Chapter 2

The Mississippi with its tributaries drains the whole of the enormous tract of land lying between these three main mountain ranges.

This great river forms the highway for the interior of our country, and winds through the plain for about a thousand miles. Every year when the heavy spring rains fall, and the snows melt in the north, the river overflows its bed, and floods the lowlands around it.

To keep the river within its bounds, mounds of earth, called levees, have been built for hundreds of miles along the banks. The Mississippi floods are only dangerous when the thaws are very sudden, or the rains so heavy that the river swells in size to such an extent that the levees are broken down, and the water, bursting its bounds, rushes with an angry flood over the surrounding country, destroying everything in its path.

As a usual thing the spring floods are beneficial to the country, for the Mississippi is a very muddy river, and when it overflows it spreads this mud over the country, in much the same fashion that the Nile does, and with the same result of fertilizing and enriching the soil.

All swift waters wash away some portion of their bed in their flow, and carry it along with them in their journey to the sea.

The Mississippi in its thousand-mile course carries a vast amount of this stolen earth, so much indeed that every year it deposits in the Gulf of Mexico an amount of mud which would make a pile one mile square and 268 feet high.

This enormous yearly deposit is literally filling up the Gulf, and in the ages to come dry land and a new country will be found where the waters of the Gulf now lie.

Every year the Mississippi brings down enough earth with it to help it move its mouth 338 feet farther out into the sea, and every year it builds on to its delta, which now contains thousands of square miles!

You can understand that the angry flood of such a powerful river as this must be a very serious matter. For a distance of nearly twenty miles in Arkansas, levees have given way, and thousands of acres of land have been flooded; the waters sweeping away the homes, drowning the cattle, and compelling the people to seek the points above the angry waters, and wait in the hope of relief-boats coming to save them.

In other parts of the country through which the river flows, special trains loaded with sacks are being run to points near the river banks. The sacks are filled with earth, and thrown upon the levees to strengthen them. The men of that country are working night and day to shore up the levees until the floods subside.

This is the worst flood that has been known for many years, and people along the banks of the Mississippi have been ruined through the damage done by the waters.

* * * * *

March 22d was celebrated throughout Germany as a national holiday, for it was on this day one hundred years ago that Emperor William I. was born.

The old Emperor was the man who, with the help of Bismarck, united all the various States and Principalities of Germany under one rule, and raised Germany from the dust into which Napoleon had thrown her, to the glorious position she holds to-day.

The day was celebrated in Berlin by the unveiling of a magnificent monument to the old Emperor.

The statue of William I. shows him seated on horseback, with winged figures representing Victory standing on the pedestal beneath him, and the Goddess of Peace holding the bridle of his horse.

On the base of the pedestal is carved:

· · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · WILLIAM THE GREAT, · · · · German Emperor--King of Prussia, · · · · 1861-1888. · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · ·

And on the back:

· · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · With gratitude and faithful love, · · · · The German People. · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · ·

The Emperor unveiled the monument in the presence of a great number of German Princes and nobles, all of whom laid wreaths at the foot of the monument.

In consequence of the recent troubles over his "revelations," Prince Bismarck was not invited to take part in the ceremonies. Many people thought the young Emperor should have invited him in spite of everything; but the people of Germany did not forget the man who had done so much for them, and throughout the entire day telegrams and messages were showered upon the old Iron Chancellor, by those who appreciated all he had done for their country.

* * * * *

The New York Zoological Society has been presented with a tract of land containing 261 acres, for the making of a Zoological Garden, which it is intended shall be the finest in the world. The land presented to the Society is in Bronx Park.

The Zoo is to be finished within three years, and to be free to the public at least four days of the week, including Sundays and all half holidays; it is to be open not less than seven hours every day.

Work is to be begun this spring, and the Vice-President of the Society promises to have a part of the garden ready to open to the public next spring.

The Society agrees to prepare the park grounds, and erect such buildings as are necessary to house the animals, and the City agrees to take care of the animals and grounds after they are ready.

This great work is being done by some public-spirited citizens, and when we get our Zoo we shall have to thank these good people for it.

The Botanical Garden, which is in course of preparation, will also be in Bronx Park, and many of the same people who are working to get a Zoological Garden for us have also helped to provide New York with its Botanical Garden.

One lady, Mrs. Esther Hermann, gave ten thousand dollars for the Botanical Garden--which, according to the latest report, will be opened this summer.

GENIE H. ROSENFELD.

ROUGHING IT IN A GOLD MINE.

DEAR EDITOR:

I am not a subscriber to your interesting little paper, THE GREAT ROUND WORLD, but my teacher Miss Margaret Gannon subscribed for this paper and she reads it to us, that is, to the class, when it comes. I was very much interested in the letter "Little Friend" wrote to you. She must be a very kind-hearted little girl. It may be interesting to some of your readers to hear how I went to a gold mine and got out some gold. As I was going to "rough it" I only took my rifle, mackintosh, and boots, and a small valise with my other necessary articles. I got on the train, and it took two hours for me to get to the little station at Cedar Falls, N.C. The mine was two miles from the village. I reached there at five o'clock. The little shanty where we lived while we were there was about twelve feet long by eight feet wide.

The bunks were folded up during the day and unfolded at night.

After hanging up my gun and putting my valise in the corner, I went to the shaft or hole from which the gold ore is taken. After the two men went down the shaft, the men at the top hauled up the bucket, and they put in the tools, which were eight sharp drills, an eight-pound sledge-hammer, and a scraper about three feet long. I got in among the tools, and down I went. It was warm above, but on the way down the shaft, which was thirty feet deep, it became cooler and damper. I stood on one side with a small pick to cut out nuggets, while the men drilled a hole about two inches in diameter and one foot deep, which they afterward filled with dynamite. After sending the tools up, the other man and I went up, while the man we left in the shaft lit the fuse. We all pulled at the windlass, and he was soon at the top. After taking off the bucket we ran up the hill about a hundred yards to watch the result.

With an awful explosion and a tremendous shower of rocks the dynamite blew a big hole in the side of the shaft. After driving out the smoke by dropping large cedar bushes in the shaft, we went down again.

We filled the bucket with rocks, which were drawn up. We soon emptied the shaft in this way. Then we went to the top and assorted the ore. I filled a large box with the richest rocks I could find, and they were shipped the next day.

Besides blasting for the ore, I panned a little, that is, I had a shallow pan with a little of the dust from the shaft and some water. I washed the dust until I had very little dust left; then I took a quill toothpick and picked the small nuggets from the pan and put them into a small gold vial full of water.

After staying at the mine four days, I went home, having had a fine time "roughing it" in a gold mine.

Please send me full particulars of the "Who? When? What? Chart" as soon as you possibly can, and also tell me whether you will send me one of those books which you want criticised. I am eleven years old. I like to read very much--history, travel, and adventure being my favorites. The books I like specially are Oliver Optic's works for travels, and G.A. Henty's works for historical facts and thrilling adventures. I like other books also.

Hoping that I do not inconvenience you, I am respectfully,

JULES W.L., Jr. GREENSBORO, N.C., March 25, 1897.

EXHIBITION OF CHILDREN'S WORK.

There has been a very interesting exhibition, in New York, of sewing done by the children in the public schools.

France, England, Germany, Switzerland, Russia, China, and Japan have all sent exhibits of their work, and so it has been possible to see what kind of sewing is being done all over the world.

It is very much to the credit of America that the home work far outshines that of any of the foreign countries.

This exhibition was not one of fancy work or embroideries, though every country sent some specimens of the special work for which it is celebrated. The work shown was plain sewing, the cutting and making of new garments, and the mending of old ones.

The first principles of sewing were shown on neat little squares of cloth--running, hemming, stitching, gathering, and buttonhole-making. Then there were garments in which all these first steps were applied.

While every country has sent specimens of clothing made by its children, and each exhibits its own system of teaching sewing, none of these systems seem so complete nor the finished garments so perfect as those of our own country.

In foreign countries no particular attention seems to be paid to the cutting, shaping, and ornamenting of garments. The little underclothes from Switzerland and Germany, especially, were made of such coarse cloth, of such a hideous pattern, and so utterly without ornament, that it is not pleasant to think there are really people in the world contented to wear such unsightly clothes.

In the American exhibit, every garment, for rich child or poor child, had its little frill of lace, or its row of feather-stitching, which gave it a finish that was very pretty.

The daintiest set of garments came from the Industrial School for Colored and Indian Children, in Hampton, Va.

The most complete exhibit, which included plain sewing, dress-making, hat-trimming, and fancy work of all kinds, was sent by the Pratt Institute, in Brooklyn. The useful sewing from that school was above the standard of excellence, and the art work fully equal to that of the New York School of Applied Design.

A very interesting part of the exhibit of every American school was the darning and patching. We hear a good deal about people not learning to sew properly nowadays, since the sewing-machine has come into such common use, but the patches and darns shown by the twelve-year-old pupils of our public schools would put the far-famed patching of our grandmothers to shame.

There were square patches, with the patterns matched so exquisitely that you had to feel the edge before you could realize that the patch was there; three-cornered "jags" darned so perfectly with their own threads that they were invisible, and every kind of rent and tear and hole was treated in its own particular way.

The Japanese sent a number of beautiful designs for embroidery, and a case full of queer little Japanese garments, but unfortunately they, too, were made of coarse materials, and looked ugly and uninteresting.

Russia sent Russian lace, and a number of photographs of school children learning to sew. They also sent some lovely Russian embroidery, but no plain sewing.

Mexico had a case full of wonderful drawn work; France some wonderful designs for dresses, and some beautifully finished dress-waists, but the little under-garments were as coarse as those of Switzerland. This was a disappointment, because we always suppose that France sets the fashion for daintiness.

Two very interesting pieces of work had been loaned for the occasion: one, a sofa cushion worked by Martha Washington; and the other a map of England and Wales, done in Berlin wools by George Washington's aunt.

The map was beautifully worked, and was a marvel of neatness, with the counties all outlined in different colors, and their names worked in with very fine stitches.

Of Martha Washington's handiwork it is hard to speak. It was the ugliest sofa cushion you can imagine, worked in browns so that it should not show the dirt, and with such irregular stitches that either Madam Washington must have been losing her sight when she worked it, or else she was a very poor needle-woman.

The American exhibit had one wonderful case of work done by the blind. It consisted of patches with specimens of sewing and running on them, a great many very fairly done buttonholes, and several little dolls' aprons very neatly hemmed, and gathered with fine, even gathers.

It seemed impossible to believe that the hands that did this work had no eyes to guide them. The buttonholes were so well made that they looked like the work of some careful, clever young children.

What a wonderful age we live in! Fancy bringing the art of teaching to such perfection that the blind can be taught to sew! Our young folks ought to be very thankful that they are growing up at a time when teachers endeavor to make learning a pleasure as well as a profit. G.H.R.

BOOK REVIEWS.

We publish the following letter about the "Carved Cartoon":

This book deserves every word of praise given to it by our correspondent. It is one of the most delightful stories written. It treats of the adventures of Grinling Gibson, the famous carver in wood, who carved flowers so delicately that they could absolutely move on their stems. EDITOR.

_To the Editor:_

DEAR SIR.--Every year the cry for books increases. "Tell us what to read," is the constantly repeated demand, and parents, teachers, and publishers are often at a loss to keep the active brains of our young people supplied with sound, wholesome, and interesting literature.

Science, art, history, and zoology are presented to the little ones in varied and attractive forms, and now THE GREAT ROUND WORLD has come forward to fill a long-felt want by giving the boys and girls clean, healthy, and concise accounts of what is taking place in their own and other countries.

It has always seemed strange to me that so few parents place in their children's hands that beautiful story entitled the "Carved Cartoon." It is a book of breathless interest, containing the adventures of a young artist and a boy musician during the great London plague and fire.

The story is founded on fact, and the author's pen holds the reader entranced as it vividly pictures the stirring scenes of those thrilling years.

The noble character and brilliant talents of the young hero shine star-like through the surrounding darkness of greed, avarice, and poverty.

Trusting that no boy or girl will let an opportunity to read this fascinating book slip by, I am very cordially your interested reader,

ELEANOR MAUD C----.

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

DEAR MR. EDITOR:

Would you kindly tell me what books to read? I am eleven years old, and the books I like best are Miss Alcott's "Little Men," "Jack and Jill," "Eight Cousins," and "Under the Lilacs," and Miss Sydney's "Five Little Peppers," and I like books of that style. I remain,

Your devoted reader, WALTER L.S.

P.S.--I read "Jack and Jill" six times.

NEW YORK, March 20, 1897.

"Beautiful Joe: the Autobiography of a Dog," by Marshall Saunders; "Black Beauty," by Sewell; "The Wonder-Book" and "Tanglewood Tales," by Hawthorne; "Greek Heroes and Greek Fairy Tales," by Kingsley; "Jackanapes," by Mrs. Ewing; "Ten Boys Who Lived on the Road from Long Ago," by Jane Andrews.

This list has been made for you by two very nice little girls named Clare and Eleanor. They have read and liked all the books in the list.

EDITOR.

DEAR EDITOR:

I like THE GREAT ROUND WORLD very much, and have just finished reading it. I would like to ask a few questions.

Do you think that Cuba will ever be free?

Do you think that the United States will help Cuba?

I was very much interested reading about the Inauguration.

I was very sorry about Dr. Ricardo Ruiz being killed in Cuba.

I was very much interested in the article about wheels.

I must now stop, and success to your paper.

Your affectionate reader, TOM M.A. March 20, 1897.

MY DEAR TOM:

Thank you for your nice letter. In answer to your questions: We do think that Cuba will be free, and that she will gain her freedom before very long. We do not think that this country will help Cuba. It hardly seems necessary now that we should help; the Spaniards are losing ground every day, and it will probably be best for the United States to wait until the brave little island has fought her last battle, and then let Uncle Sam come forward and help Cuba to re-establish her commerce.

THE EDITOR.

DEAR EDITOR:

I enjoy THE GREAT ROUND WORLD very much indeed, and wish the dreadful war with Cuba would stop; but I do not want the Cubans to give up; it is just like the Revolutionary War with us; we did not give up, and I hope Cuba won't.

I have a little black and tan dog, and call him Jack. He is very cunning indeed, he has a hard rubber ball he plays with. There also is another black and tan dog in the house whose name is Gipsy; she, also, is very cunning.

I remain your affectionate reader, HELEN A.S. NEW YORK, MARCH 20, 1897.

Many thanks, dear Helen, for your letter. We are quite of your opinion, and hope most sincerely that Cuba will not give up until she has won her freedom.

EDITOR.

* * * * *

THE GREAT ROUND WORLD

NATURAL HISTORY

STORIES.

A Series of True Stories

BY

JULIA TRUITT BISHOP.

Attractively Illustrated by Barnes.

* * * * *

These stories will be issued in parts. Price, 10 cents each. Subscription price (12 numbers), $1.00. Part 1. issued as supplement to GREAT ROUND WORLD. 19.

* * * * *

=Author's Preface.=

The stories published in this little volume have been issued from time to time in the Philadelphia _Times_, and it is at the request of many readers that they now greet the world in more enduring form. They have been written as occasion suggested, during several years; and they commemorate to me many of the friends I have known and loved in the animal world. "Shep" and "Dr. Jim," "Abdallah" and "Brownie," "Little Dryad" and "Peek-a-Boo." I have been fast friends with every one, and have watched them with such loving interest that I knew all their ways and could almost read their thoughts. I send them on to other lovers of dumb animals, hoping that the stories of these friends of mine will carry pleasure to young and old.

* * * * *

=WILLIAM BEVERLEY HARISON,=

=3 & 5 West 18th Street.=

* * * * *

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