Last year mamma gave me Harper's Young People for a birthday present, and this year my papa gave it to me. I am so happy to see it every week. Papa always reads "Talking Leaves" to me; I am delighted with it. Mamma or one of my aunties reads the other stories and letters. We are all pleased with "The Dolls' Dressmaker" (little Jenny Wren), but I did love "Toby Tyler" best of all, and wish Mr. Otis would hurry up the new story he has promised us.

So many of the children tell you of their pets! I have two; both of them are cats—one a big Maltese named Cann, the other a little gray and white kitten named Pocahontas. She does not love old Cann, and fights him every time she finds a chance. He never fights her back. My little gray cat comes to my room every morning, and cries until I let her in, and then we have fine fun for awhile.

I am too small a boy to write, so mamma is writing this letter for me. I am the only pet mamma and papa have. I can read a little, and hope soon to be able to write.

Carlton R. B.

Just a little patience, dear! The Postmistress saw Mr. Otis yesterday. Keep a bright lookout until April comes, and then when the showers are falling, and the buds are springing, "Mr. Stubbs's Brother," with his queer little eyes, flat nose, and funny long tail, will make his appearance in Young People.

Sacramento, California.

I have been wanting to write to this dear little paper for a long time, but did not know that you published the letters of those who did not subscribe. My papa brings me a paper regularly every week.

I have no little pets, like most children, and even if I had, I would not have time to play with them, as I go to school, take lessons in chenille embroidery, and practice on the piano.

I spent three months in the Eastern States last summer, and visited a great many places in New York State, Connecticut, Ohio, and Illinois. I saw many wonderful beauties of nature, among which was the Devil's Slide, which was two perpendicular walls one hundred feet high, and twenty feet apart, coming down the steep side of a mountain. The Devil's Gate is a stream of water flowing under a mountain. Witches' Rocks are five rocks that look like ladies. Pulpit Rock is the place where Brigham Young preached his first sermon in Utah. They are both in Echo Canon, which is a canon that throws the echo back when you speak very loud. Cape Horn is in California, and is a mountain rising up from the American River about 2500 feet, and has a railroad cut around the side of it. I wish all the readers of the Young People could see all the beautiful things I did last summer.

I will exchange some pretty shells, stones, advertising cards, unpressed sea-moss, or a small piece of petrified wood, for fossils, minerals, stalactites, stalagmites, foreign stamps, old coins, or flint. Please write before sending.

I hope my letter is not too long.

Alida Lewis, 726 O St., Sacramento, Cal.

Ilchester, Maryland.

I am going to Europe in April, in the great steamer City of Rome, and mamma says I may have Harper's Young People sent over to me. It would be too much for me to give it up, as my brother Tom and I read it, and it gives us so much pleasure. I have been to Europe before. We staid two years, but now I am ten, and I will enjoy it much more. Tom is eight years old, and we are reading Young Folks Abroad, so we can know about London and Paris and the other cities. We have read Abbott's Histories, and the death of Charles I. and Marie Antoinette almost made me cry. Would you like me to write you what I see when I am across the great "ditch"? We expect to be in Germany this summer, and in the winter in Nice, but I don't want to leave you behind.