A FABLE FOR SMART LITTLE BOYS.
There was a little Hottentot
Who wandered in a shady spot,
Beside a sluggish river's brink,
Where savage beasts came down to drink,
When suddenly he ran across
A monstrous, grim rhinoceros.
The little blackamoor was pert,
And not afraid of being hurt;
So, without any hesitation,
He entered into conversation,
And, just to make his smartness clear,
Began to ridicule and jeer:
"My gracious! what an ugly beast!
Your skin is all begrimed and creased
And what a nose for shape and size,
With a great horn between the eyes!"
Whereat that big rhinoceros
Just gave his nose a little toss,
His funny little critic eyed
With grim good-humor, and replied:
"My nose, young darky? take a look
At yours, reflected in the brook:
Now tell me what you think of that?"
"Mine? Why, 'twas beautifully flat
When I was born; my mother's care
To give me a distinguished air
Has broadened it to what you see,
And made my playmates envy me."
"Yes, made you quite a beau! But hark 'ee,
You most impertinent young darky,
And let me tell you I was made
With this huge form, and thus arrayed
With a great horn upon my nose,
To serve as warning to all those
Who poke in other folks's platters,
And make free with their neighbors' matters.
I've half a mind—'twould serve you right—
To toss you fairly out of sight.
I'm coming for you now! Here goes!
Say, now, how do you like my nose?"
"Oh, don't, you dear, good, lovely beast!
I didn't mean it in the least;
You are the sweetest beast I know,
And every one will tell you so."
"You little impudence! begone!
Quick, or my nose shall help you on!"
That frightened little Hottentot
Departed on a lively trot.
Lynn, North Carolina.
I am nine years old. I have a little baby sister named Jeanne. We had to leave papa, and come here with mamma for her health. We have a little mule named Kit, that is very little and gentle, and we ride it nearly every day. Kit just suits these mountain roads. The mountains are very high and beautiful. A great many people come here with their little boys and girls, so I always have playmates.
We go fishing and riding. I have a garden of my own. I study part of the day, then I play, and have a good time. Strawberries are ripe now, and peaches will be ripe in June on the mountains in what they call the thermal belt, where the frost has not killed them as it has in other places this year.
Just now the mountains are covered with flowers. There are azalias, kalmias, rhododendrons, wild phlox, and other flowers, and many trees are blooming. Mamma says she never saw so many flowers in her life. When you look up the mountain from below, it looks like the made pyramids of flowers we have at home in the city, only so much bigger. I wish everybody could see. Papa sends me Young People, and I am delighted with it.
Fred J. T.
Brooklyn, New York.
The other afternoon papa took my little sister Annie to Mr. Barnum's circus, and I want to tell Young People the joyful news she brought when she came home. She rushed into the house in great excitement, calling out: "Oh, mamma, mamma, Mr. Stubbs isn't dead, because Mr. Barnum has got him all safe and well! I saw him myself in a big wagon, and Toby Tyler was there talking with him." Annie has mourned bitterly over the sad death of the poor monkey, and since she went to the circus and saw him alive, she has been a much happier little girl. She says a dozen times a day: "I'm so glad Mr. Stubbs didn't die! I knew they couldn't be so cooel as to let him die!" She tells everybody that comes to the house that Mr. Stubbs is alive, and that Mr. Barnum has got him all safe.
I don't know what we children would do without Young People. We can hardly wait for Tuesday night, when papa brings it home.
H. C. L.
Bethlehem, New York.
I want to tell Young People about my guinea-fowls. I wish all the little readers could see them. They have such lovely spotted feathers, and such cunning little heads, and they make such a funny, screeching noise that they frighten away the chicken-hawks. I wish I could send all the little girls some of their pretty feathers.
I am eleven years old, and my music teacher says I can play the piano very well.
I. L. K.
Burlington, Vermont.
I have an Excelsior printing-press. I have not had it very long, but I have earned a few dollars with it. My uncle has a printing-office, and three or four presses. I like to go and watch him print, and I like to print myself very much.
We have a summer-house on the shore of the lake, and a boat. We go there in the long vacation, and stay two or three months. I have a great deal of fun. I own a sail-boat about two feet long. It sails splendidly.
Frank P. L.
Marshalltown, Iowa.
We take Young People in our school because the teacher says "it gives her ideas." We have lately organized a club in our school called the "Little Pitcher Club," so named, I suppose, because all its members are "little pitchers with big ears."
We are bound by our by-laws to relate once a fortnight some story or incident which we have heard or read, in a natural manner, and in our own language, and subject to the fiercest criticism from the rest of the class, who pounce upon us like little tigers as soon as we are done. It is great fun, I think. We have a fine large play-ground, and the School Board have kindly given us permission to lay it out in flower-beds, one for each room, and there are four in the building. Our room is going to try for the premium offered at our county fair for the best set of letters from any school in the county, and we get a good many ideas from the Post-office Box in your little paper. The teacher says some of the letters printed there are models of correct letter-writing, and she chooses one every week for us to study and copy. We hope you will print this letter. Your little friend
Carrie A. (eight years).
Brooklyn, E. D., New York.
A number of boys and girls, readers of Harper's Young People, have corresponded with me about an object which no doubt would prove interesting and instructive to them. The object was, viz., a Natural History Society, composed of Harper's Young People readers residing in all parts of the world where its welcome visits extend.
My idea is that an organization of this kind would prosper much better if it was taken up by the boys and girls themselves. So I leave it in their hands, and would request that if they are in favor of such an association, to send their ideas, suggestions, and questions to the Post-office Box.
Charles H. Williamson,
President of the Young Chemists' Club.
Lima, New York.
I was born in India. My father is a missionary there now. Two years ago he sent me here to my grandpa's, and I like it very much. I am nine years old. I have saved money enough to take Young People all myself.
Harry L McM.
I have no more arrow-heads to exchange, but I will exchange moss from the mountain cliffs, ore, periwinkles, and mussel shells from the river; or flints that will strike fire, for ocean shells, a piece of lava, or foreign postage stamps.
C. D. Mansfield, Merville, Powell Co., Ky.
I would like to exchange coins, minerals, stamps, shells, postmarks, woods, butterflies, and other curiosities, for foreign stamps. Please send stamps, and I will pick out what I wish, and return the others with curiosities equal in value to the stamps I keep.
Frank B. Eldredge,
P. O. Box 458, Attleboro, Mass.
We wish to notify correspondents that we have no more arrow-heads to exchange, and hope no one will send things requesting arrow-heads in return. We will now exchange lead ore, quartz, and flint, for other minerals and Indian relics.
John L. and Minnie Scott,
P. O. Box 39, Frankfort, Franklin Co., Ky.
After the 1st of June I can make no more exchanges.
Julie Wickham,
338 Lexington Avenue, New York City.
I have received three Chinese postage stamps from New York city, but as the sender did not give any name, I can not return specimens.
Amelia Frink, Marshall, Calhoun Co., Mich.
I have received some things from a boy in Beattie, Marshall County, Kansas, but he did not sign his name. I will send him his sulphurates as soon as he sends me his name.
George Hawes,
73 Gilbert Street, Bridgeport, Conn.
We have often endeavored to impress upon the minds of our young readers the importance of giving full name and address when writing a letter requiring an answer. Every day the Post-office Box receives letters requesting exchange, often concluding with, "Please, Mr. Editor, make room for this," and in their anxiety lest their letter be not printed, the boys and girls often forget to sign their request, and except for the postmark on the envelope, the editor would never know in what part of the world the careless little correspondent lived. Now there are a great many of you watching every paper for your exchange. You are sure you wrote it clearly, and in every number you see others asking for the same thing you asked for, so you know your exchange was not against the rules. You can not understand why it is not printed. It never will be printed, because you forgot to give your name and address; and if you wish to exchange your stamps or other things, you must write again, and be more careful than before.
I have no more arrow-heads, but I hope to have some soon, and will send them to correspondents who have written to me.
Willie G. White,
Yorkville, York Co., S. C.
Louis Treadwell, Redding, Connecticut, and Nat B. Blunt, New York city, withdraw their names from our exchange list, as they have no more specimens.
The following exchanges are offered by correspondents:
Rare foreign and United States postmarks, for rare coins or Indian relics.
Clinton C. Andrews,
Kirkwood, St. Louis Co., Mo.
Pink and mushroom coral, ivory nuts, three kinds of South-Sea beans, or Mexican, Western coast, and South-Sea shells, for shells. Only good specimens desired.
J. S. Arnheim,
Drug Store, 248 Oak Street, San Francisco, Cal.
Postmarks.
Clarence L. Avery,
Herkimer, Herkimer Co., N. Y.
A Chinese coin, for twenty foreign stamps. A Japanese coin, for forty foreign stamps. A stone from Ohio, for one from any other State.
William Alter,
P. O. Box 790, Kenton, Hardin Co., Ohio.
German, French Republic, Great Britain, Holland, Hong-Kong, India, or Roman States stamps, for a 90-cent United States, issue of 1851, a 30-cent due stamp, issue of 1879, a 1, 10, 12, 15, and 24 cent Interior Department, or a 1, 7, 10, 12, 24, 30, or 90 cent Navy Department.
J. C. Stewart,
P. O. Box 64, Bound Brook, N. J.
Silver of the United States, for silver of any other country except Canada.
Edson T. Boyd,
P. O. Box 41, Harmony, Chautauqua Co., N. Y.
Some coins over a hundred years old, for other curiosities.
Ed. Bynon,
37½ Vickroy Street, Pittsburgh, Pa.
Stamps from India, for those of any other foreign country except South America.
Laura M. Buck,
634 Girard Avenue, Philadelphia, Pa.
Four stones from the "Blue Juniata," for stones from any other river, and crystallized salt.
S. Fred Blymyer, Lewistown, Mifflin Co., Pa.
A stone from Massachusetts, for one from any other State.
L. Brooks,
Care of Mr. P. C. Brooks, West Medford, Mass.
Pressed flowers and United States stamps, for curiosities. Correspondents will please write before sending any specimens.
Idy and Jennie Bates,
Peoria, Franklin Co., Kan.
Fifteen Indiana postmarks, for the same from any other State.
Charles Beemer,
Lock Box 398, Muncie, Delaware Co., Ind.
Five postmarks, for one stamp. Foreign stamps, for United States internal revenue stamps.
C. S. Brown,
Lock Box 406, Muncie, Delaware Co., Ind.
Postmarks.
Henry M. Daland,
440 Jefferson Avenue, Elizabeth, N. J.
A good ten-key accordion, for a good foot-power scroll-saw.
H. Damm,
Lancaster, Grant Co., Wis.
Butterflies, and other insects.
A. R. Everett, Sweetland, Nevada Co., Cal.
A piece of crystallized quartz, for a piece of copper, lead, or iron ore. A foreign stamp, for every five postmarks (no duplicates). Fifteen different foreign stamps, for any good curiosity.
Edward D. Fowler,
P. O. Box 51, Newburgh, Orange Co., N. Y.
Curiosities and foreign coins to exchange for old American coins.
G. H. Hetzel,
Cumberland, Alleghany Co., Md.
Stamps, for ocean curiosities. A good collection of two hundred stamps (no duplicates), for a genuine Indian bow and arrow.
C. D. Haines,
565 Seventeenth Street, Oakland, Cal.
Stamps, postmarks, and monograms, for curiosities.
Frank Haines,
54 West Fifty-seventh Street, New York City.
United States internal revenue stamps, for stamps from Cuba, Brazil, Mexico, China, Australia, or Cape of Good Hope.
M. Massie,
101 East Eighth Street, Covington, Ky.
An ounce of soil from Cook County, Illinois, for the same from any other State.
T. E. Morford,
P. O. Box 32, Riverside, Cook Co., Ill.
Foreign postage stamps, for Indian arrow-heads.
Frank C. Motherwell,
247 South Sixth Street, Philadelphia, Penn.
Minerals, for silk scraps for a quilt.
Flavel Mines,
P. O. Box 41, Kirkwood, St. Louis Co., Mo.
Iron ore from Missouri, coral, stones from the Atlantic coast, and a few petrified sharks' teeth, for stamps; Nova Scotia, Baden, Newfoundland, and United States department stamps especially desired.
L. W. Mullikin,
Room 37, Hackettstown Ins., Hackettstown, N. J.
Florida shells, sulphur as it is dug, and stones and shells from Lake Ontario, for ocean curiosities, Indian relics, and ores.
Albert Pfans, care of William Schenck,
290 Washington Street, Newark, N. J.
Foreign stamps. Australian and Asiatic stamps especially desired. Correspondents will please send list of stamps before sending specimens.
Helen Potter,
1519 North Twenty-second St., Philadelphia, Penn.
Pine, birch, maple, and oak of different kinds, poplar, ash, wild cherry, and alder, for ocean shells and curiosities, postmarks, or other kinds of woods. New Hampshire granite or cobble-stones, for stones from any other State.
Scott E. Sanborn,
54 Pennacook Street, Manchester, N. H.
A very good stamp album, for a genuine Indian bow and arrow in good condition.
Walter S. Russell,
Cooperstown, Otsego Co., N. Y.
A British stamp, for a Cape of Good Hope stamp.
Attie Sutton, Bradford, Penn.
Five postmarks, for every ordinary foreign postage stamp; and ten postmarks, for every rare foreign stamp.
S. G. Smith,
Heckatoo, Lincoln Co., Ark.
Iron ore and sea-shells, for minerals.
G. W. Stevens,
10 Broadway Street, Utica, N. Y.
A Russian stamp, for a three-cornered Cape of Good Hope. Five postmarks, for a Newfoundland or Turkish stamp.
Robert Shiell, Jun.,
39 Sibley Street, Detroit, Mich.
A piece of coral eleven inches high, for a stamp from Japan, Russia, or Liberia.
F. R. Satterlee,
56 West Seventeenth Street, New York City.
Ten postmarks, for one foreign stamp. Sand from Ohio, for the same from any other State or Territory.
E. Standish,
44 West University Street, Columbus, Ohio.
Mexican and State Department stamps, for stamps from Liberia, Prince Edward Island, Nicaragua, Uruguay, Feejee Islands, and Costa Rica.
M. U., P. O. Box 63, San Antonio, Texas.
Fifteen postmarks of any one State of the Union, for good curiosities.
J. M. Valerinos,
388 Clifton Place, Brooklyn, E. D., N. Y.
A stone from Massachusetts, for one from any other State.
Joseph Welch,
607 Broadway, South Boston, Mass.
A one-shilling English stamp, 5 and 25 centime French stamps, and 25-centime Swiss stamp, for other foreign stamps.
C. Wilkins,
228 South Fourth Street, Brooklyn, N. Y.
Rare seeds or bulbs, for postage stamps.
Fred A. Wilson, care of "American Grocer,"
28 West Broadway, New York City.
Two sea-watches and four English stamps, for any foreign stamps except English.
Jennie Voter, Biddeford, Me.
Stamps and American and foreign coins.
Carl Wheelock,
P. O. Box 421, Woonsocket, R. I.
Foreign stamps, or old issues of United States stamps, for the same, or for anything suitable for a museum.
R. Wilson,
Norwalk, Huron Co., Ohio.
Twelve varieties of foreign stamps, for ten stamps from Japan, Ionian Isles, Liberia, Natal, Orange States, Parma, Paraguay, Poland, West Australia, or Bolivia.
Georgie C. Weissert,
193 Twelfth Street, Milwaukee, Wis.
English telegraph, old United States, and rare European stamps, for Mexican and South American stamps—a stamp for a stamp; also, relics from Niagara Falls, for relics from other places.
Rounsville Wildman, Niagara Falls, N. Y.
Rare old issues of United States stamps, for rare foreign stamps.
M. Willis,
P. O. Box 208, Flushing, N. Y.
Pressed leaves and stones, for insects. Please pack specimens carefully in cotton.
Kittie Weaver, Mankato, Minn.
Sections of a shark's backbone, for fossils or petrifactions of any kind.
D. Allen Webber,
Searsport, Waldo Co., Me.
Silver ore, for foreign postage stamps and postal cards.
J. E. Williams,
4 Harrison Street, New York City.
Two cancelled three and ten cent Treasury stamps, for any Asiatic, African, Australian, or South American stamp.
Carl Wagner,
200 Peachtree Street, Atlanta, Ga.
Ten foreign stamps, for one copper coin of any foreign country.
H. F. Welch,
St. Nicholas Hotel, New York City.
Postmarks, for curiosities of any kind. Soil of New York, for the same of any other State. White and red cedar, for other woods.
R. E. Sumner,
468 Classon Avenue, Brooklyn, N. Y.
Trap-rock with mica in it, for an Indian arrow-head.
R. B. W.,
P. O. Box 51, Ridgewood, Bergen Co., N. J.
Foreign stamps, for Indian relics.
Harry Sullivan, Indianapolis, Ind.
Postmarks, for insects.
Walter S. Stillman,
P. O. Box 966, Council Bluffs, Iowa.
Foreign stamps, for minerals, coins, Indian relics, or any kind of curiosities.
John T.,
14 Carver Street, Boston, Mass.
Stamps and sea-shells from Florida, for South American or Asiatic coins.
F. P. T.,
Okawville, Washington Co., Ill.
Joseph W.—There is an old tradition that the loadstone was discovered by a Greek shepherd on Mount Ida. His crook was tipped with iron, and on touching a large mass of rock with it, he was amazed and terrified to find it held fast, as if by invisible hands. The name of this shepherd was Magnes, and the word magnet is said by some to be derived from it. Others, with more probability, think that the word comes from a region of Lydia called Magnesia, where the loadstone was found in large quantities. This stone has the remarkable power of imparting its own property of attraction to hard iron or steel, without losing any of its power.
C. H. C.—Whistles may be made of willow, bass-wood (linden), or elder. The process is very simple: Take a smooth piece of willow or bass-wood branch, of fresh growth, and full of sap, about half an inch in diameter and three or four inches long. Trim the smaller end as shown in the diagram, and cut a circle through the bark near the larger end, and then loosen the bark between the cut and the smaller end by gently tapping it with a stick or the back of your knife. If you break or bruise it, your whistle will be spoiled. When the bark is thoroughly loosened, it will slip off with a gentle pull. Cut away the wood as indicated by the dotted lines of the diagram, and make a small incision in the bark just above where the inside slope of the wood begins. Moisten the wood, slip on the bark, and you have your whistle. To make a whistle out of elder, punch out the pith, plug up one end tightly, and leave an air-space on one side of the plug at the other end. Cut an air-hole, as in the willow whistle.
R. V. C.—Horses are not used in crossing the great deserts of Africa, as they can not go without water, like the camel, which can take into its stomach at one time a supply for several days.
O. W.—The phrase "passing-bell" originated in this way. In ancient times, when people were more superstitious than they are now, it was believed that bells which had been consecrated had the power to drive away evil spirits; and so, when any one was supposed to be dying, the church bell was rung to scare away the wicked demons which were supposed to be waiting at the foot of the bed, ready to seize the "passing" soul. Bells were also supposed to have the power of protecting buildings from lightning and storms of wind, and some bells were inscribed with verses describing their qualities. The following verses are found on some old bells in England:
"Men's death I tell by doleful knell.
Lightning and thunder I break asunder.
On Sabbath all to church I call.
The sleepy head I raise from bed.
The winds so fierce I do disperse.
Man's cruel rage I do assuage."
C. R. F.—You can obtain the numbers of Young People you specify.
H. S.—Our word bead comes from the old Anglo-Saxon bead, or bede, which means a prayer, strings of beads being used to number prayers. Beads are made of many kinds of material—glass, amber, coral, wood, precious stones, gold, and other metals. They are largely manufactured in China, and every mandarin, when in full dress, wears a magnificent string of them. The beads used for dolls' eyes are mostly made at Birmingham, England.
Correct answers to puzzles have been received from Jennie Bates, Gertie Childs, Maggie J. Callahan, L. M. Fobes, Lottie, "Lodestar," Flavel S. Mines, F. Nichols, "North Star," "Pepper," Harry Phillips, M. Parkinson, C. A. Quinn, "Queen Bess," Charlie A. Smith, "Tel E. Graph," "Wall and Thisbe."