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diff --git a/59184-0.txt b/59184-0.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..3f68cab --- /dev/null +++ b/59184-0.txt @@ -0,0 +1,3201 @@ +*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 59184 *** + + + + + + + + + + + +[Illustration: HARPER'S ROUND TABLE] + +Copyright, 1896, by HARPER & BROTHERS. All Rights Reserved. + + * * * * * + +PUBLISHED WEEKLY. NEW YORK, TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 1896. FIVE CENTS A +COPY. + +VOL. XVII.--NO. 880. TWO DOLLARS A YEAR. + + * * * * * + + + + +[Illustration] + +A VIRGINIA CAVALIER. + +BY MOLLY ELLIOT SEAWELL. + +CHAPTER XIII. + + +Some weeks were spent at Greenway Court, and George slipped back into +the same life he had led for so long in the autumn. Instead, however, of +reading in the evenings, Lord Fairfax and himself spent the time in +studying rude maps of the region to be explored, and talking over the +labors of the coming summer. The Earl told George that William Fairfax +had heard of the proposed expedition, and was so anxious to go as +George's assistant that his father was disposed to gratify him if it +could be arranged. + +"But I shall not communicate with him until I have talked with you, +George," said the Earl; "for William, although a hardy youngster, and +with some knowledge of surveying, is still but a lad, and there might be +serious business in hand. However, this season's surveys are not to be +far from here, so that if you care for his company I see no reason why +he should not go." + +"I should be very glad to have him," replied George, blushing a little. +"I did a very unhandsome thing to William Fairfax while we were at Mount +Vernon at Christmas, and he was so manful about it that I think more of +him than ever, and I believe he would be an excellent helper." + +"An unhandsome thing?" repeated the Earl, in a tone of inquiry. + +"Knocked him sprawling, sir, in my brother's house. My brother was very +much offended with me, and I was ashamed of myself." + +"But you are good friends now?" + +"Better than ever, sir, for William behaved as well as I behaved ill, +and if he is willing to come with me I shall be glad to have him." + +"I shall send an express, then, to Belvoir, and William will be here in +a few days. And now I have something else to propose to you. My man +Lance is very anxious to see the new country, although he has not +directly asked my permission to go; but the poor fellow has served me so +faithfully that I feel like indulging him. Only a lettered man, my dear +George, can stand with cheerfulness this solitude month after month and +year after year as I do, and although Lance is a man of great natural +intelligence, he never read a book through in his life, so that his +time is often heavy on his hands. I think a few months of mountaineering +would be a godsend to him in his lonely life up here, and I make no +doubt at all that you would be glad to have him with you." + +"Glad, sir! I would be more glad than I can say. But what is to become +of you without Lance?" + +"I can get on tolerably well without him for a time," replied the Earl, +smiling. And the unspoken thought in his mind was, "And I shall feel +sure that there is a watchful and responsible person in company with the +two youngsters I shall send out." + +"And Billy, of course, will go with me," said George, meditatively. +"Why, my lord, it will be a pleasure-jaunt." + +"Get all the happiness you can out of it, George; I have no fear that +you will neglect your work." + +Within two weeks from that day William Fairfax had arrived and the party +was ready to start. It was then the 1st of April, and not much +field-work could be done until May. But Lord Fairfax found it impossible +to hold in his young protégés. As for Lance, he was the most eager of +the lot to get away. Cut off from association with his own class, +nothing but his devotion to Lord Fairfax made the isolated life at +Greenway Court endurable to him; and this prospect of variety in his +routine, where, to a certain degree, he could resume his campaigning +habits, was a fascinating change to him. + +The Earl, with a smile and a sigh at the loss of George and William's +cheerful company and Lance's faithful attendance, saw them set forth at +sunrise on an April morning. George, mounted on the new half-bred horse +that Lord Fairfax had given him, rode side by side with William Fairfax, +who was equally well mounted. He carried the most precious of his +surveying instruments, and two little books, closely printed, which the +Earl had given him the night before. One was a miniature copy of +Shakespeare's plays, and the other a small volume of Addison's works. + +Behind them, on one of the stout cobs commonly used by the outriders on +Lord Fairfax's journey to lower Virginia, rode Lance. + +The old soldier was beaming with delight. He neither knew nor cared +anything about surveying, but he was off for what he called a campaign, +in company with two youths full of life and fire, and it made him feel +like a colt. He had charge of the commissary, and a led-horse was loaded +with the tent, the blankets, and such provisions as they could carry, +although they expected their guns and fishing-rods to supply their +appetites. Behind them all rode Billy on an old cart-horse. Billy was +very miserable. He had no taste for campaigning, and preferred the fare +of a well-stocked kitchen to such as one could get out of woods and +streams. George had been so disgusted with Billy's want of enterprise +and devotion to the kitchen rations that he had sternly threatened to +leave the boy behind, at which Billy had howled vociferously, and had +got George's promise not to leave him. Nevertheless, a domestic life +suited Billy much better than an adventurous one. + +What a merry party they were when they set off! Lord Fairfax stood on +the porch watching them as long as they were in sight, and when, on +reaching a little knoll, both boys turned and waved their hats at him, +he felt a very lonely old man, and went sadly into the quiet house. + +The party travelled on over fairly good mountain roads all that day, and +at night made their first camp. They were within striking distance of a +good tavern, but it was not in boy nature to seek comfort and +civilization when camping out was possible. + +George realized the treasure he had in Lance when, in an inconceivably +short time, the tent was set up and supper was being prepared. The +horses were taken care of by George and William, who got from a lonely +settler's clearing a feed of corn for them. Meanwhile, with a kettle, a +pan, and a gridiron, Lance had prepared a supper fit for a king, so the +hungry boys declared. Billy had actually been made to go to work, and to +move when he was spoken to. The first thing he was told to do by Lance +was to make a fire. Billy was about to take his time to consider the +proposition, when Lance, who was used to military obedience, instantly +drew a ramrod from one of the guns, and gave Billy a smart thwack across +his knuckles with it. Billy swelled with wrath. Lance he esteemed to be +a "po' white," and, as such, by no means authorized to make him stir. + +"Look a-heah, man," said Billy, loftily, "you 'ain' got no business +a-hittin' Marse George's nigger." + +"I haven't, eh?" was Lance's rejoinder, giving Billy another whack, "Do +you make that fire, you rapscallion, or you get no supper. And make it +quick, d'ye hear? Oh, I wish I had had you in the Low Countries, under +my old drill-sergeant! You would have got what Paddy gave the drum!" + +Billy, thus admonished, concluded it would be better to mind, and +although he felt sure that "Marse George" would give him his supper, yet +he was not at present in high favor with that young gentleman, and did +not want to take any risks in the matter. However, he did not really +exert himself, until Lance said, severely: "I have a great mind to ask +Mr. Washington to send you back to Greenway Court. It is not too far." + +At that Billy suddenly became very industrious. Now George, on the other +side of the tent currying his horse, heard the whole affair, and when +they were called to supper he threw out a hint that his servitor might +be sent back, which threat then and forever after acted on Billy like a +galvanic battery. + +George and William thought, as they sat by the fire in the woods eating +their rude but palatable supper, that they were the luckiest creatures +in the world. They were exhilarated rather than fatigued by their day's +work. A roaring fire cast a red glare among the rocks and trees, and +warmed the keen cold air of the spring night in the mountains. Within +their tent were piles of cedar boughs for beds, and blankets to cover +them. + +William Fairfax had never heard any of Lance's interesting stories, +although George had told him of them. When supper was over, and the boys +had an hour before turning in, George induced Lance to tell of some of +his adventures in the wars of the Spanish Succession. They were deeply +interesting, for Lance was a daring character, and had seen many strange +vicissitudes. Billy and Rattler, who were not very much interested in +the proceedings, dropped asleep early, and George, throwing a blanket +over Billy, let him lie and snore before the fire until it was time to +take to the tent. After a while Lance said: + +"It was the Duke of Marlborough's way to have all the lights out early; +and I think, Mr. Washington, if we want to make an early start, we had +better turn in now." + +George and William, nothing loath, betook themselves to their beds of +boughs within the tent. Lance preferred to lie just in the doorway, the +flap being left up for air. The boys noticed that he very carefully took +off his shoes and washed his feet in a pail of ice-cold water brought +from a spring near by. + +"Why do you do that, Lance?" asked George, who thought it rather severe +treatment. + +"Because that's the way to keep your feet in order, sir, and to keep +from taking cold in a campaign; and I recommend you and Mr. Fairfax to +try it for a regular thing," answered Lance. + +Within two days they reached the point where they must leave their +horses and really begin their work. They struck now into a wilderness, +full of the most sublime scenery, and with a purity of air and a wild +beauty of its own that would appeal to the most sluggish imagination. +George had found William Fairfax to be a first-rate camping companion, +and he proved to be an equally good assistant in surveying. George was +not only an accurate but a very rapid surveyor, and William was equal to +every demand made upon him. Although they carried their guns along when +at work, they shot but little game, leaving that to Lance, and the +trapping of birds and small animals to Billy, who was always willing to +forage for his dinner. They met a few Indians occasionally. Many of the +Indians had never seen surveying instruments, and thought them to be +something miraculous. + +Lance was a genius in the way of making a camp comfortable. Although all +of his experiences had been under entirely different circumstances, in +an old and settled country with a flat surface, he was practical enough +to transmute his knowledge to suit other conditions. He made no pretence +of assisting in the field-work, but when George and William would come +back to camp in the evenings, after a long day's tramp on the mountains, +Lance would always be ready with a good supper, a bed of pine or cedar +branches, and an endless store of tales of life in other days and other +places. In the absence of books, except the two volumes given George by +Lord Fairfax, these story-tellings became a great resource to the two +young fellows, and were established as a regular thing. Although Lance +had been only a private soldier, and was not an educated man, he had +natural military talents, and when they would talk about possibilities +of war with the French upon the frontier, which was then looked upon as +inevitable, Lance clearly foresaw what actually happened years +afterwards. The military instinct was always active in George, and it +developed marvellously. For recreation he and Lance devised many +campaigns against the French and Indians, and proved, on paper at least, +how easy it would be to capture every French fort and block-house from +the Alleghanies to the Great Lakes. George had a provincial's +enthusiastic confidence in regular troops, and was amazed to find Lance +insisting that their usefulness in a campaign in the wilderness was +doubtful. + +"I tell you, Mr. Washington, I have seen a little of the Indian +fighting, and you give a few of those red devils fire-locks, with a +handful of French to direct them, and there is not a General in England +who would know how to fight them. And the worst of it is that the +English despise the Indians, and you could not make an Englishman +believe that he could not lick two Frenchmen until he has been licked. +An English General would want roads and bridges and an artillery train +and a dozen other things that these savages never heard of, while all +they want is a fire-lock and a tree, and they can pick off their man +every time." + +"Then do you think the English will not be able to hold this part of the +country?" asked George. + +"With the militia--yes, sir. Your provincial troops know how to fight +Indians, and can get through a wilderness without making a highway like +a Roman road. But mark my words, Mr. Washington, many a brave fellow has +got to lay down his life before the English learn how to fight in the +woods." + +These prophetic words came back vividly to George before many years had +passed. + +The summer came on apace. Never had George seen anything more beautiful +than the outburst of tree and leaf and flower among these lonely peaks. +The out-door life agreed with him perfectly, as it did with William +Fairfax. They worked hard all the week, always leaving camp before +sunrise, and generally not returning until after sunset. Lance always +had a good fire and a capital supper waiting for them. He fashioned rude +but comfortable seats and tables out of logs, and his impromptu out-door +kitchen was a model of neatness and order. He was an accomplished +launderer, but, after instructing Billy in the art of washing and drying +clothes, turned that branch of their housekeeping over to this young +person, who worked steadily, if unwillingly. On rainy days the boys +remained in their tent, with two large tarpaulins thrown over it to keep +out the water. George then wrote in his journal and read one of his +precious books, William reading the other. On Sundays they took turns in +the morning, after the work of the camp was over, in reading the service +of the Church of England to a congregation composed of Lance, Billy, and +Rattler--the two latter generally going to sleep in the first five +minutes. + +Besides his regular work and having an eye to military operations in +that region, George and William both had an opportunity to study the +animals and birds the forests and mountains harbored. For the first time +they had a chance of closely watching the beaver, and admiring this +great engineer among beasts. They were lost in admiration at the dam +constructed by him, which the most scientific engineering could not +surpass. The brown bear, a good-natured creature that was always +frightened at the sight of a human being, was common to them, and deer +enough to keep their larder supplied were found. Lance was a skilful +fisherman, and the mountain trout was on their daily bill of fare. Tho +only thing they feared was the snakes, but as they always wore long and +stout boots, they escaped being bitten while at their work, and Lance +and Billy kept a close watch on the camp, examining the tent and ground +every night before they slept. It was so cold at night, however, that +they were in but little danger from reptiles then, for no matter how +warm the day, by nightfall a fire was pleasant. + +And so days became weeks, and weeks became months. George had begun his +work with a fierce disappointment gnawing at his heart, and thought he +should never live to see the day when he would not regret that he was +not in the navy. But at sixteen, with health and work, despair cannot +long abide. Before he knew it the pain grew less, and insensibly he +found himself becoming happier. But this was not accomplished by sitting +down and brooding over his troubles; it was done by hard work, by a +powerful will, and the fixed determination to make the best of things. +Before the summer was over he could think, without a pang, of that cruel +blow he had received the day after he reached Ferry Farm. + +Lord Fairfax thought he had not given George too much time when he named +the 1st of October as the date the party would probably return to +Greenway Court. But on a glorious day in early September, when Lord +Fairfax came in from riding over his principality in land, he saw a +young figure that he well knew speeding down the road to meet him, and +recognized George. The boy was much grown, and gave full promise of the +six feet three that he attained in his manhood. His figure was admirably +developed, his fair complexion bronzed, and his bright, expressive eyes +were brilliant with health and spirits. + +Lord Fairfax's pale and worn face lighted up with pleasure, and he +dismounted on seeing George. Arm in arm the two walked up to the great, +quaint house--the man, old before his time, and never losing the sad and +wearied look that showed he had not found life all roses, and the +splendid youth glowing with health and hope and brightness. Lord Fairfax +asked many questions about the work, and George was equally full of +questions about lowland affairs. Of these Lord Fairfax knew little, but +he told George there were a number of letters for him in a desk in the +library. George was all eagerness to get them, as he knew he should find +letters from his mother and Betty and his brother Laurence. + +As they neared the house they passed within view of the kitchen. Billy +had not been off his horse's back half an hour, but he was already +seated in the kitchen door, and between his knees was a huge kettle, in +which were some bacon and beans. In one hand he held a tremendous +hoe-cake, which he shared with Rattler, who was sitting on his haunches, +with an expression of profound satisfaction very like that which +irradiated Billy's dusky features. Neither George nor Lord Fairfax could +forbear laughing, and Billy grinned appreciatively at them. + +But on reading his letters a little later in the library George's face +lost its merry smile. His mother and Betty were quite well only ten days +before--which was late news for that day--but his little playmate +Mildred, at Mount Vernon, was fading fast. One of Madam Washington's +letters, dated about three weeks before, said: + +"I have just come from a visit of eight days to Mount Vernon; your +brother and sister are fairly well, although Laurence will never be of a +robust constitution. But the little girl, I see, is not to be spared us +long. She is now nearly three years old--older than any of Laurence's +other children have lived to be--but there is a blight upon this dear +little innocent, and I doubt whether she will not be a flower in God's +garden by Christmas-time--greatly to her profit, but to the everlasting +grief of her sorrowing parents." + +This letter made George feel as if he would like that very moment to +have his horse saddled and to start for Mount Vernon. But he felt that +with the great interests with which he had been trusted by Lord Fairfax +it would not be right to go without giving an account of his work. He +was sitting sadly enough at the library table, reading his mother's +letter, when Lord Fairfax entered. + +"You have bad news, George," said he, after one glance at the boy's +troubled face. + +"Very bad, sir," replied George, sadly. "My brother's only living child, +a dear little girl, is very ill, I am afraid. My mother writes me she is +fading fast. My poor brother and sister love her so much--she is the +only child that has been spared to them. Three others have all died +before they were a year old." + +"Then you want to go to Mount Vernon as soon as possible?" said the +Earl, reading the unspoken wish in George's heart. + +"Oh, sir, I do want to go; but I think I ought to stay here for some +days, to show you what I have done." + +"One night will be enough, if you will leave your surveys and papers +with me; and perhaps I may myself go down to Mount Vernon later on, when +the little one is either better on earth or eternally well in heaven." + +George looked at him with eloquent eyes. + +"If you will be so kind as to let me go, I will come back just as +soon--" George stopped; he could say no more. + +Although just come from a long journey, so vigorous and robust was +George that he began at once exhibiting his surveys and papers. They +were astonishingly clear, both in statement and in execution; and Lord +Fairfax saw that he had no common surveyor, but a truly great and +comprehensive mind in his young protégé. George asked that William +Fairfax might be sent for; and when he came, told Lord Fairfax how +helpful William had been to him. + +"And you did not have a single falling out while you were together?" +asked Lord Fairfax, with a faint smile. At which both boys answered at +the same time, "No, sir!"--William with a laugh and George with a deep +blush. + +All that day, and until twelve o'clock that night, George and Lord +Fairfax worked on the surveys, and at midnight Lord Fairfax understood +everything as well as if a week had been spent in explaining it to him. + +When daylight came next morning George was up and dressed, his horse and +Billy's saddled and before the door, with Lord Fairfax, Lance, and +William Fairfax to bid him good-by. + +"Good-by, my lord," said George. "I hope we shall soon meet at Mount +Vernon, and that the little girl may get well, after all. Good-by, +William and Lance. You have been the best of messmates; and if my work +should be satisfactory, it will be due as much to you as to me." + +Three days' hard travel brought him to Mount Vernon on a warm September +day. As he neared the house his heart sank at the desolate air of the +place. The doors and windows were all open, and the negroes with solemn +faces stood about and talked in subdued tones. George rode rapidly up to +the house, and, dismounting, walked in. Uncle Manuel, the venerable old +butler, met him at the door, and answered the anxious inquiry in +George's eyes. + +"De little missis, she k'yarn lars' long. She on de way to de bosom o' +de Lamb, w'har tecks keer o' little chillen," he said, solemnly. + +George understood only too well. He went up stairs to the nursery. The +child, white and scarcely breathing, her yellow curls damp on her +forehead, lay in her black mammy's arms. The father and mother, clasped +in each other's arms, watched with agonized eyes as the little life +ebbed away. The old mammy was singing softly a negro hymn as she gently +rocked the dying child: + + "'De little lambs in Jesus' breas' + He hol' 'em d'yar and giv' 'em res'; + He teck 'em by dee little hands, + An' lead 'em th'u' de pleasant lands.'" + +As George stood by her, with tears running down his face, the old mammy +spoke to the child. "Honey," said she, "heah Marse George. Doan' you +know Marse George, dat use ter ride you on he shoulder, an' make de +funny little rabbits on de wall by candle-light?" + +The child opened her eyes, and a look of recognition came into them. +George knelt down by her. She tried to put her little arms around his +neck, and he gently placed them there. The mother and father knelt by +her too. + +"My darling," said the mother, trembling, "don't you know papa and mamma +too?" + +The little girl smiled, and whispered, "Yes--papa and mamma and Uncle +George and my own dear mammy." + +The next moment her eyes closed. Presently George asked, brokenly, + +"Is she asleep?" + +"Yes," calmly answered the devoted old black woman, straightening out +the little body, "she 'sleep heah, but she gwi' wake up in heaben, wid +her little han' in Jesus Chris's; an' He goin' teck keer of her twell we +all gits d'yar. An' po' ole black mammy will see her honey chile oncet +mo'." + +[TO BE CONTINUED.] + + + + +BIRD TAMERS AND TAMING. + +BY W. WARREN BROWN. + + +George Moore from New York was visiting his cousin Frank up in New +England, and was being shown Frank's pet birds. + +"I had a time catching that oriole," said Frank. "The nest was on the +end of a slender limb of the big elm back of the barn. The oriole is the +smartest bird we have, when it comes to house-building, always putting +his hanging nest where even a squirrel is afraid to venture. I got +Jonah, one of father's hired help, to hold the longest ladder we have +under the nest while I climbed to the top of it. Even then I could +barely reach the birds, and had hardly put my hand on a young one when +Jonah, who was puffing and blowing with the strain of holding the heavy +ladder, and me on the top round, nearly lost his balance, so I grabbed +my bird, shinning down in a hurry, I tell you. The one in the last cage +is a bluebird. I took him out of a hollow in an old apple-tree over +there," and he pointed out to George a fine old orchard. + +The following morning the cousins were up at break of day. On their way +down stairs Frank said: "Father only allows me to keep wild birds in +cages on condition I take good care of them. It's my first work in the +morning. Come and see what I do." + +The birds were wide awake, and did not seem at all afraid of their young +master as he quietly withdrew the trays on the bottoms of the cages, +refilling them with sand from a handy barrel. Then fresh water was +supplied to each one, and they all took a drink, throwing their heads +back after each sip. From a covered tin the boy filled the linnet's +seed-cup, first blowing out the empty shells. To the others he gave soft +food. + +"They are soft-billed birds, and must have soft food," he explained, +"They are now fixed for the day," said Frank; "and by the time breakfast +is ready you'll hear some music." + +After the birds came the ducks, chickens, and pigs, all receiving +careful attention, George going the rounds, and laughing to see how the +different creatures expressed their satisfaction for the meal. + +Their own breakfast was now announced by a loud toot from the horn. The +pure country air together with the early rising had given George a fine +appetite as he sat down to the plentiful meal spread before him, and for +a time neither of the youngsters had a word to say. + +The clatter of the knives and forks seemed to excite Frank's pets, for +the bluebird, seconded by the oriole and linnet, gave them a sweet +concert. + +Uncle John replied, when his young guest expressed his pleasure and +surprise on hearing their fine notes: "My son has always been fond of +the wild birds, wanting, when he was younger, to make a collection of +their eggs. I could not allow it, as it is cruel to rob nests, but I +knew the birds, both young and old, have numerous enemies. Snakes, +hawks, owls, and other vermin every year kill so many of them that it's +only by the sharpest lookout the old birds escape at all, while the +younger are devoured as soon as found. Therefore I consented to his +having these birds in the house, taking one young one from a nest of +four varieties of birds he fancied. These little captives, who, if they +have not their liberty, are safe and well cared for here, and besides, +being taken so young with only their pin-feathers on, they do not know +what freedom means as trapped old birds would do." + +Breakfast over, the boys started on an excursion to Black Pond, half a +mile away, a stretch of water sparkling under the sun's rays like a +sheet of silver. + +The route led through a winding lane. In one of the fields by the side +of it, surrounded by a higher fence than usual, the city boy noticed a +very large black and white cow, as he thought, and was in the act of +vaulting the rail to examine her closer, when Frank caught him by the +leg. + +"Thunderation! Don't you know a bull when you see him?" he shouted. "He +is dangerous, and I don't dare to go in that pasture, though I'm sure +there is a bobolink's nest in it that I want to see." + +George felt ashamed of himself at such a mistake, and determined he +would not show his ignorance of the country again. By this time the boys +were within a hundred yards of the pond. Frank proposed a race to see +who would get there first. George was ready for anything. Away they +started, running side by side till three-quarters of the distance was +passed. Here George took the lead, holding it to the water's edge. Frank +opened his eyes, for there was not a boy in F---- his equal in a +foot-race. + +"How did you do it?" he cried, excitedly. + +George's eyes sparkled as he answered, "One has got to know how to use +his legs to play good baseball." + +Birds were numerous now, and Frank told their names, with something of +their habits, to his companion as they watched them. "Look at that +fellow with a gray body, in the thicket. It's a cat-bird, a good singer, +and mimic besides. There are a lot of their nests about here. +Black-snakes eat the young ones. They can climb bushes too. Two weeks +ago on this very spot I noticed one of these beauties flying excitedly +in and out of the alders. I thought something was up, and crept softly +into the thicket. Sure enough, twined around a limb within a foot of a +nest filled with young cat-birds was the biggest blacksnake I ever saw, +over four feet long, and his body was as thick as my wrist. Luckily I +had a stout stick with me. He tried to get away, but I settled his +snakeship with a whack as he reached the ground." + +George wanted to see a blacksnake. + +This wish was soon gratified, for as they passed some granite bowlders a +snake, which was sunning himself on a bit of sand near by, made for the +rocks. The boys grabbed stones, throwing them at him and killing him +before he could gain cover. + +"The birds will thank us for that," said Frank. "I've no doubt this +scamp has devoured a good many of them this summer." + +The boys then made a regular hunt through the alders, finding many +nests, mostly with young ones in them, as it was the first of July, the +experienced country lad discovering most of them, as he knew where to +look for the nest of each variety, whether on a high or low tree, or on +a bush or on the ground. Still George had the pleasure of running onto +two or three nests himself. One was the cat-bird of Frank's story. The +young ones had flown, but an old one soon appeared, scolding and flying +close to the boys' heads. + +"Look sharp, George, the little ones can't be far off, I know by the way +the bird acts," exclaimed Frank. + +[Illustration: THE LITTLE CHAP COULD FLY, HOWEVER, AND REFUSED TO BE +CAUGHT.] + +True enough, after a short and exciting search George spied one on top +of a bush. He knew it was a young bird by its short tail. Creeping +cautiously up, the boy made a dash for him. The little chap could fly, +however, and refused to be caught, hiding himself so cleverly that +though the hunters looked for half an hour, they did not see him again. + +Along with the cat-bird the brown thrasher and wood-thrush rear their +young. A nest of the former was discovered in the fork of a bush near +the ground. The mother was on it, allowing George to almost put his hand +on her before she flew, to alight close by, making a curious clocking +noise. The nest contained four little ones not over a day old. The +cousins admired them, but took care not to handle the naked babies or +disturb their home. Frank took a small book from his pocket and wrote +something in it. + +"What's that for?" asked George. + +"Oh, I'm putting down the date of their birth. I like to know when the +different birds hatch or lay their eggs. To-night I shall transfer this +note into a book full of them. You shall see it if you like." + +They spent the morning and many other mornings searching the fields and +woods, peeking into bird homes, and learning a good deal about them, and +George, before his departure, began to love the happy days spent in this +fascinating way. + +Their afternoons were passed on the surface of Black Pond catching +pickerel or gathering lily-pads, and giving the youngsters great sport. + +George found his vacation ended all too quickly, but gladly promised to +come again the next summer, inviting his cousin to his city home for the +Christmas holidays. + +As he boarded the cars he said to Frank, "I forgot to mention it before, +but in New York there are lots of stores that sell all kinds of birds +from South America, England, and everywhere, so when you are with me +'we'll take them all in.'" + +This promise was so alluring to Frank that he replied, "Look for me the +day before Christmas, for I'm coming, even if I have to walk all the +way." + + + + +IN THE OLD HERRICK HOUSE. + +BY ELLEN DOUGLAS DELAND. + +CHAPTER II. + +When Elizabeth first went into the room she could see nothing. The +window-blinds were tightly closed, and the lack of sunlight out of doors +made it doubly dark within. She had no thought of fear, however, as she +stood motionless for a moment on the inner side of the forbidden door. +The dark had never any terrors for Elizabeth, and her one feeling was +that of elation that her curiosity was at last to be gratified. + +What great secret was she at last to discover in this mysterious +chamber? + +Gradually her eyes became accustomed to the dim twilight. She found her +way to one of the windows and opened the slats of the shutters, letting +in the cool damp air, and relieving the close, musty atmosphere of the +unused room. Then she looked about her and exclaimed aloud with +admiration. + +It was, beyond doubt, the prettiest room in her aunt's house. + +A dainty dressing-table stood between the windows, and the little bed in +the corner was hung with white drapery, now fast yellowing with age. The +wall was covered with an exquisite paper of delicate tints, and soft +rugs lay on the floor. In the corner was a pretty desk, with a sheet of +paper lying on it, and a pen, evidently thrown down in haste. Everything +in the room had the appearance of having been untouched since the former +owner left it, and was covered with a thick coating of dust. + +On the dressing-table was a pile of unopened letters. Elizabeth looked +at them, and found that all but two of them were addressed in the same +hand to "Miss Herrick, No. -- South Fourth Street, Philadelphia." There +were seven altogether; and the remaining two bore the name of her +father, Mr. Edward Herrick. + +How did they get to this room? And how very strange that neither her +father nor her aunt had opened them. The seals had not been touched. + +Very soon Elizabeth made another discovery more startling still. Near +one of the windows stood an easel such as artists use for their work, +and on it was a canvas, its back turned toward the room. Elizabeth +dearly loved pictures, and she carefully lifted this one down and, +turning it toward the light, looked at it. It was an unfinished portrait +of her aunt Caroline. + +The child surveyed it for some minutes, and then replaced it on the +easel as she had found it. What could it all mean? Who had once lived in +this mysterious apartment? It could not have been her father, for she +had frequently been in the room that was formerly his. She had never +heard of any one else in the family. She must certainly ask her aunts if +they had ever used any rooms but those they now occupied. + +And then she heard Marie calling her. She waited until the maid's voice +sounded quite far away, and then Elizabeth closed the window and left +the fascinating chamber, carefully locking the door behind her. + +Then she answered Marie's renewed calls, and submitted to having her +shoes changed, her mind absorbed with the startling revelations which +this rainy afternoon had brought about. + +Miss Herrick was extremely fond of having company to dinner, and there +were but few evenings in the week when she and her sister did not either +entertain in their own house or dine out. On those rare occasions when +they were at home alone Elizabeth came to the table. Otherwise she had +supper by herself and went early to bed. + +To-night she was to dine with her aunts, and she intended to question +them as closely as possible. It would be difficult, for Aunt Caroline +always told her when she became too pressing that children should be +seen and not heard, and other maxims to the same effect, but Elizabeth +made up her mind that this time she should not be daunted. Her aunts +must give her some satisfaction. + +There was another matter also which she had on her mind, and which must +be discussed this evening. + +The soup was barely served before she began. + +"I wish you would tell me something about this house, Aunt Caroline. +Have you always lived here?" + +"Always. I fancied that you knew that, Elizabeth. Your +great-great-grandfather built the house, and it has been occupied ever +since by succeeding generations of Herricks." + +"And have you always had the room you have now?" + +"Certainly not. It was your grandmother's during her lifetime." + +"And what room did you have?" + +"Really, Elizabeth, your questions are most tiresome! I had the one next +to yours." + +"Always?" + +"Always." + +"Aunt Rebecca, which one did you have?" continued Elizabeth, turning +toward the other end of the table. + +"I have had my present room ever since I emerged from the nursery, +Elizabeth; the place where I think you should still be." + +"Aunt Caroline, did you ever have any brothers and sisters but my father +and Aunt Rebecca?" + +Elizabeth's eyes were fixed upon Miss Herrick's face as she asked this +question. She could not fail to see the wave of color which swept over +the usually pale cheeks, and that her aunt's hand shook as she laid down +her fork. + +"You have been told all of the family history that it is desirable for +you to know, Elizabeth. I have one brother, your father, and I have one +sister, your aunt Rebecca. Further than this I decline to tell you." + +Elizabeth still looked at her, and Miss Herrick moved uneasily. Those +dark eyes were so penetrating. + +"Aunt Caroline, is there a skeleton in your closet?" + +Miss Herrick did not reply, and her sister came to the rescue. + +"What on earth do you mean, Elizabeth? Where did you get hold of that +expression?" + +"I read it in a book, and I thought it meant a real skeleton, all bones +and ugly skull, standing up in the people's closet--the people in the +book, I mean. I asked Miss Rice, and she said it was a family secret, +something not at all pleasant, and most families had them. It seems a +very strange thing to call a secret. But I was wondering if our family +had one. _Is_ there a skeleton in our closet?" + +"Do be quiet, Elizabeth, and do not discuss family affairs before the +servants. It is bad form." + +"Oh!" said Elizabeth. "Very well. I will wait until another time; but I +should like to know some time. There is something else I want to talk +about, and if you don't mind, Aunt Caroline, I should like to now. You +see, I don't have much chance to ask you things." + +"You certainly make the most of every opportunity," returned her aunt. +"What is it now?" + +"It is about the Bradys." + +"And who are the Bradys?" + +"The poor family who live in the back street." + +"I know nothing about them." + +"No, I know you don't, Aunt Caroline, and that is why I want to tell +you. They are very poor." + +"Indeed!" + +"And sometimes I am afraid that they are very hungry." + +"Indeed!" said Miss Herrick again. "They had better come here for the +cold scraps--that is, if they are deserving. How do you happen to know +about them?" + +"I met them in the alley," returned Elizabeth, composedly. "There are +two very nice girls and four boys. One of them is a bootblack, and +another is a newspaper-boy, and Tom is--" + +"Heavens!" cried Miss Herrick, in horror. "Where did you pick these +people up?" While Miss Rebecca, who was more frivolous, laughed aloud. + +"In the alley, I told you," repeated Elizabeth. "I went out the back +gate when I was playing in the garden one day, and met them. The alley +is so interesting and the girls are so pleasant, though they do have +rather dirty faces sometimes. But the boys--" + +"Spare us any further details, I beg of you," said her aunt. "Your +tastes must be extremely low, Elizabeth." + +"Well, I like to have a few people to play with. You know I have only +Julius Cæsar, and he won't always play. But I was going to ask you +something about the Brady family, Aunt Caroline. Why do we have such +lots and lots of money and they none at all?" + +"Elizabeth, you are too absurd!" + +"But why?" + +"I--I don't exactly know. They are of a very different class of life, +for one thing. Their ancestors--if they had any--were poor men, I +suppose, while ours were rich." + +"I don't think that explains it. And I am sure they are terribly hungry +half the time. They look so. Tom doesn't--" + +"Again I must beg you to stop, Elizabeth. I do not care to hear all this +at the dinner table. It quite takes away my appetite." + +"I am very sorry, Aunt Caroline. Then I will stop. But I was only going +to say, don't you think it would be nicer and evener all round if we +were to give them some of our money and a nice house to live in? We +could easily do it." + +"Bless me, what socialistic notions the child has!" cried her aunt +Rebecca. "Encouraging pauperism in this style!" + +"What is porprism?" asked Elizabeth, turning quickly. + +"Don't ask another question, I beg of you! You have used twenty +interrogation points at least since we sat down to dinner." + +And then the Misses Herrick began resolutely to talk of something else, +and Elizabeth knew no more than she did before, and had by no means +settled satisfactorily the affairs of the Brady family. + +Clearly, if she wanted to know anything she must find it out for +herself, and if she wished to do anything to improve the condition of +the Bradys she must take matters into her own hands. + +If her father would only come home and explain everything to her! But +when he received her letter he would certainly come, and with the +thought of this possibility the world grew brighter. + +The days went by and Elizabeth paid frequent visits to the closed room. +It did not once occur to her that it was not by any means an honorable +proceeding for her to slip into her aunt's room as soon as that lady +left the house, take the keys, and go to a place which it was evidently +intended that she should know nothing about. Elizabeth would have +scorned to read some one else's letter, or open bureau drawers, or +investigate boxes. But this seemed so different. A room was unlike a +bureau drawer or a box, she thought. Surely she had a perfect right to +go into any room that she wished in her own home, and find out, if she +could, about her own family. + +But her repeated visits threw no light on the subject. She could not +discover to whom it belonged. + +It was not very long before something most exciting and utterly +unprecedented occurred in the family. A letter was received from Mrs. +Redmond, Elizabeth's aunt in Virginia, stating that Valentine Herrick +had trouble with his eyes, and that he was coming North to consult a +Philadelphia oculist. Of course his aunt's house would be open to him, +and it would also be an opportunity for him to become acquainted with +his sister. Mrs. Redmond deplored the necessity for bringing up the +children apart from one another, and would be only too glad to have +Elizabeth come for a long stay at her house, if Miss Herrick would allow +her to return with Valentine. + +Now the Misses Herrick were not particularly fond of entertaining +visitors. It interfered too seriously with their accustomed pursuits. +And above all, to have a boy! Valentine must now be about fourteen years +old, and could anything be more objectionable to have in the house than +a boy of fourteen? + +However, there was nothing to be done but to say that he should come, +and so the day was fixed, and the family, from the servants up, were in +a flutter of excitement. Elizabeth was truly delighted. It would be a +vast improvement to have some one in the house besides her stately +aunts, and she had longed many a time to know her brother. She was +doubtful about boys in general, but then she did not know any but the +Brady boys, who were inclined to be rough. This one would be her own +brother, and besides, it would be a change, and variety is always +desirable. + +It was four o'clock one afternoon when a hansom dashed up to the door. +Elizabeth and Julius Cæsar, in the window, saw a tall, strong-looking +boy jump out, pay the driver, and run up the steps. There was a +resounding ring at the door-bell, a loud boyish voice was heard asking +if Miss Herrick lived there, and from that moment the old house in +Fourth Street lost its accustomed quiet. + +He came into the parlor, and at the same instant Julius Cæsar fled away +to the safer precincts of the kitchen. He also disliked boys. Elizabeth +remained hidden in the window-seat, overcome with shyness. + +Peering out from behind the drapery, which formed a deep recess, she +could see that her new brother had bright golden hair of the same odd +shade as her own, but his eyes were blue and full of fun, and his mouth +seemed very ready for a smile. She thought that she should like him. + +Miss Herrick was long in appearing, and Valentine occupied the time in +looking around him. Presently he began to whistle as he walked about the +room, knocking over a screen and upsetting a vase. At last he reached +one of the windows, where he was confronted by a small figure in a white +dress, with golden hair and great solemn brown eyes, which were fixed +upon his face. + +"Holloa!" he exclaimed, his whistle stopping short in the middle of a +bar. + +There was no reply. + +[Illustration: "WHY, I SUPPOSE YOU ARE MY SISTER."] + +"Why, I suppose you are my sister?" + +"Yes, I am Elizabeth." + +"Elizabeth! That is a terribly long name for such a short person." + +The little girl considered it beneath her dignity to respond to this. +Suddenly, however, she remembered her manners. + +"How do you do?" she said, rising, and holding out a small right hand. + +"How do you do?" replied Valentine, as he took it and shook it warmly. + +"I hope you had a pleasant journey?" + +"Very pleasant, thank you. My eye, aren't you a funny one! I should +think you were Miss Herrick herself." + +"I am the youngest Miss Herrick. My aunt will come down soon, I think." + +"Oh, I say, come off your perch, do! She is my aunt, too. I shall die if +you keep on talking like your great-grandmother. Why, how old are you, +little Miss Betsey?" + +"I am eleven. Did you ever see my great-grandmother?" + +Valentine stared. He had not been in Fourth Street long enough to know +that Elizabeth's great-grandmother was a very real personage to her, her +name being often quoted by the aunts. The titles of their ancestors were +too much reverenced to be used as figures of speech. + +"Not that I know of," he said. "And so you are eleven. Just the same age +as Marjorie, and she would make two of you." + +"Who is Marjorie?" + +"My cousin, Marjorie Redmond. Your cousin too, as to that." + +"Aren't you older?" + +"Well, I should say so! What do you take me for? I am thirteen, almost +fourteen." + +And then their conversation was interrupted by the advent of Miss +Herrick. Valentine had really extremely good manners, and his aunt was +favorably impressed with her new nephew, despite the fact that he was +precisely the age which she had most dreaded. + +After a little conversation she went out in the carriage, and left the +children together. She said to herself that she might as well begin at +once to make the boy understand that she could not entertain him, and +besides, the brother and sister had better become acquainted. + +Elizabeth felt a terrible responsibility about the matter. She had an +impression that boys never did what girls enjoyed doing; for instance, a +boy would never play with a doll. But then Elizabeth did not care much +for dolls herself. She had always preferred live animals. + +"What shall I do with him?" she sighed to herself. + +"I wish I had my wheel here," remarked Valentine, presently. "Do you +ride?" + +"A bicycle? No, indeed!" + +"You ought to see Marjorie go. Why, she rides off on my machine like a +breeze, though she is so short compared to me that her feet don't go +anywhere near the pedals when they are down. What do you do all day?" + +"I have lessons with Miss Rice, my governess, and I go to walk, and play +in the garden--" + +"Have you got a garden? That is jolly. I have one too, and so has +Marjorie; but hers is a great deal better than mine. She spends more +time over it, weeding and all that. I say life is too short for weeding, +but Marjorie loves to grub." + +This unknown Cousin Marjorie must be a very superior person, thought +Elizabeth. She appeared to surpass the rest of the world in everything. +Elizabeth would put what was to her an important question. + +"Is Marjorie pretty?" + +"Pretty? Oh, I don't know. I never thought much about it. No, I don't +believe Marjorie is pretty. Her hair is too straight, and hangs all in a +shag, and she has a turned-up nose. I call her 'Pug' half the time. But +she is a jolly one, Marjorie is," said the admiring cousin. + +Elizabeth began to feel a strong liking for the new-comer. A boy who was +so fond of his cousin, and that cousin a girl, must be very nice, she +thought. She did hope that as he was her own brother he would grow to +like her a little. And then an idea occurred to her. + +She could ask Valentine all the questions she wished, and probably he +would not mind. She could tell him of her trials about the Brady family, +and of her hopes of their father's return. She could even consult him in +regard to the skeleton in the Herrick family closet. + +She was glad he had come. + +[TO BE CONTINUED.] + + + + +ELK AND BLUEBIRD. + +BY FRANCES McELRATH. + + +"Now, look, Bluebird. See how wise the little rough-coat is. Up! Big +chief! March!" + +Elk accompanied his commands with expressive actions. He waved his hands +upwards, threw out his chest, and strutted off along the river-bank. The +young bear he was training stood up on his hind legs and comically +repeated his movements. + +Bluebird clapped her slender brown hands in delighted applause. + +Elk gave a short, pleased laugh. He regarded his accomplished pet +affectionately. "That's enough for to-night," he said, patting the brown +head. "Bluebird," he added, glancing over towards the Cheyenne village +among the straggly trees a few rods back from the river, "let's go see +what Yellow Stripe's boy is saying to Much Tongue." + +A white lad, whom Elk and his sister recognized as the son of a cavalry +officer stationed at the adjacent fort, had just ridden up to the Indian +camp, and was leaning across a rifle on his knees, talking to Harlow, +the interpreter, called by the Cheyennes Much Tongue. + +Elk and Bluebird had attended school on the reservation since their +people had surrendered to the military authorities, and they understood +the white man's language. + +The sun was just setting. Its long last rays cast reflections across the +prairie like gigantic finger-marks. It was late August, and some +good-sized rabbits were abroad amongst the sage-brush at that hour. Alan +stopped to fire at them now and then. + +Elk and Bluebird, watching his receding figure, saw him dismount and +creep cautiously along the ground for some distance once before firing. +Afterwards he spent several minutes apparently searching amongst the +bushes. Then he remounted his horse and rode on home. + +"He's lost whatever he shot at," remarked Elk. + +He and Bluebird were hunting the bear, whom they had forgotten for a +moment, and who, it seemed, had run away. He was not very large; his +body might easily be concealed in the high sage. They whistled and +called for him. + +"Here he comes," Bluebird said at length. + +The bushes rustled in a line towards them, and presently they saw the +little fellow. He seemed to be struggling with difficulty to reach them. +They could hear him pant. + +Elk sprang quickly to him. He fell on his knees beside the bear, +uttering a cry. + +"Oh, Bluebird, he is hurt!" + +The cub's breast was covered with blood. His pink tongue lolled out of +his month. He ceased his efforts to walk when Elk reached him. He sank +down in a helpless heap, and looked imploringly up into his master's +face. + +Elk hastily parted the thick fur to discover the wound. He gave another +sharp cry. + +"Oh, Bluebird, my little dear one is dying! He is shot! He is shot!" + +A moment later the bear fell over lifeless. + +Elk flung himself upon his face in a passion of tears. + +Bluebird took the bear's head between her hands and blew into his face. +But he was past any aid in her power. + +"Poor little thing!" she murmured, patting it gently down; "the white +boy did not know who you were!" + +Elk suddenly sprang to his feet. He looked across the dusky prairie to +Fort Strong, where lights were beginning to twinkle, and shook his fist. + +"Mean coward!" he shouted, menacingly. "I'll pay you back for this! You +think because you belong to the strong white tribe that you can do +whatever you choose! But I'll tell you that when a Cheyenne's heart gets +bad he can find a way to revenge himself!" + +"Oh, Elk, don't!" Bluebird laid her hand on her brother's arm. She +looked entreatingly into his face, distorted with grief and anger. "I'm +sure Yellow Stripe's boy didn't know he was your pet," she said. + +"Didn't know? Didn't _care_!" retorted Elk. + +He dropped upon his knees, and drawing the knife from the leather sheath +hanging from his belt, began to dig at the darkening earth. + +"I'm going to bury him," he said, in a short, hard voice. + +Bluebird took out her knife and proceeded to help him. + +They dug away without talking. Elk's anger grew as he worked, as if the +dark silence about him was filled with a host of malicious whispering +spirits. + +"Lone Dog is right," he broke out, bitterly, after a few minutes. +"These white people are never really our friends. They conquer us +because they are rich and powerful. Then they keep us down like dogs. +I'd rather we'd all been captured by the Sioux and killed outright." + +"Oh, Elk, think what you're saying!" Bluebird remonstrated. "You know +the soldier chiefs treat us kindly. Remember how often we used to be +cold and starved in the old life, and how we lived in fear day and night +of enemies, and think of the food and blankets and quiet homes we have +here! And, Elk," she added, somewhat shyly, "it is good to have learned +the things they have taught us. The white people's way of acting towards +each other is wiser for happiness and peace of the heart than ours. We +have learned that it is better not to seek revenge, haven't we, Elk?" + +Elk's fierce cut at the ground expressed his mental determination to +sever himself from all such opinions. + +"You always talk that way, Bluebird!" he cried, irately. "But no one +except a mean coward will overlook an injury, Lone Dog says." + +"Oh, Elk, _don't_ listen to the hard sour things Lone Dog says!" +Bluebird beseeched. + +The boy made no reply. The grave being large enough, he quietly laid the +bear in it, refilled the hole, and led the way home. + + * * * * * + +"Ride away from the angry tongue which meddles in a stranger's quarrel, +for the fawn with the bit ear shall recover, but if by evil counsel he +is made to turn furiously on the wolf he shall surely be torn in +pieces." + +"Yes, mother, that is why I say I wish Elk would not talk with Lone Dog. +He is the angry tongue that is always trying to stir up the boys to do +mischief." + +Bluebird's voice was seriously troubled. She scraped away thoughtfully +at the fresh hide of a buffalo that she and her mother, Ready Proverb, +were getting ready to tan. + +"Lone Dog is like the lame coyote since he was put in the guard-house +for stealing," observed Ready Proverb. "He will not rest until his whole +band has felt the snare which caught him." + +"Elk's heart is so bad over the bear's death, and he has been in Lone +Dog's tepee all morning," said Bluebird. + +"Elk is the grandson of my father Wise Eye," the mother responded, +placidly; "he will detect the hidden iron that scorched the hide of the +branded bull! He will not suffer to be led by Lone Dog, who is the dirt +of the tribe! Elk shall avenge his wrongs himself in due season! He +shall be the powerful warrior of the Cheyennes! He shall count his +coups, and they shall be as many as the hairs on his head! He shall lie +in peace at night on a bed made of scalps of his enemies!" + +"Mother doesn't understand," Bluebird thought, sadly. + +She suffered the intense pain the children of a people in a state of +transition from savagery to Christianity must suffer in the realization +that their parents have failed to grasp the new truths already embraced +by their more teachable minds. + +Ready Proverb, however, according to her light, was a good mother. She +was proud and fond of her children. + +"Elk," she presently remarked, "ate very little breakfast, and when a +boy's stomach is empty his heart trails on the ground. You better go dig +some turnips for his dinner. Ho always likes turnips." + +Bluebird cleaned her knife in the earth and slipped it into its beaded +sheath, and started at once after the wild turnips. They grew profusely +among the cottonwoods half a mile below the camp. + +Bluebird had nearly reached the spot when a strange noise attracted her +attention. Looking around she found that it came from a large old tin +kerosene can standing a short ways off. She walked towards it curiously. + +All of a sudden Elk flew out from behind a tree. + +"Don't touch that!" he cried, warningly. + +Bluebird started in surprise at finding him so near. She glanced +cautiously into the open can. She recoiled from it with a horrified +look. + +"What _are_ you going to do with those rattlesnakes, Elk?" she +exclaimed. + +"Something." A dark flush spread over the boy's face. He looked sullen +and jaded. + +Bluebird forgot her consternation in a flood of compassion for her +unhappy-looking brother. + +"I've come to dig turnips. You'll like them for dinner, won't you?" she +said, pleasantly. + +"I don't want any dinner," he answered. + +"But you ate hardly a mouthful of breakfast." + +"I ate enough," returned Elk. "I'm not going to eat so much hereafter. +We reservation Cheyennes overfeed with three meals a day. The braves +grow fat and flabby. They cry like children when they're hurt." He +colored shamedly, remembering how he had wept for the bear. He gave the +can a shake. The snakes hissed, and his eye flashed sharply. "I'm +through living the soft life of a white man," he added. "I'm a +_Cheyenne_!" + +In moving, the light sleeve of his calico shirt slipped up and revealed +to Bluebird his arm covered with horrible gashes. Elk had been torturing +himself to test his endurance, after the dreadful old tribal custom. +Bluebird was convinced that he was acting under Lone Dog's advice. A +dread of what her brother might be led to do next by the bad man formed +like a layer of ice on her heart. + +"Elk," she begged, tremulously, "please come home to dinner. I'm sure +you've courage enough. I don't think it's weak for a brave to cry when +he loses a thing he loves. If you'll eat something perhaps you'll feel +differently." + +Elk shook his head resolutely. + +He did not return until evening. During the afternoon Bluebird's anxious +eyes spied him riding along the trail skirting the Bad Lands, making for +the town across the river beyond the fort. She felt certain that he had +made the long circuit to avoid attention. She wondered why he was +leading his second pony. + +When Elk returned home he did not have the second pony. He had bartered +it for an old rifle and some cartridges. He supposed the weapon was +concealed beneath his blanket, but Bluebird, beading a moccasin beside +the tepee door, observed it as he passed in. She said nothing about it, +but the circumstances added to the weight of her anxiety over Elk's +strange actions. + +The next day was Wednesday. Elk had not relaxed his gloomy silence since +the bear's death. He scarcely spoke to any one; he sulked off by +himself. + +Bluebird had an errand at the trader's this morning. She was crossing +the prairie to the fort when, glancing over to the west where the hills +lay, she saw Elk disappearing into the cañon beside Flat Butte. She +looked after the lonely figure with a sigh. + +She was kept waiting at the post trader's for quite a long time before +the clerk could wait upon her. At length, while she was selecting her +beads, Alan Jervis and an officer came sauntering down the long store +past where she stood. + +Alan carried a quirt, and he had the cruel little steel wheels which the +white chiefs used to make their horses go fast attached to his boot +heels. Bluebird understood that he was dressed for riding. She heard him +say to the officer: + +"Father said I might come out to the camp for a few days, and I'm going +now in about an hour. I know the way, and Harlow has told me of a +short-cut the Indians take through a cañon in the hills." + +"Past Flat Butte, isn't it?" inquired the officer. "That route is +considerably shorter than around the hills, but it's a bad bit of +travelling through the cañon. You must look out for the fissures in the +ground: the sage completely covers some of them, and you're liable to +fall into one and break your neck." + +"Harlow warned me," replied Alan. + +The two passed on, leaving Bluebird in a strange tumult of troubled +thoughts. She began all at once to connect Elk's trip to the Bad Lands +that morning with Alan's intended journey through the desolate, rarely +travelled cañon. + +Elk's sworn purpose to revenge the bear's death, his conversations with +Lone Dog, his self-torture to prove his hardiness, the grewsome can of +rattlesnakes, the rifle--all these things came before her mind in an +ominous jumble. + +What did they all mean? What was Elk about to do? + +Bluebird forgot her beads. She hurried out of the store through the rear +exit, which opened onto the prairie. She started at a rapid pace across +the stretch to the hills. She had no idea what she was going to do other +than that she must find Elk, and in some way, even at the risk of her +_life_, prevent an attempt on the white boy. Oh, Elk _must_ not hurt +him! Elk, when he was his right-minded self, saw, as she did, that +revenge was low and cowardly, and did not mean manliness, as they had +been led to believe in the old days. + +Moreover, she knew that Elk would be summarily dealt with by the fort +authorities if he should molest Alan. If he could not escape them by +running away he would be put in prison. The white people hanged men for +killing others. It was by such stern laws against wrongdoers that they +kept their state of peace. + +Bluebird's heart quaked and her steps went faster. It was a sunny +morning. She grew very hot. The perspiration poured off her face. She +flung away her blanket without stopping. Now and then she glanced +hurriedly back to see if Alan was coming. She had just reached the mouth +of the cañon when she saw him. She was very tired by now, but she +summoned what remained of her strength, and started up the narrow pass +with fresh vigor. + +Alan was not many minutes behind her. + +Elk stopped his pony just outside the Cheyenne village to watch Alan's +horse going across the open space from the fort to the hills. He had +returned from the cañon by a roundabout way, and had escaped Bluebird's +observation. + +"He'll soon be there," he thought. An irrepressible shudder went through +him. He could not see the rider at that distance, but the sun shone on +the white horse, and he knew it was Alan's. + +As he watched it the memory of a game of marbles he once had played with +Alan came involuntarily to his mind. Yellow Stripe's boy had played +generously. After the game he had presented Elk with a large bag of +marbles. He was a brave white boy. Elk always had liked him until he had +killed the bear. + +Elk looked after the white speck irresolutely. + +"Windfoot might get there even now before his slow horse," he was +thinking. His heart beat hard; his body leaned unconsciously forward +towards Alan. + +Impelled by a sweep of changed feelings, he suddenly raised his quirt to +start up his pony, when a dark hand fell with deaden force upon his arm. + +Lone Dog's evil face looked up at him. "I've put the paint sticks and a +looking-glass in the twisted tree," he whispered. + +Elk looked at him undecidedly a moment. Then he heavily replied, "Very +good," and turned his horse slowly in among the tepees under the cotton +woods. + +Lone Dog smiled satisfiedly as he limped home. + +Elk dismounted at his home and went in. Presently he came out with the +rifle he had got the day before. He carried it cautiously concealed. The +young Cheyennes were not allowed to have fire-arms. + +He glanced about a moment for his mother. Then he told himself he was +glad she was away from home. Reservation life certainly had the effect +of making a brave weak-hearted in an enterprise. He felt a moisture +about his eyes as he remounted his pony and rode on among the trees down +the river to a desolate spot some distance below the camp. + +Three-quarters of an hour later he emerged from the trees quite changed +in appearance. He had painted yellow lines like sunrays from the corners +of his eyes and mouth; on each cheek he had painted a grotesque red +spot. He had braided a defiant scalp-lock on the top of his head. He +was, in fact, preparing to join a band of hostiles in the north that +Lone Dog had directed him to. + +It would not be safe, Lone Dog had told him, to remain any longer in the +vicinity of Fort Strong. Besides, it was time that he was going on the +war-path and making a name for himself. + +He tried to grunt "Huh!" in the savage, manly manner he had heard the +warriors do. Somehow it sounded rather weak. He did not dare look round +towards home as he rode rapidly off for the Bad Lands. Reservation life +certainly turned men into children! + +Elk had almost reached the hills when, far down to the south of him, he +saw something emerge from the hills close beside Flat Butte. + +His keen-sighted eyes peered sharply. It was a boy leading a horse--a +white horse. And something was on the horse's back. + +Elk stopped his pony and looked excitedly. Could it be possible that +Alan had escaped, after all? What would Lone Dog think if he knew how +relievedly Elk's heart was beating? + +Why was Yellow Stripe's boy walking? The pack on the white horse was a +brilliant blue. It looked familiar. + +Elk, with a strange presentiment of what had happened, whipped up his +pony and started wildly towards the party. He rode like a wild man to +reach them. Alan stopped the horse and waited when he saw him coming. + +Bluebird, her head and right arm swathed in bandages torn from Alan's +shirt, sat upon the horse. She looked towards Elk. The cruel scratches +on her face protruded beyond the cloths. Her eyes showed intense +suffering. + +Alan began explaining how, riding up the cañon, he had found Bluebird in +a cut in the ground, clinging to a root of sage-brush to keep herself +from falling to the bottom. + +Elk scarcely heard him. He sprang off at Bluebird's side; his face had +grown suddenly sharp and thin with terror. + +[Illustration: "DID ANYTHING BITE YOU, BLUEBIRD?" HE SAID, HOARSELY.] + +"Did anything bite you, Bluebird?" he said, hoarsely. "Do you feel +yourself swelling anywhere?" His sister's soft eyes poured a flood of +sorrow into his upturned face. + +"No, Elk; I caught hold of a root and held on, and the snakes could not +get at me," she said, in Cheyenne. A shudder went over her. "I could +hear them rattling beneath me, but the brush was between us." + +"I'm certain Bluebird's fall saved my life," Alan was saying, earnestly. +"The bottom of that pit was fairly alive with rattlers, and my horse +would have crushed right down into them, and then we'd both have been +done for. Somebody had covered the hole with dry brush and rubbish and +put loose earth over it. Nobody would have guessed it was a hole. +Bluebird says she was running right across it. I think it must have been +intended for a bear trap. Do you know there _are_ bears about? I saw one +Monday evening, and fired at it, but missed it." + +Bluebird shot a swift, meaning glance into Elk's eyes. "The white boy +saved my life, Elk," she said. "I couldn't have held on with one hand a +moment longer. My right arm broke when I fell, I think, and I couldn't +use it. But, dear Elk"--she tried to lean towards him as she added +rapidly, in Cheyenne--"it's all right that only _I_ am hurt. I went to +the cañon to save Yellow Stripe's boy--and _you_." + +Elk had a sudden conviction that the teachings of reservation life had +not made his sister weak-hearted, at all events. There was an appeal in +her tones that he did not attempt to resist. She was offering her own +sufferings in atonement for Alan's fault. Elk did not let her sacrifice +go for nothing. He took a step towards Alan, and extended his hand. + +"Hough!" he cried, in a firm hearty voice, which begged forgiveness and +pledged his own friendship. + +Elk gave Alan his pony to carry him home. He took charge of Bluebird on +the horse. + +Lone Dog came limping a way out to meet them as they neared the village. +His sinister eyes inquired of Elk how his villanously counselled scheme +happened to miscarry. + +Elk feigned not to see him. He passed him by with a high countenance. +His momentary apostleship to the disturbers of the youths of the village +was over, never to return. Bluebird saw that Ready Proverb was right. +Now that the black veil of revengeful passion had swept by and his right +vision was restored to him, the grandson of Wise Eye was not indeed to +be led by the dirt of the tribe! + + + + +THE EAST-SIDE GIRL AT PLAY AND AT WORK. + +BY DR. JANE E. ROBBINS, + +HEAD WORKER OF THE COLLEGE SETTLEMENT. + + +[Illustration: A "LITTLE MOTHER."] + +The first thing most of the New York children learn is how to mind the +baby. Even a small boy soon learns how to "hush" a child in his arms, +and almost all the small girls are good little mothers. The babies on +our block are the most beloved little people you ever saw. There are a +great many of them, and they tumble around on the sidewalks so that we +have to walk very carefully; but somewhere near there is generally to be +found a little girl who loves that baby with all her heart, and the more +trouble the baby is the more she seems to love it. The little girl in a +rich man's family may love her little sister very dearly, but the baby +can't be quite so dear to her as it is to the little girl who must save +every penny for car fares, so that on the hot days she can take the baby +to the dock, where the air is cooler. + +"My knee hurts awfully," said one little girl to me. "I just have to hop +around on one foot when I am carrying the baby"; and she looked very +much surprised when I said, "But you must not carry the baby while you +are sick." + +All through the summer months the children are kept down on the street +so that they can have the fresh air. The baby is generally in his +carriage, but the two-year-old child runs about, and he must be +carefully watched, for there is danger of his falling under the horses' +feet. Sometimes the little mother is careless and one of the youngsters +is lost. Then there is a great excitement till the lost child is found +at the station-house, usually busy making friends with the policemen. + +By the time a girl is eight years old she has not only learned how to +take good care of the baby, but she has generally learned also to run on +errands, and to buy groceries, and even meat, and she can be trusted +with the keys. One often sees a little girl five or six years old +playing on the street while her mother is out, and holding in her hand a +big bunch of keys, so that, if necessary, any of the family can get into +the house. The children in all parts of the city, whether they are +Italian or German or American, learn these same things. + +Many of the children bring with them from Europe ways that seem very odd +to us, but they soon learn from the other children the New York customs. +The most marked differences are connected with the differences in the +religion of their parents. Some of the children say very funny things. +One little Polish Hebrew child named Rachel, while she was in the +country, helped to chase an old hen and her brood until several of the +chickens were killed. After they had been buried, Rachel said, "I +dassent go over there; that's a Christian burying-ground." No one could +find out how she knew that the chicken was a Christian and not a Jew. + +[Illustration: JUST THE SAME KIND OF CHILDREN WE FIND EVERYWHERE.] + +The children play a great many ring-around games in the evenings. The +German children sing "Liebe Mary, dreh dich herum," and other German +songs; and all over the city they sing, "Lazy Mary, will you get up?" +and "All around the mulberry bush," and "I came to see Miss Jinny Ann +Jones, and how is she to-day?" They play tag and hide-and-seek, and, +sitting on the door-steps, they play a buttermilk game, where no one may +laugh, and a great many other games. In some parts of the city the boys +and girls play with one another, as they do in the country, but in other +neighborhoods the girls play alone. They are fond of dancing, and the +Italian man with his piano is often surrounded by fifty or a hundred +little girls in the middle of the street, waltzing gracefully, and +making for the passers-by a very pretty picture. In the evenings they +are generally allowed to stay down on the street until nine o'clock; but +that is the hour when careful mothers see that their younger girls are +all at home, though the older girls are often allowed to stay out until +ten o'clock. The girls go to school until they are thirteen or fourteen, +and they study with eagerness, and worry over their lessons. In New York +it seems to be an especially great calamity to be kept at home for even +one day, and the little girls give the doctors much trouble by not +telling when they have sore throats or feel sick, for fear that they +will be told that they must not go to school. At half past three they +come home carrying great bundles of books, and you wonder how they have +time to play or to do any house-work. But Saturdays are very busy days, +and they learn to scrub and to clean the house, and somehow they learn +to wash, so that little girls of twelve years of age often show me +dresses that they have washed and ironed themselves. They don't know so +much about sewing, but most of them learn to crochet lace, and they have +little crocheting schools in the summer, where they teach one another. +They sit in "the yard" or in front of the house, and sometimes each girl +brings a penny and they have a party. They have more pennies than +country children, I am sorry to say, for they buy too many candies and +cakes. They teach one another all the songs that they know, and +sometimes one girl tells a story or reads to the others. When the mother +knows how to sew well she generally teaches her daughters, but many of +the mothers do not know much about sewing. There are sewing-classes in +the public schools, but these classes are so large that the children +generally seem to learn only how to sew badly. + +They want to know how to sew, and nothing makes a lady so popular with +school-girls as to tell them that they can have a sewing-class at her +house. Then if after the sewing there can be stories and singing and +games, the girls are sure to have a fine time. They save their pennies +to buy the cloth on which they work. I have seen many a mother much +pleased with the tiny stitches her daughter has learned to make. A blue +cheese-cloth duster, neatly hemmed, makes a nice present from the +youngest ones to their mothers, while the older girls make clothes for +themselves or for the children at home. + +In the house where I live there are a good many young women who are fond +of teaching, and they have friends who come and help with the +sewing-classes, so that we have seven sets of school-girls every week. +They give themselves names like the Rosebuds, the Sunshine Club, the +Butterflies, the Rainbow Club, and the Bluebells. There are many other +girls that we know who are waiting anxiously for their chance to come, +and the mothers beg us to let their daughters join the sewing-clubs. We +have cooking-classes a few times a week when our cook can let us have +the kitchen, and these are liked the best of all. The girls have the fun +of eating what they have cooked, and they have a jolly time even while +they are washing dishes. The older girls who go to work like the +cooking-classes, too, and some of them, when they get home early on +Saturday afternoons, make biscuit and cookies and apple-sauce for +supper. One girl made cookies for the callers who came to her house on +New-Year's day, and they liked them better than cake. + +The girls enjoy the cooking more than sewing, because they are tired +after their day's work. The younger working-girls want mostly to talk +together and laugh and sing and dance. Sometimes we are very sorry for +the fifteen-year-old girls, they look so young, and they work very hard, +but most of them are quite light-hearted, after all. The little +cash-girls often tell us what fun they have, and even the flower and +feather girls and the girls in the box-factories and in the +candy-factories enjoy so much being with one another that they forget +all about their troubles. At the noon hour they sing and tell one +another stories. They bring their lunches from home or they send a girl +out to buy the lunch, and some of these are the girls who make their +noonday meal of cream-cakes and pickles. They like to read the same +books that girls read everywhere, but sometimes they do not understand +how other lives can be so different from theirs, how other girls can +have their own rooms all to themselves, and can have all the nice things +that come to girls who have never lived in small rooms, with nineteen +other families in the same house. + +The most wonderful thing that comes into the lives of city girls who +have grown up on the crowded East Side is their first trip to the +country. They don't know the most ordinary things. One of my friends, +who had tried every word she could think of, finally told some children +to run up on the fire-escape, and they all scrambled for the piazza, as +she thought they would. The country seems very lonely at first, and the +dark rather terrifying. They have never known what dark is, for lamps +are burning all night in most of the tenements. The stillness, too, is +impressive. One little girl said, "There is not any noise here except +the noise we make." When they get over their first sense of loneliness, +they begin to see all kinds of wonderful things, and some of the girls I +know are so much interested in the leaves and trees that they soon know +more about the trees in midsummer than many a country girl. Their only +knowledge of the spring is gained from the popular songs. They have +heard in that way of the flowers that "bloom in the spring." They +sometimes expect these songs to be literally fulfilled. "There's the +farmer," said one child, "and there's the corn, but where is Johnny?" +One child I found on the roof of the house where she lived playing going +to the country, and she said she played it every day. We wish sometimes +that we could pick up all the children, and carry them off where fresh +air and green grass belong to all. + +The girls in the country are sometimes surprised to see what good +manners our little girls have. One girl I knew said to her father, "I +never saw such polite girls; they say 'thank you,' and 'you're welcome,' +and 'excuse me,' when they are just playing with one another." One +reason for this is that they see so many people all the time that they +are not self-conscious and shy, and when they think that it would be +nice to say, "Excuse me," they are not afraid to do so. Then, too, they +grow up where there are so many people that each one must learn to be +considerate of his neighbor, or there would be continual trouble. We +find some spoiled children here as elsewhere, but generally they have +learned to give up their own way because of the younger ones, and there +is really very little quarrelling. We are often surprised when we think +how seldom we hear a child cry. They take care of one another and bring +one another up, and though the result is that they are not so well +taught as they ought to be--and I am sorry to say they don't learn +obedience as they should--yet each one finds out that she must not +expect too much for her own share. + +A stranger in New York, seeing the crowds of people and the sidewalks +swarming with children, might go away with a feeling about a +tenement-house neighborhood quite different from the feeling of one who +knew the people well. The houses, indeed, are often as bad as they can +be, for without light and air a house is, of course, totally unfit for +human habitation; and there are also some very unhappy homes; but as a +rule up through the tenements at six o'clock you will find the father +reading his paper or holding the baby while the mother cooks the supper, +and the children come climbing up the stairs--just the same kind of +children that we find everywhere. + + + + +THE VOYAGE OF THE "RATTLETRAP." + +BY HAYDEN CARRUTH. + +V. + + +Next morning we were awakened by Old Blacky kicking the side of the +wagon-box with both hind feet. + +"If that man with the ever-blooming cow comes down," said Jack, "I'll +swap him Old Blacky." + +Just then we heard a loud "Hello!" and looking out, we found the man +leading a small yellow pony. + +"I just 'lowed I'd come down and let you fellers make something out of +me on a hoss trade," said the man. + +"Well," answered Jack, "we're willing to swap that black horse over +there. He's a splendid animal." + +"Isn't he rather much on the kick?" the man asked. + +"He does kick a little," admitted Jack, "but only for exercise. He +wouldn't hurt a fly. But he is so high-lifed that he has to kick to ease +his nerves once in a while." + +"Thought I seen him whaling away at your wagon," returned the man. +"Couldn't have him round my place, 'cause my house ain't very steady." + +[Illustration: "VIGILANTEES."] + +We had not gone far this morning when we met two men on horseback riding +side by side. They looked like farmers, only we noticed that each +carried a big gun in a belt. They simply said "Good-morning," and passed +on. In about half an hour we met another pair similarly mounted and +armed, and in another half-hour still two more. + +"Must be a wedding somewhere, or a Sunday-school picnic," said Jack. + +"But why do they all have the guns?" asked Ollie, innocently. + +"Oh, I don't know," answered Jack. "Varmints about, I suppose." + +In a few minutes we came to a man working beside the road, and asked him +what it all meant. He looked around in a very mysterious manner, and +then half whispered the one word "Vigilantees!" with a strong accent on +the last syllable. + +"Oh!" said Jack, "vigilance committee." + +"Correct," returned the man. + +"Horse-thieves, I suppose?" went on Jack. + +"Exactly," replied the man. "Stole two horses at Black Bird last night +at ten o'clock. Holt County Anti-Horse-thief Association after 'em this +morning at four. That's the way we do business in _this_ country!" + +We drove on, and Jack said: + +"What the Association wants to do is to buy Old Blacky and put him in a +pasture for bait. In the morning the members can go out and gather up a +wagon-load of disabled horse-thieves that have tried to steal him in the +night and got kicked over the fence." + +We either met or saw a dozen other men on horseback, always in pairs; +but whether or not they caught the thief we never heard. + +[Illustration: JACK SHOT A GROUSE.] + +So far we had had very poor luck in finding game; but in the afternoon +of this day Jack shot a grouse, and we camped rather earlier than usual +so that he might have ample time to cook it. There were also the plums +and grapes to stew. We made our camp not far from a house, and, after a +vast amount of extremely serious labor on the part of the cook, had a +very good supper. + +The next day passed with but one incident worth recalling. In the +afternoon we crossed the Niobrara at Grand Rapids on a tumble-down +wooden bridge, and turned due west through the Keya Paha country. This +was so called from the Keya Paha River (pronounced Key-a-paw), a branch +of the Niobrara which comes down out of Dakota and joins it a few miles +below Grand Rapids. The country seemed to be much the same as that +through which we had travelled, perhaps a little flatter and sandier. +Just across the river we saw the first large herd of stock, some five or +six hundred head being driven east by half a dozen cowboys. + +A short distance beyond the river we came to a little blacksmith shop +beside the road. As soon as Jack saw it he said: + +"We ought to stop and get the horses shod. I was looking at the holes +the calks of Old Blacky's shoes made in the wagon-box last night, and +they are shallow and irregular. He needs new shoes to do himself +justice. If this blacksmith seems like a man of force of character, +we'll see what he can do." + +Jack looked at the blacksmith quizzically when we drove up and whispered +to us, "He'll do," and we unhitched. The pony had never been shod, and +did not seem to need any artificial aids, so we left her to graze about +while the others were being attended to. + +"Just shoe the brown one first, if it doesn't make any difference," said +Jack. + +"All right," answered the blacksmith, and he went to work on the decent +old nag, who slept peacefully throughout the whole operation. + +He then began on Old Blacky. He soon had shoes nailed on the old +reprobate's forward feet, and approached his rear ones. Old Blacky had +made no resistance so far, and had contented himself with gnawing at the +side of the shop and switching his tail. He even allowed the blacksmith +to take one of his hind feet between his knees and start to pull off the +old shoe. Then he began to struggle to free his leg. The blacksmith held +on. Old Blacky saw that the time for action had arrived, so he drew his +leg, with the foolish blacksmith still clinging to it, well up forward, +and then threw it back, with all his strength. The leg did not fly off, +but the blacksmith did, and half-way across the shop. He picked himself +up, and, after looking at the horse, said: + +[Illustration: "'PEARS 'S IF THAT AIN'T A COLT ANY MORE."] + +"'Pears 's if that ain't a colt any more." + +"No," answered Jack; "he's fifteen or sixteen." + +"Old enough to know better," observed the blacksmith. "I'll try him +again." + +He again got the leg up, and again Old Blacky tried to throw him off. +But this time the man hung on. After the third effort Blacky looked +around at him with a good deal of surprise. Then he put down the leg to +which the man was still clinging, and with the other gave him a blow +which was half a kick and half a push which sent the man sprawling over +by his anvil. + +"The critter don't seem to take to it nohow, does he?" said the +blacksmith, cheerfully, as he again got up. + +"He's a very peculiar horse," answered Jack. "Has violent likes and +dislikes. His likes are for food, and his dislikes for everything else." + +"I'll tackle him again, though," said the man. + +But Blacky saw that he could no longer afford to temporize with the +fellow, and now began kicking fiercely with both feet in all directions, +swinging about like a war-ship to get the proper range on everything in +sight, and finally ending up by putting one foot through the bellows. + +"Reckon I've got to call in assistance," said the man, as he started +off. He came back with another man, who laid hold of one of Blacky's +forward legs and held it up off the floor. The blacksmith then seized +one of his hind ones and got it up. This left the old sinner so that if +he would kick he would have to stand on one foot while he did it, and +this was hardly enough for even as bad a horse as he was. He did not +wholly give up, however, but after a great amount of struggling they got +him shod at last. + +"We'll call him the Blacksmith's Pet," said Jack. + +Good camping-places did not seem to be numerous, and just after the sun +had gone down we turned out beside the road near a half-completed sod +house. There was no other house in sight, and this had apparently been +abandoned early in the season, as weeds and grass were growing on top of +the walls, which were three or four feet high. There was also a peculiar +sort of well, a few of which we had seen during the day. It consisted of +four one-inch boards nailed together and sunk into the ground. The +boards were a foot wide, thus making the inside of the shaft ten inches +square. This one was forty or fifty feet deep, but there was a long rope +and slender tin bucket beside it. The water was not good, but there was +nothing else to drink. Near the house Ollie found the first cactus we +had seen, which showed, if nothing else did, that we were getting into a +dry country. He took it up carefully and stowed it away in the cabin to +take back home as an evidence of his extensive travels. + +For several days we had not been able to have a camp-fire, owing to the +wind and dryness of the prairie, for had we started a prairie fire it +might have done great damage. + +"We don't want the Holt County Anti-Prairie Fire Society after us," Jack +had said; so we had been using our oil-stove. + +But this evening was very still, and there seemed to be no danger in +building a camp-fire within the walls of the house, and we soon had one +going with wood which we had gathered along the river, since to have +found wood enough for a camp-fire in that neighborhood would have been +as impossible as to have found a stone or a spring of water. + +We were sitting about on the sods after supper when a man rode up on +horseback, who said he was looking for some lost stock. We asked him to +have something to eat, and he accepted the invitation, and afterward +talked a long time, and gave us much information which we wished about +the country. Somebody mentioned the little well, and the man turned to +Ollie, and said. + +"How would you like to slip down such a well?" + +"I'm afraid I'm too big," answered Ollie. + +"Well, perhaps you are; but there was a child last summer over near +where I live who wasn't too big. He was a little fellow not much over +two years old. The well was a new one, and the curb was almost even with +the top of the ground. He slipped down feet first. It was a hundred and +twenty feet deep, with fifteen feet of water at the bottom, but he +fitted pretty snug, and only went down about fifty feet at first. His +mother missed him, saw that the cover was gone from the well, and +listened. She heard his voice, faint and smothered. There was no one +else at home. She called to him not to stir, and went to the barn, where +there was a two-year-old colt. It had never been ridden before, but he +was ridden that afternoon, and I guess he hasn't forgotten the lesson. +She came to my place first, told me, and rode away to another +neighbor's. In half an hour there were twenty men there, and soon fifty, +and before morning two hundred. + +"There was no way to fish the child out--the only thing was to dig down +beside the small shaft. We could hear him faintly, and we began to dig. +We started a shaft about four feet square. The sandy soil caved badly, +but men with horses running all the way brought out lumber from Grand +Rapids for curbing. The child's father came too. He listened a second at +the small shaft, and then went down the other. Two men could work at the +bottom of it. One of the men was relieved every few minutes by a fresh +worker, but the father worked on, and did more than the others +notwithstanding the changes. All of the time the mother sat on the +ground beside the small shaft with her arms about its top. At four +o'clock in the morning we were down opposite the prisoner. He was still +crying faintly. We saw that to avoid the danger of causing him to slip +farther down we must dig below him, bore a hole in the board, and slip +through a bar. But a few shovelfuls more were needed. The work jarred +the shaft, and the child slipped twenty-five feet deeper. At seven +o'clock we were down to where he was again, though we could no longer +hear him. We dug a little below, bored a hole, and the father slipped +through a pickaxe handle, and fainted away as he felt the little one +slip down again but rest on the handle. We tore off the boards, took the +baby out, and drew him and his father to the surface. There were two +doctors waiting for them, and the next day neither was much the worse +for it." + +The man got on his horse and rode away. We agreed that he had told us a +good story, but the next day others assured us that it had all happened +a year before. + +[TO BE CONTINUED.] + + + + +THE SCIENCE OF FOOTBALL: CATCHING, PASSING, TACKLING. + + +[Illustration: FIG. 1.] + +[Illustration: FIG. 2.] + +[Illustration: FIG. 3.] + +[Illustration: FIG. 4.] + +[Illustration: FIG. 5.] + +[Illustration: Fig. 6.] + +[Illustration: FIG. 7.] + +[Illustration: FIG. 8.] + +[Illustration: FIG. 9.] + + + + +[Illustration: INTERSCHOLASTIC SPORT] + + [_Beginning with this issue, and continuing for four weeks, this + Department will be largely taken up by a series of papers an the + Science of Football, prepared by Mr. W. H. Lewis, of the Harvard + football team of 1893._] + + +That football is a scientific sport seems to be pretty generally +conceded by all. It is more like military science than any other; and it +has this in common with all other sciences, that only so much can be +learned from the books and blackboard. The student must go to the +laboratory for the major part of his knowledge. The laboratory of +football is the _gridiron_. + +Football as a science divides itself naturally into the Individual and +the Team. The Individual may be subdivided into Fundamentals and +Position Play. Fundamentals comprehend passing, catching, dropping on +the ball, kicking, blocking, making holes, breaking through, tackling. +The Team is divided chiefly into two parts--the offence and defence. The +offence comprises the direct attack, the indirect or strategic play, and +kicking. The defence embraces the general defence, the theory, styles of +defence, defence to particular plays, and defence at given points of the +field. In this first paper I shall treat of the Fundamentals of +Individual Play. + +[Illustration: FIG. 10.] + +_Passing._--There are three kinds of passes--the straight-arm, the +underhand, and the overhand. The straight-arm pass is used generally for +long low passes to the open, because of its swiftness and accuracy. The +pass is made by taking the ball in the palm of the hand, the ends +pointing up and down the arm, the fingers firmly clutched over the end +farthest from the body; then extending the arm at an angle with the body +of about 65°, using the opposite foot as a pivot, bring the arm and body +quickly, with a swing and a snap, directly in line with the object of +the throw; then let the ball go, end over end, revolving upon its +shorter axis, as in Fig. 7. + +The underhand pass is used in passes made by the quarter to the +full-back. The ball is held as in the straight-arm pass. The pass should +be started from about an angle of 45° to the rear of the body, the arm +passing by the body to the front, describing an arc of a circle, letting +the ball roll off the tips of the fingers. The body should be well +forward and the knees bent, similar to the position of a bowler. See +Fig. 8. + +The overhand pass starts from the taking of the snap, the arm being +carried above the shoulder, going through about a three-quarter circle +and then going off on a tangent. + +_Catching._--The ball should be caught with the arms and the body. The +backs may be allowed more latitude in this matter, however. In fact, the +more of a baseball catch they can make, the more quickly can they return +the ball. For the forward, the ball should be caught in one of two ways: +first, take the ball, whether punted or thrown, on either side, letting +the arm on the side where you catch the ball be under the ball, and the +other arm and hand hooked over the upper end of the ball, as shown in +Fig. 4; second, a punt or thrown ball may be caught by receiving the +ball in the groin, right-angling the body around it and placing both +hands over it. + +[Illustration: FIG. 11.] + +_Dropping on the Ball._--There are two kinds of balls the player must +learn to drop on--a moving ball and a dead ball. There are just four +ways of falling upon a ball: first, dropping upon the knees, to break +the fall, then covering the ball with the chest; second, dropping +straight from the toes, breaking the fall with the elbows and by landing +upon the ball with the chest; third, diving upon the ball, by leaving +the ground and leaping in the air, the fall being broken by the elbows +and the ball; fourth, sliding, feet foremost, and taking the ball under +the arm in passing it. Take first a moving ball. A ball moving away from +the runner may be obtained in any of these ways; the first method is the +simplest and preferable. Let the player run to within reaching distance +of the ball, suddenly drop upon his knees, and then gather the ball up +under his chest. A moving ball should not be dived for unless its motion +has nearly ceased, because the player is likely to either overreach or +underreach it. + +[Illustration: FIG. 12.] + +To obtain a ball dropped in the rush-line or at the player's feet, the +player should throw his feet straight out behind him, falling upon the +ball with his chest, breaking the fall with the elbows and ball. There +is another moving ball, which the player, strictly speaking, should not +fall upon at all. To obtain a ball moving directly towards a player from +the front, he should meet it at right angles, throwing the body right +across the path of the ball and gathering it up in his arm, as in Fig. +10. + +The ball is very seldom "dead" in a game, but it may sometime occur that +twenty-two men are after a ball that has lost nearly all motion. In that +case the most skilful man at diving upon the ball will be more than +likely to get it. The player should run to within about once and a half +his length from the ball, and then leave the ground, the same as a +swimmer makes a dive, care being taken to land upon the ball, to offset +the force of gravity. + +_Kicking._--Kicking is one of the fine arts of football. It requires +considerable skill, which is only to be obtained by constant, +painstaking practice. The requirements for good kicking are +cool-headedness, a good eye, a good leg, and a good square-toe shoe. +There are three kinds of kicks--a punt, a place, and a drop. Of these, +the most important is the punt. There are two kinds of punts--a common +punt, which is generally used, and a "twister," or "floater." The +latter, which is not of much importance, is made by dropping the ball so +that the longer axis will be horizontal, or at right angles to the body +(ends resting to and away from the body), and giving the impetus to the +ball a little to one side. As to the common punt, there are two styles, +known as straight kicking and round kicking. The straight punt is made +by facing the direction in which you wish the ball to go. The kicker +stands from twelve to fifteen yards back of the line--that is, when the +punt is made from a line-up. As the kicker receives the ball, he should +step back with the right leg, and bring the body a little forward, and +then he is ready for the swing. The kicker ought to be able to make his +kick without moving out of his tracks, unless it is necessary to avoid a +forward who has broken through; then he should step to the side. The +ball should be adjusted quickly, the lacings being turned up, or out, +away from the point of contact of the ball with the foot. There are +three methods in vogue for holding the ball for a straight-leg punt. One +way is to place the right hand under the lower end, and fingers of the +left hand on the upper end, holding the ball either vertically or +diagonally, with upper end canting away from the body, as in Fig. 1. +Second, hold the ball by placing one hand on each side, lacings up, the +ends pointing to and from the body, the inner end being higher than the +outward one, the ball slanting downward, as in Fig. 2. The third is just +the reverse of the second, the end near to the body being lower than the +outer, as in Fig. 3. The player should choose the method of holding the +ball which is most natural to him and in which he can attain the highest +efficiency. + +The round kick, or side kick, as sometimes called, is made by a round, +instead of a straight, swing of the leg. The ball may be held in any of +the three ways, generally the first. A step or two is taken to the +kicking side and forward, a kind of right-oblique, and the leg brought +into contact with the ball in much the same way as a man makes a +swinging blow with the arm, the aim being to get the weight of the body +into the drive. The ball should be kicked at about calf-high. + +A drop kick is made by letting the ball fall from the hands, and kicking +it at the very instant it rises from the ground. If a drop kick is made +from behind the rush-line, the kicker should stand about fifteen yards +back. The ball should be held as in the first case, by the ends, or by +the sides, as in the second case. The ball should be directed towards +the ground at just the angle you desire, and then let fall naturally +from the hands. The exact spot upon which the ball should be booted will +be obtained by practice. Just below the stringing is a good place, but +here comes in again the angle at which the ball is dropped. Don't punt +your drop kicks. Let the ball strike the ground first. + +_Blocking._--Good blocking is one of the primary essentials of the +offensive game. No play can be started unless the opposing rushers are +prevented from breaking through. Its rudiments, therefore, should be +thoroughly mastered by every forward. The player should get his body +into a position which is mechanically the strongest, his build and +playing position considered. Generally the position of the body which is +strongest is the angular form. A fair position is that in which the +blocker's body is high enough not to give his opponent a chance to grab +him by the head in going through, and low enough not to expose the +sternum to a straight blow. The blocker should take his position +squarely in front of the man opposed to him. He should stand on his toes +instead of his heels, or flat-footed. This position, the rusher will +find, gives agility and activity, strength and speed, enabling him to +move quickly in any direction, to follow his opponent, in order to block +him; besides, the heel striking the ground when an opponent happens to +get in first enables him to recover himself, action being equal to +reaction in contrary directions. + +The blocker should keep as close to his opponent as possible. The less +ground he gives, the quicker he can get into his opponent and put him +out of the play. The next thing is to watch the man in front of him. He +should look him in his eyes, if he can do so without weakening his own +position. The principle is like that involved in sparring. The blocker +should try to get the start of his opponent. Jump into him first. Every +move he makes, pile into him. Go into him hard enough to put him out of +the play. The blocker should get under his man. Do not reach too far +with the body. Keep your feet under you, so that you can change your +position quickly enough to follow your man. The ideal position is to get +the body across your opponent's path in the same line where he is +directing his attempt to get through. A rough idea of good blocking is +given in Fig. 5. + +_Making Holes._--Closely connected with the blocking is making holes. +Forwards should remember that the backs cannot gain ground except around +the line or through the line. Hence the importance of making holes. The +player should take his position the same as in blocking. The rusher +should allow his opponent to make the holes himself, if possible, by +foxing him away from where the hole is called for, then blocking him in +or out, as the necessity requires. The forward should manoeuvre for +the advantageous position, which is on the side of the man where the +hole is called for, but not giving it away. Then he should get lower +than the man in front of him, unless his opponent gets his nose on a +line with his knees. If he can get lower than his man, he should lift +him up and shove him back, and out or in. If he cannot get under him, he +should try to pull him forward on his face, so that the backs can hurdle +him. In order to make his power effective, he should start before the +man in front of him. Listen for the signal for the starting of the ball, +if there is such a signal. Go into your man hard and strong. Get your +body, head and shoulders, into the side through which the hole is called +for, and shove your opponent in the opposite direction. If you cannot +shove your opponent out, shove him in. + +_Breaking Through._--As good blocking is indispensable for the offence, +so breaking through is the prime requisite of the defence. The rushers +on the defence should go through hard and fast every time, and tackle +the runner behind his own line. The position of the feet and the form of +the body are much the same as that in blocking. The forward should +remember, however, that the conditions are now reversed. He should keep +at arm's distance from his opponent who is trying to block him, but that +distance should be in the opponent's territory and not in his own. He +should watch the ball, and break through with it, and not after it. The +rusher should go through with his arm extended, so as not to be bowled +over by the interferers. + +The first thing the forward should do in trying to get through, when he +faces his man, is to size him up. He should take advantage of his every +fault. He should vary his methods of getting through occasionally, so as +not to give his man a chance to remedy his faults. A few of the methods +of getting through are indicated here: + +(1.) If your opponent exposes his chest, spring into him with arms +straight and stiff, hard enough to start him backwards off his pins or +unsteady him, and then go to either side desired, as in Fig. 9. + +(2.) Play for the outside arm of your opponent; once getting hold of +this, your opponent, in attempting to free himself, will pull you +through, as in Fig. 11. + +(3.) Try knocking your opponent's arm down with both of your arms, in +the manner of a sabre cut. + +(4.) Strike your opponent on one side or make a feint to go in one +direction, and quickly dart to the other. + +(5.) If your opponent plays too low, take him by the head and pull him +to one side or the other. + +(6.) If he plays very high, try ducking under his arm occasionally. + +(7.) Strike your opponent on either shoulder; the one struck will either +give way or meet you. If he does the former, you have the flat side of +his body exposed; if the latter, the outer arm is exposed. + +(8.) Catch him by the shoulder and twist him around. "Fox" your +opponent. Keep him guessing as to what you will do next. + +(9.) Rolling around opponent is sometimes used, but is a blind sort of +method, and not of much use. + +_Tackling._--The object in breaking through is to tackle the runner +behind his own line. Once let him reach the line, and he is bound to +gain something. Tackle him behind the line, before his interference can +get formed and well started, and he is bound to lose ground. There are +two kinds of tackling--the lift tackle, and the dive tackle. The lift +tackle is made by getting under the runner, or at least within reaching +distance, pinning his knees together, and pulling his feet from under +him, or, better, lifting him up and throwing him backwards. See Fig. 6. + +The dive tackle is used almost entirely to down the runner in the open. +Where the runner has any considerable territory, it is, in fact, about +the only way to reach him. This tackle is made by leaving the ground, +the same as a swimmer makes a dive into the water. The aim should be +just below the hips. In that case the tackler is almost sure to reach +the knees, because the runner is moving in the opposite direction. The +tackler should be sure to get his arms well around the runner to prevent +his hurdling, or twisting out of them. The dive tackle may be made in +any direction. The straightaway dive is made when the runner is going in +the same direction as tackler. The tackler should, in that case, chase +the runner to within about his length, then take a sudden spring into +him, getting his arms well around the runner. He has simply to hold on, +dragging like an anchor, and the struggle or impetus of the runner in +the opposite direction brings him down. In making the side dive tackle +the tackler should dive so as to get his head and shoulders in front of +the runner, or across the line of his direction, and get his arms well +around him, then rolling over so that his body or chest shall impede the +runner's progress if he should shake him. See Fig. 12. + +_Avoiding Injuries._--Injuries in football result either from +unnecessary roughness or accident. Those resulting from the former may +be easily eliminated. No school or college should allow a man who cannot +control his temper, and who is not a _gentleman_, to represent it upon +an eleven. The slugger or vicious player is of absolutely no use to a +team. A man cannot play his game and play his opponent at the same time. +He necessarily neglects his team-work, and reduces the strength of his +own side by one. In other words, he is worse than a passenger. Keep such +men off the team, and there will be no more injuries from brutality. As +to the latter class of injuries, those resulting from accident, the +writer has always thought that the beginner or young player might be, +and ought to be, taught what the older player acquires by +experience--the art of self-protection. + +The first thing a player should do in order to avoid accident is to +begin training early; get into good condition early, and keep so. +Careful attention should be paid to football clothes. An effusion upon +the elbow or water on the knee is often the result of not having +sufficient padding on the elbows or knees. A dislocated shoulder or +collar-bone often comes from lack of pads over the shoulder. A sprained +ankle may be avoided by having well-fitting shoes, and keeping them well +cleated. Shoes should have new cleats at least once in every two weeks. + +Injuries resulting from interference, from being knocked over by an +interferer, may be avoided by keeping the body angular, well forward, +and arms extended so as to ward off the blocker whose business it is to +put you out of the way. Never let an interferer touch you. Keep him off +by using your arms. Injuries from mass plays may be avoided by never +allowing such a play to reach you on your feet. If it does you are bound +to go over on your back or be doubled up under it. Dive into it before +it reaches you with your head and shoulders, and then hug the ground +flat. Do not attempt to stop a mass play by standing up against it. + +There is another class of injuries from tackling. The man doing the +tackling will avoid injury by making his tackle sure and breaking his +fall with the man tackled. If others pile on, he should remember to keep +his feet and legs behind him. The runner need not be hurt if he will +fall forward and upon the ball when he is thrown. It is only the man who +is thrown backwards who is likely to be hurt. + + * * * * * + +The Hartford High-School football team has wisely determined not to +undertake any regular practice until after the term has actually opened, +which will be on September 9. Last year the men did some preliminary +work for a week or so before school, but the advantage derived was +probably not sufficient to counteract the many disadvantages connected +with such preliminary training. There will be only four of Hartford's +crack football eleven back in school this fall--Smith, centre; Strong +and Twichell, ends; and Sturtevant, quarterback and Captain. + +Some good athletes go to college this fall from H.P.H.-S. Luce enters +Yale, while Ingalls and Bradin enter Trinity. These men represent about +twenty-six points which H.P.H.-S. took at the Connecticut H.-S.A.A. +games last spring. It is reported that a gymnasium is about to be built +for H.P.H.-S., and as soon as its advantages are open to the Hartford +scholars, they will become even more formidable in athletics than they +are now. + +The Bridgeport High-School eleven, which was so strong last fall, loses +all but three men this year, and the Captain will consequently have to +depend largely upon new material to make up his team. He had a good +second eleven last year, however, and he ought to be able to select from +among those who composed it a number of players that will fill the many +places left vacant. The struggle between Bridgeport and Hartford will be +well worth watching again this fall. + +"TRACK ATHLETICS IN DETAIL."--ILLUSTRATED.--8VO, CLOTH, ORNAMENTAL, +$1.25. + + THE GRADUATE. + + * * * * * + +FROM THE NEW MOTHER GOOSE. + + I had a little husband + No bigger than my thumb; + I put him in a pint pot, + And then I bade him drum. + And he, poor little hubby, + Kept it up so night and day + Our next-door neighbors pounced on him + And took his drum away. + + * * * * * + +One day during the hot spell in New York, in the early part of August, a +bent figure industriously handled a little combination hammer and pick +as he scraped some sand together with the pick, and placed his stone in +position, tapping it with the hammer end. He was paving a portion of the +street, and was alone on the job. Strangely, he worked fast and hard, +and this excited the curiosity of the passers-by, and occasionally they +stopped and watched him, sometimes speaking to him. The worker kept hard +at it, however, and vouchsafed no reply to these people. Quite a group +gathered after a while, and finally a rollicking son of the sod +happening along, and knowing the industrious workman, addressed him: + +"Hullo Tim! Faith yer workin' hard!" + +"Shure oi have to, Jim," replied the worker. + +"'Pon me soul, Tim, yez must be tryin' to pave the entire street before +night." + +"No, that's not it; oime tryin' to finish the job before the stones give +out, that's all." + + + + +ADVERTISEMENTS. + + + + +[Illustration: ROYAL BAKING POWDER] + +A cream-of-tartar baking powder. Highest of all in leavening +strength.--_Latest United States Government Food Report._ + +ROYAL BAKING POWDER CO., NEW YORK. + + + + +[Illustration: THOMPSON'S EYE WATER] + + + + +[Illustration: BICYCLING] + + This Department is conducted in the interest of Bicyclers, and the + Editor will be pleased to answer any question on the subject. Our + maps and tours contain many valuable data kindly supplied from the + official maps and road-books of the League of American Wheelman. + Recognizing the value of the work being done by the L.A.W., the + Editor will be pleased to furnish subscribers with membership + blanks and information so far as possible. + +The route this week is general, describing the country around St. Joseph +and Benton Harbor, Michigan, and leaving it to the rider to pick out his +own particular route. Leaving Chicago by boat at nine in the morning, +you arrive in St. Joseph by one. + +When the Michigan shore comes in view one is apt to have misgivings as +to the roads one will have to travel over, for as far as the eye can +reach there is nothing but sand domes. + +While it is true that the roads are sandy, and make difficult going, you +can generally rely upon finding good side paths; though after a +rain-storm I have found some of the sandiest roads firm and hard, and +good going. + +Your wheel and baggage should be checked for St. Joseph, as this will +save you an hour's time at least (unless you are going to stop in Benton +Harbor). + +Where next to go or what to do will depend upon the person making the +trip, the time at disposal, or inclination to long or short trips. + +If you decide to make St. Joseph or Benton Harbor your headquarters and +take short trips into the country, you can put up at one of the hotels +in either town or some near-by resort on the river. + + * * * * * + +Many have the idea that Benton Harbor is on Lake Michigan shore, whereas +it is a mile inland, and east of St. Joseph--is not on St. Joseph River, +but connected by canal with it. The two towns are connected by electric +street cars and a paved roadway. + +Take the main street of St. Joseph (State Street) and ride south, and +you are soon among the famous fruit farms of this region. + +The road leads along the St. Joseph River, of which you get a view now +and then; and often you can take a side road to the river's edge, where +an hour can be profitably spent in viewing the surrounding country. + +Summer resorts of various degrees of standing are continually being +started, so one does not need worry about meals; even, at a pinch, a +nickel or dime will bring you a good supply of milk, bread, and fruit in +season at any of the fruit farms; and as most of these farms average ten +to twenty acres, the houses are close together--so close, in fact, that +it reminds one of the suburbs of Chicago. + +If you wish, you can cross the river about two miles out from St. +Joseph. On this side of the river better roads are to be found. + +No regular plan need be carried out, as one can readily inquire the way; +and cross-roads are there in abundance, so the trip may be long or +short, as you wish. + +Paw Paw, on Paw Paw Lake, about fourteen miles inland (northeast of +Benton Harbor), is coming into rapid favor as a resort; and while the +road from Benton Harbor is not of the best, a little patience and an +even temper will bring you through all right. This refers in particular +during a spell of dry weather, when the constant travel loosens the road +very much. + + * * * * * + +Leave Chicago on night boat, arriving in St. Joseph about 5.30; +breakfast at one of the hotels, and come back to boat-landing; get on +board the _May Graham_ for a trip up the beautiful St. Joseph River. + +You can have your meals on board the boat, or stop at any of the resorts +and await the boat's return. This boat leaves St. Joseph every morning +about seven o'clock, and goes up the river as far as the stage of water +will allow, returning in the evening loaded with fruit, arriving +anywhere from eight to ten in St. Joseph, connecting with boat for +Chicago. + +Go up the river, say eight or ten miles, on the boat, then get on your +wheel and see the surrounding country, and be back at landing at time +captain states. You will have at least four or five hours at your +disposal ashore. + +One word in detraction about the boat trip--do not take fishing-tackle +along, for there are no fish worth the bait in the river. What the river +lacks in fish is made up in scenery. Turtles there are in plenty; also +water-lilies. + +A boat also leaves Chicago on Saturdays at 2 P.M. + + + + +THE DEFEAT OF GENERAL ZINC. + + + 'Twas night on the nursery battle-field, and as the sun went down + The Wooden soldiers fell back to their camp at Book-case Town, + While General Zinc, the leader of the forces of the Tin, + Put up a stone-block fortress, and he led his army in. + + "To-morrow, men," cried General Zinc, "we'll thwack 'em hip and thigh-- + We'll conquer all these rebels, and we'll hang their leaders high. + 'Twill never be these men of wood shall rout us men of lead-- + A notion, O my soldiers brave, to hold fast in your head. + + "I've just received from the government some sixty-seven puns + Of the hardest pease you ever saw, with which to load our guns; + And the havoc wrought by a small dried pea on a Wooden soldier's breast + Is known right well, at least to me, and I think to all the rest. + + "So sleep to-night, and at beat of drum to-morrow at the dawn, + Our cannon, loaded to the nose, 'fore the enemy will be drawn; + And when these rebels march out from their camp at Book-case Town + We'll snap our cannon at 'em, and the pease will mow 'em down." + + But alas for the plan of General Zinc! that night, while his forces + slept, + A spy from the native Wooden force up over the ramparts crept-- + Crept up to the heap of hard dried pease, and ere the night was done + Had dumped them into a cauldron hot, and boiled them every one. + + So that when the guns of General Zinc were trained on the enemy's town, + The Wood men roared with laughter, and it made the General frown. + "We'll make 'em laugh in another way. Aim low and destroy their walls!" + He roared, "One--two--three--Fire!!! Let fly all our cannon-balls!" + + And the gunners snapped their cannon, and the pea balls straightway + flew, + But, woe for poor old General Zinc, tin warrior tried and true! + The havoc that he'd hoped to wreak was naught, and his plot was foiled, + For his cannon-balls were as soft as mush--as dried pease are when + boiled. + + And that was the way, my little son, the patriot men of Wood + Their reckless, ruthless foreign foes long years ago withstood, + And that is why in old Book-case Town to-day you're sure to see + The glorious flag of the Wooden folk a-waving proud and free. + + CARLYLE SMITH. + + + + +[Illustration: THE CAMERA CLUB] + + Any questions in regard to photograph matters will be willingly + answered by the Editor of this column, and we should be glad to + hear from any of our club who can make helpful suggestions. + + +Owing to the number of questions, we devote the entire Department to +answers this week. + + SIR KNIGHT MAX MINER, Charlemont, Mass., in reply to notice from + one of our members asking what kind of a camera was used for the + picture called "Sweeping a Sliding-Place," published in this + column, says: "I used the Rochester Optical Co.'s 'Universal' 5 by + 7, and a Morrison R.R. lens, 8-1/2 in. focus, designed for a 6-1/2 + by 8-1/2 plate." Sir Max says he has the best success in developing + with pyro-potash or soda--though he likes the two solution + eikonogen nearly as well. He says he never has trouble with pyro + stains, as he uses an alum bath before fixing. Sir Max also adds + that he has taken $54 in prizes. + + SIR KNIGHT JOHN W. SOULE asks what is meant by red prussiate of + potash. The druggist, he says, does not know what it is, but he has + something else with the same name, only it is yellow. Read reply + given to Sir Knight Hugo Kretschmar in No. 879 for the difference + between red and yellow prussiate of potash. Druggists do not + usually keep red prussiate of potash. The red prussiate of potash + is known as _ferri_cyanide of potassium, and the yellow as + _ferro_cyanide of potassium. The yellow produces a negative from a + negative, and the red produces a positive from a negative. Sir John + asks what is meant by "hypo" in formula for toning solution. Hypo + is the general term used by photographers for hyposulphite of soda. + + LADY NELLIE J. WILDER, Mass., says that she would like a camera + costing only $5, and asks what style could be purchased for that + sum. There are several makes of cameras which can be purchased from + $3 to $5. The Pocket Kodak is a very good camera, but the pictures + are quite small. The "Quad" makes a good-sized picture for a small + camera, the pictures being about three inches square. + + SIR KNIGHT WILLS G. WALDO, of Michigan, says that there is a black + streak across his negatives about two inches long, and wishes to + know if it is a defect in his camera or in the films. He says it + has happened in every roll of films which he has bought. The defect + would seem to be in the lens or camera and not in the film. Have + the lens examined by some photographer, and if it is all right, + examine the box for a leak in the bellows. + + SIR KNIGHT WILLIAM H. WHITE, JUN., asks for a formula for toning + solio-paper, a formula for developer for kodak films, and a formula + for washing trays. The following is the formula given by the + manufacturers of solio-paper for making a combined bath: + + STOCK SOLUTION "A." + + Hyposulphite of soda 8 oz. + Alum (crystals) 6 oz. + Granulated sugar 2 oz. + Water 80 oz. + + When this is dissolved, add borax, 2 oz., dissolved in 8 oz. of hot + water. Let it stand overnight, and turn off the clear liquid into a + clean bottle, and mark "A." + + STOCK SOLUTION "B." + + Chloride of gold 7-1/2 grs. + Acetate of lead (sugar of lead) 64 grs. + Water 8 oz. + + Mark bottle "B," and shake before using. To mix for toning + solution, take 8 oz. of solution "A" and 1 oz. of solution "B." + Place the prints in this solution without washing. Tone to desired + color, and wash for an hour in running water. For developing + formula see No. 862 (February 25, 1896). Clean trays with a little + nitric or sulphuric acid in water. + + SIR KNIGHT P. HOSMER says that he has trouble in developing, as the + film washes off from the plate in the washing water, and wishes to + know the reason and remedy. The reason of the film softening is + because the water is too warm, owing probably to the extreme heat + of the past few weeks. Use alum in the fixing bath to harden the + films, and instead of washing the plates in running water, place + them in a dish of water in which put a small piece of ice not + enough to make the water ice cold, but to lower the temperature to + about 50°. Leave them in the water an hour, changing it two or + three times, and the films will not frill or leave the plate. + + SIR KNIGHT JOHN MILLS wishes to know the number of the ROUND TABLE + containing a formula for printing-out paper. Formulas for plain + paper will be found in Nos. 796 and 803 (January 22 and March 19, + 1895). A formula for blue-print paper will be found in Nos. 797, + 823, and 828. See also No. 869. + + SIR KNIGHT A. P. LAZARUS asks when the next competition will take + place, how to take pictures of insects and make them appear sharp + and of good size, and a formula for making blue-print paper. A + photographic contest will probably be conducted some time this + fall. Announcements will be made through the Camera Club. To take + photographs of insects and have them at least two-thirds size one + should use a copying camera. A copying camera has a long bellows + and a lens specially adapted for making pictures at short range. + Formulas for blue-print paper will be found in Nos. 797, 823, and + 828. + + SIR KNIGHT E. A. STABLER asks if bicarbonate of potash could be + used in place of carbonate of potash, which the formula for + developer calls for. In Professor Mason's table showing the + comparative value of alkaline carbonates in developers, he says + that equal work is done by 165 parts of carbonate of potassa, and + 200 parts of bicarbonate of potassa. If the developer formula calls + for 1 oz. carbonate of potassa, 1 oz. of bicarbonate of potassa + could be substituted for the carbonate of potassa. It is better to + use the carbonate of potassa if it can be obtained. + + SIR KNIGHT FRANK F. SMITH, P.O. Box 239, Cumberland, Md., asks to + have a notice in the Camera Club that he would like to exchange + some books on photography and electricity for a Pocket Kodak. He + also wishes to know of some corresponding photographic chapter of + the Round Table. Niepce Chapter, of which Arthur F. Atkinson, 1711 + I Street, Sacramento, Cal., is the president. Sir Knight John + Chamberlain, 6 Franklin Avenue, Dayton, O., wishes to form a + chapter. + + SIR KNIGHT A. SMITH, 3 East State Street, Trenton, N. J., asks if + boiled or filtered water answers the same purpose for photography; + how to make photographs on watch crystals; and would like to + correspond with any member owning a 4 by 5 camera, a Pocket Kodak, + or a Quad Camera. The water should be filtered in order to remove + the impurities, but it is not necessary to boil it. For all + ordinary purposes the simple filtering of the water will be + sufficient, but for delicate operations the distilled water must be + used. See No. 840 for method of making transferrotypes. Pictures + may be transferred to watch crystals by the process there + described. + + * * * * * + +Here is a laughable incident of the civil war in which General Grant +took an active part. It was during the march through the wilderness in +the southwestern part of Arkansas. An advance-guard of some eight +hundred men, under the command of Lieutenant Wickfield, after marching +all the morning came upon a small farm-house. The Lieutenant dismounted, +and hailing the inmates, some ladies, desired to know if he could get +any food on the premises. + +"Who are you, sir?" demanded the lady of the house. + +With a most dignified demeanor Lieutenant Wickfield replied, +"Brigadier-General Grant." + +This produced a sensation among the ladies, and, happy to accommodate +the General, they flew around and got him something to eat in short +order. The Lieutenant satisfied his hunger, and requested the ladies to +let him know how much there was to pay for the very hearty repast he had +had the pleasure of eating. They declined, however, to accept any +payment, and the Lieutenant went on his way rejoicing. + +Shortly after, General Grant himself arrived, and being also in need of +food, applied at the farm-house. To his astonishment he was refused, and +upon asking why, was told, to his utter amazement, that his betters, +namely, General Grant, had but a short time before eaten everything +there was with the exception of one solitary pie. + +"Humph!" said the General, and, after a moment's thought, "Well, I'll +buy that pie, and here is the money for it. Will you kindly keep it for +me, and I will send for it later." + +Grant then rode on, and when he and his soldiers went into camp for the +night he had caught up with the Lieutenant and his advance-guard. Soon +the unusual call for full parade sounded through the camp. The parade +formed, and after the regular ceremonies the following order was read by +one of the officers: + + HEADQUARTERS ARMY IN THE FIELD. + _Special Order_. + + Lieutenant Wickfield, of the --th Indiana Cavalry, having on this + day eaten everything at the farm-house near the crossing of the + Ironton and Pocahontas and Black River and Cape Girardeau roads, + except one pie, he is hereby ordered to return with an escort of + one hundred cavalry and _eat that pie also_. + + U. S. GRANT, + Brigadier-General Commanding. + +A broad smile spread over the faces of the soldiers, and rank after rank +suppressed a giggle. The Lieutenant blushed, but proceeded to obey the +order, and left the camp amidst loud laughter and cheers. The report was +that he ate the entire pie, and appeared to enjoy it. + + + + +ADVERTISEMENTS. + + + + +There are a dozen good reasons for the unquestioned success of the +DeLONG Hook and Eye. + +Let us begin with the first: + + 1--"The DeLONG Hook and Eye never unhooks except at the will of the + wearer." + + 2--"The DeLONG"--but never mind the rest, the first covers the + ground. + +[Illustration] + +See that + +hump? + +RICHARDSON & DELONG BROS., Philadelphia. + +Also makers of the + +CUPID Hairpin. + + + + +Postage Stamps, &c. + + + + +[Illustration: STAMPS] + +100 all dif. Venezuela, Bolivia, etc., only 10c., 200 all dif. Hayti, +Hawaii, etc., only 50c. Ag'ts w't'd at 50% com. List FREE! =C. A. +Stegmann=, 5941 Cote Brilliante Ave., St. Louis, Mo + + + + +STAMPS + +=10= stamps and large list =FREE!= + +L. DOVER & CO., 1469 Hodiamont, St. Louis, Mo. + + + + +[Illustration: THOMPSON'S EYE WATER] + + + + +LI HUNG-CHANG. + + +Li Hung-Chang, the most famous Chinese statesman and soldier of this +century, accompanied by forty secretaries, aides, interpreters, and +servants, arrived in New York last week. Li comes from England, where he +was received by Queen Victoria, and lionized by the British nation. He +came to England from Russia, in which latter country, as representative +of the Chinese Emperor, he attended the recent coronation of the Czar. + +Li was entertained here for a period of about ten days, after which he +sailed from Vancouver for China. General Ruger, representing this +government, engaged the state suite of some sixty rooms at the Waldorf +Hotel, which Li occupied. Our largest battle-ships formed in array, flew +the Chinese dragon at the fore, manned their yards, and fired salutes as +he came up the bay. President Cleveland came on from Washington to +officially receive him at the Fifth Avenue home of ex-Secretary of the +Navy Whitney. Then followed private entertainments galore, a visit to +the military academy at West Point, and the placing of a wreath upon the +tomb of General Grant at Riverside Drive and 123d Street, New York, in +commemoration of the affectionate friendship which originated between +General Grant and Li on the occasion of the former's trip around the +world. + +[Illustration: LI HUNG-CHANG.] + +Li is seventy-four, of pure Chinese blood, vigorous, of fine physique, +full six feet high, of magnetic presence, with piercing eye, and a face +indicative of mental strength and character. He speaks no language other +than his own, dresses always in characteristic Chinese fashion in +parti-colored silken robes, head shaved, and hair plaited in a cue, and +he travels with his cooks and menial servants, preserving while on his +journey, so far as possible, a Chinese dietary according to the customs +of his country. This is the first occasion on which he has left Asia. + +Our visitor's titles bespeak his eminence in his own country. First, he +is Viceroy of the province of Chih-li, which includes Peking, the +capital, and the whole of northern China. Next, he is the Senior +Guardian of the Heir Apparent to the Chinese Throne, a title explaining +itself. Lastly, the syllables "Hung-Chang" which are pronounced as part +of his name, signify "Grand Secretary"--so that his name, translated +into English, would be "Grand Secretary Li." His Three-eyed Peacock +Feathers, Yellow Jacket, Third Degree, White Button, Black Feather, and +other ornaments, which Europeans have been in the habit of ridiculing, +each represents a decoration, or honor conferred for some act of +brilliant generalship or successful diplomatic negotiation. + +Li's career is strikingly interesting to young people. Not of +distinguished parents, he first leaps into prominence by carrying off +honors at an examination where there are twenty thousand competitors. +The subjects are not, as with us, mathematics, geography, arts, and +sciences, but the teachings of Confucius, theory of government, and +Chinese poetry and history. Passing this examination promotes Li into +official circles, and he becomes a compiler in the imperial +printing-office. But the T'ai-p'ing rebellion breaks out, and the +student is soon called upon to become a soldier. He raises a regiment of +home militia, and enters upon the field of war. In less than five years +he achieves honor and distinction, and then imperial Generalissimo Tseng +Kwo-Fan appoints him on his staff. + +Then Li is for the first time brought into closer relations with the +Europeans. Shanghai, a port thrown open to European trade, is threatened +by Chinese rebels. A number of wealthy merchants interested there +subscribe for a foreign contingent to protect the city. Two Americans, +Ward and Burgevine, and afterwards the English General Gordon, commonly +known as Chinese Gordon, commanded this force. Li Hung-Chang acted +conjointly with them, and the rebels were routed. Li promised Gordon +that the lives of the rebel chiefs should be spared. As soon, however, +as those unfortunates were turned over into Li's custody, they were +promptly beheaded. For this, Gordon is said never to have forgiven Li. + +Li is admired by western nations because he is the first influential +Chinaman who has advocated the introduction of European civilization and +reforms into the Chinese Empire. Since his advent to power, missionaries +of every creed have been tolerated in every part of China, and, so far +as possible, protected in their avocations. The number of seaports at +which foreigners are permitted to trade has been increased. Some +telegraph lines have been constructed, and even a short railway line is +now in operation near Tien-tsin. The Chinese army has been properly +drilled and equipped with modern rifles, accoutrements, artillery, and +ammunition, their navy rehabilitated with modern battle-ships and +gun-boats, their seaports protected by fortifications. + +In China the displeasure of the Emperor is visited upon statesmen by +depriving them of their titles and decorations. This misfortune has +several times befallen Li. No later than last year, after the defeat of +the Chinese in their war with the Japanese, this happened. His +successful peace negotiations with Japan, however, during which he +nearly lost his life at the hands of a Japanese fanatic assassin, +brought about his restoration to royal favor, which he deserved. + +Devotion to his parents and love of country are strong traits in Li's +character. Some years ago he resigned office to attend the bedside of +his dying mother. His every word and act are indicative of the latter +trait. + +Li's present journey is looked upon as an important step towards the +throwing open of China to European progress, arts, trade, and +civilization. + + * * * * * + +Early in the sixties a party of young men were hunting near Yellowstone +Park. They had a number of guides with them, and one was a character. He +was full of witty remarks, and amused the company generally. One day +they were out shooting, and had not proceeded very far from the camp +when they started a flock of birds. The shot-guns came into active play, +and accidentally one of the party received a load of small shot in the +back of his neck. As it had spread considerably, the injury was of but a +slight nature. The "character," as they had nicknamed their witty guide, +seeing the blood, cried out, + +"Run, man! run for all you're worth to the camp yonder, for if ye drop +we'll have that much less to carry ye." + + + + +[Illustration: STAMPS] + + This Department is conducted in the interest of stamp and coin + collectors, and the Editor will be pleased to answer any question + on these subjects so far as possible. Correspondents should address + Editor Stamp Department. + + +The London Philatelic Society has definitely fixed upon the rooms of the +Water-Color Society in Piccadilly, London, in which to hold the great +exhibition of postage-stamps next year. There are three very large +connected rooms, lighted from above. It is expected that stamps valued +at nearly $2,000,000 will be on exhibition. + +During July and August stamp-collecting is abandoned in favor of +out-of-door sports; but the indications of a revived interest are +already to be noted. A new fad has developed during the summer--the +collection of badges and buttons with portraits and mottoes. One large +collector in New York has a very interesting series of badges, +portraits, etc., used for election purposes, running back over eighty +years. + + G. R. MOFFITT.--Your copy of the 1 fl. Hungary is simply one that + has been poorly printed. + + E. H. TRAPHAGEN.--In the case of stamps still in use, always buy + unused if offered _at the same price_ as used. In the case of the + Columbian stamps, the reason used stamps are still as high as + unused is that the bulk of the cost is for the $1, $2, $3, $4, and + $5 stamps. If you put them on a package or on a bundle of letters + the chance is that they will be damaged, and hence worth much less + than if in good condition. This risk must be paid for. Confederate + bills are worth 2c. or 3c. apiece. + + A. OAKLEY.--The 24c. U.S. 1872 is worth $5 unused, $2 used. The + 1861 1c. is worth 5c. unused, 1c. used. + + TOM W. B. WELCH, Millburn, N. J.; H. G. HALL, Ridley Park, Pa.; + W. A. MACON, Ridley Park, Pa., wish to exchange stamps. + + A. SAXE.--There are two types of the French stamps 1876 issue. If + you have very sharp eyes you will see the name of the engraver, + J. A. SAGE, INV., immediately under the word REPUBLIQUE. In Type I. + the letter N of INV. will be found directly under the letter B of + Republique. In Type II. the same N is under the U of Republique. + INV. is the abbreviation of the Latin word meaning to design. + + G. KLINTEICH.--The New South Wales stamps issued in 1849 are + usually called "Sydney Views," from the fact that the stamps bear a + view of a city on the seashore, with a ship in the offing, and + several figures in the foreground. There are about 50 varieties in + the 1d., 120 varieties in the 2d., 25 varieties in the 3d., as each + stamp was separately engraved, and some plates retouched or + re-engraved. They are worth from $8 to $25 each used, and from $50 + to $100 each unused. If you have any of your grandfather's letters + from Sydney in 1850 they should bear these stamps. + + [Illustration: Fig. 1.] + + [Illustration: Fig. 2.] + + J. ABELER.--Your drawing is very good, but I cannot make out the + date. I am inclined to think that your stamps are the 1 sh. black + of the 1870 issue (Fig. 1), and the 1 sh. black of the 1872 issue + (Fig. 2). The first, on the letter, is worth $15, the second, if on + the letter, about $2, provided the stamps are in fairly good + condition. All Afghanistan stamps were cancelled by tearing or + gouging a piece out of the stamp. The centre ornament in these + stamps represents a tiger's head. + + J. A.--If you have a strip of four 5c. Express U.S. Revenue stamps + unsevered it is worth about $2. Single stamps showing two sides + unperforated are not worth any more than those perforated all + around. Too many such stamps are in the market which are simply + "fakes"--that is, they are made from ordinary perforated stamps. + + S. L. COE.--Your Prussian gold coin is worth its weight in gold. It + is not scarce. + + C. WILLISTON.--A complete set of Columbian stamps from 1c. to $5 + can be bought for $25 either unused or used. + + PHILATUS. + + + + +[Illustration: Ivory Soap] + +Those who think that imported soaps must be the finest, do not know that +the materials for Ivory Soap are the best to be found anywhere. The +vegetable oil of which Ivory Soap is made, is imported, almost in ship +loads, from the other side of the world. + +THE PROCTER & GAMBLE CO., CIN'TI. + + + + +ALL AMATEUR PHOTOGRAPHERS--YOUNG AND OLD + +ARE INVITED TO ENTER THE + +PRIZE PHOTOGRAPH COMPETITION + +$25 IN PRIZES. OPEN TO DEC. 10th. + + * * * * * + +=NO RESTRICTIONS= as to the number of photographs from any competitor; nor +as to assistance from others; nor as to ages of competitors. Photographs +may be of any size, from 3x4 to 10x12. Size will not be considered by +the Judging Committee. + +The =Prize-Winning Photographs= will become the property of the +publishers; =all others= which the publishers may desire to retain =will +be purchased=. + +Every photograph must be =original=; that is, the copying of other +photographs, paintings, or pictures is not permissible. Every photograph +should indicate action; that is, the children or animals should be +apparently doing something--playing a game, making something, etc. Some +interesting phase of child or animal life or action should be the +central point of interest. A photograph that is merely a portrait or +landscape will not be considered. + +Address all communications and inquiries, + +Prize Photograph Competition, + +ALPHA PUBLISHING COMPANY, 212 Boylston Street, BOSTON. + +Publishers of BABYLAND and LITTLE MEN AND WOMEN. + + + + +JOSEPH GILLOTT'S + +STEEL PENS + +Nos. 303, 404, 170, 604 E.F., 601 E.F. + +And other styles to suit all hands. + +THE MOST PERFECT OF PENS. + + + + +[Illustration] + +EARN A TRICYCLE. + +We wish to introduce our Teas. Sell 30 lbs. and we will give you a Fairy +Tricycle; sell 25 lbs. for a Solid Silver Watch and Chain; 50 lbs. for a +Gold Watch and Chain; 75 lbs. for a Bicycle; 10 lbs. for a Gold Ring. +Write for catalog and order sheet Dept. I + +W. G. BAKER, + +Springfield, Mass. + + + + +[Illustration: THOMPSON'S EYE WATER] + + + + +POPULAR BOOKS + +By HOWARD PYLE + + * * * * * + +=THE WONDER CLOCK.= Large 8vo, Cloth, $3.00. + +=PEPPER AND SALT.= 4to, Cloth, $2.00. + +=THE ROSE OF PARADISE.= Post 8vo, Cloth, $1.25. + +=TWILIGHT LAND.= 8vo, Half Leather, Ornamental, $2.50. + +=MEN OF IRON.= 8vo, Cloth, $2.00. + +=A MODERN ALADDIN.= Post 8vo, Cloth, $1.25. + + * * * * * + +HARPER & BROTHERS, Publishers, New York. + + * * * * * + +[Illustration: UNWISELY SELFISH. + +"THAT WORM IS MINE, I TELL YOU." + +"NONSENSE. I GOT HERE FIRST. IF YOU WANT A WORM, GET ONE ON YOUR OWN +HOOK."] + + * * * * * + +A BOY'S REASON. + +"Tom, which will you have for your birthday, a bicycle or a watch?" + +"Bicycle," said Tom. "The wheels are bigger." + + * * * * * + +NOT A PLEASANT FEELING. + +"How did you feel, Harry, when you were lost?" + +"Like being a whole game of hide-and-go-seek. I couldn't seem to find +myself at all, either, so it wasn't much fun." + + * * * * * + +A TALENTED TUTOR. + +"Well, Tommie, I hear you had a tutor with you on the farm." + +"Yes." + +"Did he teach you anything?" + +"Yes. He taught me a little matthewmatics, and how to milk a cow." + + * * * * * + +THE COLLEGE BOY MAKES A JOKE. + +"Guess we gotter stand up, Maria," said Uncle Si, as they stepped aboard +the lake steamer, and found all the chairs taken. "There don't seem to +be no cheers fer us to set in." + +At this a fresh young college boy got up and proposed to his comrades +that they give "Three cheers for Uncle Si." + + * * * * * + +THE UNPLEASANT PART OF IT. + +"Well, Johnnie," said the visitor, "I suppose you'll begin going to +school again very soon." + +"Yes." + +"Do you like going to school?" + +"Yes; it's staying there after I get there that I don't like." + + * * * * * + +The Colonel had for a servant a darky that at times was inclined to grow +lazy. For a long while the Colonel had noted this, and had scolded and +threatened, but all to no purpose. One day there was a party of +gentlemen dining with him, and among them a military man. The Colonel +had entertained the company with anecdotes, and finally came around to +the subject of his lazy servant. + +"I can fix that fellow," said the military man. "Just send for him, +Colonel, and I'll give him an order, and we'll see if he will obey it +quickly or not." + +The Colonel sent for his servant. As he entered the room the military +man assumed a most severe mien, and gave him an order to go fix his +horse's bridle, which needed looking after, "And be sure you do it right +and quickly"; and he significantly drew his sword and laid it on the +table near his plate, at the same time looking hard at the servant. In a +short while the man returned and brought with him a pitchfork, which he +gravely laid on the table alongside the sword, saying, + +"Ise fixed de bridle, General." + +"What on earth did you bring this pitchfork here for, eh?" exclaimed the +military man. + +"Why, sah, Ise thought that wid so big er knife like your sword the best +thing to use wid it would be de pitchfork." + + * * * * * + +A bright little chap in the White Mountains wrote to his papa in the +city the other day the following letter: + + "DEAR PAPA,--I can't write to you 'cause I got nothing to say, and + I send this 'cause I can't say it. + + "With love, BOB, + + "Please send some candies." + + * * * * * + +[Illustration: A POUTER.] + + "I SAY THERE, YOUNG FELLOWS, YOU'D BETTER LOOK OUT; + THAT PIGEON, I NOTICE, IS IN A GREAT POUT!" + + + + + +End of Project Gutenberg's Harper's Round Table, September 8, 1896, by Various + +*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 59184 *** |