigar-boxes and + set them on the ground for the birds; but they did not eat out of + the boxes, so we emptied the bread off the ground, and very soon we + saw a number of birds eating it. I think they did not like the + smell of tobacco which was about the boxes. Last year two robins + had a nest of young ones in one of the trees. The old cat killed + the mother, and the father fed and took care of the little robins + until they were grown. The cat killed so many birds last year that + we had to keep her shut up in the chicken-coop a great deal of the + time. + + I must tell you that we have a dear little blue-eyed brother nearly + three years old, named Willis, whom we all think lovelier and + sweeter than any other pet. + + Mamma wishes me to tell you of a few funny things that Louis has + said. One day, when he was about five years old, mamma was teaching + him his Sunday-school lesson, and she asked the question, "How did + Adam and Eve feel when the angel drove them out of the garden?" He + answered, "Dus spendid." He had been told a story of a little boy + who was lost. After the parents and friends had searched the woods + and town in vain, he was found in the hay-loft fast asleep. Louis + said, "When a little boy is lost, you must always look in the + hay-loft, for that is a _specially_ place for boys." One very warm + and dusty day, while at play, Louis in some way got the top of his + head quite covered with dirt and ashes. When mamma saw it, she + said, "Why, Louis, I believe I could plant potatoes on the top of + your head." He said, "But you mustn't; for if you should, when I go + up town everybody would say, 'Hello, garden!'" + + I have not learned to write with a pen, and I suppose you will + think my letter is not written very nicely. If it will do to put in + the Post-office Box, it will surprise and please my papa very much + to see it there. + + HARRY W. + +If the four new kittens should resemble their mother, I'm afraid the +robins will have to fly away from your apple-trees, Harry. Thank your +mamma for remembering those nice stories about Louis. Next time she must +tell us some of your droll little speeches. + + * * * * * + +LATE. + + The minute-hand points to the quarter, + And Jennie is there at the gate; + The clock is too fast, I am certain-- + It always is fast when I'm late. + There! Jennie has gone on without me. + Mean thing! pray why couldn't she wait? + + Has any one seen my examples? + Please, mother, help look for my slate. + I wonder who last had the shoe-hook; + My pencil has dropped in the grate. + How everything hinders a person + So sure as a person is late! + + * * * * * + + GLENDALE, OHIO. + + As I have never seen a letter from this place. I thought I would + write one to Our Post-office Box. + + We are to have our school picnic next month, and we shall have a + Queen and King. We have not selected them yet, but intend doing so + in about two weeks. We will have a May-pole dance and a band of + music. All the scholars are looking forward to the day with great + pleasure. I will write again after the picnic, and tell you all + about it. + + CARRIE C. + +Are the King and Queen chosen to their positions for their beauty, their +scholarship, or their winning ways? I suppose the other pupils vote for +them. Do you remember the story of "Susie Kingman's Decision," and has +anything like it ever happened in your school? When I was a little girl +I used to look forward to our May party just as you do. We elected our +Queen and her Maids of Honor, but had no King, as our only boy +school-mates were little fellows just tall enough to make the sweetest +small pages you ever saw. The Queen's crown was a wreath of roses, and +two of the girls carried it between them to the woods on a board. + + * * * * * + + INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA. + + I am a little boy eight years old. I have taken your paper almost + two years. I like every story in it, and think they are all good. I + like to read the letters. I go to school every day, and am in the + Third Reader, and like my teacher. Every time it rains very hard + here White River overflows. This is the capital of the State, and + they are building a new State-house of stone. They have been + working on it for the last three years, and it will take them three + more at least to finish it. I have but one pet, a bird, which we + call Trouble, because he was so hard to raise. He is a very pretty + singer. I would like to see this published, as it is the second + letter I have written to you. My ma is writing this for me, as I am + sick. + + H. R. C. + +It is a new idea to call a bird Trouble, after the trouble he gave, +isn't it? It would be fair to change his name to Pleasure, now that he +sings so well. I hope, dear, that you have by this time quite recovered +from your illness. + + * * * * * + +BIRDIE M.--Please pardon me for not having sooner thanked you for the +pretty daffodil which you sent in your letter all the way from Cherokee, +Kansas. Now, to pay you for it, let me give you a pretty poem from the +poet Wordsworth, to copy into your little book of extracts. In fact, I +would be glad to hear that a great many of my little friends had done +the same. It is a good plan to copy gems of thought from great authors +into little books of our own. Even though you may not quite understand +the poet's meaning in these verses, you will like their musical sound, +and, believe me, that when you are older the meaning will be plain to +you: + + I wandered lonely as a cloud + That floats on high o'er vales and hills, + When all at once I saw a crowd, + A host of golden daffodils, + Beside the lake, beneath the trees, + Fluttering and dancing in the breeze. + + Continuous as the stars that shine + And twinkle on the Milky Way, + They stretched in never-ending line + Along the margin of the bay; + Ten thousand saw I at a glance, + Tossing their heads in sprightly dance. + + The waves beside them danced, but they + Outdid the sparkling waves in glee; + A poet could not but be gay + In such a jocund company. + I gazed and gazed, but little thought + What wealth the show to me had brought. + + For oft, when on my couch I lie + In vacant or in pensive mood, + They flash upon that inward eye + Which is the bliss of solitude, + And then my heart with pleasure fills, + And dances with the daffodils. + + * * * * * + +A LITTLE BOY'S COMPOSITION.--The subject assigned by mamma was +"Quadrupeds." Ernest retired to the attic, and wrote very patiently +until he had finished this, which is not so bad for a first attempt: + + "Quadrupeds are animals. Animals live on grass, hay, oats, bran, + and water. A quadruped is anything that has four legs." + +That was all Ernest could possibly think of. But mamma, who sends it, +wants the children to say whether everything with four legs is, of +course, a quadruped. + +Here is another little composition, by a wee girlie, who writes about +kittens: + + "I have a little kitty, jet-black, full of frisking and fun, and I + hope she will _never_ get to be a dreadful old cat, and run away. + She plays with my apron strings, and likes a red ball best of any. + My sister Lucy, when she went to the store, asked the shoe man for + a pair of shoes for a baby without any heels on. This is all I can + write about kittens. + + "LOTTIE (aged 8)." + + * * * * * + + OSAKIS, MINNESOTA. + + My aunt sends me YOUNG PEOPLE, and I read it as soon as it comes + from the Post-office. We live on the bank of the most beautiful + lake in the world. The lake is twelve miles long, and is full of + fish. Boat-riding and fishing are our chief amusements. I am the + only girl in the family, and my papa says that I am the prettiest + girl in the Northwest. + + LUNETTA E. C. + +Don't let papa make you vain, dear. That would be a great misfortune, +wouldn't it? Do you tell him that he is the best and handsomest papa in +the whole United States? I am sure you think so. + + * * * * * + + CLARKSTOWN, NEW YORK. + + We thought we would like to tell about our pets. We each have a + rabbit. One is black with a white breast, and the other two are + white and gray. We give them apple-wood, and they peel the bark off + so clean! We have two cats, both gray. One of them is very old; we + call her Kitty Gray. The other is a kitten, and is named + Christopher. He will run up my dress to fetch a piece of bread + which I hold as high as I can. We have eight bantams; one of them + is blind. We ourselves write a paper called "The Monthly Budget"; + we compose it all. We like YOUNG PEOPLE very much. I am ten. Robert + is eight, and Pauline is five. We can all read. + + MARIANNE W. + +Send me a copy of your "Budget," please. I would like to have a peep at +it. + + * * * * * + + HUNTINGTON, WEST VIRGINIA. + + The boiler in a flour mill here blew up the other day. It lifted + the large chimney away up in the air, and that came down with an + awful crash. When the boiler blew up it shook all the houses near + it. It blew the large water tank that was on the roof clear up into + the air. Pieces of the boiler and engine were blown across the + street. Some bricks and large pieces of timber were blown over the + street, and burst in the side of a house. There was a real large + barrel factory that caught fire here, and the fire-engine worked + from seven until eleven o'clock, but could not stop it, it had got + under headway so much. It rained almost every day in the next week, + but the fire kept on smoking. We have good teachers at our day + school. I am ten years old, and study spelling, reading, + arithmetic, grammar, and geography. + + CHARLIE A. P. + +What an exciting time you have had between the explosion and the fire! I +am afraid you boys enjoyed the fun more than you thought about the +calamities. + +Not long ago I saw an explosion of a different kind. Some boys were +playing marbles near my house, and a quarrel had arisen. One little man +jumped up, shook his fist at another, and with blazing eyes said, "You +just get me mad, now, and see what I'll do!" He looked as though he +might turn into a torpedo on the spot. It made me think of a Bible verse +which I like very much: "Better is he that ruleth his spirit than he +that taketh a city." I fear the angry boy had not learned that verse by +heart, if, indeed, he had ever heard of it. + + * * * * * + + GRATTAN, MICHIGAN. + + Although I am thirteen years old, I am not too old to write to a + young people's paper. I went to school in the winter, but just a + week before school closed the school-house burned. My papa owns a + hop yard, and in the fall we have a number of girls to pick hops. I + like to pick quite well, but when the sun is hot the hops settle, + and you don't get your box full so quickly. I have only two pets. + One is a large, playful yellow-dog, and the other is a ferret. Her + name is Jennie, and she is very nice. She looks very much like a + weasel, only her fur is yellow and black. She likes bread and milk + very much, and if we give her a cracker she will run and hide it. + We can take a saucer of milk and hold it up a foot and a half from + the floor, and she will jump and catch hold of the edge of the + saucer and eat. I have taken YOUNG PEOPLE for about four months, + and like it real well. This is the first letter I have ever written + to a paper. + + OLLIE L. W. + +So even a ferret appreciates kindness! It must be a pretty sight when +the girls go out to pick the hops. I am sure they have a happy time over +their work. Are they paid according to the number of boxes they fill in +a day? + + * * * * * + +JOSIE E. L.--For a little girl still in the Primary Department your +letter is very well written indeed. I hope the new Maltese kitten will +be as cunning and as great a pet as the one that died. + + * * * * * + +MARGARET S. S.--Your account of your travels almost took away my breath. +Twice across the continent; twice from New York, by Panama, and thence +by steamer, to San Francisco; and then, last summer in the Yosemite! You +are a fortunate girl to have seen so many places. Well, dear, when you +grow up you will have many pleasant and some droll things to remember, +and you will not be a timid or fussy traveller, making every one around +you uncomfortable. Your room must be very beautiful, decorated as you +describe it. I presume your sister and you are both fond of natural +history. + + * * * * * + +C. Y. P. R. U. + +EFFIE D.--Pot-pourri is a French word which means a mixture. In music it +is used to describe a piece or a series of pieces in which fragments of +various melodies are oddly contrasted. But its prettier meaning, and the +one which you will probably like to carry out for yourself, is that by +which it was known to our grandmothers when they were young. The +pot-pourri was a vase or jar into which rose petals, sprigs of lavender, +bits of fern, and other delicate flowers were thrown, often with +perfumes and essences, and all the year round it shed a faint sweetness +through the parlor where it stood. + + * * * * * + +The Postmistress was much interested, not long ago, in the description +given by an English lady residing in Pekin of the funeral of a Chinese +Empress. The manners and customs of China are not at all like our own. +Their way of showing their love and respect for the dead is quite +different from ours, as you will see by reading about the procession +which followed the lady Tung-tai-how to her resting-place in the +Imperial Tombs. Her body was inclosed in a splendid coffin, and the +tablet telling her name and the story of her life was hung in a niche in +the Temple of Ancestors. The road to the Tombs was spread with yellow +earth, and banners were hung across it at intervals, while blue cloth +was festooned at crossings, and wherever there was danger that the +curious eyes of the common people should peep at the tablet. In complete +silence came the imperial umbrella, flag, and Sedan-chair, all of +beautiful yellow satin. The chair containing the tablet was carried by +eight bearers in crimson dresses with yellow spots. It was followed by a +train of Mandarins in court dress, their garments glittering with +embroidery. After them came a troop of spearmen, wearing yellow jackets +with black sleeves, and bearing long slender lances. + +On arriving at the Temple of Ancestors, which is within the palace, the +procession was met by some of the ministers of state and the princes. +The tablet was lifted to its place of honor, and then the ceremonies +were over for the time, though offerings will be placed before it, as +before the tablets of other ancestors, whenever any event of importance +takes place in the royal family. + +Perhaps some of you do not know that the Chinese worship their +ancestors. They fancy that the souls of the dead linger around these +tablets, and so they place food, clothing, and money near them. Even the +poorest consider this a sacred duty. Every home has its tablets, if not +its ancestral hall. It is their idea that the spiritual part only of the +food is eaten by the dead, and so, after a while, most families use the +rice and fruit themselves. Money and clothing are represented by paper, +which, at stated periods, is very devoutly burned before the shrines. + + * * * * * + +TWO AMUSING GAMES.--By the same mail which brought the Postmistress a +letter from the pupils of the Prairie Mound School, Watkins, Iowa, +asking her to tell them of a nice game to play at recess, came another +letter from St. Louis, Missouri, telling of two games. So what can be +better than to let Olga answer the Prairie-Mounders? The Postmistress is +sure they were thinking of games for rainy days. On fine days top, ball, +I-spy, and tag usually enlist active boys and girls, and those are the +best plays for them which give them wholesome exercise in the open air: + + I have two very interesting games that may be played in-doors--one + is called "Cross-Purposes," and the other is "The Cook who likes no + Peas." The first is played in the following manner: One player goes + around among the circle, and whispers in each one's ear an answer + which he is to make to the next player who shall come after him + asking questions. For instance, Charles goes around to Nos. 1, 2, + 3, and 4. To No. 1 he whispers, "Hot, sweet, and strong," to No. 2, + "With pepper and vinegar," to No. 3, "With my best love," and to + No. 4, "No, indeed." Jane comes after Charles to ask any questions + her own wit may suggest. She asks No. 1, "What kind of a week have + you passed?" No. 1 answers, "Hot, sweet, and strong." She asks No. + 2, "Shall you ever marry?" No. 2 answers, "With pepper and + vinegar." To No. 3, "How will you keep house on these?" No. 3 + answers, "With my best love." To No. 4, "Where do you live?" No. 4 + answers, "No, indeed." Much amusement is sometimes made by the + total variance of the questions and answers, and sometimes a very + hard blow is administered to some of the company, but of course no + offense can be taken. + + Now for "The Cook who likes no Peas." The leader of the game must + put the following question to his right-hand neighbor, and also to + all the players in succession: "My cook likes no peas; what shall I + give her to eat?" If any player replies, "Potatoes, apples, and + parsnips," the other answers, "She does not like them--pay a + forfeit." But if another says, "Onions, carrots, veal," she likes + them, and consequently no forfeit is required of the player. The + trick of this game is evident: it is the letter "p" that must be + avoided. Thus, to escape the penalty of a forfeit, it is necessary + that the player should propose some kind of food in which the + letter "p" does not occur. + + OLGA C. B. + + * * * * * + +We would call the attention of the C. Y. P. R. U. this week to the +article, by Sarah Cooper, entitled "How Jelly-Fish Live and Move"; to +the story of shipwreck entitled the "Loss of the HALSEWELL," and told +under the head of "Peril and Privation" by Mr. James Payn; and to the +article on fencing, by Sherwood Ryse, entitled "A Princely Art." + + * * * * * + +Correct answers to puzzles have been received from "Fleur-de-lis," Kitty +Hoyt, Jennie Belknap, Jack Hayes, Robbie Keyes, Mary Jane Nichols, +"Lodestar," H. W. B., "Bo-Peep," Mary Stansbery, Emily Atkinson, G. P. +Taggart, Samuel S. Wolfsohn, S. May, Herman Metz, William H. Shine, +B. J. Lautz, L. E. C., Caspar Van Gieson, Lillie D., Willie T. Blew, +Smith Olcott, Lulu Payne, Dudley Long, Henry Clayton, Fanny Grey, John +Hobson, Archie McIntosh, Dick Fanshaw, Thomas B. Irons, Elsie V. Bess, +Mollie Ramsay, "I. Scycle," D. Herman Winter, Jun., Allie E. +Cressingham, "Benny Fishel," Eddie Lawler, and Everett C. F. + + * * * * * + +PUZZLES FROM YOUNG CONTRIBUTORS. + +No. 1. + +CHARADE. + +1. A little pool (so called in England). + +2. A little pool (so called in Scotland). + +Whole--A city in Ireland. + + J. P. B. + + * * * * * + +No. 2. + +WORDS WITHIN WORDS (GEOGRAPHICAL). + +(The word defined is contained, without transposition, between the first +and last letters of the second). + + 1. An ancient city in an ancient plain. + 2. A passage in a church in a large town in Scotland. + 3. A girl in a town in Switzerland. + 4. An attorney in a town in Italy. + 5. Always in a river of England. + 6. An Austrian river in trouble. + 7. A domestic animal in a lake of Russia. + + J. P. B. + + * * * * * + +No. 3. + +ENIGMA. + + In bed, but not in sleep, + In boil, but not in steep. + In can't, but not in could. + In bark, but not in wood. + In stay, but not in stood. + My whole, though a great trouble, + Is a book that all should keep. + + MABEL M. S. + + * * * * * + +No. 4. + +GEOGRAPHICAL PUZZLE. + + I am the name of a favorite English novelist, and am composed of + fourteen letters. + My 2, 6, 5, 12, 13, 3 is a city in Arkansas. + My 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 is a cape on the Atlantic coast. + My 4, 6, 8 is a river in Louisiana. + My 14, 13, 3, 11, 12 is a river in Idaho. + My 6, 4, 9, 12 is one of the great lakes. + My 10, 5, 9, 13, 10, 2 is a river in Virginia. + + OLIVETTE. + + * * * * * + +No. 5. + +TWO DIAMONDS. + +1.--1. A letter. 2. A tag. 3. Emaciation. 4. A stout satin-striped silk. +5. The slanting bank opposite the tow-path. 6. To perceive. 7. A letter. + +2.--1. A letter. 2. A receptacle. 3. Pipes. 4. Hollow. 5. To beat. 6. A +boy's nickname. 7. A letter. + + FOSSIL. + + * * * * * + +No. 6. + +BEHEADINGS. + + 1. I am a home; behead me, and I am a fluid. + 2. I measure time; behead me, and I am a fastening. + 3. I am burnt; behead me, and I am a conjunction. + 4. I am a factory; behead me, and I am sick. + 5. I am a being; behead me, and I am a part of speech. + 6. I am a pleasant pastime; behead me, and I am a girl's name. + 7. I am used in hunting; behead me, and I indicate the summer. + 8. I am a boy's name; behead me, and I am part of a verb. + 9. I am a mechanical instrument; behead me, and I never end. + + P. F. S. + + * * * * * + +ANSWERS TO PUZZLES IN No. 129. + +No. 1. + + T opmos T + I ndian A + T ormen T + T aproo T + L itera L + E pidot E + +No. 2. + +Eli Whitney. Victor Hugo. Boy. + +No. 3. + + C R E S T + R E A C H + E A G E R + S C E N E + T H R E E + +No. 4 + + P C + P I G T H E + P I A N O C H I N A + G N U E N D + O A + + P + P A D + P A N I C + D I N + C + + * * * * * + +[_For Exchanges, see 2d and 3d pages of cover._] + + + + +[Illustration] + +HOW THE DANDELIONS GROW. + + + How do they grow? Why, little sprites + Pop up from the ground on starry nights; + One, with a candle, sits aloft, + Another rakes till all is soft; + Then one little elf a bellows wields; + He scatters the seed o'er dewy fields. + And now, small people, you surely know + The way that the dandelions grow. + + * * * * * + +A DOG WHO LIKED CATS. + +Poodles are, in some respects, the most intelligent of all species of +dogs. This is the reason why the performing dogs who are taught to do +all sorts of curious tricks are almost always poodles. There was a lady +who owned a large poodle which was very fond of walking with her. Every +day at about ten o'clock he would find the articles of dress that he +thought she ought to wear out-of-doors, and would bring them to her, and +bark loudly until she would put them on. He always insisted that she +should wear rubber overshoes, no matter what the weather might be, but +he never brought her an umbrella except when it rained. It was very nice +in him to wait on his mistress; but sometimes, when he would drag her +best bonnet by one string down stairs and through the whole house until +he found her, she would not remember to thank him as heartily as he +imagined that he deserved. + +Unlike most dogs, this poodle liked cats. He had intelligence enough to +perceive that cats had their uses, and that it was much better to use +them than to waste them recklessly by killing them. In the family where +he lived there were at one time two large cats. Now the poodle was not +allowed to wear any wool except on his head, fore-quarters, tail, and +legs, and the consequence was that in the winter he suffered from the +cold. He therefore made friends with the cats by giving them scraps of +his dinner, and so induced them to come and lie down by him when he +wanted a nap. With one cat on each side of him he was quite warm and +comfortable, and when the cats showed signs of wakefulness he would put +them to sleep by licking their fur with his rough tongue. + +The two cats finally died or ran away, and a small kitten took their +place. The dog did not think it worth while to waste bones on the +kitten, as she was a weak, foolish little beast, who fancied that she +must do whatever the poodle wanted. When he felt sleepy, he would go +into the kitchen and find his kitten. Picking her up in his mouth, he +would walk slowly through the house until he found a nice sunny spot on +a soft carpet, when he would lie down, placing the kitten close to him. +If any one called him while he was walking about with the kitten in his +mouth, he would throw her away with a toss of his head, never caring +where she might land. This rough treatment, together with the fact that +he would sometimes pick the kitten up by the tail or the head, and carry +her for several minutes in a most trying position, proved too much for +the meek little animal's constitution, and one day, to his great +disappointment, the dog found her dead, and so cold that she was no +longer of the slightest use to him. + +It is a great pity that other dogs have not discovered that cats can be +put to good use if dogs only take a little pains to win their friendship +and develop their useful qualities. But dogs are too often reckless and +thoughtless, and prefer to waste valuable cats in order to enjoy for a +few moments the pleasures of the chase. + + * * * * * + +AN EVENING AMUSEMENT. + +DROPPING MELTED LEAD. + +From far-away Russia we may learn of a pretty custom which Florence and +Fanny might propose some evening when the cousins and school-mates have +gathered for an hour or two of fun. It forms one of the traditional +amusements of the New-Year festival, but you might try it at any period +of the year. + +Pin a large white sheet against the wall. Have ready a basin of cold +water, and over the fire melt a quantity of lead. Let some one drop this +liquid lead by spoonfuls into the water. It of course cools quickly, and +hardens into shape. Hold it up, and observe the shadow it casts on the +sheet. If this is like a boat, or a sleigh, or a horse and phaeton, it +is a sign that somebody in the company will soon start on a journey. +Should it assume the shape of a blossoming bough, it betokens the speedy +convalescence of a friend who is ill; if it resembles a dove, you may be +sure that Albert and Elsie, who have quarrelled, will soon be +reconciled. In short, by the aid of a vivid imagination, you may fancy +that the lead tells you almost anything you wish to hear. + + * * * * * + +[Illustration: SPRING SPORTS--"SKIPPITY-HOP."] + + + + + +End of Project Gutenberg's Harper's Young People, May 9, 1882, by Various + +*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 57796 *** |