This is my first letter to Young People. Mamma gave the paper to me for a birthday present, and papa gave me a pony. One of my playmates and myself mount him, and we make him lope as fast as ever he can. Mamma took me not long ago to the Blue Lick Spring. When she told me I was going I was perfectly delighted. My cousin and I got a whole lot of very beautiful stones there. I am nine years old, and read in the Fourth Reader, and study arithmetic, spelling, and geography.
Sammie M. G.
Is it not almost too much for that willing little pony to carry two boys at once? It would be a better way to take turns, and let one ride at a time, especially as you love to go so very fast.
Chesley Place, Slickaway, Kentucky.
I thought I would write and tell that little girl who wanted to know some games how we play out here in Kentucky. We have great fun hiding the switch, and the one who finds it chases the rest till we touch base, which is a big tree. We go wading in the creek, and Paul has a ferry-boat, like those which ply between New York and Jersey City, only ever so much smaller. It holds nothing but our wee dolls for passengers, and the animals in Noah's ark. We play hide-and-seek with our dolls, and Nina and I take them out riding in their carriages. Nurse walks along with baby Lucy in her carriage, and Paul on his velocipede goes in front, and so we have a grand procession. We have our own little gardens, and raise vegetables, which we sell to mamma.
When I read Fairley C.'s letter it seemed as if she were talking about me, for I have two little sisters and one brother, and I too am nine years old. We love our home in the country, and if I were not so tired, I could tell you of more things we do.
Cicely de G. McC.
Willow Creek, Clay County, Iowa.
I am thirteen years of age, and live in the north-western part of Iowa, on the big prairies. I live on a farm, and we have eleven head of horses and thirty-three head of cattle. We milk six cows this summer. I have taken Young People since March 22, 1881, and it is the best paper for young readers I ever saw. I liked all I read of "Toby Tyler" very much, but I did not take the paper at the time the story began, and so I had to imagine that part. The Post-office Box is splendid. It gives us a chance to hear from young people all over the world.