Now, dear little housekeepers, although I have given you these receipts, I do not advise you to spend a great deal of time in candy-making in midsummer. I would rather hear that you had been riding on the hay, or gathering apples, fishing with your brothers, or going over the hills for blackberries. But if you do make candy, be sure to write me word whether or not it turns out finely and tastes good.
Weatherford, Texas.
I am a little boy seven years old. I have never been to school yet, but I learn at home. I like my books very much. I had several nice books given to me, and I have read them all but one. I have just had a nice trip with my papa, going on the Texas and Pacific Railroad to Colorado City. It is in Western Texas, on the Colorado River. The river was very high, and I saw some horses swim across it. I saw a great many prairie-dogs. They burrow in the ground, and have a rattle-snake, an owl, and a rabbit with them. I also saw a panther. I wanted a prairie-dog for a pet, and a gentleman promised to send me one. I see where little Susie has told you about her pet, a horned toad. There are a great many of them here. They do not hop like a toad, but run almost as fast as a lizard. I catch them, and put them in the garden to destroy the bugs. My pet is a little rat terrier named Snip. I saw a little printing-office at Colorado City, where a paper called the Nut-Shell is printed. It is about as large as a big sheet of writing-paper. Its editor is Johnny Tolar, a boy about fifteen years old. I take it and Harper's Young People. I wrote this letter by myself, and then got mamma to show me the mistakes.
Howard L.
A VISIT TO FORT PICKENS.
I will first tell where Fort Pickens is. It is on Santa Rosa Island. The island is surrounded by the Gulf of Mexico and Pensacola Bay, and is a large uninhabited island. On the 25th of May the Presbyterian Sabbath-school from Pensacola gave a picnic. We left the wharf for Fort Pickens about half past nine. We had a very nice time going over; we played games and talked all the way over. We arrived at the Fort at about ten or half past ten o'clock. As soon as we had landed, we went right to the Fort, where we staid for about half an hour resting, after which we walked through the Fort. We then went back to where our parasols and baskets were. We got our parasols, and started with a few other girls and boys to walk round the parapets of the forts. A few boys and girls went over to the Gulf to gather shells, but it was so warm that I thought it best to wait until afternoon before I went over to the Gulf. About twelve o'clock we went into one of the large, cool case-mates and danced and decorated our hats with ferns and wild flowers gathered inside the Fort. At one o'clock we had dinner, which we enjoyed very much. We had everything necessary to eat at a picnic. After dinner we spent the time until half past two much the same as in the morning. At half past two a crowd of ladies, gentlemen, and children went over in a sail-boat to Barrancas to visit the light-house. I did not go over with them for fear of getting seasick. After I had seen the boat leave the wharf I went back to the Fort, where I met several girls who were going over to the Gulf. I went with them. When we got over to the Gulf we pulled off our shoes and stockings and went in wading. When tired of that we walked up the beach gathering shells, until we thought it time to go back to the Fort. After a sail on the Gulf we returned to Pensacola, and arrived there about half past six. We were very tired.
Nannie L. W.