A PLAY-GROUND IN THE CZAR'S PARK.
BY DAVID KER.
No Russian boy with a half-holiday before him could wish for a pleasanter place to spend it than the great park which lies around the Czar's country palace of Tsarskoë-Selo (Czar's Village), sixteen miles southeast of St. Petersburg. The poor Czar himself very seldom goes there now, fearing to be shot or blown up: but plenty of his subjects do all through the summer, and many a hard-worked clerk or tired store-keeper, lying on the soft grass, with his children frolicking around him, or eating moroshki (Finland raspberries) and cream in one of the little trellis-work summer-houses near the lake, doubtless congratulates himself that he is not important enough to be assassinated, and can take a day's pleasure without fear of pistols, daggers, or dynamite bombs.
If you strike straight out through the park from the eastern corner of the palace, and head toward Pavlovsk (which lies two miles distant), you will soon hear a chorus of little voices, as if a party of children were enjoying themselves somewhere near. Ask any one what this means, and the answer will be, "Matchta" (the mast), and in another moment you see the top of a tall mast above the trees, and come out upon a small open space with a shed along one side of it, and the mast itself in the middle.
All around the foot of it, for safety's sake, is spread a strong net, upon which a crowd of girls and boys are dancing, rolling about, and jumping backward and forward, while other boys of a more adventurous turn are chasing each other up and down the "stays" and rope-ladders, laughing and hallooing at the full pitch of their voices.
See what rosy cheeks this little lassie in the pink sash has got. She looked pale enough two months ago, but fresh air and out-door games have done wonders for her already. She and her sister Alexia (Alice) have taken her big doll between them, and joining hands with their cousin Nadejda (Hope) are dancing round and round in time to a funny little Russian song.
But who is that tall, bright-eyed, curly-haired boy who is skipping up and down the rigging as nimbly as a cat, watched admiringly by the old Russian sailor who has charge of the play-ground? Young as he is, Michael Suvôrin has already made up his mind to go to sea, and never loses a chance of "practicing for a sailor." He is rather a wild boy, and just a little too fond of playing tricks upon his aunt and cousins, who are watching him rather nervously from below; but with all his wildness, he staid in only last week all through a half-holiday to read to his little sister when she was ill.
Suddenly he flings his straw hat to the ground, and starts right for the mast-head hand over hand in true man-of-war fashion. Up he goes—up, up, up—reaches the top, and giving a triumphant hurrah, turns to come down again.
All at once he is seen to lurch forward; a cry is heard; and the next moment he is hanging head downward in the empty air, caught by one foot in the strands of the rope-ladder.
Instantly all is confusion. Ladies scream, children cry, and the old sailor himself darts forward to mount to the rescue, when the mischievous boy clews himself up again with a loud laugh, and slides down unhurt, the whole thing having been only a trick.
But when he sees his aunt's white scared face, and his little cousins crying bitterly, Michael's warm heart smites him.
"I'm very sorry, aunt; I only meant it for fun, and I never thought I'd frighten you so. Scold me as much as you like; it'll just serve me right."
"Nay, don't be too hard on him, barina" (madam), puts in the old sailor. "Boys will have their fun; but he's got the heart of a man in him, and a man that you'll be proud of yet."
And I should not wonder if old Ivan's prophecy some day came out true.
[THE KITTEN AND FALLING LEAVES.]
BY WILLIAM WORDSWORTH.
That way look, my infant, lo!
What a pretty baby-show!
See the Kitten on the wall,
Sporting with the leaves that fall—
Withered leaves, one, two, and three—
From the lofty elder-tree!
Through the calm and frosty air
Of this morning bright and fair,
Eddying round and round, they sink
Softly, slowly; one might think,
From the motions that are made,
Every little leaf conveyed
Sylph or fairy hither tending,
To this lower world descending,
Each invisible and mute
In his wavering parachute.
—But the Kitten, how she starts,
Crouches, stretches, paws, and darts!
First at one, and then its fellow
Just as light and just as yellow;
There are many now—now one—
Now they stop, and there are none.
What intenseness of desire
In her upward eye of fire!
What a tiger-leap! Half way
Now she meets the coming prey,
Lets it go as fast, and then
Has it in her power again;
Now she works with three or four,
Like an Indian conjurer;
Quick as he in feats of art,
Far beyond in joy of heart,
Were her antics played in the eye
Of a thousand standers-by,
Clapping hands with shout and stare,
What would little Tabby care
For the plaudits of the crowd?
Overhappy to be proud,
Overwealthy in the treasure
Of her own exceeding pleasure!
We feel sure that our readers will be pleased by the announcement on the next page of a serial story by their friend Mr. W. O. Stoddard. The story is a long one, and will contain a chapter of intensely interesting reading for each week of the coming winter.
Sometimes when we open the Post-office Box, and read the letters you send us, we try to imagine how you look, and wonder whether we would know you if we happened to meet you going to school, or riding your gentle ponies over the hills, or perhaps busy feeding your pets, and helping along at home. We fancy we would recognize our own Young People by their bright faces and straightforward speech and polite manners. Though we can not print all the letters, we like to read them, and we think just as much of the letters we can not publish as of those which appear in these columns. Remember this, Hannah and Joe, Theodore and Bessie, and write to us again.
Please use black ink, boys and girls, and, to spare our eyes, do not use red ink nor a lead-pencil.
Fort Reno, Indian Territory.
Would you like to hear about an Indian dance, or "medicine," which I saw a little while ago? It was in a very large tent composed of several "tepees," or tents of the kind the Indians live in. The dancers were almost naked, painted black or yellow with white marks, and most of them had willow wreaths on their heads, wrists, and ankles. They jumped up and down, blowing on whistles made of the bone of an eagle's wing. In one corner of the tent was a "tom-tom," or big drum, which was beaten by five or six Indians, who sang at the same time, or at least did what they called singing, though it sounded more like howling in my ears. After much drumming and singing, the "medicine-man" and two or three others came forward and stood near the middle pole. One took down two ropes, while another sat down. The "medicine-man" then picked up a knife and some sticks and went up to the side of the man who was sitting down, and pinching up some of the skin on either side of his breast, ran the knife through it, and then taking one of the sticks, he put it through the hole. Then he and another man slipped the ropes over the sticks and went away. The tortured Indian got up and jumped first to one side and then to the other, trying to break loose. The skin stood out about four and a half inches, but would not break: at last it gave way, and the man went head first into the fire which was behind him. After this several others were tied up in the same way. The dance continued several days.
I like "The Cruise of the 'Ghost,'" "The Brave Swiss Boy," and "Across the Ocean," but "Toby Tyler" is my favorite. I have taken Young People from the first number, and could hardly do without it. I am just eleven years old.
William Wirt L.
Covington, Kentucky.
Most of the young folks who write to you tell of their pets. To avoid sameness, I will not tell of mine, but briefly mention the many curious things I lately saw at Spang's Natural History Rooms.
There were four or five kinds of sharks, the most formidable-looking being the hammer-head. It was indeed a monster; its head was three feet across, and its great goggle eyes stood out on each side. The man-eater was a hideous-looking thing, and would not be a very pleasant bathing companion. It has double rows of teeth, and is fully capable of making mince-meat of a person in a very short time. The manatee, or sea-cow, is an ugly-looking customer, in shape resembling the whale. This specimen weighs nearly two thousand pounds. The saw-fish is a queer-looking fellow, who has the advantage of all other workmen, as he carries his tool-chest with him all the time without inconvenience. This chest contains one formidable saw, which grows out from his snout. We saw two or three very large fish of this class, the saws being fully a yard long, with teeth on both sides. The king of fishes, the whale, would not care to combat with a saw-fish. Of all the odd-looking reptiles we saw it would be too tedious to make mention, so I will only allude to the little alligators, all dead and stuffed, which the ingenious Mr. Spang has arranged in the most laughable attitudes. He must have at least five hundred, some of them not more than a couple of weeks old. I hope that those of your readers who are fond of studying natural history may have an opportunity to visit this or some other equally good collection.
Edith C.
Concord, California.
My home is away out in the country, in Contra Costa County. I have two sisters and three brothers. My sisters are Emma and Tina, and my brothers are Charlie and Louis; the baby's name we have not yet decided upon. Emma, Tina, and I go to a little school about two miles from home. I have some chickens, turkeys, ducks, and pigeons, four dogs, and more than a dozen cats. I must tell you what my brother Louis did to a pet pigeon of mine. He saw it walking around the yard, and he thought he would make it a prisoner by putting it in the tin oven of the stove. We built a fire in the stove next day, and soon we heard a noise in the oven. We took the captive out, and tried to save it, but it died in the night. My papa gave me a nice little pony, which I ride. His name is George. I am twelve years old, and as this is my first letter, I would like very much to see it in print. Good-by.
Berta E. L.
Of course your brother did not mean to leave the poor bird in prison, and he must have felt very sad at its unhappy fate.
Elyria, Ohio.
I have been wanting to write you a letter for a long time, for I see many letters in the Post-office Box from little girls who are about the same age as myself.
I want to tell you about a large black and yellow spider that had its home in the corner of a house of ours. Of course it was out-of-doors, for my mamma will not have spider webs in the house where we live. In the middle of her web Mrs. Spider made a kind of curtain, behind which she retired to eat her food. One morning I went to look at it, and there hung a brown bag about the size of a hickory-nut. The bag looked as if it had been drawn together at the top and tied with a string. It had all been made in one night. There was soon another, and then the spider was gone. My papa took one of the bags and opened it. The outside was thick and tough like leather, but soft and smooth as satin inside. In it there was a little round bowl with a lid; we lifted the lid, and found the bowl full of tiny yellow eggs. All around this bowl was something that looked like fine brown cotton. I wonder if it was put there to keep the eggs warm, or as food for the baby spiders. I am going to let the other bag hang as long as it will, and watch it.
I have taken Harper's Young People almost a year; it was a birthday present.
Ada L. B.
Bethalto, Illinois.
I want to tell you about my dear little sparrow, which I found in a mill, all covered with flour. I took him home, and fed him for a week. When I thought he was old enough, I let him fly, but the cunning little fellow did not want to go. He chirruped all day in the trees around the house, and at night, when I called him, he flew right into my open hand. We continued to feed him, and now think we will have to keep him always. He flies out every day, but is sure to be close to his cage at night, and there he is satisfied till morning.
I also have a canary, which always whistles when he sees my papa, and keeps on calling till papa answers him.
Freddie M.
Hazelwood, Kentucky.
I sold my last year's turkeys, and invested a part of the proceeds in Harper's Young People. It has proved the best investment I ever made. Papa, mamma, and my brothers and sisters older and younger than myself all enjoy each week's issue. I now have another flock of young turkeys, and when they are disposed of, I will certainly renew my subscription. I raised over two hundred chickens this year. I now have five brown Leghorn chickens, beauties, from which I hope to raise a flock next year.
Mattie L. O.
When you write again, tell us something about your turkeys, whether they are fond of wandering from home, and which you like best to care for, turkeys or chickens.
Quincy, Illinois.
My little son Alfred is, through his affliction, not able to write himself, so he requests me to say to you what he would like to say himself. When he wrote you the letter you were kind enough to put in your valuable paper for him, we thought it probable some few sympathizing children would send him something to read, and so help to pass away the to him weary time. He little thought of the almost universal interest it would awake among your readers. He has received, I suppose, one hundred and fifty letters, and books, magazines, and newspapers enough to last him some time. Letters have come to him from almost every State in the Union, and one from a very kind lady in Helena, Montana. I have answered several by mail, but a great many kind friends have sent papers without name, and we wish in his place to thank all who have so kindly answered his letter, and we hope some day to do to others as they have done to our little boy.
S. Judd, for Alfred.
Windham, New York.
My friend from New York city and I thought we would write and tell you about our camping out upon a hill behind our house. We built a little shanty just large enough to sit up and lie down in, besides a little place to put our apples and drinking water in. We slept with soft hats on, pulled down over our ears to keep from catching cold, lying on and under blankets. It was quite a cold night outside, but with the aid of a lantern we read Young People, and kept warm inside by hugging up close together. We were very careful about the light being seen by the boys, for fear they would come up and trouble us as they did last year. We covered the cracks around the sides with old carpets, and the roof with oil-cloth, to keep from getting wet if it should happen to rain. We slept well, and in the morning I heard some one call, "Time to get up; half past five," so we got up and opened our house; and next summer, if we live, we will camp out again. We hope to have Young People till we grow up, and we always welcome it.
Rip Van Winkle.
E. O. P.
Elizabeth, New Jersey.
I think I must tell you about my gray cat. My papa brought him home from New York one day, and he was at first very wild, but plenty to eat and kind treatment soon tamed him. His color is gray, and he has black stripes on his head, paws, back, and sides. He is very greedy; we may feed him all day, and then he will come and rub up against us, as if begging for more. He is a very affectionate cat, for when I go out into the yard, he comes up out of the honeysuckles and purrs with pleasure. I have had him about three months.
Rosie E. W.
You might call your gray pussy Oliver Twist, after a certain poor boy who was abused quite as much as poor Tim, and who was always asking for "more," though he had far less to eat than your cat, and so had an excuse for being always hungry. Do you know who wrote the story of Oliver Twist?
My brother and I are making a "zoo," and have quite a collection. I would like to increase my stock with a live turtle or terrapin, and I will exchange twelve picture cards for a small one.
We are now reading Life and her Children, and find it adds much to the pleasure of our work in collecting.
My brother is eleven and I am nine years old.
F. C. Ely, 238 S. Third St., Philadelphia, Penn.
The following exchanges are offered by correspondents:
Stamps, foreign and domestic, for exchange.
F. H. Waters, Cambridge, Dorset Co., Md.
Rare South American and East Indian stamps, for others equally rare.
B. F. McLaughlin,
122 Front St., New York City.
A stone from Illinois, for three postmarks from any other State.
Ralph B. Larkin,
New Windsor, Mercer Co., Ill.
A hand-power scroll-saw, one iron stone, one flint Indian arrow-head, two books, entitled The Six Little Rebels and The American Family Robinson, for a bicycle, stamps, or coins.
H. B. McGraw,
206 Prospect St., Cleveland, Ohio.
A 20-inch miniature yacht, sloop-rigged, and warranted to sail, a three-draw spy-glass, and fifty stamps, for a foot-power scroll-saw and appliances in good condition.
William E. Eldridge,
323 York St., Jersey City, N. J.
U. S. stamps, postmarks, New York papers and editors' names, for curiosities, stamps, etc., or for a printing-press and type.
Thomas J. Stanton,
39 Madison St., New York City.
Fifty foreign and official stamps, several rare English and other foreign coins, for type in good condition.
Will J. Dante,
1212 Sixth St., N. W., Washington, D. C.
Internal revenue stamps, ores, postmarks, insects, and arrow-heads, for stamps from Asia, Africa, or South America.
Elmer Post,
Box 1503, Towanda, Penn.
Pressed flowers and ferns from Pennsylvania, lichens, etc., for ocean curiosities, minerals, or old coins. Please label specimens.
Box 26, New Bloomfield, Perry Co., Penn.
A dix-centimes French coin, for a stamp from Paraguay and one from Cashmere; an English half-penny, for a stamp from Honduras and one from Orange States.
Alfred C. Rowland,
Montclair, Essex Co., N. J.
Hot Springs specimens, for a popular poem entitled "We've drank from the same Canteen," sent in order for a scrap-book.
Maie G. Hamblen, Hot Springs, Ark.
Pretty pebbles from Lake Erie, for foreign stamps or curiosities.
Althea Lehman,
Bloomville, Seneca Co., Ohio.
Postmarks, for curiosities.
Harry T. Long, Malden, Mass.
Stones from Colorado, mica from Illinois, stones and sand from Africa, 197 foreign stamps (no duplicates), four sea-beans, a fine collection of sea-shells, gold and copper ores, a book, and a $1 gold piece, for a bicycle, wheel not less than 36 inches.
Button McPhetridge,
Danville, Hendricks Co., Ind.
Seven postmarks, for one foreign stamp.
Perry R. S. Swayze,
New Columbus, Luzerne Co., Penn.
Rare European and other foreign stamps, for the same.
Charlie L. Miller,
Lock Box 108, Bristol, R. I.
Foam of different colors from Oswego Iron-Works, or European stamps, for specimens of woods 5 inches long and over 1½ inches in circumference.
Hosea Wood, 448 Eighth St., Portland, Oregon.
Woods from Indiana, for foreign or department stamps.
Box 266, Bloomington, Monroe Co., Ind.
Nine fancy picture cards, for an Indian arrow-head.
Nellie M. Blodgett,
119 Warburton Avenue, Yonkers, N. Y.
Seven rare postmarks, for one foreign stamp or U. S. issue older than 1860.
Mac Entwistle, 603 Rives St., Troy, N. Y.
Two hundred feet of good cotton fish-line, for an Indian tomahawk or other Indian curiosities; seventy-five postmarks, for an Indian pipe or string of beads.
E. C. Shaw,
459 Superior St., Toledo, Ohio.
Foreign stamps, for old and foreign coins, relics, and curiosities.
C. Smith,
Box 636, Pittston, Penn.
U. S. stamps, for foreign ones.
J. N. Butler, care of Hall & Macdonald,
1651 Broadway, New York City.
Postmarks or foreign stamps, moss from Idaho or Oregon, for a 7 or 90 cent U. S. department stamp of 1869. Oliver Optic's Up the Baltic, bound in cloth, for a stamp album little used.
Charles W. Gibbs,
155 Taylor St., Portland, Oregon.
White birch bark, specimens of iron ore, mica, quartz crystals, and fossils, for rare or foreign coins, relics, and specimens. Everything must be carefully labelled.
J. S. Warren, Brooklyn, Ontario, Can.
Crystals, very clear and large, from the Black Hills, ores, petrifactions, and metallic specimens, for curiosities.
Carl Kehrweider, Jun.,
1711 Rittenhouse St., Philadelphia, Penn.
Two hundred and twenty-five postmarks, for foreign stamps and curiosities.
Horace Tomkinsol,
Mount Salem, Wilmington, Del.
Foreign stamps, for the same, minerals, Indian relics, and other curiosities.
Harvey C. Shaw, Box 607, Jamestown, N. Y.
Minerals, woods, ores, Indian relics, and curiosities, for coins, minerals, curiosities, and copies of the old Farmer's Almanac older than 1879.
Herbert Carr, Box 1112, Brockton, Mass.
A stone and soil from New Jersey and New York, for the same from any other State; and a paper from New York and New Jersey, for the same from any other State except Massachusetts.
M. Stiefel,
36 East Sixtieth St., New York City.
Three good books, called The Burning Prairie, Ten Cents, Dick Cheverly's Adventures and Misadventures, a stamp album containing 142 stamps, and three sets of fancy cards, for a good self-inking printing-press with font of type.
James E. Hardenbergh,
109 Lexington Avenue, Brooklyn, N. Y.
Ores and other minerals, and cocoons of a very large moth, six inches across the wings, some of the cocoons nearly as large as my fist, for Indian relics, ocean curiosities, and sea-shells. Correspondents will please write to arrange exchange. Also, if desired, large butterflies properly spread for collector's case.
Arthur C. Smith,
554 Division St., Chicago, Ill.
Three stamps of Argentine Republic, three of Brazil, two of Cape of Good Hope, three of Chili, four of Egypt, three of Hong-Kong, three of Norway, four of Russia, and one of Turkey, for a complete set of Curacoa or of Surinam; twelve Switzerland stamps, for a 7-cent State Department. No duplicates in any of the above.
H. Harbeck,
142 East Thirty-sixth St., New York City.
Foreign stamps, shells, minerals, and curiosities, for 7, 90, and 15 cent War and State, 15 and 24 cent Agriculture, 10-cent Executive, and 24-cent Treasury stamps, St. Helena coins, U. S. cents of 1793, 1799, 1804, and 1809, and Indian arrow-heads. I belong to the Providence Natural History Society, and am Secretary of it. H. R. Guild is President. Any letters addressed to the head-quarters of the club will reach me.
H. Buffum,
101 Waterman St., Providence, R. I.
Three Months' Rustication, by Ballantyne, or Don Quixote, for one of Bayard Taylor's books of travels or Irving's Astoria.
Charles Bennett,
Boonville, Warwick Co., Ind.
Specimens, for Indian relics and U. S. half-cents and old cents. Porcupine quills from Manitoba and silk-worm eggs from Japan, for rare U. S. postage stamps.
Stillman Griffin, Moline, Ill.
Twenty foreign stamps (no duplicates), for a triangular Cape of Good Hope.
Bennie Squier, Box 585, Orange, N. J.
All the stamps of British Honduras, for a set of Justice or State. Two stamps from Brazil, Russia, Turkey, Victoria, Jamaica, Egypt, Greece, Japan, French Colonies, British Honduras, British Guiana, Brunswick, Queensland, or New South Wales, for any of the following: Post-office 10-cent; Agriculture 1, 2, 10, 12, 15, 24, or 30 cent; Justice 1, 2, 10, 12, 15, 24, 30, or 90 cent; Navy 7 or 90 cent; War 7, 24, or 90 cent; and any of State or Executive.
A. B. C.,
166 West Fifty-fifth St., New York City.
Ten postmarks, for a penny of 1850, or a half-penny of 1839 or any other year up to 1871; five different U. S. stamps, for one foreign stamp.
Maude Smith, 111 Greene St., Dayton, Ohio.
A few pieces of fossil limestone, for rare foreign stamps. Stamps from Asia, Africa, and South America especially desired.
E. C. Bailey, Decorah, Iowa.
Stones from the road made by General Anthony Wayne in 1792 going from Pittsburgh to Detroit, for sea-shells or pieces of different kinds of wood an inch and a half long and three-quarters of an inch square. Label the specimens.
Alda M. Michael, Congress, Wayne Co., Ohio.
A good work in five volumes, for an alligator's tooth and other curiosities. Write to arrange.
Constant Reader, Box 465, Rome, N. Y.
A pair of roller skates in good order, for a pair of ice skates in good order. Please send postal describing skates before sending.
Gracie A. Pettit, Box 554, Yonkers, N. Y.
Three books, nearly new, Rational Method for Learning French, Acme Biography, and American Patriotism, a steel bracket-saw, and artist's sketching camera, papers and magazines, all for a self-inking press, chase not less than 4 by 6 inches. Write and describe before sending press.
C. H. Nichols,
Cumming P. O., Forsyth Co., Ga.
A sword-fish sword, from the waters around Block Island, and two books, for a pair of white mice and a young alligator. Write to arrange exchange.
Ewing Watterson,
Everett House, New York City.
[For other exchanges, see third page of cover.]
Exchangers will please notice again that we do not allow fire-arms to be exchanged, and that offers of anything curious or valuable for money are not accepted. We repeat, in answer to several questioners, that there is no charge for inserting exchanges.
We are very glad that Perry W. had such a delightful visit at his grandpa's, and would like to have eaten some of the fish he caught. The little sister's birthday was charmingly remembered. Spencer P. H. sent us a very bright little letter about the ants. Did he ever read H. H.'s clever story, "My Ant's Cow?" Ethel I.'s little sisters Marion and Muriel must be as sweet as their beautiful names. We would like to see the pets, of which we are sure Rena and Elsie take good care. Della C. may be sure we quite agree with her about the unfortunate Jimmy Brown. Nellie F. may write and tell us about the fair. We are very sorry with Curtis and Appa that their dear cousin Freddie is dead. We may live, as they do, in a Happy Valley, and still feel the touch of sorrow. But Freddie had been ill "a long, long while," and he is now forever free from pain.
E. A. Houston's address is changed from Monmouth Beach, N. J., to 9 West Nineteenth St., New York City. "Reader of Young People," Box 114, Cumberland, Md., has received over 100 answers to his exchange, and his supply of coins is exhausted. He will return their postmarks to all who shall send him a stamp for the purpose.
C. H. B.—Articles in Young People are paid for according to their value. It is not best for very young writers to be in haste about sending their stories and poems to any paper for publication.
Correct answers to puzzles have been received from "Castor and Pollux," "Queen Bess," Ed. S. Harrington, Willie Volckhausen, "Lodestar," Charles H. Battey, "Phil I. Pene," G. Volckhausen, C. A. N., "Young America."
PUZZLES FROM YOUNG CONTRIBUTORS.
No. 1.
TRANSPOSITION—(To Aerolite).
I am a boy's nickname. Change my head, and I become a pest; again, a rug; again, a flying creature; again, a useful animal; again, an article of apparel; again, an adjective; and again, a verb.
Lodestar.