Part 4

I have written to HARPER'S YOUNG PEOPLE three times, and none of my letters have been printed; but I believe in perseverance, so I am going to try again. I have never read any paper I liked half as well as HARPER'S YOUNG PEOPLE. Papa gets it for me, and I read it to my little brother. One night I was reading "Tim and Tip" to him, and I happened to look up, and he was crying. He didn't want me to think he was crying, so he said, "It's only the water that comes out of my eyes." I like Jimmy Brown's stories very much. I think all of the stories in the paper are very interesting. Jimmy Brown and Georgie Hackett seem to possess about the same qualities. My favorite study in school is history.

EMMA.

I do not know Georgie Hackett, but poor Jimmy is certainly an interesting boy, though I would not care to have him living at my house, unless he could behave better than he now does. Perseverance is an excellent quality. You could not have a better motto than

"If at first you don't succeed, Try, try again."

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SANBORN, DAKOTA TERRITORY.

I am a little English girl eight years old, and hope to see this letter printed, to please dear papa, as he does not know I am going to write. I have taken HARPER'S YOUNG PEOPLE two years (ever since we left England), and have never written before. I have an Indian pony, on which I ride about; her name is Frances. My brother Jack has one called Charlie. I have a little sister Mabel; she is six, and so fat that mamma calls her Pumpkin. She calls me her fairy lily. I have seen Jumbo in England, and am glad he has come to America. Papa says some time I may see him again. I am very fond of reading. I have lots of books, and my grandma sends me _Little Folks_ every month. I have been learning music for a year, and am getting on nicely. We find lovely flowers about here, and I gather mamma lovely bunches for the table every day. Good-by.

KATIE S.

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JUNCTION, IDAHO.

I am a little boy seven years old. I take HARPER'S YOUNG PEOPLE, and I like it very much. I think "Toby Tyler" and "Mr. Stubbs's Brother" are the best of all. Blue Ribbon has a little kitten; she is teaching it to walk. I have a horse; his name is Old Indian. The reason I call him Old Indian is because we bought him of the Indians. I have some nice rides on him. We live on a ranch, and have lots of little calves and little chickens. I do not go to school, but study my lessons at home. I send one dollar for Young People's Cot.

OLIVER T. C.

Your contribution has been sent to the lady who receives and takes care of the money for Young People's Cot. Is Blue Ribbon the little kitten's mother? I hope Old Indian is a gentle pony. From his name I should think he might be quite fiery.

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"PAPA, WHAT MAKES THE RAIN COME?"

Mabel and Ethel can't write for themselves, and they do not know that I am writing to the Post-office Box to tell other little girls about them. What here follows is not a made-up story; it is set down almost word for word as it was spoken. The girls were in their little beds, talking about different things, and papa was sitting at the table reading a book by the light of the lamp. Thunder was heard in the distance, and Ethel remarked that the rain was coming. This led Mabel to ask the question which forms the title of this letter, "Papa, what makes the rain come?"

While thinking about the best way to make her understand the wonderful and beautiful natural process--how the sun draws up vapors from land and sea, and stores the treasures of rain in the clouds, returning them in showers of blessings upon the earth--Ethel broke in with her views, thus relieving me of a difficulty. So I kept quiet as a mouse, and listened while pretending to read. Ethel, half raising herself in bed, thus explained:

"Why, Mabel, I will tell you what makes the rain come. You see, God is up there above the clouds, and He has wings, and flies from place to place, all over. Then, you know, He has a pump, with a big deep well, with lots, oh! lots of water in it, and on the pump there is a rubber tube, with a sprinkler fastened to it. And then He pumps, and pumps, and pumps, and the angels they pump, and the water comes, and spurtles, and spurtles, and spurtles, and spurtles, and spurtles, and spurtles; and that's what makes the rain come."

These were the child's thoughts and expressions on the beautiful phenomena of the rain. The explanation seemed sufficient and satisfactory, as both little thinkers forthwith resigned themselves into the loving arms of "tired nature's sweet restorer," and were carried far away into the happy land of dreams.

F. J. T. FARMINGTON, MINNESOTA.

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CHURCHVILLE, MARYLAND.

As the day is rainy, we have been looking over HARPER'S YOUNG PEOPLE, and seeing so many nice letters in Our Post-office Box. I thought, by way of variety, I would send one from Harford County. I have two sisters. One is a teacher, and she is going to read some pieces out of your paper to the children in her school.

We have a colt named Pinafore. The other day I turned another horse, with a halter on, into the same field with him. Pin caught the halter in his mouth, and led him about as he had seen us do. I have a Scotch terrier dog named Jack. I hitch him to a little wagon, and he is better trained than the speckled pig in No. 132.

I think your paper is just splendid, but like to read "Mr. Stubbs's Brother" the best of all. I went to see Jumbo in Baltimore.

FRANK B.

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OUR BABY BOY.

Oh, he's so sweet, The darling thing! On his small feet We kisses fling.

He plays, he crows, Can laugh and sing, And thinks he knows 'Most everything.

He goes to bed So sweet at night; You'll hear his tread Soon as 'tis light.

He plays, you know. The whole day through, And he can blow His trumpet new.

All places round, No sweeter toy Than this is found-- Our baby boy.

DAISY M. (aged 9.) DAVENPORT, IOWA.

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BAYFIELD, WISCONSIN.

I am thirteen years old, and have a little adopted sister, whose name is Elsie, and whom I love just as much as if she were my own sister. She is seven years old. I wish the readers of YOUNG PEOPLE could see my canary-bird. His name is Jim. I often let him out of his cage, and sometimes he comes hopping up to me, and then he will chirp until I give him a piece of apple or orange.

I am very fond of reading. I have just finished a book called _Zigzag Journeys in Europe_, and I enjoyed it very much. Our house is a square from Lake Superior. We can stand at any window and look right out on the lake. Bayfield is a great summer resort for invalids and pleasure-seekers. Very nearly all the large steamboats come here. From Bayfield we can also see five of the Apostle Islands.

SUSIE P.

Would it not be nice if we could have all the cunning and beautiful pets our little friends write about arranged together in a great exhibition? As this is impossible, we must try to see each of them from the pretty pen pictures their little owners send.

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PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

I am nine years old. Last Easter mamma gave me HARPER'S YOUNG PEOPLE as a present. I am delighted with it, and reading those letters written by the young folks has put me in the notion of telling you something of myself. I go to school in West Philadelphia. Mamma thought the ride out there would be good for my health. I am obliged to start at eight o'clock, and I get home at two. I eat my dinner, learn my lessons, and then I am ready for play, which I enjoy greatly. I have neither brother nor sister, but I have several little friends. I have two velocipedes. Mamma gave me one when I was only four years old; it has three wheels; I call it my little clipper. The other has four wheels; I call it my propeller. I have a set of garden tools. I tell you I play hard until tea-time; then I get ready for tea. By eight o'clock I am quite ready for bed, as I have to get up at six. Sometimes I take a little ride before breakfast on my velocipede, or play with my pet cat, which I call Charlie, after papa. Mamma says she intends to turn over a new leaf, and have me black my own boots in the morning, and promises if I do it for two weeks she will make me a present of a nice blacking-box like papa's.

G. W. H.

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ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

I am seven years old. I have a little brother five and a dear little sister two years old. I go to school, and my brother goes to the kindergarten. I will tell you how my little sister said her prayers last night. She said, "God bless mamma and papa, and our dear, dear kittie cat. Amen." We thought it was so cute. I envy the little boys who live in the country. I have never been out of the city, but hope to go for all the summer. This is the first letter I have ever written.

LUCAS N.

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NEW YORK CITY.

I want to tell you of my pets. I have a little pug dog; his name is Punch. I have such fun with him, he is so playful. Then I have two canary-birds, and their names are Sweet and Top-knot. And I have a little kitten; her name is Betty; mamma named her.

I take music lessons, and go to school, and also attend a riding school twice a week. I like HARPER'S YOUNG PEOPLE very much. I think "Toby Tyler," "The Little Dolls' Dressmaker," and "Mr. Stubbs's Brother" are tiptop. Good-night.

BERTHA E. F.

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The Postmistress has pleasure in inviting the attention of boys to the following request:

The boys at this place having organized a social club, desire to have their secretary open a correspondence with the secretaries of other and similar clubs of boys. Persons interested will please address for further information,

W. T. FRANKLIN, 82 East Jersey St., Elizabeth, N. J.

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MOTT HAVEN, NEW YORK.

I am a little girl nine years old. I have five dollies; their names are Katie, Jessie, Jemima, Daisy, and Ella. I have had Jemima eight years. I have a bedstead, and a carriage in which, on fine days, I take them out riding. I also have a trunk, and lots of other things. I have never been to school, and only began to write one year ago last February, and I hope you will be able to read this letter.

AGGIE L. S. S.

I suppose Jemima is the favorite of the five dollies, as you have had her almost all your life. You write very well indeed.

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SOUTHAMPTON, ENGLAND.

Our grandma sends us HARPER'S YOUNG PEOPLE, which we find very interesting. We are Americans. We came here partly for our education, but mostly for our health. I am almost fourteen. I thought I would write to the Post-office Box, and tell you what I have seen. We have been to Netley Abbey, which is a very ancient ruin; it is over eleven centuries old. We have visited Netley Hospital. While we were there we saw a number of soldiers come in from the Zulu war. The hospital is a very fine building. We have also been to Romsey Abbey, and we saw there a plait of hair which is supposed to be a thousand years old. We have been to Winchester Cathedral, and saw many ancient tombs. We went to the New Forest, and saw the place where William Rufus was killed.

F. B. M.

You have a very pleasant opportunity to study English history, and you must write to the Post-office Box again, and tell us more about the places you visit.

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I read the letters in the Post-office Box every week. I study geography, spelling, arithmetic, writing, and Latin. I have gone to school here for almost ten months. I have had a nice black and white rabbit for almost a year. I will try to get some wild ones this spring, and tame them. Some of us boys take our dinners out in the woods on Saturdays, and have a splendid time. In cold weather we build a fire.

I will give a book entitled _Tel Tyler at School_, 750 mixed foreign stamps, several foreign postal cards, a piece of petrified honey-comb, two shells from St. Augustine, Florida, and a pebble from Amsterdam, New York, for sixty stamps from Alsace-Lorraine, Angola, Antigua, Azores, Bolivia, Bermuda, British Honduras, Ceylon, Chili, Costa Rica, Dominica, Ecuador, Guatemala, Honduras, Ionian Isles, Labuan, Lagos, Liberia, Malta, Nevis, Nicaragua, Orange States, Paraguay, Persia, Salvador, San Marino, Shanghai, St. Lucia, Trinidad, and Virgin Isles. Stamps must be in good condition.

CHARLES L. HOLLINGSHEAD, Care Rev. R. K. Todd, Woodstock, Ill.

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C. Y. P. R. U.

AN INDIAN ELEPHANT.--Some of you have been very much interested in Jumbo and his enormous appetite. A traveller who engaged an elephant to carry him over a part of India during a journey which occupied some weeks, gives this account of the elephant's food, and of the care which he received while on the march: Every day he was fed with cakes composed of flour, ghee (which is clarified butter), and coarse salt. Twenty-five pounds of flour were mixed and baked, and one-half the quantity was given to the elephant in the morning, and the other in the evening. Besides these cakes, he ate freely of the leaves and branches of trees. Each morning he would go with his mahout, or driver, into the jungle, and there he would choose and pick the branches he liked best, loading them on his back, and taking the supply home to the camp. There was a kind of marshy grass which he considered a very choice dessert. When a person engages an elephant, he of course engages the mahout as well. The mahout usually takes his wife and children with him, as it takes several people to keep an elephant comfortable. Every morning and evening he must have his bath, and before beginning the day's march his forehead, ears, paws, and every part of his body likely to be cracked with the sun must be greased. When the party comes to a halt, the elephant's heavy trappings are always taken off, and he is allowed to rest under a spreading tree. When an elephant does not feel well, he makes a pill for himself without saying a word to the doctor. With his trunk he rolls up a ball or two of red earth, and swallows it, just as naturally as pussy, when her head aches, scampers off to the catnip bed, and takes a dose of her favorite herb.

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MYRTLE.--I think a Shakspeare club such as you and your girl friends have organized must be both pleasant and instructive. Instead of so many stories, dear, let me persuade you to read books of travel which will give you an idea of the world we live in; and when you tire of them, and want a change, try history. The books you mention are too exciting and highly wrought to be good reading for you at present. I think you would find Sir Walter Scott's "Lady of the Lake" and "Marmion" very fascinating, and Miss Strickland's _Queens of England_ would keep you delightfully occupied all summer.

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TOM H.--Sir Richard Whittington, the hero of the tale of _Whittington and His Cat_, was born about 1354, in Gloucestershire, England. He was not a beggar boy, but belonged to a good family. When less than ten years old he was sent to London to be a little apprentice. From step to step he rose, until he became a great merchant, and finally Lord Mayor of London. Very likely he did send his cat away on one of his employer's ships to clear the vessel of rats and mice, and it would not be at all strange if he sometimes fancied he heard the sweet tones of the Bow-Bells calling to him

"Turn again, Whittington, Lord Mayor of London."

Few boys become successful men without ambition. It is a good thing to mean to be somebody one of these days. But doing well is better than dreaming. The lad who works with all his might at whatever he begins, never slighting any duty until it is done, will be sure to make a useful and honored man. Now, as I have preached my little sermon, let me tell you some of the noble things Dick Whittington did. He caused a conduit, or pipe, of water to be put on tap in the wall of St. Giles's church, thus making a drinking fountain five hundred years ago very much like those we have now. He built the Guildhall Library in 1419. He repaired hospitals, and did a great deal of good among the poor and the sick, and was very kind to children. He died in 1423.

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We would call the attention of the C. Y. P. R. U. this week to the article entitled "Handel and 'The Messiah,'" by Mrs. John Lillie, to "Oiling the Waves," and to "Photography and Work." In the latter Mr. Allan Forman endeavors to point out to young amateur photographers the way to overcome some of the difficulties that are likely to attend their earlier efforts. We hope that no one who has procured an outfit will become discouraged or induced by a few failures in the beginning to abandon this delightful and improving pastime, which has recently become so popular.

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PUZZLES FROM YOUNG CONTRIBUTORS.

No. 1.

TWO ENIGMAS.

1.

My first is in rope, but not in string. My second is in throw, but not in fling. My third is in rill, but not in brook. My fourth is in glance, but not in look. My fifth is in lance, but not in dart. My sixth is in tremble, but not in start. My seventh is in servant, but not in slave. My eighth is in grotto, but not in cave. My ninth is in manage, but not in wield. My whole's an American battle-field.

EMPIRE CITY.

2.

First in fun, not in play. Second in green, not in gray. Third in idle, not in work. Fourth in tired, not in shirk. Fifth in eel, not in fish. Sixth in dream, not in wish. Seventh in sad, not in gay. Eighth in study, not in play. Ninth in tame, not in wild. Tenth in gentle, not in mild. Eleventh in learn, not in school. Twelfth in smart, not in fool. My whole a country great and wide, Whose flag is honored on every side.

EDNA M.

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No. 2.

TWO CHARADES.

1.

I am composed of 8 letters. My first and second is a verb. My third and fourth is a preposition. My fifth, sixth, seventh, and eighth is a kind of vegetable. My whole is the name of a maiden.

2.

I am composed of 8 letters. My 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 is the name of an inventor. My 6 and 7 is a preposition. My 8 is an article. My whole is a name noted in Arabian story.

MILTON W.

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No. 3.

ZIGZAGS--(_To Will A. Mette_).

1. A volcanic rock. 2. A musical term. 3. More. 4. A kind of beetle. 5. A tuft. 6. A Swiss coin. 7. Stead. 8. A pit. 9. An ancient Norse character. 10. A kind of tea. Zigzags--A mineral.

LODESTAR.

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No. 4.

ST. ANDREW'S CROSS OF DIAMONDS.

Central Diamond--1. A letter. 2. A genus of serpents. 3. Small vessels. 4. The Goddess of Revenge. 5. A letter.

Upper Right-hand Diamond--1. A letter. 2. An Anglo-Saxon money. 3. Small nails. 4. Coalesce. 5. A letter.

Upper Left-hand Diamond--1. A letter. 2. A Roman deity. 3. A native of the West Indies. 4. Part of the body. 5. A letter.

Lower Right-hand Diamond--1. A letter. 2. An animal. 3. A past participle. 4. A Chinese musical instrument. 5. A letter.

Lower Left-hand Diamond--1. A letter. 2. A boy's name. 3. An alloy. 4. A tree. 5. A letter.

LODESTAR.

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ANSWERS TO PUZZLES IN No. 132.

No. 1.

Dub-lin.

No. 2.

D-ur-a. P-aisle-y. V-eva-y. M-agent-a. S-ever-n. M-iser-y. L-adog-a.

No. 3.

Diary.

No. 4.

Helena. Charles. Red. Snake. Erie. Clinch. Charles Dickens.

No. 5.

T T T A B T U B T A B E S T U B E S T A B A R E T T U B U L A R B E R M E B E L A M S E E S A M T R

No. 6.

Lair--air. Clock--lock. Gas--as. Mill--ill. Man--an. Skate--Kate. Shot--hot. Sam--am. Sever--ever.

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The answer to the Rebus on page 432 (No. 131) is "A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush."

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Correct answers to puzzles have been received from Maud Mary Chambers, George P. Taggart, John J. Widrig, Mabel Shelton, Eda L. Baldwin, Clara Blank, Sammie Bronson, Lulu Kirtland, Alice and Richard Tindall, "I. Scycle," A. Gertie Childs, F. F. Tonn, Leo Marks, Clinton Roe, Elsie O. R., Edgar Seeman, A. E. Cressingham, William A. Lewis, Mabel and Annie Knight, Lizzie Maxwell, J. R. Blake, Jessie S. Godine, Albert Feibel, "Red Riding Hood," Florence Raymond, John Walter Bangs, Smith Tangiers, Arthur Comstock, and Lulu Brown.

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

End of Project Gutenberg's Harper's Young People, May 30, 1882, by Various