Northfield, Iowa.
I am a little boy five feet ten inches high, weigh 160 pounds, and am over sixty-one years of age. I do not go to school any more, only to Sunday-school. I take and read all of Harper's Young People, and think it is all first-class, only in the stories of "Toby Tyler" and "Tim and Tip" there is too much fondness of the boys—one for the dirty old monkey, and the other for the dirty little dog. Why, just think of it!—a boy sleeping with a dirty old monkey or dog in his arms, and having his face and hands licked by it, and he kissing one or the other of them, as though it were a nice clean baby! The thought is enough to make one sick.
Harper's Young People has begat in the other children of the family a greater love for reading than all the other papers they ever read.
A. D.
There is nothing that gives us greater satisfaction than to receive the commendations of boys like yourself. Some boys and girls never grow old, and we are sure you belong to the number. But you will pardon us if we enter a protest against your condemnation of Toby and Tim. Under the circumstances in which those poor little lads found themselves, they would have been starved for lack of love and companionship but for their dumb friends; and what so natural as that they should caress the faithful animals, and take them in their arms when sleep brought forgetfulness of trouble? A boy is not going very far astray when he finds pleasure in the affection of a dog, or even of a monkey, though we agree with you in keeping our own kisses for sweet child pets.
Jefferson County, Kentucky.
I am a little girl nine years old. I have a brother eight, and a big sister fourteen, who has been at Shelbyville at school seven years. I am in the Third Reader, and study at home, and have never gone to school. I like Young People very much. I want you to commence that piece about Mr. Stubbs's Brother. I have three cats named Beauty, Punch, and Judy, and a large setter dog named Spot, and he will lie by a dressed shoat all night, and let no one take it. I go to Sunday-school every Sunday, through winter and summer, over two miles, and contribute a nickel to buy papers.
Rosie K. B.
You are a faithful girl to take that long walk to Sunday-school every week in all seasons. Who else has to go so far as Rosie?