Part 4

I think, upon the whole, that America is the best country in the world. However much we are attached to Europe, we will be glad to get home. Papa is now in New York; he has crossed the Atlantic Ocean twenty times.

Would the editor or any of the readers please give me a list of all the different inventions and discoveries made by Americans, and oblige their loving compatriot,

A. M. W.

A complete list of all the inventions and discoveries, small and great, which have been made by Americans, would fill a very large space in Our Post-office Box, even if printed in the closest and tiniest of type. Not to speak of that fairy of the household, the sewing-machine, and of that wizard, the electric telegraph, there are dozens of useful and beautiful things to make life easier and homes more charming which the world owes to our countrymen. We shall leave the question of A. M. W. to our bright little correspondents, and we hope to print some replies to it before long.

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BED-TIME.

BY LUCY RANDOLPH FLEMING.

Tell you a story? Dear me! And which one shall I tell? How Tommy Green, in cruel sport, Dropped Pussy in the well?

Shall I tell you of Dame Hubbard's dog, And the wonderful things he did; Or of poor Bo-Peep, who could not tell Where her wandering sheep were hid?

Or shall I tell of the dreadful wolf Who met Red Riding-hood; Or will you hear the sad, sad tale Of the Children in the Wood?

Of Cinderella, who sat by the fire, And wanted to go to the ball, And the nice old godmother who came With the slippers of glass, and all?

Or shall I sing of the active cow Who jumped right over the moon? Perhaps she frightened the man up there, And made him come "down too soon."

Or will you hear of the famous birds All baked in the royal pie? I think we could make a better dish With "a pocket full of rye."

What! baby mine, you are going to sleep, And none of the stories are told? The blue eyes are shut, and the pillow waits For the touch of the curls of gold.

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NASHUA, NEW HAMPSHIRE.

I am a little girl ten years old. I have two pet rabbits; they are white, with pink eyes. We have a little toy terrier, all blue, with long silky hair; she is one of the smallest dogs in America or Europe. I have been taking music lessons ever since I was seven years old; I have been studying Mozart's sonatas. My grandpa has four kittens, and I play with them every day. We have three cages of birds, two in one cage, two in another, and fourteen in the third. I have two brothers. We go to school, and all study German.

HARRIET E. S.

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GIRARD, KANSAS.

My brother and I have concluded to write a letter together. I am twelve, and he is a year and a half younger. Our aunt Minnie, living in Pennsylvania, made us a present of HARPER'S YOUNG PEOPLE this year. We think she is a good, kind aunt, although we have never seen her. We are going to get up a club next year, as we want all our school-mates to read it. Eddie and I signed the pledge during the Murphy movement never to use tobacco or profane language, and we intend to keep it, and hope our little friends will do the same. We live five miles from Girard, the county seat. My mamma came thirteen years ago, and saw the first house erected, and now the place has two railroads, and a population of 1731. We live near Lightning Creek, and have lots of fun fishing, although the fish are not so fine as some we read of, being mostly sunfish and catfish, although sometimes we get a nice bass. We have a nice garden, and had new potatoes and pease the 28th of May. Our two little brothers, named Colimo and Lew, love to look at the pictures in YOUNG PEOPLE. We do not go to school this summer, as there is none in our district; we had a six months' school last winter. But we are not idle; we weed and hoe in the garden, help to milk, chop wood, and do many other things. We have sixty-nine little chickens, and had fifteen little turkeys, but they have all died except four. Could any one tell us what was the cause of it? They seemed weak and drooping for several days. Mamma was advised to feed them with cooked food, and so she did, but it did no good.

WILLIE D., EDDIE D., and MOTHER.

You were not more unsuccessful than many others with your flock of turkeys. Young turkeys are very hard to raise, and sometimes their mother takes them out into the wet grass, and they get tired, and take cold. Should you have another brood at any time, be very careful to keep them dry and warm. A friend who has had experience with turkeys tells the Postmistress that the little ones require almost as careful tending as babies do.

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The Postmistress wonders whether you ever heard of a young woman's expecting to be paid for being so good as to learn to sew? Most of us think we ought to pay those who are good enough to teach us anything, as teachers really have to take more trouble than pupils do. Many years ago a lady undertook to show some women in the South Sea Islands how to make their own dresses. They were quite anxious to look like the missionary ladies, who were the only Europeans they had ever seen. A young woman attended very regularly for some weeks, and became quite skillful. One Saturday night she presented herself with the native servants, and begged to be paid her wages for learning to sew.

Mrs. Ellis said: "Why should I pay you? In our country those who learn pay their teachers."

The woman answered, very earnestly: "You asked me to come and learn. I have been here so long I have learned. It must be in some way an advantage to you, or else you would not be so anxious about it. As I have done it to please you, you ought to pay me for my goodness."

She was pacified by being engaged to sew for the missionaries.

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GREENFIELD, ILLINOIS.

I am a boy twelve years old. We live near the woods, and mamma is helping me to make a leaf-album. I have a good many sheets of paper covered with pressed leaves, such as elm, cotton-wood, plum, willow, etc. It is a very interesting occupation, and the leaves look very pretty when pressed out. It teaches us so much about the woods too. I have a small cabinet of curiosities also. We live near a school-house, and the other day I found a wren's nest in a rose-bush in the school yard. We watch it very closely to keep the boys away until the little ones can fly. We think it is a very pretty idea to build a nest among the roses. Don't you? YOUNG PEOPLE is the best of papers.

JESS L. B.

Yes, indeed. Wrens are so sociable that they like to build close by people, and probably the wee mother liked the rose-bush because it was near the school-house. I wonder if she listens, while you boys recite your lessons? A leaf-album is both interesting and instructive. It is a good plan to write the name of each leaf under it, and the date of the day it was gathered, as well as whatever you know about the place where it was found.

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THE SKIPPING-ROPE.

Now all ye tearful children, come and listen while I tell About the little fairy folk, and what to them befell; And how three little fairies sat them down, one summer day, And cried among the grasses till the others flew away.

They flew away bewildered, for it gave them such a fright To see the fairies crying, with the jolly sun in sight: And so they left them all alone, and there they sat and cried Six little streams of fairy tears, that trickled side by side.

And looking down, the laughing sun among the drops did pass, And he laid a little rainbow beside them on the grass. Then quickly rose the fairies, and clapped their gleeful hands-- "We've found the brightest skipping-rope in all the fairy lands."

And there they jumped their tears away, and jumped their dimples in, And jumped until their laughter came--a tinkling, fairy din. What! you say you don't believe it, you saucy little elf? Then run and get your skipping-rope, and try it for yourself.

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EAST ST. LOUIS, ILLINOIS.

I am a little girl twelve years of age. I live in the country. I thought I would write and tell you about my pets. I have a little Alderney calf; its name is Baby Mine, and it follows me all around. I have a little colt two years old; its name is Celeste. My uncle is a stock raiser, and when my brother was eight years of age and I was six he took us to his pasture and told us each to pick out a colt. Those colts are now six years old. Mine is named Blaze. My brother has two colts, one named Rosalie T. and the other Roxie. I have a Spitz dog named Beauty; he got into a fight not long ago, and was badly hurt. I have two kittens named Budgy and Toddie. I have a ball with a string tied to it for my kittens. I have four canary-birds and a beautiful red-bird. I have been taking music lessons ever since I was eight years old. This is the first letter I have ever written.

ROSALIE T.

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OCEAN GROVE, NEW JERSEY.

I am at Ocean Grove for the summer, and expect to stay until October. On my way down I saw the wrecked coffee ship _Pliny_. The coffee is washed all along the beach. The other day I went up the beach toward the wreck, and found five bags, each holding about two bushels. The coffee is green, that is, not roasted, and is now quite black in color. I emptied about ten bushels on the sand, and brought the bags home. The Captain of the wrecked vessel issued a circular warning people not to use the coffee, as there had been hides on the vessel which were cured with arsenic. There are piles of coffee on the sand.

I will exchange an ounce of coffee from the wrecked vessel _Pliny_, for ten foreign stamps (no duplicates). Please inclose a 2-cent stamp for postage on coffee.

HARRY C. CROSBY, Box 2104, Ocean Grove, N. J.

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BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

In No. 130 of your paper a reader of the same asks if any one of your readers knows anything about a, book called _The Runaway_. We have it, and like it ever so much. The copy we have only says, "By the Author of _Mrs. Jerningham's Journal_," and it is published by Macmillan & Co., in London and New York, and our copy was published in 1872. We think it is so nice.

I am one of the "little girls who have many pets." We have a beautiful English setter, and I have a lovely Maltese cat, two kittens, and a canary-bird--a very sweet singer. He is singing now. I would write about them, but it would only be to tell what so many little girls have already done, though I want to ever so much.

BESSIE W.

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ADAMS, MASSACHUSETTS.

I am a little girl six years old; I live in Adams; and my sister is five, and her name is Clara. We have a good many dollies; my best one is a large wax doll named Ruth. I can not write, so my mamma is writing this for me. We have two kitties; mine was born without any tail. Mamma read to us about Jumbo in the YOUNG PEOPLE, and so we call my kitty Jumbo. Clara's kitty has a nice long tail, and her name is Cherrie. We do not go to school, but papa and mamma teach us at home. Papa takes HARPER'S YOUNG PEOPLE for us, and we like to read the letters in the Post-office Box; and mamma reads us the stories. Papa says I may have a garden this summer all my own. I had one last summer, and I had beans in it, and mamma cooked them.

HELEN W. H.

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TARRYTOWN, NEW YORK.

I am a little girl nearly six years old. My pet is a gray cat named Tiger, whom I love very much. Last fall my papa had two little kittens in his store, and Tiger was so jealous of them that he ran away, and staid six months, and then came home again. Mamma reads YOUNG PEOPLE to my brother and me every week, and she is writing this for me. Please print it.

MARION M. D.

Thanks, dear, for the daisy and fern.

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MOUNT VERNON, NEW YORK.

I am sore (four) years old. Mamma is writing this sor (for) me, as I can not write. I have a white kitty with a black nose; mamma will tell you his long name (Don Tomosa Felini Blackernosa, or Backernoisa, as little four-year-old always calls him). I sit on a cushion at the table. This morning kitty sat on the same cushion by me, but he did not take any of my breakfast. Kitty has his supper on the soar (floor). Jack (our little Skye terrier) sleeps with kitty on a carpet chair. Jack bit the baby kitten (sister to Don) because she took his meat. Brother Bertie buried the little kitten. The kitten's mamma got shot in her paw. She was so sick we gave the baby kitty a little bottle with milk in it, and a little piece of sponge in it, so kitty could drink; she put both her little sont (front) paws on the bottle when she took the milk. It cried and ran after mamma when it was hungry. I like "Toby Tyler."

C. HAROLD C.

P.S.--My baby boy can not sound the f's at all.

MAMMA.

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NEWTON, IOWA.

This is next to the last week of school, and we are anxiously waiting for our long summer vacation. We expect to have a nice time. My mother, brother, and I are going to Nebraska the week after school closes, as we have cousins living there. They have a little pony for the children, and each has a saddle of its own, and I expect to learn to ride horseback. As the town is only a few years old, it will seem almost like the country. The Postmistress said she would like to hear from the girls having flower beds. I have one. There are seven children in our neighborhood--two boys and five girls--who have each a flower bed, and want to see who can have the nicest. My auntie sent us HARPER'S YOUNG PEOPLE two years ago, and last year's are being bound for my brother Lewis, and this year's will be bound for me, and our names will be put on the backs of them. I thought that I would write a letter to have in mine, and have been expecting to write sooner. I enjoy reading the letters and continued pieces the most; also Jimmy Brown's--those about the animals, and the rest.

CELIA L.

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ELIZABETH, NEW JERSEY.

I am a little girl nine years old, and have as funny a dog as ever you saw, only I do not own him. I have two brothers. One of them was my birthday present. I am going to the country soon, and you are to be sent to me every week. I like you ever so much, and would be very lonely without you, dear YOUNG PEOPLE.

SOPHIE M. S.

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TROY, NEW YORK.

I am a little boy, and have a dear little brother George. I go to school, just the same as all the other little boys do that write you. I have taken your paper ever since it was first issued, and I have all the back numbers, and whenever any of my little friends come to see me, he or she always wants to look at them, they are so nice; and I sometimes send an armful over to the hospital for the poor little sick children to look at, and you can't imagine how pleased they are to get them. My paper is read every week by eight or ten persons, and some of them big folks too. The only fault I have to find with YOUNG PEOPLE is that it is not large enough.

CLARENCE G.

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C. Y. P. R. U.

Alice asked me why strawberries were so called. She was eating a delicious plateful of them; and as they were heaped high on the dish, sprinkled with sugar and covered with cream, they were very inviting. But why were they strawberries, and not red-berries, or blush-berries, or best-berries? Because, dear, I told her they grow on the ground on a pretty running vine, and are found strewn, or strawn, among their green leaves. From strewn or strawn berries the way is short to strawberries, which name slips easily over the lips in our talk.

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FOR THE COMMONPLACE-BOOK.--Here, dear girls, is a picture from Mrs. Browning for your busy pens to copy:

She was not so pretty as women I know, And yet all your best, made of sunshine and snow. Drop to shade, melt to naught, in the long-trodden ways. While she's still remembered on warm and cold days-- My Kate.

Her air had a meaning, her movements a grace, You turned from the fairest to gaze on her face; And when you had once seen her forehead and mouth, You saw as distinctly her soul and her truth-- My Kate.

Such a blue inner light from her eyelids outbroke You looked at her silence and fancied she spoke; When she did, so peculiar yet soft was her tone. Though the loudest spoke also, you heard her alone-- My Kate.

I doubt if she said to you much that could act As a thought or suggestion; she did not attract In the sense of the brilliant or wise; I infer 'Twas her thinking of others made you think of her-- My Kate.

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A BOY.--We will shortly publish an article giving you the information you desire.

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CHESTNUT HILL, PENNSYLVANIA.

I wrote to YOUNG PEOPLE once before, but not finding my letter in print, I thought I would try again, hoping you will publish it. I am going to tell you something real funny. One morning at breakfast, while eating her mutton-chop, one of my friends said to her father, "Papa, this meat tastes sheepy." The next morning they had beef-steak, and her father said, "Do you think the meat tastes sheepy this morning?" But her little sister, about eight or nine years of age, said, "No; it tastes bully." Of course every one at the table laughed. But she did not mean it for a slang expression; she meant that it tasted sort of "beefy."

BERTHA C.

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We would call the attention of the C. Y. P. R. U. this week to Mrs. Herrick's article on botany entitled "The Thirsty Flowers," and to the story of the heroic drummer-boy at the battle of Jena, which Mr. David Ker tells under the title of "The Bravest Feat of All." In his sketch entitled "Paddy Ryan's Big Fish," Mr. W. M. Laffan tells the boys about curious methods of capturing trout that are practiced on the other side of the Atlantic. Dr. Van Gieson gives them some sage advice about how to treat the "Cuts and Bruises" that they are always inflicting upon themselves in their eager pursuit of pleasure.

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PUZZLES FROM YOUNG CONTRIBUTORS.

No. 1.

GEOGRAPHICAL PUZZLE.

A gentleman named (a city in New Zealand), and whose Christian name was (a city in Australia), went to (a town in Vermont) to attend a party. His partner was a lady whose Christian name was (a river in Siberia), and whose surname was (a town in Tasmania). During the evening he spoke a great deal of (a cape on the coast of North America), about her dress, which was composed of (a valley in Asia), trimmed with lace from (a city in Belgium). Her shoes were made of (a city in Africa). Her hair was dressed beautifully with (a river in Africa) flowers. After dancing they strolled on the terrace, and she happened to step on (a city in Germany), and fainted from (a cape east of the United States). He flew for (a city in Europe) to revive her. When she had recovered she partook of a plate of (islands in the Pacific Ocean), and also ate a whole (county in New York State). She now said it was time to go home. They said good-night to their hostess, and took a tender (cape of Greenland) of each other at the lady's door.

J. H. B.

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No. 2.

ENIGMAS.

1.

My first is in bracket, but not in rack. My second is in plunder, but not in sack. My third is in running, but not in fast. My fourth is in end, but not in last. My fifth is in sitting, but not in sat. My sixth is in kittens, but not in cat. My seventh is in gravel, but not in sand. My eighth is in water, but not in land. My ninth is in horse, but not in mule. My tenth is in cotton, but not in spool. My whole was a battle in time of old In which the oppressors lost their hold.

G. B. B., JUN.

2.

My first is in hen, but not in rat. My second is in boat, but not in flat. My third is in ship, not in scow. My fourth is in scare, but not in fear. My fifth is in courtesy, but not in bow. My sixth is in owl, but not in hen. My seventh is in tomtit, but not in wren. My eighth is in cat, but not in kitten. My ninth is in hand, but not in mitten. My whole is a game played by us boys, In which we often make a great noise.

EDWARD DANA S.

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No. 3.

TWO EASY DIAMONDS.

1.--1. A letter. 2. Time for work. 3. A bird. 4. A consent. 5. A letter.

C. C.

2.--1. A letter. 2. A winged animal. 3. Large bundles. 4. A post-horse. 5. A name given to the earth. 6. A body of water. 7. A letter.

ALLIE W. C.

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No. 4.

WORD SQUARE.

1. A fright. 2. To expiate. 3. A story. 4. Dull. 5. An ancient people.

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ANSWERS TO PUZZLES IN No. 135.

No. 1.

Princeton. United States.

No. 2.

Beatrice. Faustina.

No. 3.

_T_ U F T P _O_ C O P L _U_ S D O R _R_ C O _M_ A B _A_ T S _L_ I E U S I_ L O R U _N_ E M A T _E_

No. 4.

C B L A R O R A C A R I B R A D S R I B O A D D B O A T S I R A T E L K B R A S S L A I N A S H K I N S N

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Correct answers to puzzles have been received from _George P. Taggart_, Jerry Helsey, Florence Kahn, Hattie Kahn, Frank H. Powell, A. E. Cressingham, Charles C. Jacobus, Georgie Wardell, "_I. Scycle_," Josephine Hopgood, Florence Chambers, Eloise, "Fuss and Feathers," Emily Nelson, John P. Talbot, Eunice Dean, Frank Ellis, Fay Latimer, Bessie, C. A. G., Louis Meyers, Emil Shultz, and Irene Prescott.

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

SOLUTION OF ASTRONOMICAL ACROSTIC PUZZLE.

(PUBLISHED ON PAGE 476 OF No. 134.)

PROLOGUE.

tars in th_e_ he_a_v_e_ns bri_g_htly sh_i_ne; t_a__r_s in _t_he t_h__e_at_r__e_ shout a_n_d str_i_d_e_; tars o_n_ o_u_r fl_a_gs alo_n_g _t_he _l__i_ne erv_e_d to _a_rou_s_e the _s_ol_d_iers' _p_r_i_de.

FIRST VERSE.

wi_n_klet_u_m Shi_n_e w_a_s a litt_l_e st_a__r_ u_c_k_e_d in a f_a__r_-awa_y_ nook in t_h_e _s_ky; akin_g_ a loo_k_ at th_e_ world fro_m_ _a_fa_r_, hinki_n_g his _s_tation exc_e__e_dingly high.

SECOND VERSE.

_m__b_ition to _r_ise is _u_nknown in a st_a_r, nd Twinkletum fel_t_ _t_hat he w_a_nted to fa_l_l, -sh_o_oting h_e_ w_e_nt without asking his "_m_a_r_," nd he shot d_o_wn h_e_ad first '_g_ainst a h_i_gh g_a__r_den wa_l__l_.

THIRD VERSE.

ec_a__l_l_e__d_ by a vi_e_w of com_p_an_i_on_s_ on high, eco_l__l_ection_s_ of hom_e_ c_a_me to Twink_l_etum _S_hine; e_m_o_r_se gn_a_we_d_ h_i_s _b__r_ea_s_t as he clung to _t_he _v_ine unn_i_ng _o_ve_r_ th_e_ _s_tone w_a__l__l_ 'way up t_o_ward th_e_ _s_ky.

FOURTH VERSE.