Part 4

I am staying in Germantown with my aunt, and am having a lovely time; and as I have not seen many letters from here, I thought I would write and tell you about our place. We have a good many chickens, six horses, and a very pretty pet cat. His name is Pursius, but we call him Persie for a short name. He climbs up from our back shed to the window-sill, and cries until we open the window and let him in. Does not the Postmistress think him a smart cat, I wonder? He does a good many more cute things, but it would make my letter too long to tell them all. I do not go to school, but study at home. I took lessons of a French mademoiselle in the winter, and can talk a little in French. My favorite stories in _Young People_ are "The Dolls' Dressmaker," "Toby Tyler," "Tim and Tip," and "Phil's Fairies." I forgot to say that the woods are only five minutes' walk from the house, and the apple-trees are all in bloom, and I often take my little basket over to the woods and gather it full of apple blossoms and dogwood flowers. My papa gave me a pretty little watch on my last birthday.

MARGARET J.

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A PANSY SHOW.

Three children sat in a row on a fence; They knew not what to do; They were tired of playing their old games, And wished for something new.

They looked around with discontent, 'Till they saw the pansy bed, Where each bright blossom, in purple and gold, Was nodding its royal head.

Then one of the children cried aloud: "Let's have a pansy show; We can dress the flowers and make them look Just like people, you know."

They gathered the velvet pansies, And when dressed in green and white. They were placed in groups on the smooth green grass-- It was truly a fairy sight.

They charged five pins admission To see the wonderful flowers; In this way they made great profits, And spent many pleasant hours.

In summer you will see the pansies, On their faces an eager glow, Waiting to be picked by the children, And placed in the flower show.

MYRA A. SCOTT. CLEVELAND, OHIO.

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NEWMARKET, TENNESSEE.

A kind uncle, away off in New Jersey, sends me HARPER'S YOUNG PEOPLE. Unless you have been a little country girl ten years old, like me, you can not imagine what pleasure it gives me, or how eagerly I run to meet brother Bertram when he brings the mail on Thursdays. Bertie, who is twelve years old, goes to school, while I have to stay at home and help to take care of a baby brother and sister (twins) so sweet and cunning that I wish you could see them. The little boy is named after grandpa, and the girl after uncle Jesse B., by adding an i to Jesse. Papa told me I must not use many capital I's if I wrote you a letter; but how else can I tell you that I ride six miles on horseback once a week, to take a music lesson, on a dear old horse (we call her Kate) so faithful and true that I am sure Toby Tyler and the boys would be delighted to have her in their circus, but I can't spare her? Papa is a farmer, and we make pets of colts and calves and lambs and pigs, but I do not give as much attention to them as I do to books and the babies. I have a little sister Dora, four years old, who came running in one evening and said, "Mamma, the gipperwills are singing, and it is time to go barefooted." She had been told that when the whippoorwills sing there is no danger of catching cold. My home is on a high location, overlooking a beautiful valley--a landscape that never fails to please all who look upon it. Here, if I can not go to school. I try to learn, and be happy and busy and helpful to mamma.

GERTRUDE ELIZABETH W.

What fun it must be to take care of twins! Do they look very much alike, and how old are they? You ought to have said more about them, dear. Although you can not attend school, you are learning a great many pleasant things at home, as your letter shows. The I's are not too numerous. I shall think of Bertie carrying YOUNG PEOPLE home from the office on Thursdays, and fancy my little correspondent flying down the garden walk to meet him as he stops at the gate.

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SPRINGFIELD, KENTUCKY.

My home is in Springfield. I have been wanting to write a letter for the YOUNG PEOPLE since I first took it, which was last January, but I was timid about doing it. My papa gave the paper to me as a New-Year's gift, and I have had more than a dollar and a half's worth of pleasure from it already. I have seen so much about "Toby Tyler" in the letters, but have never seen anything about him in the numbers, and my mamma reads everything in them to me; so please tell me where to find him. I am seven and a half years old; have never been to school, but am taught at home; will start in a week or two. I am the only child, and mamma says she will be too lonely without me; but I tell her she must let me learn and be a smart little girl. I have a lot of pets: a beautiful Esquimau dog just one year younger than I, a canary-bird, and a lot of the prettiest little chickens; but my kitten has run away, or has been killed. He was such a pet, because he was so smart, and performed so many tricks. I am going to have a pony as soon as I learn to ride. I have the money, given to me by my uncle; he gave me one hundred dollars six months ago, and I loaned it to papa at ten per cent. interest. I have written 'most too long a letter, but please publish it if you can.

CARRIE S.

The story of "Toby Tyler" was begun in No. 58, Vol. II., of HARPER'S YOUNG PEOPLE. The same Toby is the hero of "Mr. Stubbs's Brother"; but if you are very anxious to read all the adventures of a little boy who was once so foolish as to run away from his kind uncle Daniel and travel with a circus, you must send for _Toby Tyler_, which the Messrs. Harper publish in a very pretty little book by itself. The price is $1. I hope you will enjoy school, and surprise mamma by learning very fast. When the pony is bought, you must write again, and tell me his name, and all about your charming rides.

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WOODSIDE (NEAR LINCOLNTON), NORTH CAROLINA.

MY DEAR "YOUNG PEOPLE,"--It has been quite a while since I have written a letter to you all. I had books and papers enough, thanks to your kind help, and so I have not had any need to call upon your generosity again. Our school, you will be glad to know, still keeps on in a very encouraging way. I had only a few dollars sent for the building, and had almost despaired of ever getting one, when one day I received a letter from a very kind gentleman, who wrote that if we were willing to give the land to the diocese, and build a chapel, he could raise us money to do it. You may be sure we were only too glad to do so, and he did his part very soon. We have the building framed, all the lumber is ready, and the carpenter promises that he will soon have it done. We have the windows, sent by the same kind gentleman, of colored and ground glass, and the rector in Lincolnton will give our school one service each month. The people have no preaching now except from preachers of their own race, who are often very ignorant men. We hope this will be a great help in educating the children and their parents, and making them good and happy. I will tell you about it when church begins. Your friend,

MRS. RICHARDSON.

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KAU, HAWAII, SANDWICH ISLANDS.

I like "Toby Tyler" and "Talking Leaves" the best of all the stories. I have a pet rooster; his name is Whitehead, because when little he had a white spot on the top of his head. He is so tame that my little sister can take him by the tail and drive him all around the yard like a dog, and he will not try to get away; and when we have a bunch of bananas on the veranda hanging up over the railing, he will fly up on the railing and pull the bananas off the bunch, and drop them down for the hens that are on the ground below him. I have a handsome parrot; he is yellow, green, blue, red, and black. His name is Dandy, but he calls himself Polly.

We live about twenty-five miles from the volcano Kilauea, and every night when I go to bed I look out of the window of my bedroom, and can see the light of it, sometimes bright and sometimes faint.

MAY L. H.

Tell your sister to take hold of the rooster's tail very gently. He is very kind to pick bananas for the hens. Charlotte's letter, which came with yours, will appear in a future number.

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TARRYTOWN, NEW YORK.

I am ten years old, and hope you will put my piece of poetry in the poets' corner:

THE VIOLET.

It gently lifts its little head, And looks up to the sun; It hears the birds a-twittering, And knows that spring has come.

It lives in quiet little nooks, Where the sunbeams come and play; It hears the crickets' cheerful chirp, And sees them day by day.

And so this lovely little flower Shows that spring has come; But soon will wilt and fade away, And then spring will be done.

MARGARET PRALL G.

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MCCAINSVILLE, NEW JERSEY.

I enjoy reading your stories very much indeed, especially those written by Jimmy Brown. There is a robin and a chippy-bird building their nests on the honeysuckle vine that is climbing up our piazza. The nests are about two feet apart. My brother Fred has about twenty-two pigeons. They are so tame that they come in front of the kitchen and pick up the crumbs of bread.

LIZZIE S. S.

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NORWICH, CONNECTICUT.

I am a boy eight years old, and I can read and write a little, but my aunt Daisy is writing this for me, because I do not form the letters plainly yet. I must tell you about a pet pony I have. His nose is pure white, while all the rest of him is jet black. I call him Gip, and he will eat sugar, bananas, and cookies. He is very small and cunning, and I ride him sometimes, with my papa holding the bridle. Some time I hope I can ride him all alone. Besides Gip, I have a canary called Funny, a dog which I have named Yum-yum, a rabbit which we call Toodles, and a big Maltese cat called Thomas Didymus. Don't you think I have a good many pets? I go to school with my sister every day, and as it is a long distance from my home, I always carry our lunch in a little basket, and we eat it at recess. My little sister is only seven years old, and she can make real pretty poetry. This is a little poem that she made all alone, and we think it is very good. Will you please print it?

NELSON G.

MY KITTY.

How cunning does my Kitty play With a spool, or a long string, all day! She capers round in a pretty way, As much as if she would say, "Give me some milk, and let me drink From a pan, all bright and gay, And please, dear mistress, don't say nay. Or surely I will run away, And with you no longer stay. Give me some milk, and let me drink."

Your pets have very droll names, Nelson, especially the doggie. Thank you for your nice letter, and for little sister's jingle, which is very well done for a girl who is only seven.

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The children who are studying geography may hold up both hands. Shall I count them? No wonder you laugh. A Postmistress would be very clever indeed who could count the forest of hands which are waving gleefully in the air at this moment. What I hope is that every one of you will read this rhymed alphabet of countries; and if you do, and I hear that you like it, perhaps I'll be able to find another one for you some day in a corner of our box:

GEOGRAPHICAL ALPHABET FOR CHILDREN.

_A_ stands for _America_, our free, happy land, And likewise _Arabia_, shrouded in sand; While _B_ stands for _Belgium_, and mighty _Brazil_, Which such a big place on the atlas does fill. For _C_ we have _China_, and _Corsica_ too, Where the Emperor Napoleon from infancy grew; And _D_ is for _Denmark_, a brave little land, Which gave birth to Andersen, charming and bland. Next _E_ stands for _England_, a wonderful power, And also for _Egypt_, where Pyramids tower; And _F_ is for fertile and beautiful _France_, The land of all chivalry, song, and romance. For _G_ we have _Germany_, _Greenland_, and _Greece_, Whose praises the poets to sing will ne'er cease; While _H_ goes with _Holland_, a country most quaint, Where they know how to fight, and they know how to paint. For _I_ we find _India_, colossal, immense. And _Ireland_, confused by its rows and its rents. While _J_ goes with _Java_, and distant _Japan_, Where for less than a penny they make you a fan. _Kamtchatka_, I think, will do well for the _K_, But it's awfully cold there, all travellers say; While _L_'s for _Liberia_, owned by the blacks, Who work in the fields till the sun burns their backs. _M_ stands for _Morocco_ and far _Mozambique_, Where the breezes are hot on the maiden's brown cheek. For _N_, let me see, there's _Norway_, I'm sure, Whose peasants come here a good place to secure. And _O_ with _Ohio_ can go very well, And its future of promise no dreamer can tell. We have _Poland_ and _Persia_ and _Peru_ for _P_, And big _Patagonia_, wild as can be, While _Queensland_'s the best I can find for the _Q_, And is famous for swans which are coal black in hue. For _R_ there is _Russia_, the mighty and vast, With a history stretching away to the past; And _S_ is for _Sweden_, and _Sicily_ fair, Where Mount Etna with lava oft darkens the air; While _T_ stands for _Turkey_ and _Tunis_, you see; And _U_ is for _Uruguay_, plain as can be. For _V_, _Venezuela_, with forests and vales, Will do very well; and the _W_ is _Wales_. Near Japan there is _Ximo_, a beautiful isle, Where Nature in all her green splendor doth smile; While for _Y_ _Yucatan_ does most nicely exist, And both _Zealand_ and _Zante_ can end the long list.

VOL AU VENT.

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WARWICK, NEW YORK.

I am a little girl twelve years old. I attend a very pleasant school not far from home, and have a good teacher. We read your paper at school. We take sixteen numbers for one class. I think Jimmy Brown's stories are the funniest. We read one paper through in a week; and I am so glad when the first of the week comes, so that we can have a new one. I enjoy reading the letters in your paper very much; but I have never seen one from Warwick yet, so I thought I would write one. I live on a farm not far from the village, and it is a very pleasant place. Our school yard is very large, and down at the lower end there is a creek, and there are some very large trees on the bank, and we eat our dinner there in the summer.

CARRIE B.

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STOCKPORT, NEW YORK.

I send to you a queer dandelion. My little sister May picked it in our yard yesterday. There is another growing on the same plant like it. Please let me know if this is often met with; also, what you think of it.

ROBBIE V. R. R.

We do not often find nine dandelions on one stem, but still they are sometimes found growing in clusters like the specimen Robbie sent. The Postmistress thinks them very curious when grouped in this way, and is glad to have looked at these.

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NEW YORK CITY.

I am a little boy eleven years old, and I live in the great city of New York. I took your paper by the advice of a friend, and love it very much indeed.

I have a great many pets--a goat, two rabbits, three canary-birds, and a Maltese kitten; but, better than all, there is my little sister Elsie, who only came four months ago.

We are soon going into the country, and I expect to have a splendid time playing in a little brook that runs through a field at the back of the house. I hope all the boys and girls who write to Our Post-office Box will have a pleasant vacation.

WILLARD R.

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C. Y. P. R. U.

A HINDOO BRIDE.--No doubt the readers of YOUNG PEOPLE are pleased when they have an opportunity to look at the pretty wedding presents of a bride. A Bombay paper has lately printed an interesting description of the dowry of a young lady of Surat. She was the daughter of a native gentleman of high rank. According to custom, her outfit was sent before her to the house of the bridegroom. The long procession was led by a number of elephants, horses, and carriages. These were followed by a number of female servants, all in snow-white clothes, each bearing in her hands a covered tray. About fifty youths followed with rose-water decanters of silver on silver salvers. Then came five hundred coolies, some with magnificent bedsteads, with curtains, pillows, etc., others with swings, benches, boxes, cupboards of various designs, sofas, chairs, tables, and, in short, all the paraphernalia of a modern house. These were followed by seventy-five women, each carrying a tray of sweetmeats. One hundred men with cooking utensils brought up the rear. Some of these men carried on their heads basket-loads of lamps, wall shades, chandeliers, etc.

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HILDA L.--Cloth cases, postage paid, for binding Vols. I. and II. of YOUNG PEOPLE, will be sent to your home in England, on application to Messrs. Harper & Brothers, for the sum of two shillings each.

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Little Rosy Redcheek said unto a Clover, "Flower, why were you made? I was made for mother-- She hasn't any other; But you were made for no one, I'm afraid."

Then the Clover softly unto Redcheek whispered, "Pluck me ere you go." Redcheek, little dreaming, Pulled, and ran off screaming, "Oh; you naughty, naughty flower, to sting me so!"

"Foolish one!" the startled bee buzzed crossly-- "Foolish not to see That I make my honey While the day is sunny; That the pretty little clover lives for me."

* * * * *

MRS. I. B. R.--Thanks for your kindness in sending the composition of your gifted little pupil. The Postmistress has read it with interest, and thinks it shows real talent on the part of its youthful writer, as well as a habit of attention, which proves her teacher's faithful care. It is too long to be printed in Our Post-office Box.

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A PRETTY PANEL PICTURE.--A very graceful and beautiful panel picture may be painted on a common slate. Paint the background in some neutral tint, or else have one shaded in color; those from dark brown to very light are effective. Use burnt umber and white. Be very careful indeed to shade gradually and evenly. Flowers may be grouped very prettily for panel pictures. A bunch of mountain-ash berries, a cluster of wheat heads and field daisies, a few sprays of wild roses, or a dainty little handful of buttercups, with grasses and clover, are any of them appropriate for a panel. The frames may be gilded, silvered, left in the color of the wood, or painted in a contrasting tint.

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We would call the attention of the C. Y. P. R. U. this week to Miss Sarah Cooper's article on the "Portuguese Man-of-War," to the account of "A Wonderful Lake," and to "Wrens and their Nests," by Eesung Eyliss. The boys will not fail to be interested in what Sherwood Ryse has to say about Base-Ball.

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PUZZLES FROM YOUNG CONTRIBUTORS.

No. 1.

NUMERICAL ENIGMA.

I am composed of 15 letters, and am the name of a mountain in New England. My 9, 3, 5 is a cabin. My 6, 2, 15, 5 is often said by naughty boys. My 12, 3, 4 is a weapon. My 1, 10, 8, 13 is a fog. My 1, 10, 15, 5 is a plant. My 12, 14, 7, 13 is an animal. My 11, 2, 3, 15 is a part of speech.

ROGER D.

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No. 2.

DOUBLE ACROSTIC.

1. A sceptre with three prongs. 2. A vegetable. 3. A pretty name for a girl. 4. Power. 5. Nothing. 6. Obscurely. 7. A box. 8. To hinder. 9. An iron bar. Primals and finals are the names of three favorites of HARPER'S YOUNG PEOPLE.

CHIPS.

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No. 3.

HIDDEN BIRDS.

1. Hanc rows fast down the Fox River. 2. Where is Rob? In the garden, I suppose. 3. It rains now; birds are at home in their nests. 4. Carrie's wand was very pretty. 5. Oh, pshaw, Kitty, do not be so silly!

JOSEPHINE.

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No. 4.

AN EASY WORD SQUARE.

1. To scream. 2. A giant. 3. A bird. 4. A fast.

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No. 5.

TWO ENIGMAS.

1.

In beer, not in malt. In vinegar, not in salt. In young, not in old. In plait, not in fold. In ligament, not in band. My whole an Eastern land.

2.

In forest, not in field. In breastplate, not in shield. In English, not in Dutch. In little, not in much. In inn, not in hotel. In scream, not in yell. In blacksmith, not in miller. My whole a pointed pillar.

MAURICE E. W.

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ANSWERS TO PUZZLES IN No. 134.

No. 1.

1. Because it is the beginning of June. 2. A, because it makes _her hear_. 3. When it cannot bear you. 4. When it is a sky-light. 5. Because both are prized for their flour (flower). 6. Because it is of little use until it is broken.

No. 2.

Wind-lass.

No. 3.

M E H O T E V E M O R A L E V E N T T A N E N D L T

P T N O T T O P P O W E R T O N I C T E N P I T R C

No. 4.

S H A F T C R A N E H O N O R R A V E N A N K L E A V E R T F O L D S N E R V E T R E S S E N T E R

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Correct answers to puzzles have been received from Frank Lomas, Emil S. Hirsh, H. E. Johnston, Jun., Florence Evans, Louise Best, Amy Vanderveer, John K. Thomas, C. L. T., Rose and Lily, "I. Scycle," Amy Kahn, Edward Haines, Gertie Childs, Blanche P. Heywood, Roger Derby, Willie Jones, Mary H. Hobart, William A. Lewis, Florence Cox, and Elsie M. D.

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[_For Exchanges, see 2d and 3d pages of cover._]

JUST OUT OF BED.

Six small maidens here you see. Just as sweet as sweet can be; Smiling, pouting, white, and red-- Little girls just out of bed.

When the birdies sought the nest, Went these little ones to rest; And they've wakened glad and gay With the singing-birds to-day.

Would you like their names to guess? Blanche and Dorothy and Bess, Lottie, Lulu, Winifred: Here they are, just out of bed.

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"A BIRD IN HAND IS WORTH TWO IN THE BUSH."

This saying originated from the following circumstance: Will Somers, the celebrated jester to Henry VIII., happening to call at my Lord Surrey's, whom he had often, by a well-timed jest, saved from the displeasure of his royal master, and who consequently was always glad to see him, was on this occasion ushered into the aviary, where he found my lord amusing himself with his birds. Somers happened to admire the plumage of a kingfisher.

"By my lady," said Surrey, "my prince of wits, I will give it you."

Will skipped about with delight, and swore by the great Harry he was a most noble gentleman. Away went Will with his kingfisher, telling all his acquaintance whom he met that his friend Surrey had just presented him with it.