I am a little English girl nine years old; I have a kind auntie in America, who sends us Harper's Bazar and Young People. My sisters and I are delighted with them. My papa has some very kind cousins in Kentucky. Cousin S—— has invited us to go and see him, and have some of his nice fruit, and mamma says we may some time if we are good. We call him uncle, because we love him so. He sent some American flour to papa, who keeps a store here, and we have had one hundred barrels of American apples, and are going to have more. We have the Stars and Stripes and Union-Jack at papa's store, and the children here call it the "'Merica shop."
Louise Mary K.
Mankato, Kansas.
I have lived in this place ten years. I am eleven years old. A great change has taken place here since I came. Not long ago this was the Indians' country. We could see traces of them, and often felt afraid. Buffalo, antelopes, and wolves were very numerous, and frequently ran past our house. Nearly everybody lived in "dug-outs" then, but now things are beginning to look civilized. We have a railroad, and churches and school-houses. People are building fine houses, and everything is progressing rapidly. Papa and mamma have lived in Kansas for twenty-one years.
We have a large cat and a mocking-bird, which are on very friendly terms with each other, and will often eat together from the same dish.
Eleanor W.
Lancaster, Pennsylvania.
Here are two pretty botanical experiments, which may be new to some readers of Young People. Place a sponge of any size in a saucer, which must be kept filled with water. Sprinkle some canary-seed on the top of the sponge, and in a short time it will sprout and become a beautiful bunch of long green grass.
A crocus bulb, if wrapped in cotton and placed in a saucer of water, will in course of time sprout and bloom.
Carl R. E.