Oswego, Oregon.
I have not taken Young People very long, but I like it very much. I have a nice horse and saddle that my grandmother gave me for my birthday present when I was eight years old. My horse is as white as snow, and his name is Mazeppa. I take a ride almost every day. My cousins Edgar and Frank have a horse, and we ride out very often together, and have nice times.
Last summer I tamed two wild robins; they were very interesting pets. They were fledglings when I took them from the nest. I had to feed them by hand for four or five weeks. I did not keep them in a cage in the daytime, but let them have their liberty in the yard. I clipped their wings so that they could not fly away. When they were hungry they would come to the house and cry, "Tiptop, Tiptop." I named them Tiptop and Rob, and whenever I wanted to feed them, or know where they were, I would call them by their names, and they would always answer, and come to me. Then I would put out my hand, and they would hop upon it, and let me carry them about in that way. I would place a basin of water in the shade of a cherry-tree for them to bathe in, and it was fun to see them bathe. We had several cats, but they did not molest them. When the robins were about two months old, Tiptop got into the well and was drowned. As Rob grew older, and could find his own food, he would stay out all day, but would come home at night, and if the doors were open, he would fly straight to the room where his cage was. But one evening he did not return, and I could neither see nor hear him anywhere. Oh, how sorry I felt! I think that a strange cat caught him, for one came to the house the next morning!
I am afraid you will think that my letter is very long, but I must tell you about the pretty little cherry-birds that we have here. We call them cherry-birds because they are so fond of cherries. They are about the size of a canary. There are several kinds of them, and some are prettier than any canary-bird I ever saw, and some sing very sweetly. They come in large flocks in summer.
I am eleven and a half years old, and have never been a day at school. I live on Tualamette Island. We call our place Irona Hill. We can see three snow-covered mountains the year round from our door—Mount Hood, Mount St. Helens, and Mount Adams. They are a beautiful sight on a clear day.
Elva D.
You showed great patience in training your pretty pet robins, and it seems a great pity that one should have been drowned, and the other devoured by a cat. But it may be that Rob at last grew tired of his cage, and found a little mate, and helped her build a pretty nest in some greenwood tree. At least we will try to think so, as it is pleasanter than to suppose that he was eaten by Puss. You write very well indeed for a little girl who has never been at school. Does your mother teach you herself?
Stuttgart, Germany.
I have never yet seen a letter from Stuttgart in the Post-office Box, so I thought I might write and tell how much a little German girl enjoys Young People. My papa is a German officer, but my mamma is an American; so I can speak and read English as well as German, though I can not write it as well. My grandmamma has taken your paper for me ever since I could read English. I do not go to school, but have private lessons at home. I learn German, French, English, and music. I have a dear little sister, whose name is Roberta. She is two years old, and can speak English, French, and a little German. I have a canary-bird and two dogs. I have one very pretty dolly, whose name is Lili. There was a good deal of skating this winter. I skated every day. I like very much to read the Post-office Box, and hope my letter is not too long to be printed. I send you one dollar for Young People's Cot. I am in my tenth year.
Carla E. D.
The dollar was forwarded to Miss Fanshawe, treasurer of the fund for Young People's Cot. We like to receive letters from our distant readers as well as from those whose homes are in America. Carla's letter was very beautifully written, and we shall be glad to hear from her again.