Volume XVI. With 1096 Pages, and about 750 Illustrations. 4to, Cloth,

Ornamental, $3.50.

There is nothing, we imagine, that the young reader would be likely to prize more.--_N. Y. Sun._

A truly royal volume for the youthful reading appetite.--_Boston Courier._

OAKLEIGH

A Story for Girls. By ELLEN DOUGLAS DELAND. Illustrated. Post 8vo, Cloth, Ornamental, $1.25.

A story for girls, charmingly written, and illustrated throughout with pictures dainty enough to please the most fastidious damsel.... The incidents are full of life, the characters are very natural, and the conversations well sustained, so that the story is full of intense interest from beginning to end.--_Chicago Inter-Ocean._

By W. J. HENDERSON

=Afloat with the Flag=. By W. J. HENDERSON, Author of "Sea Yarns for Boys," etc. Illustrated. Post 8vo, Cloth, Ornamental, $1.25.

Mr. W. J. Henderson's latest sea-story for boys is one of the best we have seen.... The story has been read with eager interest by thousands of ROUND TABLE readers, and it will have an additional charm to them and others in its present book form.--_Boston Advertiser._

By KIRK MUNROE

=Snow-Shoes and Sledges=, a Sequel to "The Fur-Seal's Tooth." Illustrated. Post 8vo, Cloth, Ornamental, $1.25.

Will hold the interest of its readers from beginning to end.--_N.Y. Evening Post._

We confess to have read every word of the journal with as much interest as we once read "Robinson Crusoe" or the "Swiss Family Robinson."--_Christian Intelligencer_, N. Y.

_BY THE SAME AUTHOR:_

THE FUR-SEAL'S TOOTH.--RAFTMATES.--CANOEMATES.--CAMPMATES.--DORYMATES. Each one volume. Illustrated. Post 8vo, Cloth, $1.25.

WAKULLA.--THE FLAMINGO FEATHER.--DERRICK STERLING.--CHRYSTAL, JACK & CO., and DELTA BIXBY. Illustrated. Square 116mo, Cloth, $1.00 each.

* * * * *

HARPER & BROTHERS, Publishers, New York

KILLJOY'S BARGAIN.

"Well, I declare," said the Moonfay Boy, "There's old Killjoy, The meanest fish that ever did swim; He knows that I've no use for him. He eats my bait At a fearfal rate. I've changed it twice From flies to mice. From mice to slags. And potato-bugs, And still he bites. For the last ten nights I've caught nothing else but old Killjoy," Said the Moonfay Boy.

"It ain't polite To bite and bite, And chew and chew, On the bait of one who don't want you." And old Killjoy Grinned at the boy.

"Oh don't get mad, Dear Moonfay lad, You set the best table that ever I had," Said he. "For don't you see It agrees with me, And to pay you back I'll invite to tea All the sharks and the shad, And the little poletad, And the whale and the blue, And the halibut too. And when all's ready I'll wink at you, And the catch you'll catch Will have no match On the land or sea! Just count, old Moon-faced Fay, on me!"

* * * * *

And the Moonfay Boy went home that night With a mess of fish that was out of sight. For old Killjoy, be it understood, Paid him back for his bait, as he'd said he would.

AN ADVENTURE WITH A BEAR

A letter came to light not long ago that was mailed in 1843. It was sent from a small town far out in the Northwest, and was written, evidently, by some hardy hunter to his family at home. In one of the paragraphs the writer describes an adventure he had had with a bear. It reads somewhat as follows:

"I had gone several miles up the rocky trail, and finally striking off at right angles, left the valley and scaled the mountain-side. In a short while this brought me on a narrow ledge, and I proceeded along, thinking to skirt around the mountain that way, and reach down the other side into what was called Bear Trail. I never saw bear around the spot, and attached but little importance to the significance of the name. As I proceeded, the ledge grew very narrow--in fact, so much so that I was almost compelled to hug the face of the cliff to prevent my tumbling over.

"Suddenly I was horrified to hear a scraping kind of noise ahead, and before I could make up my mind as to what it was, a large bear crawled around a bend of the ledge into view. It was no use retreating, for the bear had a surer footing than I, being by nature adapted to it; but whatever brought him so far out of the valley I could not guess. He eyed me and I eyed him, and then I did the queerest thing I imagine any man would do--that was to treat the bear as though he were a human being. We were both in a predicament, as it would have been impossible for the bear to turn, and useless for me to do so, for the moment I retreated he would be after me. So I made a motion to the bear, and lying down on my face, I beckoned to him to come on and pass over me.

"Of course I gave myself up for lost. The bear eyed me suspiciously, and then came slowly on. He reached me, and putting down his cold wet nose, sniffed at my hair. I was dead with fright, and felt as though I would faint any moment.

"My harmlessness seemed to satisfy him; in a gentle manner he crawled over me and passed on, never once placing his paws on my body, for had he done so I should have been crushed.

"If he had but pushed me the slightest bit I would have fallen over. In a few minutes I recovered somewhat from my fright, and proceeded along the ledge, which shortly widened and permitted me to make better headway to safety. The only reason I have to account for the bear's gentleness was that he had had plenty to eat, and the savage instincts were dulled by the sight of my helplessness."

* * * * *

TEACHER (_unable to conceal her anger and disgust_). "Tommy Winks, you spell horribly."

TOMMY. "H-o-r-r-i-b-l-y."

* * * * *

A man having pointedly ridiculed Tasso, he remained perfectly silent, much to the astonishment of the railer. A listener muttered loud enough to be heard that a man was a fool not to defend himself.

"You are mistaken," said Tasso; "a fool does not know enough to be silent."

End of Project Gutenberg's Harper's Round Table, February 25, 1896, by Various